Star of War. A fan fiction by Dragonlord. Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the sole propriety of Rumiko Takahashi. Hokuto no Ken is the one of Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. C&C welcome! e-mail: valheru_2002@yahoo.es This fic can be found at the following places: -Zaxxon's place: http://zaxxon.freeshell.org/FanFic -Tannim's place: http://tannim.anifics.com/index.html -Lady's Cosmos: http://ladycosmos.anifics.com. -Trooper fan fiction archives: http://trooper1023.tripod.com -Hawk's home: http://www.geocities.com/Tenma83 -Oceana's place: http://AnimeCrossoverHeaven.homestead.com -Ice Diamon's page: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/icediamond/index.html -Seraphina's page: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/seraphina -Nighthawk's homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/6189 ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 5: confrontations. Part B. ------------------------------------------------- "The path of glory lead but to the grave." Sworn by the crown I lead a crusade Fight for belief to be one Out in the field Fearless and cold Building the road to my calvary Strong is my steel Dark is my mind Carmine the ground that I tread Faith in my god Keeps me alive But when does my faith turn to doubt Silently watching the rain Carving the earth on my grave Lord you know that I prayed One for the glory One for the souls that I've slain How will I know How could I tell Where would I find some serenity Sowing from the seed Unwounded I bleed Lord won't you show me the way Christ is the cross that I bear God is the will of my war Faint are the voices I hear Whispers of glory... Christ is the cry of despair Cursing the day I was born This is the faith that we share Left with the glory And suffering of souls that we've torn. Kamelot "Glory" Kahlan lifted the strange amulet at his neck. In the center, surrounded by a complex of gold and silver lines, was a teardrop-shaped ruby as big as her thumbnail. ... ... "Do you know what this symbol represents?" "Yes. The ruby is meant to represent a drop of blood. It is the symbolic representation of the way of the primary edict." "The primary edict?" His voice turned distant, as if speaking to himself more than to her. "It means only one thing and everything: cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." His words chilled her as he went on. "The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisively, resolutely. Cut into his strength. Flow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit. "It is the balance to life: death. It is the dance with death." "It is the law a war wizard lives by, or he dies." Temple of the Winds. The Sword of Truth series. "Well Nabiki nee-chan, how as been life treating you?" She couldn't believe it. Even after what she saw, what she heard Cologne told her, even after all of that a part of her refused to believe that the man standing in front of her is Ranma Saotome. It was too unreal to her, to the ways her mind was set in to believe that after more than twenty years after he was exiled he had found a way to return. Even that made her nervous. Why would he return to a place that only brought pain to him? She could thin of only one thing. Revenge. She swallowed. "Ranma is that you?" He smiled a little and his eyes gleamed, golden between purest cobalt blue. "Why does everyone ask me that? What Nabiki can you figure it out?" Nabiki looked at Ranma. There was something in him that wasn't in the old Ranma, that she remembered perfectly at least not when he was fighting. Superiority. As far as she remembered she always knew that Ranma if wanting could do serious harm to those fighting him. He never had to be vicious in a fight as she suspected he held back a lot of his real fighting capabilities. Back in those days she had been asking herself if Akane hadn't a death wish. Treating Ranma like that knowing, and all knew, that Ranma could brush her aside as if she was a molesting fly. In all that was fighting and martial arts related then yes the same air of confidence, of superiority that he was displaying now. In other words he though of her as inferior. Nabiki held her temper at bay. Since her days in Furinkan and the start of all that nightmare that was the world in right now she had more trouble keeping her anger back, controlled. Even then it was a cold kind of anger. Not the burning all consuming kind that held her sister but the more deadly, precise one that was under the control of the being it tried to control. And right now she knew that she couldn't do anything. This new Ranma was a mystery, as unknown as the lethal art he practice. She had only some information on his strength, but most of his skills were hidden and what wasn't could not help her in figuring out these new Ranma. "It is you, right?" She asked again. That was another new thing. It had been a long time since she had to repeat herself. Generally people answered her as fast as they could by a mixture of fear, respect and knowledge that what she was asking was important. They recognized her control upon herself, upon them, upon her surroundings and her very precious time. But this Ranma had no reason to fear her or even to respect her. He could perfectly hate her. After all she wasn't very "nice" to him in all those months he had been living in their home. The only one that had been nice with him was Kasumi and even then... Truth is that she was afraid of him, because even if she had known Ranma from before his exile as well as the back of her hand (or so she thought) this new one was made of something else, something latent in the old Ranma that this new one used to his full advantage. She didn't knew what it was exactly but she knew that it was something dark and dangerous... Could it be the killing instinct that Cologne said that he possessed? Anyway that wasn't important right now. "Is it you? Answer me damn it!" For the longest time he merely looked at her, all sense of superiority gone but his eyes seemed to be silently boring into her. She felt as if she was being dissected into the layers that formed her self, all of her parts under close inspection. Finally he nodded, almost to himself, but Nabiki felt relived as she took that sign as a positive answer. Relived. A little. Just on bit, but relived nonetheless. She was expecting him to talk to her once his mouth opened but instead he turned and looked to a corner when there was only emptiness. His voice didn't sound pleased though. "Cologne. Show yourself. Now." The command in his voice left her shaking, there was something more than power behind those words, behind that voice. Nabiki almost expected it to be able to move rocks if need be. For some seconds there was nothing, but then the air shimmered and Cologne appeared and she didn't look pleased but even so there was a clear expression of shock. Nabiki knew why. She herself was surprised. Nabiki looked back and forth between Ranma and Cologne and she knew that the amazon was carving for the same answers than her. "How did you know that I was there?" For a moment he simply stood there looking at her. "How?" Nothing in Cologne's tone betrayed her interest but Nabiki after long years of work with the once amazon elder told her that cologne was very impressed and about to have a fit if Ranma didn't answer her. Nabiki remembered when Cologne had first witnessed Genma's forbidden arts and for all of what Nabiki knew that was one of the few times that Cologne recognized something of merit within Genma. Cologne herself recognized the power of the two once sealed arts and had to recognize her impotence when dealing with the thief cloak of the Umi sen ken. It took her some time to find some counter against it as she learned from the martial artist. And Ranma had found her in less than two minutes flat. "I sensed you." "Uh?" Said the two women. "I felt your heat, I felt your sent, I heard your heartbeat, I saw your aura and the air you displaced while moving. Nice trick by the way. Very cleaver." Cologne remained there looking at him with her eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Nabiki couldn't see her own face but she knew that she was mirroring Cologne's features. He smelt her sent? He felt her body's heat and aura? He HEARD her heartbeat? That couldn't be possible. It just couldn't be. He turned to Nabiki. "You wanted to talk." It wasn't a question but a statement. Nabiki looked to Cologne that nodded. "Can you answer my question?" He looked thoughtful for a moment as if trying to figure something, something that from his expression was bothering him, even if so slightly. "Am I Ranma?" He looked to both women, hanging from his words. "Had you asked me the same question one day ago, a hour ago and I would have said no. But now the feelings I'm having are clearly telling me that there is no easy answer for that question. As I would like to be able to say so I must recognize that there is still part of Ranma Saotome in me. Maybe there lays my problem." "What problem?" Asked Cologne. "When I was living my new life, and don't ask me about it, I advise you against it, my life as Ranma Saotome here in Nerima was little by little becoming nothing more than a dream that held little upon my being. Twenty some years more living a life as different as it can get fro the one in this world can do that to a wounded mind." He paused, looking to the two women. "Even if it is difficult to you to believe me I'm not here to finish what started the day that those three (his voice dripped with venom) exiled me. I came here because someone asked me to, to hold upon an oath that I made years ago to defend the innocent. I could care less for Ryouga, Mousse, Kuno and the others but once I set my destiny again in the lines of this world the need of revenge slowly appeared as I regain my memories." He paused as if considering. "Maybe not regaining... I think that it can be more accurate to say that the part of me that is "Ranma" is gaining more strength, merging even more with the being that I am now, the being that was born the day that Ryouga and the others betrayed me like the cowards they are." Both Nabiki and Cologne winced at the sound of his voice when he pronounced the last words. His anger and hate were clear in them, as if they were a living, twisting thing. "Ranma" his eyes bored on Nabiki, glowing golden just for a second. "Ah... I mean, Ryuken, isn't it an old thing what happened?" Even as she said those words she couldn't believe what she had said. As if he would have forgotten _that_. Ryuken's look said it all. And his voice held even more feelings. "Forget?" That single word send chills through the spine of Nabiki and the amazon woman. "Did you just realize what you said Nabiki?" His voice was cold but not lacking any feeling nor emotion. Oh no! Unfortunately it held too much emotion, too much passion. Nabiki paled as Ryuken's eyes darkened, even as they gained more if its lethal golden color, as of it was drinking the shadows in the room. "Could you forget betrayal? Could you forget if someone killed you? In the worst way possible? Can you realize what Kuno, Mousse and Ryouga did to me? Can you? Can you even think about it? You have no idea what it was like. Even as you were there, even as you heard my shouts of pain you can not even start to imagine the pain that cursed trough my hole being that sunny afternoon." "Ranma or Ryuken I don't care, I respect your pain but you can't hope to come back from Kami- sama only knows which place you spend the last twenty odd years of your life but ours, our lives here in Japan, in this planet, had continued. I can't imagine anything to say to make you feel better but..." Ryuken roared. "BETTER?" He advanced towards Nabiki that even with cold fear rushing trough her veins stood her ground, his golden eyes now burning with barely restrained violence. He towered her. "Better? Better?! You don't know me anymore and you expect me to... To... What do you believe Tendo? That I care about your pitiful lives? That I give a shit about your well-being? I could kill you all and I could care less! I'm not here for you're sake or the one of the bitch of your sister, get that clear! I'm not here wanting to see how you all, like the bunch of self centered bastards, continued with your lives after I was exiled as if all was fine and dandy!" He breathed deep as if trying to calm himself or to find his center. "The truth is that none cared about it. I was dead to you and you used it to feel better with your on little selves. How much had Ryouga and the others to wait before Akane and the others shared their bed with them? And you? Was it Kuno's money what made you share your body with that joke of a man? I believed that Nabiki Tendo had better standards. Who many money had you to suck from him to spread your legs?" Nabiki crossed his face as she slapped him as hard as she could. Ryuken barely felt the blow as he looked coldly at Nabiki. "Did I hit a nerve?" Nabiki glared at him. "How dare you come into our lives and judge us? How do you think that you are? You have no idea about what we suffered, what Akane and the others lived by after you were exiled!" Ryuken kept looking at her and for once Nabiki didn't turn her eyes away. She held on to it using her anger that was overrunning her fear. The pain that she was feeling coning from her hand was also helping her. It seemed as if she had slapped a steel wall. "If I were you I would think twice the next time you have a need to slap me. You may end without your arm from it." He seemed more relaxed. "You ask me how I can even dare to judge you and the others? I will answer you. My pain gives me the right. The pain that you all inflicted me time and time again. Did you felt good to make my life hell Nabiki? Did you relish in the control that you had on my life? On my suffering? Did you slept well at night even as I was battered, brutalized, an not little of that situation was from your own doing?" The pain of countless humiliations that I had to endure day after day. That gives me the right. Through that pain you owe me. I owe your ass Nabiki. Better get used to it because as I see it you are no better than the scum that I had to dealt with countless times." " I don't care about your suffering because of all the beings in this world, you and the others are the only ones that I can't see as innocents that I have to defend. You want me to respect you? Then you will have to prove me that you are worth respecting." "I think that it's enough." Said Cologne as she gave Nabiki a look that clearly told her to shut up. It was too dangerous to bring unsettled issues in that moment. It wasn't the place either to try to show Ranma otherwise of what he believed. Ryuken looked at her and slowly nodded. "You're right, Cologne. It's not the place to settle this if someday it will be so. The important thing now is that I'm going to face the three beings responsible for most of my... issues." Nabiki finally reined her anger as the reality that he was about to face the three men that were the ones that he surely held most of his anger against. And between them was her husband. Ranma's words had opened an old set of wounds that Nabiki believed to have dealt with long ago. It wasn't what he said what had set her anger off even if he had said some vile things about her and her family, it wasn't the tone he used so full of contempt and barely restrained loathing. It was simply that upon a time those words were, for the most of them, true. Yeah she had been a controlling bitch, and more always ready to make a fast buck. To her her family was the reason and her explanation of her behavior. It was easy to use her family as the visible explanation of her mercenary ways but the truth of it, the cold truth was that it was her thirst for control that was the responsible for most of her scheming. Money. And who said money in the world is talking of control. Control. It was always about it, control trough the money and the blackmailing, a poor weapon against the chaos that is life. She heated chaos, the way life had to change things each passing minute. So she strived for more control upon life, upon her family, upon the people of her high school, upon each tinny bit of her life. Of course some chaos was fun but she strived to hold it down as best as she could even if living in Nerima wasn't making things easier for her. Even before Ranma came to Nerima, that ward of the Tokyo's suburb was what you could say normal. You only had to see the morning battles between Akane and all the boys of the school, Kuno and her sister and hundreds of little details that Nabiki had no trouble in controlling. And then Ranma came to their lives. Nothing was the same since then giving her mixed feelings that until today she hadn't fully understood. And this new Ranma was even more confusing. "So you know what you are going to do with them?" asked Cologne her tone cold. Ryuken looked at her silent for a moment. He seemed to be about to say something, he even opened his mouth, but no sound came from it. Instead he closed it and looked at his open hands closing and opening them time and time again as if he was trying to discover the secret behind the complex tensions that allowed the movement. The he shook his head and looked at both women a sad smile dancing upon his lips and for a moment both women had the impression of looking at the face of the Ranma they knew so long ago even after all the changes and hardships that could be read in the handsome face. "So? What are you going to do?" asked Cologne. He looked at her and simply said the words. "I'm going to kill them." Silence so deep that the only sound that reached Nabiki's ears was the mad dash of her heart beating in her chest. ------------------------------------------------------ The crowd was cheering madly as Ryuken stepped on the fighting area and as he reached the center only to stand there and cross his arms awaiting for the first of his three last opponents. His gaze traveled upon the assembled spectators, noticing how happy they seemed after the numerous fights they had been witness. Ryuken smirked a little under the hot rays of the sun's light, the black clothing he wore seeming to absorb the head of the sun's rays of light. It was a hot day no doubt but Ryuken had grown up in a place were the heat was way worst than the one that was omnipresent in the fighting area, pristine as if nothing had happened before. He's clothing showed the marks of the previous fights as his pants still showed the tears that Ranko's ki claws had left in them. Only those marks remained the wounds had since long faded away. As for the rest he had changed the under shirt he wore now black as the void of space, matching the leather of the jacket that also showed the scars of the bouts he had with Coral, Sakura and Ranko. His attention returned to the buzzing crowd, the sound being amplified trough the immense stadium like construction. He could guess what they were discussing. He almost snickered upon the trust the people had in their champions, in the false knowledge that they were powerful enough to not have any enemy that could make shadow to their prowess. As for now he was showing how swallow was that knowledge. Until his coming no one had achieved to defeat as many members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew as he did and somehow by his actions the crowd seemed even more wild than it would have been otherwise. Ignorance could be such a incredible thing sometimes, sheltering you from all the ugly things that the human mind desired to not know about. Yet ignorance could spawn other things such as desire and curiosity, a curiosity that could be the beginning of a dreadful nightmare called reality. And thanks to the ignorance, thanks to the comfort that was broken by Ryuken this year event seemed to hold even more emotion than ever mystery and surprise making a wonderful job at it. No one had come as far as him in the last challenges. The case was that no one had dared to challenge the Wrecking crew. That was another emotion running wild among the spectators. Surprise. And in this case too it brought forgotten feelings to the people looking at the fights. Emotion like no other... Expectation holding the promise of things never seen before. His thoughts were cut short as a figure moved towards the stone tatami, stepping in it as if it was his. Ryuken's eyes followed the tall man as he drank from his sight, memorizing each detail of his outfit of his stance of the way he moved, the length of his steps... All in Kuno Tatewaki was registered, examined, repassed, dissected, learnt, understood supposed. Not a single detail was lost to the Hokuto Shin Ken successor. All those parts were categorized, only to be branded in Ryuken's subconscious, as his fighting instinct gutted Kuno's possible style, strength , reach and speed. Nothing was left to chance as Kuno advanced to face Ryuken. As the sword master was studied, Ryuken's mind adapted to the feelings that were starting to be aroused within the Hokuto Shin Ken warrior, forcing it into a self imposed coldness. As protection. Ryuken's mind was a machine, cold, calculating, merciless in its inhuman ways. It was a coldness that saved Kuno from being obliterated from reality in a single moment, in that single eternal moment when Ryuken's mind registered the fact that one of the three men that exiled him, that destroyed Ranma Saotome, was in front of him. In that moment ice covered part of Ryuken's mind, not letting all the emotions that were starting to appear to run free. Yet the demand of rightful vengeance was still beating hard and the free part of Ryuken, of Ranma, ached for it. Within the ice darkness awaited, knowing that its time would come soon enough. ------------------------------------------------- Kuno stepped on the fighting area different feelings running trough his once limited mind. One was wonder. How could he have defeated Ranko and the others one of them his niece? Kuno was many things and during a long time of his life, a lot of them weren't of those things a man prides himself of. It would always follow him a shame, a dark cloud that would follow his wake forever. Anyway the old Kuno, the seventeen years old one would have been shouting at dark magic, making in his little world in his head a string of lies that would cover his judgment. The Kuno that was stepping in the arena, the Kuno that had to live trough madness and betrayal, trough war and suffering, recognized a warrior like the one he was going to face miles away. It was not that he was worried by it but even so the precision of the young man that he was going to face when he battled the girls, when he defeated Ranko's Neko ken, left him the distinct feeling that better to not underestimate that young man. Truly for what he did see that "Kenshiro" was a warrior of an experience that belied his youth. But even so it mattered little. Once he stepped in front of the young man, large distance between them , he was committing his whole being to the fight. He started advancing as his hand closed tighter upon the handle of his katana, that was resting at his left side, sheathed in its black scabbard. Kenshiro did the same, advancing until they were in the middle of the fighting area. The voice of the judge sounded clear on the speakers of the Coliseum, bringing any discussion to a short end. Now only the two men in the stone tatami mattered. That and the voice of the referee. "PEOPLE OF NERIMA!" The crowd exploded in cheers and shouts. "HERE WE HAVE KENSHIRO OF THE HOKUTO SHIN KEN SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS; THIS YEAR'S CHAMPION OF THE NERIMA TOURNAMENT, FACING TATEWAKI KUNO..." The crowd chanted trough the Coliseum as if bringing it alive. "...SOLE MASTER OF THE OMNIBLADE SCHOOL OF KENJUTSU IN THE HOPES OF FACING THE REST OF THE NERIMA WRECKING CREW!!" Kuno tensed lightly his muscles his feet moving almost unconsciously under the dark blue Hakama. "FIGHTERS READY?" The crowd suddenly stopped, the shouts dropping to a whisper that was like thunder on the distance. None of the two men moved and for a moment all was still. The voice of the referee was like the detonation of a bomb in its violence. "AJIME!!" Kuno left hand flew to the scabbard as the right one in a flash gripped the handle as his legs impelled him towards Ryuken, the ki flowing in his muscles allowing him to cross the distance between them in a matter of seconds. Al his body moved together as he put its whole strength behind the strike he was making. The swords was free in a flash of silver, a clear sound cutting the air. The ground exploded under the pressure, unleashed by the strike, the ground tearing apart as the force behind it traveled upon it. No one could have survived such impact nor the cutting edge of his sword, but his danger sense screamed, making him to move. Just in time before Ryuken that had jumped above Kuno's attack at the last moment dodging it, and descended, striking the ground the exploded in the exact point where Kuno had been standing seconds before the ground exploding under the strength of his blow, not lesser than Tatewaki's freeing a blast of displaced air. Kuno had jumped to the right and rolled with his impulse, getting up with a minimal effort, his katana in front of him, tip up ready to face the counter strike but the moving shockwave freed by Ryuken blasted on him, making the sword wilder to follow with it rolling backwards before getting up as easy as before. He followed , his feet denting the ground as they moved, pushing, giving himself impulse sending his most basic attack. "Strikestrikestrikestrikestrikestrike!!!!" Ryuken got up and started moving with Kuno's same tempo, dodging the cutting edge easily, even if the pressure did cut his skin superficially before jumping backwards, making a handstand before back flipping dropping soundlessly in a relaxed stance before starting circling Kuno that moved also, never losing the Hokuto warrior from his sight. Kuno as if not knowing from where attack Ryuken, whirled his sword in his hands before touching the ground with the tip of it. For a second nothing happened but the Ryuken could feel a single drop of ki travel through the blade of the katana coming from Kuno. To Ryuken's gaze it was like a dot of light that made its way trough the cold metal until it reached the ground.. His eyes narrowed when he realized what Kuno had provoked. The reaction of the stone that formed the ground of the fighting area in contact to Kuno's ki was instantaneous. It exploded under his feet with uncanny strength. Sharp shards of white stone flew under him as dirt filled his eyes. The explosive power send him flying, living him momentary disoriented, moment that Kuno used to send his profit. The sword's blade vanished in a blur as Kuno used Amaguriken speeds to unleash his attack. The ki spread with lightning speed trough the metal of the blade, and with each subsonic cut a cutting wave was freed racing towards the still flying body of Ryuken. Dozen of ki blades enforced with cutting winds rushed towards Ryuken that saw them coming at him with a hissing sound. Kuno's move had lasted seconds and in seconds Ryuken answered to it. He twisted his body to allow the first set of energy blades to pass his position causing little harm if a slight cut in his cheek. Unfortunately the next blades would not be so easy to dodge. He had to do something. With speeds that put to shame the one used by Kuno he formed a wall of solid air of ephemeral life that once it expanded and contracted send Ryuken towards the ground just as the first of the blades passed near him and even if he saved himself from the blunt of the attack, the hot pain that erupted in his chest along with the red liquid that filled it were more than enough proof that he hadn't fared so well with the displaced air of Kuno's attack. As soon as his feet touched the ground his fist was burring sending a compressed blast towards Kuno's chest that had enough strength to shatter concrete. Kuno's eyes widened when he realized what was coming towards him, he realized what it was, a solid distortion in the air rushing at him with a sound like a banshee's dead scream. Instinctively his sword flew on its path and even if he achieved to block the blast, it drove him back as it slammed unto him, making his feet to leave a mark on the ground even as some of the strength did impact on his chest driving the air out of his lungs, making him to kneel panting with suffering. Ryuken had lesser difficulties in getting up than Kuno. Countless times during his training had he to suffer from blows charged with the power of the Nanto. With Kenshiro the way of learning techniques was not within the walls of the training room of the Hokuto Temple but from battles to death. It was a view that Ryuken shared with his father. Depending on the way you learned your moves and techniques the power would grow. The true power of the Hokuto Shin Ken could only be learnt trough battles, through pain and suffering, in the battle between life and death. Cold eyes peered unto Kuno as the oldest of the Kuno's house got up struggling with his pain. Ryuken hand upon the open wound in his chest could feel the flesh knitting together. In few moments the wound would be only a pink scar that would fade to nothingness in little time. Ryuken's eyes moved from Kuno's body to his weapon. There was something not right with it... Ryuken's blast should have made it to explode as if it was crystal but instead it seemed intact, gleaming under the light of the day. Not even the slightest dent on it. Curious. Well he seemed to have withstand nicely the blow but what about... Suddenly Kuno shouted in pain as part of his chest's muscles sank as if someone had driven a sledgehammer in his chest. The secondary effect? Kuno was propelled backwards as blood came unbidden to his lips, flowing freely, tainting the ground and air crimson. He landed heavily on his shoulder, finding himself facing the ground, kneeling in pain, one hand upon his mouth and the other supporting the body. His katana laid by his side, useless as pain cursed trough his body. Kuno's mind forced itself to free his ki, using it to heel more quickly as he was trained and as expected the pain lessened to a dull ache in his chest. Tatewaki could almost see the bruise form. It would be enormous. His hand reached his katana, the familiar sensation comforting him, allowing him to draw strength from it as he slowly rose, respect for his adversary in his eyes. For a moment he said nothing, silent as the crowd that was watching the exchange with surprise and not little awe. The as Kuno's eyes closed to slits his aura bloomed around him, red high lining his body and weapon as if he was on fire. He then put his sword by his side as if it was still on its scabbard. Before with a contraction in his muscles he sprang in action rushing towards Ryuken that dropped in a ready stance, his eyes gleaming like a predator. Kuno's aura exploded with new strength, his katana gleaming like the sun, shining blinding light. Ryuken jumped to met him, propelled like an arrow to met the blade master. His hand flashed towards Kuno's wrist, his hand closing upon Kuno's right wrist in a steel grip. Then in a flash that assaulted Ryuken's eyes the blade exploded in a flash of light. Next Ryuken winced in pain as he felt cold steel bite his back's flesh making the blood flow. The once kendoist had twisted his body pulling another sword from the first, attacking him from behind, wounding him. Quickly he released Kuno's arm and dropped to his knees only to roll forward in a gamble to find space, turning towards Kuno to face whatever the sword wilder could trow at him. At once Kuno was upon him attacking with two scimitars, not unlike like a whirlwind of cutting steel. Ryuken backed away, rolling like a ball, recognising grudgingly, Kuno's expertise with the swords. His defenses were flawless no more restrained to the limited attacks of the kendo of his younger days. It was clear that someone with an excellent knowledge upon the blade had corrected the flaws of Kuno's style. Well that trick pulling a second sword, different for the first one, was neat. It wasn't Hidden Weapons that was clear enough. Ryuken frowned. It had to be something different... The sword for instance wasn't a normal sword. But how did it change its form? He ducked under a twin slice that could have left a nasty wound in his chest. His mind returned to the sword or was it more than one? Well not a time to ponder about it. As for now he just contented to dodge and test Kuno's reflexes, that were good as it was to expect. Each place were his fists could have crossed to land bloody harm to his flesh were instantly covered by a wall of cutting metal. Jump upon twin trusts. Deflect blade with slight kicks. Dance around Kuno's curved attacks. Move from side to side closely followed by the edge of the whirling swords. Jump above a upwards slash while palm slam in Kuno' s other sword downward move. What was preventing Ryuken from closing the distance between them was the simple knowledge that Kuno could perfectly reshape his swords in other weapon that could give him an advantage upon his move. Also the fact that he was using small burst of his ki allowed Kuno to expand his stamina as long as he wanted in order to win the fight. Again any other enemy Kuno's deadly dance would have been the death of the one crossing the once kendoist. Against any normal human being. Ryuken allowed himself to smile, slightly. As much "ice" he was feeling inside this was the only allowance he could give to himself. He stepped back, in a jump making enough space to observe Kuno's swords movement in coordination with his feet. He remained unmoving as the wall that was Kuno's swords moved towards him to slice him into bloody ribbons. A pity that he could not allow it. In a flash Kuno was upon him, Ryuken crushing low before entering in action. As the blades were about to cut his skin and then his muscles his hands moved. Kuno's eyes widened when he felt his swords stop as if trapped. As they were. Like a flash Ryuken's hand had followed the move of Kuno's twin swords and stopped them with three fingers each. He could finish him in that moment Kuno was wide open, a touch and he would be only a bloody pulp, not even that. Instead he released the blade with such speed that it send a shock towards Kuno's rigid wrists. In a shout of pain he released the weapons. Ryuken's hand moved to take them. Before Kuno knew what happened he had his neck within the twin blades that were closing upon his neck, cutting some, allowing blood to flow. Ryuken remained silent as he closed upon Kuno's space. "Move and you loose your head." he said as he closed upon Kuno. Kuno looked at Ryukens' eyes and nodded, but Ryuken could see something else in Kuno's eyes. A twitch in