Honor Duty Pain ( A Saotome/Senshi Saga )
Chapter 3
Old Ties and Terrors
*Disclaimer….. It’s fan fiction…. So of course I own it. No wait, I don’t. Still looking for a pre-reader or two since currently it’s me all by my lonesome.
What has happened before this… Uh, read the other chapters. If you are too lazy, then realize Ranma has moved into an apartment with Mamoru, befriended Rei, scared everyone one while being seen in Neko-Ken while in his female form, and he’s helped kill 2 separate demons. Jedite is alive, along with a mysterious figure (oooh, how scary). Seriously though, if you just read the chapters I think it makes a lot more sense
It was almost
Sauntering up the steps he was about to call out when he noticed Rei was already seated and beckoning him over to meet with her, Usagi, and a wrinkled up old man. Tensing up, Ranma quickly covered the distance and raised his fighting stance.
“Get away from her you dirty old…. Man?” Ranma had begun to threaten, stopping when he finally noticed the small but subtle differences between the old man before him and the pervert he usually dealt with in Nerima.
“Kids these days, no respect for their elders” Rei’s grandfather mumbled.
“Sorry,” Ranma said curtly “I thought you were someone else.”
He gave the old man a slight bow, as Rei made introductions of her grandfather.
“So, what were you three talking about anyways?” Ranma asked with minor curiosity.
“We were discussing a peculiar girl,” the old man answered, “a tragic victim of a forbidden technique known as Neko-Ken.”
Ranma, while knowing quite well the technique, was more than a little surprised when the priest went into explicit detail of people who had undergone the training and never came out of their cat like states. Since it was almost always children who had undergone the training too late in life; there were countless stories of parents slaughtered by their sons and friends slaughtered by their peers.
“Almost in every case,” he continued on grimly, “The victim of Neko-ken will perceive a friend as a threat where there is none and they will defend themselves accordingly. It’s a rare thing where one actually recognizes and responds to humans favorably at all. You girls were quite lucky.”
“Why do they attack their friends and family though grandfather?” she asked, trying to deduce various answers.
“Some say it’s because they no longer understand right and wrong. After all, if your father or friend through you into a pit of starving cats, would you be willing to trust anyone again? Some people believe it’s because the victim no longer is channeling a predatory creature that immediately sees all people as trespassers to his territory.”
As he let this information sink in to his audience, he continued, “I think both views are partially right honestly. But I also think that if you trained the child early enough, he might be able to still believe in bonds of unconditional love. If that’s true, even if betrayed by one person, he or she might be able to recognize good in people.” He stood in a somber manner as he finished his speech
Ranma was rigid by the conclusion of the tale thinking about what he was told he did while he was in Neko-ken. It sounded right. He did attack anyone that looked like a threat, including his father. And he did go to specific people who were able to bring him out of it. However, he also realized a new danger. He realized anyone who might view him in a hostile manner might push his cat persona too far and he might attack them. Being nearly invincible, and quite deadly, there was no telling how much pain he could cause if that ever happened.
“Pops, you idiot,” he mumbled to himself, as he clenched his teeth. He had been lucky. It was rare a person didn’t have to be put down that was in Neko-ken. Had Pops started training him a year or two later, maybe even a month or two later, odds are his hands would be stained red from blood and he’d probably would have been put down.
“What did you say Ranma?” Usagi asked. She had caught something, but couldn’t make it out. Looking at Ranma though, there was a tension within him he hadn’t seen before. “You look angry.”
Rei examined her newest friend. He did look angry; and scared as well.
“Its nothing,” he said, trying to hide his emotions and failing miserably. “”Look, sir, has a cure ever been found for Neko-Ken.”
Sadly, the priest shook his head. He went on to explain, while odds were good if a person didn’t turn bloodthirsty in Neko-ken, they could be eventually brought out of an episode. Anyone who completely lost their sanity would have to be put down though, and that was why it became a forbidden art.
“You are very lucky Rei that this Ranko Tendo girl was the rare Neko-ken victim who wouldn’t kill immediately. I would hate to think what would have happened otherwise. Please be careful Rei if you see her again, I have duties to attend to.”
Ranma, Usagi, and Rei stood quietly as Rei’s grandfather walked towards his home. The mood, while somber, broke when he suddenly saw a pretty girl on the horizon and started chasing after her with a gleeful shout. Ranma, despite himself, let out a small sigh that broke up the mood.
“What is it with all old men being perverts?”
Rei and Usagi, despite there best efforts, soon were giggling.
