Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Umbra Aureola ❯ Chapter 01 - Shadowy Figure ( Chapter 1 )

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

CHAPTER I : A SHADOWY FIGURE



It was a normal day in Nerima. The sun rose in the east shining its rays down upon the district of Tokyo. Normal of course, is not a word that was usually associated with Nerima, a district known for not only the greatest collection of martial artists in the world, but also the single weirdest collection of martial artists in the world. Yet, normal is a relative term. That is to say, for Nerima the events that had thus far on this day occurred were perfectly normal. Where in almost any other area the folk would probably have declared the end was coming.

Though the day was normal, at least normal for Nerima, it certainly was not a good day. At least it wasn't very good if you happened to be a young, good looking female. Most especially if you happened to be a young, good looking female on the street. A fact perpetuated by a wee little troll that was currently on patrol of the grand city streets. A patrol that is, to liberate women's unmentionables.

Happosai let out a sigh of contentment as he loosed a pure, white, cotton bra from the lush rolling hills of a young maiden. His sacred quest to free all such garments from tyranny was not an easy one, but it did bring a good deal of satisfaction. Caught is his reverie of his art Happosai side stepped a harshly swung broom, whose end exploded with a cloud of dust upon impact with the ground. Having avoided the attack Happosai dashed forward to his next acquisition. "What a haul, what a haul!" The perverted little demon sung out as he went about his work.

"Die you little monster!" Yelled a woman filled with indignant fury. Swinging around her blunt implement of doom with a fury only a woman scorned could muster the woman attempted to smash the perverted master into paste.

"Got you, you little monster." Another one yelled slamming down a mallet directly where the master would be when it landed.

There was no such luck though Happosai paused just enough for the mallet to miss. Then hardly slowed in the least the little troll hopped onto the mallet and ran up the mallet's shaft as fast as his little feet could carry him. A small jump right before he reached the beautiful girl's arms planted him firmly in her bosom. Once there Happosai luxuriated in the feel of her soft, warm breasts.

"Get it off, get it off!" The girl screamed in panic.

A monstrously fast grope and a mind boggling theft of her bra directly off her clothed body later and Happosai was off again on his quest. The demented little man easily danced around the instruments of female ire as more righteous warriors joined the pervert smashing quest. The increased ferocity only seemed to goad the creature on further as Happosai's dodged amongst the rain of blows practically glowing with happiness of having the attention of so many girls. His dance only paused for an instant when the old master spotted a particularly wondrous silky darling. "Sweeto!" The old man yelled blurring forward.

Well ahead of the growing mob of angry women Ranma paused upon a wire linked fence. A familiar sound tickled the pigtailed martial artist's ears. Ranma frowned thoughtfully for a few short moments. Then deciding it was none of his concern, Ranma continued nonchalantly on his path. Dealing with this kind of junk was just not worth being late for school. Several months of attempts to stop the old freak had only proven to Ranma that it was a waste of time.

"Sounds like the old freak is at it again," Ranma said conversationally to his grounded companion.

"Doesn't he ever give up?" Akane put in with subdued distaste. This was quite unlike Akane's normal reaction to perverted activity. Apparently having lived with the old troll for several months had left Akane as jaded to such activity as Ranma.

"Heh," Ranma let out a short laugh. "The old freak will never stop. He's like an addict... Damn the freak is coming this way." Ranma said shifting slightly with annoyance as he heard the sounds of Happosai's approach.

True to Ranma's senses the troll rounded the corner at neck breaking speeds. The diminutive figure caught sight of the two instantly. Bouncing off a wall Happosai adjusted his trajectory in the blink of an eye. Closing in like a troll shaped lightning bolt the old master zoned in on his favorite girl in all of Nerima. Happosai's eyes shimmered with tears as he leapt toward Akane his bag of woman's lingerie trailing behind him. "Akane!" The perverted master yelled out in glee as his body traveled in its low arc.

Ranma may have given up on stopping Happosai, but groping Akane was still clearly well past the line. Leaping off the fence Ranma landed with expert timing, his two feet firmly implanted themselves on Happosai's head. The impact stilled the two's movement in the air, where upon the forces of gravity immediately took command. Exactly as planned the two dropped to the earth, with Ranma adding the weight of his squatting body to the old man's head first impact with the ground.

