[FFML] [Ranma][SI] Hybrid Theory, Chapter 6

[Aaron Peori]

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A Work of Blatant Self-Insertion


Hybrid Theory


Chapter 6: Breaking the Habit




Chris felt a bit of a thrill as he stood upon the hill and looked down
upon the Nyuuchezu - he refused to call it "Amazon", even mentally - village
for
the first time. It was like being in the Tendo Dojo... here was the proof,
the
stories come to life. This -was- the world of wonders. Of course, unlike
the
Dojo, he wasn't sure exactly what to expect from the Nyuuchezu village. A
crowd, a table, a banquet, and a log. All that had been seen in the
manga...not
much to go by.
From this high up, the village probably seemed smaller then it actually
was. The encroaching shadow of night and the lazy sprawl of houses made it
hard
to guess at the exact size of the community. It did not even begin to fill
the
valley in which it was located, but the rice paddies that spread out from
its
northern end certainly took up a huge amount of space. Only one building
appeared to be over a single story high, and that looked like some sort of
giant
dome. A tribal meeting place? The house of a community elder? Capsule Corp?
Heh,
okay, maybe not that last one.
As Chris watched, lights began to appear in the windows down below. They
weren't the flickering lights of bonfire or lamp that he had expected.
Instead,
they glowed with the clear, steady white of electric lights. But how had
they
gotten power out here? A quick scan to the west of the village showed
several
windmills. At first he had dismissed them as archaic throwbacks, but maybe
they
served some more modern purpose here after all.
The walk down to the village was almost disappointingly uneventful. The
path he followed was well-worn, the dirt packed flat by the tread of many
feet.
Ruts too narrow to be tire tracks showed the passage of carts. Night
continued
to fall, but with an idle laziness that Chris had grown to expect in the
wilderness. The village slowly grew in his view. It was definitely large,
but
nothing he would even call a town in a more civilised part of the world. But
then, he had passed through highway "towns" in the more civilized world that
were both smaller and dirtier than this. Nonetheless, one probably could
have
walked from one end to the other in a half hour, and there couldn't have
been
more than sixty buildings.
Most were short, stocky affairs made of some dark, smooth wood. They
looked like any number of other village houses he had encountered in his
journey
here. Perhaps more sturdily constructed, actually. There still couldn't have
been more than three or four rooms to each. Only a few people walked between
the
houses, men and women moving together with the casual hurry of people going
about their business anywhere.
A few of them looked up as Chris walked into the village proper, but
none paid him any particular heed. A few curious expressions, but no yelled
greetings, angry challenges by heavily armed warriors or rushes to escape
the
strange foreigner. Of course, why would there be? He felt a little silly for
half-expecting it. Chris shifted his grip on his pack as he moved inward and
took in more detail.
The village seemed like something lifted straight from a pre-industrial
Chinese epic, mixed in with several obvious anachronisms. Aside from the
electric lights (no power lines were in sight... did they have generators?)
there were other signs of modern influence. Here and there a village man or
woman wore a digital watch, or carried a small trinket of the modern world.
One
pair of young girls were huddled in a corner with a flashlight and several
copies of some modern teen magazine, giggling to each other.
Chris soon arrived in the center of the village, where the largish dome
stood. It was made of stone, but masterfully erected. Chris was no
architect,
but he could detect no seam where they must have fitted the stone blocks
together, nor was there any break to the smooth lines of its exterior. It
was
maybe two and a half-stories tall, and twice that wide. A perfect
hemisphere, at
least to his untrained eye.
There was one entrance, and this was the first clue Chris saw of any
martial presence. A tall, buxom brunette in one of those form-fitting
Chinese
breastplates Shampoo favored was sitting in front of the building. A spear
was
leaning against the wall beside her, within arm's reach. She wasn't paying
attention to much beside the game of solitaire she was dealing out on a
patch of
dusty earth.
He hesitated a bit. Kodachi knew a -little- Chinese. It was part of
the proper education of the elite, such as she was. But it wasn't something
she'd had great interest in. Her brother could probably get by
conversationally, but he knew better than to try that. Misunderstandings in
dialogue could lead to bad things, when he didn't even know what this
building
was. Maybe a shrine? Well, first let's see if the problem was moot.
"Excuse
me," he said politely, "Do you by any chance speak Japanese?"
The woman - she looked to be in her early thirties - looked up without
any surprise, or anything else beyond mild annoyance. She had muddy brown
eyes
which were clouded with confusion. Chris repressed a sigh and repeated his
request, this time speaking the words more carefully. The woman seemed to
get
the message this time. She said something rapidly in Chinese, pointing off
at an
angle to the direction Chris had taken entering the village. Chris couldn't
make
out a word she was saying, but she was shaking her head slightly. Guess that
was
a no.
Well, let's try something else she might recognise. "Cologne."
The guard tilted her head to the side, obviously recognising the word.
Then she grunted and pointed back in the same direction. Her voice was
rough,
but oddly musical. Then she said a few Japanese words. Chris recognized
"traders", "morning" and "guests" past her horrible accent.
He nodded, and thanked her - he could at least do that in Chinese -
before turning and moving in that direction. Cologne DID speak Japanese...
aside from Mousse, it was entirely possible few or none of the others in the
village did, depending on how often anybody there travelled. In which case,
he
might well be being directed straight to her, which would certainly simplify
things.
He moved through the village slowly, keeping an eye on every house he
passed since he was unsure what he was looking for. The guard's directions
had
placed him on what was obviously the main thoroughfare of the village. After
a
half-dozen or so houses passed by Chris came to what was obviously his
destination. The building was about three times as long as any other in the
village, and most of it was dark. The front door was wide open and white
light
spilled from inside. On the wall next to the door were signs in a half dozen
languages, including Japanese and English, all of which basically said
"Inn."
Well. Didn't -he- feel stupid. He walked in, wryly hoping he'd
provided the bored guard a little amusement. Although that still left the
question open as to what exactly she had been guarding...but that wasn't
important at the moment.
The inside of the building was furnished in a spartan but comfortable
fashion. The light came from a few tasteful and expensive-looking lamps that
hung from the ceiling. The part of him that was Kodachi recognised their
value,
and he was mildly impressed. The walls were covered in elaborate murals of
Chinese art, as well as one piece of western art (a piece he did not
recognize).
The room he was in was small, with a pair of stuffed leather chairs in one
corner. A man stood with his back to Chris behind a waist-high desk of
carved
mahogany, watering what Chris recognized as a cannabis plant. Heh, maybe
that's
what Cologne smoked in that pipe of hers. It'd explain her usual
mellowness.
"Excuse me," he said in Japanese.
The man turned slowly. He was old...not ancient, but Chris couldn't
place his age. He had short black hair and tiny black eyes. His cheeks and
brow
wrinkled with grandfatherly good humour as he smiled.
"Yes, may I help you, young lady?" his voice contained the same rough
but musical accent as the guard, but his Japanese was impeccable, a fact for
which Chris almost sighed in relief.
"Yes, hopefully you may. Am I correct in assuming that I have reached
the village of Nyuuchezu?" Never hurt to be polite.
"You assume correctly," the man nodded and gestured for Chris to come
closer. "You must have walked far. From your pack, you're either a martial
artist here for training, or a trader here for barter. If you hoped to
witness
the tournament, I'm afraid you're almost two months late." He laughed, a
loud
belly-quaking sound. Not that he had much belly. He was thick and rounded,
but
there appeared to be not much fat to him.
He smiled in return. "I have come far, but not for training. I have
come in search of the wisdom of one who resides here." He paused for
effect.
"Her name is Cologne."
The man frowned, but only slightly. "Well, that is an odd request. But
Cologne has always been a bit of an odd sort, hanging out with the strangest
people." he shrugged. "I'm afraid you'll probably have to wait until
morning.
Cologne has spent many years acquiring wisdom and it shows in her health,
which
isn't what it used to be." He gestured towards the far wall, which had a
single
door. "I can offer you a room. Reasonable price. Its the off-season, you
know.
Snow is just now melting out of some of the higher passes, so we don't get
many
but the really determined in."
He sighed. Too late after all. "Thank you...but as it turns out, I
don't really need to sleep at the moment. If Cologne is truly unavailable,
is
there perhaps something I could do for you or in the village to pass time
until
the morning?"
"No, we pretty much take care of ourselves around here," the man said
with a kindly smile. "You best be careful offering help to anyone else in
this
village. I'm more worldly than most, but the people here are known for their
pride for a reason. It's best you just keep your nose outside their business
and
stay out of sight until your business here is finished."
"I understand," he nodded. "Well, in that case, I can at least practice
my martial arts. Is there an out of the way nook where I could do so, or
should
I have to leave the village until morning?" He grinned. "Don't worry...I
do
know better than to get into any fights with the women here unless they are
strictly friendly sparring matches with no winners or losers."
"So I was right, after a fashion," the man said with a quick chortle.
"If you want to practice, I suggest doing so outside the village. The square
at
the other end of the village is open up enough, but you'll probably attract
the
wrong kind of attention." He paused and gave Chris a long, piercing, and
slightly discomforting stare. "Sometimes the people here have more pride
than
brains, and don't give you chances to turn down challenges, if you know what
I
mean. Like I said, best to keep a low profile if it can be helped at all.
Outsiders here are tolerated, not welcomed."
He laughed. "You're probably right. And since I actually want to be
able to be here tomorrow, I would do well to avoid joining them in that
pride-
overcoming-brains thing. Fair enough. I'll go outside the village for the
night, then. If anyone wants to fight me, they'll have to walk for it."
"Ah, good, good," the man nodded. "If you need any help tomorrow just
come ask me. Name's Bath. In case I see Cologne before you do, can I tell
her
who came calling?"
"I don't believe she'll recognise it, but my name is Kodachi," he
responded.
Bath nodded, and gave him a jovial goodbye as he left. As he exited the
building, Chris scowled a bit. This was exactly what he was hoping to
avoid.
But oh well. He could wait until sunrise to see Cologne. It'd be boring,
but
boredom was, after all, the least of his problems.

