Draft version. All C&C is most welcome. Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and her publishers. I am merely using the characters for the purpose of profit-free entertainment and make no claim on them. Vincent Seifert has kindly provided webspace for most of my fanfics and links to the rest at the following address: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/seifertv/kagami/ You can contact me at: kagami@jeack.com.au --- The black outlines of the island loomed in the distance as Umibouzu surged closer. It was a small spike of land built up around an extinct volcano, the rocky crater rearing prominently above the scattered clumps of trees. Jagged rocks lined the scraggly beach, barely more than a thin strip of glassy sand. The island was a welcome if foreboding sight, but Ranma hardly gave it a glance. Instead, all his attention was focused on the rolling ocean behind him. Where the great tenebrous form of the Ayakashi - Cardinal Servant to Masakado, Demon Lord of the South - plowed through the waves and bore down upon them. Ranma could scarcely observe any details. The vast bulk of the enemy lay hidden beneath the dark blue waters of the Pacific. All he knew was that it would catch them before they reached the relative safety of the island. The others - Ryoga, Ukyo, Kodachi, and Shampoo - were already on their feet, their recent poker game forgotten, and the cards discarded to flutter away in the whipping wind. Akane stood beside him, right hand clutching the hilt of her mother's katana nervously. he called in the depths of his mind. The Great Devourer's voice was steady and contemplative. Ranma snorted in disbelief. Umibouzu asked solemnly. Ranma snorted, beyond disbelief and fast entering the zone of incredulity. Even so, he turned to look at the distant shore. Ryoga would survive the landing, that much was certain, and perhaps Shampoo, but it was impossible to judge about the other girls. "Ranma, we'll have to swim for it, won't we?" Akane asked with grim determination. She continued with upbeat confidence, "Don't worry about me, Ranma. I can make it! The ocean's a lot more buoyant than a swimming pool!" "There is another way," Ranma offered tentatively. --- An Awakening of Demons A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By Kagami Chapter 10: Sleeping Dragons --- "You're crazy, Ranchan!" declared Ukyo as Umibouzu twisted his gigantic head around and opened his jaws, revealing a voluminous gullet that spiralled into unending gloom. Emphatic concurrence came from the others as they stared into the darkness. Ranma gagged slightly on the fetid stench that issued from the serpentine innards of the Great Devourer, and he shook his head, both to clear it of the reeking miasma and to refute Ucchan's words. "No, it's our only chance. Look, it's simple: Umibouzu spits Ryoga and me over ta the island and we catch you guys when he sends ya along. Otherwise we'll all be in the water as soon as that thing catches up to us." He pointed towards the surging form of the Ayakashi. "I understand completely, Ranma-sama," Kodachi said reassuringly. "You do?" Ranma asked eagerly. "I mean, of course, ya do. It's a reasonable plan, after all--" "You've merely taken a momentary leave of your senses, Ranma-sama. It's quite understandable, what with the truth of your half-demon heritage, the kidnapping of your mother by your psychotic half-sister, and your adopted father ending up in hospital. Why, I believe that I shall be the winner of Nabiki Tendo's betting pool on this matt--" "No, dammit! It's perfectly safe-- Hey! What's this about a 'betting pool'?!" Shampoo looked crestfallen. "Aiyah! If only Ranma have stronger mind to match body; Shampoo bet you stay sane for two week more." "Geez, I can't believe you guys!" Ranma growled. "Look, I'll go first, just to show you all it can be done." He stepped confidently into the open jaws.... The murky maw of the giant serpent closed upon Ranma, swallowing him in darkness. Thankfully, it also cut off the host of 'You're totally insane!' looks from his fiancees and Ryoga. The stench within the craw of the Great Devourer was even worse: a putrescent malodor of rotting fish and flesh. Ranma wrinkled his nose in disgust and held his breath. Didn't Umibouzu ever brush his teeth? he muttered mentally. Umibouzu sniffed in disdain, causing Ranma to clasp hands over his ears to ward against the shrieking wind from the huge intake of air. The pressure built and built, crushing and squeezing him until he was forced to suck in a lungful of fetid air in a futile attempt to equalize the strain. Just as Ranma thought he would be reduced to a flattened pulp, Umibouzu opened his jaws and exhaled, expelling him with the force of a bullet. He hurtled through the air like a carefree bird, the