Eyeing the troll with a look of curiosity and distaste Ranma asked, "What exactly do you think you are doing?"

Happosai reached up and swept away a tear from his shimmering, puppy dog eyes with a finger. Letting out a sniff of sadness as if he were about to burst into tears Happosai said, "Can't an old man greet the daughter of his student?"

Ranma and Akane answered this declaration as one. "You expect us to believe that!" The two took the liberty to add a welt to the old master's head for his feeble effort at an excuse.

Happosai sniffed again tears leaking from his eyes. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Let me think..." Ranma said his voice portraying the fact that coming up with a few examples wasn't going to be all that hard.

Akane looked around worriedly. They were already cutting it close as it was. If they wasted anymore time they were going to be late for class. "Come on Ranma, we are going to be late."

Ranma looked at Happosai, and then at Akane. Before him stood a difficult choice. He could go to school and enjoy the rare pleasure of arriving on time, or he could beat the old freak senseless. It was an intense dilemma, each option having their own advantages. Ranma for one was all for making the freak pay his dues for all the trouble that Happosai had caused. On the other hand Hinako wasn't exactly the kind of teacher you would want to discipline you.

The sound of approaching feminine fury made Ranma's decision for him. Past experience told Ranma that one way or another when a crowd of enraged women showed up, he was somehow going to be the person beaten to near death. Electing the path of strategic retreat Ranma bounced off of Happosai's head onto the fence, the force of the act digging the old man's face into the ground. Dashing along the high metal bar Ranma called back to Happosai. "See you around old freak!"

Happosai wobbled to his feet still recovering from Ranma's mistreatment of his old bones. "Ranma! How dare you treat your master with such disrespect!" The troll called out, his battle aura towering like a miasma of death.

Happosai's wrath was a terrible thing to behold and the old troll's mind was already cycling through the various implements of pain he could use upon his unruly student. Caught in his pondering of vengeance the old master missed the burning auras of pure anger that crackled in a bonfire like conflagration behind him until it was too late. Turning slowly Happosai took the sight of dozens of women standing tall their eyes glowing with an inner light and red anger ki pouring out of them like water. Gulping the perverted master managed to get out, "Pretty ladies..."

"Die!" Was the call of rage as they swarmed upon the diminutive master like a thousand ants onto an invading insect. Blunt weapons of every name shape and form descended upon Happosai, their speed and power fueled by weeks of pent up rage. Pain wracked Happosai's small form as the mob unleashed their wrath.

"This is for taking all my panties!" A woman yelled out in insane fury as she repeatedly smashed the old master with a mallet.

"How dare you touch me you little monster!" Another added stomping Happosai into the ground with her high heeled shoes.

"This is for making me chase you down!" A mop end whipped Happosai to another small group of women.

Happosai didn't know whether to cry out in pain or pleasure. Here was a group of beautiful girls devoting all their attention to lonely old him. Of course, it was a rather painful experience, but when you are a perverted old troll you have to take what you could get. This though was getting to be a bit too much. Even the grand-master of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts found that being smashed into a consistency remarkably similar to pudding hurt a tad. Happosai couldn't help but think this probably wasn't a healthy relationship.

"Pretty, ladies." Happosai croaked out before being smashed into the ground yet again with a broom.

One of the girls stopped attacking rubbing her shoulder. "Ah man, my arms sore. That's all for me for today."

Another smiled in return. "I know what you mean. I wonder if I can mark this down as exercise for my diet." She said thoughtfully.

The first waved the other good bye taking her leave. "I guess I will see you next time."

"Good day to you then." The second returned cheerfully before turning back to the little monster. As if an instant transformation swept over her the young girls face changed from its sweet angelic from into a twisted expression of pure vengeful ire. Hefting her mallet the girl swung yelling out her cry of anger as she did so. "Take that you evil little troll!"

Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. This even applied to the punishment of twisted old men. As such for various reasons be that weariness, prior engagement, or just plain boredom the crowd dispersed. The wrecked and broken old man was left on the ground. No quarter or mercy was given. Not even a single girl, no matter how sweet, even paused to consider taking Happosai to a clinic. Instead he was left on the ground like refuse, twisted up like a pretzel in the dirt, his body beaten and bruised.

