Disclaimer Ranma 1/2 was created by Takahashi Rumiko, and anyone who doesn't already know this won't understand this story anyway. Bleach was created by Tite Kubo; you don't really need to have seen Bleach to understand this fic, but just so you know, anything not Ranma related in here was created by him.
- - - "I know that this will not please you, but your spirit form cannot generate the energy needed to animate the gigai. You will need to re-integrate with Ranma." Ranko shook her head. "No!" - - - "Masami, you got no idea how much she hates this." "I think I do." Masami's voice was cold. "The fact that you no longer refer to her as yourself tells me how much you have rejected her." - - - "Oh, Ryouga, I'm so sorry!" She knelt, picked up the facecloth, and started mopping his chest. "Oh, I'm such a klutz!" She paused, and looked up at him, one hand still on his chest. "Good thing you don't have a Jusenkyou curse, eh?" - - - Masami whirled, strode up to Akane, and grabbed the front of her shirt. With almost no effort, she lifted her into the air - about six inches of air between her toes and the floor - and slammed her into the wall. "Did I not warn you?" - - - Prepare yourself, Tendo Akane." Masami's face grew cold and impassive. "For tonight, you will endure the worst hell you have ever known." - - - Tail Kinker Presents Pale Horse Chapter 9: Love and Pain Akane knocked on the door of the dojo. "May I come in?" "Of course." Cologne's voice sounded more like dry twigs and leaves underfoot than normal. Akane slid open the door and stepped in. "I brought a pot of tea." She knelt, and set it next to the Amazon Elder. "Thank you." Cologne looked at her curiously. "I find it interesting that you have gone out of your way to be kind to me the last few days." "Well...." Cologne smiled. "You may feel free to speak as you need to." Akane visibly relaxed, and said, "With Shampoo no longer a rival, there's no need for me to be unpleasant, especially not to a guest." "I thought so." Cologne chuckled. "You realize, of course, that I can only relax my claim on Ranma, and by extension, that of the Tribe. Shampoo may continue to pursue him on her own." Akane chuckled. "Still, without your backing, she may be more manageable." "Perhaps." "By the way." Akane dug into a pocket. "I picked this up while we were in the Nekohanten. Do you mind if I use a bit?" Cologne stared at the small bottle in Akane's hand. "You -do- know what that is, do you not?" "Yes. I've seen Shampoo use it often enough." She stuck the bottle back into her pocket. "I've got a bit of a use for this." "As long as it's not for Ranma, I do not mind." "Oh, no." Akane grinned. "I think it'll go nicely with pork, though." The door opened again, and Akane and Cologne looked up. For the second time, Akane was shocked to see an elaborate Meiji-era courtyard behind, before Isane closed the door. Masami bowed to Akane. "We have returned." "Welcome back." Cologne cleared her throat. "I assume that this is a social visit?" "Not entirely, but we have no business with you today, Elder." "Oh. Good." Isane chuckled. "I can understand your fears. You have kept off from meeting us for a very long time." "Yeah, about that." Akane grinned. "Can you tell me how old she really is?" "Now, Akane." Masami raised a finger. "It is not polite to inquire as to a lady's age." "Well, as needs be...I must go back to the restaurant. I shall return before nightfall, but I need to assess the damage." She rose, picked up her staff, and hopped from the dojo. Masami watched her leave, smiling slightly. "I do wish I knew how old she really was." "Is Ranko here?" Isane looked a touch uncomfortable. "We have brought something for her." - - - - - Isane set the box down before the redhead. "It can be very difficult to acquire a gigai without telling people who it is for." "A whatzit?" Masami smiled. "I believe you were calling it a fake body?" "It's in the box?" The rogue Shinigami leaned over. "Kinda small, ain't it?" "This is a proto-form gigai." Isane smiled. "All your own. But you will need to imprint it, Ranko." "Right. Thanks, Isane. It means a lot to me. But please, don't call me that anymore." The martial artist formerly known as Ranko sighed. "I decided not to keep that name. Too many painful memories." Isane blinked. "As you wish. But we will need to call you something." Akane piped up. "How about Akina?" "'Spring Flower'?" The redhead shuddered. "Way too girly." "Well, from 'Small Orchid' to 'Orchid Child'...flowers do seem to be your motif." Masami shrugged. "And you -are- female." Isane spoke up. "I might suggest that since we cannot call you 'hey, you' all day, that you settle on a name." "I need more time