Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Polarity ❯ Particle Decay ( Chapter 14 )

Setsuna once more looked into Makoto's bedroom and saw that Ranma still held vigil. It had been over a day since the battle with Famine and the girl had yet to awaken. Ranma, feeling guilty about letting her take a killing blow meant for him, had stayed by her side ever since. Not eating, not sleeping, just sitting there, a look of worry and concentration on his face.

 

Hotaru had tended to Makoto's physical wounds easily, but the brunette seemed to have fallen into a coma of some kind. It wasn't until Ranma had used his senses deeply on the girl did they know the truth. Makoto's ki had been poisoned, and there was almost nothing they could do about it.

 

While repairs were made to the Outer's home Setsuna and Hotaru had camped out in Makoto's living room, primarily to keep an eye on the downed Senshi, but also to monitor Ranma.

 

Having heard the story of Mount Phoenix they knew that right now was a fragile time for Ranma. He had just walked away from the first girl he had admitted he loved and had met a girl that shared a connection of love from another time and place. In both cases his affections had been torn from him, but this time it was before he was even sure about where he stood.

 

Sighing to herself she started to close the door again when Ranma spoke up, his voice tired and resigned.

 

“I can't do anything else for her,” he said. “I've tried infusing clean ki into her, flushing her system, but it didn't hold. I haven't had enough time studying ki healing to do any more. And there are only two, maybe three people that can help now.”

 

His eyes hardened, “I have to go back to Nerima.”

 

 

Polarity

By Seth

Chapter 14

Particle Decay

 

Note: Ranma and Sailor Moon are owned by their respective creators and distributors. I use them without permission or gain, but with respect to the work done before me.

 

 

Shampoo stood before the door to the basement of the Cat Café but no matter how hard she knocked or how many times she called out her Great Grandmother would not open the door. The Elder had returned from hunting down Ranma and had brushed past the warrior girl, sequestering herself in the lower level of the building. Shampoo had not even been able to find out if Cologne had found her wayward husband or not.

 

Mousse had been, as usual, less then useless. He had even gone so far as to rejoice at Ranma's disappearance and had attempted to once more woo Shampoo. He had also met with typical failure, and a skillet to the head.

 

Between her own lack of success, Mousse's ineptitude, her Great Grandmother's enigmatic behavior, and Nabiki's suddenly closed lips Shampoo was at her wits end.

 

The blue haired beauty once more pounded on the basement door with her considerable strength. After a few minutes of this the door whipped open and disheveled Cologne stood there, glaring at her young relative.

 

The Amazon Matriarch barked out, “What?!”

 

“You find husband? Where is Ranma?”

 

“I'm busy,” Cologne said with a sigh, “go bother Mousse or something. I'm sure he'd like it.”

 

“But we need to find Ranma now! He break from family, and it chance to finally bring husband home.”

 

Cologne pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, “I'm not so sure that's a path we can take anymore.” At Shampoo's confused look she clarified, “I discovered something while I was out. Something that should not be. But if it is it will change everything. Now please be quiet and let me work. We need to know for sure.”

 

With that the old woman slammed the door closed again before Shampoo could protest. Behind the closed door Cologne let out a long sigh and hopped back down the stairs, heading back to the massive pile of scrolls that she had been going over ever since her return to Nerima.

 

And answer was in them, it just had to be. Somehow she had missed something.

 

One should not see the rebirth of the progenitor of the Amazon tribe without a little warning.

 

Right?

 

**********

 

“Do you really have to go back,” asked Hotaru as Ranma pulled his slippers on at the door.

 

The boy sighed and looked over at the young girl, “I don't have a choice. Even if I didn't know Jupiter…Makoto at all I'd still go back. She got hurt because of me, and the only way to help her is in Nerima. I know it'll be risky, but I have to do this. I have to find out what she meant to me, and what she may mean to me.”

 

Setsuna walked into the foyer at that moment and picked up her own shoes, “Ami is coming over to help you look after Makoto. I'll be going with Ranma to ensure that he makes it back in one piece.”