slipstream carrying away the miasmic cloud clinging to his body. For a moment, he felt oddly exultant, reveling in the pure sensation of flight over water, then he remembered he had no idea how to land... and the ground, the narrow strip of beach on the edge of the island, was rushing up. Looks like Umibouzu's trajectory is a bit short, he calculated analytically. That was fine though; he knew how to handle water landings. Ranma splashed down with perfect ease, legs buckling slightly to take the impact, aided by the shallow surf. A black shadow grew on the water surface, causing Ranma to scoot out of the way as Ryoga plummeted to the ground with a distinct lack of grace. The plume of cold water splashed up by Ryoga's landing spattered around him, and Ranma found himself rather glad of the protection from the waterproof soap. Ryoga staggered upright, spitting water, only to be flattened by a landing Shampoo. She bounced off him and touched down on the shore with feline elegance. Turning, she looked at Ryoga's fallen form with his arms akimbo and legs splayed. "Aiyah, is Pig-Boy. Ranma, you no catch!" "Sorry, Shampoo. It was Ryoga's turn." Ranma shrugged, then leaped to catch a descending Akane. She thudded into his arms solidly. "Oof! Say, Akane, have you put on some weight?" "Idiot!" Akane whacked him on the head and jumped off. "Hurry up and catch Ukyo instead of insulting me!" "Right, right," Ranma grumbled as he proceeded to do just that. Ukyo fell into his arms just as nicely as Akane, and he quickly set her down. "Yo, Ucchan. Nice trip?" "Hmph!" Ukyo snorted derisively. "I'm not gonna do that again anytime soon." Ranma nodded, then prodded Ryoga's floating form with a foot as he spied Kodachi dropping down. "Your turn, P-chan." "Don't call me that, Ranma!" Ryoga jumped upright, hurling a deadly glare at Ranma. It was cut short as Kodachi landed on his head with both feet, driving him into the water again. Kodachi gracefully somersaulted off him and made a pinpoint landing onto the beach. "Oh dear, Ryoga-sama, are you hurt?" she asked, spying him floating facedown. A piercing screech interrupted them. Ranma gritted his teeth and slapped both hands over his ears, feeling the high-pitched sound stab directly into his brain. He stared out to sea towards Umibouzu. The girls followed suit, along with a recovered Ryoga. The scream came from the rearing form of the Ayakashi, undoubtedly upset at losing his prey. Ranma whistled soundlessly as he finally caught a glimpse of sea monster's true form. The Ayakashi appeared similar in shape to a mega- sized unsegmented earthworm. Its protruding head was more pointed than the rounded end of a worm, and as Ranma watched, it split apart into four sections, revealing a hideous maw filled with saw-toothed fangs. Ranma winced as the wail sounded again, followed by Umibouzu's bellowed challenge. A torrent of water exploded into the air as Umibouzu launched himself from the ocean and twisted his serpentine body to complete an impressively tight turn for so massive a being. The Great Devourer's voice pulsed in his mind, he replied. Yet the monstrous Ayakashi was not finished with them. Even as he watched and Umibouzu closed in, its gaping mouth spat out several white forms toward the island, along with another angry screech. Four, five, six-- "Get back, everyone!" Suiting action to words, Ranma splashed for the shore. He didn't quite make it. The white blobs dropped all around him and the others, surrounding them. They reared up, faceless heads swivelling towards the group of martial artists. Ayakashi's spawn seemed completely amorphous, little more than lumps of jelly, but then they began to alter their form, transforming into a more humanoid shape. "Get out of the way!" Ryoga yelled as he unslung and slammed his heavy umbrella directly into the head of one of the blobs. It sank deep, but failed to apparently harm the gel-like being, which reformed its crushed head around the umbrella tip. Ryoga attempted to pull his metal-shod rain- shield free, only to discover it was held with an iron grip. He tugged uselessly for a moment, then reluctantly released it as he found he was being slowly drawn forward. For a moment, the tableau held still as the white humanoid shape sluggishly devoured the metal umbrella. "Crap!" muttered Ranma in disgust. As if his utterance was a signal, the six spawn began lurching forward, one beast staggering toward each of them. "Beware, Ranma-sama, Ryoga-sama, these beasts are Saikin: soulless, organ-less beings indestructible by ordinary means," Kodachi declared. "I have read that they are the final remnants of those devoured by the foul creature. The Saikin are supposedly immortal, though I would not wish that form of immortality on anyone." "You couldn't have told us