to--" "'Akina' it is." Petite hands were thrown in the air. "Fine! For the moment, you can continue to call me Ranko!" She sighed. "I don't like it. I won't think of myself as Ranko any more. But if you need a label, so be it." "Very well." Isane tapped the box. "Shall we proceed?" "Yeah." Ranko grinned. "This, at least, I'm lookin' forward to." "Unfortunately, it cannot be you who brings it to life." Masami spoke up. "I know that this will not please you, but your spirit form cannot generate the energy needed to animate the gigai. You will need to re-integrate with Ranma." "No!" Ranko shook her head. "I'm doin' this so I don't have to, remember?" Masami sighed. "I know that you would rather not. But you do not have the required energy." "Hey, my energy is far more than either of you two, even in my weakened state." Ranko scowled, and crossed her arms. "You know that, and you know that I can tap a lot more on demand." "It is not a question of quantity, but of quality. You will need the energy of a living body to bring the gigai to life." "Fine!" Ranko turned to Akane. "Ranma's probably still wolfin' down breakfast. Can you go get him?" "Sure thing...Akina." She scowled. "I'm still your sensei, girl! I can still PT you until you puke!" - - - - - Ranko touched Ranma's cheek, and vanished with a crack. Ranma staggered, and sighed. "Masami, you got no idea how much she hates this." "I think I do." Masami's voice was cold. "The fact that you no longer refer to her as yourself tells me how much you have rejected her." "It ain't rejectin'! She's just not me anymore." Ranma knelt next to the box. "So what do I have to do?" Isane indicated the box. "You must be the one to open this. Remove the proto-form gigai, and breathe in through its mouth until it begins to move. Then Ranko must enter it. It will take her form, and she will animate it from now on." "Got it." Ranma flipped open the box - and stared. "You have got to be kiddin.'" Akane giggled, as Ranma pulled from the box what appeared to be an inflatable doll. "This ain't funny! There's no way you're gonna get me to do this!" "Ranma." Masami's voice dropped ten more degrees. "You are the only one who can do this. If it is not done, the gigai could be taken over by a Hollow." "Fine!" Ranma steeled himself, then leaned over, and blew gently onto the inflatable doll's lips. "No!" Isane scowled. "Didn't you listen to me? It must be completely filled with the Breath of Life! Mere air will not work, and certainly not in such tiny quantities. Breathe into it, and allow your energy to flow with the air." Ranma glanced up at Akane. "You ain't gonna mallet me for this, are you?" Akane was too busy giggling to answer. "Guess not." He leaned over, wrapped his lips around the doll's mouth, opened his channel to his ki, and blew. This would be precisely the wrong moment for anyone to walk in. So of course, Ryouga did so. "Akane? What's so--" He cut off, as he took in the scene before him. Akane. That new student of Ranma's. Another girl, one he didn't know, but dressed as to be undressed in a hurry. And Ranma, inflating a rubber doll. "RANMA! You animal! Prepare to--" "No!" Masami jumped up. "You must not--" She collided with the Lost Boy, spinning both on the spot. The gigai drew in a shuddering breath. "Now, Ranko!" Isane leaned forward. "Before this boy can interfere!" Ranko melted away from Ranma, and reached for the gigai. Ryouga managed to toss Masami away, and lunged forward, but tripped over the still-giggling Akane. Ranko touched the gigai, and with a crack, vanished. The gigai immediately assumed her form. Ryouga fell forward, and landed face-first in Ranko's chest. Her unclothed chest. Ranko scowled. "You pig!" She grabbed him by the hair, and threw him across the room. She sat up, scowl undiminished. Ranma gulped, and turned away. Ranko looked down at herself. "Anyone got a spare kimono?" - - - - - Ryouga drifted back to consciousness with the sound of a wind chime in his ears. Something soft and damp lay across his eyes; he pulled it off and sat up. He was in the Tendo family room. The blanket that had covered him had fallen as he sat up. The cloth in his hand was a simple facecloth, soaked in cold water; He glanced down at it. "Was it all a dream?" He gingerly felt the back of his head, and winced as his hand brushed the lump left from his impact with the dojo wall. "No, I guess not." "Are you awake?" Akane had walked into the family room, carrying a tray. On the tray was a pork bun and a glass of water. "Yeah. What was going on in the dojo?" "Ranma was learning a new technique. I can't really say anything more about it, except that he wasn't being a pervert. For once." "No? Well, if -you- say so..." Akane set the tray down on the table, then picked up the tumbler and turned towards him. "I brought you - oops!" The glass of water flew towards him, and dumped the contents all over him. Ryouga's pulse rate rose into the hundreds. -I'm dead! I can't dodge, and Akane's gonna see me turn into P-Chan!