Happosai was not the type to be so easily defeated. Having suffered this tragic fate hundreds of times at the hands of female mobs it was a simple matter of popping his joints, one at a time, back into position. Slowly standing up the old master produced a twig and started limping his way home using the little stick as a crutch.

Not far from the evil old master two individuals were also heading back to the Tendo Dojo. One was a fading martial artist and the other was Panda. Though Soun and Genma moved slowly, they out walked a limping knee high old man any day. So despite the old man's efforts the two came upon Happosai as he struggled back home.

Happosai didn't spare the two a glance. His worthless students wouldn't help him unless he threatened them, and possibly not even then. The Panda however, noticed the old master before he could limp his way into an ally. Caught with interest at seeing his master's state the Panda lifted up a sign that read, "Look, its the old master."

Soun's eyes followed the direction the Panda's paw was pointing and nodded wisely. "So it appears, Genma old friend."

The Panda lifted another sign. "He is in a weakened state."

Soun nodded again wisely and looked at the Panda. "Right you are, I wonder what we should do?"

The panda and the old martial artist stared at each other for a while. The gears in their head slowly turning as the slow mechanism spit out the answer. Then abruptly they reached the same conclusion even though no words were spoken. There was only one thing to do in such an opportunity. To take revenge for all the horrors the old master had inflicted upon them.

Soun and the Panda were upon Happosai in an instant stomping the demented old troll into the ground with as much force as they could muster. Once the troll stopped moving the two went to work. Quicker than the eye could see a set of chains and a box were procured from only the gods knows where. With the containment device prepared they tossed Happosai into the box and rapidly locked him up tight with the heavy steel chains.

With the old man safely sealed the Panda then pulled out a pen and scribbled some words on the box in what was, given it was a Panda, rather neat hand writing. The words spelled out, "To the Ross Ice Shelf, Express Delivery." Shoving the box into a nearby mailbox the two dusted off their hands and proceeded on their original quest.

Soun said with tears of happiness coming out of his eyes. "The Old Master is finally gone!"

The panda lifted up a sign that failed by any manner to convey his enthusiasm. "Yipee."

"I know, why don't we celebrate the occasion by drinking some of the Old Master's sake?"

"Good idea." Read the Panda's sign as they walked off into the distance.


****************


"Shampoo."

"Yes great-grandmother?" Shampoo replied.

"Delivery."

Shampoo grabbed the delivery box and headed to her bike at a quick pace. No sooner did she step out of the Neko Haten than did Shampoo spot a darkly cloaked figure in the ally way. The shape paid little attention as it upended a container of blood on itself. The dark shape was dressed in a now dripping long, dark cloak, the cowl pulled over the face so that it could not be seen. Leaning against the wall was a perfectly straight, but otherwise normal wooden stick. Almost as if in reaction to Shampoo's presence the figure grasped the staff even though it had yet to see the girl. Slowly the shape turned pulling its body straight with absolute with assurance as it turned to face the girl.

Shampoo wrinkled her nose at the disgusting smell that wafted off the man like a visible wave. The dark cloaked individual smelled of rotting flesh. Flies gathered around the man in a thick cloud laying down all over the cloak attracted to the terrible stench. Given what Shampoo had just seen she wasn't particularly surprised by this.

The figure looked at her and spoke with a cold, hard, masculine voice. "Is this the Neko Haten?"

Shampoo looked at the figure like one would a bug. "You no go in while you stink. Especially not while you dripping blood." She said in broken Japanese.

The figure laughed under his cloak. "You are not very bright are you?" the voice said with amusement. Shampoo could almost see him grinning, a very evil looking grin at that.

Shampoo lifted up one of her bon bori and pointed it at him, "You stupid if you mess with Chinese Amazon."

"Shampoo continue with your delivery now!" The Amazon Matriarch said as she hopped into the scene with her withered, misshapen stick. Her staff was of course twice her height or roughly half the height of the stranger's staff.

"Yes honored Elder." Shampoo said turning to continue her rudely interrupted work, but not before she gave the man in the cloak an angry glare. She didn't know what business Cologne had with the disgusting man, but she certainly hoped her grandmother pounded him like he deserved.

The cloaked figure eyed Cologne with amusement as she looked at him through her old eyes. Cologne spoke first, "What manner of demon are you?" She said her eyes narrowing on the figure before her. Cologne could easily sense a very powerful, perverted and twisted ki before her of similar power to Herb's, if not greater. This was the reason she had sent Shampoo on her way. Her eyes though switched to shock as she recognized the person standing before her. "You!"