a little earlier?" Ryoga asked Kodachi as he watched the final moments of yet another treasured umbrella. "So what do we do?" Akane yelled out as the Saikin closed in. She held her mother's katana close, but refused to draw it, having seen the loss of Ryoga's umbrella. "Their greatest weakness is their slow speed," Kodachi said, calling forth her Soul-Whip from her Devil Hunter brooch. The glimmering weapon dangled from her gripping fist, tip trailing in the water. "Also they are said to be highly vulnerable to flame." "Ryoga?" questioned Ranma. "Do you see my backpack anywhere, Ranma?" came the surly reply. "Great, that means we're out of here!" Ranma grabbed Akane, ignoring her startled yelp and lofted her into the air. He did the same to Ukyo, then launched himself from the closing circle of white shapes. Ryoga, Shampoo, and Kodachi followed, bounding hastily after him. The Saikin turned and began to plod after them. --- Cologne was poring through the stacks of ancient books occupying much of the Kuno family library when a series of wordless shouts alerted her. Frowning, she grabbed her staff and hopped to the door. She cocked an ear and listened cautiously, then swiftly headed for the garden. The gardeners maintained the carefully and exquisitely landscaped area well: the garden pool sat placid and clear, a separate hot spring bubbled merrily, rows of hedges lay neatly trimmed, and a host of small trees cast elegant shadows over their surroundings. Cologne paid little enough attention to the garden, except to acknowledge the obvious care that had gone into it. Instead, she merely scanned the wide expanse briefly to ensure no enemy was attacking, then focused her attention on the source of the shouts. Tatewaki Kuno was practicing. He stood poised in the traditional kendo stance. The tip of the bokken was held level with his head, while his hands gripped the hilt low. His feet were edged apart, one in front of the other, and his breathing was evenly regulated as he held the pose. "Hyaaaa!" Kuno expelled his breath in an explosive burst of air, and struck like lightning. An innocent watermelon fell to the ground in sixteen neat slices. Cologne applauded the display of skill. One should always appreciate such a high level of technique... even if it could only be applied to watermelons. "Happi-- Happosai taught you that one, did he not?" Kuno turned and lowered his wooden practice sword. He bowed in greeting. "Indeed, Elder." Tatewaki Kuno was not inclined to engage in pointless courtesy, except with those he favoured, but it paid well to be cautious around the ancient and powerful. Happosai had taught him that as well. Cologne nodded, eyes hooded thoughtfully. "An interesting technique. Would you be interested in learning how to extend its usefulness?" "What?! Why, certainly!" He drew himself up haughtily. "Teach the great Tatewaki Kuno your wisdom, Elder, that he might smite the demon Saotome for the grievous wrongs he has perpetuated on my dear sister!" Cologne sighed. "Yes, well." "But first, Elder, I would hear the reasons why yourself and these many strangers have chosen to inhabit the home of the Blue Thunder. I have permitted it due to my sister's pleas, but I mean to know the truth." "Very well, but it's funny you should call Ranma a demon...." Cologne chuckled wryly. --- Being chased by an immortal horde of humanoid intestinal worms through the tree-covered hills of the small island was not Ranma Saotome's idea of fun. They had outdistanced their slow pursuers, giving them a slight breathing space, but it was hardly a guarantee of safety. Yet somehow the girls still managed to find time and energy to bicker and banter. "Shampoo no see why Crazy Rose Girl still chase after Ranma. Is not demon and Devil Hunter mortal enemies?" "Hey!" Ranma protested. "No need to get any ideas now, Kodachi." "Ohohohohoho! 'Tis easy enough to see through your insidious plan, you peasant Chinese girl! Kodachi Kuno will never be deceived by such pathetic attempts to divide her from one destiny has declared hers." She sneered with obvious contempt. Ranma shivered, feeling suddenly cold. "Bah! Is no plan, only question. Shampoo know Devil Hunter must try kill demon sooner or later. So, Shampoo save Ranma from Crazy Rose Girl," the Chinese Amazon fingered her bonbori and sword meaningfully, "then we go and make good nookie. Is good idea, yes, Ranma?" "Well--" For a brief moment he felt warmer. Snick. "N-No way! Absolutely not!" Ranma declared manfully as his internal body temperature suddenly dropped again. He edged the sharp katana blade away from his throat. "Geez, Akane, do ya have to?" "Hmph." Akane casually lopped off a few heads of vegetation, then returned the katana to scabbard and stalked ahead. "Play with the others if you want, but