Draft version. 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 --- Cherry blossoms slowly danced across his vision as Ranma opened his eyes. A veritable cloud of petals drifted down from the overhanging sakura tree, turning the world a delicate shade of pink. Where am I? he wondered, staring up at the orange sky. And where was Akane? He sat up suddenly and found himself on a small hilltop amidst a verdant meadow. Long-stemmed green grass flowed in the breeze, stretching away as far as his eye could see. Apart from the tree and himself, only one other object shared the hilltop: a red rose. It lay on the short grass beside him. Ranma frowned as he studied the rose. He had seen countless roses before; both Kuno and Kodachi had a fetish for the flower. It seemed entirely normal, a perfect specimen of the species. The petals were fully formed and scarlet-hued in colour. The stem was long and held several green leaves. A wonderful fragrance wafted from the flower to tickle his nostrils as he breathed in deeply. Why was it here? He reached out to pick it up and pricked his finger on a thorn. "Ow!" Ranma exclaimed, jerking his hand away. A drop of blood welled up from the puncture, so dark it was almost black. He tilted his finger to look at the minor wound and the droplet rolled down the sudden incline, falling to land on the rose below. The petals stained an immediate black, the darkness welling and spreading from the initial spot of blood. One petal fell off and shriveled upon touching the ground, and another followed, and another, until only a single, last petal was left, stained the colour of twilight. Then it, too, fell and the rose was no more. He came awake with a sudden start and rubbed his groggy eyes, yawning loudly. Man, just a lousy dream. The small hollow at the base of Fuji-san, Ranma remembered. That was where they were. He smiled in relief as he looked over to find Akane lying beside him, still asleep, her cheeks flushed a healthy pink. --- An Awakening of Demons A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic By Kagami Chapter 9: Repercussions --- Akane Tendo awoke as the light of the early sun pierced the veil of the morning mist to caress her smooth limbs in benediction. She raised a hand to muffle a broad yawn, feeling surprisingly chipper, despite yesterday's events. What had happened last evening? she wondered. The demon spider had bitten her and then she had collapsed in the middle of the battle-- She made a swift check of her surroundings. Nope, no demons... only Ranma, who returned her stare, eyes glossy dark in the shade. "How are ya feeling, Akane?" Ranma asked softly. "A bit sore, but I feel great," Akane replied, stretching out the kinks left from a night of sleeping on hard ground. She looked around again and found no one else present. "What happened anyway? Did we wipe them out? Where are the others? And where's Aunty Saotome?" "Whoa!" Ranma said, raising a hand in protest. "Hold it! Hold it! The others are probably okay. We got separated in the dark when we ran. I'm pretty sure they got to the foot of the mountain. The demons didn't chase us any further. As for Mom, well, she's safe, I guess." "We ran?!" Akane was surprised: Ranma had run?! "How come?" "Er, whaddya remember about it?" Akane shrugged. Her memories of the battle were dim and confused. She touched her head and winced slightly. Oh, yeah. A large rock had clobbered her when Raiha had emerged from the mountainside. "That huge lightning wolf came out and Ryoga-kun-- Hey, what happened to Ryoga-kun?" "Dunno. Shampoo and Kodachi were carting him off when I last saw 'em. He should be fine. Pig-boy's tough after all." "Don't call him that, Ranma!" she snapped, then winced as jagged bolts of pain flashed through her temples. "Sorry," he said, not really meaning the apology. "So, what else do ya remember?" She stared at him for a long time. Hadn't his eyes been yellow at some point last night? They were completely black now and utterly unreadable. "Not much else. I got bitten by that spider thing and everything went kind of hazy. I don't remember a lot after that." "Oh." Only that small exclamation emerged from Ranma. To her surprise, he seemed vaguely uncomfortable and yet strangely relieved by her loss of memory. Now, why on earth-- "Hey! You didn't do anything weird, did you?" Akane glowered at him, suspicions rising wildly. She groped