The figure quirked his lips in an evil grin. "Yes," He said slowly purposely drawing out the conversation, "It is indeed me."

"I would never have thought the likes of you would sell your soul to a demon!" spoke Cologne angrily. She had readied herself for battle on the moment she felt his presence. Her position now slipped into a position for assault.

"Yes, I suppose I did in a manner of speaking." The figure laughed at his own words. "But, what I did was so much more, oh so very so much more." Power crackled in the man's open hand, a twisting, black, demonic lightning. The man's eyes continued to laugh at her carrying the same evil glee that his grin spoke of.

For an instant his face took on a more serious feature and almost, one dare say, friendly demeanor. "I came for the book of darkness."

Cologne's eyes narrowed as she recognized the object he spoke of. Her senses however, were tangling with a mystery. Something was odd, very odd about his aura, but she couldn't at this moment place it. All she could sense was dark ki, darker than any ki she had ever sensed before in her life. It boiled around the figure like a dark cloud trapped in a enclosure far too small to hold it. "I cannot let you have it." She said failing to find the answer to the riddle before her.

"I didn't say I was giving you a choice." The evil voice said. As he spoke the man's enormous ki vanished. The cloud of darkness swallowed into his body as if it where sucked inside. Only Cologne's expert battle sense could find the puny spark of darkness that remained. Then abruptly he vanished just as suddenly as had his ki signature. Cologne almost didn't feel the tiny spark reappear instantly behind her instead of in front.

Cologne twirled swiftly, and for a century old chinese ghoul she surprisingly moved as fast or possibly even faster than Ranma himself could. Her shock at the act, however slowed her all that was necessary. "Impossible!" She said as a staff crackling with power sent her into the darkness.


***************


"Ring! Ring" Came the sound of a bell.

Ranma reflexively cringed upon hearing the sound. "Great, just who I wanted to deal with." Ranma muttered under his breath. Couldn't Shampoo at least bother to show up while Akane wasn't around? It was as if the universe itself conspired to give Ranma the maximum possible dose of pain.

"Ni hao Ranma!" Shampoo yelled her bike soaring through the air. Normally, while on top of a fence there was no need to worry about being run over. Shampoo somehow managed to ignore this convention and was able to plant her front tire cleanly into Ranma's distraught face. If Akane hadn't seen this a dozen times before she might have admired the incredible balance such a feat required. Instead her only reaction was to glare at the amazon that had interrupted her time with Ranma.

With a skill born of desperation and lots and lots of practice Ranma managed to pull himself out of under the bike and get his feet firmly on the ground. Twisting his neck back and forth until it moved how it was supposed to Ranma gave Shampoo a leery welcome. "Hey Shampoo, what do you want?"

"Ranma come with Shampoo, yes?" Shampoo declared as she attached herself to Ranma's arm and attempted to drag the pigtailed martial artist in the desired direction. Ranma did not look in the least like he was enjoying having a beautiful woman tugging at his arm.

"Ranma is not going on a date with you!" Akane yelled in rage breaking the contact between the two by smashing Ranma's head into the ground with her book bag.

Ranma pulled himself off the ground a second time in a short span. Rubbing the back of his head Ranma muttered, "What did you do that for?"

"What? You want to go on a date with her!" Akane said annoyed.

"Ranma no go on date." Shampoo said.

"Exactly," Ranma said nodding in agreement. "Hey, wait did you say we aren't going on a date?"

"Are you feeling alright?" Akane said suddenly concerned. Something had to be wrong with Shampoo if she didn't want a date with Ranma.

"If Ranma wants to go on date with Shampoo, Shampoo happy to. First though need to see great grandmother."

"Wait, what does the old ghoul have to do with anything?" Ranma asked.

"Ranma is not going on a date with you." Akane said with finality. "And why should he see Cologne?"

"Violent woman have no say in the matter." Shampoo said in response to the first statement. "No time, great grandmother get hurt." Shampoo said insistently pulling on Ranma's arm.

"The old ghoul?" Ranma said in surprise. He had a hard time imagining anything that could hurt the old ghoul.

"Yes, man in dark cloak beat her.".

"Someone defeated her?" Akane said. "Is she okay?"