we've still got those things after us, Ranma!" she called back, disappearing into the undergrowth. "My, my, Ranma-sama. I hardly see why you allow Akane Tendo to treat you in such fashion." Kodachi lidded her eyes and smirked. "You should teach her the proper role for one of her station." "Don't talk about Akane-san that way!" Ryoga snapped, fists clenched and eyes blazing. "Ohohohoho! But Ryoga-sama, I would permit you to teach me my proper role...." Kodachi chuckled wickedly as Ryoga snapped a hand to his nose and stumbled back, suddenly pale- faced as blood rushed elsewhere in his body. "Really, do none of you see the wonderful dichotomy in a relationship between Devil Hunter and demon? Such a forbidden romance! Such wicked excitement! Such sweet--" "--nauseating tripe! Grow up, Kodachi! Can't you see Ranchan doesn't want any part of you?" Ukyo put in, casting metaphorical spatulas with an irritated look. "I am so hurt!" declared Kodachi. "Ranma-sama, help me assuage my pain! I--" She broke off, frowning, as they came up to a halted Akane Tendo. "What now?" "Hsst! Can't you feel it?" Akane hissed. "It's like some sort of energy crawling over my skin." The six-member group came to a complete stop, each one reaching out with their senses to detect any sign of an anomaly. Ranma could feel something, now that he was no longer distracted by Kodachi's innuendo and the squabbling girls. "Shampoo no feel anything." The Chinese Amazon looked annoyed. "Why Pervert Girl can?" "I don't anything either, Sugar," muttered Ukyo. "No, I can feel something." Ranma nodded confidently. "And it's coming from over there. Let's go!" He started east at a brisk pace, forcing the others to catch up. His ears twitched as a soft song from the distance caressed them. "Is that music I hear?" Kodachi asked with bemusement. --- Nabiki Tendo was brooding. To put it properly, she was sulking, but she preferred the term brooding, since it implied she was actually thinking about a method to resolve her problem. Namely, she was in the presence of a veritable hoard of treasure that she could not trade, sell, use, exchange, auction, market, barter, or peddle. Not with a hideous troll mummy perusing and guarding it. It riled her very soul to just leave the ancient trove of knowledge alone. That was why she was in the library, while Cologne wasn't around, punishing herself for her inability to find some means of profit. Nabiki sat next to a small table and fondled an old manuscript about Chinese demons. "You may help me in my research, if you wish, Tendo-san." Nabiki yelped as she spun around, heart in her mouth. It was merely Cologne. She let out a short gasp of relief. "Dammit, don't do that!" "You seem rather nervous, Tendo-san," Cologne observed. "It might help to do something while we wait. Can you read Chinese?" "'Fraid not. I can take care of any Japanese texts you have, though." Cologne nodded briefly. "That stack over there." She pointed over to a moderate stack of books. Nabiki seated herself and picked up the first weather- beaten tome. She read the title and gaped incredulously. Heian Poetry by Oni of Legend?! Oh well. She opened it and started reading. A minute later, she put it down and glanced over to where Cologne was engrossed in her own study. "Cologne-san, why don't we get some professional researchers in from a school or university to help us out?" she asked in her most wheedling tone. Cologne looked up and sighed. "Is money all you really care about, Tendo-san?" "Well, yes." Nabiki let the matter drop, seeing Cologne had seen through her gambit. Not that she had seriously meant it, of course. The ploy was a little too obvious after all. She considered a more serious question. "Why does Ranma appear completely human, Cologne-san?" "Now that is a good question." Cologne nodded in approval. "I don't know for sure, Tendo-san. I speculate that Ranma's demon father, Yami-no-Tsume, bequeathed him his human form when impregnating Saotome-san. But that is mere speculation." Nabiki felt slightly ill at the thought of real-life demonic impregnation. Hastily she reassured herself that it was probably nothing like her small collection of videos. After all, Auntie Nodoka was still alive.... "Demons can do that?" "Only the most powerful. If true, it suggests a great deal of control by Yami-no-Tsume, more than I would have expected from even a Demon Lord. Even worse, it is a very unusual move, for Yami-no-Tsume would surely have wished his son as heir. Giving Ranma a human guise would hardly be appropriate in that sense." "But Shukumaru and all the other demons know who he is...." Nabiki pointed out. "Now that he has come into his power, yes, it becomes obvious. The most reasonable explanation is that it was to hide Ranma from enemies, but Yami-no-Tsume could