*

Ukyou ran her hand over the coat that was hanging on the rack Tofu had
kindly set in her "room." Well, it appeared it would be her room, at least
for
the foreseeable future. She wasn't sure she wanted the coat here, and hadn't
even touched it, or the large spatula leaning against the wall next to it,
since
waking up in this very same room a little over a week ago. The coat was the
same
one she had worn in that disaster at the Kunou mansion...
Ukyou sighed. It had been Aaron's idea to purchase the thing. It was
supposed to help save their bacon, but really it was just because he was
enamoured of the badass 'Matrix' look. She paused when her hand encountered
an unexpected bulge in the material. Aaron frowned and reached in, pulling
out
the small metal container. It was an emergency respirator, a portable metal
case
filled with pressurized oxygen attached to a simple plastic mask. The idea
had
been to use it in case of gas attacks by Kodachi. A problem he would likely
never have to deal with now. Because Kodachi was dead.
Ukyou growled and pulled the forearm-sized tank back, ready to pitch it
out the window. But Aaron stopped her, holding Ukyou's arm in place with
what
was probably the first exertion of his will since... since that night. "It
might
still be useful, for other things," Aaron said out loud in Ukyou's voice.
Ukyou
was forced to nod reluctantly, then she slipped the container back into her
pocket.
Next up was an inspection of her weapons. A visual check showed that her
combat spatula had a few dinks and nicks, but no structural damage a good
wetcloth and a few hours of polishing wouldn't fix. Her bandolier of
miniature
spatulas was hanging from it, and Ukyou sighed again. There were only three
of
them left. Moving on she found a few bags of her Flour Bombs (patent
pending)
and a single tiny explosive. That was it.
That was it for all her physical possessions on earth. Everything else
had been in the pack that had been blown up along with her ratbag hotel
room.
Strangely Ukyou couldn't bring herself to feel bad about losing most of it.
It
was just clothes, some cooking ingredients and some survival gear. Nothing
worth
getting worked up over. She wasn't sure if that was Aaron's influence or
not,
and that worried her in a small way she didn't dwell on.
The only thing she cared about, and that Aaron cared about even more,
was the loss of their notebook. That thing had contained all the notes Aaron
could remember about the timeline of Ranma 1/2 and a few other animes. It
also
contained all the information Aaron remembered about the history of his
world.
The important events that would shape history, like the election of
presidents
and prime ministers, the wars, the economic bubbles and bursts and new
technologies, and the events like 9/11 and the other things the future held.
But
that was still fresh enough in his mind that he could recreate it all.
The real loss was the writing, the drawings, the musings and diagrams.
Aaron had always been a writer, and his interest in drawing, while not as
advanced, was definitely there. Strangely, he had found that Ukyou shared
some
of his passion for art. Unwilling as she was to admit it, she had quite a
bit of
talent and enthusiasm for drawing. It only stood to reason, he guessed,
given
her passion for creative cooking.
Ukyou shook her head and smiled. She did hate to admit it, but he was
right. She liked drawing, a lot. It was probably the only thing she had
found
that she and Aaron could do well together. She was going to miss some of her
sketches.
"Ukyou? Are you here?"
"Back here, Akane," Ukyou called over her shoulder. She stepped back
from the coat and weapons, drawing a deep breath as she did. Ukyou would
have to
take the day off from helping the doctor. Today she needed to go and make
sure
her affairs were still in order, shop for new clothes, and while she was out
she
would acquire a few things to help in the days ahead.
"Ah, good morning," Akane called cheerfully as she walked into the room.
"Here, you better take this: he's a bit of a handful."
Ukyou reached out reflexively to take the thing Akane thrust at her
before even looking at it. She blinked when she realized she was holding a
small
black piglet, that appeared to be quivering and trying to retreat up her
arm.
"Oh, H-chan..." Ukyou said as the memory of her conversation with Akane came
back. She looked down at the piglet, giving it a quick visual inspection.
"What's a matter, pig, did Akane scare you or something?" she said as she
looked
into his strangely human eyes. He nodded rapidly. Well, at least the pig
hadn't
fallen in love with her. "Heh. Good for her."
On an impulse Ukyou stored the piglet under her arm like a football
(heh, pigskin, Aaron thought) before turning back to Akane. The cursed man
struggled a bit, but Ukyou just squeezed a little to keep him from getting
too
excited. Akane was dressed for school, but that wasn't a surprise. "Where's
Ranma?"
"He's out looking for that guy Ryouga," Akane said with a shrug. "He was
chasing around the neighbours' dog this morning with a tea kettle, screaming
something about his curse."
Ukyou blinked, than sniggered, then coughed as she tried to keep herself
from breaking out into fits of laughter. She pounded her chest a few times,
wincing as she coughed again. "Never mind then," Ukyou coughed a third time.
"I
think we won't have to worry about Ryouga disappearing on us." She looked
down
at the pig under her arms. "Isn't that right, H-chan?"
Ryouga stared back at her with his little piggy eyes, obviously
confused. It was amazing how human his expression looked, considering he was
an
animal at the moment. That tickled something, made Aaron do a mental double
take, but the feeling passed quickly.
"I have this guy well in hand," Ukyou said to Akane. "You should
probably run off to school..." Ukyou considered teasing Akane about visiting
with Doctor Tofu, but let the idea pass unvoiced.
"Right," Akane stepped back towards the door. "Oh, just one thing."
Ukyou raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen Nabiki at all this morning?"
"No..."
"Funny, she wasn't in the dojo when Kasumi got up," Akane muttered. "I
thought she might have snuck off to spy on you again." Akane didn't bother
trying to filter the exasperation from her voice.
Ukyou smirked. "No, your sister hasn't made a serious effort to catch me
with my guard down for the past two days or so."
"Well, I'm sure I'll catch them at school," Akane sighed. "See ya later,
Ukyou!" Akane waved cheerfully over her shoulder as she jogged from the
room.
Ukyou waved goodbye and smiled to herself. Something about Akane's visits
always
made her feel better. Then she remembered the cursed boy tucked under her
arm.
"Hey, let's see if we can't find you some clothes," Ukyou grunted as she
stepped out of the room. Damn, how was she going to ask Doctor Tofu for yet
another loan of fresh clothes?

