Please, oh please send me C&C! Disclaimer time: Rumiko Takahashi, Shogagukan, Kitty and Viz Communications own Ranma 1/2. Kosuke Fujishima, Dark Horse Comics and Studio Proteus own Oh! My Goddess (Ah! Megami-sama). With thanks to my pre-readers for this chapter: Dave Menard, Jeremy Fogelman, Thomas Hackwood. Corwin (ely7@inter.net.il or corwin@virtuallyjeannie.com) http://www.virtuallyjeannie.com/ranma.html * Previous chapters can also be found at: http://members.xoom.com/phu_lam/index.htm http://tannim.anifics.com/rfics.html -- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar -- -- File: wog-ch8-draft2.txt Wrath of Gods Chapter 8 "It should be over by now." Lying on her back, the teenage girl idly twirled a pen in her right hand and looked at the patterns it made in the air. "Any moment now, she'll come back home." Maybe not a moment, but she could wait. After all, there wasn't anything else to do but lay on the bed and talk to oneself to pass the time. "Will she understand?" God, she hoped her sister would understand her motives. It wasn't really her choice, after all, and had there been some other way... "Will she ever forgive me?" Well, if she'd understand, it's a step in the right direction. Isn't it? Forgiveness can't be that far behind. And people forgive their kin, it's their nature. "Will I ever forgive myself?" -------------------------------------------------- "Ranma." The pigtailed boy jumped to his feet immediately, upon hearing his name whispered in his mind. "Mother! You're alright!" "Of course I am, my son," Amaterasu's voice assured him gently. "Mother, I'll wait here until Akane wakes up, and then..." Amaterasu cut Ranma off, before he would make a promise that she wasn't sure he could keep. "Ranma, as a goddess and ruler of Japan's heaven-space, I cannot support you or your actions..." "Mom!" Ranma cried out, hurt. Unabated, Amaterasu continued, "...officially. As your mother, however, I'd like to give you my blessing." "That... that means a lot to me, coming from you," Ranma said slowly, lowering his head. "Thank you." "I don't have much time to talk, my son," Amaterasu said, her voice sounding more urgent than before. "Take good care of your fiancee, and continue believing in yourself. If you do that, then there is no obstacle that you two would not be able to overcome together." "I understand, mother. I will make you proud..." Ranma felt his mother nod approvingly to his promise. The mental link between them ended with Amaterasu's parting words... "Break the world's shell!" -------------------------------------------------- "Ranma!" Akane cried out in panic, her eyes opening. A few moments later they've found their target, and the girl relaxed visibly, seeing that Ranma was all right and at her side. "You're ok! Geez, why did you hafta be so careless? Ya let a simple second class goddess take you down!" Ranma chided her, trying to act casual, as if nothing happened. "Shut up, you idiot! That's the thanks I get for shielding you?!" Akane shot back angrily, scowling. "That ain't how I remember it! You just flew backwards and got knocked out on a wall!" Ranma retorted, putting his hands on his hips. "Oh yeah? Without my glorious sacrifice, it'd be you splattered all over that wall, not me!" Akane replied, snorting in contempt. Grabbing his head in both hands, Ranma moaned, "This can't be happening..." "And while we're discussing all of your stupid stunts..." Akane continued irritably. "We are?" Ranma asked, peaking from behind his hands. "Yes, you idiot! Now pay attention!" "Talk about uncute..." he muttered, matching Akane's scowl with one of his own. "How did you get inside my head?" Akane asked curiously, looking at Ranma sideways. "Ah, who'd want to be inside your tomboy head anyway?" the pigtailed boy grumbled, pointedly turning away from her. "Ranma..." Akane drawled out, cracking her knuckles menacingly. "All right, all right..." Ranma gave in, waving his hands. "It's a link we share." "And?" "That's all I remember, I swear!" "So, we can talk to each other telepathically... or we could, at one point?" Akane wondered, trying to initiate contact. "Not exactly. The way I remember it, Holy Bell could merge with Bell- chan at the physical level," Ranma replied, while deep in thought and scrunching his forehead. Seeing a blush spreading all