not have known beforehand that it would have been necessary; he would have expected to raise Ranma from birth." Cologne shook her head doubtfully. "No, it is suggestive of a deeper game, and one that worries me." "I see." And she did see. Like Cologne, Nabiki regarded the unknown circumstances of nearly twenty years ago with a fair amount of misgiving. It seemed the past only brought with it trouble. --- The trees opened up suddenly into a large clearing before the mountainside, a steep rocky face that extended into the air towards a distant craterous peak. Ranma did not bother looking, all his senses were focused on the figure seated on a small outcropping of stone. The young girl appeared to be in her late teens to early twenties, clothed in an outlandish mix of pale blue kimono, leather boots, and a sky blue beret seated atop a head of lustrous red hair that flowed to her waist. She cradled a small mandolin, tweaking the strings and tightening the keys with one hand. Her face was a mask of concentration, beautiful but marred with a frown focused on the instrument in her arms. Ranma's senses screamed out that this was the source of the energy he had felt earlier. Akane touched his arm, and he acknowledged her unspoken query with a nod. It seemed an obvious trap; only a complete fool would-- "Hello!" Ryoga called out. "Are you lost?" The girl raised her head, seemingly surprised. Cerulean eyes that matched the colour of her kimono blinked uncertainly. "Oh hello." She stood up and carefully laid the mandolin on the rocky outcropping before smoothing down her kimono. "Are you visitors to the island?" "Idiot!" Ranma whispered harshly to Ryoga. "What?!" Ryoga protested obliviously. "The rest of you stay back. I mean it! This is my fight!" Ranma added, jerking a thumb back. "Just me and old Seiryu over there." "Seiryu!" gasped Ukyo. "How could you keep that to yourself, Ranchan?! When you said an ally, I never thought--" "Who's Seiryu?" Akane and Ryoga asked nearly simultaneously, puzzled. "Oh, just the Eastern Blue Dragon of ancient legend," commented Kodachi nonchalantly. "Um, hello?" "Aiyah, is ancient Chinese myth. Shampoo not know Japanese have same legend." Shampoo glanced over at the slender girl who had one hand half-raised in a bid for attention. "Though she no look like powerful dragon in least bit." "Uh--" The girl waved weakly. "Just stay well back, okay?" Ranma strode out into the clearing, flexing his fingers and loosening his joints in preparation. "Hah! Ya don't fool me, Seiryu. I can smell the stink of power rising off you." Kodachi narrowed her eyes. "Ranma-sama is quite correct. The aura of power is enormous." "Oh, but surely you wouldn't hurt an innocent girl?" the girl asked meekly, eyes downcast and hands clasped together. Ranma smirked. "Since you're really a dragon in disguise, I don't hafta go easy on ya!" He suddenly leapt forward, fist cocked and every sense alert for the change that would surely happen. The Blue Dragon was certain to attempt a quick strike when it reverted back to natural form, and he was determined not to be caught off-guard. "YEEEK!" The girl cried out, ducking her head in obvious terror and throwing up a thin arm in a futile attempt at defence. Ranma's fist stopped inches from her horrified face, and she burst into tears. Loud sobs wracked her frail form as she stood there, trembling. "Erk! No, wait! Don't cry! I didn't--" Ranma danced around her, bouncing with sudden contrition and remorse, puppy- eyes begging for forgiveness. His fists were held over his mouth and clenched tight. He came to a halt in front of her and waved a hand in earnest entreaty. "Please stop?" "Ranma-sama, don't let down your--" "It was a mistake!" "--guard. It's a--" "I didn't mean it!" "--trick!" Grumbling, Kodachi glanced over at the others. "Honestly, I do not believe he is listening to m-- Watch out!" "Idiot." Seiryu looked up, cerulean eyes aglow and crocodile tears evaporating into mist. Her long red hair fanned out, streaming behind her and rising with the crackle of intense power. She thrust out her hand and a bright-orange flare of fiery energy burst forth, hurling Ranma into the rocky outcropping behind. "Ranma!" screamed Akane. Echoing cries came from the other three girls as he slammed into the stone face, impacting with a cracking sound of thunder. A cloud of dust billowed up, obscuring his limp form. "Foolish half-demon, you are obviously too weak to be a proper chal-- Eh?" The rising wind swept away the dusty haze to reveal Ranma, still standing and conscious, though somewhat singed and with his clothes smouldering slightly. He grinned, a remarkably fierce and almost feral expression. "You didn't really think ya could fool me, didja? Geez, I used to take in Ryoga with better acting than that cheap