Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 series is what inspired this series.
All other stuff belongs to their respective owners. I think that says
it all.
Chapter 27
Ranma and Ranma… to the Nth Power
Ranma Red and his brother watched from the sidelines of the
Challenge area as Ukyo slammed her battle spatula on top of the
head of her Amazon opponent. The warrior woman went down as
Ukyo smiled triumphantly and held her weapon aloft. She waved
to her new husband Ranma Blue, who was applauding her victory.
"She's still got it." Ranma Blue replied as he watched his new
bride jump off the Challenge log.
"No doubt about that." Ranma Red replied as he watched Ukyo
approach.
"Way to go Ucchan!" Ranma Blue swept up his wife and
swung her around, giving her a deep kiss.
"No problem Ran-chan!" Ukyo said as her feet touched ground
once more. Ukyo had shed her wedding dress and was now in her
normal okonomiyaki outfit. "I really didn't want to fight on my
wedding day, but…"
"Yeah I know. These Amazon customs are kind of off the wall,
but you did have to prove that you're good enough to be part of the
tribe."
"Speaking of being part of the tribe, Cologne told me where to
find that Elemental Hammer."
"Oh?" Ranma Blue replied as Ukyo leaned forward and
whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened and then he took
on a bemused smile. "THAT'S where it is?! Well I'll be damned!"
Ranma Red was about to ask when he saw his wife approach
them. Like Ukyo, Shampoo had changed from her wedding gown
to her normal attire, which in her case, consisted of a short pink
dress and sandals. Leaping forward, she promptly glomped onto
her husband and gave him a passionate kiss.
"Wode Airen! Shampoo have news for you!"
Ranma Red smiled as he said, "Great-grandmother told you
where the Mystic Sword is?"
Shampoo nodded as she whispered into his ear. Ranma Red
nodded as he took in the information. He then kissed his wife again.
The newlyweds decided afterwards that they all needed some
time alone. The two couples left the scene as the great celebration
continued.
Some time later…
Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane were delighted at the entertaining
displays before them as they sat at the banquet tables. Fireworks lit
the night sky in bright colors and sparks. In the center of the ring, a
huge bonfire was lit as sides of pork and beef were roasted over
the flames. Many Amazons displayed their agility and skills in
acrobatic demonstrations. Some of the tribe members put on some
circus acts, juggling flaming torches and sharp knives as easily as if
they were toys. There were displays of martial arts on the
Challenge Log after Ukyo had completed her initiation into the
tribe. Akane had wanted to join in on the impromptu tournament,
eager to show off her improved fighting skills, which the twins had
instructed her in.
Akane's sisters had begun to get nervous at her desire to fight
the warrior women, fearing that she would again receive the Kiss
of Death, should she defeat one of them. Cologne however had
come to the rescue.
Some time ago…
"They're good." Nabiki remarked as she watched two Amazons
battle it out on the Challenge Log.
"I guess they are." Akane admitted. "Wonder if I could get into
this demonstration. I'd like to see how much I've improved, since
the twins started to train me."
"I'm not so sure that's a good idea." Nabiki said slowly.
"Why? I mean, I've gotten a lot better since then."
"Nabiki may have a point." Kasumi said as she walked up to
the two. "We don't want…"
"Want what?" Akane asked.
"I think they are referring to that law about the Kiss of Death."
Cologne said as she also approached the Challenge Log. Both
sisters nodded as Akane started to get annoyed. The elder noted
this and said, "Do not worry. Since Nodoka has adopted you, you
are technically part of son-in-law's family. That makes you related
to the tribe. However, I would advise that you do not try your
skills against these girls. They have a far greater skill and power
level than you do, Akane."
"I've gotten better!" Akane protested.
"True, son-in-law has informed me that he and his brother had
been training you, but you are still below level of these girls. Mind
you, I can sense that you have gained enough experience and
potential for me to start instructing you."
"W-what?" Akane stammered. She couldn't believe what she
was hearing. "Y-you want to teach me?"
Cologne nodded. "The twins will have their hands full when the
Contract Renewal begins. Ranma Red had asked me to continue
your training. I think that with the proper guidance, you'd make a
fine Amazon."
"Y-you mean it? You'll teach me how to be as good as a fighter
as the twins?"
"Well, I'm afraid that their skill level far exceeds my own.
There's nothing that I could teach them that would compare to
what they've already learned. However, the twins want you to
achieve your full potential and they wish for me to teach you. I
have always liked your spirit and you do certainly need the training.
So how about it?"
Akane thought back to all the times that Cologne had schemed
to get Ranma. In many cases, she had seen Akane as an obstacle.
However, she seemed sincere about what she was offering now.
Akane then thought back to all the times she had trained Ranma
and how much better he had become. She then smiled at the
thought of finally being able to show Ukyo and Shampoo that she
was a force to be reckoned with, despite the fact that they were
now married to both Ranmas. Looking down at the diminutive
Amazon, she nodded and said, "I can't wait to get started!"
