And you thought my fics were weird before?
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Ranma's Bane
Chapter 1: A Dark Day in Nerima.
Nerima Ward, Tokyo, Japan
March 3rd, 2000, 10:55 pm
Cologne sighed as she entered her meditations. *This messenger better have a good reason for calling now,* she said to herself. Letting her mind drift into realms unseen by most humans, she saw the spectral form of the messenger. The boy looked incredibly nervous, and Cologne knew it wasn't just her reputation.
"Out with it, boy," she growled, "or don't you have any idea what time it is here?"
"I apologize, elder," the boy said with a bow, "but I do not have much time. The Night is coming."
Had Cologne been balanced on her staff, the message would have caused her to crash to the floor. "Now?" she asked in disbelief.
The messenger nodded, apologetically. "In about five minutes, actually. My teachers gave me a list of people to warn tonight. You were, I'm sorry to say, on the bottom of the list."
Cologne bit out a rather fierce Amazon curse. "Thank you for the warning," she said. "I suggest we both depart this place. Who knows what kind of effects there will be."
The messenger bowed, then faded away. Cologne hesitated, then traveled back to her own body. Upon returning, she rushed down to the kitchen, where Shampoo and Mousse had just finished cleaning up the restaurant.
"Come," she ordered, "we are going to the Tendo house."
"Why?" Shampoo and Mousse asked simultaneously, then looked at each other in surprise.
"Because it's about to hit the fan. And it always hits there first," the elder replied. Modern slang came in handy some times. "I'll explain on the way."
Cologne was a block away from the Cat-Cafe when the stars disappeared from the night sky, leaving an endless curtain of black from horizon to horizon.
*******
Ranma shivered as she rinsed herself off.
"Stupid Pops," she grumbled, "school's tomorrow, the teachers are getting on my case about sleeping in class, and he gets the bright idea of a late night training session."
An odd shiver went through her body as he headed for the tub. Dismissing it as the cold water and air, she plunged into the hot water.
*******
Akane was lifting weights in her room, with Nabiki watching and balancing her account book, when a scream came from the bathroom. The two girls recognized the voice as Ranma's. After walking calmly to the bathroom (they had heard screams before, random bit of weirdness surrounding Ranma), Nabiki knocked on the door.
"Go away!" Ranma screamed back at them.
"Oh come on, Ranma," Akane huffed. "It's not like we aren't used to weird stuff."
"Not like this, child."
Both girls turned to see Cologne pogo up to them on her staff. Akane placed herself between the ghoul and the door, while Nabiki asked herself why neither of them heard the old bat arrive.
"So, where's the bimbo?" Akane asked.
"Shampoo is in the kitchen," Cologne replied, "attempting to keep the sake bottle away from your father. I need everyone sober for this. And I need Ranma out of that bathroom."
"For what?" Nabiki asked, alarms being set off by Cologne not referring to Ranma as "son-in-law" or "groom." "What'd you do to Ranma this time?"
Cologne shook her head. "Nothing, child. By the sound and location of the scream, I presume it means that Ranma is trapped in his cursed form. However, the timing of this, and the fact that neither I, nor anyone else I know of, has done anything to Ranma means that this is much worse." Cologne tapped the bathroom door with her staff. "Isn't that right, Ranma?"
The door slid open, revealing Ranma, wearing the top to her gi. It was not the same Ranma that went into the room, though. Besides the twitching, (either from nervousness or fear, Nabiki couldn't tell which) there were a multitude of physical changes. Ranma's ears were larger, coming to points, with ruffs of blond fur along the backs. A red and blond-striped tail could be seen swaying behind her legs, and small claws slid in and out of new folds in her fingertips. A startling change was her eyes, which had acquired vertical slits, like a cat's. All these were secondary, for what truly caught everyone's attention were the markings that had appeared on her skin. They looked like a primitive painting of water, slashes of dark blue of varying length and thickness. When Ranma moved, however, the markings seemed to stay still, as though they were being projected onto her skin.
"I was afraid of this," Cologne sighed, then gently guided Ranma toward the family room. "Come, children, I will explain as much as I can."
*******
Ranma was huddled in a corner as the others gathered around the table. Most were staring in disbelief at transformation.
"You don't need to worry," Cologne explained, "the lock is not permanent. Rather, Ranma's transformation has become an act of will."
"He's cured!" Genma exclaimed. Cologne rapped him on the head before he and Soun could start their happy dance.
"No, Ranma is *not* cured. If anything, he's in worse shape than before."
"I-I I'll be alrrright," Ranma stuttered. "Just give me a minute."
"I doubt that, Ranma," Cologne replied. "But you will be better than you are now."