 

“No,” cut in Ranma, “it's too dangerous. I'm hoping I don't have to, but if I need to talk to the old ghoul then there may be a fight. I don't know how good you are, but I'm betting that she's a little out of your league.”

 

Setsuna smiled lightly, “There is more then one way to fight, Ranma.” She stepped back around the corner and suddenly the front door opened revealing her already outside, “Are you coming or not?”

 

Ranma blinked, and blinked again.

 

Turning he saw Hotaru giggling into her hands and the young girl gave him a shrug and a lopsided smile. The boy got the impression that Setsuna did this often and hung his head in defeat.

 

“Fine,” he grumbled, “but if I tell you to run, you run like hell. Are we clear?”

 

“Crystal,” the Time Guardian said as she let him pass and closed the door behind him. In moments they were in a simple sedan and were working their way through traffic in Tokyo. Ranma seldom traveled by car, but weaving between other cars he could almost feel the flow of battle even here on the road. To him it was just another form of the Art, and the only thing distracting him from worrying about the downed Sailor Jupiter.

 

While driving Setsuna took in his silence and knew that he was not entirely with her. She was tempted to let him be with his thoughts, but knew that in the long run it would be detrimental. She took a page from her Princess and decided that the boy would need someone to talk to about the difficult things.

 

She asked simply, “How are you doing?”

 

Ranma looked up and spoke softly, “I honestly don't know. A week ago I was just trying to get by. I was dodging rivals and fiancées' and barely holding on to my sanity. Now I've had someone else's life shoved sideways into my head, but it's my own life too, and I'm still trying to hold on. Throw in the fact that there is a girl I've known for only a little bit and for years at the same time that I may or may not…like…and I just don't know. I don't know if I'm a reincarnated girl, a normal guy, or a giant freaking tiger. I need a chance to calm down and work it all out, but as always I don't get one because someone I may or may not have pissed off sometime in the past, or past life, decided that they would try and kill me, and she took the blow. Why did she do that? Why did she let herself get hit?”

 

Setsuna sighed, “Makoto has had a rough life too. That means that when she finds something good in her life she tries to hold on to it with all her strength and passion. When she found out about you and your past together, she probably didn't want to lose even the possibility of having your love again.”

 

Ranma was silent again after that, letting the weight of that statement sink in. He understood the concept, taking a hit for someone else was the most basic way of defending someone. But the idea that Makoto…Jupiter…whoever she was would be willing to risk herself, even sacrifice herself for him was such an odd idea.

 

He thought Akane felt that way about him, but that had turned out to be empty, like their relationship.

 

Ranma understood physical risk all too well, but risk of the heart was still something he had yet to fully grasp.

 

“She shouldn't have done that,” he said conclusively.

 

Setsuna shook her head slowly at the young man's dilemma. As much as she wanted to help him she knew that it was something he would have to work out for himself.

 

Sadly, he wouldn't have the time.

 

Soon enough they entered Nerima, and with only a few directions from Ranma they once more found themselves outside Doctor Tofu's clinic. It was less then a week since Ranma had bounded out to face War for the final time, but the magnitude of events and revelations made it seem like another lifetime, a concept with which Ranma was beginning to dislike.

 

After parking they made their way into the building, and Ranma stopped cold when he saw who was sitting at the typically unoccupied reception desk.

 

“Kasumi?”

 

“Hello Ranma,” the young woman smiled as she stood and stepped around the desk. Moving quickly she gathered Ranma into a quick hug and then released him. “How are you doing?”

 

“Um, fine. What are you doing here?”

 

Kasumi blushed lightly and said softly, “Ono was kind enough to offer me a place to stay after I moved out of the house. I'm repaying him by helping out at the office.”

 

Ranma blinked, and then smiled deeply at the young woman, “Good for you. But didn't you leave a little fast? It's only been a few days. Mister Tendo wouldn't just let you go like that, would he?”

 

Kasumi frowned, “Things are bad there, Ranma. Akane and Nabiki are still in shock, and so is your mother.” Ranma snorted at this, but Kasumi continued, “Our fathers are obsessed with getting you back. They're trying to figure out where you went so they can get back into Grandfather Happosai's good graces. I was tired of it all, so I left. I'm not even sure they've noticed yet.”