around, looking for something, anything, to hit him with. Her katana lay to one side, but then her eyes alighted on a more suitable object: a tree branch that was fortuitously close at hand. She hefted it menacingly. "No! No! I didn't do nothin'!" Ranma held his hands up in a warding gesture. "Ya got poisoned, okay? But I shoulda known it wouldn't have worked on a macho tomboy like y-- Urk!" Tree branches worked nearly as well as her trusty mallet, Akane decided. --- Boring scenery whizzed by the window of the speeding Shinkansen bullet train. A slightly wet, female and strangely content Ranma Saotome sat next to a somewhat grumpy and annoyed Akane Tendo. She still had not lost the knack of dropping him into the nearest body of water - in this case, a shallow and muddy puddle. He watched the dull cityscapes hurtle by as the train approached Tokyo and tried to ignore the waves of animosity washing over from his seat partner. I couldn't have told her the truth, now could I? Ranma thought. Oh, you were dying, Akane, so I hadda bite you in the throat an' suck out your blood to get rid of the poison. Yup, and it was some strange voice in my head that tol' me to do it and give ya some of my blood... Ranma could just imagine her reaction. He hid a small shudder. Still, Akane hadn't pressed the matter further, almost as though she didn't really want to know. She had flattened him once, dragged him back to the train station in Shin-Fuji, and left it at that. "Ranma." The flat voice demanded his attention. He turned to look at her. "Yo, Akane." "What happened to Aunty Saotome? You said she was safe?" His contentment vanished. Ranma sat up, his spine ramrod straight. "I couldn't save her," he admitted, "so I did the next best thing - I used Umibouzu's power to seal Mom away. Shukumaru won't be able to get to her now." It had seemed the correct thing to do, then, but in the light of the new day, Ranma suddenly wasn't quite so certain. "You sealed her away?!" Akane exclaimed, sounding shocked. "How could you?!" "It wasn't like I had any choice," he muttered defensively. "Shukumaru had Mom dead to rights. If I had jumped in, she would have torn Mom's throat out. I just barely got the seal up, even so." "You'll be able to get her back out, won't you?" "Uh huh," Ranma affirmed. Well, he was fairly sure about it. He sank back into his seat as silence fell between them again. he called out with his mind. The gravelly tones of Umibouzu's mental voice grated harshly in his mind. Ranma winced slightly, feeling the onset of a headache. Ranma broke off, unwilling to expose his concern. returned Umibouzu, Silence ensured for a long time as the Great Devourer failed to answer. Curious, Ranma prompted, Umibouzu sounded reluctant. --- Bustling crowds jostled and shoved their way out of the halted train at Tokyo Station. A veritable tide of people carried Ranma and Akane toward the platform stairs. Ranma was content to flow with the crowd, keeping hold of Akane's arm, until a strange anomaly drew his attention. The sea of travellers was parting before them. An ancient and wizened crone awaited their arrival. "Old Ghoul?" Ranma blurted out in surprise, staring at the small figure standing before him. Thwap! "That's Cologne-chan!" snapped the Amazon Matriarch. She lifted her wooden staff from his forehead. Her wrinkled countenance did not permit a pout, but the fierce glare more than made up for it in style. "So, whatcha doin' here, anyway?" Ranma continued, rubbing the small lump on his temple. "Shampoo said you were in China or something." "That's right, Ranma. I went to check the Joketsuzoku Archives for information on demons. There is much I need to relate to all of you." "That's wonderful, Cologne-san." Akane was pleasantly surprised and also a little suspicious. Cologne was capable of offering excellent advice, but only when it suited her to do so. What were her reasons this time? "That was a fast trip you made." Cologne nodded seriously. "I came back to warn you, Ranma. I found a journal written by a 15th century Amazon who travelled in Japan." Cologne held up a battered, travel- worn book with thin wooden covers and sheets of yellowed paper. "She reports meeting a powerful half-demon with little control over his nature. His demon blood would surge forth when he was under grave stress and he would become incredibly strong and powerful. However, his human