*


The morning finally came, in the form of strong enough sunlight that
Chris's flashlight was no longer necessary to see the words on the page. He
switched it off and tucked both it and the journal back in his backpack. As
it
turned out, he had practiced for awhile, further learning the nuances of
Kodachi's art, but had eventually decided to continue writing his memories
of
various anime into one of the journals he had brought for that purpose.
Even
spending eight or so hours doing so, frustratingly, was only scratching the
surface. He'd filled up one book already, and he estimated at least three
more
would follow before he even got a decent overview of everything that was
reasonably possible to exist here.
He straightened to his feet, wryly thankful that corpses didn't
experience discomfort due to staying in one place for long periods of time.
Once he returned to Japan, he'd have to see about finding a less vulnerable
method of storing all his thoughts and information. Unfortunately, it'd be
quite a while before CD burners would be commercially available, and he
couldn't
trust anyone else to take dictation. Maybe tape-record himself...? Well,
he'd
cross that bridge later.
He glanced down at the Nyuuchezu village from the same hilltop perch he
had first seen it the previous evening. Forms were beginning to move
through
the streets, doing whatever it was they did in the early morning. He jogged
down the slope, angling at the inn. Bath struck him as the sort who would
be an
early riser; hopefully his intuition was correct. He still didn't know
exactly
where to look for Cologne, after all.
Nobody accosted him as he made his way to the long building he
remembered, for which he was grateful. He didn't recognise anybody, but
then,
that wasn't surprising. Shampoo shouldn't have been there anyway, and while
that left her father and Mousse, the chances of stumbling upon them was
probably
pretty low. Especially since Mousse had a decent chance of not being here
either.
He stepped into the open door of the inn...and stopped. Bath was indeed
there. So was Cologne. Both of them were sitting in the stuffed leather
chairs, enjoying a morning smoke on their long pipes.
Well, well. How very convenient. He wondered if Cologne had really
been asleep the night before after all.
The old woman looked at him as he hesitated in the doorway. "Come in,
child, have a seat. You wanted to talk, yes?" Her voice was old, scratchy,
and
very, very canny, much like he expected (and remembered). It also didn't
give
away much. He set himself, walking in. This was it. Ranma was one thing,
but
he seriously doubted his ability to get away if Cologne decided he had to be
destroyed. Hopefully she would be more curious than revolted by his
condition.
As he entered, Cologne made a shooing gesture at Bath with her pipe; the
old man swiftly arose and drifted out of the room, nodding slightly to Chris
as
he passed. As he left, Chris sat down and tried somewhat unsuccessfully to
relax. He looked over at Cologne. "Well, it seems you've been expecting
me. I
hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"Not really." Cologne eyed him carefully, taking a long draw on her
pipe. He felt a tingling, a sense of...-something- at the back of his head
as
her eyes seemed to stare past him...and then it passed. "I get so few
visitors,
and have so little else to do I leapt at the chance to have a conversation.
Please, tell me what wisdom it is you seek."
He shifted a bit. Well, she hadn't attacked him yet. "Well...I have a
bit of a problem, and I was hoping you might know something that would
assist me
in it. However...the nature of my problem is a bit personal. If we talk
here,
are we likely to be overheard?"
"Not any more than the rest of the village. And it would be unusual for
business to be conducted elsewhere in the village or outside of it.
Curiosity is
a powerful lure, the mundane far less so."
"As you say, then." he nodded. Oh well. Best to be as cooperative as
possible. He settled himself in the chair, collecting his thoughts. "Well,
I
rudely have not introduced myself as of yet, for which I apologise. My name
is
Chris McNeil. You were probably told something different by Bath, which was
not
precisely an untruth. This person whose body you look upon was called
Kodachi.
But I am not her."
"Ah." she said, in a tone which indicated a complete lack of surprise.
"An interesting statement, but not exactly a request for wisdom."
"You'll have to excuse me; it's my nature to try and explain things one
point at a time." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "To the best of my
knowledge, I'm dead. I believe myself to have died in a car accident. But,
that car accident was not here, in this world, but in a world similar in
some
respects but very different in others. I 'woke up', so to speak, in a body
in
this world. But it too was dead. It seems I am some sort of spirit, as I'm
able to possess and animate other dead bodies, something I am unfortunately
forced to do, as the bodies I inhabit start decomposing over time, a process
I
find quite unbearable as it progresses. However, I don't really want to do
this. I want to find a way to be in a living body, or failing that, at
least
halt the decomposition of the body I'm in so I can stay within it
indefinitely.
I know you to be wise, and learned in many different subjects, both mundane
and...not so mundane. Thus I came to you in hopes you might be able to help
me,
or even just point me in the right direction."
Cologne took another long draw on her pipe, savored the flavour for a
few moments, than exhaled an acrid cloud of smoke. "Interesting." She
paused,
looking him up and down. "You are no spirit, or ghost, or elemental, or
demon."
She tapped the ashes out into a small dish near her chair. "You are, as far
as
I can tell, a nothing. Ambulatory flesh with no more animating essence than
a
rock or a stream. Either you are an automaton, like those 'robots' I have
heard
about, or you are impelled by a force I can neither detect nor have heard
the
least amount on." With that, she began elaborately and carefully stuffing
her
pipe again.
He slumped. "Well. That doesn't exactly sound very hopeful, I must
admit."
"Wisdom rarely does."
"Touche. Well, is there anything you can suggest? Any avenue I might
take, source of information I might seek out, expert I might consult?"
"I never said I couldn't help you," Cologne noted as she finished
lighting her pipe. She took another puff before continuing. "You came
seeking my
wisdom, and I gave it to you. Which is to say, I know nothing about what you
are
or how to solve your problem." Cologne smiled, more to herself than to him.
"But
the far better question for you to ask yourself now would be: why should I
do
anything at all to help you?"
He chuckled a bit. "Well. I am willing to do what I can to repay
anything you might do for me. Whether that repayment be through usage of
skills
or information. But I'd need to have an idea as to what you might wish in
return for helping me."
"I have no needs you can fulfill and few wants these days. Retirement
after a long life of prosperity and respect has left me with not much to
want
that you can give me that I can not get, for much less effort, from
virtually
anyone else." She took another puff. "You say you can provide me with
information. What kind of information?"
"I know a lot of things. Some of which are likely to be of interest to
you, because they relate to you, or your people, or your family. How I know
these things is, however, part of the information. However, as proof that I
am
perhaps more knowledgeable than the average person, I will point to the fact
that I came here, knowing who you were, and where you lived, and that you
were
indeed very wise and knowledgeable, despite you not particularly advertising
these things to the Japanese public."
"I've never made my existence a secret. People who know where to look
can find out my name and living arrangements. Though one thing I am curious
about... the question of 'why me?' In this world, there are people who are
both
wiser and more widely known than me."
"Perhaps that is so. But I knew about you, and knew enough to know how
to find you. I can't say that for any others."
She chuckled. "Then let me rephrase that. Answer my question, the
question of 'why me', or walk out the door now."
He shook his head. "I'm not sure what you mean. The reason was that I
knew about you, and didn't know about anyone else who had remotely the same
sort
of experience in odd, magical, unnatural things. Truly, that's the only
reason.
Hmm, well, actually, to be fair, I have to say there's other things I wish
to
look for while I'm here in China, but the reason I'm here right now is
because
you were my best hope for being able to help, not because of anything else."
"Allow me to clarify the question again: HOW did you know about me, and
not about others who are both more famous and more wise?"
He sighed. "Fine. As I'm coming to you for help, I suppose I have to
also put my good faith in you first. As I said, I do not come originally
from
this world you're in. I know about you because I've read about you. I've
read
about many things that have happened in this world, and about many that will
happen in the future. I know about many people in this world, and many more
who may be in this world but I am not yet sure of. That's how I know of
you,
and the source of most of the relevant information I could impart to you."
"Interesting," Cologne muttered. "Tell me about this world of yours. Is
it a spirit realm? Are you a god of some kind who knows my future?"
"Quite the contrary, in fact." He leaned back, grateful that she seemed
to be interested again instead of hostile. "It's a world much like this.
Except there are no unnatural things. No magic, no martial artists who can
defeat legions of men singlehandedly, no cursed springs, no bird people, no
gods, no spirits. A world of, for lack of a better term, normalcy." He
paused.
"Mmm. I'll qualify that it's possible that there may be spirits, or gods,
or
other supernatural phenomena there...but there's no proof, and that's not
for
lack of looking on the parts of many people. If there is anything, it's far
less visible, accessible and common as such things are here."
"Sounds very boring," she said with an amused chuckle. "But how can
such a world know my future?"
"That, I really don't know," he responded. "If I were to guess, I
suspect that events in this world - and perhaps others as well - might
resonate
somehow in the minds of people of that world, leading them to write down or
otherwise create stories they think are made-up but are in fact chronicles
of
this world's events. But that's just a wild guess...I really have no idea
either way."
"Then what reason do I have to trust your information?" she pointed out
easily with a tip of her pipe. "Nothing you have said to me so far indicates
a
knowledge of the world beyond that which other mere mortals can come to
possess.
Why should I take time from my hard-earned retirement helping you, when I
have
no reason to believe that anything you tell me will be accurate?"
"Well, for starters, I know my information is accurate up until the
point where the events I know will or have occurred are interfered with.
I've
seen that myself. For instance, I have never met your great-granddaughter
Shampoo. But I know that right now she is searching for a girl who first
ate
the prize she was supposed to receive at a tournament in the recent past,
and
then defeated Shampoo when she understandably challenged the girl to combat.
I
know that she is searching because the law of your village is that a woman
defeated by an outside woman must kill that woman." He leaned forward, and
raised a finger. "But perhaps I could learn that through another source,
you
think. Well, I know something that neither of you know, and that I could not
learn from another source, namely that the girl Ranma who defeated Shampoo
is in
fact a man, who had recently fallen into the cursed springs of Jyusenkyou
before
coming to your village. Indeed, he was not the only one, for the pet panda
that
was with him and also ate at the prize buffet was in fact that man's father,
also recently a victim of the cursed springs." He sat back again, and
spread
his hands. "That is the sort of thing I know. What has happened, and to an
extent what will happen. I know a few other things I expect will be of
interest
to you, and perhaps other things that I do not realise will be of interest
to
you. I can't say how much they will be of interest, but since as you say you
do
not NEED anything, that is seemingly all I have to offer. But, you also
said
you have little to do and are bored. If nothing else, I daresay I present a
riddle that is interesting. Wouldn't that have some value to you?"
Cologne raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I think you overestimate my
boredom. If what you say about my great-granddaughter is true, then that is
worth an equal share of information, at the very least." She took another
long
draw on her pipe. "I can not revive the dead. I am certainly not skilled at
creating souls where none exist. I think, in fact, that there will prove to
be
nothing I can do for you at all. This is because you obviously exist outside
the
limits of the Two Circles."
She paused, obviously waiting for a response, which he did not
disappoint her in. "What are the Two Circles?"
"So, you're unfamiliar with the term." She nodded as if expecting that.
"Don't feel bad. Most martial artists are. Indeed, so are most who practice
the
mystic arts." Cologne hopped down from the chair, making a large circular
gesture with her staff. "The term refers only to the difference between the
two
disciplines, and as such has no use to those who practice one or the other
exclusively." She made a somewhat smaller circle in the air with the tip of
her
staff. "The First Circle is the power of Chi. It is the animate force of
will
and life. All things have chi, and all can learn to access its secrets. The
Second Circle is most often referred to as magic. Unlike chi, it is a force
which exists outside of life. Also, only certain beings may weild the
energies
of the Second Circle. These two forces comprise the totality of the universe
as
we understand it."
"Hmm. And thus, since I am from outside the universe as it is
understood, I'm also outside these two circles?"
"That would be the logical conclusion," Cologne nodded. "Of course, it
is also possible my skill with mysticism is not so advanced that I can
detect
the subtle strands of Second Circle working on you. But I doubt that."
"I doubt it as well." He grinned slightly. "But what does that mean? I
mean, it's obviously the case that I can interact with this world. And I
can
use the skills of this world, including the martial arts you say are First
Circle-related. So why would you be unable to help, aside from the fact you
can't raise the dead?"
"In the same way that the currents of the ocean will never influence the
orbit of the moon," Cologne said, making another circle with her staff. "The
First Circle may never influence the workings of the Second Circle, even if
the second can influence the first and often does. It is a sad fact, but
magic
is just MORE than chi. I suspect that since you CAN influence the First
Circle,
and exist outside it, then much the same laws might abide in what you are as
well."
He spoke carefully. "So. What you are saying is... that, essentially,
being from outside this universe I'm like a 'third' circle. And thus, while
I
might be able to use chi or even magic, none of these things, nor anybody
who
wields them, can affect that which is ME in any way. That in fact, nobody
except someone who could also wield that same kind of energy, that is not
native
to this universe, could help me?"
"I would not go so far as to say that with certainty," Cologne said,
but she nodded her head at the same time. "However, if what I suspect is
true,
then you are a person not of 'this' universe and such, you may exist beyond
its
laws."
"Well, that's...rather disheartening, to say the least. Uh...let me
think. Hmm. Well, if there's one, there may be others. Have you ever
heard of
anything, or anyone, who might do something similarly inexplicable, that
might
be related to this third circle of energies?"
"No, not really," Cologne said. "I wouldn't get too disheartened. Just
because you may exist beyond the laws of our world doesn't mean you are
necessarily beyond saving. For instance, magic can create a stone from
nothing.
No amount of chi mastery can -unmake- the stone. But if you want the stone
gone,
then crushing it to dust with the power chi can give you is almost as
effective."
"A good point, and thank you. Well, is there any course you might be
able to suggest to me?"
Cologne paused, looking thoughtful. "I would suggest looking for that
which exists outside the two circles yourself." She tapped her staff on the
floor. "To know the limits of things will help you in that. Know this: the
power
of chi is mighty, but it may not raise the dead, it can not reverse the flow
of
time, nor create things from nothing or the reverse, it can not linger
beyond
the will of its master, and in finale it can not influence effects of the
Second
Circle. The Second Circle has far fewer limits. It can do those things I
mentioned. Its only limit is that magic may not alter the fundamental laws
of
reality. It can bend them, suspend them, even break them for a time. But it
can
not change things so that rocks fall up. This means that magic can not
create
something that is eternal. All things end: that is a law of existence. Magic
can
not break that final law." Cologne taps her staff on the ground, frowning.
"I
can't be of much more help than that."
"Something eternal..." he mused. Might be worth talking to Akio about.
If he existed. "All right. Thank you very much. You gave me rather more
information than I gave you, so I should tell you something else, at the
very
least. One thing does occur to me immediately. When you were young, you
knew
for a time a man named Happousai - indeed, you knew him well enough to call
him
by the nickname 'Happy'. That man, after being rejected by all the girls of
this village, stole many of the village treasures and ran off into the
night,
never to be apprehended. I believe my memory is correct in that?"
"Yes," she responded, in a short and curt voice. Well, she'd been
annoyed about that in the manga too.
"Hmm. Well, as it turns out, that self-same man was also the martial
arts master of Genma Saotome, who is the father of the faux girl Ranma I
mentioned earlier. Genma and his friend, Soun Tendo, both disliked
Happousai
about as much as most people seemed to, so about ten years ago they got him
drunk and sealed him in a cave. I don't know where the cave is... however,
within a few months at the most, Happousai - who is apparently rather too
tough
to be more than inconvenienced by being sealed in a cave for years - will
escape
from his confinement. He will go shortly afterwards to find his old
students,
both of whom are at Soun Tendo's dojo in the Nerima ward of Tokyo, in Japan.
He
still has many, perhaps all, of the things he stole, and will bring them to
that
dojo shortly after arriving there."
"I see," Cologne said slowly. "Thank you. That is even more valuable
information, should it prove to be true."
"I'm glad to have been able to help. In a related note, I should say
that Genma's son Ranma is also at the same dojo, where Shampoo will likely
find
them both shortly in her search for the girl Ranma. Given Shampoo's lack of
knowledge about the true situation, things are likely to get complex. It
probably does not help matters that Ranma has two other fiancees at the
moment."
"I see..." Cologne paused. "Then I have a piece of advice for you, too."
She waved her staff. "Things such as you... they do not 'just happen'."
"I agree. I've been wondering what - or whom - might have brought me
here. But I haven't been left with very many clues to answer that
question."
"I can't be of any help with that."
"I understand." He rose from the chair. "You've been a lot of help
already, and I thank you for it. If I may, then, I'd like to ask one more
favour of you. As I mentioned before, there are a couple of other locations
I'm
looking for, which are both in this general vicinity. Could I trouble you
to
give me directions?"
"If I know the way," she nodded.
"You should, I believe. The first I am going to is Jyusenkyou. The
second, which I wish to go to from there, is a herbalist's village which I
do
not know the name of, but which you have gone to in the past. There are
twin
girls there, named Pink and Link, who are excellent herbalists and whom are
decidedly unfriendly with your great-granddaughter Shampoo." He rummaged
around
in his backpack and took out one of the empty journals and a pen.
Cologne paused, frowning. "Jyusenkyou will not solve your problems. Its
waters do not change the dead." She tilted her head to the side. "And I've
never heard of anyone named Pink or Link. The best herbalists in this region
are
a day's long walk from here. You go north through the mountains along the
trails
which travel downward, only going up when you have no other option. You
should
reach the village if you stay to that course."
"Hmm, that's probably it. As for Jyusenkyou, I guessed as much, but
there's other reasons for me to visit. I'd like to get some samples of
various
waters from it."
"It is best not to toy with the waters there. Forces far too dangerous
to trifle with have interests in that place."
He smiled a bit. "Heh. I know of the Phoenix, if that's whom you're
referring to. But it's for my own good, as well as that of others, to be
blunt.
As I said before, eventually the bodies I am in start to decay, something
which
nearly drove me insane before I escaped from my first body. I can't help
myself
from seeking out new ones. If I can get access to Jyusenkyou's waters, I
can
create new bodies from animals. It's a far better solution than the
alternative."
"You were warned then," Cologne said with a sigh. "The place you seek is
further into the mountains, about three days travel on foot. When you leave
this
place, head towards the setting sun. Stay away from the paths which lead
into
forests or large valleys, take the left fork at the foot of the mountain of
howling stones, always keeping the mountain to your right or over your right
shoulder. Eventually you will walk into a large valley filled with a thick,
unnatural mist. Travel through that mist and you will reach Jyusenkyou."
He carefully wrote that down, then looked back up at her. "All right.
Thank you. Not just for the directions, but for listening to and attempting
to
help me. Given what I am, there are many others that wouldn't. While I did
give you some information, I still feel indebted. In the admittedly
unlikely
event that I ever can do something for you, you need but ask."
"I sensed no evil from you, and you made no hostile action towards me
or my community," Cologne snorted. "Besides, you more than paid back your
debt
to me, if your words are truth."
"Well, that's good to know." He packed the journal again and shouldered
the bag. "But thank you nonetheless." He bowed deeply. "I hope that you
will
be able to make good use of the information."
"I will, I will..." Cologne muttered.
He grinned. "Take care of yourself, then. Perhaps we may meet again."