 

“So what is the old letch up to?”

 

“He's left Nerima,” Kasumi answered, “I think he is looking for something as well, just as you are.” She saw Setsuna behind the young man and asked, “Or have you found what you were looking for?”

 

“Maybe,” Ranma said, “but I don't know yet. It's part of why I'm here. Is the Doc in?”

 

Kasumi nodded and led then back into the clinic where they found Doctor Ono Tofu bent over a microscope. Laying her hand on the brown gi of the Doctor Kasumi got his attention.

 

“Ranma is back.”

 

Tofu took a deep breath at the touch, and his face turned a primal red, but he forced himself to focus and turned in his chair to see the young man and the woman with him.

 

“It's good to see you Ranma,” the Doctor said, “You caused quite a stir this week.”

 

“You have no idea, Doc,” Ranma said with a small smile. “I wish I could tell you everything, but that's not what I'm here for.” Tofu saw the young man's serious expression and nodded for him to continue. “While I was away I fought someone with pretty nasty powers. She was like that nut I fought here last week, really strong and able to throw special attacks around like confetti. She used some kind of dark life force to poison the ki flow in someone I know and I was hoping that you'd be able to help me figure out how to fix it.”

 

Kasumi lifted her hand off Tofu's shoulder and took a step back, allowing the young doctor a moment to concentrate and take the matter into consideration.

 

“How deep does the infection reach,” Tofu asked simply.

 

Ranma considered for a moment then answered, “It hasn't reached her heart yet, and it's staying out of her central ki pool for the moment. The problem is she got hit square in the back, and this dark ki is moving along her spine. I've tried everything I know, but I can only seem to slow it.

 

“No new negative energy is being introduced, right?” At Ranma's nod the doctor continued, “It must be corrupting her own ki as it grows.” Taking a deep breath and letting it out in a long sigh he sadly said, “You've probably done all I could do for her then. I know there are ways to stop something like this, but my control isn't good enough to do it.”

 

“The Ghoul and the Letch would though, wouldn't they?”

 

“More then likely.”

 

“Shit.”

 

**********

 

Shampoo looked up as the door opened and her mood instantly improved. In the doorway stood Ranma, and she threw herself at him in her customary greeting. But what happened next took her off guard.

 

With lightning reflexes Ranma caught one of her outstretched arms before she could latch on to him and twisted hard while shifting her momentum. Instantly she was on the ground, arm held painfully behind her as she let out a yelp of surprise. It was then that she felt Ranma's aura, a deep cold that she knew from experience meant that the young man was not fooling around.

 

“I don't have time for your crap today, Shampoo,” Ranma said calmly, “where is the old Ghoul.”

 

“I am here, Ranma No-clan.”

 

Ranma looked up, “So you heard?” He saw Cologne's solemn nod and continued, “I really don't want to hurt anyone, but I need your help. Are we going to have an issue here?”

 

“Answer me one thing,” cologne countered, “Ap'n ti mar'nok?”

 

Ranma blinked and looked at the old Matriarch in shock. Behind him Setsuna had just walked in and her eyes went wide as well. Ranma stood and released Shampoo who moved away quickly.

 

“Tal ap'n may'nok shal,” Ranma answered slowly, “How the hell do you know that, Granny?”

 

Behind him the Guardian of Time whispered, “I recognize the words from Polaris, but I don't understand them. What did she say?”

 

Loud enough for everyone to hear, Ranma answered, “She asked if I was keeping secrets. I answered that I keep my own secrets. I thought that I'd be the only one who knows that language anymore.”

 

“So it is true,” Cologne breathed and dropped off her staff, kneeling before Ranma. “Forgive me First One. I never knew it was you. Please forgive the trespasses of my people upon you.”

 

From where she sat on the floor Shampoo gaped, “What going on, Grandmother? Why you call Airen `First One'? Why he attack me?” She then looked up and saw the green haired mature woman with Ranma and let out a low growl, “Is new fiancé? Is new obstacle?”