side would also be lost and subsumed during that period. You must be careful." "Is that true, Cologne-san?" demanded Akane worriedly. "Yes, his name was--" Cologne broke off suddenly, peering hard at Akane. How had she missed such a great change to the Tendo girl? Sharp, jagged black lines shot through her aura - almost as though.... She shot a troubled look at Ranma. "What have you done?!" "What?" asked Akane, puzzled at Cologne's sudden shift of topic. "Whaddya mean, Old Ghoul?" "No, never mind." Cologne shook her head, hiding her foreboding. There would be time to consider the full ramifications later. "Anyway, you must not let the demon blood consume you. No matter what the reason. Don't let your name become 'wild demon', Ranma." "No problem, Old Ghoul. I can handle it," Ranma said with more than a trace of overweening confidence. "So why're ya calling me Ranma now, anyway? You always used ta call me 'son-in-law' and all that crap." "A good question. I will explain things when the entire group is at hand." "Sure. Let's head over to the Dojo. I need ta talk with everyone. Umibouzu told me about a new ally that he can take us to." "That is good news, Ranma. I would like to hear it." Ranma and Akane walked on, with Cologne following. She glanced occasionally toward Akane as she hopped along on her staff, her serene face masking deep concern. The trip to Joketsuzoku had taken less time than even she had hoped, flying First-Class had its benefits, but she realized that she had returned too late, even so. --- Squawking protests from an angry white duck greeted them as they walked through the front gate of the Tendo Dojo. "Aw, man. Did'ja have to bring him back with ya?" Ranma muttered under his breath to Cologne. The Amazon Matriarch only smiled in return. Shampoo paused in mid-hurl; the empty water basin dropping from her nerveless fingers as she drank in the sight of Ranma and Akane together. Cologne's presence failed to surprise her; Mousse's arrival had forewarned her. It was the disturbing image of the Pervert Girl walking beside her Airen, both apparently comfortable and even happy, that stabbed into the core of her heart. She put on a brave, cheerful face and a bright smile. "Airen! You back!" Shampoo exclaimed, jumping forward to hug him tightly. She felt him tense up, but perversely hugged him harder. "Where you go? Shampoo search whole night for Airen!" "Well, well, if it isn't the wandering couple." Nabiki's sarcastic voice issued from where she was sitting on the porch. It hid her worry from all who heard, except for those who knew her best. Typically, she twisted the barb even further, extracting a measure of revenge against the cause of a sleepless night. "Enjoyed a quiet night alone, did we?" "I missed you too, Nabiki," said Akane, acknowledging her elder sister's concern. The front door slammed open and two figures hurtled forth, clamoring welcome. "Ranma-sama! You have returned to seek out the joys of my love!" "Ranchan! You idiot, quit worrying me like that, will you?" Twin cries of happiness dissolved into near-lethal vituperation as Kodachi and Ukyo noticed Shampoo hugging Ranma and passionately purring. "Get off him, you shameless hussy!" "Shampoo! Dammit, you get away from Ranchan now!" Akane sighed slightly as she walked over towards Nabiki. Somehow, she lacked the outrage to respond to the normal chaos erupting around Ranma. It seemed a welcome relief to the darkness that had overwhelmed them all with the arrival of Shukumaru. Perhaps she was mellowing? Gah, the very thought made her feel old. "Great to feel missed, isn't it?" "Heh. So, how are you feeling?" Nabiki asked, eyeing her carefully. "I mean, for someone who's supposed to be poisoned and dying, you're looking pretty healthy." "I'm feeling fine. Can't have been all that bad. I don't remember much of what happened; I just woke up this morning and felt great." Akane stared at her hands pensively, before reaching up to touch the side of her neck unconsciously. "No, I don't remember a thing after that white spider thing bit me. I do feel kinda sore though." "Oh?" Only Nabiki could load so much meaning into a single word and an arched eyebrow. Akane flushed red with embarrassment. "Idiot! Not like that!" Nabiki merely offered a secretive smile in return. "Why not come inside? Kasumi's laid out some afternoon tea." She casually produced a biscuit that had been