Rei, Usagi, and Ranma left the Hikawa about 20 minutes later. Having explained that Ranko Tendo had been here earlier, and her other friends had to be dismissed, Rei tried to find a couple people who could join her and Ranma for dinner. Usagi herself needed to be getting home
Makoto received the phone call and invited the two over to her place as she was herself cooking dinner. Without much trouble, she set about making enough food to serve a couple more. Looking around the apartment, she realized she didn’t get visitors often. It would be nice to finally have someone new come in. Tidying up quickly, she soon heard her friends arriving and waiting to be buzzed in. She quickly allowed them in while she hurried back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.
Knocking on the door they heard a shout from behind the door telling them to come in. Rei went first and showed Ranma around while Makoto had yelled from the kitchen that they should make themselves comfortable.
Rei sat on the couch while Ranma looked around the apartment. It seemed small for a school girl and her family to be living in altogether. Looking at the pictures he saw a beautiful couple holding what appeared to be a young child. Although none of the three in the picture looked anything like him, he though back on his family, and how he was never really fortunate enough to have such photos.
When Makoto brought in a tray of food Ranma couldn’t help but ask.
“Isn’t this apartment a little small for your family? Or do they live else,“ he stopped mid sentence when he heard the crash.
Makoto was frozen, the tray at her feet, having food spilt everywhere. Ranma took one look and realized he had said something very wrong. It only got worse as he noticed Makoto’s lips begin to tremble. He looked at the pictures. Not one photo was a recent one of Makoto with her family. Just some of Makoto or her friends were hung on the wall.
“I’m sorry Makoto. I think I just realized. I’m sorry.” Ranma said apologetically. He meant it. For however bad his parents had been at raising him or showing affection, at least he had parents. He had missed out on so much, but the girl before him couldn’t even have the opportunity to further know her parents.
He went over to Makoto and began cleaning up the mess on the floor while she slowly wiped a few tears from her eyes and tried to shrug off the event. With a sniffle and a couple tears escaping away from her eyes she told Ranma it was alright and began to help him clean up the ruined dinner.
A hand of both Makoto and Ranma went to a pork bun that had rolled off the serving tray. Makoto’s hand reached it first; while Ranma’s hand cupped itself over hers. Ranma let a small laugh escape, as he looked at Makoto. For whatever reason, the touch was enough to break down the small front Makoto had just had built up. Ranma watched as the tears flowed freely.
“I miss them,” she whispered, as her body once again began shaking. “I miss them so much.”
Ranma didn’t know what to do. A woman crying was never something he was comfortable dealing with, and here was one whom was seriously hurting emotionally. Ranma could almost see himself in her position. He missed his mother, despite the fact he actually got to see her again after so long. He looked around the room, desperate to find a solution.
Fortunately, Rei was there, and crossed the room over to her crying friend.
“Makoto,” she began, “we both have people we’ve lost.”
Rei embraced her friend. Even she hadn’t seen Makoto this bad. But Rei had seen people cry before due to lost family members. She herself had lost her mother. And there were always a couple people seeking solace at the shrine.
“Just remember they are watching over you still” she continued, trying to cheer her friend up. Although awkward, she pulled back from the embrace and put her hands on Makoto’s shoulders, forcing Makoto to look at her.
“And I’ll always be there for you.” Rei at last said, hoping a smiling face could cheer her friend up.
Makoto looked at her friend and smiled. While Rei took her hand and brushed away the final tears from Makoto’s face, Ranma took in the moment of the two girls in front of him. There was a warmth he didn’t get to witness often while in Nerima. There were fights, and people would make up and express themselves. But it was almost always one sided emotional parlay. He was glad he met Rei, and decided then and there Makoto could also be a good friend.
“I’ll be there too Makoto.” Ranma said, as he reached and touched her shoulder and put on a smile that might also help the mood. With a final sniffle, the smile on her face grew a little bit more. “If you ever need me, just ask. I’ll be there for you” he tagged on, happy the girl was cheering up.
The final words struck Makoto, and her appraisal of Ranma was secured. She wanted to be this boy’s friend. However, the final words he said sparked something else, something she couldn’t quite place her finger on. Breaking out of the moment, she looked at the food and suggested they all get this cleaned up and maybe get something take-out instead
The three of them quickly cleaned up the mess. Makoto excused herself to go change while Ranma and Rei sat in the living room. A small crack in the door allowed Makoto to overhear the conversation as she changed into a pair or green slacks and a blouse.