the muscles near the corners of his mouth made Ryuken realize that something was wrong. He released the swords as fast as he could. Even so it wasn't fast enough as small blades cut his hands, slicing trough his hands. Blood purred near the swords. Spike like blades had appeared in the handles of the twin swords. Ryuken frowned. His senses had told him that it was pure metal, no hidden mechanism was in there. It was like the blades had been born of the metal of the sword. But why? How? Kuno hadn't been in contact with the swords apart from the edge cutting at his neck. Yet even in that slight contact there had been no ki coming from the other man, that attacked with a three punch combination that Ryuken swiftly dodged, moving out of Kuno's range. This one blurred gaining speed appearing near him, collecting his ki faster than what Ryuken expected. Kuno fired a ki blast at short range blasting Ryuken away burning his clothing and skin. Ryuken crashed away from Kuno. He blinked just in time to see something racing towards him, giving silvery sparks of light as it moved. Just as it was about to touch him Ryuken moved, barely avoiding the blade, even so it cut deeply in his right shoulder. Even as he moved the blade continued twisting upon itself as if made of water less that supposedly hard metal. The tip of the sword was moving towards his head. He tilted it to the side the edge of the blade missing it but even so cutting deeply in his cheek, drawing blood. Ryuken rolled as the blade came again towards him. He send a fist against the flat of the sword, it connected with enough strength to destroy any normal metal alloy but even so the blade only react as some elastic substance, bouncing back and forth. At least that seemed to have stopped the blade if only for a moment. Time enough. Ryuken blurred as he gained space. Kuno was standing there a thigh smile adorning his features but frustration could be seen in his eyes. A new sword was in his hand, this one seeming nothing more than a mad twist between a sword and a whip. A dangerous weapon in the right hands. Ryuken fingers went first to his shoulder's wound then to his cheek. When he looked he could see the red blood. His cold eyes turned towards Kuno. "Truly amazing." he said aloud. Kuno's smile grew. "So you recognize my superiority? You had never the chance to beat me . You realize that now don't you? Well it was..." Ryuken snickered, cutting him short. "What are you talking about? I was speaking of your sword. You are nothing more than an idiot with a warrior's weapon. You are a pathetic fool that believes in his own power when it's nothing more than a madman's shadow. And you think that someone as weak and pathetic as you can defeat me? A fool with other fools. That's what you are, what you always were and what you always will be. A joke of a man." Kuno's face had gone white to red in mere instants "You vile miscreant! You dare to mock to Blue Thunder and the rest of his glorious brothers and sisters of the Nerima Wrecking Crew?! Have at thee!!" His hand once again moved faster than the eye could see, sending the twisting weapon towards Ryuken a hissing sound the only sound coming from it. Ryuken jumped upon the blade as it passed were his heart had been seconds before. He landed even faster than Kuno's blade moved and launched towards him. Kuno jumped as well his sword now forming a wall of steel between him and Ryuken. In the air Ryuken landed blow after blow to Kuno's defence but even then the wall absorbed all the hitting power of Ryuken. The same hissing sound of before was Ryuken's only advertence of the attack from behind. His hands instead of punching, pressed against the blade using it to impulse himself backwards passing up`from the tip of the sword that impacted against the rest of it, sending a shower of sparks to the ground even as both fighters landed in the ground, Kuno's weapon returning to his sword form. Ryuken's eyes turned even harder. Kuno laughed. "You see now knave that your poor arts are no match to my power?! You will not be able to touch me with as long as this weapon is with me and without it you will never touch me! You are defeated!" Ryuken snarled. "That's what we will se asshole!" Once again he rushed against Kuno than in a heartbeat reconstructed his barrier with a flicker of his wrist. This time Ryuken kicked the blade and followed with movement of the blade; following it was it blended under the power behind the kick. Then in a blur he started kicking it at full strength and full speed. "Atatatatatatatatatata!!!" Blast of moving air came from it as each hit moved more and more of it even as Kuno's sword was overcome with tremors. Ryuken increased even more the speed and power of his blows making it seem like thousands of legs were kicking Kuno's weapon separating each of the blades, that were a single one, allowing him to see the shocked face of Kuno that was as shaking as his own weapon, following it. Then as he did so long ago Ryuken started kicking and punching Kuno's unprotected body turning down his power in a heartbeat. Had he used his full strength noting but Kuno's grinning skeleton would have remained. Even lessening the damage Kuno felt like a punching bag. All that he could see was the blurs coming from Ryuken's arms and legs, smashing at his body with a stuffed sound. Finally with a last "Ataa!" Kuno was send flying, blood from his mouth and nose soaking his own dark blue gi, crashing surrounded by the incredibly long blade of his sword some of it cutting him deeply, making his clothing to darken even more from it. For a moment Kuno was there not knowing what had touched him, how something had touched him. All was darkness, light and pain. He could only feel his body like an immense bruise, aching all over. Then a cold voice did sound, cutting trough the haze of his pain and dizziness. "Will you get up, idiot?" Kuno groaned the pain almost making him to stay laying in the ground. It was comforting. But the barely hidden contempt in that voice was enough to make Kuno fight his aching body to get up. He was one of the Nerima Wrecking crew! The elite of warriors! The elder of the Kuno House! And it would not be this peasant that would mock him! He blinked, trying to push back the darkness and the splitting light that crossed his vision. His nemesis was standing there waiting for him to rise, to attack, to make his move. Kuno looked at those deep blue eyes with naked anger and hate. That boy was making him feel like he hadn't in a long time. Only one being had aroused such feelings of hate and anger. He had destroyed that being, something that much hadn't though possible, even if in doing it had opened his eyes to an unwelcomed truth. Even so he had relished in doing the impossible even in the dark times that had followed. And her this young man, barely more than boy, was making him appear as a fool, a pathetic looser! He would not allow it! If he had destroyed the Sorcerer Saotome this puny kid had no chance! Crimson red ki exploded around him, giving him strength and power, as his hand closed upon his now useless sword, the metal reacting to his need forming again a katana. He now arose from the ground, tall, proud, powerful, full of revenge and desire to wipe the smirk from that whelp's face! His sword made an arc as he pointed it towards his adversary. "Know this knave! Your luck as run short. Time to make you learn your true place among the lowly things!" And with each passing word his aura, grown and became even more bright, gaining so much power that some of the people watching the fight had to cover their eyes. Then part of it seemed to be drained in the sword than then burst in red flames turning it white hot, the air around it cracking with energy as it evaporated the humidity next to it. Kuno's eyes turned red as his sword, as his aura turned in flames, or so it seemed. Ryuken's lips twitched a little. "It was time that you stop playing around, honorless dog." He said with his voice filled with as much contempt as he could even with most of his feelings frozen solid. Kuno face was shocked and for a moment he lost the control upon his aura that flickered out. Tatewaki couldn't believe how he had been called. "What... did... you... call... ME?" He asked, shouted, in outer disbelief. Ryuken snickered. "Idiot and also deaf? What part did you not understand moron? Dog or honorless? For some moments Kuno stood stiff as if he himself was frozen. The he started shaking until red light could be seen coming from him. With a roar he exploded red violet ki dancing around him sometimes turning darker. The ground was shaking slightly fro Kuno's gathering of anger feed power, some small rocks levitating from the ground. His eyes were nothing more than two furnaces, seemingly to explode in shouts of flames. "HOW DARE YOU!!" He exclaimed. Ryuken snickered and answered in a calm voice as if all he display from Kuno was nothing to him. "I dare because it's true. You were always an idiot Kuno, living in your own dream world, spouting good poetry, ravaged by your own display of it. The laugh of the whole High School. Your comrades laughing behind your back as you passed always wearing that outfit. Always living as if you were nothing more than the mad son of that nutcase of a headmaster. " He snickered. "And what about your two loves? You were so blind to what was unpleasant to you, to what hadn't its place in your sick world, that you couldn't get that one of them hated your guts and the other wasn't even real. You think that I insulted your honor by calling you a coward, honorless or even dog? I will be more clear to you :You have no honor. You're nothing more than a sick mind: a man despised, loathed, ridiculed by his own actions. You are a shame, a joke, a twisted, pathetic version of a warrior. And even if you defeated me I will have brought your little word to an end with the only thing that you can't defeat: truth." Kuno's aura exploded, dark-ruby red, before exploding into action. "DIE!" His sword moved with uncanny speed the ki along the blade bursting like flames that were expelled against Ryuken, like whirlwinds made of pure flames. They advanced towards Ryuken, one first then another and another. As furious as Kuno's attack was it was slow and predictable. Ryuken had no problem in dodging it: as fast as they were he was faster. Even so his hand dropped in the mass of ki powered fire. His eyes narrowed. It wasn't real. It was only a light show. Flashy intense and very realistic but even so it had no destructive power. But even so those "flames" were followed by others, soon preventing him to see. Kuno burst from the flames his sword gleaming as he chased Ryuken, his sword projecting walls of fire again and again as his attacks came with feints after feints that Ryuken was able to dodge. Anger was making Kuno more powerful and fast and already his sword had nicked some of his skin even if the ground was the one that suffered the major damages. As they danced they traded punches and sword strikes in a dance that was deadly, beautiful. Kuno's anger was growing by the moment, as did his ki and the flames that followed him like living flames. His anger grew more and more as Ryuken continued to evade him, to tap his body slightly as his speed was faster than the angered kenjutsu fighter. A snap kick and Kuno rolled backwards, eyes white, toot bared, making Kuno almost snarl Another spinning kick send him crashing against the ground. Ryuken was to fast for him. In mere instants he again in his feet, adopting a basic kendo kamae, the flames flickering out of existence. As soon as they died; in the following instant he launched a barrage of ki arcs, a storm of powered bursts of anger and hate, destruction in form of a barrage of pulsing, man high, blades rushing towards Ryuken, all of them tearing the ground asunder. As fast as Kuno was Ryuken was faster, and what was more a clear contrast from Kuno's red hot temper and his frozen cold mind. He knew that he had angered Kuno beyond reason, and to be honest that was what he wanted, but right now he had more pressing problems than the insane kendoist. If he dodged such single minded attack there was a possibility that some of the ki blades would reach the crowd behind Ryuken. He couldn't allow that. By any mean he had to stop the coming wave of blades. He started rotating his arms, in a similar fashion as he would do to perform Tenshu Honretsu but limiting the movements to a two meters wide area just in front of him, just on the path of the slicing attack. Faster, but yet controlling the power gathering behind the moves, he moved timing his momentum with the speed of Kuno's attack. Count down. Five The blades were shrieking, a sound that was even worst to his highly developed hearing. Four. The dirt was in part hiding what he was doing and that was for the better as it prevented Kuno from seeing his counter. Three. Said kendoist still in the throes of his rage was still firing the energy blades. To the ones looking his blades was nothing more than a rays of red light. Two. The time was near... One. Ryuken released the kinetic power that he had been building like a wall while continuing his rotating movement, a smile crossing his lips thinking on the face of the idiot on front of him, because that was Kuno to him; and idiot. An honorless idiot. Impact. The sound was deafening and all the people watching had to protect their ears, yet the light show that exploded when Kuno's blades touched what the strange warrior was making was almost mesmerizing. For several moments there was a huge cloud of dirt hanging on part of the fighting area just where the golden haired fighter was seconds before, a natural cloak preventing anyone to see what happened, if the attack had whipped the leather clad warrior like some expected. Kuno by his part was there his aura still flaring, knees bent and his sword in parallel to the saya as if awaiting, poised to act if needed. Soon the could started to fade, the dirt landing on the ravaged ground, the several spectators first saw was several straight tracks going from Kuno to the place where the cloud was reducing, the mute sign of Kuno's attack. But before the cloud of dirt could set itself step's sound appeared coming from the still hidden area. Kuno gripped his sword's hilt even stronger as he saw the man he had tried to kill stepping out of the cloud. For some moments both started to each other until the dirt disappeared. Gasps started to come from the crowd when they could see the devastation of the impact. Where Ryuken had been standing only remained a huge crater, the stone ground of the tatami totally destroyed as if a bomb had exploded when the moment of the attack. Ryuken patted himself while trying to remove the dirt from his clothes and body. "All of that wasn't only a waste of energy, but it was also utterly stupid. If you had keep using the abilities in your sword to make me unsure of the next shape it would turn into, of its next range and weight, then you could have kept the element of surprise. Now I know what to expect." He looked at Kuno and walked toward him. "Now you have given me the time to analyze your fighting style. I know that you must have learned most of the sword and fencing styles in the word and even with such knowledge you are limited to one thing: your sword." Another step. "You have showed me that you could use perfectly other martial arts, unarmed this time, but we both know that in that field I'm far superior to you. I have already showed it when I defeated the other half of the team. You can't hope to defeat me in hand to hand combat and your sword even if you can change it to almost any kind of type is still a sword. A definite range, only two ways to cut max and a lot of other details that you must know. How many ways if cutting do you have? Ten, twenty, thirty?" And another. "You are limited to it. And once that is knew you are predictable. I on the other hand am not limited in that way. My art is the power of Chaos unchained. You can't know what I am going to do. And that will be your downfall." His eyes gleamed golden a moment. "I could have killed you when I started beating the shit out of you. You know that. I know that. You have lost Kuno." He started opening and closing his hands, forming fists. Kuno gripped his sword even stronger before rushing towards Ryuken suing all the speed that he was able to use. His moves were nothing more than lines of light, the light coming from the glimmer of the sun upon it. Ryuken dodged each of them, even sending slight taps to undefended points of his body, only making Kuno to grew more and more conscious of his limitations in defending his body even as he closed those spots as quickly as he could. He was outmatched and he knew it. And he knew that in any moment that monster would send him the killing blow. He could see it in his cold eyes. Death awaited there. He had felt it from the beginning. This wasn't a sparring match, but a killing face to face. Only one of them would came out of this Coliseum alive. And he couldn't die! He couldn't! He had to live! He had to live. He didn't want to die! Too much depended of him and his friends. Sweat purred from his brow, cold sweat born from fear. Fear because he knew that if he was to die he wouldn't be the last, the only one to die. The others would soon follow. There! An opening! In a last ditch attack he gathered all his strength; the strength of despair. The sword, the katana, burning once again with his ki cut the air, racing towards Ryuken's head. He put is all in it. His madness of his teenage years, his own traumatic youth. All of what composed Kuno Tatewaki. All the years of training, of fighting, of struggle trough a war that caught the world unaware. All his feelings towards everything: the force of life. Of his life. It was a gamble. The steel found no resistance as it touched Ryuken's head. For a second Kuno felt hope as it sliced his head open. Then it was pain, unbearable pain. As in a nightmare the blade passed trough Ryuken but no blood came from the wound. It was only a left image of Ryuken's movement, so fast that he left an image . Next Ryuken came flying trough that afterimage that he left there when he moved backwards. His knees slammed in Kuno's face, breaking his nose with strength enough to shatter concrete. Kuno's body was send reeling backwards as the blood flew trough the air. Ryuken spun putting himself looking in the same direction as did Kuno. His fingers moved with the uncanny precision of one bred to bear the Hokuto Shin ken, finding their way towards Kuno's head and the dug there, piercing the skin, finding the bone of Tatewaki's cranium. His strength did the rest as he flowed with it his knees ramming into his victim's shoulder blades, smashing them to pieces even as the power behind Ryuken's blow pulled the arms free from their sockets. Kuno shouted in pain as the burning, devouring sensation cut trough his daze like a white hot knife trough butter. Ryuken followed with his destructive commitment. Still in the air his arms moved striking precise points in the body before digging in his body his hands like knives piercing him trough his back until the exited by the other side with Nanto strikes. Bones, skin, flesh, muscles were torn apart as the Nanto released its destructive energy within Kuno's body piercing his lungs in the processes. The heart was sparred. But the rest of the damage was done. Kuno kept standing only because Ryuken's hands were still logged in his body dripping blood. Blood oozed from Kuno's mouth, from his nose, from the wounds in his chest and from the hands that were keeping him in the same position, shaking a little. The Coliseum was dead still. Then with the same ease they had in coming trough the body, Ryuken's hands exited it with a hiss. As Kuno's body was dropping, Ryuken's foot lashed and smashed his head sending the body flying in a spray of blood that filled the air, some of it splashing Ryuken's face as the body crashed upon the cold hard ground. The blood soon formed a pool around the body. Ryuken passed lazily his hand as if chasing the blood that had touch him from his face. It didn't help so he tore a piece from his shirt and used it as towel before dropping it. Then without a glance to the corpse he moved towards the corner as if nothing, not even looking as the group of paramedics rushed towards Kuno's fallen form. Only one thing registered in his mind as his gaze left Kuno's broken body. Tatewaki hadn't released the sword form his grip. ------------------------------------------------- "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Nabiki's shout filled the room as she turned to exit it. Cologne's strong arms closed up her body as she stopped her and made her spin as she took her from her shoulder pulling, making the Tendo woman to face her. Cologne then proceeded to touch several shiatsu points in her body forcing Nabiki to relax somewhat. "Take a grip on yourself Nabiki!" she glared to the younger woman that still struggled to be free from the amazon's hold on her. "He killed him! He killed my husband Cologne and you are asking me to calm?!" She snarled as the amazon. "I'm telling you to calm down and THINK!" "Think? Think about what?" Cologne glanced to the window where a group of paramedical could be seen taking to form of Kuno towards the healing facilities of the Coliseum in a rush. "Remember what he said after he told us that he would kill them." "What? That nonsense that death was nothing more than the awakening of a dream? Yeah well if that's the awakening of a dream I prefer to keep dreaming! He killed him! He's a murderer!" Cologne slapped her hard. "Have you finished? Get a grip upon yourself girl!" Nabiki breathed deeply as she tried to relax somewhat. "Now hear me. Yes he is a killer that we both know and that should make you think." "Think about what? He just killed Tatewaki for Christ's sake! He is doing a damn good job if I have to tell and Mousse and Ryouga are going to be the next." Cologne sighed. "You are looking at all of this mess as you want to see it Nabiki and that is dangerous." "Dangerous? Why? Just spill it Cologne." Cologne gestured her to seat and reluctantly Nabiki did so soon followed by Cologne. "What I'm trying to make you understand is that if he is a killer as good as we know him then why did he played with your husband?" "Because he wanted revenge. Because he want to show us all how much more powerful than us he is. Because he is enjoying it. That's why." Cologne shook her head. "You are making the mistake of looking at this as you expected it. You are telling me all of this because you expect it to be the truth but as always the truth of the matters is difficult to see. You know that he wants revenge. You know that he can play with them. You know a lot of things that are tainting your perception of what happened." "Of what happened? He killed my husband or are you saying the contrary? Or are you thinking that because he is still not dead technically Ranma didn't kill him? Please no one recovers from that kind of damage." Cologne's fair features twisted for a moment in rage. "Nabiki you are intelligent but you are letting your emotions to play with your perceptions. That's the fool's path and in this world the fools end dead! Get a grip and think beyond your pain!" Cologne's words were dipped with contempt. She loathed fools and Nabiki knew that in those moments Cologne was thinking of her in that kind. "Yes it appears that Ranma killed Kuno. We should expect it from him after what happened in this ward. But things don't add as they should. Why did he take all that time to finish with Tatewaki? You said because he wanted to play with him. It may be but..." "But what?" "But things are seldom what we think they are. He once told me that he needed to know how strong we are." "So?" "So? Child the better way to make someone show something that you want to know is to put him out of his mind. It is generally strong emotions what show us who, and what, we really are. They strip us from the tight control our mind puts upon itself but the true self lacks those controls." "But could he have not really killed Tatewaki? No one can survive that. Al that blood flowing trough his wounds... No one can recover from something like that..." Cologne looked slightly disturbed by that. "Cologne if there is someone that could know if the human body can survive something like that it is you. What do you think, can... Can Tatewaki survive from what Ranma did to him?" For some moment, as if not knowing what to say, Cologne remained silent. When she finally spoke her voice was filled with some hints of doubt and wonder. "I'll be honest Nabiki. If it was in another situation I would say no, that there is little chance that Kuno could survive the wounds that Ranma inflicted upon him..." Nabiki looked down tears welling in her brown eyes. "But..." Nabiki looked up. "But?" "But who knows? We know near as nothing about this Hokuto Shin Ken that Ranma uses now, little apart its awesome power. Who knows? Maybe there are techniques that Ranma may have used to make it look worse than it really is. I don't know. There are other things apart from Ranma's thirst for revenge or the possibilities fro Tatewaki's survival." "Such as?" "Such as Ranma telling me that he wouldn't kill them." Nabiki breathed deeply before release her breath very slowly. "If he told you that then it is possible that Tatewaki..." She left her phrase hanging, still unwilling to accept the possibility of her husband's survival even if her mind was already starting to allow that possibility . But she knew that Cologne had still something to say and that she was reluctant to express herself. "Cologne what it is that you are not telling me?" she asked softly. Cologne looked down before locking her gaze with Nabiki's. "Did you saw Ranma's expression when Kuno stepped in the fighting arena?" "What expression? His face was blank until the last moments..." "Exactly. I don't know how I can know it, even if it is true, but when Kuno appeared Ranma's feelings disappeared. He was so focused that his emotions were wiped out. But just before I could feel, seconds before they disappeared, something that raged within his mind." She shivered "It was dark, powerful and hungered something... Ranma's mind froze as when using the Hiryu Shoten Ha but to a deeper level trying to protect itself from it." Nabiki's face paled. "That sound... Bad." Cologne hugged herself as if shivering. "Bad can't start to describe it. Evil could be more accurate. It reappeared just before Ranma stroke Kuno at the end of the fight. For a second, even less, it was there but Ranma dominated it again, this time maybe consciously and that was what prevented that your husband's instantaneous death." Nabiki swallowed hard. "What if Ranma isn't capable to handle that evil in his next fights? With Mousse? And with Ryouga? I can't start to think about it and I'm not sure that I want to even see it but I will have to be there even if it is only to stop any more blood top be spilled." She breathed more deeply. "As before the only thing that we can do is wait and hope." ---------------------------------------------- She threw up. She had seen things, and done others with the power of the neko ken but to see that kind of damage in the body of someone that she cared about... that gave it another perspective all together. Those hands exiting from Kuno's chest in an explosion of dark blood after the sound of breaking bone filled the Coliseum. Those hands dripping with the blood; the blood flowing from Kuno's mouth like a river, eyes turning white as did his face. It was dirty way to finish a combat, it was dirty way to kill a fighter of Kuno's worth. And that kick.... Why? Kuno was already down, incapable of defending himself, already in agony. Why striking down a defenseless being? Had Kenshiro no honor? No respect for Kuno or even consideration of his possible loved one? That couldn't be. She had faced Kenshiro before and she knew that he could have killed her. He wasn't all that bad back then even after what happened with Sakura and Coral. He had their lives in his hands and even so he did nothing to kill them. Then why such viciousness? Such cruelty? Ranko looked to the others, all of them with a shocked expression in their faces. Kuno was most probably living his last moments of life, their pale faces a testimony of the surprise, the disbelief. Then as she looked at all those that she considered as her family she could see their emotions going from shock, to acceptance and then anger. It was charging the room with such power that Ranko was surprised that the auras hadn't showed yet. It was so powerful that she was feeling her own anger rising as answer to it. She had to struggle not to unchain her own anger. She could see her ki boiling in answer to those emotions. Wouldn't it be so bad to let the anger reign? She almost slapped herself for such a stupid thought. Control of one's inner self was one of the most basic elements in the make up of a martial artist. Anger, uncontrolled anger, against a warrior of Kenshiro's level was at best suicidal. Her father would have kicked her ass twice if he ever got her with such thoughts. This was not the moment, as simple as that She sighed realizing that she was on of the few in this room that weren't thinking straight. Strangely she could see that those who should be most affected, Mousse and Ryouga, were the ones that better control were showing. They weren't happy but they knew as well, and even better, than letting your emotions cloud your thinking was only calling disaster. They were looking how Kenshiro was leaving Kuno's bleeding body behind as the paramedic group rushed to take their friend away to try to do what would be a miracle; saving his life. As soon as the dying body of Kuno was taken away and the blood cleaned from the ground of the fighting area of the Coliseum Mousse looked at Ryouga this one nodded. Mousse then looked at Shampoo, then to his daughter and finally his eyes looked at the others. "It's my turn. I must go." Shampoo shook her head and took the hand of her husband. "Please don't. This... This is not a regular fight, Kuno's fate showed us that much..." Mousse cut her putting a finger upon her lips But it was Ryouga who spoke. "And then what? Would we leave that murderer to go unpunished? After what we saw I know that only us have a chance of stopping him. If Kuno effectively dies. No, we must follow the rules that we set for this event and they clearly state that this will only be a one-on-one battle." "How can you say that uncle Ryouga?" Asked Coral. "That Kenshiro may be too strong even for you or you, Mousse. How can you say that? How can you allow the tournament to continue after this... This bloodbath? Why don't we burst there, all together and..." She was angry and also afraid. Her father was the one to face Kenshiro next realized Ranko. She knew very well Coral, knew that she wasn't easily scared but after the events of the afternoon the whole thing had taken a bad, very bad turning. The whole thing had turned into a life or death kind of contest when it was supposed to be a commemoration, a joyful event. First Xaran, then her fight along with Sakura's and Coral's... this was not the event that she wanted, that the whole city expect for the year, the celebration of a hope that still burned in the hearts of the citizen of the city. Now with Kenshiro that hope had turned into dread. Mousse let his aura flare, making all of them to look at him, but Ryouga that was also looking about to lash with his power if only to make a point. "You will remain here. I agree with Ryouga. No matter what happens we must do as we chose this competition to be. I don't plan of dying any time soon, not even sharing Kuno's... fate but we must put some order to the anger and fear that no doubt is creeping upon all the people watching. I will go alone and stop that... Boy." That said he turned to Ryouga that nodded. Their fists met, then from up and down, backhanding each other fists next before clasping their hands upon the other's forearm, hugging briefly. He then embraced his wife and daughter. "I'll go. It's the time." "Dad..." Mousse looked back and Coral simply said: "Good luck." Mousse smiled and briefly nodded. ----------------------------------------- Few moments latter. Ryuken remained silent as Mousse steps in the ravaged fighting area. His mind wasn't reflecting on the advancing form of one of his once rival. His mind was replaying the moment when his knees were about to impact with Kuno's Meimon. That tsubo would have Kuno's spine to bend and his body to be torn in half trough unbearable pain and remorse. And for a moment he had wished to do it to see Kuno shout in agony while his body destroyed itself. For a moment he had wanted it and denying that hunger had pushed him to follow with the things he had done to Kuno. Even then as his skin tasted Kuno's blood a part of himself had shouted to him to release the full power of the Nanto, to feel his body explode in an orgy of blood and split guts. His eyes moved towards Mousse. He was committed to his path now, the path he had forged to himself when he did what he did. It was too late to back off from this. Mousse. Ryuken knew who was the one that prepared his downfall Kuno wasn't bright enough to have planned it and Ryouga couldn't have accessed to the items that were used to banish him. What was more Ryouga alone wouldn't have prepared something like that. It required planning, careful planning and Ryouga's style wasn't like that. No. If something it reeked Mousse's way, his Hidden Weapons style, sneaking and treacherous. Well let's see How Mouse dealt with a martial art that was chaos bound. As with Kuno Ryuken drank all the details in Mousse, from the way of moving to the way he breathed... and something was off. The amazon male was waring all black robes, but differently as the white robes that were his trademark and allowed him to perform his Hidden Weapons technique, the sleeves of the outfit were smugly tied around his forearms. His hair had been shaved by the sides and was pulled back in a tick braid, some strands of hair dropping, free from it. He showed a part of white hair on his right side of his head, clearly hair that had grown from an old wound. Even so his ebony hair had some strands of grey hair even if his skin seemed young and full of vitality, without any other mark of time's passage than those fine strands of hair. Also instead of the bottle like glasses that Mousse had to allow him to overcome his near blind sigh some dark shades hide his eyes. He advanced, his moves light and sure, towards Ryuken that was awaiting him in the center of the area. He stopped near him and made as to look his opponent from head to toe. For a long time they only remained like that facing each other. "So you're the one that defeated my daughter and her friends and dealt with Kuno... Very Impressive for a man as young as you." His voice held no anger nor other emotion. It simply stated the obvious. His right fist smashed against the palm of his left hand, violently as if to denounce the lack of anger, rage and hate that his voice lacked only to bow swiftly, another mark of respect. His face was stern and hard as he ended his bow. "But now you will pay for what you did to them and what you did to Kuno." As if in clue the speakers came to life. