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Chapter Thirteen
The red sky covered the land with a blood red glow. The desolation of the land stretched as far as the eye could see. The wails of torment echoed from every direction. As the mammoth five headed dragon flew over the lands.
The dragon landed in a courtyard paved with bones and lumbered to a throne of skulls. It transformed into a shapely and beautiful woman. With eyes that spoke of pure evil and hatred. She turned and sat on the throne, her bare legs extended outward as she stretched languidly.
She waited as a dark cloaked figure approached her. It bowing while it came closer. It stopped in front of the woman and continued to bow. She watched him with disinterest until she noticed he was trembling with fear.
"Did you find him?" She asked her voice cold and yet sultry.
"We thought we might my Dark Queen, but..!" He stammered out slowly.
"BUT what?" She responded, her voice growing even colder.
"He is chaos my Queen and we can not track such as he." The woman leaned forward her eyebrow arched, her nail leaving a gash on the dark cloaked man's face.
"Then HE has finally returned?" She asked a quiver in her voice.
"No my Lady, but HE has left his mark else were as well. We look for one HE as blessed with the gift of chaos. The problem is that gift makes it harder for us to find him." The man trembled as her finger continued down his front slipping inside his robe leaving a bloody line on his upper torso.
"I do not want excuses find him and bring him to me!" She sat back kicking out with her leg knocking the black robed man into the wall across from her.
"Do NOT return again without him!" She glared at him as she draped a long shapely leg over the arm of her throne.
The hooded man rose and bowed continually as he left the woman's presence.
Once he cleared the throne room he leaned against the wall and took a deep
breath.
His hand traveled to his cheek where she had marked him. It felt like
fire to his touch. His hand then reached inside his robe and that gash also
burned. He looked at the blood that covered his hand and snarled as it turned
black and sticky.
He glowed black for a few moments then felt his face and chest again. The
gashes were still there and oozing black blood. He cursed his Queen and slowly
faded from view. A small puddle of a thick black liquid left where he
stood.
The drops bubbled and hissed as they slowly ate through the floor. The
insane laughter of the Queen filling the hallway.
Ranma jerked awake her body dripping in sweat. The room was still dark though she could not judge time in this world yet. When her eyes adjusted to the dim from the two moons. She looked around the room her gaze a lit on the two other occupants of the room.
Raistlin laid quietly his breathing regular and strong. She reached out with her senses checking the flow of his chi, ki and magic. They were still aligned as she had set them before entering town. Though they seem to be a bit stronger. She was startled out of her musings as a loud snore filled the room.
She smiled as she looked at her other room mate. He slept close to Raistlin without touching him in a protective manor. She closed her eyes and images of their lives flitted across. Most were hazy and confused her. She didn't understand rubbing oils on Raistlin's legs and arms when exercise would have been better.
She opened her eyes and slowly rose from the bed and walked toward the
window.
She stared out gazing at the sleeping town before her. She moved a
chair in front of the window and took the lotus position on the chair. She then
closed her eyes and began to search inside her to finally see what that bastard
had done to her.
Ranma first checked her chi and ki she breathed a sigh of relief as they were
still strong and aligned properly. She did however note there was a
difference.
She concentrated deeper and found the magic from the curses. A
frown crossed her lips and she reached out and touched the magic.
It was not the same as Raistlin's but she figured that was to be expected since his more focused because of use. Still hers though unfocused was vastly different. Her brow knitted in frustration as she wished she had, had more time to study under more sensei who practiced the esoteric medical arts.
She opened her eyes to see the sky was still dark though lightening in the distance. She reached into her hyper storage and pulled out her journal She wrote quickly what she found out. Then leaving the book in her lap began to dig deeper inside her for more information. Her hands going across the paper as she wrote. She smiled at remembering being taught to write while meditating by one of her sensei.
He had lost his sight in one eye and was almost a total in the other. He still could read some so he learned to write while not watching what he wrote. Ranma had liked him he was strong and taught her more by his example then anything else. From him she learned no obstacle is too large to over come if the desire is there.