fakery--" "Ranma! How dare you bring that up!" Ryoga growled. "--but I hadda give ya the chance." Ranma brought his fists up in a defensive stance. "Come on then!" "Prepare yourself!" Seiryu surged forward, eyes blazing and arms blurring into swift punches. Ranma effortlessly blocked them all, but he was forced to give ground and fell back. The girl only grinned and increased the speed and power of her blows. Ranma continued to block her strikes, but he winced as hot flashes of pain erupted on his forearm. He almost missed the next blow, compensated just enough to catch it, then winced again as another burst of discomfort shot through his blocking arm. Her arms were glowing red, he realized abruptly, leaving smoking trails of fire behind every punch. His own arms began throbbing with dull agony from the repeated burning impacts. The whirlwind of incoming blows battered at his defences. Every dodge, every block, every move became a calculated risk. He couldn't avoid them all. As soon as he thought that, he missed one. The brief jolt left him gasping for breath and grimly determined to evade further contacts. He survived the next couple of seconds unscathed except for the bruising punishment on his arms, then two more punches slipped through. Then another... and another.... "Dammit, Ranma! Do something, you idiot!" Akane yelled out, biting her lip with worry. The idiot was going to get himself killed at this rate. "No, Akane, look at the aura!" Ukyo hissed, laying a restraining arm on her shoulder. "It's swirling!" "What?!" Akane stared in sudden comprehension. She dove for cover. Shampoo and Ukyo did likewise, and Ryoga tugged down Kodachi. "Get down! He's going to use it! The--" At the center of the spiralling aura, Ranma felt the chill of the Soul of Ice enter his bones. A final blow arced in, and deep down, in the midst of his own preparations, he knew he would never be able to stop it. The near-certainty of death lanced into his heart. He really did hate to hit girls, he mused absently. This way he wouldn't have to.... Ranma punched straight up into the air. "HIRYU SHOTEN HA!" The cyclonic winds sprang into being immediately, gusting with enormous force as the dragon reared to the heavens to sate its hunger upon a distant celestial gem. It clawed into the night sky, uprooting everything nearby; bushes, rocks, even small trees were flung into the maelstrom. Ranma lost sight of Seiryu as she was swept away into the swirling storm. It grew larger and larger; the winds gusted ferociously as the hot and cold air violently combined to stir the tremendous power of nature. The dragon's endless appetite knew no bounds, sucking up nearly everything within its reach and desiring more, ever more. Ranma was very glad he had told the girls to stay back, far back. Safe in the center, Ranma stared into the tumultuous spiral and awaited the completion of the dragon's heavenly ascent. The winds slowly died down as the dragon started snacking on a nearby star, and the fury of its lashing tail dissipated. "Well, that was easy," he muttered as he scanned the sky for the falling speck that would be Seiryu. "Very impressive." "Yup, my coolest mo-- Gyaaah!" Ranma leapt away, shaking with shock, as he recognized the person standing beside him. Seiryu turned her eyes away from the heavens and stared at Ranma. He stared back, feeling the briefest touch of panic on his soul. "How did you--?" The girl waved a hand negligently. "Oh, if I had actually been here in person, the winds might have blown me away. But this body is merely an extension of Seiryu's power - a guardian avatar whilst she sleeps. As it were, your move disrupted the bonds holding together my form for a brief instant." "All right, then we'll do this the hard way," Ranma said, bringing up his fists and settling into an attack posture. She shook her head. "No need. I judge you worthy of speaking to Seiryu. Come with me." "Huh? Wait a minute. Ain'tcha Seiryu?" Ranma asked, perplexed. The girl frowned. "I am... and I am not. When Seiryu is awake, I am a part of her mind. When she is asleep, the dissociation is greater. I still draw upon her power, but I think and reason for myself. If need be, you may address me as Moeru. Come, Seiryu will explain herself." --- "Kasumi-sama, I was wondering if you would like a hand with dinner preparations?" Konatsu asked deferentially. The Kuno family chefs had found themselves agreeably sharing their most holy of places - their kitchen - with the cheerful eldest Tendo daughter without much ado, and she was presently getting ready for the evening meal. Kasumi looked up from her chopping of vegetables and smiled. "I would be delighted. And please, call me Kasumi." "Of course, Kasumi-sa-- er, Kasumi," Konatsu corrected himself. "Please call me