Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Spring of Drowned Vampire Girl ❯ Hong Kong ( Chapter 7 )

Vampire Chapter Six

 

While Ranma's appetite was subdued, it only meant that he ate as much as a normal person. The only people to really notice this were Nabiki and Akira, neither really wanted to point that out though, they didn't want Ranma to compensate.

 

As the evening wore on, Ranma spoke to more of the guests and heard each of their stories, many of them were former martial artists as himself, and had either visited the springs as a part of a training trip, or encountered the waters of Jusenkyo through some odd series of events. The youngest person there that was cursed other than Ranma had been cursed over 10 years ago.

 

Nabiki had been cornered off to the side with the wives and husband of some of the cursed individuals to talk to her about life with the curse and what to possibly expect.

 

Ranma had gotten the dusting impression that they were doing their best to make the prospect of being a vampire as ugly as possible without hiding anything. Nobody said it out right, but when anybody would go into a story, they would play up the times they were mortal and downplay the times they were vampires for any length of time.

 

Ranma had no intention of giving into his curse, even if it did mean that he could possibly lose out on an extra long life. To him, the price in honor and personal sacrifice wasn't worth it. Besides, the thought of drinking blood made him gag.

 

Things were going well, it was revealed that Alex was an ordained minister back in America, which answered the unvoiced question of stereotypes. They, for the most part, did not work or apply.

 

The sound of an old grandfather clock striking nine o'clock ceased the conversations. They had moved back into the study after dinner. One by one, everyone present stood in respect. Ranma and Nabiki even stood, though they didn't know why.

 

Where Xian Lin had proved to be a beautiful Chinese girl, the lady that walked in joined the group was nothing short of stunning with an ethereal aura. She glided in wearing a formal evening gown with pale alabaster skin. She had a regal bearing about her, as well as a matriarchal one, as if she saw everybody in attendance as her children.

 

She stopped in front of each person and greeted them personably, bringing her otherworldly appearance back to earth as she proved to Ranma that she wasn't apart from it. When she got to Ranma and Nabiki, Nabiki had quietly sneaked her way over to Ranma and took his arm; she gave them a wide smile that did nothing to hide her fangs and greeted them both. While this did not break the spell around her, it did cause Ranma to look more closely at her and notice other things that did not fit.

 

Things such as the way she forced herself to blink her eyes, or the way she only breathed in when she was about to say something

 

“It is an absolute pleasure to finally meet both of you at last. I am Eve.” She said as she gripped their hands in turn, her skin cool to the touch. She turned and faced the rest of the group. “It is good to see all of you again after so long. Please enjoy my hospitality while I speak with Ranma and his lovely lady.”

 

She led the pair away from the group and into a corner away from the chattering group. Nabiki was glad for the distraction; the wives were starting to pull out pictures of their kids.

 

“I wanted to speak with you alone, they've heard my story enough, I doubt they want to hear it again.” Eve spoke in a low voice. “I wouldn't want to bore them with it again when they have so much to catch up on.”

 

“I've got to tell you, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment.” Ranma said.

 

“I know that it is a bit much all at once, but there is more you must hear before the night is over. Tell me, what do you think of those you have met already?” Eve gestured towards the group they just left.

 

“They seem nice enough, I'm not sure I understand some of what they said about the curse, but I figure I'll find out for myself eventually.” Ranma replied a little nervously.

 

“I have a question for you, Eve. Why? I know that you arranged for us to be here to talk about Ranma's curse, but from what I've seen it's more like a support group than anything else. Why all the secrecy?” Nabiki said quietly.

 

“I believe that the answers to your questions can be found when I tell you my story. You see, I was much like you, Ranma; I was a male martial artist on a training trip when I stumbled upon Jusenkyo. After I was cursed, I decided to come home, to Hong Kong, to learn to live with my curse. You have seen the weather of China; I spent more time in my cursed form than otherwise.

 

After I reached my home, I tried to live a normal life in the comfort of my family and friends, but the nature of the curse forced me into a nocturnal lifestyle. It was then that I encountered another creature of the night. I hadn't been trying to live as a vampire; I would change with cold water at inopportune moments.

 

One thing about Vampires is that it we can tell each other apart from a crowd of people. That is what happened to me, I was picked out of a crowd and brought before the Prince of this city. I was forced to learn about myself, my curse, and the society that the vampires have created for themselves beyond the eyes of other mortals.

 

After I had learned about them and they had made me one of them, I made a decision to go back to Jusenkyo. I did this for several reasons; I knew that I wasn't the only victim of the pools who fell into that particular spring. I also knew that there had to be something else regarding the pools and their curses.