“What happened Rei?” Ranma asked with concern.
“Her parents died in a plane crash when she was little. Since then she has somehow managed to survive on her own. None of us are even sure how she does it sometimes.”
“She seems like a very nice girl” Ranma said in appraisal.
Rei nodded in agreement
“She is. Despite the fact she fights a bunch, she’s really one of the nicest people I know”
“I hope she and I can be friends” Ranma finally said.
Makoto smiled. The words brought back memories of an old friend when she was little, before the accident.
A younger Makoto was beginning her next stage of martial arts training. She had been studying for about 5 months and her parents and teachers were so happy with her progress.
She stood opposite a boy who was going to be her opponent. Her sensei was talking with another man as both nodded to the referee to begin the match. It was quickly over. She had lost when a punch broke her defense and caught her square in the stomach. She doubled over in pain and gasped for air.
“He seems like a good student Mr. Saotome,” her instructor had said in remarks to her defeat. “We can discuss training techniques while you stay for the next week.”
“Thank you Sensei Furigawa. Come here boy and meet your new instructor for the week.”
The boy walked over and bowed before Mr. Furigawa.
“Very good little man. You beat Makoto who is one my best students about your age. Despite the fire in her heart, she’s one of the nicest students I know.”
“I hope we can be friends” the young Ranma had said, looking at his former opponent.
The words had been so familiar to the ones Rei and Ranma had just said. She ran to her desk and looked through a pile of pictures. Tearing through the stacks, she finally came across what she was looking for.
It was a picture of her and young boy, around age 5 or 6 both wearing training gi’s. She looked at the back and saw the caption written in the hand of her late mother.
“Makoto and her new friend Ranma Saotome.”
She clutched the picture to her chest. A flood of memories came back to her. While she and little Ranma had only gotten to play a week, he had been one of the first friends she had that was a boy. Ranma had left a week later after she met him, but she suddenly recalled the last thing he had said
“If you ever need anything Mako-chan” he had said, offering his right pinkie to seal the promise. “I’ll be there for you”
The memory brought a smile to her face. He obviously had forgotten as well, or hadn’t made the connection himself yet. Despite that, he had just made the promise again to be there for her, and it brought her some joy once again. She finished adjusting her change of clothes and took the picture out with her to her guests.
Rei and Ranma looked at Makoto as she left her room. She seemed much more in control than before.
“Feeling better?” Rei asked.
Makoto nodded and walked up to Ranma, offering him the picture. “Remember this?” she asked.
Ranma looked at the picture, taking in a similar rush of memories like those that had come to Makoto.
“Mako-chan?” he asked sheepishly as his eyes went back and forth between the picture and Makoto. She nodded. The edges of his mouth slowly worked there way from ear to ear. “It’s good to see you. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you yesterday.”
“It’s ok” she responded, blushing at the fact, she too had forgotten. Both shared in a nervous laugh.
Rei looked puzzled. Makoto soon explained the short brief history that Ranma and she had shared. Rei couldn’t help but smile on the inside, but even she needed to tease her friend a little.
“So for once, there is a reason a boy reminded you of your old boyfriend” she jokingly said, causing Ranma and Makoto to both blush profusely at the implications.
“It’s not like,” said Makoto thrusting her hands forward to defend herself.
“I mean, we never” Ranma said raising his hands to ward off any attacks
Both looked at each other and quickly broke out in hysterics.
“Thanks Rei, I needed that. I suppose in a way Ranma was like a first boyfriend.” She looked at Ranma. He was a fine specimen of the male figure. However, she already knew that Ranma had as many as four fiancées. Pushing that thought away, she laughed as she scratched her head “Fortunately for both of us, our parents didn’t engage us. The last thing I would want to do is add to your problems.”
It was a small lie. Had Ranma looked closely, he would have seen Makoto’s smile fade a little and form a small frown. Ranma was handsome, and an awesome fighter. If she could learn even half of what he showed them last night, she’d be a much more powerful martial artist, as well as a more powerful senshi. There was a part of her that dreamed she could join that competition for his heart, but hearts were not something to be won or taken, but given freely she told herself silently.
“Let’s make sure we get to be friends for much longer this time” she said with a laugh and new resolve.
Quickly cleaning up the mess, the three left Makoto’s apartment to find a place to grab some food. At the same time, a shadow watched over the three, waiting for the right time to strike.