hidden out of sight and started munching the scrumptious cookie. "Okay. But what about them?" Akane jerked a thumb back at the brawling threesome and an idiotic jerk caught in the middle of the fracas. The said idiot was getting beaten around the head by the flapping wings of an opportunistic white duck. "Leave them. They seem to be having fun." --- The gang eventually clustered around the living room table. Cologne casually appropriated the seat at the head of the table and watched with amusement as the others sorted themselves out. Soun Tendo and his daughters sat on the right-hand side, Akane dragging a reluctant Ranma to sit at the table end next to her. Kodachi and Shampoo locked furious gazes in a brief match of inner wills to see who would claim the seat on Ranma's other side only to lose it to a swifter Ukyo. Ryoga sat next to her and Kodachi knelt decorously beside him, leaving Shampoo and Mousse to the front left of the crowded table. Kasumi laid out the tea and biscuits, and everyone fell to with an appetite. Cologne nibbled on one of the baked delicacies and privately admitted no Amazon would have been able to match such a delight. Of course, most of them would never have considered cooking to be suitable to their role as warriors. Not for the first time, she wondered if Amazon society was lacking in certain respects. No matter, as long as she found sufficient reasons to stay in Japan and enjoy its modern conveniences, she was content. "Mousse!" Cologne commanded, snapping her fingers, as various people put down empty teacups with sighs of happiness. It was time to begin. "Hey! I'm a martial artist, not a pack mule!" Mousse protested. Whack! Thud! Cologne lifted her staff off his crumpled form. "Unload! Now!" she snapped, utterly unsympathetic. Grumbling, he sullenly complied. He stood up and started dumping books, scrolls, bits of weathered parchment, leather scraps, and other odds and ends from his voluminous sleeves onto the table. Cologne nodded in satisfaction as the pile of ancient records and journals grew. "Aiyah!" Shampoo exclaimed in dismay. "Great-grandmother loot Joketsuzoku Archives?" "Only the Demonology section. They won't be missed in a hurry." Well, Cologne certainly hoped that would be the case. She pointed her staff directly at the person for whom she had undertaken the risk. "You had better appreciate this, Ranma." "Yeah, sure thing, Old Ghoul," Ranma replied gracelessly. Cologne sighed and picked up one of the many bound scrolls from the top of the pile. She unfurled the rolled parchment and began reading. "It was said, a long time ago, that demons came from the stars. They were beings of white light, radiant in their purity, unbent and unbowed. Then they met the humans of this world and were soon sullied. Their uncorrupted essence had drawn in all of humanity's nature - and evil had outweighed good, allowing light to be perverted into darkness. Thus was born the demon race." Cologne resonant voice faded as she looked up from the scroll. "Oh my. How interesting," said Kasumi as she refilled the empty teacups on the table. "So the demons are really aliens from outer space?" Ukyo's voice bordered on the incredulous. Nabiki snorted in disbelief. "You don't expect us to really believe that, do you?" "Actually, it's a complete fabrication," Cologne said calmly, tossing aside the old scroll. Several dull thuds sounded and the soft, tatami-covered floor of Tendo living room acquired a fresh set of new faceprints. "Dammit, Old Ghoul!" Ranma picked himself off the floor. "There's a lot of rubbish mixed in with the gems of knowledge," Cologne said. "I didn't have time to pick and choose while I was there. I simply took everything I could find. However, what I can do is provide some details that I personally know to be fact. You can always double-check my words with the journals." "That would seem suitable," Kodachi said with an uncommon gleam of interest in her eye. She cast a covetous glance at the mound of ancient knowledge. The Kuno family library was missing a great deal of information regarding demons. What would it take to get the Amazon Matriarch to part with her treasure hoard of lore? Nabiki's hooded eyes were also suffused with a greedy glint. It wasn't everyday that people simply dumped a whole archive of forgotten wisdom at her feet. Why, museums would pay literal fortunes to even gain a look at