 

Quickly Cologne smacked her descendent on the back of the head with her staff and snarled out, “Quiet, fool. If we do not tread lightly now it will mean the end of our tribe.” She turned back to Ranma, “Forgive her, First One. As for how I know those words, they are a language passed down to the Matriarchs of our tribe. Legend says that before we settled in the Jusenkyo valley we were a nomadic people. We were taught how to fight and survive by the First One, a warrior of great power that guided us away from the fall of our lost homeland.”

 

Ranma looked confused, but Setsuna began to see, “Of course, the Exodus.”

 

“The people we sent through the gate?” Setsuna nodded, answering Ranma's question. He continued, “So the Amazons are descended from the refugees of the Silver Millennium. But how do they know Polarian? All of them were on the front line with me…until I sent Amaza back to evacuate through the gate with the last of the Guard.”

 

“According to our legends, Amaza was the first Matriarch and our people named themselves after her later in history. She followed the ways of the First One, who guided her and taught her the ways of a warrior. Even I was unsure of this, until I saw the beast become a man, who became a woman, who became the General that started our way. You are the First One returned to us. The progenitor of our people.”

 

Ranma blinked, and blinked again absorbing this information. For several minutes he looked into empty space as Cologne continued to kneel before him, Shampoo looked up at him in wonder, and Setsuna looked at him with worry.

 

“Oh you have GOT to be shitting me,” Ranma said simply.

 

Setsuna blinked at the coarse response to the situation, but remembering Ranma's history she realized that his life was filled with such irony.

 

She said, “It seems that you are responsible for your own woes in this case, Ranma.” She had to fight hard to keep the smirk off her face when the young man glared at her. Turning her attention back to the prostrating Matriarch, Setsuna asked, “So what does this mean for Ranma now?”

 

Cologne shrugged, “I can't believe I'm saying this, but Ranma is by rights the ruler of the Amazons.”

 

“Aiya! I married to King of Amazons,” Shampoo exclaimed and sprung up to attempt to glomp onto Ranma again.

 

“KNOCK IT OFF!”

 

Ranma's shout rocked back the girl, and Shampoo saw that Cologne was also displeased with her at the moment. Considering carefully she realized that this Ranma had no remorse about cutting ties with his family, turning his back on Akane, and would most likely not react the way she had grown accustomed to.

 

She moved back and sat beside her Great Grandmother, waiting.

 

Ranma calmed himself and started again, “Putting aside all this bull, I came here for something a lot more important to me then your effing tribe right now. I have someone with ki poisoning, and it's beyond my ability to do anything about it. I really don't want to be in this damn town, but I don't have a choice if I want to save her. I need your help.”

 

Cologne took this in, as well as the no nonsense attitude that Ranma was sowing. It was still the hot headed martial artist she had come to respect over the last year, but there was more. There was a commanding presence in his eyes, and a depth that she had only seen in fighters that had been tested in war.

 

She knew that Ranma had many battles recently, including the one against the Lord of the Phoenix Tribe, but Ranma's eyes had seen more than that.

 

He had gone from a husband for Shampoo that would strengthen the family line to a true leader that was from the line of the closest thing that they had to a god. She had to act quickly now, no more putting off the inevitable.

 

Cautiously, she began, “Ki poisoning is a difficult matter, but I would be glad to aid you in this, on one condition. You must return to China with us now. We can not have someone as important to the tribe as you left in these foreign lands. Now that we know your heritage it is your duty to come home.”

 

“You are some piece of work, Old Ghoul,” Ranma growled. “Your willing to trade the life of an innocent for a little bit of pride. I outta rip you…”

 

He was stopped when Setsuna placed a hand on his shoulder, and the woman spoke softly, but with authority, “I'm afraid you have misinterpreted the situation, as well as your own history. Ranma can not go with you because he is in the service of the Heir of Serenity. Such oaths are immortal and supersede minor claims such as yours. Besides, since you are the descendants of the Royal Guard then your loyalty is to Serenity's heir as well.”