*

"Don't tell me you got lost in there," Ukyou called over her shoulder.
She laced her fingers together behind her head, tapping one foot
rhythmically
against the wall she was leaning against. The door next to her was closed,
and
she could hear the sounds of shuffling and grumbling from inside. At least
he
hadn't wandered out of the room. Not that she really expected he would.
Ryouga's
sense of direction was not nearly as bad as it tended to be portrayed in the
fanfics Aaron had read.
"Don't tell me you need help getting dressed," Ukyou called over her
shoulder again.
"Dammit! Leave me alone! These pants don't fit!" Ryouga snapped from
behind the door.
"Beggars can't be choosers," Aaron commented philosophically.
Finally the door banged open as Ryouga walked out into the hallway.
Ukyou raised an eyebrow as he strode into view. The pants he were wearing
did
not fit, so Ryouga had torn the seams a little to fit his muscular legs into
Tofu's considerably slimmer trousers. Not only that, the doctor appeared to
have longer legs, so the boy had a huge mass of rolled up cloth above his
ankles. Thankfully, he hadn't even bothered to try on the loafers Tofu had
been
kind enough to lend Ukyou. He was also doing his best to wear Tofu's shirt,
which was both too long and too tight, so the boy had left it unbuttoned and
it
trailed out behind him like a miniature cape. Ryouga grunted and tugged on
the
collar of the garment.
Ukyou did the only thing she could do in the situation: she burst into
laughter.
"Hey! You're the one that gave me clothes that are two sizes too small!"
Ryouga growled. Ukyou continued laughing, Ryouga's serious frown only
causing
the giggles to roll up from her lungs even harder. "Fine, I don't have to
stand here being mocked!" Ryouga grunted, and turned to storm out of the
clinic... and straight back into the room he had just left, of course. Ukyou
slid down the wall, clutching her stomach and laughing so hard that nothing
came
out but a few shallow gasps for breath.
Ukyou spent a breathless minute trying to regain control. This was one
of the few times Aaron wasn't of any use in that regard, since he was, if
possible, even more amused by the mental image of Ryouga than she was.
Finally
she succeeded in at least standing on her feet and putting on Aaron's
standard
emotionless expression. Taking a deep breath she walked into the room.
Ryouga was standing in the center of the room, obviously aware he had
walked in the wrong direction, but unwilling to admit it. For some reason,
he
reminded her very much of a cat, standing there proudly after it had just
fallen
off the couch, staring at you as if it had meant to do that. The urge to
laugh
again was rising, but she squashed it with brutal efficiency after getting a
good look at his face.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, okay," Ukyou held her hands in front of her,
trying to calm down the boy in front of her. He gave her a long glare, then
grunted and nodded.
"I'll forgive you, but only because you saved me from that crazy devil
girl," Ryouga said sullenly.
"Crazy devil girl?" Ukyou blinked, cocking her head to one side.
"The one with the long hair who took me here this morning," Ryouga
explained.
"You mean Akane?" Ukyou said incredulously.
"Yeah, her... the crazy devil girl," Ryouga nodded, wincing slightly.
"I have never met anyone more scary in my life." Ukyou allowed the corner of
her
mouth to quirk up. It appeared her little plan had worked, Ryouga was
certainly
not in love with Akane at this point. Now all that remained was letting him
and
Ranma get this silly feud out of their system, and the so called 'lost boy'
would become a minor player in the drama that was her life.
"Whatever, not important," Ukyou said as she walked into the room.
Seeing Ryouga wasn't sitting she hopped up onto the bed and sat lotus-style.
She
gestured for him to take a seat in the chair provided. Reluctantly, he did
so.
"I'm sure you have questions."
"Huh?" Ryouga blinked.
"You do have questions for me, right?" Ukyou said in a leading tone.
"Oh... you're right, now that I think about it, how did you know that
was me..." he paused. "And who on earth are you? We've never met, have we?"
"Nope," Ukyou nodded and crossed her arms over her hidden breasts. "We
haven't met. I know you strictly by reputation, actually. But I've heard
about
your problem, and once I heard you were in town gunning for Ranma, I decided
we
needed to talk."
"Reputation?" Ryouga groaned and placed his face in his palms. "Great, I
haven't had this curse for two months and everyone in Japan knows about it
already."
"Nah, just people who have their ear to the ground when it comes to the
supernatural," Ukyou shrugged. "I doubt anybody else in this town knows
about
your condition yet, except Doctor Tofu. As far as I'm concerned, we can keep
it
that way too."
"So, you'd be willing to keep my secret?" Ryouga looked up at her.
Reading his expression was painfully easy as hope blossomed there.
"Yup, for a small favor," Ukyou said with a nod.
"Oh..." Ryouga's face fell, then he sighed and nodded. "Okay, I see how
it is. What do you want from me, anyway?"
"Just some conversation really," Ukyou said as she unlaced her arms and
began to tap her fingers along the mattress. "I'm known as a bit of a peace-
maker around these parts, and I was hoping I could play that roll again."
"Peace-maker?"
"Between you and Ranma, obviously," Ukyou pointed out.
"Ranma?" Ryouga leaned forward, growling again. "So you're his friend?"
"Indeed," Ukyou ran her hand through bangs. "You could say that. But I'm
not here to help him ruin your life, or to aid him in beating you up, or
even to
get you to leave him alone." Ryouga stared at her, obviously unsure how to
take
that. "Quite the opposite in fact, I want to see you two really go at it,
beat
each other to a pulp... whatever you want."
"You mean you don't mind if I beat Ranma bloody?" Ryouga said, a hint of
suspicion in his tone.
"He's a martial artist. Getting into fights like this is something he
does," Ukyou pointed out. "I understand that, I'm not about to stop a fight
of
honor. In fact, I heard you disappeared in the last fight, so I just wanted
to
make sure you stuck around for the next one."
"I never-"
"Not that I'm accusing you of running from a man to man fight," Ukyou
smiled happily and leaned back on her arms. "I wouldn't accuse you of
ditching
Ranma in the middle of a fight because of cowardice, especially since it
probably wasn't your fault." Ukyou watched Ryouga squirm a little. "I know I
would be annoyed if someone suggested I ran out on a challenge, when I had
no
choice in the matter. So I'm not about to leap to conclusions."
"What do you really want from me?" Ryouga said in a low voice.
"Just to see this thing worked out between you and Ranma," Ukyou pointed
out. "I need Ranma, I need him focused and ready... he's helping me with
something very important and I can't afford to have you attacking him in the
middle of a sensitive operation."
"Huh?"
"You wanted my reason, I gave you it," Ukyou noted with a shrug. "I
don't really care what you have against Ranma, but I need him at one hundred
percent and not worried about this little feud of yours. So the sooner you
get
it out of your system the better, as far as I'm concerned."
"But you said you wanted something out of this, didn't you?"
"Indeed," Ukyou nodded. She leaned forward slowly, staring hard into
Ryouga's face. "I want your promise, your sworn oath, that this is the end
of
it. If you beat Ranma, then you've had your revenge. If you lose, you
swallow
whatever problem it is you have with him. And that's it." She held up one
finger
between the two of them. "One fight, one outcome, one decision. Period."
"What? That's-"
"Do you intend to lose?" Ukyou noted in Aaron's most dangerous tone.
"Of course not!"
"Then what do you care?"
"I... that... you..." Ryouga grunted and crossed his arms. "What if I
don't agree to this condition of yours?"
"Then..." Ukyou sat back and shrugged. "I guess we find out how many
other people want to know about your curse."
"That's blackmail!"
"Perceptive, aren't you?"
"I... you..."
"Don't make the decision right away, Ryouga," Ukyou slid off the bed and
walked over to the combat spatula leaning against the wall. "Take a few
hours if
you want."
"No... I get you," Ryouga stretched to his feet. "I can-"
"Ukyou, you finished back there?" Tofu's voice suddenly called from the
front of the clinic. Ukyou frowned as Ryouga trailed off. She shrugged and
stuck
her head out the door.
"Almost, I just need a few more seconds..."
"Well there's some people here to see yyyARGH!"
Ukyou gasped as the entire front of the clinic suddenly shuddered with a
ear-ringing explosion. The shockwave funneled down the hallway, forcing her
to
clutch the doorframe to keep from collapsing. Her hair snapped in the brief
wind.
"TOFU!" she cried. There was no response. "Oh great, oh just fucking
perfect..." Ukyou leapt back into the room and snatched her coat and weapon
from
the wall. "You," she called over her shoulder. "Stay here for a minute."
"What? Are you insane!?" Ryouga stalked forward. "That was an explosion!
What's going on out there..."
"I'm not sure..." Ukyou admitted, but she had her suspicions.
"I'm certainly not staying here!" Ryouga growled and clenched his fists.
"Fine, but stay behind me..." Ukyou grunted and slid carefully out into
the hallway.

*

Jadeite smiled as the human doctor flew across the remains of the office
and impacted the wall. A spiderweb of cracks materialized in the gyprock. He
lowered his hand, the mystical discharge seeping from under his glove as a
cloud
of firefly-like motes. Behind him, he felt more than saw Tethys drop her
human
guise and assume her warform.
He was glad the youma commando had come with him on this operation. She
had been trying to curry his favor for centuries, but he had always brushed
her
off. Now he needed her to ensure his victory over the boy, Ukyou. But the
fact
that it had come to this annoyed him to no end. He was well aware that this
would be his last chance, Beryl hadn't said as much... but she cared for
Tethys
in a way the witch queen did not about many other servants. Not that he
doubted
success... he just wished he could have found some other way to deal with
this.
Direct confrontation was not his preferred style.
"I sense two more humans coming down the hall towards us," Tethys
reported as she stepped up beside him. He forgave the presumption, but noted
it
away in the back of his mind. "You're right... their energy is so vast
compared to a normal human's... Even the doctor has an exceptional life
force."
"Yes," Jadeite grinned. "This shall prove most useful an excursion."
Jadeite left unsaid that a far more important goal than getting the human's
energy was getting back in the good graces of Queen Beryl. The blue-skinned
youma woman nodded; she knew exactly how serious the situation was for him.
The door into the back of the office opened violently and two figures
rushed out. One was Jadeite's new nemesis. Ukyou was much as Jadeite
remembered
him, dressed this time in a long black coat and carrying his bizarre polearm
in
one hand. The boy that came in behind him was new, not the one that had been
with him that day. He was shortish, muscular and wearing clothes that were
poorly tailored, to say the least.
"Ukyou," Jadeite smiled and bowed mockingly. "Good to see you again. You
left before we could be properly introduced last time and..."
"Ryouga, take my hand!" Ukyou called as he whipped something out from
within the confines of his coat. Jadeite blinked as a cloud of white dust
erupted all around him. Then he roared, raising his hand and unleashing a
potent
blast of electric pink magefire. Something beyond his range of sight
exploded,
but there was no shout of pain.
"Tethys, get rid of this cloud!" he roared.
"Right away!"
At first the water came in lightly, then with increasing force. Soon a
virtual torrent of rain was pounding down on him, and driving away the white
cloud about him. Once his vision was clear he scanned the room, noting only
that
the boy had fled.
"He can't have gotten far," Jadeite barked as he spun to face his
lieutenant. For a being with nothing but a pair of glowing red eyes for a
face,
Tethys did a good job of cringing at his expression. "Find them!"
"They're..." she paused, staring upward into the miniature downpour she
had created. "That way, heading down the street."
"Good," Jadeite growled. He wasn't about to let them escape so easily.
"I need a portal to cut off their escape." She nodded wordlessly and drew
magical energy out of her body with a deceptively simple gesture, forming a
whirling blue portal in front of them.