the stuff. "I'll second that," she murmured, fondling a loose sheet of parchment. It crackled softly, just like the sound of a ten thousand yen note. "Sure thing," echoed Ukyo, staring at the mouldering heap dubiously. Ranma and the others shared her uncertainty. It was not, at first glance, a terribly impressive sight. "Well then," Cologne began, "Demons have always existed ever since humanity came into being. You could say that they have a parasitic, or even a symbiotic, relationship to human beings. They feed from us, forming and growing from the worst of human nature. Often, they succor our dark sides and darkest needs. Without humans, the demon race would probably quickly perish. "As the human race grows ever more numerous with time, so too the demons become stronger. In this age of modern technology and convenience, there is much to seduce people towards evil." Cologne raised a hand to forestall the inevitable questions. "Yes, yes, I know what you want to ask: if they're so strong and powerful, why haven't we heard of demons beforehand? "The answer is that there exists a balance in the world to keep demons in check. The Demon Lords play a major role in this balance; their power rests on keeping their servants in line. They understand that maintaining a low profile is in their best interests. After all, humans do have several hidden means to deal with any demon who gets out of hand." Cologne pointed at Kodachi, who preened slightly and sidled closer to a nervous Ryoga who edged away in turn. "There sits one of those means. The Devil Hunters destroy any demon who calls attention to itself and their battle record matches any the Amazons could hope to display. Other forces are at play to restrict demonic powers lest they overwhelm humanity. Ranma, when you have the chance, ask Umibouzu why he serves a Demon Lord." Ranma nodded, slightly puzzled as he mulled over the request. It was a good question. Why did a being who was five thousand years old choose to serve a demon? Cologne smiled slightly. "I could tell you the answer, Ranma, but I won't. Find it out for yourself. However, I will share with you all a powerful secret about the demon race. Kodachi is probably aware of this fact, but the rest of you may not be - essentially, demons are born as soulless beings. They live to acquire souls for themselves and ultimately, that is the reason for their existence." "Huh?" Ranma looked confused. "Are you telling us that demons act the way they do because they don't have souls?" "No, of course not. Witness the human race - having a soul doesn't make anyone good or pure; it merely gives them the option of such. Without souls, demons tend to be driven by the darker emotions and they lack a true conscience. That is not to say that demons cannot love, but rather their love tends to be of the shallow sort - either fickle or possessive. "Older demons may acquire a soul through some means; sometimes it comes into being spontaneously, but often it is stolen from a human. Having a soul makes a demon more powerful, but it also represents a point of vulnerability. Demons guard their souls jealously and hide them well. Should you ever face a powerful demon, find and destroy its soul and you will kill it." "Hey, whadda about me, Old Ghoul? I've got a soul, right?" Ranma asked, slightly worried. A soul didn't seem all that big a deal, but if having one made him a more powerful martial artist, he was all for it. It'd be a shame if he missed out just because he was a half-demon. "Don't worry, Ranma. Your soul is fully intact. Your Kami- sama is a very generous god." Cologne produced a hideous grin in an attempt at reassurance. The immediate recoil of those seated at the table (excepting Kasumi) made it an obvious failure. "So that is my little lecture for now. Any questions?" "Well, why haven't we heard of them before?" Ukyo asked. "I mean they're slaughtering people all the time. Why doesn't it get on the news or something?" "Hah! People today are more interested in their own busy lives and hearing which way the Nikkei and Dow Jones has moved. Do you think they'd even care about the ancient 'myths' that still exist today?" Cologne stabbed a finger at a surprised Nabiki. "Ask her what she truly thinks of demons, even now." Nabiki cast a cold and appraising eye at the Amazon Matriarch. "To be honest" - and she chuckled at the various groans heard from around