The present time…
Akane and her sisters continued celebrating with the other
villagers. The feasting, the background music and the other
displays were very entertaining, and helped keep the three of them
occupied. Their minds were kept off the fact that their father, Soun
Tendo, was also in the village. As of now, he was a having a
conversation with Nodoka as he sat and ate at the table.
When the former friend of Genma Saotome had arrived, the
girls had been put in shock. How had their father found them?
Where had he been for the past week? What was he going to say
now that their names had changed from Tendo to Masaki? What
were they going to say?
After the ceremony, Soun had greeted his daughters with a
four-way hug and said that he loved them. The three sisters could
not help, but cry their eyes out as they returned the embrace.
Many words were said between them in a jumble, as they poured
out their feelings toward their father and he to them. When the
waterworks finally stopped, he broke away and told them that he
needed to speak with Nodoka on matters of the utmost importance.
The three sisters were confused and a bit more than nervous at this
announcement. They were told that they should enjoy themselves
and that they would speak in the morning.
As of now, they had been sparing quick glances to where Soun
had been conversing with their adopted mother for the past two
hours. Every time one of the former Tendo daughters would come
near them, Nodoka or Soun would simply stop talking and wait for
her to leave. The three soon found out that whatever they were
saying to each other would not be revealed to them until the
following morning.
Near a small waterfall, on the outskirts of the village
boundaries, Ranma Blue and his new bride sat on a cliff ledge that
overlooked the village. They were closely holding each other as
they gazed up at the stars.
"It's so beautiful out tonight, Ran-chan."
"It sure is." Ranma Blue agreed as he pulled Ukyo closer. He
inhaled deeply, and then let off a sigh. His expression turned from
a serene look to one of a serious nature as he lowered his gaze and
looked off in another direction. His line of vision soon came across
a small valley that was enveloped in the dark shadows of the
mountains that surrounded it.
Ukyo noticed that her new husband had become quiet. "Ran-
chan? What's wrong? What are you looking at?"
Ranma Blue raised an arm and pointed off in the direction of
the valley. "In that direction is Jusenkyo, where it all started a year
ago. I got knocked into the Spring of Drowned Girl and Ryoga
got… knocked into the…"
"Spring of Drowned Pig." Ukyo finished. She then became
saddened as she remembered Ryoga and Mousse's tragic ends,
three days ago. "You're still thinking about them aren't you?"
"It was my fault that Ryoga got cursed in the first place! It was
also because of my Sunfire Beam that Mousse and Ryoga were
trapped as monsters! A day doesn't go by that I don't think about
how I could have prevented that from happening. I am responsible
for that…"
"Ran-chan, if you don't stop talking like that, then you're
sleeping on the couch tonight."
"Huh?" Ranma Blue said in surprise as he turned to face his
wife.
"Ran-chan, what happened to Mousse and Ryoga was sad, but
I don't want you to beat your head over it for the rest of your life!
Especially now!"
"But Ucchan…"
"No Ran-chan! The way I see it, you did what you thought
would solve your problems with Ryoga, just as Ranma Red tried to
settle things with Mousse. You challenged Ryoga to a duel, and so
did your brother with Mousse. You both won. It wasn't your fault
that those two would be sore losers and wouldn't uphold the terms
of the duels. When they attacked, you and your brother tried not to
hurt them, but they had no problems with hurting you. They were
about to kill the both of you and you did what you had to do to
defend yourselves."
"But they were being controlled by those demons!" Ranma
Blue said.
"That may be right, but they had made the decision to accept
the Demon Mark. They had decided to commit suicide. They just
couldn't let go of what had happened. We all make our own
decisions Ranma, and we must deal with the consequences of our
actions. The fact that you haven't forgotten about them, shows that
you do care and honor their memory. No one could ask any more
from anyone."
Ranma Blue looked intensely at his wife. After a long moment,
he gave her a small smile and said, "Ucchan, I could always count
on you to say the right thing."
"Hey, what are wives for?" Ukyo said as she drew ever closer.
"Well…" Ranma Blue said with a mischievous grin. "How about
this?" He leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips. Ukyo
deepened the kiss as her tongue met with his. After a long while, they
simply enjoyed each other's lips. Then Ukyo took the initiative.
Reaching forward she placed her right palm on Ranma Blue's
chest and then pulled up the shirt out of the waistband of his pants.
Before he had a chance to say anything, Ukyo began undoing the
tie that held his pants. Before she untied the knot, he placed a hand
over hers and stopped her. Gazing into her eyes, Ranma Blue saw
the passion and need in her green depths.
"Ucchan?"
Ukyo was silent for a long while, then she nodded as she said,
"I thought I could wait, but…"
Ranma Blue nodded as he asked, "Are you… sure?"
Ukyo kissed him again in reply as she continued undoing his
pants. Ranma Blue was overwhelmed by her desire and was soon
aiding her in removing her clothes.
"WO AI NI!!!"
