Martial Artists and Mayhem: Third Edition
Part 17: Newlywed Games and Family Troubles
By Thrythlind

"You're cheating," Akane growled. "Somehow, I know you're cheating."

"This is the fourth toss, Akane-dear," Kodachi said smiling. "You've been watching any sort of magical interference. You must face facts, I've won."

"I still think you cheated," Akane said.

"You can view it in this manner, Akane," Kodachi said. "As...shy as you and Lord Ranma both are, you'd never get anywhere without me to get things started."

"I still say you cheated," Akane insisted.

"How could I cheat?" Kodachi insisted. "You provided the dice."

"How do I know you didn't switch them out for your own?" Akane asked.

"Trust me," Kodachi said with a smile. "I did not switch out your sister's dice."

"So she's going to be first, huh?" Lina thought. "I could have sworn it would be that Battle Priestess." Lina shrugged and continued to go about providing the three with a wedding present.

"Actually, this might be good for now," Lina decided. "Akane and Ranma will be better protectors than Kodachi and Ranma."

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lord Ranma," Kodachi purred as she slid into the room.

"Umm, where's Akane," Ranma asked nervously as Kodachi sat down next to him and gave him a hungry look.

"I'm certain she can keep herself...amused for the time being," Kodachi said. "We thought that perhaps the both of us deserved some time alone with you before we have to share you."

"And she let you go first?" Ranma asked doubtfully.

"Actually," Kodachi said she leaned forward almost eliminating the distance between them. "We rolled for the privilege, Lord Ranma. And I won."

"Do you think you could just call me Ranma?" the half-demon asked.

"I don't think it will be a concern," Kodachi said as she kissed him.

"That was a lot different than I thought it would be," Ranma said.

"Huh?" Kodachi asked intelligently.

"I mean, I've seen thousands of memories of sex," Ranma said. Kodachi sat up and stared at Ranma.

"Huh?" she repeated.

"And I've kissed a lot of people," Ranma said. "So I thought I had some clue of how intense it would be."

"Huh!?"

"Kodachi are you okay?" Ranma asked. "I didn't hurt you did I?" Kodachi shook her head, stood up, and walked out the door. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Finished?" Akane asked as Kodachi walked into the room.

"Huh?" Kodachi said, before sitting down. Akane leaned forward worriedly and whispered an spell to look over the unusually speechless woman.

"There's nothing wrong with you," Akane said, confused. Kodachi shook her head. "Just exhausted?"

"Huh." Kodachi shrugged.

"Good?" Akane asked.

"Huh." She nodded.

"Going to join us later?" Akane asked. Kodachi nodded, still blinking. "Okay, I guess its my turn now." Kodachi nodded. It wasn't until a minute after Akane was gone that Kodachi managed to find some words.

"That was his first time?" Kodachi asked the empty room, still shocked.

"You impressed Kodachi," Akane said nervously as she sat next to Ranma.

"I did?" Ranma asked. "The way she walked out of here..."

"You didn't know what she was thinking?" Akane asked.

"She was thinking what she was saying," Ranma said. "'Huh.'"

"Well, she was very impressed," Akane said.

"Okay," Ranma said, moving to sit right next to Akane. There was silence for a little while as both of them tried to work up the nerve to do something.

"Ranma," Akane said after a moment. "Can I ask a favor."

"Uhh, sure," Ranma said. "What?"

"You and Kodachi didn't have sex as women did you?" Akane asked. Ranma shook his head. "Since she had you as a man first, I'd like to have you as a woman first."

"I guess," Ranma said. "Do you mean now?" He put an arm around her shoulders.

"After this," Akane said. "I think Kodachi will still be dazed."

"Okay, I guess," Ranma said.

Kodachi waited for a break in the noise of the bedroom before she walked in to join her spouses.

"I must apologize for my earlier..." Kodachi stopped mid sentence as she saw Akane picking herself up off a female Ranma. "I see you found your own first, Akane-dear."

"You had your chance," Akane noted breathlessly, seeming somewhat stunned herself. So did Ranma, but then, she had seemed a little out of it after being with Kodachi too. It wasn't really until he had revealed that it had been his first time that Kodachi's brain temporarily shut down.

Kodachi didn't have an experience to compare the act to, but just the idea of an virginal incubus had been enough to do it.

"Are you...umm...feeling better?" Ranma asked. Kodachi smiled.

"Yes, Ranma-dear," she said. "Are you two rested?"

"Rested enough," Akane said.

Ranma stretched awake and struggled out from between the still sleeping Akane and Kodachi. He smiled shyly in memory of the last night. He looked on either side of him at Akane and Kodachi and his smile faded a little.

"Akane? Kodachi?" he asked nervously. He hesitantly shook Akane to wake her up and the priestess rolled over to reveal a grey-pale, open-eyed stare. Ranma flinched back and knocked Kodachi too the floor, where she tumbled limply and turned up to stare at the ceiling with the same empty stare.