the table - "I'd be more inclined to ask what profit and opportunities they might bring me." Cologne smirked, her point made. "Demons are wise enough to cloak most of their activities with powerful shielding seals and trust in the general disbelief and disinterest that runs rampant today." She paused, readying herself to broach a new topic. "I have one other thing to mention: as of this day forward, Shampoo's claim to marry Ranma Saotome is hereby dissolved, by order of the Council of Elders." "Yes!" cheered Mousse triumphantly as his suspicions were happily confirmed. "Now you will be mine, Sh-- Ack!" A dual strike from a swift bonbori and a wooden staff took him down. "Ohohohoho!" chortled Kodachi. "At last the peasant girl admits defeat! Now if only you two other peasants also see the wisdom of withdrawal before my righteous claim!" A silent Ukyo didn't answer. Instead, she was recalling and mulling over the conversation she'd had with Shampoo three days past. She wondered again just what the Amazons were planning. Shampoo never gave up that easily. Akane wasn't nearly as accommodating, glaring daggers at Kodachi. Kasumi merely smiled happily and refilled the empty teacups again. Soun, who had yet to contribute anything to the conversation, not even the occasional shower of tears, now proceeded to do just that. "Oh, happy day!" he burbled in delight. "I must share this wonderful news with Saotome- kun." He hurried off to grab the shogi box, and missed the best reaction of the day. "B-but... but why?!" yelled Ranma. It should have been welcome news. One of his more annoying and determined fiancees had fallen by the wayside. That was surely a cause for celebration, and yet he didn't feel the least bit happy. Instead, all he felt was numb shock and irritation. Shampoo... Shampoo was his, dammit! No! That wasn't right! That wasn't what he-- Uh oh. "Ranma!" growled Akane angrily. Faint wisps of blue anger aura coalesced into being around her. "Don't tell me you like having her around?!" "Ranchan, aren't I good enough for you?" Ukyo added her own little thunder cloud to the veritable storm building over the table. She hefted her battle-spatula. "Ranma-sama, how dare you seek to possess such another peasant girl when you already have Kodachi Kuno by your side?! Even I only have my two loves - isn't that correct, Ryoga-sama?" Ryoga decided judiciously to bolt for the kitchen and for once in his life, probably because he was too panicked to get lost, he made it directly. Nabiki and Kasumi joined him. Nabiki helping to rescue the valuable crockery with Kasumi, who was already humming and planning to bake a cake. "Don't hurt him too badly, girls," Cologne cackled. "I do believe Ranma has something important to tell us later." --- The hospital room at Nerima General was fairly quiet apart from the clatter of shogi pieces and Ranma's loud voice. He was recounting the events of the past couple of days to his father while Soun and Genma played a shogi game that was remarkably free of subtle cheating attempts. Instead, with Genma almost fully immobilized by casts and both players distracted by Ranma's story, the cheating attempts were incredibly crude and blatant. "So I hadda save Akane after she got bit by that spider demon 'cause she's so slo-- Urk!" Wham! The heavy telephone directory whanged off his head and landed on the floor with a dull thump. "Ow! Whaddya do that for?!" Ranma shouted, using his hands to wrench his tilted head back upright. "Give it a rest, Ranma!" Akane yelled in return, arm still outstretched from hurling the directory. "Are you trying to make me angry?!" "Yeah! So what?!" "Well, stop it!" Akane seethed, annoyed at his misguided attempts to get their relationship back to normal. She pivoted and stormed out, tossing a last remark over her shoulder. "I don't want to return to the first stage every single time you start feeling insecure, you know!" "Girls... you just can't understand them," muttered Ranma. "You have a lot to learn about women, boy." Genma shook his head ruefully. "Hah! So anyway, Mom's safe for now. But what I don't get is this thing with the Amazons. Cologne told us after the fight that it didn't mean Shampoo would stop chasing me. Only that they wouldn't try ta force me into marryin' Shampoo. As if they could, anyhow!" Ranma finished stridently. Now that he knew Shampoo was still going to be after