In a secluded little cave that was behind the waterfall, Shampoo
cried out as her third orgasm ripped through her body. She
collapsed atop her husband's muscled chest and held him tightly.
She never wanted to let go.
Ranma Red moaned as he spilled his seed into her. Shampoo
had wasted no time in getting their marriage off to a good start. No
sooner had she led him into this secret place, then she literally
jumped him and had him on his back. They were both divested of
clothes in an instant and Ranma could do nothing but the ride the
wave of passion that was his wife.
Now, after a full hour of nonstop pleasure, she was breathing
heavily as she lay across her mate with her head snuggled under his
chin. She sighed as she lazily traced one of Ranma Red's pectorals
with an index finger. Her husband's training with Soren and his
brother had caused him to gain more muscle mass, and his body
had become sharply defined. There was not an ounce of fat on
him.
Ranma Red's breathing had slowed down during this respite as
his arms embraced his passionate Amazon. He absently began
stroking her long purple hair as he stared at the ceiling of the cave.
Although the scent of their lovemaking still lingered in the air, his
thoughts were a million miles away.
"Airen?"
The magic-using Masaki looked down at his bride and gave her
a small smile. "Sorry darling, I was just thinking about something…"
"What you thinking about?"
"About…" Ranma Red began.
"About Mousse and Ryoga, yes?" Shampoo said, her
expression becoming serious.
Her husband was about to deny it, but then sighed. "I guess
there's no point in hiding it. Yeah, I've been thinking about them.
How did you guess?"
"Great-grandmother told Shampoo about meeting with Aloe,
Mousse's mother."
The student of Soren nodded as he sighed. "I'm sorry to be
such a wet blanket, especially today of all days."
"Is okay Airen. Want to talk about it?" Shampoo sat up and
faced her husband who also sat up.
"Man, I thought I had this all behind me." Ranma Red began. "I
managed to talk to you about Mousse's death not being your fault,
but I can't seem to convince myself of the same thing! After
meeting with Aloe, I.…"
"Shhhh. Shampoo understand." The Amazon placed a finger on
his lips. "Shampoo saw how sad Airen looked before wedding.
Great-grandmother told Shampoo what happened. Shampoo
thought that making love to Airen help him forget pain. It no
work." Shampoo blushed a little at this confession, and also
became saddened.
Ranma Red noted his wife's downcast expression and then
placed a finger under her chin. He gently lifted her head and gazed
into her eyes, which was misted with tears. He gave her a small
smile, then proceeded to kiss her tears away. At the same time he
pushed her onto her back.
"Airen… no have to do this if no feel like it."
"But I do feel like it." Ranma assured as he began kissing her
neck. "I appreciate your efforts to cheer me up. This is something
that I have to deal with on my own, but I am glad that you're here
with me."
"Shampoo will always be with you. Wo ai ni."
"I love you Shampoo."
The two were soon merged and letting the mating ritual take
over.
The morning sun cast a bright glow over the village as morning
came. However, due to the activities of the previous night, nearly
three-quarters of the Amazons were still asleep. There were a few
exceptions.
Akane was up bright and early as she went through a few katas
as Cologne watched her. Every now and then, she would correct
Akane's stance and inform her of some improvements that were to
be made. Akane would nod each time the aged matriarch gave her
advice.
In the guest house, Nodoka and Akane's sisters were still sound
asleep, but Soun was already awake and was watching his
youngest daughter train under Cologne's tutelage. He gave a long
and wistful sigh as his memories of happier days came to mind. He
could recall a ten-year old Akane following his movements as she
learned how to use the Anything Goes Martial Arts. He could see
his dear departed wife Kimiko standing at the doorway to the dojo,
smiling as she watched her family.
Soun's expression then saddened as he remembered the pain of
losing Akane's mother to cancer, and how his girls had retreated
into their own private worlds. Kasumi had replaced their mother as
the family caretaker. Nabiki had become the breadwinner and
Akane did not just train in the Art, she had become the Art. And
was he all this time? He had isolated himself from the outside
world and without even realizing it, he had also isolated himself
from his family.
It was the vow to unite the schools of the Anything Goes
Martial Arts that had kept him going for the past six years since
Kimiko's death. [A foolish dream!] Soun thought. [I should have
been more involved with my family than trying to force something
like that on them! They were right. I was… obsessive about it. I
was so intent on joining the schools that I never even saw the
troubles the engagement caused. It was so obvious. Why didn't I
see it? I was able to see the troubles about as well as Akane could
see that Ryoga was P-chan! My shortsightedness had caused
everyone so much pain! Well no more! From what Nodoka has
told me, my girls have a chance for a better life. Far be it from me
to stop something like that.]
With that thought in mind, Soun made a decision, just as his
other two daughters began to stir from their beds.
In another house, Shampoo Masaki awoke to find Ranma Red
was gone. During the night, they had eventually returned to the
village and had retired to the house where Shampoo had grown up
in, since her mother had died. That is, they had retired after
another five hours of intense lovemaking. Her husband had used
his spell of silence to keep the sounds of passion from being heard
from beyond the walls. When they had finished, Shampoo fell into
a deep sleep, totally spent from their late-night activities.