Kasumi answered the door her smile at the small group faded when her eyes fell on Genma. He just stared back at her his eyes cold and cruel. Kasumi allowed them to enter. As she led them to the living room she told them of the new developments.
"Master Happosai has returned from hiding after drinking the Nanniichuan at the failed wedding. He and father have been locked up since he arrived just after you left." The group entered the dinning room.
They found Nabiki and Akane sitting at the dinning room table. Their heads bowed and their hands clenched in their laps. Nodoka looked at them then to Kasumi. She shook her head then left to fetch some tea. The Amazon elders sat at the table with Shampoo and Mirako next opposite them. Genma was hustled off to a corner then surrounded by the three Takashi men.
"Will you please tell us what is going on?" Nabiki asked the women as they sat down.
"That is why we are here child to help you all through this and to merit out his punishment." Cologne told the middle Tendo daughter.
Both Akane and Nabiki shuddered at the cold and emotionless tone in Cologne's voice. Nabiki remembered her voice sounding like that but for some reason coming from the Amazon it sounded worse and more frightening. She turned her head to the stairs as her father and the perverted master came down the stairs.
Soun sat at the head of the table Happosai sitting next to him. They both glared at the man in the corner. He glared back at them a smile on his face that dared them to try anything. Genma gulped when the cold steel of Hayashi Takashi's blade came in contact with his neck.
Kasumi came back into the kitchen and served everyone tea. She started for the three men guarding Genma when they turned her away in order to protect her. She nodded and sat at the other end of the table across from her father and the old master. She bowed her head to hide the tears as she waited to hear spoken what she already knew.
"First I thank you for giving to us the information you found. I next wish to
apologize for the dishonor my family has brought to you and your son
Saotome-
san." Soun began as he glared at his youngest daughter.
"WHAT!" Akane's aura burst into view, but was quickly deflated when Soun threw some pictures on to the table in front of her.
"Ukyo dropped these off to me earlier today Akane. It seemed she entered my bedroom through the window to avoid having to fight you. She also told me these pictures were taken just after Herb left Nerima." Akane reached out with shaking hands and brushed away the pictures from the table.
They fluttered to the floor around the table. Nodoka reached down and picked
up several of the pictures. Her eyes growing wide then narrowed to tiny
slits.
She looked up at the Tendo patriarch her eyes flashing with rage. Soun
held up his hand with a sad look.
"Ukyo also told me that after the wedding attempt she slipped one of those pictures into a book Ranma had in his position. It seems your son was following Kasumi's example and borrowing books from Dr. Tofu." Nodoka gasped at as she realized her son if not yet will find that photo and she will not be there to help him.
"I see and does this make the torment that little slut put my son through any better?" Nodoka snarled as she glared at Akane.
"HEY!" Akane shouted getting to her feet her aura blazing around her.
"SIT DOWN daughter!" Soun's voice was cold and it frightened Akane so much her aura winked out instantly.
"As of this moment the promise between our houses is null and void. I can allow my daughter's dishonor to harm Ranma any longer. Nor can I allow him access to my family and home." Soun told the parties present his eyes blazing as he looked at the sadistic smile on Genma's face.
"Agreed Tendo-san!" Nodoka told him as she stared down at the photos of Akane and Ryoga in a naked embrace.
"NO! HE'S MINE YOU GAVE HIM TO ME!" Akane cried out her aura again flashing into existence.
"My child is not a piece of property Akane, you have no right to her! Besides don't you think you lover would frown on the fact you don't want to give Ranma up?" Nodoka snarled as she flung the photo across the table to land in front of Akane.
Akane's eyes were filled with murderous rage as she looked down at her and Ryoga. She remembered that day it was the first time they made love. She remembered how gentle and sweet her P-chan was when he first took her. She looked up at her tormentor her rage increasing as the woman glared at her. Then her eyes went wide when something pushed forward in her mind.