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE MUST ANNOUNCE THE... DEATH OF TATEWAKI KUNO." The Coliseum exploded in shouts and laments filling it with an eerie, sound as if it was the howling of a banshee. Mousse twitched with some unknown emotion. Ryuken remained unmoving, his face the same as of they had exclaimed that it was a wonderful day. "KENSHIRO OF THE HOKUTO SHIN KEN IS DISQUALIFIED! STEP OUT OF THE FIGHTING AREA AND GO TO THE INTERROGATION POST!" Mousse then gestures the exit of the stone tatami. "You must abandon and put yourself to our disposition for questioning. We will see if you are on of the Queen's agents. Do it easy if you have any honor. Don't make me force yourself to obey." Ryuken looks down, his face blank as he whispers. "Honor..." Then he looked up to the weapons master. "And if I don't want?" Mousse scowls. "Then I will force you." A sort of smile appeared as Ryuken looks at mousse. "FIGHTER KENSHIRO STEP OUT OF THE FIGHTING ARENA. WE REPEAT..." Static fills the Coliseum as the speaker explodes thanks to a compressed air blast. Ryuken drops his hand as he continue to look at Mousse. He not even aimed his strike but the precision of the strike was uncanny. Mousse swallowed. "Very well. If it's a fight what you want then I will oblige you." He paused. "To death." Ryuken nodded. "To death." He remained standing, the ice that was his soul and heat growing making him loose all subjectivity. This was an enemy to deal with. Nothing more. Mousse attacked at once the whole Coliseum exploded on cheers towards the amazon male, Shouts from people asking him to kill Ryuken after painfully beating him could also be heard. Ryuken dodged a punch by mere inches, twisting in the last moment before countering the strike with his own fist still carefully controlling his strength. Yet in the last moment Mousse dodged the blow and countered it with a snap kick that brushed Ryuken's ribs forcing him to retreat gaining some breathing space. Ryuken frowned. Mousse shouldn't have been able to dodge his blow. The Master of the hidden weapons never gave him the time to ponder how he had prevented Ryuken strike as he followed the Hokuto heir with a seven hit combo that Ryuken dodged as well. As the last of the seven hit passed brushing his skin Ryuken send a spinning kick towards the back of Mousse head pressing his speed to anil the near sighed martial artist. But once again in a show of uncanny ability Mousse ducked under the kick, his fist that impacted with Ryuken's stomach with enough force to make Ryuken moan slightly. Mousse pressed his attack sending a blindingly fast uppercut that took Ryuken right on the jaw sending him flying. Mousse followed, jumping after Ryuken with a ki powered lap. "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!!" Hundreds of blows were sent towards Ryuken. He twisted at the last moment, evading most of the fists strike even if some achieved to brush him. Defying gravity he twisted, using Mousse stretched arms as bras propelling him like a Olympic-class gymnast. Following with a kick that send Mousse flying towards the ground. Mousse twisted part of his body numb by the strength of the hit, landing on his feet at the same time Ryuken did, dropping in a tai chi defensive stance. Ryuken did the same but assuming an non threatening one. He then gestured Mousse to come, taunting him silently to attack first. Mousse as silently as Ryuken burst into action, blurring into motion anc closing the space between them in a heartbeat, his fist flying, burning with red ki only hint of the rage that he felt within. Ryuken lips seemed to twist a little in a mockery of a smile as he see the amazon rushing towards him. His own fist answers the attack of the near sighted weapons master. Yet as the fist where about to impact on each other, Mousse blurs, twisting on his attack, evading Ryuken's counterstrike at the last moment changing his aim, from face to chest. Yet Ryuken was faster, Mousse fist impacting upon Ryuken's open hand that closed upon like a steel trap. Ryuken then pulled digging his knee on Mousse's stomach several times, sending waves of pain trough the amazon fighter to finish with a roundhouse kick to Mousse's ribs blasting away. Mousse' aura burst to lessen the impulse driving him towards the limits of the fighting area, making him to roll upon the stone ground pulling himself on shaking legs. He tentatively touched the place were Ryuken's kick impacted. He winced in pain. Not broken but bruised. He released more ki on his system allowing his body to heal faster. As for the blows towards his stomach, his abdominal muscles had lessened greatly the impact preventing any internal damage. He passed his tongue upon his dry lips. Silently hew called forth his power gathering it in his hands and parts of his upper body while containing it to shift to the visible spectrum. With that thought Mousse blasted into action ready to clash again with the Hokuto Shin Ken heir. ------------------------------------------------- Ryuken felt the gathering of the energies, his eyes tuned to see beyond normal limits allowing him to see the flow of invisible energy that Mousse had been summoning in several parts of his body. Still in the depths of his frozen soul Ryuken examined Mousse's technique. His eyes narrowed. Better to see if he was right. As mousse was closing the distance between them he swung his hand in Ryuken's direction as his danger sense screamed at him. >From nowhere as Mousse's arms extended towards him the air was >suddenly filled by dozens of steel balls that shoot towards him as bullets. "What the hell?!" His eyes narrowed as he saw the balls coming towards him a wall of steel ready to make his body's muscles to exploded with the impact still there was something in the way the balls were aimed... He remained unmoving as a memory flashed trough his mind, a memory of a day when his father faced a Shura warrior. The balls passed trough his position, disappearing in thin air. Ryuken's eyes didn't move as his senses scanned the area around him. Nothing. Yet... Ryuken looked back to Mousse that was smiling. "It's ended." Muttered that amazon fighter. Suddenly the balls appeared around Ryuken each of them exploding in thread like metal chains that curled around Kenshiro's son as they tried to trap him and indeed they formed the trap closing any possible escape as they closed upon the Hokuto Shin Ken warrior. Ryuken faster than what could be seen rise his hands, fingers like claws as if digging in the very air. In one violent movement the area around Ryuken exploded in an orgy of rendered air and metal as the power of the Nanto was brought forth in all its might. The ground exploded as blades of vacuum expanded tearing the ground, stone reduced to gravel along with the metal of the trap. Dust covered the ground as ten deep marks were left in the ground. The displaced air traveled trough the length of the fighting area along with the vacuum freed by the Nanto Sei Ken, making even more destruction as they traveled far the pressure and the void digging on the structure of the Coliseum that shook by the strength behind Ryuken's powerful countermove. People screams could be heard filling the Coliseum. Voices full of confusion, of fear and anger were the masters of the place as little by little the dusts settled back on the ground. As the dust settles the crowd could see both fighters facing each other. Mousse face was grim as he thought back on the power his adversary had showed and that made him edgy as he knew, even if he couldn't feel it, that the one in front of him had barely shown any of his real power. Ryuken looked back at Mousse. He should have used something apart from the Nanto but he knew that those metallic strings would have cut him deeply, even torn him in pieces at the power level he is currently in. As he had to restrain his defensive aura to show he had, at the same time, to be more careful about the techniques used against him. Mousse's trick, not to say his weapon, had been very clever and the way the metallic strings that shoot from the steel balls had been prepared to cut trough muscles and bones with deadly ease had forced him to rise up the stakes. But now curiosity had found a way to the cold core of Ryuken's consciousness. A grim smile appeared on the frozen features of Ryuken's face as Mousse energy starts to blend in its flows... Kenshiro's son could feel Mousse's ki move as the amazon male prepared his attack. The way the increased energy was conducted towards some muscles, to some parts of his body allowed Ryuken to feels Mousse's next moves. Even if he stood unmoving his eyes captured any of the tiny contraction that form Mousse's movements, making Ryuken to tense imperceptibly in preparation. In a split of a second Mousse's hands shoot forwards and from nowhere, as before, weapons appeared. Blade ended chains appeared attacking him as if it was the strike of a snake, fast, deadly and accurate. But not fast enough. As they were to connect Ryuken jumps backwards but the chains, as if with a mind of their own, start to follow him as more appeared within the fighting space pulling Ryuken in a fast paced dance; a mortal game of tag, the speed of it increasing by the second. Ryuken frowned. Something wasn't right he mussed as he dodged another set of chains that came from all around him. Sometimes he dodged them by a mere fraction of time. Others by a more wide margin. Some of the chains achieved to pass so near his skin that some light cut appeared in his tanned skin, shedding some drops of blood in the air. Ryuken frown deepened. Something was definitely wrong there. Even if the attack was of an incredible violence, the simplicity of it hinted that Mousse was preparing something behind the storm of steel that was send towards him. Ryuken dodged some more as he tried to move towards the once myopic hidden weapons master. After some tries Ryuken canceled that way of approaching his foe as the number of chains augmented as the distance between them decreased. At one point it seemed that all the surface of the fighting area was covered with moving chains. As the links of the chains weren't regulars blunt surfaces but razor sharp instead dodging them became slightly more problematic as they started to act as a sort of really extended, quasi living, chainsaw cutting deeply if they achieved to touch him and as the speed of the chains made the air on the fighting area to become a deadly second edge. Even so something was wrong in all of this. As Ryuken dodged, twisting his body in incredible angles, he switched his movement jumping above the net of chains with enough strength as to soar in the air gaining some seconds of freedom from the metal trap that was becoming the arena. He had only moments before Mousse altered the flow of his chains. He twisted making sure that the sun was behind him, making sure that if Mousse looked towards him the sunlight would finish to blind him. As Mousse did, looking towards him. Ryuken quickly descended ---------------------------------------- Mousse smiled. He understood the plan of the young man facing him. The sun would have left him blind, even with his dark shaded protection. Well too bad. For Ryuken. ---------------------------------------- Ryuken sent his fist flying. It was the right moment as Mousse wouldn't be able to follow his moves. He knew it. Unfortunately as his fist was about the make contact with his enemy's body he vanished. As did the chains. Pain exploded in Ryuken's body. The Hokuto warrior cursed when he felt pain run trough the arm that was supposed the smash Mousse's head. Even so, as he touched the ground, he used his hand, his arm as a leverage to jump and find a better stance that would allow him to see the damage in his right arm. He already knew that it was bad. As he landed on his feet he threw a look to his arm. Not good. Nine black arrows were digging deeply on his arm and he could feel them from within his flesh. They were of the "barbed" kind designed to do as much damage as possible on the tendons of the muscles where they end in. Instead of a pointed head arrow that would have simply cut his muscles as they dug on it this kind was designed not only to produce extensive damage as they penetrated in the muscles but its head was made in a way that it would damage the muscle even more crippling it. If they were taken out with a pull they would do even more damage rendering the muscle where they were trapped, destroying it unless surgery was done upon the wounds. And he had nine of those in his arm and shoulder. And the jump he had done using the arrow filled arm just helped to do even more damage. Not good at all. Mousse chuckle took him from the examination of if wounds. "Now ready to surrender? You can not hope to defeat me with your arm in that state." Ryuken just continued looking at him and turning his attention to his arm. He moved it up the pain devouring his arm and right side of his chest and back. In normal circumstances he would have simply ignored the pain more now as part of his consciousness, while still sentient, was surrounded in ice that kept out most of the powerful emotions which his fist used to feed upon. Mousse was an enemy, someone to crush into a bloody paste of blood, muscles and ravaged internal organs. That was the most basic rule of the Hokuto Shin Ken. Destroy the enemy. Kill him. Mousse was an enemy. Is an enemy still and the pain spawned by his last attack made that need of eliminate any possible danger to grow. Mousse is an enemy. And he was going down. "Well?" Asked Mousse with contempt. A wound like that was the end for numerous fighters. As blood flowed from the arrow wounds forming a little pool of the crimson liquid his confidence soared. The fact that unlike any other fighter Ryuken wasn't in the ground shouting in pain slipped totally from his mind. Ryuken send him a melting steel gaze that Mousse couldn't see. "A single arm is enough with the likes of you." Muttered Ryuken as his eyes slowly turned golden. He extended his damaged arm and looked for a while at the nine arrows sticking form it, carefully examining the wounds, the arrows that in some case had passed trough his arm, from one side to the other. He tested his arm slowly moving the muscles that send other painful waves trough his system. Slowly with what could be seen as the most basic scorn for his wounds he took the first arrow with his free hand and yanked from it. Blood purred freely, first erupting like a mini geyser, to slow down to a steady flow of blood. He dropped the arrow and went for the rest of them that one after the other dropped to the ground with even more blood. As he did it Ryuken remained silent, the pain that he could have felt seemed to be missing for the reactions on his face that were none. In one point even the two arrows that had run through his biceps, instead of plucking them from his arms, exploded when he forced his muscles to work; their remaining dropping to the blood pool on the ground. "Damn," he muttered. Some of the fragment were still within his muscle. "Oh well." And under the sickened gaze of those near enough to see it he dug his fingers in the wound making it bigger, the sound of ripped flesh as the fingers searched for the rest of the arrow filling the silent Coliseum. When he finally dug the last of them he dropped the splinters in the ground along the blood soaked arrows just before stepping upon them, breaking them even more. His eyes turned towards Mousse that looked slightly disturbed. Before Mouse had the time to move, Ryuken right arm moved producing a hiss in the air as his hand moved slightly, more blood flowing from the still open wounds. Mousse moved backwards but it was too late. The shock of looking how this "Kenshiro" had moved an arm that he shouldn't be able to move by the pain alone, without thinking on the internal damages on the muscles was more than disturbing. The surprise to feel his dark glasses to split in half was even more. He could feel the cut, even being as little as it was, and it was done with something that could only be kind of a laser like blast as it left it smooth. But what was even more: the skin of his face were the cut had been done was intact. How could he have done that? He realized too late that his secret was out of the bag. Ryuken eyes narrowed. "So you are blind." Indeed Mousse eyes that once were of a deep green were now covered in milky white. The cells in his orbs dead. Withered away long ago. Mousse nodded. "Yes. Long time ago I had a case of bad sight. It was a major weakness as any enemy had only to take my glasses away and I would be nearly powerless. Years ago I started working on expanding my other senses both to battle and for my life. I gained a perfect control of my five senses which allowed me to expand my sixth one." Ryuken nodded slowly. "So that's why you could evade my attacks. You felt them, felt the displaced air that I pushed with each move right?" Mousse nodded a smile appearing. "Yes. that way I am able to defend myself from any attack that you could possibly trow at me. And that helped me in wounding you, preventing you to claim victory. And now you are too weak with all that blood that you have lost. Your body is now more heavy and sluggish as the flow of oxygen to your brain had slowed down." He gestured to Ryuken that was standing on a pool of his blood, his finger mockingly pointing at him. "In short you have lost because you confided to much on the fact that I was bad sighed as my glasses told you. You felt in my trap twice and that, boy, will be your downfall." For some moment Ryuken remained silent as if he was weighting Mousse's words. Then he snorted. "You are more of an idiot that what I believed first. You think that you have perception now that you're sight is gone? That now that you have such developed senses you see beyond things? You are a misguided fool!" Now it was Ryuken that was pointing to Mousse with his wounded arm the blood flowing to his chest. "You will loose." He sentenced before moving both arms and fingers towards his face, pressing delicately the zone of his eyes as he closed his eyelids. The pressure grew, Mousse could feel it. And when Ryuken opened his eyes the blue-golden color was gone, pure withe covering his orbs. Yet as his right hand traveled trough his face blood was left upon the eyes giving him the illusion that he was crying blood tears. "Now I am as blind as you are. We will see who as the true perception of life Mousse!" Mousse's mouth hung open as his senses told him the truth of his affirmation. "Why? With your arm as you have it now if you become blind you will loose any chance to win that you still had! Why did you do it?! You know that I have to kill you for what you did, for what you did to Kuno." Ryuken lips curved into a smile that lacked any mirth. "During the 2000 years of history of the Hokuto Shin Ken we have always fought with the same limitations that our adversaries. I follow the laws of my school because they are what define my lifestyle and the one of all the heirs across those millennia. That's one of the meanings of a Hokuto fight." Mousse closed is mouth and nodded. "You are a fool indeed boy but I respect you even if you have sentenced yourself. Very well we will see how between you and I has true perception. Prepare yourself to reunite with your gods." Ryuken switched to a stance. "The death omen star as still to shine upon me. Come Mousse, come and finish what we started so long ago." If Mousse knew what he was referring he gave no hint but he bent in position his white eyes never leaving the Hokuto warrior. Meanwhile within Ryuken a new life appeared. Ryuken closed his eyes as he whispered a phrase that had a special meaning to him and his father. "Come Shuu, live within me!" As soon as those words departed Ryuken lips a presence seemed to be generated within Ryuken's soul. It was a powerful presence, full of peace and strength, calm and pure. He smiled as he felt Shuu's soul came to him, guiding him, opening new levels of perceptions and knowledge to him. The blood upon his face moved as if alive forming lines crossing Ryuken eyes in the same place where Shuu used the Nanto to blind himself in sacrifice for Kenshiro's life. And once again Ryuken's soul merged with the one that the Musoutensei gave him; the legacy Kenshiro gave him with his life. To Mousse senses, to his way of "seeing" the ki of each individual, this Kenshiro was nothing more than bound nothingness, an area of lifeless grey against the vivid colors of life but within that shadow Mousse could feel a ripple as something mighty and vast had appeared, so great that it made that dead aura to shift. But what produced that effect? No matter what that boy had done a mistake. Mousse didn't doubted his skill nor his power. Not anymore. The boy had such control upon his body and soul that fear's cold fingers almost choked him. Only anger and a desire to win and protect what was his -his family and life in Nerima - pushed him to fight on. The way the boy choked the pain that must be traveling his body along with the lack of blood that his still open wounds spilled by the minute that by all fact should be making him to drop in the ground unconscious or even better dead... No, the boy would not be easy to defeat even now. That's was until the boy made that mistake. The darkness that was his life, of his vision so long ago destroyed. Here he was the master, the lord of it. there was no way that the boy could posses the training to overcome his new blindness in a fight of this level. No. The boy had made a fatal mistake and mousse would use it to win! He charged, gleaming knives appearing in his hands. He threw them and more until a true wall of extremely sharp steel flew towards the Hokuto Shin Ken heir. They hit. For a second everybody looking to Ryuken believed that it was the end as the knives sank in his flesh. That time seemed to stretch... Just before the knives exploded in steel shards, the knives's handles falling to the broken ground. Ryuken was standing there his skin intact, untouched. He snorted. "Pathetic. You are a bunch of losers." That said he started advancing towards Mousse that step back a moment. "But how? Before... The arrows..." Ryuken stopped. "You took me by surprise that's all. I slipped a bit you can say but no more of that." Mousse seemed to pause for a moment before sending another set of weapons this time shurikens towards Ryuken's head. This time Ryuken barely moved his head, the shurikens passing near him without any damage. Yet he snatched one from the hair. Seemed to look at it and slowly passed his tongue upon the sharp edge of the throwing star. He spat. "Poison. Should have known." That said he advanced even more. Mousse's frown darkened. Rising his hands he produced two black spheres that he dropped. They rolled towards Ryuken, that followed them with his dead eyes. Suddenly a pitching sound, like a drill appeared, produced by the last of Mousse weapons. Ryuken stepped back a little and pout his hands upon his ears as his face showed a new kind of pain as the sound filled his extremely sharp ears. Mousse snickered and using the sound from the spheres to cover his own blurred towards Ryuken that was still clutching his ears in pain. His hands suddenly burst to white flames as the raced towards Ryuken's body as Mousse ki came to life. His fist held enough power to render steel to confetti. He was in pain, well most of the Coliseum was in pain, but that didn't matter to Mousse. He had learned since long time ago how to cut his other senses at the same time increasing the sensitivity of the others. His enemy, his foe was there and his fists were about to smash his face into the ground and beyond. So big was the surprise for him when both fist were trapped in a steel kind grip. "Kenshiro" was looking at him and he was smiling. The kind of smile the cat gives the mouse when he have it trapped. The ki disappeared. Bones popped and pain flared in Mousse as Ryuken's grip increased. "You feel that Mousse? That's the beginning of your pain, and trust me you have still much to see." Mousse gritted his toot and lashed with a knee towards Ryuken's stomach. Ryuken moved out of the way, letting Mousse knee and leg hit nothing but air before head butting the black clad amazon and, as the blind amazon still reeled from it, twisted his body dragging the older man with him with enough force to slam Mousse against the already broken ground, stones digging in Mousse's flesh. He yelled in pain but was lifted again, released and as he was holding on air a kick to the right side of his neck send him crashing against in the ground. He moved as his body complained against any move. He paid no heed to the message of his body. If he remained unmoving he was dead. He jumped and thrown his arms once again summoning his weapons from subspace. A war hammer was send flying towards Ryuken left blind side, that was looking to the ground as if unknowing of the threat to his body the sound of the spheres still disturbing his sense of hearing. He spun, his kick flying, softly touching the hammer, redirecting its flow and giving it more strength as it flew back towards Mousse that couldn't dodge in time as he tried to send another weapon flying, this time a spear. The hammer smashed his noose and Mousse could actually feel the bones in his face almost carve inwards. Blood exploded from his broken noose just before the hammer returned to subspace. His head hit the floor were he remained struggling to rise up. Meanwhile Ryuken had taken the lance from its trajectory towards his chest with a sure hand, whirled and assumed a defensive stance a hand forward, the other holding the weapon behind him, the red shaft gleaming against the sun. The cutting end had been severed. Mousse groaned in pain as his hand moved trough his face, feeling the broken bone and warm blood that was coming from his nose. With a move of his fingers he set the nose again to his place. More blood flowed along with the head splitting pain. He shook his head and slowly got on his feet and started sending ki blasts towards Ryuken at Amaguriken speed. The volley of blasts burning the air with their power. Ryuken held his ground against the oncoming attack. As the blast were about to touch him his free hand started moving, swatting aside the balls of power, most of them crashing against the ground damaging it even further, other went in the air losing cohesion soon after while others, the less, impacted against some of the main structure of the Coliseum coming dangerously close to some of the spectators. Once the blast passed Mousse came rushing, twin katanas in his hands but opening with a kick to Ryuken's head that was stopped by the Hokuto warrior's own leg. His staff whirled and caught Mousse in the chin lifting him as Ryuken finished sending a kick that impacted violently in Mousse's stomach driving the air away as it sank deeply. Mousse grunted seemingly able to resist the hit but couldn't help but be forced to stumble backwards by the strength behind the kick. As soon as he could he was upon the younger blind man as he twirled his katanas in a dance of death that would have disemboweled anything slower than Ryuken as the amazon pressed with the Amaguriken speed. For a moment it seemed that he had the upper hand as Ryuken dodged each trust by a small margin, one of the blades even cutting some strands of his short black hair. But he was in the end utterly unable to do as much as nick Ryuken that danced from the cutting blades as he moved his solid staff, deflecting what he couldn't dodge. Mousse smiled as his katanas, in a double strike from up and down, cut the staff in two. Before he had any chance to gloat Ryuken ducked under one of the katanas and slammed his now twin red rods in Mousse right ribs with such strength and precision that they snapped cleanly, the sound bringing some reality to a fight that could be related to two shadows facing each other. Even so he continued using the moment when the pain of the broken ribs flowed trough Mouse to do a number upon his body. His rods blurred into two red flows as he used them, not attacking the bone as before but to the muscles, smashing the rods upon each inch of his adversary's body. As soon as he was able, or better yet, as soon as Mousse could move even as he was under the onslaught of wooden strikes he jumped backwards as he erected a wall if cutting steel to protect himself from any other attack as his ki flowed to help him to resist the pain. Ryuken seemed to not care about it and let Mousse back off. In a swift flick of his wrists Mousse send his two katanas flying towards Ryuken that used the segmented parts of his staff to deflect the swords. Sparks flew and the twin swords were propelled towards opposed points of the fighting arena. There they sank deeply in the ground before crackling and exploding in a cloud of shining shards of useless metal. Mousse pressed some shiatsu spots to deaden the pain, allowing him to breath more normally. But that didn't prevented him to be breathing deeply, feeling winded by the display of skill and speed. With each breath the pain, even if lessened, burned him. Not to mention on the pain coming from the rain of blows that Ryuken had unleashed upon his body's flesh. He was sore and he hurt. Not the best situation. He "looked" to his enemy that was standing against him holding the two shorter staffs in a stance that he couldn't recognize. What in name of the ancestors was that boy?! He moved even better than before, more swiftly, almost as flowing water and he seemed to be able to know exactly where he was despite the fact that he was blind. If he didn't knew better he would believe that the boy had still his sight, but even better. And how could he feel how he moved when his hears had been neutralized. Mousse grimly produced a whip made of metal that seemed more an extension of his arm than a normal whip, more like a arm made of several pieces of golden metal pieces that were joined not unlike the joints between two bones was but also each of the points of union was spiked, sharp spikes one feet in length that could perfectly cut trough steel. His arm coupled with it and it came to life, twisting, a Experimentally he moved it and with a cutting sound tore apart the ground. Where its end touched the ground exploded, dust and shrapnel released. Mousse had stored several weapons that were beyond the kind that he used in his youth and that were within the normal limits of the Hidden Weapons style, but in the last years, with the war starting to rage again after a time of relative tranquillity in Japan, he had to crate new weapons, new ways of destroying bodies. His advanced Hidden weapon allowed him to produce almost any kind of weapon that he could imagine, simply adding parts or changing them, altering already dangerous weapons into more destructive ones. Usually those weapons remained secret, unused in normal fighting, but today he knew that if he wanted to win he had to put off all the stops. He had tried to use weapons more of close combat but after the Kuno debacle he had come to realized that his only hope to win was attacking from away, close combat was too dangerous. Mousse simply contracted his muscles slightly and the weapon reacted moving like a blur as deadly his coming from the displaced air. Ryuken moved to one side as he visualized the weapon coming at him with the greatest perception; the one coming trough the heart. He respected the weapon that Mousse used. He wasn't so overconfident. He had good sense enough to consider the damage that it could deal to him, more having most of his power restricted, yet his auto imposed limitations were an invitation to pain. He move to the front advancing towards Mousse as the main attack passed aside. As he was closing the space between them his danger sense screamed forcing him to jump backwards in a spin as a golden spike passed where his exposed back was seconds before. Damn, that weapon was fast. Immediately, as to prove it again, the golden "arm" changed of direction going at him as he was still in the air, its golden parts and spikes closing upon him not unlike a boa constrictor. On thing was sure if he allowed it to close upon him totally the spikes would shred his body apart. Right now and since the moment he reduced his power to cloak his presence in the world his body had lost most of its protection. He was now more normal or at least his body was; able to suffer a damage that otherwise he shouldn't be able to even receive. He was tough and strong and able to call some of his limited power but apart that he was more than able to be seriously wounded and right now Mousse's attack was more than enough to kill him if he allowed it to reach him. He tossed both pieces of the rod he used before with a flick of his wrist as he sized the closing arms around him. Then as the metal under him hissed due to friction between its surface and Ryuken's fingers, the Hokuto Shin Ken warrior impelled himself up so as to not have the twisting arm closing upon his neck. In a second he was on top seeing how the tip of the weapon was rushing towards his face. His feet smashed against the metal, denting it. At the same time Ryuken's finger dug in the metal, calling forth one of the techniques of the Hokuto School, a move designed to red flesh with the same kind of motion that was using Ryuken. Unknown metal, steel, iron, muscles... All was the same stuff to the heir of the Hokuto line. He was trained to do so, to bring destruction to all things in the world. For a second a flash of his most earlier training came to his mind, when he used dummies made of steel to increase the strength of his fingers when using them to press the hikous. Hell; once his father made him touch the hikous trough a stone wall in a training dummy only to have the move connecting with a second one beyond the first, as was the idea of the training. Nothing could stand in your way when you used the power of the North Star. This wasn't an exception as the words rolled like thunder with power. "HOKUTO KOURETSU HA!" His fingers found little resistance as he dug in the strong metal of Mousse's weapon. He then followed with pulling it apart. The metal screamed as it resisted Ryuken's strength but even so, even with Mouses's ki flowing towards it could do little against