Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Prayer ❯ Last Resort ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Dark Prayer

By X-Zero

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2. Please don't sue me, I don't have any money.

Chapter One- Last Resort

The day hadn't been going well for him, okay more than any other day. Ranma jumped from the ground just a before the ground he was standing on became a crater, "You feelin' okay P-Chan? You don't usually suck this much." He taunted, barely managing to avoid a quick barrage of striped bandanas, a shallow cut on his arm the price paid for his hasty evasion.

"Damn you Ranma stay still and DIE!" He shouted with his battle aura blooming outward as an onslaught of painful and despairing memories assaulted him. "Perfect Shi Shi Hokodan!" Ryoga screamed as the blast went soaring at Ranma.

"Shit!" The pigtailed martial artist called out, eyes widening as he pushed himself harder, hastily gathering his aura between cupped palms. Ranma Saotome NEVER loses! His confidence in this truth caused the brilliant ball of blue plasma to grow, swelling with pride. "Mouko Takabisha!" He watched his blast soar at the green ovoid and despaired slightly, it wasn't enough, his energy levels were dangerously low, and he doubted he could manage another one, not that it would matter. That's it, and with the last bit of auxiliary energy he could muster, the world slowed considerably, his entire form encompassed in the speed technique, the name of which he could not recall. Defeat meant death and that wasn't an option. He knew that last ditch blast wouldn't stop Ryoga's hatred, it wouldn't work. As the blast raced toward him, crashing through his own with ease he set things into motion. <Just a little more.> He drew everything he could from his surroundings, allowing the cold of the soul of ice to condense into a swirling orb within his left hand, the temperature around him dropped rapidly as his unique version of cold rage took over, the orb still bleeding off an awful cold. He concentrated harder than ever before, pulling the last of the icy energy generated by the technique into the sphere; he thrust his arms forward, carefully directing the frozen orb with supreme mental exertion.

In real-time, Ryoga saw something wrong as the air around Ranma seemed to freeze and draw inward, swirling into him. The cold reaching him he felt something wrong, the energy in the air turned cold, biting him slightly, but just as soon as it happened, he felt the cold draw away from him and into the orb held tightly in his opponent's hands. He panicked as he heard the cry, and tried to brace himself for this attack, as he knew that worse than anything else was a cornered and wounded animal, and Ranma shared currently the feral look of a hunting cat.

"Retsu-hi!" Gathered chi in one hand he drew back his fist, waiting for the swirling ovoid death to come within range. There. He threw out his arm with a corkscrew punch, and his fist struck the sickly colored ki blast. The blast seemed to halt at that, as the cold chi enveloped the hot internal energies and stripped them, the blast heating up, and with it, pulling that last bits of the fanged berserker's attack with it, rocketing quickly toward the originator of the first.
The hastily conceived plan succeeded, and the blast flew true, rocketing into Ryoga with the power of both his and Ranma's blasts, the ground beneath him, exploding as well, sending bits of shrapnel into the air, and more importantly, into the bandana-clad boy. Ranma was tired, and damn near spent from his tiring day, a fight with each of his rivals, and a not-so-brisk run through the district due to a misunderstanding. His last enemy defeated he sagged to the ground, exhausted. He would return home when he had recovered enough wind to walk, he thought, well he was wrong. As he lay there bleeding, with closed eyes, he heard a sound that heralded pain. "Ranma! Stop picking on Ryoga!" He felt the air part beneath the mallet's head, and then the sharp pain, and taste of copper in his mouth as he bit into his lip, then nothingness, sweet nothingness.

Dreams: They are the revitalizing part of our sleep, allowing our mind to catch up to us. Some even see them as glimpses into either the future, or even perhaps, into other worlds. Ranma's were no different, except that they afforded him no respite from the agonizing life he lived. He watched the surrealness of his unconsciousness turned to dreams, and later from dreaming into seeing. He had awaked some time the next day he figured, as the painful brightness of the sun came down through his window. A few extra bruises had been added to those he gained from the day before. He lay there on the futon for what must have been hours, he couldn't truly tell, his body had shut down so he could heal himself in preparation for the next time he would sleep, and thus was unable to move. He stewed in his own thoughts as the muscle and bone returned to normal. Mind that the bandages around him suggested Tofu, and he could only thank the doctor silently as his body was healing correctly. Sometime though, as the sun was setting, he slipped back into the land of dreams, one he would not remember.

Later that night, a figure stood in the doorway to the Tendo's guest room. She was quite obviously a she, despite her deep black cloak, sighed longingly as she looked down on the peaceful martial artist, who she could tell from the increasing ki flow through his form, was truly who she suspected. Discarding that train of thought, she walked over to him, and placed quickly beside him a small device, and a note, she hoped that this small gift would help him unleash his true potential. She slipped out the same way she had come, down through the house and out the kitchen door. Going unnoticed by the sleeping family.