over Akane's cheeks, he guessed what she was thinking about and said teasingly, "No, not in that way. Who's the pervert now, huh?" "Get on with it!" Akane shouted, embarrassed. "You know, Akane, I don't have any problems seeing you as a demon right now," Ranma mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Why, thank you! And as your reward, I'll cook an elaborate meal tonight, just for you!" she replied, smiling sweetly. "Ack! How... elaborate?" Ranma asked carefully, trying to act very nonchalant about the whole thing. Brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face, Akane replied, "It depends on how soon you'll quit fooling around and just tell me everything!" "So, I already told ya that Bell-chan and Holy Bell can physically merge. Well, that got me thinking. If Holy Bell lost her physical form but Bell-chan had ta call her, how would she do that? And then it hit me. There must be some link between the two of them, that goes beyond their bodies or even their minds. A link between two souls." "But what does that have to do with us?" Shrugging, Ranma said, "Well, you're my angel, just like Holy Bell is Belldandy's one." "So... I have a soul?" Akane asked, blinking in surprise. "Huh? Why shouldn't you have one?" Ranma turned to stare at Akane, visibly making her nervous by his scrutiny. "I don't know... I don't know anything anymore," she said, sighing and shaking her head. "No kiddin'," Ranma agreed, nodding. "I thought I knew Nabiki, and then she goes and sells us out like that." "Nabiki..." Akane growled, her eyes narrowing. "Hey, Akane, you're not thinking of doing something rash, are ya? I mean, think, she's your sister!" "A sister doesn't betray you! A sister stays beside you no matter what! A sister doesn't sell you for a couple of yen!!!" Akane cried out, her voice getting stronger and stronger with each sentence. "So what will you do?" Ranma asked, tilting his head slightly. "Do you want to be as bad as her?" "That girl... she hurt us. She will pay; she has to!" "I can't argue with that." Ranma shrugged. "In fact, I wholeheartedly agree with ya. So, how about we use a little something from our past life to avenge ourselves?" "What did you have in mind?" "Well, I had this dream recently, where I..." -------------------------------------------------- "Nabiki Tendo." "Huh? Who said that?" the brown-haired girl asked, while looking to her sides to locate the speaker. "Did you forget about me already, Nabiki? I'm hurt." "R-Ranma?!" she cried out, startled, jumping from her bed to land on the floor in a heap. "The one and only. Didn't expect me to be here, did ya?" Ranma taunted, stepping out of the shadows. "B-But, the goddesses..." Nabiki stammered, while trying to put as much distance between herself and the demon. "Those incompetent fools? You really thought they'd get the better of me?" Ranma asked, grimacing. "Especially with me protecting Ranma?" another voice added to Nabiki's right. Turning towards it, Nabiki came face to face with her younger sister. "Akane? I'm so glad you're here!" "Yes, I'm here, because your little plan didn't work!" Akane said angrily, balling her hands into fists. "I don't care how you did it, Nabiki," Ranma spoke, gaining both sisters' attention. "All I want to know is why. Was it really all for a handful of yen?" "No!" Nabiki cried out, scrambling to her feet. "I made a deal with the goddesses... I told them your conversation with Belldandy, and they promised to return Akane home, alive and safe! Kami-sama himself sealed the contract!" "And what made you think I'd stab Ranma in the back just like you did and leave him to his doom?!" Akane asked, incredulous. "Akane, please hear me out!" Nabiki pleaded with her sister desperately. "He was going to elope with a goddess, I was just trying to protect you from..." "I don't need your protection! I'm a guardian angel and bodyguard to one of Nifelheim's finest operatives of all time! Ranma... is my entire life. Did you really think I'd ever leave him?" "But... but..." Nabiki tried to find any other excuses, but all she could do was open and close her mouth like a fish out of water. "You made a mistake, Nabiki Tendo, but this time we'll make sure you pay for it," Ranma said sternly, locking his eyes with hers. "No, Ranma! Please! You told Belldandy that you'd gladly trade