Ranma scratched his head thoughtfully. "Who is the lucky guy and when are you sending the invitations?"

"I don't know Ranma she seems pretty worried." Akane said seriously.

"Well I suppose we should look into it." Ranma said following the purple haired amazon as she dragged them in the direction of the Neko Haten.

It was a short jaunt to the Neko Haten and Shampoo seemed a little too bothered for a conversation so the three covered the ground silently. Immediately on entering the Neko Haten the three saw Cologne approaching to meet with them. Ranma instantly noted that Cologne had already recovered from the attack and further showed no signs of injury. This was a good in Ranma's book, because anything that put Cologne down for a good while was extremely dangerous. Then again anything that could put Cologne down at all was dangerous.

Shampoo knelt next the old woman and asked sincerely. "You okay great grandmother?"

"I am fine child. He caught me by surprise that is all." Cologne said from on top of her staff. "I see that you brought son-in-law." Cologne said with some approval.

"So when are we going to get the invitations?" Ranma joked.

Cologne clonked Ranma on the head with her staff. "This is no laughing matter son-in-law. This one is more dangerous than you can possibly imagine." Cologne said narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. "Besides, that law doesn't apply to elders."

"Heh, he can't be much better than Saffron!" Ranma said in his normal overconfident way.

"Perhaps you are right, but it isn't his combat prowess that I am concerned about." Cologne said considering her words. "I will not discuss it today, I have important matters I need to look into. I suggest you head home for now." With that Cologne hopped away into the back of the store.

Ranma shrugged, "Well I guess she's okay."

Shampoo nodded relieved that there was no real cause to worry. "Ranma go on date with Shampoo now."

"What? No!" Ranma shouted out before Akane could find a cause to attack him again.

"Ranma we are leaving." Akane announced grabbing Ranma by the pigtail and walking forward pulling the martial artist behind her.

"Aack! I'm coming, I'm coming so let go Akane!" Ranma said trying to escape Akane's grasp.


*********************


The cloaked figure stood on the roof, his cloak billowing in the wind. With an evil grin he overlooked the city, his playground and there was no one that could stop him. "Mwhahahahaha!" The man let out an evil laugh the echoed through the air.

"Whhhhssssshhhhhhh! Waaaaa! Thunk! Ouch!" A particularly strong gust dragged the man off the second story roof dumping him head first on the ground. Standing up the cloaked man rubbed the back of his head where a welt was growing. Thoughtfully the man reminded himself that standing on roofs with a cloak during heavy wind was not a good idea.

"Are you okay?" Kasumi said with concern while looking out through the kitchen window.

Waves of peace and harmony rolled off the girl like the ocean tide coming in. The cloaked figure found the strange feeling invading his being. "I am quite fine thank you." He said pleasantly. "Is that food I smell?" He asked the smell making a bit of droll escape.

"Why yes, you may have some if you would like. I just love to have guests." Kasumi said politely.

"Thanks!" The dark cloaked man dug into the food with hunger born of days of starvation. It was ridiculously hard to get a good meal when wearing a stinking blood soaked cloak. The fact that he had covered a lot of ground far away from civilization hadn't helped in the least.

Seeing the sheer amount that he had managed to eat the figure paused. "My apologies, it appears I have devoured most of the meal. Allow me to repay you for this slight."

"Oh there is no need for that." Kasumi said waving the man off.

"No I must insist. Assuredly you were making this fine meal for your family and now they will be left without anything to eat. What kind of man would I be to leave the situations as it is?" The figure paused as it considered the situation carefully. "Here, this should cover the cost of the meal." He said handing her a wad of cash.

"That is very kind of you, sir." Kasumi said politely in return.

The man bowed in return. "It is a minor token of my appreciation." He then looked a bit embarrassed. "If I may ask...?" He said gesturing his head towards the food again.

Kasumi nodded in return. "Of course you may have some more."

The man returned to eating this time at a much slower pace enjoying the exquisite flavor of each and ever single bite. Smiling at the man's obvious enjoyment of her meal Kasumi left humming a happy tune. Really he was such a nice young man. He had given her more than enough to buy dinner for tonight. She must remember to offer to clean that cloak though. It gave him such a menacing demeanor and she would hate to see the poor guy misrepresented. Kasumi stopped and pondered for a moment. Could he be one of Ranma's friends?