Konatsu." "Konatsu." Kasumi nodded her agreement. "What would you like to do?" "Well, Ukyo-sama has trained me in mastering the art of okonomiyaki cooking. I should be able to handle the preparations of any raw vegetables you might have." "Please," Kasumi murmured, waving a hand of invitation at the small mounds of leeks, onions, and cabbages piled upon the countertop. A quick movement snagged and set down another chopping board and sharp knife. Konatsu bowed in appreciation of watching a master at work, for Kasumi was undoubtedly a true mistress of her art. A small flip tested the balance of the knife, and the kunoichi soon settled into a steady rhythm of halving and slicing onions. Eventually, he gave voice to his concern. "I wonder how Ukyo-sama and the others are doing?" "Oh, I'm certain they're fine, Konatsu." Kasumi looked out the kitchen window for a long moment, as though she could actually see the wandering group of martial artists, then cheerily nodded. "Ranma and the others will come home safely. I'm sure of it." Konatsu bowed again. "Thank you for your kind reassurance, Kasu-- er, is that smoke coming from the oven?" Kasumi paled and hurried over to the smoking wall oven. She donned a pair of mitts, opened the door, and hastily rescued a tray of blackened cookies. "Oh dear, I was sure I set the timer properly." --- Ranma followed the red-haired girl who called herself Moeru and Seiryu's avatar down the steep descending tunnel. She had waved open a pitch-black entrance into the mountainside and stepped in, beckoning the group to follow her. They had, albeit not without some misgivings. "Ranma-sama, do you really think it appropriate to follow a completely unknown and untrustworthy person into the darkness in this manner?" Kodachi asked archly. "I don't think it's a great idea, no," groused Ranma as he stared into the dim-lit stretch of tunnel ahead. The light came from a dancing flame in Seiryu's - no, Moeru's - cupped palm, and he was uneasily aware that it could be snuffed out at any moment. He wasn't worried for himself; his night vision had improved a great deal, as had his hearing, ever since his first confrontation with his half-sister, Shukumaru, on the docks. That had been a mere four days ago, but even so, he could now clearly see the outlines of the rough hewn walls despite the flickering light. No, what concerned him was the others, especially Akane. "Do you see another choice?" he asked. "No, Ranma-sama, I do not," Kodachi replied in a somewhat subdued voice. "Well, this is all clearly Ryoga's fault--" "My fault?!" Ryoga objected. "--'cause you forgot your pack and stuff," needled Ranma. "How was I supposed to know we'd be stumbling around in the dark, huh?" Ryoga fired back. "This is all your fault for not telling us in the first place, Ranma!" "Oh yeah? I--" His ready retort, and Akane's usual "Stop picking on Ryo-- " were abruptly cut off by Moeru's sharp glare from up front. "Hush! You come into the presence of the Blue Dragon!" she hissed harshly. The downward- sloping tunnel levelled out and opened up into a large cavern. Moeru raised her hand and the cupped flame flared fiercely, scattering light about and revealing the actual immensity of the deep cave. It was huge, stretching far into the distance, but that hardly drew Ranma's attention. No, his gaze was fully focused on the enormous head that rested on the ground before him: draconian in shape, with an elongated snout, long, trailing whiskers, and a pair of spiral horns. The monstrous head was on par with the Tendo Dojo and household in size. For the first time in his life, Ranma truly felt insignificant. Not even the Orochi, Umibouzu or the Ayakashi compared in magnitude; Seiryu dwarfed them all. Glimmering azure scales, each equal to Ryoga's lost umbrella, covered Seiryu's features, growing to twice or three times those dimensions at the neck ridge. The rest of the Blue Dragon's body stretched out behind the massive head and disappeared into the darkness. Ranma found himself unable to gain a true impression of the ancient beast and he wondered whether to be glad or not. "Aiyah," Shampoo said quietly, sounding a little shaken. "Is huge...." "You got that right, Sugar," Ukyo muttered, obviously attempting brashness, but her words fell flat in the dead silence of the cavern. "Remind me why I came along with you, Ranchan." Ranma took a deep breath, suddenly aware that he had not drawn any air for nearly a minute. This was some 'ally' Umibouzu had - reluctantly - suggested. Now he understood that reluctance. Fortunately, the greatest Cardinal Servant of the East remained locked in slumber. The faintest rumble of a snore reached his sensitive ears and the eyelids stayed closed. Even in the depths of sleep, Seiryu emanated an incredible amount of power into the