the overwhelming power of Ryuken's pull. A flash of gold and the weapon was thorn in two. The free part was destroyed, a useless piece of metal in the hand of the Hokuto heir as he closed his fist upon it. At the same time his chest muscles tensed as Ryuken pulled from the rest of the weapon dragging the blind weapon master that was still connected to it, to the tentacle like whip he used. He came flying as his body mass was like a feather weight to Ryuken, not even screaming as he closed the distance between him and the man that had mangled his weapon. Ryuken spun sending a roundhouse kick that connected with Mousse' s neck, making his whole body to feel like numbing it. But it wasn't finished as the Hokuto Shin Ken heir followed with a punch top his gut that send him flying with even more violence than before. Mousse crashed feeling like his whole body had been trashed but it was not only the physical extension of his pain but also the confusion and frustration. He had been training all his adult life in the hopes of compensating his blindness and until now he believed to have done what was between the limits of the human power to not only overcome but also to rise upon that disability. During years he had been confident of his achievement. But now he was facing a boy that used his body in a way that was beyond Mousse's grasp to understand but what he knew was that he was capable of perceiving all his moves and attacks. It wasn't using his ears, nor his other physical senses and he was sure that he wasn't using a sixth or even the seventh sense. Then how was he able to move like that? He had Mousse a man that was blind since the last three decades and more on the ropes. Maybe he felt the moves of the air? Could it be that? It had to be... That was the only answer to the enigma of this "Kenshiro". Mousse painfully rose, holding his hand upon his neck as if to lessen the pain,, "looking" to Ryuken. All that wasn't important now. What was important was that he needed a new weapon. He couldn't hope to be able to defeat him in simple close combat fighting that Hokuto Shin Ken was too powerful to do that, the memory of what happened to Kuno still fresh in his mind. He needed something faster than his last weapon, something more deadly... What to do? What to create? What? What?! He... He ... He had the answer Mousse breathing turned more even as he visualised what he wanted, what he needed. He "looked" to the mangled rests of his previous weapon. To crude he knew that now. But it would serve him well. He concentrated His ki flowed trough the metal altering, giving it new form and proprieties. The broken remains of it becoming a new kind all together. That was it. No mater how good this Kenshiro was at feeling the variation in the air when Mousse and his weapons moved there was no way that he could dodge the next attack. His hand flowed, as did the metal as it adopted its new form with mind's speed, its last embodiment seemed nothing more than a thick, two foot long golden rod, that was send towards Ryuken. Mousse felt how the metal brushed his skin as it moved with the impulse that Mousse gave it. Then as the handle of his weapon was about to flew from his hand, the amazon closed his hand upon it giving a twist that activated the true weapon. The tip opened with a click, sending hundred of metal like tongues towards Ryuken. In each of there his ki was injected allowing Mousse to guide them somehow towards their mark but at the same time giving them all different angle and direction. The sly metal whips were all razor sharp and acted under Mousse will like a flock of snakes coiling and recoiling as the moved without a sound. They were too much, coming from to many different angles to allows Ryuken to feel from where the attack was coming from. He could dodge one, tow or maybe ten with luck but there was no way in hell that he achieved to evade them all and mousse ki's was within them giving the thin attacks a hardness that put steel to shame. Ryuken's right hand came up and his index extended. Then he blurred. His finger, hand and arm blurred as the attacks were closing upon him to a point that they reached almost invisibility. To Mousse the effect was even more uncanny. He could feel the metal snap as if was made of wood and not one of the strongest substance in the world. But the blow that he lend to the ki flowing trough them giving them a "mind" as even more incredible. He dispelled it without using any energy that Mousse could feel and each time that his finger touched, barely caressed the metal, Mousse could feel the pain within his mind, breaking his control painfully. But what was more was that "Kenshiro"couldn't have felt them all coming to him, not from his right and them from his back or his shoulder and at the same time striking at another point beyond the reach of his perception. How could he do that? He had been waiting to feel again how this Kenshiro achieved his perception. He didn't used any ki to "see" while his eyes were blinded. Mousse could feel no scanning from either his adversary sixth or even seventh sense. So how could he? The question had now an even more pressing need of an answer. His life verged upon it! HOW?! Mousse's mouth kept closing and opening in disbelief. What kind of being was he facing? He couldn't be human. He just couldn't. "How..." He barely whispered. Loud enough for Ryuken to hear. "You still haven't realized it do you?" Asked Ryuken his voice stern. "Realized what?!" Replied Mousse. "That I don't see or that I don't feel the air moving in a way for me to face up your moves and weapons. I don't need to see, or even feel! I'm beyond that to a point that you can't even start to understand. I feel trough my heart. It is my heart that allows me to see beyond the mere limits of the physical realm." "But that's not possible! You must hold your perception trough the body, trough the flesh that his our hold on the physical plane! Otherwise..." "Otherwise nothing! You use your ki to compensate your lack of sight, boosting the perception of your skin. But even so you are still limited to the use of ki to feel or to feel your enemy and his moves. That is a crutch! A true warrior don't need anything of that to see, only the understanding of someone that had lost any mean of physical perception." He paused. "You can't compare to me or my mentors. And that will be your downfall." Ryuken smirked. "As you will know right... Now." As soon as the last word left Ryuken's mouth Mousse body burst in pain. He dropped as a sack of bricks, convulsing in the grip of pain. He whirled in agony as wave after wave of pain crashed trough his body. By the ancestors it was as if his skin was being filed from his flesh with burning needles! It was like thousand of little claws searing trough his epidermis! Flashes of red crossed his blind sight as the pain, the agony, made him cry, shout as if he was being extracted of his bones with a raw spoon. He trashed as his nails dug in the stone ground, even as they were stripped from their flesh he paid no hide to that small amount of pain that was nothing more than a drop in the vastness of the ocean. He cried until his throat was raw and even then he continued until he was spitting blood. His eyes closed shut only to open them as pain only to have them open as dagger crossed across his brain. Then as suddenly as it happened it stopped or at least remitted to bearable levels. Mousse found himself upon his stomach. It hurt even to be there unmoving. Even so he struggled to rise. He just managed to be able to look up. Ryuken was there looking down at him, knees bend and arms closed, closely looking at him with an unbearable look. "What, it hurt?" He asked his tone not showing anything. Mousse gasped for air. It came as a sweet rush that lasted but a moment as the pain in his body flared again making him to moan. **"What... what is happen... happening to me?"** His voice came harsh in his native Chinese, coarse due to the shouts that he had previously released. Ryuken answered him in perfect Chinese a whisper to Mousse's ears only. **"What is happening to you is that you are under the effects of the Hokuto Hachimon Kyuudan. Right now your body is a web of pain each of your nerves burning with it. The pain that you are feeling now are the one coming from the blows that I gave to you before. Now..." He smiled a little his eyes gleaming golden for a moment. **"Now... Your are at stage seven; a simple punch and your heart would explode from that pain even as your brain is fried as you reach the Ninth Break."** Mousse snarled and, in a gesture of defiance, threw himself towards Ryuken. Before he could react Ryuken's fingers lightly caressed Mousse forehead. Mousse reeled back as his head seemed to came apart! He trashed in the ground his hands flying towards his head. But as soon as they touched his head it seemed to the blind martial artist as if twin sledgehammers had blasted trough his temples. No matter where his body touched there was pain. Mousse gesticulated like a worm that would have been cut in half under the cold gaze of Ryuken. As pain flared in his abdomen, his body jerked back hitting his shoulders against the broken ground. A shard of stone dug deeply in his flesh touching the bone of his right shoulder blade. The bone exploded the fragments digging in his flesh like the talons of a beast. Pain. Pain. Pain. It was all around him, it was within him, upon every inch of his body the agony was there like a blanket that was strangling him in madness and feral instincts of survival, instincts frustrated with every try of freeing from the omnipresent pain. After what seemed an eternity, little by little, the pain released him. He was in a fetal ball his arms around his body as of trying to protect himself from an invisible foe. All was darkness the pain having him returned to that time were the darkness of his failing eyes claimed him forever. Then a voice a soothing voice reached him trough the darkness. He knew that voice. It was... It was speaking in Chinese, fluent, smooth, without any accent. Deep rich a voice that you could trust. But cold. He knew the tone of that voice, he had heard it before. But when? **"I wonder... Are you suffering enough Mousse? Have you suffered like I did? Is this like that day? Is this pain you feet now what I felt that day if our positions were inversed? When I was suffering, unable to defend myself from the trap that you had came with to destroy me, did you felt what I am feeling right now?"** He paused as if considering. **"I think not."** A pause. **"What were you feeling back then? Will I ever know the truth?"** Again a pause, longer. Apart from that magnificent voice all was silence, even the beating of his own heart failed to reach him as well as those words did. **"But if there is something that I know you did feel is relief. You had defeated me, the one that threatened your love towards Shampoo. But you made one mistake duck boy and that was doubting that I would find a way to return and to see you crushed, broken as I was."** The voice was not soothing anymore. It was not cold anymore. Instead it burned, burned with anger, frustration, hate, and lust for his pain. The voice of a monster, of a shadow, of a demon rising from the lowest pit of hell. In a cold shiver that cooled down the last flames of his pain Mousse knew the truth, knew why he was there at his adversary's mercy, why Kuno was dead, why he was going to die. It was all because it was... It was Ranma's voice. **"It can't be... It's not possible... You're lying..."** He managed to say. Barely. It couldn't be... Because if it was true then he would share Kuno's fate and soon afterwards Ryouga would suffer the same. And after that... After that... There wouldn't be an after that he realized as soon as Ranma spoke again. **"Oh yeah I am Ranma or at least the Ranma that you helped to create, that sunny afternoon so long ago. You created your own demise. I was born of your hate and of your envy. Nothing good can come from something as twisted as those emotions but you can feel grateful that you were not the only one to take part of my genesis. Oh yes you can be very grateful of that."** He rose up and gave a last blind look at Mousse that was lying in the ground, his pale face nothing to do with the pain that, for the moment, had stopped. **"Well Mousse, old boy, I hope that you have enjoyed your pathetic life all this years because I can guarantee you that you are not going to enjoy what is going to happen. Oh no, I don't think that you will enjoy it anymore. This said enjoy the Ninth Break. I'm told that it is a once in a lifetime experience."** A light pressure in the center of his chest was the last thing he had the memory of before oblivion it him. Mousse mind and body exploded in an orgy of pain unlike no other ever. An onslaught of pain, of suffering that this time the darkness of unconsciousness couldn't save him from. Mousse continued shouting, screaming until all that was in his world was the pain and those shouts of the Ninth Agony. --------------------------------------------- Ryuken just remained there, looking at Mousse twisting body as if it was a spectacle that had nothing to do with him. Even the fact that he was the one to send him there was outside of his concern. For him Mousse was now nothing more than a corpse that refused to die. It was nothing, only a shadow that was to be forgotten. The why was he still looking at the body of Mousse? Her didn't knew. When he moved his head and turned to leave towards his corner he noticed for the first time the medical staff that was looking at him with fright in their eyes, a fear that prevented them in doing their duty it seemed. That look of fear directed to him was another thing altogether, it was something that almost made him scream in fury. It was a look that he had sworn to never allow to appear. Yet... Yet he couldn't make himself to care, to connect that fear to what he did to Kuno and now to Mousse. He just couldn't allow the thought that hurting Mousse, doing that to that blind bastard, could hurt other people. Innocents. He just looked at them his eyes blank as he moved out of the way, not looking back. The two men and the one woman looked at each other and for what seemed a long time none of them moved. A new row of shouts from Mousse drew them together as the unit they were as they rushed towards the fallen master. The two men immobilized him, quickly putting him upon a litter that they had brought with them. Once he was upon it and the men had their strong hands restraining him the woman fastened some leather bounds to his wrists and ankles, securing his convulsing body. That done she quickly pulled some unknown drugs that she quickly injected to their patient. Or she would have if Ryuken's voice hadn't sounded as the needle was inches from his skin. "If you do that he will die." He called without looking back as he moved away from them. His eyes were again deep blue with gold shining and the force behind those blue orbs seemed to bore in her. The woman stopped dead in her tracks, exchanging a glance between her two fellow medics. Then she looked up to the retreating form of Ryuken, unsure of what to do. "He will die?" She asked at last. Ryuken turned and the woman flinched back. There was something unfathomable in his gaze. At once she understood that all wasn't what it seemed in that man. "Right now even your breath upon his skin is hurting him, even the tact of his clothing is only a source of suffering for him. If you use that needle to break his skin his body will enter in a terminal shock, making his heart to explode." "But... Then what can we do?" She asked. Ryuken broke his gaze from her. "I don't care but you better hurry or the little time that you have will be wasted away. An advice. Go to the source of the pain; from where all his pain come from." Then he moved and she knew that he wasn't going to say anything more. Why wouldn't he do that? She looked down to the agony painted face of one of the most respected citizen of Nerima knowing that she had not time right now to ask answerless questions. She had little time, Tofuu-san had little time. And Mousse-san had even less time. They bolted in the vain hopes to correct the damage done. At the source of it all Pray the gods Tofuu-san knew the meaning of this few words. --------------------------------------------------------- "Will you stop it!" "I'm going to kill him!" shouted Shampoo as she summoned her bomboris. "You will not so such thing." Simply stated Ryouga as he put his hands upon Shampoo's wrists. There was not real strength in the gesture but if anything Shampoo's respect for Ryouga prevented her in attacking him as she could have done easily. "Why? Why are you preventing it uncle?"úAsked Coral with a frown. Her own blood was boiling in anger and hate against that monster. The fact that he had spared her life from the Hiryu Shoten Ha was forgotten -as if it never existed- as soon as her father started shouting those bloodcurdling screams. After the announce of Kuno's death she and the others had practically rushed towards the fighting area with the clear killing intent against that Kenshiro guy. He had killed one of them, a part of the family, someone that they all loved. Then, as now, Ryouga prevented them in acting, in interfering her father's fight against that abomination. He had shouted them to back off, telling them quite explicitly that doing so was of limits. She knew that he was right. Since little it was an ingrained part of the code; the martial artist code. It was something more: a sign of respect about the skills and abilities of the fighters. A fight is a sacred thing, something that couldn't be disturbed by outside forces. No one had the right to interfere, nothing gave an excuse in doing so. No family bond, no blood ties, no human feeling nor conviction allowed one to do so. It was against the warriors code Bushido. Respect and loyalty. Trust and confidence. Only trough those could one help to survive the world they were living in. But now; now after Kuno's death, now after her father's torture, those words; that code was seemingly hollow, empty from any sense against the harsh reality of her loved being's suffering and humiliation. What to do of respect, of loyalty, of trust and confidence when you father, one of your parents, the being that gave you life was withering in agony, trapped by the grasp of pain and madness? It was nothing. To hell with the code! Revenge burned trough her blood, a blood that Kenshiro had spilled. But once again Ryouga stood in their way. His eyes were locked with the ones of her mother as if silently communicating, exchanging feelings. "Why Ryouga? Why can't I avenge my husband?" Ryouga sadly shook his head. "It wouldn't be right." Shampoo snickered. "Right? I'm an amazon Ryouga. For us there is only one answer for what that man is doing to us, and that's death. And your telling ME that it is not right to avenge us, our family? Who do you believe to be pig boy? With which right can you tell me that I can't avenge my husband's suffering?" There was some fair share of contempt in Shampoo's voice, contempt that bordered closely on insulting Ryouga's words. Something that shouldn't happen between them, not after all the time together and all the things they had shared. They had fought side by side, spilled blood that mingled in countless battlefields, they had taken wounds to save each other time and time again. Ryouga's eyes flashed green not of depression but from something else altogether. Something powerful that wasn't meant to disturb. Shampoo released what she had said, what she had implied, her eyes quickly looking at the others that were silent, pale. She looked down, stepping back. "I'm sorry I didn't meant to..." Ryouga cut her before she could continue. "Yes you did. But that's not important now," he sighed. He looked to each of them, on by one, to Akane, to Ukyou, to Coral, to Ranko, to Chiara, to all of them that were looking at him as their leader. "Don't you understand? We can't act with our emotions clouding our minds, that's only to call disaster. Here its more important to show that even with what happened we keep respecting the rules that we helped to create, the laws that we defend and uphold. We can' rush there screaming in anger demanding blood because this is not our style." He looked at the lone figure of the one that was the mark of all their anger and hate. "This Kenshiro killed Kuno, that's right and he had crippled Mousse. But if he is to pay for what he did it will be following our laws. If we do not act the way it was prepared for cases like this we will soon be the thing we hate and fight against. We would be in a war against ourselves. And this is not only respect to what happened today but to the whole war that we must win. Act as do our enemy is nothing more than playing its game with its rules." He paused his eyes searching for the acceptance he needed. "And we can't do that. We can't" His gaze returned to the dark figure in the tatami. "And it is my turn." "What are you going to do uncle?" Asked Coral. Ryouga looked to the daughter of his friend that right now was undoubtedly suffering, fighting for his life. "I will stop him. If I can." "What?!" shouted several of the presents. "You don't know if you are going to win!?" Asked Ranko. "That's right. Look I would like to say that I will crush him but after what he did to Kuno, Mousse and you girls that would be a mistake. He is dangerous and he had been holding back. How much I don't know but a single mistake with him and it can be fatal." He said that as he looked to Ryuken dark figure standing there under the light of the afternoon. "Could you feel it?" He asked. All the others looked at each other as if asking what he was talking about. "Feel what anata?" Asked Akane, concern clear in her face. Ryouga's fate could very well be the same as Mousse's. "Feel his ki... His emotions..." He said in concerned wonder. For some moments all looked back to Ryuken. "Now that you mention it Sugar," started Ukyou worry in her voice, I can feel nothing as much as I stretch my senses. Nothing." "You're right auntie Ukyou," commented Ranko her green eyes gleaming like a predator, some unfathomable hunger making them to glow. "It like a mass of nothingness, a... Void. No feeling but it wasn't like that before even if he was well closed." Ryouga spoke concern clear in his voice, maybe less than concern but it was near it. "I was thinking that he was using the Soul of Ice before, when he faced Kuno and Mousse as a mean to keep his control but now... Now I believe that it is something more." "What do you mean?" asked Coral to the one that she considered like an uncle. "Since the beginning, since his fight with Kuno no matter what he did what attack he used, no matter what he did against him even with all that pain, there was nothing, no feelings. Even as he killed him, inflicting those wounds, there was nothing. The same with Mousse. As if he was made of ice, as if he was unable to feel anything!" "And? That could only mean that this psycho can't feel human emotions. Big surprise there." commented Shampoo sarcastic. Ryouga remained silent until he shook his head. "I wish it was so simple, but I think that there is a truth hidden here... I think that he his controlling his inner being to a level in which he can shut down any feeling and emotion... Anyway it is strange and dangerous." "Dangerous? Asked Akane as she put her hand upon her husband's shoulder in support. Ryouga smiled. "Yes dangerous. But there is nothing new in that. We are used to danger right?" He asked with a smile. "Yes anata." Akane smile too but it was forced and everyone could see that. Fear cursed trough her like a flow of foul water, feeling her with dread. Ryouga squeezed slightly her hand before he moved towards the Arena's access. But as he was exiting the room he turned, his face stern. "I want you all to promise me that no matter what happens out there you will not involve yourselves in it. Let what happens be without doing anything to prevent it. Is it clear? Anything. No matter if I'm dying of if we are tearing the Coliseum apart. You must NOT stop it. I don't want any of you near it." Akane's face darkened with worry as did good number of the others. "Why!?" "Just stay out of it. Promise me." His eyes bored down upon Akane. "But why? Tell me that at least." Ryouga sighed. "Because I don't think that this man would appreciate anyone busting in his fight. Now promise me. All of you." Silence. Then as the silence was becoming unbearable, Ranko nodded. "Very well. I promise." Ryouga said nor did nothing but the others reaction was more vocal. "Ranko! Why did you..." Asked Coral to her lifelong friend. "Because it is the only thing that we can do: trust him. Trust our leader to do the right thing, doing other wise would be a mark of disrespect." The others looked at each other, Akane, Shampoo and Ukyou giving a more longer one, before nodding to each other. Ukyou spoke for them. "Very well Ryouga-kun if it is your desire we will comply. You would do it without our promise anyway you jackass..." Ryouga nodded and smiled tightly. There was no insult in her last word, more like an old joke going between them; between two old friends. His eyes turned towards Shampoo that nodded and finally to Akane after giving a quick glance to the others that nodded. "You better come back from this you baka..." She said it with a small smile, even if her fear was gripping her heart with cold fingers. He nodded and without anything more turned around, ready to face this new challenge. -------------------------------------------- The streets were unusually quiet in that afternoon. As Selene walked through those empty streets she couldn't help but feel some measure of fear and frustration all of that running free along some slight guilt and apprehension. How could she tell her aunt and uncle -the rest of her family- that her parents had died. How could she tell her aunt that her younger sister was dead along with her brother in law and that she, miraculously, survived? How could she do it? How? Nodoka was by her side giving her silent support as they walked together. The older woman knee that the younger woman was going trough a difficult moment, and as she promised, as she vowed she would be there to support her and give her all the understanding and love that Selene might need. After living so long without her son, Ranma, Nodoka and holding to a dream that could never fulfill itself the Saotome matriarch has more love to give than what could be dreamt of. True Nodoka loved her daughter as only a mother can, that is loving all in her from her mischief to the determination in those green eyes but, and that Ranko was well aware as she shared it, the loss of Ranma before even knowing him was to both mother and daughter a bitter, cruel tragedy. To Nodoka, as a mother, the loss of a son that she wasn't able to know, to love, all for a foolish decision, still haunted Genma's wife. It was a bitter thing that otherwise would have devoured the woman. Only the need that others had for a strong figure had forced Nodoka to bury her grief for the common good. Ironically Ranma's disappearance (that was a big taboo within his former peers and in some measure to their sons and daughters) provided the key for Nodoka's sanity to still hold on. With several young women in need Nodoka had little choice in the matter. In fact it was a thing of survival for the Saotome Matriarch's pace of mind. She had to take care of Akane, Shampoo, Ukyou, Kasumi and strangely for what she was told, Nabiki. With time, and the help of people that she now held dear to her, she was able to bury her grief even if it was an heartache that would always remain, but it allowed Nodoka to go on and even fall again in love with Genma a love that nearly died when she learned what Genma had done to Ranma in the driving need of making him the best of the fighters. At first she even despised her part time panda husband but things changed. And they did it in the worst way imaginable. War. Not a simple one, even if there was no such thing as a "simple" war, but one in a world like level and even so it was more than any war spawned by Mankind's anger, greed or foolish pride. It was a war of Mankind against something, someone that had only the darkest intent in her mind. War changed a lot of things that she wouldn't have considered even thinking at before. And as time passed she found herself falling in love with Genma all again. Truly war had a funny way of making you see things. In those moments it was when the worst or the best of men came to the surface as it was with a lot of people that she now considered part of her family. Then Ranko came. She was born, as most of her "cousins", in dark times and to Nodoka she was a ray of hope in the darkest hour of the night that was the war that was raging across countries all over the world. To Nodoka, Ranko was both a blessing and a curse. She was a blessing because of who she was, of the pure kindness that shone trough her soul, that same kindness that made her and Selene the best of friends; almost as sisters. She loved Ranko for more things that she could count nor the fact that she was from her own flesh and blood but... But everyone that knew her and that knew Ranma could have mistaken them. It was not only the physical traits, frankly she had been astonished looking to the pictures of his cursed form, not believing that the cherub creature that was her son, with his midnight dark hair and startling blue grey eyes, could become with the help of a little of cold water the copy of Ranko and vice versa. She was a curse, a pain that she held secret because it was hers to dealt with, that she could be so much like her brother that was dead for more than a decade that it was uncanny to not say frightening. Her choices, the way she spoke, the martial ability and so many things made continuously evoked his image, like a ghost to her mind, a ghost that she never knew. She didn't knew her own son and that was what it hurt. And even so Ranko was there to hold the pain back. She sighed and looked at Selene that was walking by her side. She looked to the young woman that was still clothed in Chinese clothes but this time she was wearing all black the only color coming from the golden straps that held the shirt that covered her; the sleeves reached her elbows and from there only dark royal blue bracers relived the suit she was wearing. Her hair, falling freely to her mid back matched the Chinese clothing while her silver tresses made the proper contrast with the rest of her being. It was living silver it seemed to catch the light of the day and sending it back in silvery sparks, making her head to glow as if she was some sort of angel with her head surrounded in a white, pure aura. Herself, Nodoka. was wearing her usual kimono but it was also black. After all they were going to announce a death. Nodoka would have done it before in order to finally allow Selene to move on but Selene, even with all the things that she had done with Ranko didn't felt to be ready until this day. The red head had taken Selene under her wings (so to speak) to make Selene forget her tragedy It had taken some time to Selene to decide to go and face the rest of her family that lived in Nerima even if Nabiki had found the addresses few days after Selene had told her the names of her aunt and uncle. Nodoka understood why Selene seemed reticent in facing them but knew that it was something that should be done. She didn't thought that it would be the day of the Nerimian tournament, more after Ranko had asked her friend to go an see the fights, more thinking on the natural talent that Selene had for the martial arts but simply the dark haired woman had preferred to go on such a day, refusing her friend's plea. Why? Selene wasn't able to give her an answer apart the fact that she disliked senseless fighting. Even so Ranko smiled and wished her good luck. The red head had wanted to go too but it was her duty as one of the best martial artists in Nerima to be present if the unlikely case of the champion challenging the Nerima Wrecking Crew took place. Also the fact that Nodoka would be there to give the young woman support was enough for Ranko's peace of mind. So here there were both of them in black going to see Selene's family. After some time Selene checked the direction that Nabiki had given her, the checked on the street where they were. They matched. "I think it's here, auntie." Said Selene as she pointed a little house some meters from where they were standing. It was a westerner looking house standing in opposition of the surrounding ones that were of traditional Japanese design but that in some sense, in its striking difference, enhanced the peace that the neighborhood seemed to share. It had withe walls and a red tilde roof that gave it some warmth that lacked the other houses. Multitude of flowers grew in the garden all of them filling the space with colors and when the wind blew the aroma coming from those flowers filled the streets with its sent, giving it a magical feeling as the fresh wind brushed their skin. The walls were covered in part by growing green plants that even so allowed the pure white under it to appear trough . It gave the house a feeling of growing life, of natural pace and harmony that resided within the fact that nature within the house limits was given free reign. Selene and Nodoka looked at each other and slowly advanced, opening the wood gate and stepping inside the outer walls within the garden. Even as limited as it was the garden, full of life gave to the two women the feeling of limitless space. Inside its boundaries the sounds seemed more real, the colors deeper and each flour, leave, flower, even the dark brown earth in the ground along with the stones rising from it, seemed to conspire to make life more intense. Some birds joyfully chanted in the distance, the sound carried by the winds along the tinkle of silvery bells and some distant laughter. For a moment Selene had the impression of having stepped in another realm more alive than what could be dreamed. Slowly, reverently, as if fearful of breaking the peace of the garden the walked towards the door that was at the end of some short stairs. The reached it and after a moment of doubt and a smile of support from Nodoka Selene rang the bell. The sound seemed to grow and to loose itself within the house. They waited for some minutes until the sound of coming steps reached them through the dark oak door. Then it opened and a middle aged, but still beautiful woman stepped out, looking at the two of them with curiosity with deep green eyes. She was fair skinned with long black hair that hung freely pass her shoulders reaching her mid back. She was wearing a white sun dress that shaped her figure. She was wearing