- He opened his eyes, and remembered that the curse was gone. He struggled to bring his breathing back under control. "Oh, Ryouga, I'm so sorry!" She knelt, picked up the facecloth, and started mopping his chest. "Oh, I'm such a klutz!" She paused, and looked up at him, one hand still on his chest. "Good thing you don't have a Jusenkyou curse, eh?" He was certain that she could feel his heart, still pounding against his ribcage like a jackhammer. Come to think of it, her had was still on his chest... He slid backward quickly. "I'm fine! Quite all right! I'm not made of sugar!" His laugh sounded very forced in his own ears. "Okay, if you're sure." She turned back to the tray. "I was going to eat this pork bun myself. I made it myself, and even Nabiki said it tasted all right." She turned back, and held it out to him. "But since I just soaked you down...please, take this as an apology." -Akane's own cooking! Can heaven be far behind?- As casually as he could, he said, "Sure, Akane. Thanks. I forgive you, it was an honest mistake." Akane waited until he'd eaten the pork bun, then rose. "I've gotta go run some errands. I'll be back later." - - - - - Akane stepped into the kitchen, and grinned. The pork buns were not entirely her own work; Kasumi had made them earlier, with Akane's contribution being only the stirring of the filling. Plus, of course, her own secret ingredient added to two of them. -Now, I'll just take the other up to Shampoo. After all, hospital food is terrible, she'll be dying for anything else to eat.- "Hey, Akane. Did you make these?" Nabiki waved a half-eaten pork bun. "I thought it was one of Kasumi's, but it's not quite up to her standards. For you, though, it's pretty good." Akane gaped. Nabiki munched the rest of the pork bun, then glanced towards the door. "I saw you and Ranma hauling an unconscious Ryouga into the family room. I was wondering when you were gonna get revenge on him." "...I think I just did." Akane shook her head. "Can you do me a favour, Sis?" "Hm?" "Can you avoid Ryouga for a while?" "Forget it. He still owes me money." Nabiki turned and walked towards the kitchen door. "Besides, the financial report is about to come on TV." Akane watched her sister leave the kitchen, then turned and bolted for the dojo. - - - - - "Ranma!" Ranma and Ranko turned as Akane burst into the dojo. "Yo, Akane. What's up?" Akane gasped for breath, holding her side. "Ryouga...Nabiki..." "What about 'em?" Ranko's expression was stern, and she reached for her glaive. Akane managed to get her breathing under control. "I gave Ryouga Passion Spice...was going to give some to Shampoo...but Nabiki ate the pork bun, and she's in with Ryouga right now." "Whoa." Ranma held up a hand. "Just a sec. Why did you give Ryouga Passion Spice?" "I was gonna get him to fall in love with Shampoo." "Passion Spice doesn't produce love." Ranko shook her head. "It only produces lust." "Plus, Shampoo's on the other side of town, so--" Ranma paused. "'Other pork bun?' You were gonna give Shampoo the other?" "Yes." Ranko dropped her face into her hand. "Lord preserve us." "Passion Spice causes the person who takes it to lust after the next person of the opposite sex that they see." Ranma sighed. "Takes a few minutes to work, probably longer if you cooked it into something." Masami commented, "You seem to know a lot about this." "Trust me, we've eaten enough of the stuff." Ranma turned back to Akane. "Where are they now?" "Family room." "They won't be for long. Ranko, you better stay here. Akane, c'mon." - - - - - They hadn't gotten very far. Ryouga's shirt was crumpled up on the floor, and he was clumsily trying to undo Nabiki's blouse when they arrived. By unspoken decree, Ranma grabbed Ryouga, and Akane grabbed Nabiki. Ranma dragged Ryouga out to the garden, and tossed him in the pond. This, of course, did little besides getting the Lost Boy wet. Ryouga staggered out of the pond. "Nabiki, my love!" Ryouga clenched a fist. "Akane, you bitch, I will make you pay!" Ranma shook his head. "Ryouga, that's more screwed up than normal, even for you." "Ranma! You're gonna hurt for this!" "As much as I'd love to let Akane's revenge go full course, I don't wanna see Nabiki get hurt over this." "Since when did you not want to see Nabiki hurt? This is probably your way of getting even with her!" Ranma shrugged. "She ain't actin' under her own free