 

So I went back with two purposes, to either find a cure or to learn as much as possible about the curses and to set up a way to contact and draw any further victims of that pool to me in the future. I did that to protect the victims of the pool from making a mistake that would get them killed.

 

Vampires have spent countless ages to make the world ignorant of their existence and they are intolerant of anything that would threaten that ignorance. They have killed countless just to keep the secret of their existence safe. Many of the movies, books, television shows, and toys that glorify the vampire are either carefully constructed ploys to keep vampirism in the realm of the fantastical, and thus unbelievable, or happy coincidences.

 

So I went back to Jusenkyo to protect those who would fall in by accident, with over a hundred pools in Jusenkyo, the chances of falling into one particular pool is unlikely at best, but as you can see…” Eve waved her arm to encompass the other group. “It happens.”

 

“I spent over three decades in the area of Jusenkyo, speaking with and living among the people who made the area home and used the pools of Jusenkyo for their own purposes.

The Phoenix people were the most hospitable and the hardest to approach, living in the peaks of the mountains overlooking the springs, while they did not have much information on the curses themselves, they held my interest by their unique martial arts.

 

The Musk were an interesting people, with an interesting use of the springs. The one thing of interest was their ladle of preservation; it had the ability to lock a cursed person into their cursed form, no matter the form. They used that and the spring of drowned girl to make their wives out of the wild animals they captured to gain the strengths of the animals in future generations.

 

The Amazons were the most knowledgeable of the three peoples on the curses of Jusenkyo, but also the most fickle. I would not recommend interacting with them unless absolutely necessary, and then with a dose of caution. It was there that I learned of the various ways to lock a curse, to unlock a curse, as well as many other artifacts that affect the curses of Jusenkyo. That is also where I saw the last rays of sunlight in my life.

 

The Amazons see Jusenkyo as cursed place and those who are cursed as being punished; I had spent some time at the village as both a male and female, learning their ways and what they knew of the curses. When an elder learned of my curse, she applied a method of locking my curse so that hot water feels like the sun to me. She accused me of deceiving them and not learning from my punishment, so I left them after gathering my belongings.

 

I set everything up with those caretakers of the cursed springs to watch for any more cursed like myself and to contact me when the spring claimed another. I was locked over two hundred seventy five years ago. I have spent that time gathering those cursed with the waters of the vampire pool to me so that they may have a chance at life, a normal one or one in the night.

 

Vampirism is nothing like a normal life, I've seen vampires who never had a chance at a normal life become some of the worst monsters you've ever encountered. This is why I do this, to share my knowledge of kindred society with you for when you are forced to become a part of it.”

 

“But I'll…”

 

“Accidents happen. Eventually water will find you where another vampire will be able to see you and then they will be on the look out for you if you escape. They like to know what vampires are in the city, especially those in charge.”

 

“Eve…” Alex was standing off to the side. “Pardon my interruption, but we've gotten used to sleeping at night, I think that we are going to be making our way to bed for the night. It was a pleasure meeting you Ranma, we'll see each other again before you leave.”

 

The rest of the group made their goodbyes and left Eve, Ranma and Nabiki to continue to talk. Nabiki decided that since they had some more privacy, she could ask a question that had been on her mind.

 

“Eve, I have to admit that this isn't what I was expecting, I mean, I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish by contacting other victims of the pool.”

 

“Oh, she's a sharp one!” A voice suddenly said from behind Nabiki, surprising her because she had her back to the wall and had kept an eye on who came and left. Ranma was suddenly the happy owner of a lapful of Nabiki. “It took me a few years to figure out that Eve wasn't doing this out of the goodness of her heart.” The newcomer was a guy, where Eve had an ethereal beauty he had roguish good looks, and he was dressed in dark clothes, almost black that contrasted with his white skin.

 

“Where did you come from?” Ranma was just as shocked as Nabiki, but several years of training let him handle it better, even with Nabiki in his lap. He clutched her protectively while glaring at the new guy.

 

“Peace, brother. I meant no harm.”

 

“Ranma…Nabiki, may I introduce you to Church, another victim of the pool.”

 

“Victim is a strong word, it indicates that one suffers. I don't consider myself a victim.” Churched flashed a smile that revealed his elongated fangs.

 

“I don't get it. I didn't think there was a spring of drowned vampire guy.”