upon it an apron and had one of her hands was still with thick cooking glove. "Yes? What can I do for you?" She asked with a soft, gentle voice. Then she looked at Selene and more specially to her hair where her silvery locks were gleaming in the light of the sun and her un gloved hand slowly reached them, wonder and joy slowly appearing in her face as she looked Selene from head to toe. "Selene?" She asked her voice now filled with a shy hope. "Is that you honey?" Selene looked at the woman and slowly nodded a shy smile appearing upon her fair features. "Yes." she simply, slowly said as her hand took the wrist of the hand that was still stroking her hair with a known touch. As soon as the word left her lips the older woman threw herself towards Selene's awaiting arms, tears flowing from the closed eyes as she embraced the younger woman that was laughing trough tears. They remained like that for what seemed an eternity filling the air with their laughs. After a time Selene pushed gently her aunts at arm length and still holding her by the shoulders gestured to Nodoka. "Aunt Jorna, this is Nodoka Saotome. She is a good friend that I love very much. She had been taking care of me for a time since I reached Nerima." Jorna separated from Selene and bowed deeply. "I thank you Nodoka-san for taking care of my nice. It's clear for the love in her voice that you mean a lot to her, I'm grateful to the kamis that she had a friend with her." Even if Jorna gave no hint of recognizing her or the name of Saotome the voice of Selene's aunt was full of warmth and gratitude. Nodoka bowed also. "It was an honor. Selene is a very special young woman and it was a pleasure to have her with me and my family." Jorna bowed again before looking to her niece. "Selene dear where are your parents? We have ben awaiting you since a long time..." Selene looked at her aunt but wasn't able to make eye contact, too ashamed and hurt to tell her aunt the horrible truth. Jorna looked at Selene with a concerned gaze, clearly reading the pain and sadness that danced in Selene's eyes just before looking down, just after she had spoke about her parents. For a moment Jorna remained silent as she pondered her niece reaction before the truth appeared as clear as the light of the day and her heart bleed, not only for her sister and her brother in law but also for Selene that had to come here alone to say that her parents were long gone. She again embraced her niece making soothing noises as she caressed her hair and pulled the trembling body nearer feeling her own tears falling from her eyes. Nodoka let the two other women freely express their feelings without making a noise, giving them the moment of solace that they both needed. One thing was for her to help and in some way protect the young woman that she now loved as one in her family but another to not give their space to that couple of beings mourning loved ones, now gone. She stepped back giving both women what they needed now: solace. ------------------------------------------------- He heard the steps as slowly his last adversary, his last demon from the past, approached him slowly he opened his eyes that he had closed. His eyes traveled to the one advancing towards him, drinking on his sight. Ryouga. A thousand emotions cursed the surface of the ice that his own mind had put there to protect itself from the strain of those emotions. Same old bandana, same color pattern, same eyes gleaming under the sun even if they were greener than what he remembered. The dark hair was longer and had some silver threads. A gate to the past opened within Ryuken's mind, memories from a distant past flowing trough it, joining with those emotions around the ice. Memories long lost came back with a vengeance. His earliest memories of the lost boy, how they met at that old boys school, when each day was a battle for food and how he, Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakuto Ryu, snatched the food from Ryouga's hands. The vow of eternal revenge for that... Insult. He was again a young boy that found it a funny joke. No one would kill for a piece of curry bread, right? Even all those days when he kept taking the food from Ryouga's impatient fingers and again that same show of a stupid pledge of one day making him pay for that less of his honor. A joke. It had to be a joke. Then day after day helping Ryouga in finding his way in and out of the school, always taking him back to his house. Everyday after his training in the morning with po... with Genma he would be there to help Ryouga to reach the school. But still the bread vow, that fist step towards an unwanted destruction. Then as if making that path a dark reality the duel and those three damned days were he awaited Ryouga without sleep, under the rain, the burning sun... All for nothing! At the fourth day Genma came to take him in the road towards Jusenkyou. Path towards destruction. Moments after the battered and exhausted from of Ryouga Hibiki arrived after having crossed half of Japan, swearing to pay Ranma for his cowardice, for not being there. The bread offense would be consumed, Ranma's cowardice would be proved. That same day Ryouga started to chase after the hot trail of one Ranma Saotome. Path towards destruction. Years after they would met again and for some moment Ranma felt joy, joy in finding an old friend an fellow martial artist, someone that understands the loneliness of the road. Hope. "I will destroy your happiness!!" Hope crushed. But even so, even after p-chan and the honorless deeds done by Ryouga a part of him refused to let go of what could have been... Until an afternoon when Ranma Saotome was destroyed. The words... Those words... "Since meeting you so long ago you have been the bane of my existence. It's by your fault that all the bad things happened in my life. I could have forgiven all of that but you stand in my way to have the only thing that I have always desired: love. I hate you Ranma. I hate you because you have all the things that I have ever wanted and you don't even realize it. I hate you because I'm nothing more than the shadow of yourself. As long as you are here you will remind me of what I never could posses. You have always won by some twist of fate. Until now that is. We banish you Ranma Saotome. We banish you because you stand in the way of our happiness. Rest well in hell Ranma because that's where we are sending you. I won: Akane will be mine. Think about it as you rot there. Bye my most hated foe." Road to hell. Path towards destruction. Something exploded within Ryuken. The ice that covered his more powerful feelings; the ice that prevented him in going berserk freezing his more deep, dark and powerful feelings was melting away as hellfire swept trough Ryuken' soul. It was all the violence of the human heart, of all the hate and pain that was the heart of the strife known as war. The heat expanded making Ryuken's blood to boil within his veins, creating chaos in him, rendering down barriers of self-control, spreading further within the limitless soul and mind. Ryuken resisted for a moment before embracing that part of him, that darkness that had been his from the day he was born, the darkness, the destructive power that was the quintessence of all the Hokuto Shin Ken successors. It entered in synergy with the DARKNESS of the other souls. It was the RAGE that powered Kenshiro when he killed Shin, it was the AMBITION that made Raoh kill his adoptive father and conquer the world, it was the LOVE; the HATE that appeared in Sauza when he killed his master with his bare hands, love and hate that spawned the PAIN that forced him into becoming the Holy Emperor, it was the MADNESS that pushed Kaioh to embrace the demon's blood and drive him in trying to destroy the Hokuto Shin Ken, the Hokuto Shoke. As Ryuken remained unmoving, as Ryouga stepped in the fighting area under his unseeing eyes, as all of that appeared in the real world, in those seconds when it appeared a revolution was happening within the bearer of the seven scars. Cold in the outside, it was a raging inferno of powerful emotions within a womb of darkness that was Ryuken's mind. Path towards destruction. It was time to finish with it all. It was time to pay a still unfulfilled payment that had been filled little by little by pain, humiliation and blood. A debt that still was largely unpaid. Ryuken tongue passed upon his dry lips as he unconsciously reordered his being. He was the fist of the north star and all those that stood before him, against him in time past or future would meet oblivion. Pain. Suffering. Humiliation. Death. Final darkness. He advanced. Ryouga was doomed. ------------------------------------------------- Selene and Nodoka were sitting in the garden of Jorna's house. There under the cold shade of the trees of the garden both women were awaiting Jorna to bring some home made cookies that she had been cooking before Nodoka and her niece arrived. The feeling of purity, the feeling that came from the presence of nature unbound, that they both felt before while they were awaiting the Jorna to open the door of her house was more intense, if it was possible, in the garden per se of the house. The space of lush nature, of flowers, bushes and humid earth that greeted them when they arrived, the space that was between the outer gate and the door was lesser than the one behind the house. The sensations that could have been felt before were more vivid between the trees that had grown in Jorna's house. The walls were covered by dark green leaves that somehow helped to increase the sensation of refreshing coolness, a sensation that both Nodoka and Selene were grateful for. It was a hot day. The sun played with the leaves, with the flowers, with all the nature to give hundreds of different variations of the color of growth, from quasi emerald to almost yellow. Both women's eyes moved towards Jorna that was carrying a tray with the before mentioned cookies and some drink along with three glasses. With efficient ease Selene's aunt placed the tray and disposed the dishes upon the black wood round table. She served them the drink that was cold tea, excusing herself to not having brought anything else. Nodoka immediately said that it wasn't necessary and both women exchanged a long list of pleasantries between themselves in a way to give the young one a time to collect her thought upon the unpleasant matter that they were all dodging. Finally after Jorna thanked Nodoka for the magnificent garden that she had managed in her house and after drinking some more of the dark cold tea she spoke. "Selene, dear..." She sighed as she closed her eyes only to open them upon her niece. "I know that it is painful but I wish to know about your parents... demise." Selene sighed herself before fixing her eyes upon her aunt's. "Well it happened like this..." In the next half hour Selene purred the tale about how her parents were killed by one of the numerous patrols covering the territory around Nerima and how her father sacrifice finally couldn't stop the killing of her mother. She continued with the moment when panic grabbed her and , following the last order from her mother she started to run, nearly half mad. Remembering those moments, bringing them again to the present, she couldn't help a tear to fall from her downcast eyes. With surprise she felt how her aunt chassed it from her cheek with a feature like touch. Jorna gave her niece a smile, as if to give Selene courage and understanding. Selene took her aunt's hand as it retreated and squeezed and silent and heartfelt thanks. That silent exchange passed as quickly as it started. She continued. After that she related the moments when she met Ryuken. As she spoke, describing him as she remembered him from those moments she unconsciously smiled (thing that made both older women eyebrows to rise meaningfully as they shared a look that told it all) as she related how softly he treated her, how comforting he was with her and how he faced the killers of her parents only to kill them. About that she didn't extended herself. Ryuken's prowess was nothing short of incredible and Selene wasn't sure about how would her aunt react to it. That said she passed to explain her trip to Nerima with Ryuken and how she was left to Nodoka's care a week. There she paused and quickly explained how she found Jorna's address trough Nabiki, thing that led to their meeting. Jorna looked thoughtful as she looked at her nice, her hands folded before her, as she laid a little on the chair she was resting in. Then she simply shook her head and she slowly put her hands upon the ones of her niece that were resting upon the table. She smiled to her nice. It was smile that mixed in equal parts sadness and joy. "First of all Selene I must say that I'm very proud of you and I know that if your parents could be here now they would say the same thing." Selene's eyes widened and her mouth opened but nothing came from it. "Yes I'm proud of you, dear one. Few in your place would have continued, would have held on to life. They would have surrendered and died or they would have left sadness kill their heart." She turned to Nodoka, her smile now one of gratefulness. "To you Nodoka-san My heartfelt thanks to take care of my niece. I can see that she cares a lot about you and I can understand why. I know that it was by your support that she could have gon on." Nodoka bowed "It was an honor and a pleasure." She looked at Selene, smiling too "To us, to me and my family Selene is one of us. You are not alone Selene, you have a family, people that love you and care a great deal about yourself." Selene was now smiling and tears brimmed her eyes. With her hands she took the ones of Nodoka and her aunt. "Thank you." she simply said her voice shaking by the emotion. During a long moment they all remained silent leaving their feeling of love and friendship to glow like if it was a star, pulsing softly, strongly. Then as the silence continued Jorna closed her eyes and opening them simply said: "Selene I have something for you." That said she released her hand and entered agin in the house. Nodoka exchanged a look of curiosity with Selene, shaking her head not knowing what was going on either. Soon Jorna appeared again and sitting in the table the other two women could see that she had brought a small long box. She handled it to Selene. "Your mother wanted it to go to you as a wedding present once you had found a man to love and to share your life with him. Before the fall of the darkness she made me swore that I would keep it safe until that day if it ever arrived. Now that your mother is dead I know that she would have wanted you to have it as a token of her love; of the love that your father and mother had for you. Please open it" Selene simply nodded emotion rising through her, threatening to prevent her from speaking so great was her emotion of that simple message, of the hopes her parents had for her life; for their life once they arrived to Nerima. She opened the box. In it, upon dark red velvet, was resting an amulet. It was of silver, it links glowing under the light of the sun, letting blue sparks fly in the air. At the end of the chain, locked with a link made also of silver was a round medallion. It was divided in two circles. One, made of silver, was thin, totally closing the other circle, large and made of black metal that she couldn't recognize. Selene's breath was cut short as her eyes looked to it, to its unbelievable reality of the details shaped upon the dark central sphere. In one side, the front one she supposed, upon the darkness as in contrast, a silver Chinese dragon was recoiled upon itself. The details were so incredible that she couldn't fathom how human fingers could have done such work of art. The sense of power and majesty that came from it made her fingers to shake as she passed them upon it. Seven dots, star shaped, crossed the body of the mythical being making her think somehow to Ryuken. She considered a second before looking to the other side of the coin. Six stars were graven around a bigger one, multi radial, the first six seemingly orbiting around the bigger one as if sharing some unknown relationship even if they were all differently shaped. They were all set upon the darkness; a darkness that to Selene' eyes seemed to be a dark void that devoured the light that shone upon it's surface, the seven stars not only as a counterpoint but as something else that she couldn't bring herself to imagine. It was beautiful, unearthly beautiful. But... She couldn't help but ask. "Aunt Jorna how could momma or poppa have this... this jewel?" For a long moment Jorna remained silent as if examining something in Selene. Then with unfathomable yes she simply said. "Your parents found it when they found you, abandoned within a blanket with it around your neck." She paused. "You were found. Loved but... found..." she sighed "abandoned." ------------------------------------------------- Ryouga slowly stepped in the fighting area where that man was awaiting fro him. He looked where his family and friends were and gave a comforting smile to his wife and children, a confidence he hadn't been sure to be felling, not after seeing him defeat, and kill, Kuno and Mousse. He was angry, of course, but he knew that those feelings would only bring him a set of distractions that in the combat that was about to start he couldn't allow himself to be feel. Step by step he neared the young man that was looking at him with barely suppressed anger. No it was something more strong that anger. It was hate. A burning devouring hate towards himself. But it was something more than mere anger. Fury, murdering fury would be more accurate but Ryouga knew with an instinctive feeling that it was something much more dangerous... Like facing the destructive power of a cataclysm like an earthquake or a cyclone, a force of nature that brought other powers to nothingness in its destructive wake, rendering, reducing, exterminating anything that was mad enough to stand in its way. And that... darkness was growing in those eyes that seemed to hold all the destruction and violence that rage in the universe. Sure he had his share of faults and regrets but he couldn't realize what could be feeding all those negative emotions in that young man's spirit. But that now, had no meaning. He had killed his two friends, killed part of his family and for that only his life would compensate Shampoo's, Nabiki's and the others loss. He clenched his fists and took a ready stance, gesturing the leather clad young man to move, ready to dish out what he could send him. But the young man stood there unmoving. They remained there, looking at each other while the oppression between the two fighters became so intense that the crowd (along with the other spectators) started to get nervous, and yet remained silent knowing very well that what was transpiring between those two was far beyond a martial arts challenge. At last the oppressive silence was broken by Ryuken. "You better release you aura." Ryouga remained silent for a moment as if pondering what was the young man planing. "Do it or I will kill you where you stand." Even if his voice seemed to be low, somehow it reached the people looking at them as if they had been standing there, near them. Some of the people in the crowd, along with some of the Nerima Wrecking Crew; specially the younger generation, showed their indignation to that statement with shouts and insults. The crowd stopped by itself but the members of the Wrecking Crew, inside of the room where they could see the totality of the fighting area of the Coliseum, were restrained by Cologne. She had appeared, along with Nabiki, few moments after Ryouga had abandoned the room to face "Kenshiro". Akane and the others had tried to demand of her to know where she had been all day and why she had not made something to prevent Kuno's and Mousse's final but with a look alone Cologne had silenced them all. She wasn't happy, and her eyes hard as stone, told clearly that she would not accept any question nor comment. Her expression was enough to make some pale. Nabiki wasn't better. When Akane had tried to comfort her about Kuno's death she had sen her little sister a glare that had nothing to envy to Cologne's. A look to her sister and she immediately looked back to the starting fight even if until then there had been some speaking and any fight. Akane would have reacted angrily in another occasion but the fact that her husband was about to face that killer was enough to make her forget any tantrum. Ryuken's words seemed to put fire to their already volatile emotions. "All of you stop!" shouted Cologne to the restless group. Coral, proud amazon, was shaking with rage, not only because he had defeated her, wounding her martial artist pride as he brushed aside as if she was nothing, but also by his action and words against her father and his friends. "But look at this! Allow me to shout him up!" Cologne eyes were so hard that the confirmation was stopped cold in their throats. "This is a fight between warriors, warriors that know the risks in a fight of those characteristics! To interfere would mean that we don't respect them as martial artists and don't think that Ryouga would be grateful with any of you!" She gestured to the staring pair "Right now the whole world is to each other: to their adversary, nothing else matter." The she sighed. "This is something that must happen." Ukyou looked at her, her eyes sharp. "There is something else going on than the winner of the tournament going berserker, killing Mousse and Kuno, right?" Akane nodded "Yeah. I," she looked to Ukyou and Shampoo that nodded their faces grim "we fell as if we... knew that young man. There is something in him... that I can put my finger on." She paused as she looked to the blond fighter facing her husband "But I can't realize what it is. But it's important." Shampoo nodded "Akane is right. Then she looked to her kinswoman a sharp glitter in her eyes. "And I think that you know what is all of this senseless killing about, right Great grandmother?" But Cologne remained silent, her eyes only moving sightly to look at Nabiki that was oblivious of the discussion as she was looking to the fight. To her it was as if the destiny of the world depended on the ending of that fight or so was the feeling of those looking at her. And in some part of her mind, Nabiki did believe so She need a new kind of strength, a power that would put the balance of forces to their advantage for once since the start of the Queen's domination. And that strength only Ranma could produce , so far showing his overwhelming superiority upon all the fighters in Nerima. This fight with Ryouga would be the last test, showing her if she was right to confide in Ranma's new skills. She didn't had to wait much as Ryouga unleashed his aura making the ground to shook with the strength behind it. ------------------------------------------------- Ryuken looked with little surprise to the power emanating from Ryouga's aura. Indeed it was impressive and the Lost Pig had harnessed quite a good amount of ki energies trough the years. But that meant little if he didn't knew how to use it to his maximum destructive power. The Hokuto Heir remained looking at the green aura of the man in front of him, asking himself what to do. He was drew form his thoughts by the snicker coming from Ryouga. "Well is this strong enough boy?" Ranma almost snickered. Ryouga clenched his fist tighter and let a roar out as his aura exploded in a show of lights that covered the whole area in light green light, the ground's tremors gaining more strength as if answering some kind of call. Ryuken remained unmoving even as if his hair did, blown by the waves of power coming from his aura, waiting it to stabilize, which it did after some moments more. "Yes, very impressive. I couldn't expect less coming from you. There is no doubt that you are much more stronger than those two idiots I faced before." Ryouga's face darkened a little to regain some impassive quality. "You seem surprisingly calm even after I showed you the power of my battle aura." This cause the most unexpected reaction in Ryuken. Something that no one expected and that drew some weird stares from Cologne & Co. After a moment of surprise, quite a comical look, he started to laugh. An honest to god laughter, so hard that it made him to clunch to his ribs as if it hurt. He continued to laugh even if everyone was looking at him as if he had grown two heads. But after a while he sobered a little even if he brushed some tears. "Oh that was really funny!" He then looked to Ryouga and even if it seemed that the humor continued in his face, the sound of his voice was less than friendly. "I remember that you where quite a fool, a clown truth to be tell." He paused. "But what you have just said, oh that was good." He gestured to his surroundings, batted in green light. "You call this a battle aura?" He snickered "You don't know the nature of your ki right?" That drew some strange starts from the people looking to the two warriors. "All of this is nothing more than a representation of your life force, your ki, risen to a level so high that even the naked eye can see it when you flare your power like that." His eyes glowed golden as if to mock Ryouga's display. "What you call battle aura is nothing more than your ki that you use to boost your physical capabilities. Impressive, quite an achievement. But it's not a true battle aura!" Once again he was laughing but this time there was no humor in it. It was acold chilling sound. "Your ki is not of the right kind to produce a battle aura." Even with his animosity to the man in front of him Ryouga could only hang on his words because they had a ring of true even if it was difficult to believe or understand. "You use your depression or another silly emotion to tap into your ki to give it "form". But to have a battle aura you need a touki to start with. But the touki can only be spawned by a blood in which cruelty and a killing power/need overrules all of your other feelings." He closed his eyes and this time his face adopted a pained expression that surprised everyone by its intensity. Paying no heed to what could the people around him think of what he was saying, Ryuken continued. "Even if you killed, you are not a killer, in the sense that you have no killing will to speak of... It's not in the make up of your being so to tell." Ryouga's eyes narrowed even as his aura flickered more quickly. He was not pleased by what he was hearing. "And you yes?" He almost spat, scorn about Ryuken's words clear. His eyes snapped, glaring. "I killed for my first time when I was five! And since then death has been a part of me. You can't start to imagine who much blood I have in my hands..I am the son of a killer who was the son of a killer himself; assassin's blood curse through the veins of my line and you have no idea what that means!" He paused a moment and with all the hate he felt towards the one that was his friend, towards the man that betrayed that friendship, he spat. "To me you are nothing more than a walking dead man." Ryouga stood silent for a moment before adopting a defensive stance. That only made Ryuken brow to rise. "You don't want to attack? Fine by me." He also adopted a stance but to the eyes of the gathered fighters looking to the fight his stance, relaxed, with his arms almost relaxed by his side was totally unknown. Some even wondered if it was an attack position. But Cologne knew that with Ranma and his new techniques even the more harmless looking position could be lethal. Already what he said of ki and touki intrigued her. But it was something she would discuss later with Ranma. Ryouga by his part was sure that his opponent had something planned and was ready to face anything he would send him but so far there was no physical hint of the coming attack. That's why he was surprised to see him move without moving, gliding upon the ground his body still. Ryouga had only the time to move out of the way before Ryuken smashed the rocks where he had been standing, leaving only a huge hole where his fist impacted. -------------------------------------- As blurs they clashed, to most of the people watching it was as if two comets, one green and the other black, were clashing each time a shockwave coming from them. But to the ones able to perceive the movements of the two fighters it was clear that Ryouga was at the offensive while this Ryuken was on the defensive. But that doesn't meant that Ryouga had the upper hand. In fact all his attacks, kicks and fists were stopped mere inches before making contact while other were simply redirected, the energy feeding the fanged fighter wasted without him making any advance. Ryouga by his part was beginning to become frustrated to the lack of effectivity of his attacks. Kicks with strength enough to shatter boulders and fists strikes with enough power to turn steel into mashed metal were blocked with any visible affect. So far they had kept the combat between the levels of the fighters of the Nerima Wrecking Crew but Ryouga knew that the blond man in front of him was holding back if only by the lack of ki. Time to change the strategy. With that he used one of the blocks that the leather clad made to a low kick to come nearer to the ground. Once there he waited to the Hokuto fighter to land and as both of them dropped their speed became normally visible to the spectators. "What now?" Asked Ryuken in a voice that betrayed his lack of interest in the combat so far. Ryouga simply gathered his ki and started moving. "This." With each move he left a double of his image that continued to divide until they were eight Ryougas that in few moments had surrounded the dark clad fighter that looked with some interest the special move. "Amazon Splitting Hairs Cat technique?" "How do you know?" Asked the now eight Ryouga at the same time, his voice taking a strange cast. "Let's say that I had my share of fights with amazons." The Ryougas simply shrugged and started to rotate each of them adopting a different stance until they all rushed towards their prey with speeds that were simply amazing, putting the ones of the Amaguriken in shame. Ryuken knew, from his first fight with Cologne, that seven of his eight adversaries were nothing more than ghosts so he was badly surprised when his senses flared as he stopped the first attack, a kick to his chin with a middle block, as another kick slammed itself against his ribs, and a fist impacted with his stomach. With the speed of thought he started dodging, blocking and twisting around all the attacks of the now eight, solid, fighters he was facing, his own moves now not even a blur as he was forced to face all type of attack from all sides. He put himself in trance and let his own body to react instinctively to the blows coming to him but always keeping a contact to consciousness. He was simply feeling the flow of the battle, awaiting for the moment when his body would find the place to land one of his attacks. P-chan had pulled all the stops, then why wouldn't he do the same? Well almost the same he mentally corrected himself as his body sprang to action in a dance that let the people with enough discipline in the martial arts to be able to see him agape in awe. A dancer he was, a dancer of death moving with a grace that couldn't be human. He was wind. He was water. Untouchable. His concentration perfect. All of this with his eyes closed as his body was stretching all his senses to their limits. Faster than what any could see he caught one of Ryouga's fists and, as all of his foes were about the hit him in almost all the possible angles, his leg moved with lightning speeds smashing the seven Ryougas with precise kicks as his free hand slammed itself against the chest of the one he had his hand upon sending him flying. As Ryouga's concentration faded, so did his seven other figures as the martial artist struggled to rise the strength behind the blow nearly overwhelmed his Backusai Tenketsu resistance. Once on his feet he spat some blood and wiped it from his chin. None of them exchanged words as the fight was in a point where meaningless words where only a hindrance. None of them would surrender, not to the other and only one would exit the tatami alive. Once again Ryouga passed to action this time calling forth his own personal set of moves. Once again he lit up in soft green ki as he entered in synergy with his element. -Earth- He slammed his fist against the rocky ground of the fighting area and unleashed his attack. "BACKUSAI WAVES!! Ryuken looked how Ryouga slammed his fist against the ground and it was with surprise that he saw how the ground risen coming to him as a tide wave, a tsunami made of rocks and dirt that would put him out from the fighting area, that without counting on the damages it would do! The ground repeated the rising process several times, becoming like sea waves. With seemingly god's speed his hands blurred as he released several touki blast towards the ground. "EARTH DEFENCE!" He called as spikes of rock rise in each point where his touki hit the ground making a two wall defense made of small pillars of rocks. The spectators could only see how the two moves where about to clash, the raging wave of rocks against the risen pillars of the same stuff, all of them waiting for the clash. Yet Ryouga's attack was stronger and blew the earth defense away but Ryuken didn't expect it to do much. But it reduced the hitting power behind Ryouga's first wave as well as its speed, giving him the time to find a more proper counter. And he found it. It was rather simple, but sometimes the simple things were the most effective. Breathing deeply Ryuken drew his left hand to his hip and closing his fingers send his fist flying against the wall of rock and other stone elements, muscles tearing apart the forearms leather protections as his muscles came alive with power. The sound coming from the contact between his fist and the first wave let almost half of the crowd of spectators momentary deaf. The first wave shattered as the power moved to the sides of the impact point, starting its path as the destructive energy was sent against the advancing dark mass, destroying Ryouga's attack until both attacks had nullified each other. Ryouga sneered when he saw his attack broken but reacted to Ryuken's move with another of his own. His ki purred from his clenched fist like green water to the broken ground that absorbed it "EARTH RISING!" He shouted. For a moment Ryuken stood there prepared, or so he thought, to any attack coming from his opponent a new respect growing in him. Ryouga could be a treacherous bastard but he was a very good martial artist. So when his danger sense screamed he knew that he was in problems. More when he saw the ground around him to rise around him, walls of rocks surrounding him, rushing against him with the