 

“I do not know who you are, little girl, but the laws of the Amazons are all that matter here. I will not…”

 

Cologne trailed of as Setsuna leveled her gaze at the old Matriarch. It was a gaze that carried with it the Guardian of Time's entire lifespan. From the rise and fall of the Silver Millennium through the march of ages. From the first dynasties of China into the great Roman Empire and beyond. The rise and fall of a hundred civilizations were seen by that gaze, and all of its intensity was focused on one obstinate woman.

 

Cologne may have been three hundred years old, but Setsuna had almost literally seen it all.

 

In a low and dangerous voice Setsuna said, “Be silent, child, and know your place. I am Major Domo to the line of the Queen, and you have let your ego grow too large. To say that your so called laws override the oaths of the Royal Guards is treason. I did not think you were so dishonorable from Ranma's description of you.”

 

This time it was Ranma who interrupted, “That's enough. I didn't come here to start a fight.” Setsuna nodded once, acknowledging his point and took a step back. The young man continued, “If you really want to pull that Amazon crap with me, then fine. If you'd rather see an innocent die then you can chase your rainbow all you want. I can find the Old Letch, at least knows when to knuckle up and get serious.”

 

With that he turned and marched out of the Cat Café, Setsuna a step behind him.

 

Cologne stood there, torn between fear of the green haired woman's stare and cold rage at Ranma's words.

 

“Treason? Dishonorable? How dare that boy,” she fumed. “Shampoo, come. This must be dealt with now.”

 

Shampoo looked worriedly at her elders, “What you meant Grandmother?”

 

“I have allowed myself to be far too lenient with the boy. I let the fact that he entertained me distract me away from the very foundation of our laws. And now those children insinuate that our history is false? It is time that Ranma learn why the Amazons are the strongest fighters in the world.”

 

**********

 

A block away Ranma turned and punched a wall hard, putting a hole in the cement with a spider web of cracks radiating outward.

 

“Damn it,” he growled, “She's more interested in her tribe's pride then doing the right thing. I should have known better.”

 

Setsuna put a hand on his shoulder, “I'm sorry, Ranma. You looked up to her as one of your teachers, but you knew that this was a long shot. We just have to hope that we can track down this Happosai.”

 

“Before Makoto dies,” Ranma finished. “This is all my fault. If only I'd been faster. If only I hadn't froze up like that. Damn it!” He punched the wall again, further breaking it as he tried to calm himself down.

 

“It is NOT your fault, soldier,” Setsuna said sternly. “Makoto acted to aid a teammate and friend, and there is no greater loyalty then that. Do not cheapen what she did by blaming yourself. Is that clear?”

 

Ranma took a deep breath and straightened up, turning to face the older Senshi, “Yes, Ma'am.” He took a moment to calm himself and then gave the senior Senshi a lopsided grin, “How come whenever I'm being an ass you girls fall back on my training voice from the Moon?”

 

“Because it works, Setsuna said simply and smiled back at him. “So, what is our next move?”

 

With another sigh Ranma said, “I guess we have to track down the Perv. Happosai is the only one who could help us now, but finding him is going to be hard if he really did skip town he's going to be a nightmare to track down.”

 

“Perhaps not.” At Raman's questioning glance Setsuna continued, “You forget, my old friend, that I am the Guardian of Time. The Gates should be able to find your Master Happosai.”

 

Ranma blinked, “The Gates? Oh, the Time Gate…damn memory. I still don't remember half of what happened on the Moon, and even that's messed up. You go ahead and check it out; I'll head back and try another ki treatment on Makoto. If I can keep slowing it down the freak shouldn't have too much trouble when he gets here. Just make sure you get me before you try and contact him, it'll be bad if you just go in by yourself.”

 

Setsuna nodded and, along with her car, vanished into a temporal knot. As the distortion faded away, Ranma suddenly had a creeping feeling that things were about to go downhill.

 

Acting on this feeling, Ranma decided that it was time that he too beat a retreat from this district and get back to Makoto as fast as possible.

 

**********

 

Genma and Soun walked toward the Tendo compound confident in their newest plan to find Ranma and return him. It had gone from pressing to paramount in the last week when Kasumi had moved out, citing parental incompetence, leaving the chores and cooking undone.