Ranma and his friends sat down at a small almost empty restaurant in a booth by the window. It was a little expensive for the three, however looking at their collective wallets they realized they could afford a small meal. Ordering waters, Rei and Makoto were surprised when their waitress brought back the tray along with a bouquet of the strangest colored roses.
“A young woman asked that I deliver these with your water.” She stated, as she served the water.
“Get down!” Ranma shouted, pushing Makoto who sat by him under the table and then grabbing Rei from underneath the table to join them. The flowers exploded as a cloud of gas exploded from within the black bouquet into the area the three had been sitting. The waitress hadn’t been so lucky and lay sleeping on the floor. All three of customers held their breath as the gas dissipated. Ranma counted down from 5, knowing exactly what would happen next.
“OH Ho Ho Ho ho ho ho!” came the insane laughter, causing whatever customers to still be in the restaurant to flee. Ranma crawled out from under the table and waited for the Black Rose to make her appearance. At the same time, Makoto grabbed her henshin stick only to have her hand stayed by Rei.
“I see that red headed pig tailed girl still has her claws in you Ranma dear.” She said with a disappointment. “However, I see she only left two simpletons in her place to keep you away from me. Please allow me to defeat these peasants so we can finally be together forever.”
Makoto was fuming. A strange woman wielder with what appeared to be a dance ribbon and a leotard stood before her. “Simpleton? Peasant? You’re the mad woman who just tried to gas us. You have no idea the world of hurt your in for.”
Ranma was about to intercede himself between the two girls when he suddenly found his arms and legs bound and his face quickly falling towards the ground. Turning he saw the resident ninja who was in service of the Kuno family who had obviously thrown the machinations to bind him.
“Sasuke how could- ooof!” The statement came to a halt as it came into contact with the ground.
“Sorry Ranma, but you are still under that harlot’s spell, and I can’t have you helping the enemy in your mental state.” Kodachi gently stated, winking at Ranma before returning her attention back to her opponents.
It was an ironic statement, since obviously the one who was claiming Ranma was insane, was obviously not in control of her faculties herself. Rei saw Makoto was ready to do battle so she instead flashed her communicator. While Kodachi wasn’t a senshi or a youma, however, if she was bothering Ranma who was a very talented fighter; there was a good chance she could do lots of property damage that the senshi might be able to prevent. As soon as she relayed a quick message, she crawled out form under the table to join Makoto in putting up resistance for a while.
Standing by Makoto, she tried to put up a front to relay something more than the skill she had in hand to hand fighting, which as she herself knew, wasn’t much. Instead, both gasped as Kodachi let her ribbon fly and surround both of them with it. Suddenly bound by a ribbon, both girls were soon thrown through the window into the street. The Black Rose ordered Sasuke to bring a struggling and angry Ranma with them as she went to deliver divine retribution to Ranma’s captors.
Both girls lay huddled against each other, both still recovering from the throw through the glass window as well as the impact with the concrete. The soon found themselves wrapped in a ribbon again and turned to their captor once again. Kodachi had an evil gleam in her eye as she addressed the two girls whose life she held.
“For helping to hold Ranma captive away from me, I shall deliver justice on my loves behalf.” Kodachi began tugging on her ribbon. She pulled her ribbon as she spun on her heel to begin a giant swing. After five rotations she had built up a large amount of speed as the two girls held on for dear life as they were about to be thrown very high up. Kodachi let her ribbon go as the two girls sailed high into the night sky. Satisfied, she smirked as she saw them clear a five story building.
“Venus Love Me Chain!”
The shout came from the rooftop the flying girls had just cleared. Kodachi saw a chain of hearts shoot from the roof and lasso the two screaming girls and pull them back to the safety of the roof and out of her line of sight.
“Impertinent fools. They will pay for helping my enemy’s allies.” She bitterly announced to herself. She jumped into the air and began jumping between windows and balconies as she made her ascent to her new combatants.
Rei and Makoto came tumbling towards the building with a scream, and both were thankful when Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Uranus both caught each one respectively. As soon as they were set down, both had storms of fire and thunder appear in their eyes.
Light flashed upon the rooftops as the two scouts transformed and joined the fray. Unlike the other defenders of “love and justice,” these two were thinking more about pay back
Kodachi landed upon the roof and saw many fuku dressed girls, but no sign of her two opponents.
“So, these are the defenders of love and justice.” She said with a contented smile. Looking around she noticed her victims who were saved were no longer about, so she of course drew the obvious conclusion. “You dispensed with the captors of Ranma. You truly are defenders of love and justice.”