will." "She is! She declared her love to me--" "She's been doped with Passion Spice. She'd declare her love for Gosunkugi when under that stuff." "Enough lies!" Ryouga charged forward. Ranma sighed, and started leading him in the spiral. - - - - - Akane dropped the furiously squirming Nabiki on her bed. "Look, Sis. I'm sorry, but when you ate that pork bun, you accidentally ate some Passion Spice. I'm really sorry it happened, but I need to keep you away from Ryouga until it wears off." "Are you crazy?" "Well, I meant to give Shampoo that pork bun--" "Not about that!" Nabiki shook her head. "Have you looked at that boy? How could you hate your own sister enough to pull her away from such a chunk of beef?" Akane smirked. "C'mon, Nabiki, you could have any boy you wanted, and you know it. Hell, you snagged Ranma right out from under my nose. In fact, I think I said I'd gift-wrap him for you." "That's not the point!" Nabiki threw up her hands. "Look, I know you're sour because of the whole P-Chan thing, but honestly, the boy just has some repressed hormones. I was going to help him out with that!" There was a muffled boom from outside. Nabiki dashed to the window, to see Ryouga taking a flight on Air Ranma. "Ranma used the Hiryuu Shouten Ha on my Ryouga!? Bastard." She stepped back, clenching her fists. "I'm going to make that boy -pay-!" "Excuse me." She turned, to see Akane glowering at her. "Ummm..." For a moment, she was at a loss. "That happens to be my fiance you're threatening." Akane stepped forward. "I'm sorry." Nabiki looked down. "And if all you were out for was a piece of action, why are you so mad at Ranma right now?" "I..." "I'll tell you why. Because you took some Passion Spice. It was a mistake on my part. So if you want to take this out on anyone...take it out on me." Nabiki sniffed. "But I...I love him so much!" She looked up, and Akane was shocked to see tears in her eyes. On impulse, Akane grabbed her sister and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. He'll be back." Nabiki hugged her back. "I know. In about a week." - - - - - Akane stepped into the dojo. "I think we got everything contained." Masami whirled, strode up to her, and grabbed the front of her shirt. With almost no effort, she lifted her into the air - about six inches of air between her toes and the floor - and slammed her into the wall. "Did I not warn you?" "Uh?!" Akane boggled; the fire in the Shinigami's eyes was all the more disturbing given her normal cool demeanour. "Every time you give yourself over to a negative emotion, the Hollow grows stronger within you! At this rate, we will be lucky if you still exist in a week." "I--" Masami cooled, and dropped her. She turned, and stalked back to the center of the dojo. "Every time I think that maybe you can control this, you do something to prove me wrong." "Actually," offered Ranko, "the Tomboy tends under normal circumstances to be violent, angry and impulsive." "This is what I fear." Masami sighed. "She is already filled with negative emotions. The Hollow venom would be particularly effective against her." Isane nodded. "We should proceed with the treatment now. Before it gets any stronger. Otherwise, she will be violent, angry, impulsive, methodical and malicious." "A blend of Akane and Nabiki?" Ranko shivered. "That, the world does not need." Masami turned back to face Akane. "The treatment that Lieutenant Kotetsu has found must be varied to the individual, and most times will not work. The Lieutenant believes it will work on you, however, and has prepared the necessary charts." "Good." Akane sighed. "What's the catch?" "The catch is twofold. First, the purging of the Hollow venom is not painless, either physically or emotionally. This procedure will hurt very, very badly. "Second, the Hollow venom will most certainly leave a permanent emotional scar upon you." Masami stared into her eyes. "There is no saying what form this will take, but if you are strong-willed, the effects may be minor. And they will not become worse over time. "Is this an acceptable trade-off?" Akane thought back to the inadvertant chaos of the last ten minutes. "Oh, yes." "Then prepare yourself, Tendo Akane." Masami's face grew cold and impassive. "For tonight, you will endure the worst hell you have ever known." -- Homepage: http://www.tailkinker.net ICQ: 66022322 eMail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- .-------Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List--------. | Administrators - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | Unsubscribing - [EMAIL PROTECTED] | | Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject | `------------ FAQ URL coming soon.... -------------'