Shampoo looked around for her absent mate and soon found a
small note on the kitchen table. She smiled as she read the Chinese
script.
Shampoo,
Gone to the cave to get the Mystic Sword. Be back soon as I can. Love you.
Ranma Red
In another guesthouse, Ukyo Masaki also awoke to find her
husband missing. She sat up from her bed and saw the note on a
nearby dresser drawer. She walked over to it and read it.
Ucchan,
Gone to Jusenkyo to get the Elemental Hammer. Be back as soon as I can. Love you.
Ranma Blue
Ukyo smiled as she held the note close to her chest. She then
went to prepare for the day.
Somewhere in the Bayankala mountain range, Ranma Red flew
upwards, searching for the place where the weapon of power was
hidden. There were thousands of caves that littered the landscape.
One could spend his whole life searching, and would not even
come close to exploring half of the caves. However, Ranma Red
Masaki knew what he was looking for and where it was located.
As he came toward the center of the mountains, he noticed a
solid rock wall that was in the shadow of one of the mountains. His
enhanced senses were scanning the area, trying to detect even the
slightest emanation of magic, which would indicate the sword's
position. A minute later, his expression brightened as he felt a
strong source of mystical energy calling to him. It was coming from
the bare rock wall.
In the valley of Jusenkyo, the Guide yawned as he made his
daily rounds among the cursed pools. He looked up to see the sun
make its usual climb from the horizon and then blinked. His
expression turned to shock as he saw a familiar figure float down
toward him. His eyes became the size of saucers as he recognized
the individual.
"Oh sir! I know you! You fall in Spring of Drowned Girl a year
ago! How you fly in air like that?"
"Hello again!" Ranma Blue greeted as he landed beside the
Guide. "Yes, it's me, but I'm not cursed anymore. That flying
power is a new… technique I learned."
"Oh sir! You find cure?"
"Yes I did. But that's not the reason why I'm here."
"Oh?"
"Tell me… where is the Naniichuan?"
In the Bayankala Mountains…
Ranma Red landed in front of the rock wall and ran a hand
across it. It seemed solid enough, but with his knowledge of magic,
he knew that things were not always what they appeared to be. He
then focused his senses toward the wall. Sure enough, he could
detect something beyond the wall. He backed away from the wall
and began focusing his power. If there were not an opening to be
found, then he would make one.
"MOKO…"
Ranma Red stopped focusing his ki when he reconsidered his
actions. A blast of chi energy would have absolutely zero effect on
anything magical. Whatever was protecting the sword was magical
in nature and his usual chi attack would do nothing, but cause an
avalanche. With his increased ki ability, Ranma Red's normal chi
attack would have the same effect as a perfect Shi Shi Hokodan.
He didn't want to go devastating the landscape if he didn't have to.
This required some thought.
In the village, Soun Tendo had gathered with Nodoka and his
daughters in the guesthouse. The time had come. They all sat
around the dining table. Akane and her sisters wore extremely
nervous expressions as they waited for Nodoka or Soun to speak.
Finally, after a long stretch of silence, Soun cleared his voice.
"Girls, I have an announcement to make."
Jusenkyo…
"Oh so sorry sir! No can tell you where Naniichuan is. Guides
of Jusenkyo take oath never to tell anyone which spring is which.
That is, until unlucky customer fall into it. Not know why you
want it now. You cured!"
"I see. So I have to guess which one it is?" Ranma Blue said
with disappointment.
"That way it is." The Guide replied.
Ranma Blue sighed as he looked over the many pools. He
began thinking back to that day when he and his father Genma first
arrived at Jusenkyo. Thanks to Taron's meditation techniques, the
elemental Masaki saw the image in his mind with crystal clarity. He
then looked over to one of the pools and pointed. "That was the
one I kicked my father into, so that has to be Shon Mon niichuan,
right?"
"Yes sir." The guide answered.
Ranma Blue's eyes then looked over and pointed to a pool that
was directly left to the first pool. "I fell into that one, so that has to
be the Nyaniichuan. Correct?"
"That right."
The Masaki twin then focused his concentration harder, trying
to recall every detail. He saw himself chasing after his father after
receiving his curse. He had felt something strike his outstretched
knee, but had paid no mind to it at the time. Looking up, he saw a
cliff that was overhanging above a section of pools. [That must
have been where I knocked Ryoga into the Spring of Drowned
Pig.] He then pointed to a pool that seemed to be closest to where
Ryoga would have fallen from the angle of the ledge, and the
trajectory he would have taken. "Would that one be the
Heitoniichuan? The one that turned a guy into a pig?"
"Yes sir! Very good guess! Almost made very bad mistake that
day. Almost make boy into sweet and sour pork!"