*

Aaron grunted; someone had to tell Tofu to go on a diet. Thankfully,
whatever attack Jadeite had used had blown open a significant hole in the
wall,
allowing him to get out of that office without rushing past Jadeite or his
youma. Ryouga had even managed to keep up with them as Aaron sprinted down
the
road.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ryouga cried from behind them. Oh
well, too much to hope that he would leave the questions until later.
"Not really much time to explain," Ukyou hissed. "Just leave it at this:
that was a bad man who wants to hurt us."
"Why didn't we stay and fight?"
"Because Doctor Tofu is hurt, and I happen to live in that office, so
I'm not going to get him or it hurt by brawling there..." Ukyou commented.
Of
course, there was also the fact that they were running towards Furinkan High
School, where Aaron hoped their reinforcements were. But considering who
those
reinforcements consisted of, Aaron thought it best to keep that fact a
secret
for now.
Aaron was reacting even before he saw the attack, leaping up and tucking
as the bluish humanoid dashed through the space he had been in seconds ago.
His
eyes narrowed. That wasn't like the youma woman from before. This one could
be
called humanoid in only the vaguest sense of the term. It was more like a
blob
of water than a real human figure... wait, this reminded him of an episode!
"Get away from me!" Ryouga roared as he smashed out towards the blob
with one fist.
"No!" Aaron shouted. He was still in mid-air, carrying the doctor on his
shoulders, and that left his options limited. Thankfully the boy was within
kicking distance and so a good swift one knocked the lost boy's attack off
course. It did throw off his balance enough that the boy was sent skidding
along
the pavement.
"You bastard!" Ryouga growled as he kicked to his feet. Ukyou was just
setting down, and didn't have time to answer him. The blob-like thing
twisted
its whole body like a towel as it swung to attack her. She tapped her foot
to
the ground only briefly, just enough to push her back out of range of a
clumsy
swing. Then her other foot came up in a air-cracking snap kick, neatly
bisecting the beast. Its faceless head stared at her for a slow instant as
it
drifted apart, then the entire creature burst into a spray of water, dousing
Ukyou.
"That's why I stopped you," Ukyou commented as she delicately landed,
making sure not to jog Tofu too badly. That burn on his back looked pretty
serious, but at least he was still breathing.
"It was made of water..." Ryouga muttered as he starred at the puddle on
the ground. Aaron was already scanning ahead of them, however.
"Not it, them," Aaron pointed out in a resigned tone. Ryouga spun in
place and saw the small army of gel-like water men crawling out of the
alleys,
and sewers, and over the nearby canal fence... or more accurately through
it.
Ryouga began to back up towards Ukyou, his fists going up into a boxer's
stance.
"How am I supposed to fight these guys?"
"You don't..." Ukyou blinked and backed away suddenly. The puddle at her
feet was slowly growing in size. She could see the beginning of a hand
reaching
out of it. "These things aren't that dangerous by themselves, but it looks
like
they're hard to put down."
"Yeah," Ryouga whispered as he backed towards her some more. The
golems were slowly surrounding the two of them.
"Take Tofu for me, I can fight them better without my arms occupied,"
Aaron pointed out sternly. Ryouga wordlessly pulled the man off Ukyou's
shoulders, and she grabbed her spatula from its harness. A few quick slashes
bisected some of the golems that had gotten too close, but Ukyou knew
better than to hope that was the end of them.
"Having a bit of trouble, boy?"
Aaron turned their attention to a nearby rooftop. Jadeite stood on top
of it, his arms crossed and his neatly pressed uniform pristine. An arrogant
smirk had etched itself firmly across his face. Behind him stood the youma
whose
name Aaron couldn't remember. He got a better look at her this time. She was
blue-skinned, with no facial features except a pair of slitted red eyes.
Some
sort of antenna-like golden tiara held back her long blue bangs while the
rest
of her hair flowed freely down her back. She wore a skintight costume in a
deeper blue than the rest of her body. Aaron didn't recall her specifically,
but
he remembered the episode of Sailor Moon she had appeared in.
"Not really," Aaron feigned a yawn as he slashed a few more of the
mindless creatures in twain with expert slashes. He could already see a few
of
the ones Ukyou had destroyed earlier reforming. But he needed to play for
time.
Jadeite... what weaknesses did Jadeite have... think, goddamn it. Of course,
he
was arrogant. "These things are no threat to me. I've dealt with their kind
before."
"You seem to be at a disadvantage," Jadeite pointed out in amusement.
"Only because I have to protect these helpless idiots," Aaron called
back with his own smirk. Ukyou saw Ryouga about to say something and kicked
him,
hard. He shut up. "If they weren't holding me back, you'd already be dead."
Jadeite laughed. "Oh, I like your spirit, boy. If you hadn't annoyed me
so much, I might even be sorry I have to kill you." Aaron's eyes narrowed.
This
was going to be a long shot, but if it worked...
"Ryouga," he hissed softly in the lost boy's direction. "When I make the
signal, clear us a path with those bandannas of yours."
"A path..." Ryouga hissed back. "Where?"
"Anywhere... just away from here." Aaron hissed back and stepped
forward. "Come on, Jadeite!" Aaron shouted as he put on the most
condescending
expression he could manage. "This is child's play and you know it. You're
not up
to taking me on face to face, so you're hiding behind a woman..." Aaron put
enough stress on the last word that Jadeite couldn't help but snap his eyes
back
at the youma. "Are you so used to taking on little girls that you're not
used to
fighting man to man anymore?"
Jadeite ground his teeth together and pointed his finger at them as they
walked forward. The golems backed away from Aaron as he walked. "So you want
to
take me on yourself? Is that it?"
"Normally I don't stoop so low as to fight obviously inferior
opponents," Aaron yawned theatrically. "But in your case, I guess I can make
an
exception."
"Jadeite, don't!" The youma sounded distressed as it moved in front of
Jadeite. "Let me destroy this impudent human..."
"Tethys-" Jadeite began but Aaron cut him off.
"Just as I thought, hiding behind your minions again." He ran his hand
through Ukyou's bangs and shook his head silently. "We've all seen how well
that's worked for you in the past. How many youma has Sailor Moon killed...
oh
wait, that would be ALL of your youma, wouldn't it?"
"Very well," Jadeite growled as he stepped around the youma. "I'll crush
you with my bare hands!"
Aaron resisted the urge to make a Transformers quote, and just stood
expectantly. Jadeite leapt from the roof, his body floating more than
falling as
he descended onto the pavement. The golems pulled back, forming a neat
circle
around the two of them. Ukyou pulled her spatula up into a defensive stance.
Damn, why did she have to be out of flour bombs now, of all times?
Jadeite didn't move like a martial artist, but he definitely knew a
thing or two about fighting. He walked forward, cautiously, his hands in
front
of him curled into fists. Ukyou held her ground. She had to hope she had a
speed
and strength advantage over him, and could keep the duel on a purely
physical
level. She wasn't sure she could handle him if he began to blast about with
magic.
But the point of this fight wasn't to win, it was to buy them a chance
to escape. Which meant playing defensive wouldn't do any good at all.
Releasing
a deep breath Ukyou allowed her chi to flow through her limbs unrestricted.
Suddenly everything began to move in slow motion. Jadeite's approach became
a
crawl, the swaying of the monsters virtually ceased, even her own heartbeat
seemed to ring slower in her ears.
The sensation shattered like a mirror as Ukyou drove them forward. Dust
flew up in her wake. Her spatula snapped out to her side, its blade trailing
a
path of sparks along the pavement. Jadeite's eyes widened, but it was too
late.
Her attack came in so fast the weapon was a silver blur. Water golems
disintegrated into geysers as Jadeite flew through them like a cannonball.
Finally three of them caught him before he smashed into the fence blocking
off
the canal.
Ukyou skidded to a stop. Aaron couldn't believe it had been that easy.
They were completely flat-footed as they stared at the slowly rising
Jadeite.
The youma general was rubbing his side where Ukyou's spatula had caught him.
They could hear the youma woman (Tethys, wasn't it?) calling out her obvious
concern over his well-being. They could see him waving it aside. The man was
mad. Very mad. Ukyou had caught him by surprise just as much as she had
caught
herself.
Then it suddenly struck her. She could win this. Not just buy time, or
escape, or even get Ranma's help. She. Could. Win. Aaron would have
preferred to
stick to their original plan, but she overruled him with a vicious thought.
Ukyou needed this. This victory would be hers.
"You'll pay for that, you brat," Jadeite growled as he stalked back into
the makeshift circle. Ukyou didn't have to pretend to smirk this time.
"Do your worst," Ukyou said in a low, emotionless tone. She spun her
spatula around her wrist, then spread her legs and shifted the weapon behind
her
back with a flourish.
"I'm about to!" the man cried as pink energy began to seethe around his
hands.
Ukyou leapt, seconds before an electric pink lightning bolt slammed into
the ground where she had been standing. She soared into the air, a
gracefully
gymnastic flip. Jadeite snapped his other hand at her, releasing another
lightning bolt. Ukyou twisted in mid-air, allowing it to pass under her.
Dust
blasted out in a circle as she landed behind him. Jadeite tried to turn but
Ukyou spun her spatula like a baton. There was a sickening crack as the ring
collided with his skull. The man blasted across the road, momentum holding
him
up as his heels dragged the pavement. Finally the inertia died out and he
collapsed to the ground.
"Jadeite!" the blue-skinned youma growled and gestured towards Ukyou.
"I'll kill you!" Several of her golems sprung at Ukyou, but they were
destroyed
shortly thereafter. Ukyou skipped forward, out from the press of monsters.
Jadeite was beginning to regain his feet, but Ukyou had no intention of
letting
him do so.
Jadeite, however, was more resourceful than Aaron had thought. With a
roar he pushed downward. The air around him seemed to bend and warp, and
then he
blasted into the air like a rocket. Ukyou passed underneath him. With
another
roar he lashed out, two bolts snapping from the ends of his fingers. Ukyou
wouldn't have been able to dodge them, if Aaron hadn't seen him charging up.
Guessing correctly, he snapped Ukyou's leg forward. The pavement exploded in
a
geyser from the force of his kick. They flew backwards, momentarily dizzied
by
the sudden g-forces. But the blasts of lightning impacted harmlessly into
the
pavement, doing nothing but kicking up concrete and dust.
"You are... annoying," Jadeite growled. Aaron landed a few meters back,
crouching and spinning the battle spatula to his side. Jadeite was now
floating
five meters above the street. Ukyou frowned. She could make that jump, but
not
quickly enough that Jadeite couldn't float away. "But this ends here!"
Screaming, Jadeite launched another wave of energy at her. Ukyou was
moving even before he finished the gestures, the blasts exploding behind
her.
Ukyou found her focus narrowing as she propelled herself along the road. The
sounds of explosions raced her, and she could feel the heat and concussions
on
her heels. Again and again the blasts rained down around her, and Ukyou kept
zigging and zagging just enough to throw off Jadeite's aim.
Aaron, however, could focus beyond that. He could see Ryouga grinding
his teeth, prevented from attacking by the ring of water golems surrounding
him
on all sides. He could see Tethys standing on her rooftop, glaring down at
her,
but unwilling to interfere in Jadeite's duel any further. He could see the
telephone pole only a meter away from where Jadeite was hovering.
Jadeite's attacks stopped for a second as Ukyou snapped her legs
forward, creating a small furrow in the pavement as she changed directions.
But
soon enough his attacks began to slam down around her again. Then the
telephone
pole was in reach. With a cry she leapt, the pavement exploding underneath
her.
Her legs bicycled through the air, until finally one of them touched the
thick
concrete shaft. But Ukyou didn't push off, she snapped her foot down,
pushing
herself up. Then again. Soon she was racing up the pole. A blast echoed
beneath
her. She almost slipped as the pole began to sway to the side. But she was
already high enough.
Jadeite only realized what she was doing a second too late, and tried to
fly higher. Ukyou somersaulted forward, stretching her weapon out. Her
spatula
flew out like a giant fly-swatter. Jadeite was caught dead-on, driven down
by
the metal peel. He hit the ground with enough force that a crater formed
around
him. Ukyou continued her somersault and landed on top of a wall.
For a few moments the street was quiet. Then a groan rose from Jadeite's
crater. Sluggishly the man managed to get a hand under him, then another. He
pushed himself to his feet, and swayed there groggily for a few seconds. His
face was a bloody mess, having caught Ukyou's attack full force. Trails of
blood
leaked from his nose and the edges of his lips. He spat, and a red stain
appeared on the shattered roadway.
"This... this is... impossible!"
"Famous last words, Jadeite," Ukyou leapt to the ground. "You can't beat
me. Surrender!"
"Never!" Jadeite roared and lashed out with another set of lightning
bolts. Aaron had already dashed to the side, and Ukyou reached into their
coat.
Her hand came out holding a half-dozen spatula shuriken. With a cry she
launched
them. Jadeite gasped in pain as the weapons streaked past his body, leaving
shallow cuts through his uniform in several places.
He didn't stop, however, striking out again with his lightning bolts.
Ukyou tossed another handful of spatulas at him... and frowned as Jadeite
waved
a hand and vaporized them in a blast of lightning.
"Hah! You merely caught me off-guard," Jadeite hissed. His voice had a
slightly nasal quality from his injury. "Now I'm ready for you!"
"Indeed..." Aaron murmured. The inkling of an idea was forming in his
head. Ukyou dodged another blast of lightning and tossed some more
mini-spatulas
at Jadeite. These ones he again disintegrated with a wave of his hand. Then
Aaron began to smile. Not a pleasant smile. "I'm pretty sure you'll run out
of
energy eventually," Aaron called out in his most taunting tone. Jadeite
growled,
and fired again.
This time while Ukyou dodged, Aaron reached into their coat and
retrieved their weapon. Except it wasn't a mini-spatula. It was a small grey
tank. With a roar, he lobbed it towards Jadeite as fast as he could. The man
didn't have a chance, he only saw another grey blur. Reacting quickly he
waved
his hand and produced another field of electricity to destroy the tank. Of
course, the compressed oxygen inside did not react well to this.
The explosion was strong enough to throw Ukyou off her feet. Aaron
blinked as they landed on their back. Then he heard Jadeite's scream, an
agonized scream. Flexing their back, Ukyou managed an elegant kippup back to
their feet.
Jadeite hadn't just fallen down, like Aaron had hoped. His entire left
arm, from the elbow down, was simply gone. The grotesque red shreds of his
sleeves dangled from the stump while blood poured from his wound. Jadeite's
good
hand reached up and clutched futilely at the flow. Ukyou could see the
bloody
gashes traced along his entire body now. Shrapnel, she guessed. But that had
definitely knocked all the fight out of the man. Aaron couldn't help
smiling. He
felt like laughing.
"Jadeite!" the blue-skinned youma cried in shock and horror as she
landed beside the man. She grabbed his head and cradled it in her lap.
"You'll
be okay!" she insisted, her voice filling with an odd choking. Then she
snapped
her head towards Ukyou, and her blazing red eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You want to be next?" Aaron said, unable to keep the amusement out of
his voice. Apparently she didn't. With a gesture she formed a swirling blue
portal behind her, and leapt through it with the injured Jadeite. Aaron
didn't
even try to stop them.