 

“There isn't one, Ranma. Church's story is his own to tell, but it is one that I highly recommend you listen too. In the mean time… You are right, Nabiki. There is more than a benevolent desire to help others like myself when I went back to the pools.” Eve's demeanor changed to a sadder one. “This is a bit more information than what I wanted to reveal, but I can't see the harm in it. Vampires break themselves into five major families or clans, with minor clans, or bloodlines, popping up occasionally.

 

When I was found the first time, the kindred, what vampires call themselves, determined that I was of the Mekhet Clan. So far, every victim of the pool I have encountered has been of the Mekhet Clan.”

 

“So a Mekhet vampire drowned at the pool originally?” Nabiki interjected.

 

“A female Mekhet vampire of a young age did. The cursed form has invariably been a young female Mekhet vampire, physical characteristics are always different from victim to victim, so the pool isn't creating copies of the original, merely certain aspects, letting the victim's own body determine the rest.”

 

“I think I can see where you're going with this…” Nabiki said, still in Ranma's lap, she never thought he would be this comfortable.

 

“Those kindred who can claim to start a bloodline are afforded a certain degree of respect in kindred society. I saw an opportunity to start what would effectively be a bloodline, our Jusenkyo curses and it's effects on the vampiric curse set our kind apart from regular kindred. By becoming the founder of `our' bloodline, I am given respect above what I had before and it has opened doors for me that were previously closed.”

 

“How does this affect us?” Ranma knew that there had to be something wrong with this scenario.

 

“It doesn't affect you adversely at all, Ranma.” Eve said soothingly.

 

“In fact, it has nothing but benefits for you right now. Due to my extra status I've been able to establish assets to be used by members of my bloodline, as well as giving victims of the pool, both current and future, a supporting extended family that they can turn to in times of trouble.”

 

“What if we aren't interested in joining your bloodline?” Nabiki spoke up. “Just playing devil's advocate.”

 

“Then we send you home, and leave you to your own devices, as well as ask you to forget about us.”

 

“Just curious.”

 

“I think that is enough for now. It is late and we have a busy day planned for you two, so I think it would be best if you got some sleep.”

 

“It can't be that late. I'm barely even..” Ranma's denial died as he yawned.

 

“I'll show them up to their room. Hey Church.”

 

“S'up Akira.”

 

“Before we go up, what's your story, Church?”

 

“I'll give you the short version for now. I got caught up in the kindred society but was reluctant to give up my mortal life. Eventually, I made some enemies as a vampire and they tried to attack me through my `ghoul', my mortal form. Somebody stole me away and embraced me, before leaving me to my fate. So now, both my forms are vampiric.” To illustrate his point, he took a glass of water and poured it over himself. The change was startling, mainly because it wasn't Ranma who did it.

 

While Church didn't loose any height, his hair changed both color and length, turning from black to blonde. It brought home the fact that the curse was not just Ranma's to bear.

 

Ranma and Nabiki bid Eve and Church a good night before following Akira up to their room. Church started to get up to leave, but was stopped by Eve's hand on her arm.

 

“Stay and talk with me a while before you go. I have something to show you about our newest child that you might find interesting.”

 

Once Ranma and Nabiki were in their room, they started to prepare for bed. They had taken one look at the room and the single bed, and started to say something to the curiously absent Akira. Ranma gave a longing look at the western bed before volunteering for the floor.

 

“Hey Saotome, did you notice anything odd about tonight?” Nabiki broke the silence that they held since getting ready for bed.

 

“You mean other than the fact that they were all vampires cursed by Jusenkyo?” Ranma's voice was tired sounding and a little bit odd coming from over the edge of the bed.

 

“Beyond that, I mean, I was expecting them to try to glorify the vampire side of things, instead I'm getting assaulted by family planning with the curse in mind.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“The wives from earlier, they wouldn't talk about anything except their kids. Like they were miracles or gifts from god or something.”

 

“They say anything interesting?”

 

“Not really, I'm still a bit too young for that, so don't get any ideas.”

 

“What are you talking about now?”

 

“Never mind. Good night.”

 

It wasn't long before the sounds of peaceful slumber filled the room.

 

“What did you want to show me, Eve?” Church reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a fresh blood bag.

 

One of the many things that Eve had invested in was a string of blood banks in the area. For the most part, they performed their duties honestly, but every so often, a few blood bags would be regulated elsewhere by one or more of the owners. Eve made sure that questions about where the surplus blood would go would not be asked, usually by paying really good salaries.

 

Pouring the blood into a cup and setting it in the microwave, Church waited for the fluid to warm up.

 

Eve had gone to her room and gathered the files and papers that she had been reading for the past few days.

 

“Look over these and tell me what you think.” She handed the large file to Church.