"Her? You said her!" Akane asked her aura dwindled down to a thin line around her body.
"Yes I said her!" Nodoka then told of what happen to the three visitors to Krynn.
The Tendos listened to her with mixed emotions. Soun and Kasumi were saddened
that Ranma had to go through what she considered torture again by being locked
in her girl form. Nabiki's sat staring emotionless. Inside her feelings a
jumbled mess. She was angry she did not know a thing about Akane and
Ryoga.
She was even angrier that Akane had every intentions of keeping the
sham engagement.
Nabiki looked at her father and her heart broke as he sat there and cried not
his normal wailing but real tears. She reached out and gently wiped away one of
his tears. He turned to and looked at his middle daughter his haunted eyes
matched hers. He reached up and took her hand in his and squeezed it
gently.
Nabiki realized at that moment that she loved Ranma, but also knew
that he would never love her back because he, no she could never trust her.
Akane sat watching her father and Nabiki, her own emotions in a turmoil. She
was angry at that these people had turned something beautiful between her and
Ryoga to something ugly over that perverted freak! She watched as her older
sister and father exchanged looks of despair and guilt. She didn't really care
that Ranma was a girl or not. Her being female made it easier to control
her.
Akane sat stewing in her own anger as her normal mental processes where
Ranma was concerned kicked in.
What do I care! It is all his FAULT that my Ryoga is stuck there with
him!
Nothing better happen to my P-chan or Ranma is gonna pay! Totally
forgetting Mousse was the one to send them there.
"We are sorry for what happened to your son Saotome-san. Is there any hope of unlocking hi..her?" Soun asked real concern for the first time showing on his face.
Nodoka hung her head with some sadness and looked to the Amazon elder for help on this one. Cologne nodded and leaned forward to explain what she might be able to do. Non at the table paid any attention to the cornered father of the subject at hand.
Genma listened to the conversation a look of disgust at his child's plight. He mumbled about how weak his son was to get trapped so many times as he sat with his arms crossed over his chest. His mind shifted to other things as the cold steel point of a katana laid against the jugular vein in his throat. He gulped and looked into the sapphire blue eyes of his son.
The only difference was these eyes where cold and full of hate and belonged to Ranma's maternal grandfather. Keitaro's gaze then turned malicious as he leaned forward and whispered to Genma.
"The Morboshi clan has big plans for you panda-man!" He straightened back up and watched as Genma shuddered at the mention of the Takashi sister clan.
Happosai stared down at the photos of Akane's naked body and trembled with lustful desire. He closed his eyes and used the 'Soul of Ice' technique he learned over two centuries ago from the only woman he ever really loved. He just couldn't stand of the thought of being part of a society where men were barely more then slaves.
Happi opened his eyes and saw Cologne staring at him wistfully as he is sure she felt the 'Soul of Ice' wash over him. He looked back at her for a brief moment his long suppressed love her flashed through his eyes, but he quickly pushed it back down. The problem was this time it didn't want to go.
The old master's attention was soon taken from his thoughts as the meeting continued and the subject matter changed. He was unsure of the validity of the paper Soun had shown him. He could not have been that wrong about the fool Genma. When he started training the two men he knew they would never inherit his school but knew their offspring was where his heir would be found.
Soun's heir was a total disappointment, though very lovely to look at. That left Ranma, but if he was trapped on another world he may have to look else where. Then again he may find a way to pass his techniques onto the boy before he even comes back.
Happosai looked from Cologne to Nodoka. His eyes focused on their hands. Yes
he thought there may be a way at that. Not the best possible way but a
way.
His grin grew slightly when the sound of several thick books hitting the
table brought his mind to the subject at hand.
"The paper in question Soun was written by me!" Nodoka started a loud snort coming from behind them.
"I however copied them from these." She finished ignoring the man behind her.
She through a half a dozen thick journals on the table before her. Soun looked at them with confusion then recognition set in. He looked up at Nodoka his eyes wide with the unasked question.