*

Akane burst into the hospital room, her breath coming in short gasps as
she skidded to a halt. The lights overhead buzzed and hissed fitfully, and a
number of machines near-by contributed there own whooshes, pings or beeps to
the
disconcerting ambiance of the room.
"Ack! Scary devil girl!"
Akane snapped her head to the side and saw someone slipping behind
Ukyou. Despite wearing a outfit that appeared both too large and too small
for
him at the same time, Akane had no problems recognizing Ryouga. He was still
wearing that yellow and black headband of his, and his boyishly rugged face
still had a mouth accented by pronounced canines. Ukyou smirked in her
passive,
distant way at the boy's antics.
"She isn't going to hurt you," Ukyou pointed out to Ryouga. "Are you
afraid of someone half your size?"
"I... of course not!" Ryouga barked as he stepped out from behind Ukyou.
Ukyou herself was sitting in a chair. Her black trenchcoat had been hung
across
the back of her seat, with her spatula and harness leaning against it.
"Where is he?" Akane asked breathlessly. It had taken her almost an hour
to run across town to the hospital. She clutched her stomach, trying to
force
air in and out of her burning lungs. Ukyou gestured further into the room
and
Akane turned her attention away from the two martial artists.
Doctor Tofu did not look well. His face was pale and covered in a light
sheen of sweat. His eyes were closed, but pinched as well and his lips
twisted
downward every now and then in a grimace of pain. His normally enticing
messy
hair seemed greasy in the harsh hospital light. It was impossible to see
most of
the rest of him, covered as he was in a green hospital sheet. Only his arms
were
uncovered, and one of them had a small tube hooked up to it. Akane walked
over
hesitantly, not wanting to disturb him.
"What... what happened?"
"He was shot in the back by some kind of magical lightning bolt," Ukyou
pointed out from her chair. Akane turned and stared at her. "I think."
Seeing
Akane's expression, Ukyou frowned and ran her hand through her bangs. "He'll
be
okay. The blast knocked him out, and he might not be up until a few more
hours,
but he'll live. Basically, he got the equivalent of a really good electrical
shock. Most of the stuff hooked up to him here is precautionary."
"That's good..." Akane sighed, honestly relieved. She turned her eyes
back to Tofu, examining his face. Where had the handsome, charming man she'd
fallen in love with disappeared to? This man lying on the bed seemed far too
hurt, and vulnerable and... human to be Doctor Tofu. It made Akane shudder
inside, but she wasn't able to pin down why.
"Where's Ranma? Didn't he get my message?" Ukyou asked.
"Ranma's coming here?" Ryouga said from where he had wandered over near
the door.
"Yes, and if you want your clothes back, you won't wander out of the
room," Ukyou pointed out.
"Whatever," Ryouga grunted. He squatted by the door and crossed his
arms. He eyed Akane warily, but looked away sharply when she noticed him
doing
it.
"Ranma said he had to pick up that package you mentioned," Akane pointed
out in the wake of Ryouga's statement. She turned from the supine form of
the
doctor and took a long breath, trying to return her breathing to normal.
"Now,
what on Earth happened to him? I went by the clinic on my way here. The
entire
front office has been gutted and the place is crawling with firefighters."
"Must have shown up after we left," Ukyou muttered. Seeing the question
on Akane's lips, Ukyou waved her to silence. "I'd rather not tell the story
more
than once, Akane. We'll wait until Ranma shows up."
"Ukyou, I really want to know what happened!"
"Don't bother, he isn't talking," Ryouga said in his teenage tenor. "He
won't tell me the whole story, and I was there." He? Akane blinked. Then she
remembered that most people didn't know Ukyou's little secret. With that in
mind, Akane decided to watch her words for the rest of the conversation.
"Ukyou..."
"Don't give me that look, Akane," Ukyou said, staring at her with her
intense, but distant, eyes. "I fully intend to tell you guys everything, but
I
need everyone here first. It's a long story, and I don't want to have to
tell it
three times."
"Hmph," Ryouga grunted. "He really just wants a chance to rest because
he pulled all his muscles in the fight."
"Ryouga!"
"Well, it's true," Ryouga laughed. "I was almost impressed. Then you
collapsed halfway here once your adrenaline ran out."
"I'm recovering from very severe injuries!" Ukyou sniffed and crossed
her arms, looking away out the window. Akane chuckled a bit, and decided it
would be best to wait. In the meantime, at least she could introduce herself
to
Ryouga properly.
"Hi! I'm Akane Tendo, pleased to meet you!" Akane moved towards Ryouga
and bowed just a bit.
"Ack! Scary devil girl!" Ryouga shouted and leapt away from her. Akane
blinked. What was his problem?

*

"Get away from me!"
Tethys reeled as a wave of energy slammed her back. She staggered,
unable to maintain her balance, and finally collapsed onto the floor. Her
eyes
squeezed shut, half-expecting a follow-up attack, but it never came.
Timidly,
she opened one eye to a slit, then the other.
Jadeite was leaning against the wall of his personal chamber. Sweat
dripped from the edge of his perfectly formed nose. His lips had peeled back
from his teeth, but his mouth refused to open as his breath came in deep,
body-
shuddering hisses. The left side of his body was still covered in rapidly
drying
red gore, some of which had flecked onto his face. The blood caked his
normally
severe grey uniform against his impressive physique. At least he wasn't
bleeding any more. The magic of the Dark Kingdom wasn't meant for healing,
but
Tethys' control over water had helped a little. Blood was basically water,
after
all.
Seeing that he wasn't paying attention to her, Tethys slowly climbed to
her feet. She had once again assumed her human guise, appearing to all eyes
as
an attractively svelte blue-haired woman in a tight blue mini-dress. The
glamour
was, literally, skin deep. But Jadeite preferred this appearance to her more
economically designed warform, so she assumed it whenever she wasn't
required to
do battle.
"Jadeite..." she began slowly. She flinched as he turned his quivering,
rage-filled eyes on her. Thankfully the rage in those eyes was not directed
at
her. If they had, Tethys would have gladly committed suicide on the spot.
For
centuries, she had quietly adored this man from afar. The thought of him
despising her made her flesh crawl.
"That bastard... he took my ARM!" Jadeite roared. The sound echoed
throughout the massive chamber, and the youma commando felt the ground
tremble
slightly at his rage. Dark energy leaked from Jadeite's body like wisps of
steam. There was a sharp crack, and Tethys saw the black marble at his feet
crack slightly. "Nobody has ever... ever dared to..." Jadeite stalked
forward,
his movements swift and certain.
"I am going to kill that boy." His voice came out a dangerous hiss.
Tethys forced herself to smile, but inwardly she felt her soul (or what
passed
for it with her kind) shrivel slightly at the thought. Knowing it would
probably
do no good, but still unable to prevent it, she opened her mouth.
"Jadeite... Master... perhaps you should wait until you are fully
recovered. The boy already bested you at full strength and..."
The blow came swiftly and sharply, catching Tethys right above the
cheek. Her vision exploded into a series of black stars and pain rocketed up
and
down her face in the stars wake. She collapsed to the ground again. A
shudder
ran up her body, and she reached up, rubbing a thin trickle of green youma
blood
from the edge of her mouth. She smiled.
That was the Jadeite she had fallen for. Cruel, ruthless and very, very
dangerous. He had survived millennia in this twisted hell-prison beneath the
Antarctic ice, and through sheer cruelty and twisted imagination had risen
to
the position of Queen Beryl's most trusted general. It had been during this
rise
in the rank that Tethys had grown first infatuated, then... something deeper
with him. She wasn't sure if it was love or not; youma were not designed to
love. But it was close enough for her.
"Don't question me," Jadeite commanded in a quiet voice.
"Yes, Master," Tethys murmured submissively as she sat sprawled on the
ground beneath his feet.
"I still have my trump card," Jadeite informed her as he turned to walk
away. He hadn't given her leave to rise, but Tethys did so anyway. She may
have
submitted to him, but she was still one of Beryl's favored servants. He
could
only treat her so much like lesser youma. "My mistake was challenging this
boy
in his own element. This time, I will control the field of battle."
"A trap?" Tethys cooed.
"Yes, a trap."
"What about my idea of the cruise ship..."
"No," Jadeite snapped over his shoulder. He was rubbing the stump of his
arm, channeling dark energy through it in slow, steady bursts. "I already
have
in mind the place I will fight this boy."
"Master... I know this isn't my place..." Jadeite turned his eyes to
her. They no longer quivered with rage, but their cold, seething hatred
silenced
her for a moment. The silence dragged on for a second, and it became clear
he
was still waiting for her to finish. "I think that we should confront this
boy,
Ukyou..." Tethys trailed off, unable to say the word without spitting. It
was
too bad Jadeite would surely claim the boy's life for his own. Tethys would
have
very much liked to drag him under the sea and watched him futilely struggle
to
breathe for a few minutes as she crushed him... but such pleasant thoughts
could
wait until later. "But given that he seemingly has many allies, it might be
prudent to counter them with our own. I know some of the youma in the
kingdom,
many of whom would gladly assist us at this time."
"Hmm," Jadeite turned from her and strolled across the deceptively large
room towards his furnishings. "Perhaps you are right. A few more youma could
help balance this confrontation in my direction." He raised his stump and
stared
at it for a few moments. "It is certain that if the boy expects me to fight
him
'fairly' this time around, then he is quite misinformed." He spun on her.
"Go,
fetch a few more of your siblings. I need time to recover my energies and
plan."
Tethys nodded. With an arcane gesture she raised her arm and formed a
swirling blue portal into the depths of the Dark Kingdom. Then she vanished
through it. She would not fail Jadeite this time.