Ranma Blue became a bit green at the thought, then tried to
remember more about the springs. He then thought about Mousse's
story and how he fell into the Spring of Drowned Duck on the very
first step. Looking toward the valley, he noticed another pathway,
which was in the direction of the Amazon village. Assuming that
the path was the one that Mousse would have taken after returning
from his first defeat, Ranma Blue then asked the guide. "That
spring that's nearest to that path over there." He pointed at the
pool. "That's the Yazniichan, right?"
"Very good guess! Yes, that is Spring of Drowned Duck! Still
no can believe last person to fall in that one! Took one step
forward and fell in!"
Ranma Blue nodded. [Well, I've eliminated four springs, but
without any more clues, I can't logically locate the one I'm looking
for! All the magic and elemental power emanating from the pools is
hiding the hammer's presence.]
Bayankala Mountains…
Ranma Red's expression became brighter as he figured that the
best way to enter the cave was to simply walk through the wall.
Taking a deep breath and clearing his mind of any doubt, he closed
his eyes and took a step forward, then another and then another.
After taking several more steps, he decided to open his eyes.
He found himself inside a huge cavern that had a series of
burned-out torches mounted on the sides of the wall. Waving his
hands he sent out a small flame, which danced and floated above
each torch, illuminating it. When the entire cavern was lit up,
Ranma Red looked back to where he had been. Sure enough there
was an entrance and he could clearly see the outside.
The brother of Ranma Blue smiled. He had guessed right. The
illusion that had made the entrance seem to be a solid wall, had not
only fooled his eyes, but his other senses as well. Somehow, the
spell had made his sense of touch believe that it was touching rock,
rather than open air, causing doubt. It was also a kind of force field
that pushed back, whenever he pushed forward. It made sense that
the spell would keep out any hostile intruders and repel any force
used against it. However, if the intruder were someone, who had
no doubts and had entered with the knowledge of such a spell, then
the person would be seen as one of the Chosen Twins. Simple
really.
Ranma Red noticed that the pathway of torches led toward a
tunnel and began following the lights.
Jusenkyo…
Ranma Blue was getting frustrated. He did not know where to
begin. He had walked over to the place where he had been cursed,
hoping to sense anything that could be connected with the Spring
of Drowned Man. However, this proved to be futile. The springs
were emanating too much energy at once and their signals were
intermeshed. There was just too much 'static' to sort through.
Looking back over the guide, he decided to try a different approach.
"Tell me about the legend of the Spring of Drowned Man."
The Guide looked at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Very
tragic legend of young man who drown here 2600 year ago. Now
whoever fall in spring take body of young man."
[Okay… now I know how old it is.] He started scanning each
pool, mentally ticking off his list when the pool's energy emanations
were gauged as too young or too old. By the time he was finished
half the pools had been identified as over or less than 2600 years of
age. However, that still left more than fifty pools that were still
unknown.
The Cavern…
Back at the cave, Ranma Red had run into a little difficulty.
Specifically, he had run into a ghost. The specter had almost
caught him off guard, but he had managed to get a defensive shield
up. Now the ghost was pounding at his shield with mystical blasts
of energy. After a minute, Ranma Red prepared to counterattack.
It was then that he noticed dust and small pieces of rock dropping
from the ceiling. Looking up, he saw that the stalactites were
quivering and some were starting to fall apart.
[Uh oh! Not good! Those stalactites are already starting to
weaken from all those energy blasts! If I try to fight back, I might
cause the whole place to cave in. There has to be another way out
of this!]
Ranma Red looked at his opponent. The wraith was streaking
around the area like a dancing shadow. He was unable to get a
good look at what he was battling. All he could discern was that it
was humanoid and looked female, from its curves. It had long
silver hair and moved with grace as it made several passes at him
and fired blue bolts of light at him. It made no sounds, other than a
whooshing sound as it darted about.
[Shampoo never told me about this! Wait a minute! Could it
be?] Ranma Red decided to gamble. Putting down his shield he
took a neutral stance and waited.
The ghost immediately began to dive at him when the shield
disappeared. As it glowed and was about to fire off another blast,
Ranma Red shouted out, his voice echoing in the vastness of the
cavern.
"COLOGNE!"
Suddenly, the ghost stopped its attack and hovered in midair, as
if confused. It then floated upright toward Ranma Red and landed
in front of him. It gave off a soft white glow and the magic-using
martial artist got a good look at his attacker. His eyes widened as
he saw the resemblance. She had her eyes and the same thoughtful
look that the aged matriarch had whenever she was contemplating.
Her height was the same as Ranma Red's and he gauged her age to
be about around ninety or so when she had died. He then reached
out with his senses and smiled. The ghost emanated an aura, which
was very similar to the present-day Cologne's. Definitely related.
["Who are you? How do you know my name?"] The ghost
asked in a soft tone.
["I am Ranma Red Masaki. I know of you, because your
descendant is the great-grandmother of my wife, Shampoo, also
one of your descendants."]
["I see. Why are you here?"]
["I have come to retrieve the weapon that was once held in
your hands during the Ninth Contract Renewal with the Dark
World. Soren had told me that he had given it to you."]