your life for Akane's! I heard you!" Nabiki played her trump card, praying that it'd be enough to get her through the nightmare that her life became recently. "Yes," he said simply, his gaze not wavering in the slightest. "That choice was his to make, Nabiki!" Akane shouted, walking over to stay by Ranma's side. "You had no right to judge and condemn him, no matter what lies you might tell yourself to feel comfortable!" In a clear voice, as if reciting a passage from a book, Ranma said, "Nabiki Tendo, for conspiring against a first class demon and shoving your nose into matters that were not of your concern, you are hereby sentenced to receive a curse. One that shall remain on you until the day of your death. Good bye." "NOO!!!" A flash of light later, the sole remaining occupant of the room slumped to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. -------------------------------------------------- "What now?" Megumi asked her newfound friend, both of them sitting around the dining table in her apartment. "We need to set up a base of operations and locate my brother," Marller replied, not looking away from the diagrams she'd been examining. "Is he still alive?" "Yes, I can tell," the demoness answered, nodding. "Although it's greatly subdued at the moment, I can feel his life-force." "Is this a demon thing?" Megumi asked timidly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Nah, not really," Marller replied, chuckling. "Anyone directly related to him by blood should be able to sense Ranma's presence, if they're close enough." "Does that mean that your brother is somewhere in Tokyo?" "He could be anywhere in Japan..." Marller elaborated, stretching out her hands to the sides widely, "that's as far as my senses go. But once we get started, I can triangulate his location." "Really?" Megumi asked excitedly, moving closer to Marller. "Yep. I'll have to hack inside the Yggdrasil. Messy job, wish my brother were here to do it instead. He's the real whiz in the family," the demoness replied, getting back to her diagrams, adding quietly, "not to mention having the right contacts to get these jobs done." "But didn't you say that he was..." "Shadow ops?" Marller offered, smirking. "Yes." "What do you think he did there? Hacking computer systems was one of the requirements from the agents." "Umm..." Sensing Megumi's next question, Marller decided to explain this point again. "Our technology is far more advanced then yours. I thought we covered that already?" "Um, we did. I just didn't really believe you," the brown-haired girl sheepishly answered, studying a particularly interesting spot on the floor. Laughing heartily, Marller slapped the other girl on her back a couple of times. "Good! Doubt everyone! You'll live longer." "O-Ok." "Hey, don't act so scared, kid! You're on the right side!" Marller encouraged Megumi, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Together, we'll find my brother and bring the revolution!" "Yes, you're right. Together... for the world's revolution!" Megumi agreed, wondering inwardly how exactly she got the nerve to help a demon. "You're catching on, Megumi!" Marller quipped, nodding approvingly. "T-Thanks." The two sat in relative silence for a few minutes, before Marller looked at the other girl with a calculating eye and asked, "Hey, are you dating anyone?" Blushing furiously, Megumi looked away. "Um, I really appreciate the offer and everything, but..." Barking out another laugh, Marller explained, "Don't fret, I'm not into girls myself. I have this friend, though..." -------------------------------------------------- "Belldandy... such a sweet child..." the Goddess of the Sun murmured, getting off the phone, the latter disappearing into nothingness after a few moments. Amaterasu was about to go and visit her friends in Egypt, when she felt a dark shadow behind her. Getting into a combat stance immediately, her magic blazing, she shouted to the clear blue sky around her, "Who's there? Show yourself!" The wind carried back a hoarse whisper. "Amaterasu..." Whirling around, the goddess turned to face the ghostly image of her brother. "Susano! What do you want, you bastard?!" "Oh my, is that any way to greet your dear brother? I'm shocked!" he replied, putting both hands over his heart and pretending to be hurt. "You will be, if