*

"... and then Queen Serenity raised her hand, the silver crystal flaring
to life as her tears dripped down her ivory cheeks. With her last breath,
she
willed the Ginzuisho to activate, and its power was awesome to behold. Like
a
nuclear explosion, its energy flooded the entire battlefield. In an instant
the
Dark Kingdom, which had stood on the cusp of ultimate victory, was no more.
Those survivors of the initial onslaught were driven deep under the
Antarctic
icecap, where they dwell in darkness to this day.
"At the same time, the Queen wished for her daughter and court to be
sent to the future. Their spirits floated forward, bubbles in the streams of
time, travelling millennia into the future to be reborn as normal young
women
and men. And so it would have been forever. But such a happy ending was not
to
be. Now the Dark Kingdom stirs once more, its tendrils seeping out into our
world. Its servants seeking to gather the life force of humans to shatter
the
seal placed on their Empress by the Silver Crystal."
Ranma leaned back as Ukyou wound up her story. He hadn't realized how
caught up in it he had been. It was... he struggled for the word... epic?
Like a
fairy tale, or something. And Ukyou told it well. Her voice had been...
quiet,
yet firm. It made him kinda sleepy, and he could almost see the images in
his
mind.
"So..." Ryouga said, breaking the comfortable silence that had descended
on them. He was dressed in his yellow tunic and black draw-string pants once
again. The jerk hadn't even thanked Ranma after Ranma had gone through all
the
trouble of lugging his deceptively heavy backpack half-way across Nerima.
"This
guy, Jadeite, he works for the Dark Kingdom?"
"Indeed," Ukyou leaned back, running a hand through her bangs. It was
impossible to read her expression, but that wasn't unusual. "Jadeite is one
of
four generals of the Dark Kingdom, and likely the weakest of them."
"He doesn't sound so tough," Ranma said as he clenched and unclenched
his fists. "If you can do that to him, the two of us should have no trouble
beating him up again."
"Maybe..." Ukyou rubbed her chin and stared at the still unconscious
form of Doctor Tofu. "I still wish you hadn't been dragged into this."
"Dragged into this?" Akane spoke up for the first time since Ukyou had
started her explanation. Ranma noted that her face was a little pale, and
she
looked somewhat green. He shrugged. The girl must not be familiar with life
or
death battles. Not that Ranma had ever done that much damage to another
human
being... but he knew he could, if it came to that. Accepting that was a part
of
being a martial artist.
"That's why I asked you to stay around after the story, Ryouga," Ukyou
didn't take her eyes from the man on the bed. "I owe you an apology. Those
two
monsters were after me, and now I think that you may also be a target."
"A target?" Ryouga blinked.
"I told you, they need human life energy to revive their Empress," Ukyou
reminded him. Ranma nodded as understanding struck him. "I see Ranma's got
it.
We martial artists have exceptional life energy, or chi, and they want it."
"So, we're like giant walking buffet tables!" Ranma crowed excitedly and
raised a finger proudly into the air. Everyone else gave him blank stares.
Ranma
lowered his finger slowly.
"Great," Ryouga grumbled and rubbed his fist into his jaw lightly. "Ever
since I've met you, its been one thing after another." Ryouga glared at
Ranma.
"This is all your fault, you know."
"Stop being so cliched, Ryouga," Ukyou sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's
my fault. I did the same thing with Ranma when I took him to Juuban. He's
probably a target now, too."
"Bring it on!" Ranma grinned. "I've been looking for a decent challenge
for months."
"Oh, and what about the beating I gave you the other day?" Ryouga
snapped.
"You must have selective memory," Ranma pointed out in his calmest and
wisest tone. "I clearly remember handing you your ass."
"Don't make me prove who's better on your face right here, right now!"
Ryouga growled through clenched teeth. Ranma wasn't intimidated, but he
admitted
that toothy maw of his had probably won the lost boy a bunch of fights
before
they had started. "I'd rather not break the hospital."
"We can always take this outside-"
"Children!" Ukyou barked, bringing everyone's attention back to her.
"This isn't the time or the place." She leaned forward and poked Ryouga in
the
chest. "Remember that deal we made?" Ryouga stared at Ukyou for a moment in
defiance, then sighed and nodded his head in defeat. Ranma blinked. He had
never
seen Ryouga back down like that before. "Good. You can have your fight with
Ranma later. For the moment, I need him in good health."
"Hey, guys," Akane called out. She was leaning against the window. "Does
anyone know what's happening outside?" Curious, Ranma walked over to the
window.
"Just looks like it's getting cloudy out," Ranma pointed out. It wasn't
like sudden rainstorms were uncommon in this part of Japan, which Ranma
could
point out with bitter familiarity.
"No clouds I've ever seen look like that," Akane shot back with a bit of
acid in her tone. Ranma looked again, and had to agree with her. The clouds
appeared to be... blooming from a single point over the center of the city.
As
the dark, roiling mass expanded, blasts of grey-green lightning shot through
them. He could hear the rumble of thunder growing steadily closer.
"Let me see," Ukyou said as she pushed between the two of them. Her eyes
narrowed and she clenched her fingers into the windowsill. "This... doesn't
look
good."
As the three of them watched, the sky slowly grew clogged with the dark
clouds. The unnatural lightning continued to streak across the sky. For a
moment, Ranma thought he saw a pattern in the movements. Then he blinked,
because he saw a giant face emerge on the underside of the mysterious
clouds.
"Jadeite." Ukyou's voice was cold and steady.
Ranma recognized the guy now. It was the same jerk from the temple they
had visited. He had curly blonde hair cut short, and a cruel, angular face.
Ranma could just see his shoulders before the image dissolved beneath them
into
grey mist.
"What is it?" Akane breathed softly.
"An illusion," Ukyou pointed out. "Jadeite is about to tell us
something."
"Why not come here in person?" Ryouga asked evenly from behind them.
"He probably doesn't know we're here," Ukyou answered with a nod. "We'd
best listen to this."
"Ukyou Kuonji," Jadeite's voice boomed out across the city. "You have
foiled my plans for the last time, boy. It is time we finished this once and
for
all. I'll be waiting for you at the Narita Airport at exactly midnight
tonight.
If you don't show up..." Here the image paused and reached to the right.
Ranma
gasped. The titanic vision had just dragged another face into view. The girl
was
clear for all to see, and appeared unhurt. But her eyes, they were empty,
like
she was drugged. Jadeite curled his fingers under her chin and lifted the
unresisting head. "Friend of yours?"
"Nabiki!" Akane cried out. She reached towards the window, but her hand
fell away.
"It's just an image, Akane," Ukyou pointed out in a calm, but
sympathetic tone.
"Come and face me tonight, or your friend here faces a slow and painful
death." The last words devolved into a loud cackle that crashed like thunder
over the city. Then Jadeite smirked, and with that the entire image faded
from
view. Even the clouds disappeared, revealing the soft blue sky and the
cheerful
sun once again.
"I'm coming with you," Akane growled. Her tone left no room for
argument. Ukyou nodded quietly.
"I'm coming too," Ryouga added. Ranma backed off from the window and
stared at the slightly shorter boy. "Don't give me that look, Saotome."
Ryouga
stretched his neck, causing a sharp crack to resound through the room.
"Ukyou
told me that I'm involved with this whether I like it or not. Besides, I'm
not
going to sit back and let some innocent girl die just because I don't like
any
of you."
"Indeed," Ukyou nodded, as if expecting no less. She turned back to the
window. "We have less than ten hours to get ready, I'll tell you everything
I
know about Jadeite's abilities in the meantime." Everyone nodded. Ukyou said
something next, and Ranma had the distinct impression it was not addressed
to
anyone in the room. "Ask and ye shall receive, that's what I always say."

*

"This sounds like fun," the youma yawned and stretched. A thin mask of
lilac-colored fabric covered half her face, leaving only her black eyes and
her
long elfin ears uncovered. Her straw-colored hair has cut in an efficient
bob-
cut with a long widow's peak down her forehead. She raised her right hand, a
hugely distorted claw of interwoven wooden tendrils, and tapped her chin
thoughtfully. "It's just a bunch of humans. I don't see why you even need
our
help, Tethys."
"Don't underestimate this human, Grape," Tethys all but hissed. She was
still wearing her human glamour, and thus looked out of place among her more
obviously inhuman companions. The other two youma in the room both might
have
passed for attractive human female from a distance, but up close their
chalk-
white skin, pointed ears and the floral-themed unitards they wore marked
them as
something more. "You three are the best assassins I know, and I need your
help."
Admitting such a thing was anathema to most youma like herself, but
Tethys was willing to go that extra step. Jadeite was obsessed with the
human
boy, and she was going to stack the deck in his favor as much as possible
when
their inevitable confrontation occurred.
"Say no more," Suzuran, Grape's taller green-clad companion added from
where she was lounging idly in a chair of carved basalt. The third of the
youma
assassins was leaning against the wall just within hearing range. Housenka
had
always been the least outspoken of the trio, preferring to defer to Grape's
lead
in most situations. "We'll be sure to help you with your pest problem."
Tethys glared at her, but kept her lips shut. How was she supposed to
convey how dangerous this mission could potentially be, without revealing
how
badly Jadeite had been mauled? Not that the fact could be kept hidden
forever,
but it would look much better once Jadeite handed Ukyou's head on a platter
to
Queen Beryl. But at least with the three of them willing to come along,
Tethys
felt much better about the confrontation. It was rumored that this squad had
the
power to defeat even one of the Generals in a fight, though of course nobody
had
dared test that theory. Of all the youma in the Dark Kingdom, only the DD
Girls
had a more fearsome reputation.
"Good, I need you three to come with me," Tethys added sharply. She
refused to allow her relief show in her voice. The three gave her stony
looks
for her tone, but she ignored them. Tethys spun on her heel and started to
walk
out of the chamber, but paused when she saw the figure floating nonchalantly
in
the entrance.
"Tethys," Zoicite said as he tossed his blond ponytail over his
shoulder with a flip of his head. The deceptively young-looking Dark General
gazed down at her with an amused grin on his face. "I leave for five
minutes,
and you're leading my servants off on some wild goose chase." His tone was
flippant, but his eyes were icy.
"I thought you were busy looking for the Silver Crystal," Tethys said
cautiously. She knew better than to be rude to Zoicite, he was known to hold
grudges for a long time.
"I'll bet you did," Zoicite said and raised his hand daintily to his
lips. He laughed behind his palm for a moment. "Weren't you supposed to be
helping Jadeite with his energy-gathering operations? What are you doing
commanding my servants?" Zoicite's voice had suddenly lost all the mock
humor.
"This is a part of Jadeite's operation," Tethys countered hastily.
"He... he ordered me to collect these three to help him destroy some pesky
humans."
"Those Sailor Senshi?" Zoicite grinned once more and laughed behind his
palm again. "What a laugh. Fine, if he needs my troops to kill some little
girls, then go ahead and take them."
Tethys bowed quickly, then stepped rapidly around the floating general
and out of the chamber.
"But I expect them back in perfect health," Zoicite called over his
shoulder. "Or I shall be most cross."
"Yes... General Zoicite," Tethys responded coldly as she stepped down
the hall. She lingered when she realized that Grape and her sisters weren't
following immediately. Of course. Zoicite must be interrogating them and
giving
them last-minute instructions. Tethys ground her illusory teeth. If Zoicite
played things right, he might be able to get some of the credit for this
operation. Tethys dismissed the worry with a wave of her hand. There were
bigger
things to worry about.