Ranma thought to himself as the morning brought forth a whole new trial. Ranma awoke before his father, still stiff from his injuries, but with a bit of exercise he'd loosen up. Laying still for a moment allowed his body to settle slightly, the stiffness dulling. He rolled to his side and arched an eyebrow, seeing a small device laid right next to him. He then noticed the card that sat atop it, his name written in beautiful calligraphic letters.

'Dear Ranma,
I have been watching your trials since before your battle with the Phoenix,
during the times ahead the music on this device will help you greatly in finding your
focus. Call out the name of your opponent and a suitable playlist will activate on the
device, the battery will recharge itself if shut off for 3 hours. In case you were worried
the case is waterproof and made of a special alloy. Nothing short of another battle with
the phoenix Saffron will destroy it, so there is no reason to worry about waters'
particularly strange attraction to you, or your unique tendency to find trouble.

Sincerely,
A Friend'

He read it and gave the idea a thought. <Pops always did say that to fight well one must have a rhythm.> His smirk turned into a mischievous grin as he stuffed the small device into his roll of clothes. <Can't let pop get a hold of this.> He gathered up the roll of clothing and headed for the bath. He scrubbed off, shivering slightly as the cold water caused a tingle, and the odd sensation of turning into a female. He strode silently to the furo, and climbed in, feeling the same tingle, signifying his return to the gender of his birth. Resting in the furo he found time to think about the previous day. Everyone and his grandfather who could possibly have a problem with Ranma had managed to find him, everyone. Though most weren't much challenge, the few who were really taxed his energy, and when it came down to Ryoga he knew he shouldn't have won, but he did. Shaking his head he stood up and dried off, there was no time for such thoughts. He dressed quickly and went downstairs, remembering to tuck the device into his pockets and place the earphones into his ears, he'd give this a try, maybe he could even manage to incorporate music, another of his life's loves into his fighting style.

Breakfast was its usual thing, Nabiki grumbling something about the sun, Kasumi humming softly to herself, unknowing brightening the pigtailed boy's morning along with her song, Tendo-san buried behind a newspaper, only the clicking of his chopsticks to attest to his eat. The panda trying desperately to steal his breakfast and failing in its attempts. Akane shot murderous glances at her unwanted fiancée. Like previously mentioned, the breakfast was for the most-part silent, also as usual the meal remained uneventful. Until the inevitably mumbled, "Uncute tomboy." Grumbled as Ranma's thoughts were expressed under his breath as he ate, Akane's eye twitched violently as her anger began to visibly roll off her in waves, "Jerk!!!" Her words were very loudly punctuated by a devastating, glowing mallet.

Ranma soared through the air, only annoyed by the blow, sure it would be fatal, at least, to a normal person, and as everyone in Nerima knew, you could not truthfully associate Saotome Ranma and normal. He began to worry about how things were progressing as he flew through the air, his ascent not yet complete, and every day the challengers, fiancées, and otherwise deranged martial artists were increasing in number. Even now, a year after the disaster that was known now only as the "wedding incident" things hadn't seemed to calm, in fact they were steadily getting worse. He felt himself reach the peak of his ascent, and returned his thoughts to more pressing matters, avoiding Rapid Deceleration Syndrome. With expertise born of much practice he began to angle his descent, spreading his limbs to slow himself as much as possible. As he looked down from his position he noticed that at least he wouldn't be late for school.
He smiled bitterly at that thought, school, the place he hated most, (well it was only slightly worse than home, after all, at home he didn't have to deal with the Blue Blunder) had become his only refuge, the only place where he could sleep undisturbed. He landed nimbly, not even kicking up dust as he flared his ki at the last moment beneath him, slowing himself dramatically. On the upside to all this, he had become far stronger, all the challenges and fights, and general narrow escapes from death had increased his ki reserves, as well as strength and endurance, which all mixed well with his impressive speed.

Being as Kuno had yet to appear he counted his blessings...

"Halt! Foul sorcerer, prepare to release the beauteous Akane and virtuous Pigtailed Girl from thy base debauchery. I will smite thee. That the fair maidens will be free to shower my righteous self with the affections a being of my noble birth doth deserve." Apparently he had started counting too soon. He grinned, deciding that since he was early he would try out this music thingy that the "friend" sent him. Kuno ranting away as he reached into his pocket and pressed the power button hearing the thing come to life with a dull hum from the earphones. He adjusted calmly the wireless earpieces that coiled around his ear as if they had been made to fit only him. He slid into a neutral and called out one word.