him, he felt much, much happier. If only Akane and the others had just waited to hear out the Old Ghoul, he thought, rubbing his painful lumps. "I don't know, Ranma, but you'd better be careful. Cologne never does anything without a reason." "I know that. Anyway, we're gonna be moving you to the Kuno estate. Kodachi offered. She said it would be safer to have everyone together while the rest of us hunt for this other ally with Umibouzu. The estate's got some mystic Devil Hunter stuff that'll protect all of ya. Cologne'll be there too. She's gonna be looking up more about demons in those books of hers." "That's probably a good idea, Ranma. Kasumi and Nabiki are both very vulnerable. Soun and I can protect them there, right, Tendo-kun?" "Of course, Saotome-kun," replied Soun, masking his masterful removal of two of Genma's pieces. "Ukyo said she'd tell Konatsu to go over there. And you'll have Kuno and Mousse as well. Akane and I got that idiot to agree to everything. Bleh!" Ranma spat in disgust, remembering Kuno slobbering over the pig-tailed girl before he had clobbered him. "Son, I still can't see how you can live with yourself, doing things like that!" Soun protested, before cringing away from the fierce glare he received from an indignant Ranma. "Hey! I did it for you guys, okay?" Ranma snapped. Ingratitude was one thing, but this... "Hah hah. Well, boy, I'd offer to go with you all, but..." Genma waved one hand feebly in a show of insincere courage. "Good luck, boy!" "Sure, Pops, sure." --- Ryoga Hibiki stared at the deadly bay of cold water and tried not to feel depressed. The shining blue waters of the Tokyo Harbour stretched out before him, and beyond that was the endless Pacific Ocean. How on earth was he supposed to travel on all that stuff without getting wet? It was the only way though, if he wanted to follow the group and protect Akane from the increasingly deadly threats. He shivered, feeling a sudden chill within. "Ryoga! Here, catch!" Ranma called out as he tossed over a small object. Ryoga snapped out his hand automatically and let the item smack into his palm. It was a bar of soap. He stared at the innocuous object for a brief instant before feeling hope rise in his heart. Could it be? "Ranma, is this..." "Waterproof soap from Jusenkyo Products," Ranma confirmed. "Cologne picked up some on her way through, and I thought of you." "Ranma!" Tears sparkled in Ryoga's eyes. For his old enemy and rival to do this for him.... "Ranma, you're such a--" "What?! Thanking me, P-chan?" Ranma interrupted, a smug grin on his face. "--damned idiot!" Ryoga finished with more than a trace of asperity. Ranma just didn't do gracious at all. It was pointless to even try. "Anyway, that should keep you from getting wet and revealing everything to Ak--" "Hello, Ryoga-kun," greeted Akane as she appeared out of nowhere to become his personal nightmare. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the soap in his hand like bees to sweet- scented flowers. She looked up with a puzzled expression. "Say, is that waterproof soap in your hand? Why would you need some?" No! No! No! No! No! Black depression crashed down upon him. He was caught. He was going to die. He was... "N...N...no, A-Akane-san." He chuckled inanely, feeling the pressure of Judgement Day mentally flatten him - and he wasn't even a Christian. "W-What makes you s-say that?" Akane pointed back towards the Chinese Amazons where Mousse and Shampoo were busy coating themselves with additional bars of waterproof soap. It was a damning piece of inference. Just like Akane-san to pick that up and not follow through. He cast desperate, pleading eyes to Ranma. Ranma sighed. "Actually, he was just bringing the stuff to me, Akane." "Oh, I see." Akane smiled brightly. "That's very kind of you, Ryoga-kun." "Ah-hehehe." Ryoga rubbed the back of his head with great relief. Judgement Day had chosen to declare itself a public holiday. Fortunately for his unsettled state of mind, a gigantic serpentine head chose that moment to breach the waters of Tokyo Bay, distracting everyone, including Akane. A small tidal wave of water swamped the pier, making Ryoga feel very, very glad to have the waterproof soap in his hands. Akari, just wait a while longer, please. As soon as Akane's safe, I'll find my way back to the Unryu farm, I promise. Umibouzu's bass rumble issued forth like deeply growling