clear purpose to crush him in a rock prison! The last thing he heard was Ryouga's voice completing the move as earth sucked him in. "EARTH SHALLOW!" Then it was darkness. ------------------------------------------------- The crowd and the Nerima Wrecking Crew from their room (minus Cologne and Nabiki that were still looking to the place where Ranma had disappeared) cheered Ryouga's victory. Most of them showed surprise when ground around the lather clad warrior risen to crush him like giant fingers made of rocks, a hand grasping him and taking him to a death in the grounds of the Coliseum. Then when the surprise passed the cheers and congratulations started gaining strength. But Ryouga was still alert. Even if no one had ever survived this move there was something in him that was making him feel edgy, as if it the fight wasn't finish, not by a long shot. That prevented him in being surprised as the ground and all of the Coliseum started to move, to shake as tremors cursed through the entire structure of the place, the sound of breaking stone, of crack in the walls and other natural disasters started to grow along with the vibrations to the point that all in the place was shaking. The worst place was the combat area as pillars of stone started to rise, making dust to cover the whole place as a roar started to come from the underground. And Ryouga due to his connection to the area's stone could feel it more acutely than any, feeling not only the destruction of all the structure (that was threatening of bringing down the Coliseum) but also the strength necessary to accomplish that feat! Then the roar exploded to new heights as if a dragon was rising in a surge of energy, lightning bolts cursing the ground, the pillars in the four corners, loading so much bolts in the electric installation that it made it almost to overload. Then it happened. The ground where Ryuken was swallowed acted as if sucked, making a depression, to follow exploding sending rocks flying as Ryuken appeared, levitating, slowly gaining height, his frame released bolts of white energy. Then he clenched his fists, closed his eyes and slowly a whirlwind started forming around him making all the pieces of stone that were freed in his previous bouts with Ryouga to be drew into the gathered currents of air to simply disappear as the winds grew in speed. Then in a explosion that ended all the displays of power Ryuken took ground in a place more or less intact. Ryouga looked into his opponent and could see all the damages his attack did. The earth swallowing technique allowed him to draw his enemies in a space where the earth surrounding him would slowly start increasing the pressure, choking him at the same time while his body was compressed, breaking it to a point went the body fluids exited the body even as the bones, muscles and overall body was grind. It was like dropping a body to the depths of the ocean were the pressure from the tons of water killed you. To survive that kind of pressure was almost impossible. Ryouga swallowed hard. Even him with his advanced Backusai training wouldn't have been able to survive the attack, much less in such "good" shape. This "Kenshiro" was hurt but still able to fight, that Ryouga was sure if only by the raw hostility coming from that boy. His clothes were torn in several places, his jacked little more than rags that still covered his sleeveless t-shirt that also had seen better days. He was bleeding from several cuts, one of the deepest in his cheek but by his lack of reaction it was as if there was not blood pouring cut. "Impressive." He simply said after a while looking to Ryouga. "The way you use your ki to enter in contact with the ground around you, to the rock element his nothing short of impressive. In that state of contact with the area around you you can literally make it to blend to your wishes, ordering it to take different shapes, turning it in a lethal weapon." He breathed slowly "Congratulation. As I said you have impressed me, and believe me it's not something easy to do. A tribute to your skills in the art." Then he adopted a new stance as his face grew harder. "But still not good enough to stop me!" He rushed toward the fanged man that quickly lunched another of his attacks. "GEA'S SPEARS!" At once tendrils of stone, their points aimed to the running figure of Ryuken drew from the ground. The Hokuto heir simply jumped straight towards Ryouga and as the spears where about to touch him he started spinning, the sharp tips of the lance missing him by inches as he launched his own counter. He took one of the spears that had passed him and moved around it's length as he called forth the power of Nanto, slicing it as he followed his impulse and as he finished with one passed to another of those earth made tendrils of spinning rock but always going straight towards Ryouga. But this one could see the attack coming and moved out of the way with a ki powered lap as Ryuken landed smashing the place where Ryouga was standing mere moments before making a crater where his fists smashed. In an heartbeat Ryuken was again flying towards where Ryouga was, this time in the air. With a panicked rush Ryouga tried to reform his Gea's tendrils but find it difficult, to not say impossible, when they started to fall, neatly sliced. Before he had time to react his face was mere inches from Ryuken's and with a startled shout send a barrage of fists. But it was when he saw Ryuken smirk that he knew that he had made a mistake and with this warrior errors were always fatal. Ryuken simply entered Ryouga's guard and it was almost with their bodies pressed that he garbed the extended arm, used it as a leverage and with a twist was behind Ryouga's his fingers pressing his foe's skull. His hikous. Then he slammed both feet on Ryouga's shoulder blades, which drew a shout of pain coming from Ryouga as this one was propelled forward. But his reflexes kicked in and, as Ryuken landed swiftly on the ball of his feets Ryouga rolled with the fall only to end facing again Ryuken. Both fighters looked at each others, Ryouga with an expression quickly turning desperate and Ryuken's with one of a man that knew that his moment for revenge, for total victory upon the ones that had wronged him was near. Ryouga was at loss of what to do. Not only that but he was feeling... tired, weaker than what he should be. But he had no time to ponder about that. He couldn't loose time! He couldn't wait to surprise again his adversary with his earth moves nor with any that could do any lasting harm, as those moves needed a time that would give the Hokuto heir time enough to prepare himself. Even the forbidden techniques he was sure that would be dodged. What he needed was a... Distraction. Yes. A distraction enough to allow him to lunch another attack. maybe a revision of Gea's Spears... As his plan was taking form he decided to attack, pressing any advantage he could have not noticing the diminution of his aura already more pale. So he prepared himself to fire a Shi Shi Hokodan using his depression as a medium. He brought forth his hands and released his heavy fueled ki "SHI SHI HOKODAN!!" The energy was blasted in the form of a sphere and flown right towards his foe that not even moved. But to the surprise of the ones looking to the blast it lost quickly its power and flickered out way before it made half the distance between Ryouga and Ryuken. Ryouga's eyes were the size of diner plates when he looked his blast, that should have been with the dimensions of a car, merely flickered out as if a wind had blow a candle. "What the..." He looked to his arms for the first time noticing the aura that was surrounding him was disappearing to the point in which it was only outlining his body's massive frame, a flicker instead of the bonfire of power that should be there. He was looking to his arms, to his body as he checked the frightening disappearance of the visual effect of his aura. That's when realization smashed onto him when he found something that leaved him as white as chalk. He couldn't access his ki. That couldn't be possible but the truth was there, shattering in it's consequences. That couldn't be right, surely there was nothing more than a fluke! He tried again, concentrating into tapping into his body's vital energy but there was no reaction to his mental and physical orders. He couldn't channel ki! ----------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile Selene and Nodoka were slowly making their way towards the Coliseum where they would meet with the others. But in fact Selene's mind was light years way from that meeting. She kept replaying the moments after her aunt, that was not her real aunt, told her that she was adopted, found in the wilderness of Japan when she was a baby. Again and again she played those shocking moments in her mind. And now what? FLASHBACK Silence was only broke by the mad beats of her heart. She couldn't have heard what she heard, she couldn't. Her aunt after giving her that necklace had told her that she was found abandoned, but she couldn't, she COULD NOT have heard right. So she asked. "What?" Her wits seemed to go as far as that single word. Jorna sighed. "I'm sorry but that is the truth. We found you. Me, my soon to be husband back then and your parents found you warped in a white blanket with that necklace around your neck twenty three years ago." Selene could only stare at her dumbly. Jorna shook her head. "Oh please Selene dear, don't be silly. It matters not that the blood that rush trough your veins is like mine or the one of your mother and father. They loved you as much as if you had been their biological daughter, maybe even more if that was possible. The blood matters little." Swiftly her fingers poked Selene's chest just upon where her heart was. "What you feel there is what is really important. The love that you have for them comes not from possible bonds of blood but of the joy, the friendship, the love that you three shared. Those are the true bonds in a family. If you could have seen the first time your mother looked to your tiny, cherub, face any doubt that you could have would simply melt away." Nodoka nodded as she smiled to Selene that looked at her as if searching for the answers to those questions that would appear to the young woman. "What your aunt tells you is right Selene-chan. There is no blood bond between me and Akane and the others but we are a family because we love each other, we care for our well being because of the feeling of the heart. Don't doubt the love that you and your parents shared now that you know that you don't have the same blood." Selene nodded slowly and looked back to the necklace. She slowly put it, the silver making a clear contrast against the black silk. She then turned ton her aunt and slowly spoke. "Aunt Jorna can you..." She breathed deeply closing her eyes only to open them determination burning within them. "Can you tell me how you and my parents found me, please?" Jorna nodded. "We found you some years before the start of the war as you know. Back then my sister, Sayaka and her husband Michael were passing some days with me and Akira. I was to marry Akira in a couple of weeks and your mother wanted to spend some days with me before my wedding. Michael back then worked for the English embassy as counselor to the staff of the embassy and your mother was his assistant. We had previously decided that we would have a trip to the Japanese wilderness. You have to understand that the four of us were very close. Michael had grown here in Japan with Akira as his lifelong childhood friend. As for me and Sayaka we lived near their houses. Once Michael finished his studies here in Tokyo he decided to return to his birth country, Britain, and Sayaka decided to go with him. My sister back then had a strong crush that was bordering on something more strong and deep. She wanted to know if their relationship could evolve so she followed him. As for me I was falling in love with Akira. Our relationship wasn't well seen by his parents. As he was of a proud and old family and his "interest", as they put it, to a half gaijin of poor uprising as I and your mother were, wasn't proper for a young man. Anyway me and Akira had to fight hard for his parents to accept me. Nodoka, if I'm not wrong about her uprising as member of an old family, can tell you how difficult it can be. Japan for all its wonderful things can be a little too old fashioned in others. By the time that your father and mother returned they were already talking about marrying and few months after their return they married." She drank some of her drink before continuing with her tale. "But after two years of passionate marriage they had some concerns about the children issue." "How so? They didn't want to have children?" Asked Nodoka. Jorna laughed. "Oh no! Quite the contrary. If something could be said about Michael and Sayaka was that if they hadn't any children it wasn't for lack of trying." Selene laughed as did Nodoka even if in the youngest as slight blush could be seen. Jorna shook her head sadly "They wanted children so badly but somehow they couldn't have . They passed all sorts of medical test but, to the disbelief of the doctors, both of them were perfectly healthy and capable of conceiving children. With the time it grew to be a concern to all of us." Jorna looked at her niece to the eyes. "Sayaka was so full of love, she desperately wanted to be able to share that love to a child of her own..." She sighed. "It happened the third night of our trip. Akira took Michael to spar some as they were both talented martial artists and I remained with Sayaka discussing about all and nothing. Both men were gone for half an hour when me and your mother heard the cry of a baby. You could imagine our surprise as we were kilometers away from any human concentration, so from where could that cry come from?" She paused. "Soon as we were looking to us both Michael and Akira returned as they heard the cry also. Then guided by the cries, your cries Selene, we came to a clearing in the forest we were in. There we found a tiny bundle." Her eyes seemed to glow as she looked at the young woman in front of her. Her voice was thick with emotion as she continued her tale. "As long as I live I will never forget that moment. You were there, bathing in the light of the full moon as your hair, that was already showing some of your black color, was in the most part silver and, under the light of the moon, it seemed to be liquid giving the impression that you were surrounded in pure silver light. The sight was so... magical that none of us dared to move. Until a new cry from you cut trough our incredulity, bringing us to our sense. Sayaka advanced and slowly reached your tiny form all warped in white blanket. She took you up between her arms as she looked to your still red face and smiled, her eyes shining as your hair, as if a part of her that was missing suddenly appeared. A tear crossed traveled trough her cheek and dropped upon your little nose." She smiled at the memory and Selene could feel the tears forming in her eyes. "I think it startled you as you burst in giggles and tried to reach to her whit your arms. Sayaka let you grasp one of her fingers as we approached her. Then with the most pure smile I have ever seen she looked at us and simply said: "I have found my daughter:"" END FLASHBACK And now she was wondering were it left her. What should she do? What should she think? Feel? The hard cold truth was that even of she had found love with Sayaka and Michael, with her parents, that loved her as much as she loved them her biological parents had abandoned her. How should she feel about them, about those unknown beings that brought her to the world only to leave her alone. Even now as her hand closed upon the necklace it filled her with a feeling of familiarity as if she was used to have it around her neck, feeling the weight of it pulling slightly from her neck. As if it was its rightful place In some minor way it was uncanny. But even so the necklace was but a small detail that some idle part of her mind was paying attention to. Most of her being was lost within a sea of unresolved questions. Fact is; even with all the love towards her parents a part of her was missing. A part that she was unaware of lacking. But now... Now... Her origins. The missing part of her identity. Who was she? >From where was she? Had she sisters? Brothers? Grandparents? Were her true parents still alive? Any family lost in a world at war? If so where? What could she do about it anyway? How could she trace a link to events twenty three years back in time? She sighed. It seemed a lost cause. It would be better if she followed Nodoka and her aunt's advice to forget about it and to go on with her life. Right. That's what she would do. It was only logical. Then why was she still full of doubt as if this was important, very important? Nodoka was about to ask Selene if she was alright when a growing sound drew their eyes to the front. Coming towards them a huge mob of people was running as if all the gates of hell were open behind them. Men, women and children were running from the Coliseum, mothers holding their children, too young to run, against their breast as they followed the others in the same mad dash. Cries of monster, killer, murder and all kinds of swearing words could be heard as the mob reached the two bewildered women that could only grip at each other intending to remain together. As the surprise passed both Nodoka and Selene looked at each other and nodded before trying to reach the Coliseum trough the moving crowd. As Nodoka was trying to find her way when she saw one of her husband's students running along the others, with ease she reached for the young man, grabbed his arm and using a twist pulled him out of the mob as did Selene moments after, founding a more or less tranquil spot. The young man seemed about to strike against the one that grabbed him when he realized that he was facing the relaxed face of his sensei's wife. "Ureshi-san can you please tell me what is all of this about?" Asked Nodoka and even if she didn't rose her voice the question reached both Ureshi and Selene. "Well Saotome-san it's like that..." He swallowed hard. "A man just killed both Mousse-san and Tatewaki-san." Nodoka's face paled and her eyes widened, a reaction more or less like Selene. "That... That can't be right Ureshi-san... You are surely mistaken..." Ureshi looked down as if ashamed. "I wish Saotome-san but... But it's true. A man; the winner of the championship... He killed them as if they were dogs. He defeated Sakura-san, Coral-san and even Ranko-san. And when he faced Mousse-san and Tatewaki-san. It was incredible. He was unstoppable. A true killing machine. He defeated all their moves... Played with the two if them before finishing the fights with such superiority. I never saw anything like that. And with Ryouga-san..." He couldn't finish. "Umeshi-san what happened with Ryouga!?" Nodoka's voice had an edge of steel, as cutting as her katana. He swallowed hard. "He is tearing him apart." "What?" Asked Selene who couldn't believe it. She remembered how strong Ryouga was and well she couldn't imagine someone besting him so much to be inflicting him such damage. Already the fact that Ranko and the others had been defeated was mind staggering. Who could be so strong? No one... No one unless... No that couldn't be. She was deluding herself. Ranko had to be right. That couldn't be him. She was brought back to reality by Nodoka's sharp voice. "How can this be possible?" "I don't know. Suddenly Ryouga-san couldn't produce his battle aura and his ki levels dropped to nothingness! I don't understand it. I was running to search for help when you pulled me aside." Nodoka nodded. "Very well. Go and search for help at the Academy. Try to find Cologne-san or my husband if you can." Umeshi simply nodded but before bolting towards the academy he turned towards Nodoka and Selene. "And you? What are you going to do?" Nodoka looked towards the Coliseum. "I'm going to the Coliseum see if I can stop this madness." That said she broke into a run, the kimono not reducing her speed the slightest.. Soon she was joined by Selene, running by her side. ----------------------------------------------------------- Moments before Nodoka and Selene met the mob, in the arena... A single thought was running within Ryouga's mind and it wasn't a pleasant. He tried once again this time calling to his earth techniques to help him but it was in vain. His power was gone. He started to sweat cold perspiration. He was doomed if this was permanent. Once again the voice sounded cold but Ryouga fought with his mind to remember where or when he could have heard it. There was something... an edge to it.... where did he heard that? He was slapped. Hard. So hard in fact that pain flared in his jaw as the bones had struggled momentary to hold on, but even so he was send flying some meters back, ending on his rear. He slowly struggled to rise and, panting, achieved to, looking with hateful eyes the man standing there smiling. "Never did your elders told you to keep attention when someone is talking to you? Or where you too lost trying to find your way in that moment? Always the same directionally challenged idiot I see." Anger for a moment overwhelmed to so mentioned directionally challenged individual "Why you!" Ryuken tilted his head. As if surprised. "What? Did I said something incorrect? Or will you complain that I'm picking onto someone too weak? But Akane is not here to defend you, is she? But hell she was never the bright type of girl... Somehow dense as a brick. And I'm still generous." Anger once against rose in Ryouga washing over him as a tidal wave. He rushed towards the still smiling Hokuto Heir. "How you dare mock my wife?! DIE!!" And with his shout he was against sending a fist into his opponent face. This one smiled even wider and, in the last moment as the fist was again to connect with him he dropped backwards to the ground as he kicked each of Ryouga's arms, in very specific places. Yet the strength used combined with the impulse of Ryouga's rush send him flying again and again he used his momentum he rolled to find himself in a defensive stance, angered by his lack of control. There was something in that man that drove him wild! Meanwhile same man flexed his muscled and in a gracious flip was on his feet, turning to face Ryouga. Then he slowly extended his right arm and with his hand opened started to drew fingers while saying aloud numbers, going from five to zero, people asking what was he about to do when he would have reach zero. Ryouga had the feeling that he wouldn't like it. Five Four Three Two One Zero He closed his fist and then snapped his fingers. Suddenly Ryouga could feel how his body grew heavy, heavy to the point that he to struggle to keep himself in his stance as his arms more specifically started to weight more and more. But it was not only the arms. His whole body seemed to weight tons and he had to struggle to not drop, unable to move on the ground as if gravity had augmented an hundred times! Sweat purred as he was forced to hold on of his weakening forces. He glared to the Hokuto heir. "What did you do to me?" The man simply chucked. "Very easy old cheap. I simply weakened the muscles of your body to the point that you are even weaker than a baby. You can't hold the weight of your own body without any strength, but don't be afraid...That weakening sate will not affect your vital functions." He started advancing as he cracked his knuckles, quite a menacing sound. "Oh no! That's my task. My pleasure." He not even blurred, as he didn't need to do so. He simply continued walking towards his prey that struggled still with his own body, sweat drenching his clothes. Ryuken stopped when he was just a few feet from his old friend and in a slow motion, allowing all to see he punched Ryouga in the gut. Immediately Ryouga was flying upwards having only the time to spit some blood. Ryuken followed him still smiling, his jump making him join Ryouga, some ten meters from the ground and started punching and kicking the fanged fighter. Some of the ones near enough (and it was far away) could perceive the sound of broken bones but even so all of them could hear the cries of pain coming from Ryouga. Finally after what seemed an eternity but was in reality only moments both fighters landed, everybody expecting Ryouga to crash against the hard ground. But instead Ryouga was stopped by Ryuken, in the last moment he was taken by the shoulders both bodies separated at arm's length. Ryuken looked to his handwork. His foe's body was cover in bruises, blood coming from nose and mouth along with hundreds of minor cuts making his face to be bathed in red. Quite painfully Ryouga opened his eyes, spat some more blood and looked to his tormentor his face showing only pain and a sense of ignorance about what all of this was about. He had enough strength to mutter a single word. "Why?" The reaction in Ryuken was almost as if he had been slapped and the smile faded living only a snarling warrior looking to his defeated foe. His hand flashed and two fingers pressed Ryouga's throat. Then as if embracing him he gathered his rival body between his arms, putting them around the seemingly older man and bent as if kissing his cheek, but only whispered in his ear his words to Ryouga alone, a Dantesque image for the ones looking at it. "You don't remember? Do you?" Ryouga tried to struggle against that embrace but he was too weak. He tried to speak but no sound came from his throat. "Don't bother. I have taken from you the ability to speak." He gripped tighter Ryouga's massive body and continued whispering. "You don't remember me? You forgot what you did to have all that you have right now? You honorless bastard you have forgotten me? I have not forgotten you damned brother nor did I forget your last words of hate." Ryouga once again tried to struggle but it was a senseless fight, already lost. "Twenty five years ago, brother, maybe even more I don't know and I don't care. Remember a sunny day at Furinkan, remember the day when you lost the last remaining of honor that you had, remember that day when started the lie which you call life." Ryouga eyes widened with each passing word, each of them felt like a sledgehammer in Ryouga's mind because they spoke of truth. "Do you remember that day? You betrayed all and for what? For that bitch? Honor. It was all for us on those days don't you remember? Honor is what made me wait for you three days! Honor prevented me to tell Akane that her beloved P-chan was her so trusted friend Ryouga." Tears were now flowing from Ryouga's eyes as his body shook slightly. Ryuken tightened his embrace still like one of a loving friend. "Tears? You're crying P-chan? How many time did it pass until I was forgotten, how long until you bedded that whore? Did you cry then when you had what you had wanted all that time and realized that it couldn't wash away your sins?" He paused to wipe out some of the tears that now were running from the green eyes of whom was his friend. "You never expected it did you? None of you really believed that I could return from the place where you sent me... And it's ironic you know? You send me to the place where I received the power to return and settle things. How convenient don't you think so?" Then he released his embrace but still kept Ryouga from falling, holding him by his shoulders He sighed. "But enough of speaking of the past don't you think so? What matters is the present. Where were we... Ah yes! I was transforming you into a pulp! Let's continue shall we? And with that said he send his fist flying against Ryouga's face. The strength of the blow made Ryouga to be sent flying once again but this time towards the limits of the fighting area. But Ryuken hadn't finished, not by a long shot. Remembering all those moments had made his anger towards the ones who were his family to grow again as if a gentle fire was now a roaring volcano. He wouldn't feel satisfied with so little suffering coming from Ryouga. No. He needed more, more than breaking his body and soul... What he wanted right now was to rip the pig's heart from his chest and give it to Akane. In some way that rage that had appeared in his heart was alien to him, but he knew that it was a part of him that was born the same day in which he had been crushed, exiled by those fools and today that need of justice; of bloody retribution was going to be brought to an end, one way or another! So it was with growing pleasure and satisfaction that he slammed his fist time and time against the battered form of Ryouga but always keeping control of his power, his training too strict to let it free in a rush of fury also preventing the body of his foe to exit the area designed for fighting. After some countless minutes Ryouga ended lying in a growing pool of his own blood; it pouring from dozens of wounds. But that mattered little to the Hokuto heir nor did the fact that several of his bones had collapsed. Time to finish this! He moved and the blood made a sickening noise when he stepped in the pool. For what he could see and feel Ryouga had already lost consciousness bu to the enraged avatar of vengeance that was Ryuken that mattered little. He picked him up, rising him until his stomach was as his level, barely noticing that the blood from the pig's wounds was now flowing in small streams trough the arm that had lifted the senseless form of Ryouga Hibiki. Not even that mattered to him as his face formed a mask of hate and rage. He started slamming his left knee in his stomach and with some amusement he noticed that the body being hold by his arm reacted more or less as a punching bag. His smile grew vicious as the notion of using it to do precisely that crossed his mind. In the following minutes he let his anger to burn with his hate and did what his imagination had inspired him. By the time he took both emotions back to the dark place their belonged his fist and clothing was drenched in blood. As if he cared a cold part of his mind whispered to him. So he continued, his sick pleasure growing by the moment. No technique from the Hokuto Shin Ken. That would be too much honor. Just his fist. He smiled cruelly, licking his lips even as his eyes glowed even brighter. -------------------------------------- He was still holding Ryouga by the neck while slamming his fist into his gut, enjoying the sound of popping bones and at each blow Ryouga's body would shake, blood drifting from his mouth. For some moments it was only that; satisfaction coming from the beating he was delivering to the broken body of Ryouga, an emotion so strong that it was almost overwhelming. But something did cross those raging emotions. His senses flared wrenching is attention form the control of the strength behind the blows and from the beating itself, staying unmoving, examining the sensation. He easily recognized the feeling. And trough it some measure of reality came back to his senses. It was the same than when he was in the Tendo Dojo or when he tore the fabric of the reality between dimensions, but this time the sense of wrongness was a thousandfold stronger than what he did. This could meant only one thing. By the disturbance alone Ryu knew that this time it wasn't a simple scouting party but a downright invasion. He glanced to the crowd of people looking at him with awe and fear, some of them with anger others, the most, with repulsion from the deeds he was committing against one of the major figures in Nerima but right now he couldn't care less about what people could feel about what he was doing. His concern was in the number of innocent bystanders present, all of them possible victims and if they remained as they were right now this tournament was going to turn into a slaughter! The sickening sensation, that only he could feel, was growing stronger by the moment, each second making his senses to flare against this violation of the fabric of Creation. Already his unique senses, far more tuned to the unseen than what a human can normally perceive were picking faint traces of the forming rift, but before he had time to ponder over the curse of action a voice took him from his inner thoughts. He slowly turned to look to the point of origin of the voice. ------------------------------------------------- Akane and the others were silent witnessed of the fight. If you could call it so. Massacre was more close to the truth. During all that time they followed Ryouga's order to let him handle that warrior. The same that killed Mousse and Tatewaki and it was only his order to follow the rules, to set example to others that even them , the Nerima Wrecking Group, weren't above the laws that they helped to crate. In that moment they all nodded, even with Mousse's torture, with the vision if the blind master of the Hidden Weapons in the ground while his shouts of pain, of agony filled the Coliseum challenge their leader wasn't something that they would dare do. But now as tears came unbound from her brown eyes, Akane knew that what her husband had asked was something that she would not do, too much for her was at stake in this... fighting exhibition. They should have realized it before, when they saw that "Kenshiro" defeat Coral, Sakura and Ranko, after they saw that monster kill Mousse and Kuno with ridicule ease that they were not dealing with a normal human being. And now this! Shampoo and Coral were too much distraught by Mousse's death, that had been communicated to them all trough a letter from Tofuu, to do anything but stare dumbly to the morbid spectacle, to Ryouga's blood bathed body being trashed even more by that monster. Ukyou and the others were also pale from the events of that afternoon, by the blood bath that was this last fight, to do anything but see silently how Ryouga was beaten to death, as death was a certainty if no one stopped what was going on. Akane looked to the ones around her, to her family, to the people that had been a part of her life since Ranma's coming so many years ago, the people that were her world. In all of them she found what she was expecting under the shock of that afternoon events; anger, repulsion and the need to do something, anything, to stop what was going one upon the once white stones of the tatami. White stones that were no covered in crimson blood. Then she looked to Cologne and Nabiki that had decided to remain apart from them side by side, and strangely she couldn't detect the same repulsion to what was happening that she had found in the others but more a feeling of... Resignation? What was going on? By now she had expected Cologne, or even her always cold minded sister, to come to some decision upon what they were looking. To propose something; do anything at all to stop that nightmare! But instead they seemed reluctant to do even the slightest gesture. Well no time