["You know of Soren?"]
["He is my teacher, and yours I believe."]
["Then you are one of the Chosen Twins?"]
["I am."]
["Then you must forgive my attacks on you. It was my duty
that I guard the Light Star Blade until the time of the Final Contract
Renewal. As I see the auras of my descendants about you, I know
that you telling me the truth. With your arrival, I can at last rest
with my ancestors. Go now."]
The wraith Cologne gestured to a wall, which then faded away,
revealing another passageway. Before Ranma Red had a chance to
thank the spirit, it disappeared into the shadows. With a final look
at where the ancestor of Shampoo and Cologne had been, he
pressed onward.
Jusenkyo…
As Ranma Blue had been zeroing in on the right pool by
process of elimination, he had begun to glow with a soft blue aura.
His senses were being pushed to the limits as he began walking in
the general direction of the Naniichuan. He then smacked himself
on the forehead as he realized something. [You dope! The Spring
of Drowned Man is a human curse!] So that eliminates all animal
curses! Refining his senses so that he would only detect pools that
had people drown in them, he systematically crossed off thirty
more pools. He smiled as he also began to feel the emanations of
something else.
The Cavern…
Ranma Red wiped his brow. He had been feeling increased
amounts of heat as the tunnel steadily sloped downward. Pausing
for a moment he held his hands up as if praying.
"COLD SPIRITS!"
Instantly, Ranma Red's body was surrounded by eerie mists,
which swirled briefly around him. Immediately, his body
temperature and the surrounding air around him cooled down to
comfortable levels. He then continued onward. Within another five
minutes, he entered a large cavern that was the size of a football
field. He increased the glow of his aura to dispel the shadows. That
was when he saw it.
A huge monolith of black onyx rock was situated in the center
of the space. Atop the fifty-foot stone was a large pedestal of pure
quartz. The pedestal had something sticking out of it, which glinted
in the dim light. Ranma Red could feel the immense magical power
that was coming from the object. Powering up his flight abilities,
Ranma Red floated up toward the boulder, landing lightly on top of
the monolith. With wide eyes, Ranma Red stared at the object that
was partially embedded in the quartz.
The object looked like the hilt of a medieval, two-handled
sword. The handgrip was about eight inches in length and had a
circular pommel at its end. The crossbars were richly engraved and
each arced from the midline of the blade into graceful curves. The
blade itself was about halfway imbedded into the quartz and was
about as long as the handgrip. It was shaped like a narrow triangle
and had a double-edge to it.
[Is this it? Pretty short blade for a sword. Looks more like a
big dagger than a sword. Oh well…] Ranma Red closed his eyes
and focused his senses on the blade. The sword seemed to beckon
to him. He began hearing faint voices and he felt urged toward it.
Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he reached out and
grabbed hold of the hilt.
Instantly, he felt his body flare with power as his ki energies
literally flooded the cavern. With a firm pull, he wrenched the
sword free of its quartz prison. The Light Star Blade glowed with
an intense white light, which further dispelled the shadows. Ranma
Red opened his eyes and saw that the blade suddenly began to
glow with a blue-white light. Suddenly, the blade let off a bright
flare and shot forth a beam of light. The light then tapered off into
a point and narrowed down to a width of about two and a half
inches. In an instant, the light had formed a double-edged energy
blade that was two and a half feet in length. Its blue-white energy
pulsated and shimmered like a living thing.
Ranma Red stared in awe at what he held in his hands. The
Light Star Blade reminded him of that foreign movie he once saw.
[What was the name of that movie again? Oh yeah! Star Wars!]
He then began to hear those same voices as before. Urging him.
With unconscious grace and skill, the magical twin began swinging
the sword in graceful arcs and cuts. The blade emitted a quiet hum,
which changed its pitch, each time it was moved in a different
direction. He moved the blade in gentle intricate motions that
would have taken a master swordsman years to perfect.
He began to swing the sword faster, marveling at its balance.
The energy blade felt as if was made of metal, but it did not have
the clumsy weight of a broadsword. Instead, Ranma Red felt as if
he was wielding a katana. He then suddenly stopped as he thought
of something. [Wait a minute! I've never handled a sword in my
life! But when I hold this sword, I know how to use it as if it was
instinctive. Heck, I'm handling this sword better than Kuno could
ever hope to do! And these voices in my head.] They seem to be
telling me things. Giving me information. Ranma Red closed his
eyes and began reaching out with his senses, focusing on the
source of the voices. The Light Star Blade.
All of a sudden, a flood of images began pouring into his mind.
The deluge of information was staggering and he almost passed out
from the sensory overload. However, he gritted his teeth and took
it all. After a full minute of mentally swimming through the tidal
wave of information, the voices became silent. It was then, that the
magical half of the Chosen Twins opened his eyes and smiled. He
then looked at his weapon and gave it a silent mental command.