Just as Ranma predicted, she stopped shivering a few moments later. Standing up, she flowed, no other word could describe the fluid grace in her movement, over to the table and sat down, though as far from Genma as was possible.
"As I said," Cologne repeated, "it is better than before."
"What has happened to my son!" Genma yelled.
"What has happened to Ranma is but one of our worries," Cologne shot back. "Or perhaps you have not looked at the sky in the past few minutes."
Genma glanced towards the door. When Cologne threatened them with her cane, he and Soun opened it and glanced outside.
"Some clouds," Genma said as they returned to the table, "nothing more."
"Much more, Panda-man," Shampoo piped in, "it scare Shampoo."
"Which should give you an idea of how serious the situation is," Cologne continued. "What has happened is troubling, and Ranma is right in the middle of it."
"What's happened to me, old ghoul." Ranma growled.
"There is another race on this planet, one that is the source of many myths. No one knows where they come from, or what causes them to be. They appear randomly among humans, with no regard for race, sex, religion."
"There can be only one?" Nabiki quoted.
"Surprisingly enough, there are many similarities. This race is one of shape-changers. Their 'awakening,' as it is called, happens anytime between the end of childhood and the beginning of full adulthood, mostly in the persons late teens or early twenties, and are often triggered by moments of great emotional stress, though it is not unheard of for a transformation to occur in their sleep."
"In school," Nabiki commented, "we read a book about a guy who turned into a cockroach."
"Kafka. It is long suspected that he might be one of them, or at least have something to do with them."
"One of WHAT?" Akane demanded. "And where's Kasumi?"
Everyone looked startled. They had been so shocked by Ranma's transformation that they had missed the fact that the eldest Tendo daughter was missing from the table.
An odd glint appeared in Ranma's eyes as she raced up the stairs. Cologne followed, with the others trailing behind her. The mob arrived at Kasumi's door to find Ranma pounding on it, almost breaking it.
"Go away!" Wailed a voice from inside.
Ranma glanced at Cologne, who gave a small nod. Ranma turned back to the door, and threw the it open with a grunt, almost shattering it."
Ranma stepped into the darkened room, searching for a light. She found Kasumi's beside lamp on the ground near the door, shattered. As she walked further into the room, she was amazed at how her eyes adapted to the gloom. Before long, she could see another lamp on the desk, and a quivering mound on the bed. She walked over and switched on the desk lamp. As light bathed the room, a gasp rose from the assembled crowd.
If Ranma's transformation had been dramatic, Kasumi's bordered on the horrifying. Her hair had become a mass of silver feathers, contrasting with her now pitch-black skin. Her eyes were glowing yellow, and surrounded by mask-like patches of silver, with streaks arching from the bridge of her nose to her temples, where they intersected a pair spreading from the corners of her eyes. When the steaks met her hairline, they became black streaks upon the feathers, forming the illusion of an odd circlet. Her fingernails had turned the same silver color, and had grown to a point where they resembled claws. Most shocking of all were two great wings emerging from her back, the black feathers glittering with silver highlights.
She was huddled on her bed. Though her knees were drawn up to her chin, the others could see that the wings growing from her back had shredded her nightgown. Nabiki also saw that her sister had been crying, her tears making silver streaks on her face. In one hand she held the cross that had been given to her by their mother.
"What's happened to me?" She cried, dropping the necklace to the ground.
Cologne picked it up and gently closed Kasumi's fingers around it. "There is much I have to tell you, child, and little time to do it. Will you listen?"
As Kasumi calmed down in the next minutes, the glow in her eyes paled until it was a pure white. "I can listen," she said.
"Good," Cologne nodded, "the rest of you must leave."
As they filed out of the room, Cologne spoke again. "Not you, Ranma. You stay here. I need both of you for this."
*******
Once the others had left, Cologne turned back to the two transformed youths.
"They took that rather well," she commented.
"Father is still in shock." Kasumi's voice still showed strain.
"I suppose that is why he has not charged in here, screaming a demand to know what happened." Kasumi merely nodded. "Child, it is not much of a condolence, I am sorry this happened to the two of you."
"But what happened?" Ranma asked.
"You heard my explanation of the other race, correct?" When Ranma nodded, she continued. "Good, I expect you to inform Kasumi of what it means when we finish here. Suffice to say, you two are members of that race. My people call you 'Friends in the Shadow's,' though you would more commonly be called 'Nightbane.'"
"That doesn't sound good," Ranma commented.
"You are the bane of the night, a race of warriors to protect the human race from a great evil. Because of that, you will also be hunted by that evil. Everyone you are close to is in danger."
"How do you know this?" Kasumi asked.