*

Chris trotted at a swift pace across the Chinese countryside, idly
watching nothing and everything. He hoped he'd be there soon. As much as
he'd
appreciated the view upon arriving, a few days of lonely overland travel
made
pretty much everything old hat. He wondered briefly if the Kunou family was
rich enough to afford a private jet, then dismissed the idea. Too
conspicuous.
And besides, he didn't know how to fly one.
His lack of attention caused him to stumble a bit at a rise in the
ground. His superhuman reflexes easily avoided falling, but the slight
lurch
caused his backpack to jangle. He smiled a bit. That was the result of his
trip to Jyusenkyou. Well, and some smart packing and forethought, taking as
many sturdy leather-and-steel canteens as he could shove in the backpack
with
his other things. Now, all of them were full, as well as labelled with
various
cryptic references that would likely only make sense to him. And their
contents, of course, were precious indeed.
He'd gotten water from the springs of Man and Woman first, after
contracting a day's services from the guide to get a proper tour of the
springs.
An elementary precaution; aside from making himself spare bodies, there were
more than a few people in Ranma 1/2 he could bribe either to help him or get
off
his back with those waters, which would allow him to cure their curses. He
wondered idly if Ryouga had arrived in Nerima as of yet... he, certainly,
would
want it, and Chris liked him personally (as personally as he could a
previously-
fictional character he had not met) as well as respecting his top-class
martial
arts skills. It might be a good idea to help him out.
Several other springs from the manga he'd found and gotten samples from.
Tarou's spring, Yeti-Riding-Bull-Carrying-Crane-And-Eel, was first, and a
no-
brainer; having the ability to turn any ally into a giant flying
minotaur-like
beast couldn't help but be possibly handy. By the same token, he'd gotten
the
Spring of Asura, Rouge's "curse", but the manga wasn't very clear on how
much
that affected the mind of the victim. The guide didn't know either,
unhelpfully, so he'd be cautious if he ever used that.
Spring of Octopus, which Tarou would use later in the series to enhance
his cursed form. Might be similarly handy if he ever gave someone that
form.
Spring of Twins, which Tarou had mistakenly tried to splash Happousai with
in
the same story. Could be VERY handy. If only it worked on someone already
dead, he could have solved his body problem. Still... it presented
possibilities. Spring of Virtuous Person, which Tarou had been looking for.
The
guide assured him anyone splashed with that water gained the personality of
a
true good samaritan. He grinned at that. Maybe it would have done Ukyou
some
good. And finally, Spring of Youth, used by Happousai's "old friend"
Lukkosai.
A true fountain of youth, at least as long as one avoided hot water. The
guide
didn't know, irksomely, if someone affected by the water would remain
permanently young in their other form, or if it would age from that point
on.
Apparently no one who used it had stuck around long enough for him to check.
Still, the number of people in the world who would want something like that
was
enormous. If he needed to bribe someone - or several someones - in order to
get
help with his condition, this was a pretty damn good one.
The others he had gained weren't from the manga, and were the result of
careful questioning from the guide. Spring of Lecherous Person was fairly
self-
explanatory, as were the springs of Beautiful Woman and Amnesiac. The first
and
third could once again be pretty handy if used right; the second was another
good bribing possibility.
The last two he had gained were a bit more worrisome, but too
potentially useful to pass up. Spring of Suicidal Person was just that.
The
guide explained, in no uncertain terms, that any human or animal cursed by
that
spring would immediately try to kill themselves by the most expedient method
possible, and continue trying until the curse was lifted or they died.
Dangerous, dangerous stuff, and the guide had tried hard to persuade "Miss
Customer" not to take any. He almost hadn't. But while it was an awful
weapon,
it was also a very good one. And he did have the springs that could cure
any
human of it, so finally he had taken it. He just wouldn't use it unless he
had
to. Spring of Slave was the final spring he'd found interesting. The guide
didn't really know what it did, but like the spring of Suicidal Person, he
had
been even more wary of it than most of the other springs. Chris had
wondered,
and accordingly taken some. Did it make anyone splashed with it perfectly
obedient? Or something else? Hard to say. But it -might- come in handy,
so he
took it just in case. Better to have it than not.
He returned his gaze to the road he ran along, straining to look around
the curve of an upcoming hill. He should be almost there, if the directions
he
had received were accurate. The Jyusenkyou Guide knew of the village he'd
been
given directions to from Cologne, which shaved a good day from his travel
time.
As he moved around the hill, he slowed down, gratified, as the path
opened out onto a cheerfully pastoral scene. The village was built on a
plateau
in the mountains, only as wide across as two buses stretched end to end,
though
rather longer than that. The village was thus (not unexpectedly) small,
consisting of barely two dozen houses, none more than a story tall and most
built of sturdy-looking wood that must have been quite a chore to carry all
the
way here from the nearest forest. No rice paddies or huge fields of produce
could be seen; instead, the ground was littered with dozens of small
gardens,
stretching between every house and full of plants of every color and size
Chris
could imagine and some he could not have.
The plateau abutted a gentle rocky slope that formed the rest of the
mountain, and Chris could see several goats walking about on it. A
disinterested-looking boy with a long staff sat watching them, his attention
idly turning to the newcomer every now and then. Further up the slope, at
the
apex of a series of carved stone steps, was a huge windmill. It was made of
blocks of quarried stone, and stood nearly five stories tall, with blades
that
dipped all the way down to its base and stretched high into the sky above
it.
The canvas creaked and moaned audibly even from this far away.
A single path wound through the village, disappearing around the edge of
the mountains on the other side. Each house had a small path leading to this
one, and all faced inward. Maybe ten or twelve people were strolling between
the
buildings, stopping to chat or hurrying without pause as was their business.
Maybe half again that number could be seen moving among the gardens,
harvesting
or tending or planting or doing a dozen other tasks. Unlike the Nyuuchezu,
there
was no evidence of modern conveniences around this village. But then again,
it
was still sunny out.
He walked into the village, looking for an inn. Though small, it was
almost certain the economy of this place was trading herbs, so maybe... ah,
yes.
To his left, on the cliffward side, one of the small buildings had a sign,
the
Chinese characters on it recognisable from the inn he had seen in the
Nyuuchezu
village. No Japanese on this one, though, which could be problematic.
Still,
he knew Pink and Link spoke fluent Japanese; if nothing else, he might be
directed to them.
The room was small, but not cramped. There was a number of small rugs
laid out on the floor. An old woman, bent and crooked with a face covered in
fine lines, sat yoga style on a green mat. She had her face balanced on one
hand
and was snoozing softly.
"Hello?" Chris called in Japanese. The woman stirred, but didn't
immediately respond. "Hello?" Chris tried again, a little louder. The woman
hissed something in Chinese, and it was impossible to tell if her eyes had
opened a bit or if the wrinkles on her face had just relaxed slightly. "I'm
sorry, I don't speak Chinese," he said with a sigh.
"Room is booked for tonight," the woman snapped out in heavily accented
Japanese. "You will have to camp outside."
"That's all right," he said, slowly and carefully, trying not to use any
complex words. "I am looking for Pink and Link. You know them?"
"Pink? Link? Aiya. No good troublemakers. Everyone knows them. They
outside."
He smiled. That was a good sign. "Could you show me where?" He fanned
out a few yuan. "I would be grateful."
The woman's demeanour shifted so fast Chris could almost feel the wind
from her bad attitude flying out the window. "Aiya. I can tell you where to
find
them," she said in what was still badly accented, but now obsequious,
Japanese.
"They live in small cottage around side of mountain. Not allowed to live
with
other peoples. Powerful enemies they have, always bring trouble they do."
The
woman grinned. She was missing several teeth, but they had been replaced by
ivory that glittered slightly in her shark-like smile. "Can't miss it."
"Thank you." He smiled again and handed her the money, which vanished
even more quickly than her former attitude. Then he headed out in search of
the
cottage. So much for melodramatic fanboy fantasies about the village living
too
much in fear of Shampoo to save the twins. They might fear Shampoo, but it
was
pretty obvious they weren't overly concerned over the fate of their own.
Or it might just be that old woman. But somehow he didn't think so. He
shrugged. Considering Pink's personality, at least, he probably couldn't
blame
them.
The rest of the village was rather interesting. In front of about half
of the houses, men or women in elaborate silk robes sat behind mats filled
with
unguents and ointments and baskets full of unidentified substances. They
called out in Chinese, and once or twice in Japanese, to Chris as he passed.
When he glanced over, they smiled boastfully and pushed forward a jar or
flask,
babbling something at him.
Halfway across the village, the steps of the windmill descended. A woman
stood in front of it, her long hair blowing behind her. She wore a
Takahashi-
esque female Chinese breastplate and skin tight leggings, an outfit
remarkably
similar to Pink and Link's. There was no kanji on it, however, and she
carried
her staff and body stiffly. Her dangerous eyes did not invite idle
conversation.
There was one other foreigner in the village that he saw. A man in a white
gi,
sleeves torn from his bulky shoulders, sat dickering with one of the
merchants
in Chinese. His back was to Chris, but white strips hung down to his
mid-back
from the headband in his short brown hair.
He had almost started to walk past when he did a doubletake, and then
stared at the man. "Ryu?" he said out loud, not really thinking in time to
stop
himself.
The man turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder. Chris
blinked. It certainly looked like Street Fighter's seminal character Ryu.
His
eyes were disinterested, but still gazed steadily at Chris. The man behind
him
seemed agitated by the interruption.
"My apologies," Chris said, bowing. "Seeing you, I was startled
slightly. Are you, in fact, Ryu?"
"That's my name," the man said in a clear voice. It didn't sound exactly
like Chris pictured it would. It took him a moment to figure out this must
be
a voice from the video games, and not any of the numerous anime made out of
the
franchise. He waved the man to silence behind him. "And you are?"
"Kodachi Kunou," he replied easily. "I wasn't searching for you or
anything, but I am something of a martial artist, and your name and likeness
is
rather well-known in some circles. Again, my apologies for interrupting
your
business."
Ryu just gave Chris a long, odd stare for a moment. Chris could see the
man's muscles tensing, and saw his pupils dilate the tiniest fraction. But
then
he breathed out, and seemed to calm down. "Okay." His gaze lingered for a
moment, then he turned back to his negotiating.
Well, somebody just noticed his deadness. He walked on, deciding it
best not to give Ryu any more reason to worry. He'd considered asking the
man
to spar - the fight with Ukyou and Ranma aside, he hadn't really gotten as
much
chance to 'field test' his abilities as he'd like - but the body wouldn't
heal
from any wounds he took. Best not to risk it. Odd coincidence for him to
be
there, though.
The village ended as the plateau curved around the mountainside, and
with good reason, as the amount of land suddenly went from 'not much' to
'practically nonexistent'. The path dipped down back towards the valleys
again,
and Chris could see what looked like more herd animals through a thin layer
of
mist from a waterfall which gurgled merrily a dozen or so meters down the
path.
Next to that waterfall was a small cottage, partially built into the
surrounding
mountain. It was obviously well-cared for, but showed signs of wear and
tear. A
woman was sitting in the doorway, strumming on a lyre-like instrument.
Chris paused to take a better look at the woman. She was tall for an
Asian, with long black hair that flowed gracefully down her body. She had a
willow-like figure under a provocatively cut, but not especially revealing,
blue
and green silk pantsuit. She looked vaguely familiar, but Chris couldn't
place
from where. The twins' mother, maybe? He shrugged, and stepped towards
her.
"Excuse me. I am looking for Pink and Link."
The music stopped as the woman seemed to notice him for the first time.
She stared at Chris, her blue-black eyes unreadable, and she murmured
something
under her breath before speaking aloud. "Whatever Pink did, I apologize."
She
spoke in an oddly deep voice for a woman, but it had a pleasant musical
quality
to it. Her Japanese was flawless.
He laughed lightly, with genuine humour. "I'm sorry, you've mistaken my
intent. I don't wish any ill towards either of them; indeed, I've never met
them before. In fact, I only want to talk with them."
"I see..." the woman said. He noticed her relaxing, and in so doin