still air. It almost hurt to look at the slumbering form. Ranma glanced from the Blue Dragon to Moeru, and resolved never to mistake the avatar for the real thing ever again. "Ranma-sama, do you know the old gaijin saying about letting sleeping dragons lie, lest they awaken?" Kodachi whispered softly. "Isn't that sleeping dogs?" wondered Akane aloud. A great yellow eye slowly opened to impale them on a merciless gaze; Seiryu, the Blue Dragon of the East, had awoken. Ranma swallowed and took a step forward to confront the Cardinal Servant, shaking his head in answer to Shampoo's questioning look. He would handle this himself. A small sound to the left distracted him and he stopped in surprise. Moeru was diffusing into thin air, her body transforming into a wisp of blue smoke that hung motionless. "What the h...." Ranma's question trailed away as he became aware that Seiryu's yellow eyes were now focused on him. Seiryu's mental voice thundered in Ranma's mind, and judging from the sudden winces from the others, everyone else's minds as well. The Blue Dragon snorted suddenly, expelling twin jets of white smoke. "I'm Ranma Saotome, Heir to the School of Anything-Goes and the Eastern Throne!" Ranma called out brashly, deciding to go for broke. The small irritation of having every demon and being point out his half-demon heritage as if it was a slur pricked his pride. So what if Yami-no-Tsume had sired him? He was Ranma Saotome, and that was all that mattered. "I'm here to get your help, Seiryu, and I've already shown your avatar what I can do!" Seiryu sounded completely incredulous, which annoyed Ranma no end. "No? Why don't we have a little match about it?" The Blue Dragon spoke with finality. "No, dammit!" Ranma growled in frustration. "Umibouzu said we needed your help, and I ain't leaving until I get it!" "Ranma...." whispered Akane. He ignored the sound of his name, and focused all of his attention and anger on the great form before him. "Shukumaru may already have gotten another of the Cardinal Servants to help her. Umibouzu can't stand against two of them, especially out of the water. You're all I've got, Seiryu, and I ain't gonna wimp out now that we've come so far." Ranma felt his hopes rise ever so slightly. The yellow orbs closed for a long moment, and Ranma held his breath. Then they opened, and Seiryu rendered his decision. Jets of vaporous smoke, now tinged blue, issued forth from Seiryu's nostrils to mix with the faint wispy residue of Moeru, and she abruptly coalesced into human form once again. The red-haired girl gave him a faint smile. "We meet again, Ranma Saotome. This time I won't be so easy on you." --- Author's Notes: 1) The Ayakashi - this creature appears in 'Ushio and Tora', a fairly well-known anime about a demon hunter (Ushio) and his demonic partner (Tora) who seems more inclined towards eating him. The Ayakashi in this story is almost similar, being a gigantic, worm-like sea monster, but the four-section jaw and the internal Saikin are made up. Unfortunately, I do not know the translation of its name - any help would be welcomed. 2) Saikin - literally 'germ' or 'bacterium'. 3) Seiryu - one of four famous and legendary cardinal creatures which have appeared in various forms in several manga and anime, notably: 'Yu Yu Hakusho' (as four Makai demons), 'Fushigi Yugi' (as the four gods of the 'Shijin Tenchi Sho'), 'Dark Angel' (as the four Sword Saints). Seiryu is the 'Blue Dragon of the East', and corresponds to the Eastern Cardinal Point. Her name translates as 'holy dragon'. In this story, Seiryu is female, though usually the gender is indeterminate. The other three beasts are Suzaku, Byakko, and Gembu. 4) Moeru - literally 'to burn'. 5) On why Seiryu is female here and the long delay in finishing Chapter 10: I did have Chapter 10 nearly ready several weeks ago, then Hearts of Ice Part 24 came out. After thinking "Oh, wow!", I went "Ack! Rats!" - Krista had preempted me with the old man/dragon shtick, and moreover, had done it so brilliantly I had no chance of equalling it. Oh well. ^_^ So I decided to scrub the latter half of this chapter and rewrite it. Unfortunately, it proved more difficult than I expected, but this is the final result of some weeks worth of revision. Tell me what you think, and oh, a little omake for the ending. OMAKE THEATER Seiryu sounded completely incredulous, which annoyed Ranma no end. "No? Why don't we have a little match about it?" Seiryu snorted. The Blue Dragon reared up, serpentine body flowing quickly over stone. Despite her similarity to depictions of Oriental dragons, Seiryu lacked the vestigial quartet of claws common to them. Gotcha! Ranma smirked confidently. "All right! Ready?" Ranma raised one hand into view. "JAN KEN POW!" <--Wait! That is unfair!> protested Seiryu.