The energy blade silently faded away to nothingness as he
released his grip on the sword. However, the mystic weapon did
not clatter to the floor of the cavern. Instead it hung in midair, then
flew toward his right hip. It then stopped and turned its blade
downward and pressed itself against his body. It then flared with a
bright white light and when it faded, Ranma Red noted that the
sword now rested in a small blue scabbard that was attached to a
leather belt across his waist.
Ranma Red stood as he replayed everything that had just been
implanted into his mind. The secrets of long-forgotten spells were
now available to him. New chi techniques and battle skills were his
to command. He now knew martial arts that were so powerful,
they made the Anything Goes Style and Amazonian Kung Fu seem
like child's play. His previous abilities had also made a huge jump
in power levels. He could feel his body almost exploding with
energy. [What the hell happened?] He thought for a moment, then
realized what had just occurred.
The experiences of the past champions of Earth must have
transferred to him. Everything that they had learned in the past ten
millennia, was now his. All the knowledge, all their powers and
their memories were now a part of him. He also understood that
the sword was some kind of magical key, which granted him
access to spells that were not only created on Earth, but on other
worlds as well. Ranma Red had achieved a level that was near
godlike!
At this time, Ranma was so enthralled at what he had become,
that he didn't notice a huge shadow that moved toward the
entrance to the cavern. A moment later, a thunderous roar was
heard. The ground began to tremble as huge footsteps echoed,
signaling the approach of something big. Ranma Red turned around
and his eyes widened as he saw what just entered. [So that's
where all that heat was coming from!]
The dragon was huge! Its length measured more than 250 feet
from the tip of its snout to its tail. Its green scaly body took up
more than half the space in the cave. It had large bat wings folded
across its back. Its huge, green eyes narrowed as it caught sight of
the Masaki brother. Apparently, the cavern was its den and it did
not take kindly to intruders. Drawing back its head, in began to
deeply inhale.
Ranma Red was pretty certain he knew what was going to
happen and prepared to teleport out of the cavern. However,
before he was able to invoke his spell, the dragon let loose a huge
gout of flame from his mouth. The magic user had no choice, but
to use a defensive spell.
"POWER REFLECTOR!"
The magical mirror sprang forth and began absorbing the mystic
flame. However, it was like trying to stop a raging river with a
small piece of sheet metal. The reflector buckled under the strain
of the incendiary blast and shattered into fragments, which then
faded away. Luckily, it had deflected enough of the fire to keep
Ranma Red from being roasted into a cinder. He tried again to
invoke his teleport spell, but was caught off guard when the dragon
suddenly flapped his wings at him. The hurricane winds caused by
the sudden motion swept him up, slamming him against a cavern
wall. Ranma Red moaned in pain as the dragon began to advance
on him. The hit had greatly injured him. It was like being hit by a
bullet train that was going at 100mph. His back howled in pain and
he dropped down t o the ground.
Forcing himself painfully back on his feet, Ranma Red knew
that even if he were to escape from the cavern, this monster would
still be after him. He had to stop this dragon cold, and that required
something special. Reaching into his newfound knowledge, he
searched for the right way to stop his attacker. A second later, he
took a stance and began his spell, just as the dragon was preparing
to let loose another fiery blast.
Ranma formed a small ball of orange energy in front of him
with his hands cupped. He chanted the first part of the spell.
"DARKNESS BEYOND TWILIGHT!"
The dragon's eyes took on an evil gleam as it opened its mouth.
"CRIMSON BEYOND BLOOD THAT FLOWS!" The orange
ball began to glow more intensely as it doubled in size.
Air was sucked into the dragon's maw as smoke rose from its
nostrils.
"BURIED IN THE FLOW OF TIME. THAT'S WHERE
YOUR POWER GROWS!" He raised his hands a little, letting the
energy begin to swirl.
The dragon's mouth opened wider and one could see the fire
build up down its throat.
"I PLEDGE MYSELF TO CONQUER, ALL THOSE WHO
STAND…" Ranma Red began pulling his hands back.
The dragon's eyes began to glow as it sucked the last of its
breath.
"AGAINST THE MIGHTY GIFT, BESTOWED IN MY
UNWORTHY HANDS!" Ranma Red couldn't hold it in any
longer.
The dragon then exhaled, letting loose enough firepower to burn
down all the forests in Japan.
Ranma Red thrust out his hands and released the spell.
"DRAGON SLAVE!!!"
The orange ball of light shot forward as a beam of light, which
impacted with the stream of flame. For a moment, the two
opposing forces looked like they were going to cancel each other
out. Then the flames were pushed back as the energy beam blasted
forward and struck the dragon in the head. Then the entire
mountain was engulfed in a huge explosion.
Jusenkyo…
Ranma Blue smiled as he stood at the edge of a pool. After
focusing on just human-cursed pools, he had also sensed the
presence of the Elemental Hammer. Now he had found it. After
confirming the identity of the pool from the Guide, he gazed at the
cursed spring with a whimsical smile.
[Kind of ironic. I spent almost a year searching for this spring
to cure my curse. After Taron and Soren cured me, I thought that
I'd never need to come back to Jusenkyo. Now here I am again.