you don't get your ugly mug out of here!" Amaterasu warned him, charging up a moderate sized mana bolt. "Such harsh words, spoken by such a pretty mouth..." the Storm God said, walking slowly towards her, while keeping one hand behind his back. "Stay back!" Amaterasu cried out, backing up a few steps. "Are you sure?" he asked, smiling widely. "Yes! Now get lost before I..." "Before you... what?" Susano asked, the humor gone from his voice. As he brought his hand from behind his back, Amaterasu's eyes widened in shock. "No, it can't be..." she whispered, shaking her head in denial. "How did you get the God CD?!" "That's not the only CD I have, my dear sister. Look behind you," Susano offered, pointing to something behind her. Amaterasu noticed the shadow of the new arrival, and turned around quickly to see whom she was dealing with. Her eyes widened in realization, and as she hurriedly scrambled to erect a protective barrier, she cried on the inside, with the knowledge that her son will have to pay for her mistakes. 'Oh my God! I was wrong... Ranma... I have to warn h...' -------------------------------------------------- Ranma recoiled suddenly and clutched his chest in pain, as if shot. "What's wrong, Ranma? Are you hurt?" Akane worriedly asked, hovering around him protectively. "Something's just happened to mom. I have to go and see her!" Ranma got out, struggling against the pain. "In Heaven? Are you crazy? You'll be killed on sight!" "But I have to do something... anything!" "We will, Ranma... we will. But it won't do your mother any good if we rush into a trap. She's counting on us to save her and we have to stay alive and free to be able to do that." "Yes. You're right, Akane. My mother would have wanted me to think things through first." "I'm glad you're back to your senses now, Ranma." "I... I am." "Are we going back to that shrine?" "No, it's too dangerous. If mom's been captured, than all the places that would normally be under her protection have been compromised." "So does that mean we're going camping again?" "No. I think it's about time we paid an old friend of ours a visit..." -------------------------------------------------- "Oh, no..." Urd gasped, her eyes widening in shock. 'Not the First Sign of the Apocalypse?!' "What's the matter?" Skuld asked, walking over to her sister. Not getting any answer, she followed her gaze and mirrored her sister's actions. Outside the window, the sun was colored in red and surrounded by a corona of darkness. "Amaterasu?" Skuld asked, when she'd finally gotten control of her vocal cords again. "Must be. Kami-sama is the only other god that can make that happen and, somehow, I can't see him behind this." "But what does this mean?" "Amaterasu is no longer on this plane of existence." Seeing Skuld's confused look, Urd elaborated, "Once, a long time ago, Susano and Amaterasu had a fight, and she went into a cave to sulk. Until the gods finally managed to trick her to get out, the entire world was covered in darkness. Kami-sama decided to prepare for that possibility, and created a few protocols in the Yggdrasil." "So what we're seeing now..." "Is the backup initializing. Right." "Wow." Skuld whistled. "That must've taken a lot of time to program... and the hardware Father probably needed..." "It's not all that great, kiddo. Do you really think some modern gizmo can truly replace the Goddess of the Sun?" "What do you mean, Urd?" The Goddess of the Past leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. "The backup is just that - a backup. It will last for two weeks... a month, tops. If Amaterasu won't return by then..." "Eternal darkness?" Skuld asked, biting on her lower lip. "Yep. And Kami-sama can't just choose another goddess to fill in for Amaterasu. The Goddess of the Sun is one of those truly irreplaceable gods, see? The rest of the Sun Deities only channel her power." "Do you think that, maybe, Ranma had anything to do with her disappearance?" "C'mon, you're grasping at straws, Skuld," Urd replied, shaking her head. "He will never do anything that'd hurt his mother, and you know it. You do bring an excellent point, though." "What's that?" "Now, Ranma will be even more unstable than before... especially if Amaterasu isn't coming back again..." -------------------------------------------------- End of Chapter 8.