"I am a member of a group called the Seekers. We are a group of scholars, philosophers, and researchers with one thing in common: a passion for magic and the unknown. What has happened tonight is the herald of an invasion by the darkness. A byproduct of the energy released is that many Nightbane all over the world have awakened. Undoubtedly, most are unsure of what they are. Lost, confused, and desperate for explanations, they will be easy prey for the darkness. The two of you need to leave here before that darkness comes for you."
"Leave?" Disbelief was strong in Kasumi's tone as her eyes began to turn blue. "But where will we go?"
"You must seek out others of your kind. There are elders who have been alive for centuries. They can teach you what you need to know."
"What about you?"
"I am not a Nightbane, so I can only point the way. Besides, Amazon law is very specific about the 'Friends in the Shadow's.' We are forbidden from harming them, but we also must try to minimize contact, else the village is put at risk. Congratulations, Ranma," Colognes voice was rueful, "you have found a way to escape Shampoo."
Ranma smiled weakly. "I wish I didn't have to get stuck as a girrrl to do so."
"You are not trapped," Cologne replied. "You simply need to learn how to change. It requires an act of will. That is another thing you have to learn."
"What about that prrromise Pops made with Mr. Tendo? They won't let us leave unless I marrry Akane."
Cologne though for a few moments, and watched the two youths. Ranma was kneeling beside the bed, while Kasumi was still curled up on it. The exception was her hand, which was stroking Ranma's hair, and Cologne could swear she heard a purr coming from the redhead.
"Tell me, Ranma, do you like Kasumi?"
Ranma was thrown off by the question. "Well I... I mean... Well, she's..."
Kasumi laughed, her eyes returning to white. "I think I know what she is suggesting, Ranma. The agreement was for a Tendo daughter to marry a Saotome son. She means for us to fulfill the agreement."
Ranma began to sweat. "But... I don't wanna get marrried! I'm not rrready!"
"Ranma," Kasumi said, once again stocking the smaller girl's hair, "we don't have a choice. We can't stay here, if what Cologne said it true, out families will be in danger."
"'The firrrst duty of a marrrtial arrrtist is to prrrotect the weak.'" Ranma quoted. "I know. It's the only way, isn't it?"
Cologne nodded.
"We can work things out later," Kasumi said. "But we need to do this now, for our families sake."
As Cologne headed for the door, she was Ranma swallow then nod.
"Wait," Ranma called.
Cologne turned to the two, and raised a single eyebrow.
"Why are you helping us?" Kasumi asked.
Cologne shrugged. "Nightbane are the only things that can effectively fight the invasion. When the extent of the invasion is made know to the Seekers, they will want to take action, so I might as well start here. I don't want my great-grandchild and heir to be threatened by those that would hunt you. Or maybe I'm just more than a little fond of the lot of you." Cologne shrugged. "Take your pick, whichever suits you."
*******
"First things first, Ranma," Kasumi said once Cologne left, "I need you to get a set of your normal clothes. I can alter them a bit to accommodate your tail."
Ranma nodded, and headed for her room while Kasumi pulled out her sewing kit and began rummaging through her closet.
Ranma returned a minute later with her trademark red shirt and black pants. Kasumi did a quick examination of the tail (causing the smaller girl's face to match her hair in color), and made the adjustments. While Ranma slipped those on, Kasumi set to work on a simple dress she had selected. She needed to modify the back so that her wings would not damage the fabric.
"I know there's something you want to ask," Kasumi said, "so say it."
"You'rrre acting awfully calm about this."
There was a pause before Kasumi replied. "You really think so? Ranma, for the past ten years, I've had to be the mother for this family. Ever since Mother died, I have had no life of my own. Everything I did was for my family." The glow in her eyes acquired a blue tint. "If there is anything that I can do to help my family, I will do it."
"But what about..."
"Being turned into some kind of freak? What makes you think I'm calm?"
"Well, for one thing you don't seem to be bothered by it."
Kasumi gave a short laugh. "There is much you need to learn about emotions, Ranma. Just because I choose not to show them does not mean they do not exist."
"How do you feel?" Ranma asked, in a rare display of insight.
Kasumi put down her sewing, the blue tint of her eyes changing to yellow. "I am afraid, there is no other word for it. I don't know what's happened to me, or why. I don't know what is going to happen to us. I don't even know what I am."
Ranma moved to sit beside Kasumi on the bed. "You'rrre Kasumi, what else could you be?"
Again, Kasumi laughed, and the color of her eyes returned to white. "It always amazed me how a hardened warrior could show such innocence."
"Who?" Ranma asked, "me?"
"Yes, you. You are a source of contradictions and chaos. I guess that's what makes you so charming. Ever since you came here, I have learned not to be surprised."
"Hey! It ain't that bad!"