 

Church sat the file down and took a seat after collecting her cup of warm blood from the nuker. After a few minutes of flipping pages, Church looked up.

 

“This is quite the police record, Ranma isn't as innocent he looks or acts.”

 

“He's only sixteen, look at the date on the reports.”

 

“I see, he was only ten for some of these things. I keep seeing the name Genma, is this his father?”

 

“I believe so.”

 

“The guy is good. There's only a few reports that has his name on them, but they fit the same M.O. Except this one…” Church pulled out a particular report and started to read through it. “'Genma is wanted for questioning in connection to reports of child abuse, authorities found a pit full of cats along with several complaints of noise from the area. Investigations revealed that Genma may have thrown his child into the pit several times as a means of punishment.' This guy has to die.” Church's voice had been filling with horror of what Ranma's life was reading like.

 

“There's more.”

 

Church continued to read. By the time he was done, the façade of life she had put in place before meeting Ranma and Nabiki had fallen. “That boy's had a rough life so far and an even rougher one coming if what that says is true. Where did you get that information?”

 

“I had Akira do some digging while he was watching them. He told me that his investigation had only scratched the surface of what has happened to Ranma.”

 

“This is rich, I counted at least five different contracts promising marriage for as little as a bowl of rice.”

 

“I don't think that he knows about any of them. Those two look good together, don't they?”

 

“You're not getting wistful on me are you Eve?”

 

“No, of course not. What are your plans for tomorrow night?”

 

“Changing the subject? Nothing special, why? Do you have something in mind?”

 

“Take them out with you and show them a good time. He's had so much pain in his life and so much more coming if any of this catches up with him. It would be nice to give him something to remember other than his father's legacy.”

 

**

 

The next day saw Ranma and Nabiki out shopping with some of the people they spoke to the night before. They had shown up sometime before noon, just as Ranma and Nabiki were getting up, and hustled them out the door. The excuse was that they needed something to show for their `winning' the `contest' and a shopping spree in Hong Kong was just the thing convince anybody who hadn't bought the excuse.

 

Nabiki thought it was just a reason for them to socialize with each other. She had been drawn in with the women again and was currently engaged in modeling some of the most expensive outfits she had seen while listening to how they would affect `her young man'.

 

Ranma had been likewise engaged by some of the men, who had taken the more efficient path of just getting what Ranma was interested in while making some suggestions. Some of the men who had previously spent time as vampires had a deeper understanding on what it meant to shop and steered Ranma on a more selective choice of clothing.

 

At some point, both parties had decided that they had enough clothes and had regrouped for lunch and then planned an attack for the entertainment section. While they were eating, Ranma approached one of the old timers, an affectionate nickname for one of the men who had spent time as a vampire, and quietly asked a question that got his attention.

 

“Not so loud. So you want to know why we aren't trying to get you to act like something else? It's a long answer and you won't like it. Are you sure that you want me to tell you?” Alex said conversationally.

 

“Yeah, I want to know why nobody has tried to push me into fully accepting my curse and learn how not to gag at the thought of drinking…”

 

“Tea!” Alex interjected forcibly. “Thank you.” At a quieter tone, he continued. “Keep your voice down when talking about this stuff, or at least talk about it when we're not in public. The answer to your question is because the thirst for that is undeniable if you spend enough time in that state. I know all about the vows to never drink the stuff, trust me; we've all made those promises and everyone of us ended up breaking them.

 

Truth be told, the stuff is addictive, more so than any drug you can ever find. Do your best not to get started on it. Because once you do, you can't stop yourself from wanting more. But now is not the time or the place to worry about such things. You're too young to let such things bother you.”

 

The day continued on and by the time it was all said and done, Nabiki was worried about how they were going to get this stuff home. Akira was waiting for them when they arrived at Eve's home again.

 

“I hope that they didn't tire you two out completely, we've still got some plans for you tonight.”

 

“Oh? Like what?” Nabiki asked, all she wanted to do was relax and rest her feet after all the walking they did that day, and maybe play with her new laptop computer. They had seen her eyeing it in the store and practically bought it for her despite her protests, half hearted though they were.

 

“Church and myself were going to take the two of you out to see the nightlife. Give you guys a night to remember before you go back tomorrow. I'd recommend getting something light to eat and a nap before we head out. We'll be getting in late tonight.”

 

“While I admit that's a great idea, but we can't exactly do much since we're underage.” Nabiki hated to bring that up, but it had already become an issue earlier that day when she had tried to purchase some particular items.

 

“Not a problem, our first stop is going to get you two some `proper' identification, I've got a friend that owes me a couple of favors that does that sort of thing.”