"... With this blade I will fell you vile magician, be ye cast back into the abyss from whence ye came." Kuno called out charging our pigtailed hero, his katana glowing orange. He was halfway at Ranma when the pigtailed martial artist said something he couldn't hear.

"Kuno." Music began pouring into his head, and then Kuno's blade fell, and just as suddenly Ranma was, well, not there. He had leapt back, rebounding off the wall, and unsurprisingly to the few students there, it collapsed under the enormous air pressure from Kuno's strike. He smirked, Kuno had gotten much better since the failed wedding, much better, almost a challenge. He smirked, this song was great, energy poured into every cell of his being. He understood, the music, it brought a sort of clarity that he'd never imagined.

"Alright Kuno, this time it's for keeps." Ranma said, his aura flaring about him, and than shrunk back into him, until golden arcs of electricity jumped randomly across his glowing form. His actions shocked a few of the students with his display of power that wasn't considered by the general populace to be Ranma's style. Some started placing the last bets before the Ice Queen's factors closed the pools, their sempai watching things from her usual window, apparently having come to school just after Ranma had been air-mailed here.

Kuno smirked in a way only a delusional Shakespearian reject could. "I shall see thyne end demon!" With that declaration he charged, bringing the glowing sword in a slash from an upper attitude, only to miss as Ranma dodged by inches, and raised a single hand as swayed back into an upright position to slap the idiot's blade outward with his middle and index fingers, widening the holes in Kuno's guard enough for him to drive a truck through. Ranma slid his arm down the flat of the blade, keeping the fools guard open for the few more seconds necessary to slap Kuno across the face. The shock from the outright insult to his skill gave the pigtailed fighter enough time to bury what looked to be one slow punch to the gut, but the trained eyes of the crowd saw how Kuno expelled breath more than a few times, telling of a number of rabbit punches. Kuno bent slightly, his eyes bugged out and he slumped to his knees groaning in pain. The indication that something was wrong only came to Ranma when Kuno suddenly leapt up and forward, his voice booming over even his music. "Tenmou!" The kendoist's blade rolled in his hand, switching it quickly to a reverse grip as he leapt forward toward the Saotome heir, and followed up with another switched grip, falling toward his foe that was in mid dodge. The next blow sent the orange hue surrounding his blade outward, a blade of ki hurtling toward Ranma.

Ranma's eyes widened as he saw the blade coming, he knew he wouldn't escape without pain, but he could lessen the damage. He jumped back, and winced as he felt the blade climb up his chest, ruining his shirt with both the rip and the line of blood that would seep into the silken garment. He was leaping back when he saw the second half of Kuno's technique, <Nice form.> He thought to himself as he watched the orange glow rip away from the blade sliding through the air toward him. <Humph, loser.> He snorted as he gathered some energy and crossed his arms. The blade of ki reached him and exploded against his arms and sent him flying backward from the shockwave. He landed in a modified jinga, his stance shifting in a swaying motion his feet only swaying minorly, and his annoyance with Kuno rising steadily. He finally noticed that this fight had reduced his shirt to nothingness, his mind drifting momentarily toward Kasumi, who had spent hours fixing this shirt, maintaining it because she knew it was his favorite. He snapped then his mind lulled into harmony with the fight, his cold rage taking over, his form kept swaying slightly with the beat, flowing back and forth as the demented swordsman charged him. His rocking motion immediately became something serious as he started dodging the rapid fire sword thrusts. He ducked, dodged, flipped and at some points he even parried the blows, smiling evilly all the way, the song echoing throughout his mind.

As the song reached its peak his normally cocky grin faded, replaced by a more feral smirk. "Time to end this." His pace increased and he blurred from sight long enough for several loud crashes to be heard as Kuno was thrown around by something none of the other students could see. From a third floor window Nabiki looked on with not a little bit of confusion, not that it could show mind you. *He looks like he's moving in the Amaguriken, except, his whole body is moving that fast.* Little did any of the others know that her thoughts were reflected by the ones Cologne was having at that very moment, standing as she was atop a building across the street. *Son-in-law is much stronger than he has been letting on, he must be brought into the tribe at any cost.*

"Nothing's al---right!" Ranma yelled, going with the flow of the song as it ended, the song ended and Kuno was laid out, and in a strangely contorted heap. "Sleep mode." He smirked as he continued on into the school, catching the article of clothing in one hand over his head. He looked up to see a nodding Nabiki looking down on him before turning back into the school.

A figure stood atop the school, shadowed by the clock. "He is almost ready, soon, very soon." With that the figure disappeared into the shadows once again.

To Be Continued…

Techniques Translation:
Retsu-hi: It means Cold fire.
Tenmou: It means Divine Judgment