"Ranma, last week you were attacked by a group of men who looked like pork buns, and were after a hair-growth formula that you accidentally came into contact with."
"Well, therrre is that."
"For the past year you have been stuck with a curse that makes you change sexes."
"Just because that happens..."
"Do I need even need to mention the Kuno's?"
Ranma sighed. "No, but what about you?"
Kasumi made a few more stitches, then held the dress up for inspection. "We have no choice but to see where life takes us from here. Now, could you please turn around so I can put this on?"
"Crude," she said, examining her work in the mirror, "but it will have to do for now."
"Arrre you surrre about this Kasumi?" Ranma asked.
"No," Kasumi admitted, "but we don't have much choice, do we?"
A solemn procession entered Kasumi's room a half-hour after Cologne left. The exception was Soun, who rushed up to embrace Kasumi, tears streaming down his face. "Oh, my poor daughter. To have such a horror inflicted on you. In what way did I offend the Kami, that they punish my beloved daughter?"
Genma dragged (with help from Akane and Nabiki) his friend away before Kasumi drowned. Smiling, he produced a marriage certificate. "We just need the two of you to sign this, and we'll take it to city hall in the morning."
Kasumi examined the document. "But why is my name scribbled in here?"
Genma began to sweat, Soun just continued to cry.
Kasumi's voice turned hard, and her eyes turned red. "It looks like Akane's name was originally here."
"That doesn't matter now," Genma said. "You just need to sign this." He stepped towards the pair, then stepped back as Ranma growled at him. The encounters with the Cat-fist had trained him to avoid Ranma when the boy made that sound.
Kasumi sighed, her eyes returning to white, then took a pen from her desk. "I suppose this is the only way."
With quick strokes, she signed her name, then handed the form to Ranma, who did the same. Once that was done, she started to hand it back to her father, then changed her mind and handed it to Genma instead, since her father would smear the ink with his tears. Nodding, the two fathers quickly left the room, talking about a stash of fine sake they could use to celebrate the happy occasion.
"Are you ready?" Cologne asked.
"No," Ranma replied, picking up a large pack, "but that doesn't matterr."
Cologne handed Kasumi a slip of paper. "This is who you must seek out. I hope he is still in Tokyo. If not, there are contact instructions below the address. Stay out of sight, at least until you figure out how to shift forms. I do not want to think about what will happen if you are seen."
"We understand," Kasumi replied. "Thank you, and good bye."
"Good luck, children, you will need it."
*******
Akane pulled Ranma aside before she could leave the house.
"I don't know what you have planned with my sister," Akane snarled, "but it won't work."
"I ain't planning anything except surrrvival, Akane. You hearrrd what Cologne was saying. Has she everrr outrrright lied to us?""
"Will you stop talking funny?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ranma?" Kasumi interrupted, "We have to go."
"Don't you dare hurt my sister." Akane said in parting.
Ranma simply snorted, then joined Kasumi. Together, they walked out the door, into the night.
*******
They traveled through the night. When dawn should have came, none did. Instead, the black curtain continued to cover the sky. Most of the population was in a panic, which made avoiding them easier.
It took them most of the next day to reach the address that Cologne had given them. By the time they reached it, Ranma and Kasumi had been living a nightmare for twenty-four hours. Hoping some form of help was waiting for them in the apartment complex before them, they quickly made their way through the shadows.
They were across the street from the building when it blew up.
Nothing fancy, just a shattering of glass quickly followed by a fireball that caused the building to collapse in on itself. Ranma threw herself onto Kasumi, shielding her from the blast. When the noise died down, a loud clicking sound could be heard. Ranma looked up and saw eight armored figures, four at each end of the street. All of them were black, with long hair of the same color, and each carried an axe-like spear.
"Stay behind me," Ranma whispered. She drew herself up into a fighting stance, and prepared herself for battle. A slight crunching sound drew Ranma's eyes to the wrecked building. Out of it came a larger version of the things in the streets, with more ornate armor. The larger form gestured, and the other soldiers (Ranma guessed them to be such, no one else moved in groups with that kind of precision) closed in on the pair.
"I think we're in trouble, Ranma."
Ranma nodded at her wife's comment. "I think you'rrre rrright."
End chapter 1
Is this an evil enough ending for you?
I have to thank Slacker, both as a pre-reader for this project and a co-conspirator on the story (I would never have come up with Kasumi's morphus if it weren't for him). Of course, during this time I was also explaining what Nightbane was.
When I get around to it, I'll probably post this at Sofaspud's Couch and "Ranchan Totally Crossed Out." If any fan artists want to draw the transformed characters (especially Kasumi), go right ahead.
...In fact, I encourage it. Pay no attention to the gun pointed at my head.