 

“C'mon Soatome, we've got some rest to get.”

 

**

 

“Hey, Ranma! Wash up using this soap. Church dropped it off for you earlier.”

 

“What's so special about it?”

 

“I'll tell you when you get done. Be sure to scrub up with it while you're still a guy though.”

 

“…okay…”

 

When Ranma was done washing up for the night and on his way out of the bathroom with a bounce in his step, Akira stopped him.

 

“Like the soap do ya? Don't get too excited about it. It only works a little while, maybe eight hours without any water washing it off, but enough water will wash it off. Just a little something to make the days less stressful for you.”

 

“Why can't I use the soap all the time to just avoid getting wet altogether?”

 

“A couple of reasons, its expensive, it's difficult to get, and there's not a big demand for it. Don't worry, I'll make sure to get you on the shipping list for a regular supply of it, but expect a wait, they've been getting behind in their orders. You should thank Church when you see him again, that was his last fresh bar.”

 

Ranma looked at the bar of soap with something akin to reverence, the words `waterproof soap' just visible in the bar. He hadn't paid any attention to it until he had poured cold water over himself to rinse himself off. When the expected change didn't occur, he nearly cried in joy until he saw the words on the soap. He figured that his cure was only a temporary one, that brought his good mood down a little, but not enough to ruin his night.

 

“Go on. Get dressed. We'll be leaving as soon as you're ready.”

 

They left the house just as the sun was setting over the horizon, the clouds a purple and orange color that was beautiful in Nabiki's eyes. Their first stop was to a nondescript house in one of the poorer subdivisions of Hong Kong. It only took them half an hour but when they were done, both Ranma and Nabiki were the proud new owners of a pair of ID's that said they were slightly older than what they truly were.

 

It was dark when they pulled into the downtown-parking garage. They made their way out and onto the street to head for the place they were going to meet Church. Akira noted some of the late night stores that both Ranma and Nabiki eyed while they were walking up.

 

The club was one of the high scale hip and happening places that catered to the young tourists that came to Hong Kong looking for a good time. Techno music was pumped through industrial size speakers while the young, sexy, and anonymous danced their way to oblivion. It even had a bar that provided any sort of alcoholic beverage that could be imagined. The forbidden fruit for those under age, put into reach by the generosity of their hosts.

 

Church met them inside the club, he was currently a she and dressed to kill. If Ranma and Nabiki hadn't seen her last night, they would have never recognized her. As it was, Ranma was having some difficulty accepting that any guy would willingly dress as Church was. It left very little to the imagination and sent some very suggestive messages to any male in the area.

 

“Take Nabiki ahead, I want to talk to Ranma for a second alone. We'll catch up with you.” Church said to Akira.

 

 

**

 

The sun's early morning light came through the window and slowly made its way to the bed and the pair of sleeping teenagers. The pair were comfortably wrapped in each others' arms, very much comfortable with the presence of the other, at least while they were asleep. It would take a very innocent and naïve soul to not know what had led the pair be slumbering together in the same bed and with an apparent lack of clothing.

 

Despite the sun's attempts to wake the pair, they merely shifted deeper into each others' arms and continued to sleep.

 

Earlier that morning:

 

“Just what did you say to those two when you had them alone?” Akira wasn't the least bit surprised that Church had probably had something to do with the odd behavior of his two charges that night. His job had been to make sure that they had a good time and not get into any trouble. The first part had been easy, especially after Church had taken each aside and said something to them.

 

“I just lowered their inhibitions a little.” Church said innocently. Akira's hooded stare said that he didn't believe a word of it. Church's shit eating grin also told another story.

 

“Okay so I went a little over board with the lowering of inhibitions. No harm was done, right?”

 

“I know there was something else you said to them, the couldn't stay apart from each other the whole night, not even in the tattoo parlor.”

 

“Yeah, I made it so that they only had eyes for each other.”

 

“This is a dangerous game you're playing…”

 

“Oh, c'mon! I'm just doing what I think is right. Those two are going to have it rough when they go home, I'm just setting the boy up with something good for the long road. Something I wish one of the others had done for me when I was fresh.”

 

“They won't like it if they ever find out what you did.”

 

“They won't figure it out, and you won't tell them anything. You know its for the best. Besides, they've got the rest of their lives ahead of them, might as well get them jump started with each other, right? You're going to set them up like normal?”

 

“Yeah, I am.”

 

“Good, I've got to get going if I'm going to beat the morning's light. Any suggestion that I put in their heads will have worn off when they wake up. Have fun.”

 

“Church you utter bastard.”