to think on this, she had to act! Already Ryouga had stopped to react to the blows he was receiving while being lifted by that thing. That man... There was so much anger and hate coming from him, so much that it was maddening! It had been all very strange she reflected with a distorted mind. With Kuno and Mousse there had been hate -no one could do what he did without hate- and a desire to defeat them and their fighting styles but it was covered in layers of coldness, of lack of feeling if it wasn't a need to win. Desire to show his superiority upon them, insulting them in all levels. But with Ryouga as soon as that Kenshiro saw her husband step in the fighting area, that coldness; that lack of shown feelings had burned away in a ravaging wave of devouring anger and killing intent as if all the violence that a man could produce had been there, aimed to Ryouga. That man had taken a dark pleasure in facing Ryouga as he scored hit after hit in her husband's flesh. A flesh that he had torn apart as bones had snapped under a skin that now was broken and let red muscle appear under it. She had seen something similar only when Taro had wanted to face Happosai all those years back. The same need of proving something trough violence, the same drive to achieve some unknown wish was now again displayed in front of her with all the dire consequences that were only hinted back then. Now that hint was a reality of colossal repercussion on Akane's psyche. To her only one reality remained: Ryouga's imminent death if no one interfered. She shook her head and wiped her tears. No time for that. She had to save him! She had to! She looked up to her family and saw in all of them but Cologne and Nabiki the same feeling of need, of wanting to interfere. To hell with Ryouga's wishes! "Everybody hear me!" She shouted noticing with some relief that the man, Kenshiro, had stopped smashing Ryouga's stomach and was looking around him as if he was listening to something that only he could perceive. Ukyou, Kaori, Sakura, Shampoo, Coral and the others looked at her with grim faces full of a cold determination. As her they had enough. Even in Ranko and Coral that feeling of disgust and rightful anger was clear and mighty, putting aside any fear they had in fighting a man that had proved with enough ease that he could handle them as if they were both newly born kitten; defenseless. The message coming from Akane's eyes was clear enough, their minds almost linked from the years of teamwork and struggles they faced together. Akane pointed towards the tatami. "We must stop this! Who is with me?" Nods were her answer and they all braced themselves to stop that nightmare that was the thing called Kenshiro. "Stop!" Said a voice. Akane turned and saw Cologne glaring at them, Nabiki silently by her side was giving them the same cold glare. Akane couldn't believe it and anger, freed by fear was clear in her haunted eyes as her emotions overrode her reason. "What are you talking about Cologne?!" Shouted Ukyou. "That... That bastard killed Kuno! He killed Mousse! And now... Ryouga could be the next!" Ukyou was now visibly shaking from the rage she was feeling, all the things she saw giving her the strength to hold on against Cologne. Outrage from the possibility that Cologne wished that masquerade to continue was also running high. "Great grandmother why do you wish to stop us?" Asked Shampoo blood dripping from her fist, knuckles white by the strength, nails digging into flesh. Akane herself was surprised but all the respect in the world was little thing compared to what she was feeling, against the need that demanded that she interfered, that she stepped in preventing the fight to continue. She was about to open her mouth when Cologne harsh voice snapped like thunder, making her to refrain from blasting Cologne with unprepared words. The words were lost but the meaning was clear; Cologne wanted to stop them. Boldly she asked, demanded. "Why do you try to stop us Cologne?!" She asked Then as she thought about it, she gave form to new thoughts and giving them shape with her words unfortunately mistaking Cologne's reasons. "This guy is strong all right but surely, together, we can..." She was cut short. "FOOLS!" Spat Cologne her eyes glowing, her face a mask of barely controlled anger. Then she moved putting herself in their path her face never lost its coldness. "But..." Started to say Ranko an action that was almost followed by the others. Cologne glared in her direction freezing any word that could come from the younger Saotome, yet her eyes continued looking at the presents challenging any to say a word. "You are fools! You let yourselves to be dominated by your feelings. This will only prevent all of you to fight as you would do normally." The she looked where Ryuken had Ryouga still aloft, the fanged martial artist held by a hand. "And you believe to be able to face that warrior? Don't make me laugh!" Her voice was cold, full of contempt by the very idea. "Some of you had fought him and you still want to cross him? Another time? Idiots! He would brush you aside as if you were mere insects! Are you all that blind?! Don't you have learned from his fights? If you face him, now, even all of you together, you will all be defeated." The last word as a ring of finality but the next two send a cold shiver trough their spines "Or worst." Akane flushed by Cologne statement but even so Ryouga's live was too much important to her. She started walking towards the fighting area but stopped when she came where Cologne was right in the middle of the path towards the tatami. The she looked to the yes the one that helped her to be who she was now. "And what do you want me to do Cologne? Leave my husband, the man that lead us, the father of my children to die at the hands of that abomination? Is that what you wish? Am I to tell Hotaru that her father is dead along with her uncles? That I let their murderer to go freely?" She paused as her brown, tear filled eyes, pierced Cologne's green ones that looked at her, Cologne's face a mask of coldness. "Is that what you want?" She whispered but those words, as soft as they came, carried enough strength to shatter mountains in their resolution. Cologne remained looking at Akane for a moment that to the Tendo woman seemed to stretch for an eternity before the once ancient amazon matriarch sighed. "No dear one," she said as she looked down, her voice weary, cold, aged beyond age. "I know that it is difficult, hard, to you to stand aside while your loved ones are suffering a thousand deaths..." She paused before looking up her eyes burning now with the knowledge of centuries. Akane stepped back surprised by the power and wisdom that she could see within those ageless eyes. "But ponder this carefully Akane Tendo. It may be that wanting to do good, saving the life of your husband, you are instead causing the greater harm possible. Consider this with your life as, as soon as you step in that place, as soon as you face that warrior, your whole life may suffer a greater, more darker, change that if you had let what is happening unfold as it should do." That said she stepped aside giving her free way. Akane only nodded before breaking inn a run. The strange pause in her husband's torment would not last much and she had to act as quickly as she could. She was soon followed by the others some giving Cologne, and Nabiki that had remained aside, a quick glance before disappearing through the maze that was the internal connections of the Coliseum. When the last of them had disappeared Nabiki approached the silent form of Cologne. "Why did you allow it? Them, specially Akane, could be the last thing that Ranma needs to do something that we may regret later." She paused before shaking her head sadly not without worry. "It may be that he kills them all in the spot." Cologne merely nodded. "It may be so. Who knows? In the state Ranma is right now it may be a possibility but if I know something is that we can not do more than we had already done. What happens now would have taken place sooner or later. I just wish that it was in better circumstances." "As do I. Now what?" She simply said, she imply asked. Cologne sighed. "What we have done until now, watch and wait; a prayer in our hearts." That said she hurried out of the room followed closely by Nabiki. ------------------------------------------------- Ryuken cursed even as his anger and rage grew to limits that dwarfed his previous levels. That voice brought a fold of memories that filled him with even more hate and need of finishing with it all, it was so much that he forgot about the still invisible rift. It wasn't there yet. He had time to bath in the blood of those... He closed his eyes in an attempt of reigning back such powerful emotions. He realized that he didn't want to, even as his eyes took on the presents. He wanted all of it to run free to find its own end. He wanted a release, a way to let it out and burring it wasn't the way. Already he felt as if he was about to explode. To hell with it all! Cold and at the same time burning eyes looked at _them_. Akane her long, braided hair moving with the strength of her aura that was flaring crimson a feeling of anger oozing from it. he quickly scanned the reaming members of the once Wrecking Crew. Yes Shampoo and Ukyou were there, their ki manifestations blazing with the strength of their life forces. Also were present Ranko and Coral their eyes hiding the fear they were feeling, a fear the he could smell even from afar. They didn't mattered as the others, unknown to him, in the ready stances of their own fighting styles. Akane shouted once more and this time she had Ryuken's undivided attention. "You release my husband right now!" She shouted, her voice promising a pain that she could not bring to him even if her energy was tearing the ground when not melting it. But the raging, devouring, anger that until now only had only as meal the pain brought to Ryouga as retribution was once again consuming his soul, demanding him to crush that arrogant look from the face of the one that once was his innazuke. To kill them all, the ones that forgot his pain and shameful banishment, the ones that took defense of the men that betrayed him in a honorless act and that could live with it! A single word and it would be enough. A single word of power and all those standing before him would be obliterated. The mantras of the Hokuto Ryuu Ken chanted, screamed in his head as his mind opened more and more to the soul of Kaiou; the mightiest of all the Ryuu Ken heirs. Words that would melt steel and shatter stones danced in his head, taunting him with the power of their release, tempting him in turning his pure touki to the darker matouki, the power of his hate powering even more their power. At this point, with the power that was his birthright, a single word and the whole city of Nerima would be wiped out from creation. For a single, eternal moment, Ryuken was so tempted to give in, only his phenomenal control preventing him in doing so. The temptation was there screaming at him in doing so, in giving existence to those forbidden words. In bringing that damned city to oblivion, whipping it from creation. A single word. A moaning sound brought him once again to reality, a pitiful sound coming from the bloodied lips of Ryouga. Again the martial artist moaned and while fighting to regain consciousness tried to move his body. A body too much damaged and weakened after the battle with the Hokuto Shin Ken heir to work for its owner. That saved Akane and her group as the lust for Ryouga's blood forced Ryuken's mind to seal again the knowledge of the Hokuto Ryuu Ken. But that done it only helped in increasing his carving for Ryouga's pain. It was almost unbearable to resist with his whole being pushing him to do the deed. Part of Ryuken focused in the body that he was holding as if that part was examinating Ryouga asking himself how he could bring even more pain, a pain that Ryouga would feel trough the cloud of unconsciousness. A body he wanted to kill A body that was still lifted by one hand around the windpipe. A windpipe that another part of Ryuken, he suddenly realized, wished to crush. His hand griped the neck a little tighter. But then a voice crossed across the red cloud that was his thoughts with uncanny strength piercing trough his mind, touching the core of his being. "STOP!" Ryuken's eyes widened even more went he recognized the voice. Her voice. -------------------------------------------------------------- Selene and Nodoka arrived within the Coliseum as soon as they could, thing that was not easy taking in count the masses of people running away from it and the more bigger trying to enter. It was chaos brought by fear and anger, a chaos that threatened to take human lives as its cost if it wasn't already the case. They had literally to fight to enter in the compound even if some people recognized Nodoka. And when they finally were able to see the vision that greeted their eyes left them pale and astonished. The totality of the fighting area was ravaged, broken beyond any possible reparation. The damages even reached out of the white stone fighting arena, the stone that composed the Coliseum was broken, huge marks splitting the stones in half and more pieces could be found were their sight wandered. This with the light of the sun, gave both women the optical illusion that the Coliseum was covered in scars and marks left by the time. But the vision of the fighting area was even more shocking. Ravaged beyond anything them both had seen in their lives greeted them. It was as if the hand of God, full of wrath, had descended in a fist living behind only destruction. The marble in the ground was covered in blood as if someone had eviscerated a huge animal splitting its life fluids upon the pristine, if ravaged, surface. Their eyes widened and their faces paled when they took a good look of the drama unfolding in the center of the fighting area. A man was holding Ryouga by the neck as he smashed his fist on the fanged martial artist with stone shattering force, and ,for the expression in his face, taking immense pleasure in the pain that he inflicted. Ryouga's feet hung in the air, shaking each time that the fist impacted against the once hard stone abdominal of the martial artist and to both women it seemed that the shaking was only due to the strength of the blows. To them Ryouga looked dead even as the blood flowed from unseen wounds. They could perfectly see that the fanged one had several ribs collapsed some of them showing trough bloodied clothing. Then as it seemed that the man holding Ryouga was about to finish him he stopped, looking around him as if listening to some unknown sound even as the Coliseum was silent a clear contrast to the outside turmoil Selene and Nodoka had found. The violence of the scene was enough to stuff any sound as all those looking at it were suddenly rendered mute by the enormity of what they were looking. Nodoka gasped when she had her first good look at the man that was slowly killing Ryouga. "Selene.... Isn't that the young man that..." Her words trailed off when she looked at Selene's face. Selene was pale as chalk and her eyes were as wide as they could be as she seemed to drank the scene going on. She couldn't believe it. Check that, she could. That was Ryuken no doubt. Her mind was working in a furious pace as she tried to come find why this was happening. And slowly she was finding her answers. Ryu brought her to the dojo were he had to find the people that he had a grudge with them and it was the Tendo dojo! That would mean... She refused to continue with that line of thought. It wasn't the right time to finds the answers that her heart was demanding her to find. She had to stop it. She had to stop him! She had to before Ryu did something that he would come to regret. But the question was; could she? He seemed committed to it. He had the same look he showed when killing the ones that murdered her family but it was more intense. With those ravagers it was a question of them killing innocents but with Ryouga-san it seemed something much more powerful, something done to him personally. She had felt it, even if then it was remotely more tame, she knew that he held some great measure of pain and anger but they seemed that cold coals of a dead fire. Now the fire was blazing with the strength of a raging inferno! She feared to know what they had done to him to push Ryuken to such killing state. In that moment, as Selene was still doubting, Akane and the others, people that the dark haired woman had grown to love in those short days came forth in a desperate intent os stopping the unstoppable. Selene saw it in Ryuken's blazing golden eyes. If she didn't interfered they were as good as dead! Before she knew what she was doing she was running at full speed, jumping upon the sitting people in her way, her heart pounding in her chest as a cold sweat pearled her brow. With sick fascination she saw Ryuken return his murderous stare to Ryouga that seemed to be regaining consciousness. She saw Ryuken's hand and strong fingers close upon Ryouga's neck squeezing it slowly. He was going to do it! She had to stop him or all was lost a cold, detached part of her mind told her. She had to do something!! She screamed with all the strength of her throat, with all the emotions her soul could gather in the span of a heartbeat. A single word with the whole of her being "STOP!" ------------------------------------------------ Selene was just there, a few hundred meters away from him but he could recognize that voice anywhere, soon his eyes were locked on the young woman with silver- dark hair. Reality crashed upon him. He deeply breathed as he closed his eyes. He had been about to do something that he would have lamented forever. Not the death of Ryouga, after all he killed more people that he cared about in the curse of his training some of them with worst reasons than with the one that he had with the directional challenged martial artist. That wasn't the point. He would have broken his promise, he would have made Selene suffer. He clenched his teeth tighter. As much as he desired to crush life from the battered form of Ryouga, Selene came first. Suddenly the sensation coming from the still uncreated rift, a feeling that he had stuffed under layers of anger and hate, exploded as reality's resistance was broken. At the same time the first manifestation of the Rift were felt and a blue-grey light started to form in the middle of the ravaged tatami, startling all but Ryuken. Soon as the light grew in brightness countless dark shapes started to form as an impeding feeling of doom filed all the presents to the until recently happy competition. In the same crowd, too some of the presents the light show was something more than a source of concern. All those that were in the Dojo while the first trans-dimensional warp could perfectly remember the kind of blood thirsty creatures were spawned from that same light, and as the memories of the blood shed that day spread between the crowd so did chaos and panic, cries of mothers calling to their children and fathers trying to move their family to safety a crude testimony of it and its growing hold. Akane and the others were as surprised as the rest but to them the immediate concern before facing the upcoming treat was the safety of Ryouga. The martial artist was still aloft by that strange warrior, but as this man was looking to them his eyes seemed to glow with some internal light. To Akane and the others's worried minds this light was too alike with the one coming from the light show going on in the middle of the tatami. To them that man that had defeated their best fighters one after the other could only be the one producing that light show and the growing wave of panic. A last time Akane shouted as her aura was starting to enter in synergy with the ones of her friends as its power grown. "Release him or else!" But in that moment several things happened at the same time. The dark leather clad man looked at her, when ain a second their eyes met before he turned his attention to the blue-grey light forming a few meters from him. But in that brief moment she felt almost as if she had received some unseen blow to her power as her anger and confidence flickered out stuffed instead by fear a fear so primal that it made her think on a deer caught facing a raging dragon. Her aura flickered the emotions she used to power it up, crushed. Then the man lifted Ryouga once more and she, as the others, did believed it to be the end of the fanged martial artist. To some of them Ryouga indeed seemed to be a lifeless puppet; one whose strings had been cut. Akane's friends and family attacked while she stood unmoving. Unknown to them once the threat of what the rift could be transporting was clear in Ryuken's mind Ryouga turned meaningless to him. As was the attack from the ones he once considered his friends. Nothing more than a bothersome group in his path, blocking him from his mission, preventing him from doing what he had been trained to do, from what he had been born to be. Innocents were in danger. Everything else was secondary. He let the restrains upon his power and his aura to be lifted and the effects were devastating. In the span of two heartbeats the dye that turned his hair golden was pulverized into sub- atomic particles. His muscles stretched now as if living serpents making all his clothes to stretch to their limits. Then he looked to his once friends, family and friends and his eyes glowed with power, turning the now clear blue to burning gold, burning as his soul. The slowly, looking to the upcoming barrage of fists, bomboris, kicks, spatulas and a lot more of assorted weapons courtesy of the Hidden Weapons technique, in a move so fluid that he seemed as if his flesh was water he extended almost lazily his right hand and fired a low level touki wave. The weapons were brushed aside while to two generations of the Nerima Wrecking Crew it seemed like if they had slammed into an invisible wall with the strength of an upcoming train sending them crashing around of the still unmoving form of Akane Hibiki. She was looking to the transformed figure that had brushed her friends as if they were only flies with shock clear in her brown yes. And then, once again, their eyes locked, this time him holding her gaze, his blazing golden eyes piercing her warm brown. Again with an inhuman swiftness he send the battered form of Ryouga flying towards her. She caught her husband more as a reflex than from any other impulse and the strength behind the throw send her reeling back, ending on her rear. As she was fighting to regain her bearings Akane barely noticed that her friends were struggling to rise once the disorientation of the fall was passing. But all of them heard him clearly when he spoke, and his words, specially to three women that lived to hear that words innumerable times a day a long time ago in another live. The voice had none of the stammering defensiveness they remembered instead of it a hot, devouring rage full of contempt. "You can have P-chan as long as you want him you stupid kawaikune Tomboy!" Akane, Shampoo and Ukyou's eyes widened, their faces pale as chalk as if the world had crashed against them. Akane remained agape while Shampoo was muttering something in her native Chinese. Ukyou's eyes simply filed with tears. Akane suddenly felt a couple of hands help her to rise as her gaze was still fixated in the back of the one that could not be the one she knew he was. The voice, the tone, the phrase... It was unmistakable. But... It was like a mantra that her mind was repeating to still hold itself to consciousness. But a warm voice brought her to reality. "Sis. Snap of it please." Akane looked startled to Nabiki that was supporting her. Only one look passed between the sisters and Akane was filled with a certitude. "You knew it" Nabiki nodded. "Why didn't you told me?! I had the right!" Nabiki shook her head slowly and pointed to the advancing form of Ranma only a few metres from the light. "Akane you are not thinking. Look at Ranma, look to what he is about to do..." Nabiki had some distaste in her voice and at once Akane's mind filled with questions. Nabiki seemed to sense it because she gestured her younger sister to remain silent. She turned towards the others that were looking at her with the same look than Akane's. "Later. Now look, all of you look, what Ranma _is_ now." Silently all of them turned to look the one that could not be here but was. ------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile as he advanced towards the rift, Ryuken's attention was totally focused in the beating light. His senses were scanning the glowing mass of energy along with the life forces inside of that reality tearing, sickening, energy. As Ryuken suspected the shadows within the pulsing light stopped forming and, as the blue grey light expanded more, several shapes started to come from it to stand facing him. Ryuken's face darkened as he inspected the coming forces. Few of them were human while the biggest part of the troop had some easily recognizable animalistic traits. They had nothing of human but the form, towering creatures giving the feeling of coming from a madman's nightmare. But to Ryuken's mind they remembered him of the last foe of considerable strength he face before his exile when he was still Ranma Saotome and this realization brought him a most worrying idea to his mind. He slowly started to count the force assembling before him. When they finally finished coming from the rift that now had reduced considerably its size he could see more or less a hundred adversaries facing him. Even if they didn't knew that their enemy was him. All of them radiated killing power and an evil aura so twisted that it made him snarl inside as a need to end those lives spread in the entirety of his being, his blood turning hotter by the second and only by the prospect of ending the existence of twisted beings made him to stay still. ------------------------------------------------- Arus flexed his fingers and the powerful muscles of his arms to chase the coldness filling his body, a side effect from using the Blood Soul Mirror as a mean of transport. He looked to his troops and spoke to his subordinates: "I prefer other means of travel... Well now that we are here... You all know your mission. We have to kill everything on sight so move on! We have to..." As his troops started moving, spreading trough the broken fighting arena a voice spoke, a voice which Arus wasn't familiar with. "That's if you can." Arus' s eyes widened a little when hearing that insolent voice but quickly looked at his surroundings searching the one that dared to interrupt him. He was going to have his liver for dinner that was sure. Fast enough he found who he was searching. It was easy enough once his troops moved aside to let him see their surroundings and what made it easier yet was that the speaker made nothing to hide to Arus' surprise. Well idiots only learn when dead. He took a good look to the one that was crazy enough to stand against him. It was a young man probably in his mid-twenties with short dark hair and all clothed with torn dark leather jacket and pants coupled with a red sleeveless shirt and the rest of some metal protections in his shoulders. Arus, as well as some of his soldiers, had to restrain themselves to not burst laughing. Was this kid the one that was challenging them? He had expected the leaders of the resistance to be there to fight him and that would have been a fight that he would have savored... but this boy? This was some kind of joke, sure. Until Arus noticed his eyes. When he looked and noticed their color, gold as the sun, seeming to shine with the strength of a raging inferno. Those were not the yes of a fool man. Those were the eyes of a dangerous man. He rose a hand to restrain his troops from attacking the youth. There was something in that young man that intrigued him. There was something in those unnaturally colored eyes... Something that he couldn't put his finger on... "What do you want kid?" The leather clad young man didn't answer him but instead smirked; a dark smile and, in that precise moment, Arus knew that he was facing something far more than a martial artist. It seemed that some of his troops were of the same mind. His reformed troops from Jusenkyou, little more than beasts now with their human minds long ago destroyed, started to howling in fear, their restrainers having to use mental commands to prevent them to go on a murdering stampede, completely berserker. "What's happening!" Arus shouted to the one in charge of the restrainers as he lifted him by one hand. The man had a mental link with the magically reformed humans. The man looking between Arus, the creatures and the young man that was still standing there. Shaking like a leaf. "They... they are afraid beyond limits! I don't know what that punk is but he's not... human. The reformed felt so much fear that any thought they could still have was buried by that fear and... and..." He was crying in that moment tears of fear running from his eyes; the light of madness burning in his eyes. "Oh God I could feel it too!!" He started to laugh as the last remains of his mind shattered before his chest was carved by a mighty blow that send the carcass flying. This brought back some order to the unnerved troops, they may fear that dark haired man but Arus would kill them himself. Arus looked to the golden eyed man in front of his troops that was still unmoving but his smile had faded. What was bothering Arus was the unknown that represented that young man. The enigma. His suspicions were right, there was something not normal in that boy. He was a danger for his plan and he couldn't return to prepare a new plan that queen had been explicit enough. No. He needed to achieve this invasion with the major number of killing possible if he wanted to have his head still upon his shoulders once he returned to Mt Phoenix trough the rift once his mission completed. But that "boy" was making it all the more difficult! He snapped his fingers and pointed to the young man. Several of the reformed beasts started moving, slowly at first but gaining more speed with each passing, moment twenty of them rushing towards the dark clad youth with inhuman speeds. To the ones looking from the monsters rushing towards the golden eyed man it seemed that he was about to be caught in the rush, without hope of survival. What the young man did however caught everybody by surprise. He, not bothering to enter in any recognizable stance, pointed his right arm's index finger towards the coming brutes. With a move that was almost lazy in its execution he made a straight line with that finger coming from left to right. As the monsters were only a couple of meters from him, as their fangs and claws gleaming were ready to cut him to pieces it happened. The effect was devastating. ------------------------------------------------- As Ryuken had guessed the aura of fear that was inherent to a Hokuto Shin Ken master nearly drove those beasts into madness. His almost hidden smile vanished when he saw that tall man, the leader, blow the chest of one of is subordinates. And his inner self snarled when he saw some of those monsters rush to him with the intention of shedding him into pieces. With his index finger, and with a movement that was consciously slow, he traced a line from left to right as if pointing all in front of him as he called the power of Nanto forth. ------------------------------------------------- Arus, as well as the remaining crowd and the group of the Nerima Wrecking Crew only saw Ryuken move his arm and finger in a straight line at the height of the first five reformed chests then he let is arm to fall. For some instants all stood still as if nothing had passed. But something did happen. Soon all could noticed a line of light crossing the monsters rushing towards Ryuken that, as one, started shrieking. And to everyone's surprise they saw how arms, bodies's guts and all sorts of body's parts separated, sliced as if by an invisible blade. The bodies dropped dead and cut clean, covering the white tatami red. The monsters twitched some, moved for some moments more before stopping forever. Without looking at the divided bodies Ranma dropped his arm and started advancing, going directly towards Arus The face of the Commander of the Queen's invasion group darkened as he shouted: "Kill him! For our Queen, bring me his head!" As one the troops moved, a wall of fangs, claws and other weapons aimed to Ranma, their speed nothing more than unnatural, animal-like, soon to surround him that still moved as if those weapons and enemies were nothing to him. ---------------------------------- His mind was in full battle mode. This was more than the games he had to follow in all this senseless tournament. This was a battle where death was going to have its fair share.. His enemies were only inches form his body, claws ready to cut him. Power flared within him. "HOKUTO AND NANTO COMBINATION!" His first roundhouse kick marked each of the monsters in one point of their heads, making them loose their momentum and hitting strength as Ryuken "charged" in each of them a lethal hikou point. Following his first kick, as in a single move, he made another one, this time using his knowledge of the Nanto Schools. Shuu's style, the Nanto Hakurou Ken, and more precisely the Rekkyaku Zanjin, sent the bodies falling down as he beheaded them in a single, fluid move. The corpse ended on the ground while the heads, flying, exploded, as the Hokuto took effect. As soon as they exploded he followed like a dead wind that cut down his enemies. He ducked under a punch, his own fist going at full strength. In contact with his fist the chest of the huge beast towering above him exploded in a cloud of gore. His fist and body continued, his hand now like a claw digging in the body of the next monster. It let out a primal scream of pain and fear as it felt Ryuken strength push it only to feel being slammed in the ground, the hard stone exploding under its muscle mass. The following instant it was dead as Ryuken carved the chest in with such violence that its ribs burst like white arrows, the warm blood covering his face. Even as he was doing so his leg flashed backwards as he felt several killing ki signatures behind him, rushing towards him with killing intent. "MUSOU INSATSU!" Searing pain was the least they felt as huge holes appear in their chests. Four of the reformed humans died as their insides rushed to cover the missing parts. Ryuken spun as other of the beast rushed towards him. The blood sent had driven beyond any ephemeral control they had , the little of human spirit they retained, a spirit that now was gone under the killing madness. Only killing was in their mind, turning into what they creators