Now… how to get it out. I suppose I could just jump into the
spring and just get it, but I don't think I want to get my clothes wet.
Hmmm…]
Ranma Blue continued to gaze at the spring while considering
the best way to tackle the problem. He began reaching out with his
senses. Sure enough, he could feel high amounts of elemental
power emanating from the bottom of the pool. Its location was
determined to be at the pool's center and was buried beneath at
least three feet of mud. He was then inspired to try something new.
Kneeling down at the edge of the pool, he placed his palms on
the ground and began focusing his power into the earth. Pinpricks
of energy began to emerge around him. They floated about him,
then descended into the ground. Ranma Blue glowed with an eerie
white light as he continued to feed his ki into the spring before him.
With each passing minute, his aura continued to grow in strength
and brightness.
Suddenly, the waters of the Naniichuan began to glow and
swirl. The Guide looked on with fascination as the waters began
steaming. Then the Masaki twin did what only Moses was able to
do. The waters of the Spring of Drowned Man parted and revealed
dry earth.
Ranma Blue smiled as he then used his powers on the newly
revealed ground. The surface began to tremble and crack.
Suddenly, an object burst free and shot upward from the ground.
The elemental twin looked up and released his hold on the spring.
The waters simply poured themselves back into the depression and
all was silent. He then slowly stood up and looked at the object
hovering above the spring.
The Elemental Hammer had a square head like a
sledgehammer's and seemed to be made of gold. The head glinted
in the sunlight and looked very heavy. The handle was about two
feet in length and seemed to be made of metal. The end of the
handle terminated in a leather thong. Ranma Blue stared in awe at
the raw power that emanated from the weapon. He then reached
out with his hand and grasped the handle.
Instantly, clouds began to form above the valley of Jusenkyo.
The Guide hurried into his hut, expecting rain. Ranma Blue
however did not move. Like his brother, he too had been receiving
voices in his head, as soon as he touched the hammer. His body
froze up as thousands upon thousands of images began washing
over his consciousness, threatening to drive him insane. After a
moment, the images stopped and Ranma Blue collapsed to his
knees. His head was bowed low as he tried to make sense of what
had just occurred. He then felt his body begin to feel more power
coursing it than ever before. His senses were alive as they took in
every aspect of his surroundings. He felt stronger and more alive
than he had ever felt before! Then he noticed an eerie light
suddenly appear over the spring. Looking up, his eyes widened as
he saw… her.
She was floating perhaps a meter above the springs and looked
identical to the wraith that attacked Ranma Red. Except she was
glowing red instead of blue. She smiled down at the other half of
the Chosen Twins then faded from view, her centuries-long watch
at an end.
[Was that… Shampoo? The first one?] Ranma Blue thought
as he looked down at the hammer. He then noticed something
appearing on the face of the head. Looking closer he noticed that it
was some kind of ancient language that he was not familiar with.
However, the longer he stared at it, the more he began to
understand it. He began reading it out loud.
[You who hold the mighty Storm Striker have been deemed
worthy.]
As soon as he read the words, he smiled as he thought back to
all those confusing images that he had received before. It all made
sense now. Like his brother, Ranma Blue's abilities had been raised
to the Nth power. He had gained all the knowledge and experiences
of the previous champions. With a look of satisfaction and
confident that he could face the Dark World, he turned to leave the
Training Grounds of Cursed Springs for the final time. Out of a
feeling of nostalgia and respect, he decided to visit the Springs of
Drowned Pig and Duck. However, when he got to the edge of the
Heitoniichuan, he stopped suddenly. His new enhanced senses had
detected something within the pool. He crouched down and stared
at the waters. Then his eyes snapped wide as he realized what he
was sensing.
"No way! It… can't be!" Ranma Blue double-checked his
findings, then looked over to the Spring of Drowned Duck. He
focused his senses on that pool and his expression became pale. [I
don't believe it, but if what my senses are telling me are true,
then…]
Ranma Blue's train of thought was broken when he heard what
sounded like a volcano erupting. Turning around, he looked toward
a nearby mountain range and, saw one of the peaks suddenly
become enveloped in a blast that looked like a nuclear bomb had
been dropped on it.
Ranma Blue wasted no time. Silently making a note to return to
Jusenkyo, he decided to use Storm Striker to get him to the site
quickly instead of using his flight powers. He then leaned back and
held the heavy hammer in his right hand. Dropping the hammer
until he was holding it by the thong, he began spinning it around in
a circle. Storm Striker began to pick up speed as it whirled about,
making a high pitched noise. Then Ranma Blue threw it forward in
the direction of the exploding mountain. However, he did not let go
of the thong. Instead, the forward momentum pulled him upward
and the Masaki brother was launched skyward.
To be continued…
Author's Notes
Well, Chapter 27 is done! What did Ranma Blue discover in
those pools? What did Soun Tendo decide? Is Ranma Red okay?
Give me comments and stay tuned for Chapter 28!