 

Or at least they wished the cooking was undone.

 

Akane had dived into the deepest rage either man had ever seen and taken it out on the once pristine kitchen. Now the results were the two of them going out to the lumber yard on a daily basis so the room could be repaired on a daily basis before the next kitchen fire, toxic spill, or radical mutation of tomato soup into a higher life form that had tried to take over the world through the use of oyster crackers and a sub-dimensional meson projector.

 

They still weren't sure how it had gotten the crackers; they were Genma's favorite after all.

 

Nabiki had been of little help too. Most of her free time was now taken up by looking after the still broken Nodoka. She talked to the woman, helped her around the house, and made sure she was safe. It was almost as if the middle Tendo girl was focusing on the Saotome matriarch to ignore her own mental anguish.

 

Now, as they carried more wood and paint they commiserated as to how this was all the fault of one ungrateful heir to their supposed to be unified schools. They had even selectively forgotten their own excommunication from the Anything Goes style.

 

Suddenly a flash of red shot across the street at a cross road ahead of them, and hope began to return to the two downtrodden men.

 

“Was that what I think it was Saotome?”

 

“Quickly Tendo, before he gets away!”

 

**********

 

Tatewaki Kuno was once more Lord of this domain. The evil scourge that had plagued Nerima for a year now had been chased away by his skill, power, and dare he say it, way with the fair beauties of the world. Now he chose to grace the lower classes of this ward as he made his way toward his inevitable destiny with the fierce Akane Tendo and the vibrant pigtailed girl.

 

But a flash of a person moving with quick purpose distracted him from his noble musings on the nubile young women and in a heartbeat his mood soured.

 

The dark sorcerer had once more dared to enter the presence of the noble Kuno scion! Such a thing would not stand!

 

Drawing his bokken the brave warrior took chase after the worm, garneting the triumph of justice over this common filth.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again…his own little world, folks.

 

**********

 

Ukyo was furious, not at Ranma, but at the stupidity of adults. She had gotten word through the grapevine that Ranma had given the Tendos and his folks the finger and had passed that information on to her own father.

 

The brunette chief had known it was a matter of time before the young man snapped, and realized in no small part she had contributed. She had wanted to make amends of a sort, but had been blocked by her father, and now that Ranma was ronin her old man had been very specific.

 

There was no chance at reconciliation or face-saving here. This was a matter of family honor, and only blood would pay. The honorless ronin needed to die.

 

Ukyo had then called her father an asshole and hung up on him.

 

She'd be damned if she was forced to murder a friend. Now she just needed to find Ranma so that she could warn him about a new idiotic challenger coming for him.

 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of red on the other side of an alley and she knew it was her lucky day.

 

“Wait up, Ran-chan!”

 

**********

 

The old saying is that a rolling stone gathers no moss.

 

This was not true in Nerima. Instead the expression was that a rolling stone gathered a rain forest, usually accompanied by a clear-cutter team and a group of protesters with a tribe of locals and a few international oversight committee members thrown in.

 

The simplified version was: Ranma gathers trouble.

 

As he made his way to the station he slowly felt a pressure around him. It was a sensation he had grown accustomed to over the years as rivals, fiancées and whack-a-doos of all sorts sought him out.

 

Sparing a hesitant look over his shoulder, Ranma looked back and saw a growing dust cloud advancing on his position. From its size he figured that it was going to be a lousy day.

 

And Happosai hadn't even started this one.

 

“They come here, they all come here,” Ranma sighed to himself, and then shot an accusatory glance skyward, “How do they always find me?!”

 

 

To be continued…

 

 

Endnote: Finally! The weather finally broke around here and the will sapping heat in my apartment has gone away (yippee!). I admit this chapter was pretty much a set up for a Nerima Brawlâ„¢, but I felt that Ranma needed to finalize some things there before he could let go of his past. So, let's take a look at the score board…Makoto's life in the balance, Cologne pissed off, Happi missing, and more mixed nuts then a Planters Party Assortment, bulk size. Plus a darkness gathering that wants the Senshi dead. So until next time…Anybody got some space marines or a sayian or two to help a brother out?