thunder. "Ranma Saotome, I am here." --- Sailing across the Pacific Ocean on the back of a gigantic seagoing serpent wasn't exactly Akane Tendo's idea of a romantic cruise. Nor did the presence of three of her major rivals help in any way, she thought as she made her way up to the front of the slippery-smooth platform of scales near Umibouzu's head. Ranma was standing there, on a neck ridge of the vast serpent, staring ahead at the blue emptiness, while to the rear the Great Devourer's undulating form churned through the foaming waves. Ryoga, Kodachi, Ukyo and Shampoo were also clustered at the lower end of the serpentine neck. It was the only part that actually held still while Umibouzu surged ever onwards. Their destination was a small uncharted island due east of Tokyo; it had continually failed to appear over the horizon despite the great serpent's swift speed. "Are you sure it's a good idea to leave them alone like that?" Akane asked Ranma, nodding her head back towards the three girls playing poker, with Ryoga making up a reluctant fourth. Ranma shrugged indifferently. He kept his eyes fixed forward on the black line that marked the meeting of earth and sky. It remained disappointingly flat. "So long as they don't start singing 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' or talk about dividin' me up, I don't really care." A change in the sea breeze wafted over conversation from the three girls. "--like him for his cute face." "But what about his muscular chest?" "Ranma have good teeth." Akane quirked an eyebrow at Ranma and muttered, "You were saying?" Ranma shivered involuntarily. "Hey!" he yelled out hastily. "I ain't some kinda horse on auction, you know!" "What a shame, Ranma-sama. Then I would be able to outbid these peasants and purchase you outright," Kodachi returned with a wicked smile. Ukyo snorted her disgust and Shampoo muttered under her breath about 'Stupid Rose Girl obstacle'. Ryoga looked as though getting lost immediately was his preferred course of action. "Ranma! Shampoo hear demons be great sex perverts. You marry Shampoo and have harem, okay? Shampoo no mind sharing a little." The purple-haired Amazon was utterly smug as the other two girls shot her killing glances. "A har-- Urk!" Ranma blurted out, incredulous, only to be suddenly silenced as a tip of a very sharp katana appeared in front of his throat. Akane held the blade still and with obvious menace, having picked up cues from Aunty Saotome about how to handle Saotome men. "Don't you start getting any perverted ideas, Ranma!" "Uh uh! Nope! No way!" he protested. Jeeze, Shukumaru didn't have to even bother trying to kill him. One of his eager fiancees would do the job for her one of these days. Talk about oversensitive. Feh! "You're the one for me, Akane. You know that!" "Idiot," muttered Akane as she jerked her blade away and stalked off. --- Ranma wondered curiously. The question posed by Cologne had been churning in his mind. He still couldn't think of an answer. A low rumble of amusement shook the surface he stood upon. Ranma hastily grabbed hold of the nearest scale. he admitted. Another rumble shook the Umibouzu's massive body. Umibouzu's mental voice was somber. Unspoken but obvious were the words 'and who are you to question them?' Ranma fell silent, thinking about the strange concept of redeeming demons. It was crazy! Shukumaru obviously only wanted to kill him and Akane and his mother. So why-- But he had saved her that night on the warehouse roof where they had battled rather than let that weird silver weasel thing cut her to bits. Maybe there was something to this redemption notion. A glimpse of a break in the horizon line put paid to any further thoughts on his part. he called out in delight, pointing to the distant island. Ranma snapped his head around, eyes searching for anything chasing them. His sudden movement also caused the others to glance back, puzzled. Where? Where was it? Ripples in the distance answered him. A long black form broached the smooth and sparkling ocean surface, surging forward. Ranma felt his mouth dry as he counted the seconds it remained in sight. Dammit, the thing was huge! There was a long silence. Umibouzu quickened his pace, knifing through the blue waters of the Pacific and throwing up sheets of icy spray. It did not seem to help. The Ayakashi continued to close the distance with dismaying regularity. ---