Kodachi bowed before the senshi who all pondered what they could do next. Kodachi was obviously missing far too many cards from her deck to be able to travel around freely. Sailor Jupiter stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger at the Kuno family member.
“You chase men down who simply wish to spend time with lost friends, and pursue them with far too much force if they don’t care for you.”
Rei jumped in to continue the speech. “You don’t know what love is, and attack innocent girls whom you get jealous of-
In unison, they concluded “On behalf of Jupiter and Mars, we’ll punish you”
Kodachi pulled a razor hoop out of god knows where and tossed it at the Sailor Senshi.
“So, you too would halt my advances. Very well then, face the might of the House of Kuno.”
The fight would last less than a minute. While the scouts couldn’t use any magical attacks in fear of killing Kodachi, reaction time for the scouts was greatly increased in Senshi form.”
The fight ended when Kodachi launched a ball at Sailor Venus, who merely fell back on her volleyball experience and spiked it back. Unfortunately for everyone, no one knew the ball had been filled with nitro-glycerin. An explosion rocked the rooftops as scouts jumped and tried to land safely nearby. Kodachi wasn’t so lucky however, shooting high into the air; she was immediately knocked unconscious from the blast; only one person however saw this and immediately rushed to her aid.
Kodachi slowly opened her eyes to the world around her. The haze before her eyes went away to give a clear view of her rescuer.
“My beloved Ranma,” she stopped speaking as her vision fully cleared. The man descending with her to the ground was quite handsome, despite having part of his face hidden behind a mask. And he wore a tuxedo and cape of all things. It was however, definitely not Ranma.
As he landed, she dreamed of her new hero and thought of what this would mean. Rather than be dejected, she thought of her brother.
She mumbled under her breath, “If one Kuno can have two love interests, then cannot the other?” The shock to her system and man holding her soon caused her to swoon and once again she lost consciousness.
Tuxedo Mask just barely heard the comment, and felt a chill go down his spine as he thought about what would happen if this women ever seriously snared him.
The Sailor Senshi each landed safely away from the explosion, except of course for Sailor Moon who landed face first with a thud.
Mars and Jupiter quickly came across there still tied up friend Ranma and unbound him.
Tuxedo Mask carried an unconscious Kodachi and laid her down while he addressed the other scouts.
“So, what do we do with this one?”
The scouts looked to Ranma who had a dazed look as to what one would normally do with a Kuno.
“Why don’t you do what anyone else would do with a Kuno? Leave them unconscious, or knock them as far away as possible.”
Sailor Mercury looked quite puzzled as she approached Ranma. “You mean, no one has ever tried to help her before?”
Ranma stifled a laugh. “Of course we have. Kodachi is a Kuno. Lock her up, and her father and brother get her out. Give her drugs, and she concocts paralyzing gas to make an escape. The only way you could give her help is if you pounded down a door of a psychiatric ward as Senshi and said ‘Hey, We as Sailor Senshi think this woman is crazy and a danger to everyone, please evaluate her.’ Then, you MIGHT be able to hold enough influence for them to hold her even if her father and brother disagree. That’s assuming the doctors fear you more than they do Kuno’s influence”
Jupiter and Mars exchanged glances wickedly.
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Jupiter said enthusiastically.
Kodachi awoke in a small room with a straightjacket on.
“Ranma or the tuxedo masked man?” she asked herself ritualistically over and over again.
Doctor Mizagawa walked down the halls sipping his coffee when a scream caused his to drop his cup.
“I MUST HAVE THEM BOTH!”
Calling an orderly over to clean up the mess, he grabbed his pen and paper and entered Kodachi Kuno’s room to evaluate his newest patient, to see if she was as dangerous as the Senshi had said she was.
It took less than fifteen minutes for him to come back out and sign her into the psychiatric ward indefinitely.
Author’s Notes.
No monster fights this time, instead some character development and history. This is a cross-over after all. It wouldn’t help if we didn’t try to tie them in a little more concretely. And yeah, I’ll be honest, it feels good to have Kodachi in a padded cell. I’m enjoying writing this story, though I still have 2 separate outlines of where I want to take the arc of this story (I really like both, but unlike the Kuno’s, I realize I can’t have both). Anyway, still looking for a pre-reader, or sounding board.
Ian Tharp
Spatulawielder
AOL – Spatulaweilder (yes, I know it’s incorrectly spelled, can you believe someone beat me to the correct spelling?)
tharpi@lycos.com
http:// www.angelfire.com/anime2/agss