wanted. Mindless killing machines. With a roar they rushed towards him from all sides. Ryuken's eyes quickly moves looking at his attackers, dividing them in groups depending on how near they were, dividing the horde in small groups of threes or fours beasts. He advanced towards the first group of beast, moving like silent water, gaining space between him and the ones that attacked him from behind, even if making him close it with the ones coming against him in a front charge. His kick flashed, his heel impacting with wet sound against the shoulder of a eagle headed monstrosity that instantly was turned into powder, yet the kick strength made the body fly against others of its kind cutting their impulse, making some to fall. Less than ten of those aberrations were rushing towards him and twice that number were coming after him from other sides. He pulled his fist backwards before giving a powerful punch. "ATAAAAAA!!" The ground exploded as the sonic boom that followed tore the ground leaving behind only a path of destruction and smashed bodies. The first four or five were pulverized on impact. The ones behind weren't more lucky. They were carried with the moving kinetic energy, the impact only breaking half of their bones and tearing apart some of their muscles mass. Yet their torment continued as the power in Ryuken's fist send them crashing against the walls of the Coliseum. For some moments they remained there, as if glued against the stone wall that had broken into pieces what was still intact of their bones. Then leaving as unique witness of it, a trail of blood as they crashed upon the ground, twitching as life slowly left them. Ryuken whirled the first of his aggressors closed upon him. Not fast enough. Half a dozen punches were enough to send it against the ground, life crushed from it, now nothing more than a broken corpse. The Hokuto heir ducked a swing from the next one his hand like a blade passing near its abdomen right side. The body was cut in half by a single void wave. Two soon followed, a got and a wolf headed creatures. His fingers flew towards the pressure points, hitting them with a precision born from an entire life of practice, training and real combat. He followed not even bother in looking back. They were already dead either way with their hearts not working. Heiketsushuu left no second chance. Gekishinkou. Zushou. Jinchuukyoku. Zenha. All of them lethal tsubos. Once used there wasn't a second chance, only death and destruction. Shouts of pain filled the air like a symphony of death. Sounds of broken bones, snapping tearing apart flesh, muscles, skin... All of it in a bloodbath. Ryuken one by one killed all those that were in his way towards the man that was in charge of the nightmarish legion. With a shout another of those freaks charged him. Almost unconsciously Ryuken drove his feet in its gut with a violent kick. The beast bent and Ryuken's fingers flashed, two of them digging in the monster's brow. "HOKUTO KAIKOTSU KEN!" A roundhouse kick send the monster flying were the attack ripped his skeleton from its body, his body splashed against the ground, while the bones separated, rolling until ending in a pool of blood. Twelve. A punch in the chest as he kicked another beast snapping its head backwards, breaking its neck with the violence of the blow while his free hand rushed towards the face of the kneeling beast that had its hands over its chest. It looked up as it felt the coming attack. Only to have it split in half. "GANZAN RYOUZAN HA!" It crashes backwards, dead. Nine left. "HOKUTO HYAKURETSU KEN!!" Three more are turned into bloody punching bags made of dead meat. The last six followed with a desperate attempt to surround him. As soon as they were around him they attacked, three of them jumping to attack him from above while the rest from his own level. At the last possible moment Ryuken jumped spinning like a whirlwind. "ATTATATATATATA!!" Then he dropped down towards the last of the invasion troop. With well placed kicks he broke some of their necks while with others his fist left only bleeding wholes in their bodies. As one the six bodies crashed in the ground, their lives broken. Ryuken that had been crutching as soon as he landed, slowly rose to his full length and his eyes closed snapped his fingers. As soon as the sound of his fingers were lost, the dead body exploded, filling the air with blood rain that landed upon Ryuken, covering him in dark crimson liquid. His golden eyes opened upon Arus, promise of a painful death ---------------------------------------------- Arus could see how, without even trying, that golden eyed "boy" that he had demised as irrelevant at first, had literally torn apart the whole of his troops. The blond haired leader of the force was almost snarling in anger. Almost. He was a warrior a killer and he couldn't help but feel respect in the way that boy killed his troops, not that he had any concern for them, but they were there to make him gain time. The rift existence was limited by time and he alone would have problems in fulfilling his mission. He may found what he had come to find and take it with him , but the part of mayhem and destruction would be another day. Such fun prevented by that boy. A boy coming from nowhere. No matter how good he was killing he had ruined his fun! This was unexpected but still even with all of his troops killed he, Arus, was strong enough to do the important part of his mission alone. He heated to dirty his hands if there was other means of achieving victory but if things arrived to that point, he had no trouble in soaking his hands in blood. After all he had done it countless times. Still since the beginning he had a feeling... Something hadn't been right, and the source of that "feeling" was that boy. He almost exploded in laughter at such a foolish idea, as if that kid would on day menace the New Order, the Queen or even himself. He slowly shook his head at his own impression. That would never happen. Then as quickly as everything started it stopped. The young man was there, facing him, only a few meters away from him, the last six men and creatures that formed his troops were lying dead around him. He was standing there, still, his eyes closed after killing his men. Arus looked to the once white area around them. It was a scene coming from a nightmare, the whole gigantic stone tatami filled with the gruesome remains of his troops, showing the marks of his killing. Some if them showed clearly broken bodies, their insides, some of them the is bones exiting the corpse as white shafts. Lifeless eyes were nothing remained, not even the madness that once made those eyes burn. Some were sliced like if an army of butchers had been there killing all with a killing frenzy. An image out of hell, from a battlefield, were the stench of blood and death reigned in sole master. The blood was licking their boots, dripping from the limits of the battle area, the metallic sent of blood filling their mouths. Arus could feel his own bloodlust rising in answer to the carnage he had seen. Then the boy snapped his fingers at the same time he opened his golden eyes that were burning with power as he snapped his fingers. It happened the dead bodies exploded around him, making truly rain blood. It flowed from his short air, from his thorn clothing, like blood tears from uncaring eyes Arus smiled, a smile that was twin to the one coming from Ryuken. He would kill again and he would feast with that boy's heart's blood. ------------------------------------------------- Ranma Saotome, Ryuken of the Shoke Ruling line, Fist of the North Star, eyes blazing golden with power stared directly into the red ones of Arus as a rain of blood covered him, soaking his body and clothes from head to toe, giving him the appearance of an avenging demon coming from hell to claim those that escaped from it. He smiled as did the man in front of him, a sort of kinship between them. Both were killers and had more than once soaked the earth with a man's blood. But there finished any possible similarity between them. Both killed yes but for very different reasons. Ryuken used his own killing potential, the killing potential of any Hokuto master, but to protect, to defend those that can't do so. His dark side, so to speak, was a servant of those that cried in the dark, that cried in fear, those needing help. The man in front of him was nothing like that. He killed for his own glory, for his own need of satisfaction and lust of power. He would kill brother, sister, parents, comrade in his thirst for domination. Ryuken knew very well that kind of monster, not human anymore, because some of the souls that he carried with him, that were him, had been like that. Monsters of ambition, to whom nothing mattered in their search for power even if in their minds the use of their power in killing was sanctioned by their own visions of a better future. That man, there, and the power that he represented had not even that excuse. Those soulless eyes told him that much. The perspective of killing such beast, even more of a beast than those poor twisted human beings, made his blood to boil, made him smile. He would return such monster to the hell spawned him. ------------------------------------------------- Arus still smiling looked once again the remaining traces of the massacre. All of this seemed something done by Arguun, Herb or even the Queen but the fact that it was done so effortlessly by that the boy told him that he was holding back. That made him smile even more. He would kill this kid, crush the possible menace that he represented. Of that he was sure. No possible doubt. That boy was opposed to them and what opposed them had to be destroyed. Still he couldn't help but admire the efficient work done by that lad. With a minimum of energy, without even breaking a sweat, the boy had exterminated some of the best troops in the Queen's army. Now he had no doubt who had prevented the other mission of genocide, the one that the queen refereed before he jumped in the cold rift. At least a challenge. Quietly he whistled in admiration as he looked to the devastated remain of his troops, none the less affected by that loss. They were nothing more than canon folder after all and the armies of the Queen had such troops in numbers beyond counting. "Tell me whose is your Ryu?" He asked, his curiosity genuine. The young man remained silent, still looking at him with those golden eyes. "Hokuto Shin Ken." Arus remained silent a moment, like the boy before speaking. "Hokuto Shin Ken... Never heard of it boy, but congratulations! You hold a power like few I have seen. I supposed that I'm wasting my breath asking if you want to join us, right?" Ryuken's smile grew some more. "Right." Arus shook his head, almost as if he regretted it. Both of them knew that it hadn't been so. Arus hadn't been the last saddened by Ryuken's refusal. He expected it. He wanted it. "A pity. We are the lords of this world and if you are not with us then you have to be deal with. You understand me, don't you boy?" He moved his body, slightly bending his knees as he adopted an offensive stance. Ryuken smiling started to crack his knuckles, an ominous sound as he also adopted a stance. "Perfectly." Arus smiled as if happy. "I'm glad boy! Indeed! It's such a depressing thing to always deal with idiots. A young man as brilliant as you is refreshing." Ryuken only nodded. "Glad to know that you will pleased as I kill you, old man." Arus laughed. "My oh my, such confidence in someone so young. I like you boy but I will like more crushing each of the bones in your body!" Ryuken. "Keep dreaming, you'll go far." Arus snickered. "Ah but we will see don't we?" Ryuken nodded. "Yeah." For some moments Arus and Ryuken stood there unmoving, and with each passing moment the emotional pressure in the stadium was growing, unbearable. It exploded. Violently. ------------------------------------------------- Chiara was looking to the clashing figures with a mixture of hate and wonder in her eyes. She still couldn't believe that such power existed but with each blow exchanged, with each kick blocked, the strength send her on the ground by the shockwave coming from the blows that were traded between the two warriors. The ground of the tatami once so smooth and pure in his whiteness was, since long, gone. >From the fights of this Kenshiro (that seemingly was Ranma, THE >Ranma!) between Ryouga- san, then those monsters and now with the leader of the invasion force, the ground of the white tatami had been destroyed. A crater was what remained from it, proof of the power of the fighters. Most of the damage had been done between Ranma and the golden haired leader of the invasion troop. With the first blow they exchanged, the ground was carved in, forming a huge smoking crater, red/white spiky rocks rising from it at its limit. After that with the throws, the impacts, the shockwaves, their fists and kicks, the remaining of it was gone in rubble and chunks of stone. The violence and power between the two warriors was beginning to reach the rest of the Coliseum, cracks appearing now and then but with growing speed. They were going to pull it down if they continued. But to Hinako and Soun's daughter it was nothing compared to the feelings that were raging within her. She was divided into staying there looking to the battle without interfering or to send an attack now that the two warriors were deep in their mutual testing of forces. She knew, a part of her did, that their only hope of survival was with Ranma now that Ryouga, Mousse and Kuno weren't there. But another was time and time again replaying the images of the afternoon. Kuno lying in a pool of his own blood, dying minutes after. Mousse's shouts of agony were still fresh in her head. Ryouga's torture at the hands of the one, if her aunts were right, that was his friend. She could still see his fist smashing against Ryouga's broken body, smiling as his blood covered them... Those images, of the dead and torture of her loved ones were quickly turning into a devouring rage against "Ranma". She had to do something or she would explode. And that something, the only thing that she could do, was to use her powers upon ki to make "Ranma" loose the fight. Loose and die. She knew that if all fought together they could defeat the other one. He would be too weaken by the beating that Ranma was giving him. Once he killed Ranma they would deal with him. A plan was already forming in her head. It was simple but even so the best plan were generally the simple one. She had only to wait for the right moment and she would made him pay. She waited for the correct moment to strike. Her powers were more of an technique something that she had from her mother. Hinako had been altered by master Happosai to be able to steal other's beings ki, their life forms. That allowed her to grow her body along with some defensive and offensive powers, ways of using the ki. It was long ago that Hinako had been cured from her disease that reverted her to her childlike body, but the alterations done by Happosai had genetically altered her DNA makeup. Since little she had been to go further in the ki assimilation than her mother had been able in her ki-vampire. She was able to perceive the ki with an ease that was surprising; that with time allowed her to feel the emotional state of a being, a plan, an animal, etc... As she grew her powers of alteration of raw, natural ki, as well as the things that she could do with another's ki left both Happosai and Cologne concerned and at the same time intrigued by the extension of her ki powers. It was a birthright that she used in healing and understanding of the others, of the people that were at her care. She used it to help but even so since her earlier training she had been trained to use her powers as a defense and if the situation demanded it as a weapon. It was a gift. Something that made her different and special. Until today she had no problem in sensing the others. Until today she never found a being which ki didn't reveal itself to her. But then she never found a being like Ryuken. Since this "Ranma" had started to face her cousins and friends in the advanced parts of the tournament she had been trying to "read" him. She tried all that she knew, all the tricks and techniques that had been taught to her. It was impossible. It was like trying to pierce a seven feet thick steel wall with a piece of wood. So she patiently waited for the correct moment. She carefully listened to the talk he gave about the difference in the auras and ki; the differences between the ki power they all used and the Touki that was only his. Even if they were different she was sure that the moment would present itself. She only had to be patient. One minute she saw how "Ranma" send a fury of punches with concrete shattering force , punches that this Arus had trouble to block. But in her eyes trained to see the ki flow, "Ranma" was starting to use a little more of his power. A small stream of power. Small indeed but that was the opening she had been waiting. He was hers. She saw them fight to a standstill hands clasped as they started to kick each other in the ribs. Each of the kicks was followed by a "boom", as the ground around them, received part of the power behind the kicks. It shattered even more. Ranma seemingly had little trouble in withstanding the punishment but the other one seemed to be on the ropes looking for an exit, but Ryuken grasp on his hands was too much for him to break. For her trained sense the leader had several of his ribs cracked. He was bursting with ki, a bonfire of power that helped him little it seemed. Compared to Ranma he was a star of ki energy while Ranma was nothing more than a drop of power The moment was near, she could feel it, she could see it, the flow of ki in Ranma was little by little increased. As little he used once she had taped in his source of power, the gates would open and she would be able to let him dry of his power, giving the other man a clean shot for Ranma. He would pay. Ranma released the other guy that send a flurry of ki blast that Ranma easily dodged, even jumping above them to kick the other man that defended himself with his forearm. Even so the power in the kick was enough to send him crashing. He started panting. He attacked the same as did Ranma. None would surrender, only dead would decide the winner. Now. Before anyone could stop she was running towards the two warriors. As she closed the distance between her and those two, the both of them glanced at her before returning to their fight, conscious that their enemy was in front of them and that girl wasn't a treat. Chiara waited to have "Ranma" in her line of sight, right then he turned his back to her. Unknowingly giving her the chance she waited. All lasted a couple of seconds, half a minute to the best. Enough time. With all her rage and anger she screamed recalling everybody attention to her. "THAT'S FOR MOUSSE AND KUNO YOU BASTARD!!" She unleashed her attack that, surprisingly, worked. Then hell broke loose, the world going mad. ------------------------------------------------- Cologne was looking to the fight her mind racing with each new feat made by Ranma. His strength and speed were almost inhuman in their power. The way he dealt with the members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew and how he killed the first wave of those monsters with something that she could only compare with the Neko ken but far more complex and then the following massacre of the rest of the troops in a way that shouldn't be possible made her doubt of the reality of the situation. Where did he leaned all those attacks that seemed only a sample if his arsenal? And the combat with the leader of the those monsters that had appeared trough that blue grey nothingness was of an intensity that she would never have dreamed of. But it was clear that Ranma was winning. That was all too clear. If only by the way he still remained with a normal rhythm of respiration or by the unrelenting strength behind his blows that seemed to be growing with each passing moments it was clear that he would soon kill that man. That made her nervous as she feared that once the end of the fight was clear that man fighting Ranma would cheat. That's when a shout put another parameter in the fray. "THAT'S FOR MOUSSE AND KUNO YOU BASTARD!!" She turned, her eyes wide and face pale, to see Chiara glowing with her ki ready to unleash one of her attacks. That's when she realized what she was about to do. She tried to scream, to prevent her from trying to absorb the power in Ranma but it was too late and as she was about to speak, to shout Too late. The world screamed shadowing Cologne's voice. ------------------------------------------------- Arus was losing and he knew it. At the beginning they exchanged blows to test each others strengths and weaknesses for a while he believed them to be matched in speed and strength. That when he released that all his blows were blocked, as if the young man in front of him could read al of his moves, but he knew that couldn't be. With the first blows were exchanged, Arus could already feel his members to grow numb due to the strength behind his adversary's fists and kicks. And even if he continued fighting with all he was worth he knew that he was outclassed. Worst was that the strength used by that strange golden eyed boy was growing with each passing moment and Arus knew, without a doubt that the boy could use way more power in his blows while his started to reduce dramatically. They continued for a good deal of time trashing the place, reducing it to broken ruins and even if his blows sometimes found openings, the damage he gave was little compared to the one that he was taking. And then was when they clasped hands and started to beat each other to death. It was a contest of stamina and resistance. He couldn't understand it. He was burning with his ki, boosting his strength, to superhuman levels and yet it wasn't enough. Stone would have yielded before this guy's side did. It was like trying to break the unbreakable. And his kicks were another thing altogether with such power his ribs started to give under the strain of those hits. Then the boy released him. He gained space sending some ki blasts that the damned boy dodged before sending him crashing against the ground. That was it, he had to pull out the rest of his reserves. If he was able to have an opportunity he could destroy that kid in a single strike but he knew that if he didn't surprise him then he would only loose power without anything to gain from that rush... He needed an opening. That or he unleashed one of his strongest attacks that threatened to weaken his state faster, preventing him in fulfilling his mission. Arus increased his pace but it was son matched by the whelp. That's when he had the awaited opening. It came under the form of a stunning young girl that rushed towards him and the boy. In that moment he dismissed her as a molest pest that he would dealt after he had finished with his current problem. Her cry changed it all, making all of them, save that damned boy to look at her, even if only by the sweet sound of hate that she dripped with her silvery voice. "THAT'S FOR MOUSSE AND KUNO YOU BASTARD!!" Arus's eyes gleamed. ------------------------------------------------- Ryuken was so centered in his fight against Arus that his senses, focused in his foe, were slow by a fraction of second to make him notice what everybody did before him. But when he heard that cry of rightful anger and hate he had to turn to face whose was shouting at him. The first surprise was to see a young woman, the young woman that he had glimpsed before, glow violet from the strength of her aura. The second surprise, this time far more unpleasant than the first was when the same girl, that he supposed was a part of Nabiki's family direct both her arms towards him her hands touching, the fingers forming a round space that lunched an attack as he never saw its like before. "SHIN HAPPO GO EN SATSU!!!" Ryuken could only feel in shock how his energy, that was mostly trapped under the steel grasp of his will, rush towards that young woman. She was drinking his power, his touki not unlikely a Dark Hole drinks light. He could feel how his reserves of power were opened and , so great was his surprise, he did nothing to prevent it. After all it was only a minimum, if massive, part of his power but soon, in a sickening flash of realization, he knew what that would do to the body of the girl that was attacking him with her ki absorption power. What Chiara hadn't realized, but Ryuken did, was the consequences of that rush of power. Her body wasn't prepared to take in his Touki. It would be similar to a junk that his whole life had been shooting himself a thousand part of pure heroin suddenly introduce in his body a massive quantity of the purest and more powerful drug. Her body wouldn't support it. ------------------------------------- It was with a vindictive pleasure that Chiara saw the man stager on his feet as his power was drained from him. And it was with even more pleasure that she could feel the power coming towards her promising her to grow in power something that was inherent to the sucking of the victim ki. But her eyes widened when the ki of the stranger, of that "Ranma" made contact with her own ki's reserves.. She knew that she had done a mistake. The ki...Ranma's ki... It wasn't right! She tried to reverse the technique but it was too late as the energy made contact. It was as if she had been struck by a thunder but a thousand times more powerful! She screamed. She screamed once again louder as if her soul was being torn apart. It was as if the sun was swallowed by her soul, Ranma's raging power too much for her frame, as if a hundred knives made of raw pain and rapturing pleasure were cutting her from inside, from outside, her skin burning as if her blood was on ebullition threatening to render her dead but at the same time making her more alive in the few seconds since she started absorbing that POWER that in her whole life. Even if she was dying, even if that "touki" was burning her faster than what could be imagined, she continued absorbing it, thirsty for more, depending of that pleasure, a ravage of her sensations so sublime than never had she felt its like before. She was dead and alive, she was dying and never before was she so alive. The pleasure and the pain were like nothing she ever experimented. She wanted more. It was insanity, a rapture of her soul, she sank to her knees panting in desire and fear. It was too much. It was too much but she wanted more. MORE! She continued to drink, but it was like trying to hold all the water in the world in a limited, imperfect vessel. It was driving her to her death and she didn't care, she couldn't care! Only the pleasure and the raging ecstasy of that unbelievable power mattered. It was all... Until a voice that to her overloaded senses sounded as the deafening power of a hundred raging thunderstorms shouted, bringing her a moment of sanity. "THAT'S MY POWER! YOU CAN'T HOLD IT! IT WILL KILL YOU! YOU MUST STOP! STOP BEFORE IT DESTROYS YOU!!" But in the storm of pleasure and pain she had only a moment of free will that impelled her to shout as if her soul was in danger as it was. Mortal danger. She did the only thing she could. "I CAN'T! HELP MEEEEE!!!!!!" Then the world exploded and a blessed silence made of darkness warped around her, smoothing her ravaged soul and mind but not before images and feelings came rushing at her. Along with a last revelation. It came as a rush before she could realize what was happening but she knew that it was important. Vital. She, in her limited state, braced herself from the onslaught of what she recognized as memories. And with the memories, with the force of an unstoppable truck, came along feelings that weren't hers. For a moment she was linked with that "Ranma" and while that moment his soul was open to hers. It was something radically different compared to the rush of his energy but in a way with far more meaning than a simple transition of pleasure and power. The first thing she sensed was... Pain Pain shattering, slicing, destroying with shadow claws an innocent soul. He had been betrayed by those he believed to be his friends, a legacy of treason, hate and burning revenge. Pain and sadness. And... Love. A love as pure as the rain of spring falling upon a barren being, feeding the seed of life and hope, of confidence upon humankind. Green eyes. Green eyes flickering with warmth, along with some mischief. Younger eyes, pure and so alive, shining as emeralds with the light of the rising sun. Eyes to die for. Green eyes, a girl that was not a girl anymore in a land where childhood is lost too soon. A girl-woman that was more to him than what he could realize. Than he had time for. Conflicting emotions from a boy and a man both looking the world differently, both killed when he failed those eyes, when he allowed death to claim an happy smile and those hunting green eyes. Rage, blood and destruction Him, his hands bathed in blood. and innocence twice killed, destroyed with a dark pleasure. Man and boy joined in a baptism of destruction, fused in the forges of a fire that burned hotter than hell, wishing to be freed. A thirst to kill and finish with everything. Him fighting; using those powers that had been screaming to him to be unleashed, powers still dormant within his soul, powers that once released embraced him with dark arms and loving him for doing what he was born to do. Kill. Destroy. Main. Eradicate. Dark emotions giving him the strength to do what must be done! Hundreds, thousands of memories, of actions, of regrets, of joys, of foes killed while learning a god's art. An older man an, undying love for the one that rose him; who cared for him and gave him a new life, teaching him how to use his dark side to bring forth the other part of his soul. Light. Pure. Warm. Strong. Intense. Powerful. Caring. Loving. Alpha and Omega. Love and Hate. Life and Death. Light and Darkness. Creation and Destruction. The Beginning and the End. Two words... Nanto and Hokuto. Then.... Then the final dead in a clash of wills. Will to live. Will to die. Blood... Death... Pain... Sadness... Void... Seven marks on a chest covered in blood as a power beyond imagining awoke in his being, in the core of his soul. The ultimate power paid with the ultimate price. A new being ravaged with sadness; a sadness so great that... Darkness finally claimed the last conscious thought of Chiara. ------------------------------------------------- Everybody saw with a sickening fascination how when the touki touched Chiara. She literally exploded. Light danced around the form of the youngest of Soun Tendo's daughters as she started to float a few meters from the ground as the light augmented and soon was forming a sphere of white, blue and red crackling light that was reaping the young woman's clothes. Meanwhile she was screaming, a shout that was at the same time, and paradoxically, of unending pain and infinite pleasure but it was clear to those that could feel her life force that Chiara's life was ending and would end soon if the process of absorbing the power continued uninterrupted. All the eyes turned now to the man whose power was siphoned by the Tendo girl as a wave not of fear but of anger washed everybody. He was still upright even if any lesser being would have been out cold, faint produced by the lack of ki. To everybody it was clear that he was far from being in that sate when he shouted with a voice that made everybody to look at him, even Arus that was waiting for his moment to strike, sure that it was near. "THAT'S MY POWER! YOU CAN'T HOLD IT! IT WILL KILL YOU! YOU MUST STOP! STOP BEFORE IT DESTROYS YOU!!" To that, surprisingly, Chiara, eyes glowing, answered with a voice that showed the desperate situation of the girl torn between pan and pleasure as the power ravaged her body and soul. "I CAN'T! HELP MEEEEE!!!!!!" Arus saw his moment. He had seen how that girl attacked that walking nightmare and in a moment of insight he knew that it was now or never. He gathered his strengths and unleashed it just in the moment when the golden eyed youth glanced between him and the girl being destroyed by a power that se could not control. The world exploded as in what seemed slow motion things rushed to explode in an apocalyptical explosion of power. In that short moment all the windows and crystals surrounding the arena in the nearest tow miles exploded by the shockwave as the ground, complaining in violent quakes, brought all those that where up on their feet to the ground. Moments before... Ryuken knew that what was happening to him, that strange drain of his power would kill that young girl as her body couldn't contain a power that only a master of the Four Schools should been able to hold. But to help her he needed to brake free from whatever technique she was using and in that moment he would be vulnerable to any attack coming form his adversary. He glanced quickly between both of his main problems, and decided to follow with his tentative to save the girl. He needed only seconds, the moment when his body would adapt to the girl's move and found a counter, the time for his conscious mind to recognize the pattern of her ki and of her attack. He was responsible of her safety as he should have prevented her busting in his fight. That moment Arus choose to attack him and Ryuken couldn't do much to prevent it. Like a storm he was there chaining combo after combo, his fist glowing redder by the moment as the heat in the area around the two warriors grew in temperature. Not a single part of Ryuken's body was sparred and in each hitting point, smoke could be seen emanating. Then Arus finished with his last blast. He gathered his hands together an in that single moment his hands seemed to be made of fire. He put his arms to his sides and beyond to finally push as if he was sending a wall towards his enemy. "INFERNO TRAP!!" He shouted as the heated air around Ryuken turned alive even if for a single moment. The area around Ryuken turned fiery red as a heat that melted the rocks surrounded him in a dome of fire that collapsed upon Ryuken, covering him like a mortal blanket. In the place were the golden eyed Hokuto Shin Ken stood a dome of raging flames was erected, releasing a heat that scorned all in the area, making some to faint by the difference of temperatures. Meanwhile inside of the fire dome another fire was starting to burn. Already Ryuken could feel how what remained of his jacked and shirt from all his previous fights was destroyed by the hostile place were he was confined. His mind was racing as even his resistance had limits. It was time to release what he truly was. His hands clenched into fists as his muscles expanded, his face a mask of concentration and anger.