"I found where Genma had hidden his earlier journals when Ranma's fianc?s destroyed my house. He evidently did not think anyone would find them between the floor of our bedroom and the ceiling below." She stiffened when she felt the gaze from the man she once loved and trusted.
"I don't know why he just didn't destroy them, I am sure he felt they would never come to light." Nodoka continued as Nabiki and Soun each took a book.
Their old master standing between them to read over their shoulders. Nabiki was the first to react as she gasped and paled to pure white then sickly green. She however could not put down what she was reading.
Kasumi watched her sister and father not wanting to read the words of the monster behind her. She believed the document Nodoka brought earlier and if it wasn't for the fact that Cologne had just paralyzed her legs she would have attacked him again.
Akane watched her sister and father she wanted to see what they saw but the fact Kasumi was glowing a dark black red and she hand seen the elder press a few pressure points made her question that idea. Her father's shaky voice drew her attention back to him.
"He planned this all along? The torturous training trip for Ranma, the pact between us. He even knew about Jusenkyo before the left with Ranma?" Soun asked while flipping through the pages of one of the older journals.
"Yes, though he didn't want the girl curse he wanted something that would allow him more control." Nodoka told them as she looked at the books on the table.
"Yes I see here, he mentioned the Spring of Drowned Kitten, the one Shampoo
has,
or of Drown Panther. It says he felt with the Neko-ken training turning
into a cat would weaken him mentally even more and allow him to gain a stronger
hold on him." The gasp came from Akane as she listened to what her father just
read.
Akane turned to the man she had called 'uncle' for the last two years the man that was going to be her father-in-law. She turned pale as the blood drained from her face. His eyes were so cold and cruel. They sparkled with a sadistic lust, that matched the smile on his face. Akane shivered as she saw herself in those eyes and in that smile. As she wanted to control Ranma that way as well.
She turned back as her father went on. Her shame turned to rage as he read more of Genma's life plans. She gulped when she saw Happosai go pale then begin to glow so black that light did not pass through his aura.
"He planed that night we made the pact to unite the schools. He knew if he got me drunk enough I would agree. He also knew I would not except it the next day because it was made while I was drunk." Soun read as he took a deep breath as memories flashed through his mind.
"I remember now, I hated being with Genma. I only stayed because I wanted to learn the art of Anything Goes. I was very good back then!" His voice became wistful for a moment when his attention was drawn to the hand on his arm.
He looked down and saw a wrinkled on hand lightly pat his arm. He followed it up to the face of his Master. More memories flooding back into his mind of his time with his master and Genma.
"You thought so too, that was why you took me on real training trips without Genma!" Soun asked his aged master.
"Yes, then when you and Genma come back from that loan training trip just before the birth of Akane-chan you changed. You became an emotional wreck and clung to Genma for some unknown reason." Happosai ignored the gasps.
Nodoka picked up a dark blue book and opened it to the passage she was looking for. She had read all of his journals. She had read them several time, she had memorized each and every passage. She could recite them from memory. Her eyes blurred as she flipped the pages to the one she wanted. She then passed the book to Soun, her mother's hand comforting on her arm.
"What is this?" Soun looked into the tear filled eyes of Nodoka and picked up the book and began to read.
"I see, this is what happened? I never could remember much of what happened on that trip." Soun seemed so calm as he spoke but for the fact he was glowing red.
"What does it say daddy?" Akane asked as she leaned forward to try and read the page.
"Genma had been researching mind altering plants. It seemed he used a
combination of them to not only break my will but weaken my hold on my
emotions.
Thus making me more susceptible to his influence." Soun glared as
he looked toward the man that ruined his life.
"BWHAHAHAHA! You were such a fool, you still are!" Genma laughed at the anguish on the Tendo patriarchs face.
"It gets worse daddy!" Nabiki's voice cut through the tension, she looked to Nodoka and saw the pain in her eyes.
"What is it daughter?" Soun asked as the rooms attention turned toward her.