"Noo!" Ranma shouted snapping awake, gasping in terror.

"What?" Akane demanded waking up to the sound and looking about for the direction of the threat. "What's happening?" Kodachi sat up as well, demurely yawning then leaning in close to Ranma.

"I think you are mistaking the problem Akane-dear" Kodachi said with a smirk, receiving an irritated look in response. "Did you have a nightmare, darling?" Ranma nodded, catching his breath.

"Yeah," he said. "You were both dead."

"Oh," Akane said, calming down as she realized it wasn't a physical threat. "Well, we're all fine, and we'll make sure it stays that way." She leaned over and kissed Ranma's cheek.

"I hope so," Ranma said quietly.

"She didn't come looking for you, Mikkie," Azusa said, tsking. "If she's dead..."

"Then we're both doomed," Mikado snapped.

"I don't think so," Azusa chirped. "I'm not the one that put the moves on the Mistress's lost toy."

"Well it isn't a worry anyway," Mikado said. "She's alive. And she's going to come for me soon. We'll have to be ready for her, and anybody that comes with her."

"That's easy enough," Azusa shrugged. "You said the demon was afraid of cats didn't you?" Her smile died at Mikado's expression

"I wouldn't try that," he said. "She'll be much too much for us to handle after that."

"From what I saw last night," Azusa said, tesaingly. "She already is."

"Only in a direct fight," Mikado promised. "We need an appropriate setting to lay a trap."

"There aren't any sites dedicated to the Akuma around here," Azusa said. "Aside from the Mistress's temple at least."

"We can't go there until this is resolved," Mikado snapped.

Then Azusa smiled and continued in a sing song voice. "But there is an abandoned building a little outside of town. That might do the job."

"What kind of building," Mikado asked.

"I don't know," Azusa said shrugging. "But its got some of the cutest statues."

"Please!" Soun yelled. "You cannot abandon the monastery!!"

"He's right, boy," Genma added. "The whole point was that you and Akane would carry on the Anything Goes school."

"Dad, Uncle Saotome" Akane addressed them, frustrated. "There are people out there trying to kill us, can we talk about this later."

"And why would they possibly want to stay at that dusty old monastery anyway?" Kodachi asked, not noticing Akane flinch. Ranma stayed quiet, sweating nervously.

"Kodachi," Akane said, tightly. "I don't need the help."

"Ahhh!!" Soun wailed. "My little girl is giving up the life of discipline for the luxury of the lazy corrupt upper classes." Kodachi crossed her arms and arched her eyebrow.

"Pardon me?" Kodachi asked.

"Ranma as man of the household," Genma started. "You must insist your wives come with you back to the monastery!" Akane and Kodachi both turned there looks on Ranma, who thankfully didn't notice as he was giving his father his own insulted look.

"So I'm supposed to insist that we all move into the monastery," Ranma said.

"Exactly," Genma said, proud that his son had seen the truth of the matter.

"Which got crowded when we moved in," Ranma asked.

"Well..."

"And Kasumi had to expend magic to feed all of us," Akane added.

"With the Kuno fortune behind us," Genma said. "There'd be no problems."

"I see no reason not to aid Akane-dear's family," Kodachi said, in an honestly charitable if somewhat condescending manner.

"Kodachi," Akane said tightly again.

"But I will not abandon Kuno lands," Kodachi continued. "And with Tatewaki banished until he atones, and father still missing. I am the only one remaining, even if I am now Saotome."

"But the school," Soun protested. "It must be inherited." Akane and Ranma glanced at each other.

"Umm," Ranma said. "Living here doesn't mean we're going to forget everything you know."

"There is a tradition to be maintained," Genma insisted, drawing a very doubtful look from his child.

"Look we can run the school from there," Akane said. "But Ranma's right, it'll be too crowded for us right now." She turned to her father. "Unless you want to be constantly tripping over me and Ranma, or me, Ranma and Kodachi, or just me and..." she chose her next word for best effect on her increasingly scandalized father. "Dacchi. Together, intimately?"

"Akane-dear," Kodachi said, blushing. She was enjoying the joke Akane was making at her father's expense. "I should have known that you truly appreciated my beauty as much as Ranma."

"I really don't think I have to worry about that last one," Soun said, grasping at straws. Akane gave him a look Ranma had already begun to recognize.

"Oh, Dacchi," Akane said, turning to the other woman.

"Yes, Aka..mph!?" Kodachi's eyes popped wide as Akane gave her a full passionate kiss.

Ranma felt Kodachi's thoughts go through a rather insane roller coaster. She started with surprise that Akane was kissing her, moved to horror upon remembering that Akane was always female, then to shock that she was enjoying it, finally she was just enjoying it.

~I guess there's a benefit to being a little crazy,~ Ranma thought as he listened in on the very sudden turn around and watched Kodachi pretty much melt in Akane's arms.

"Well, Dad," Akane asked turning her head away from the woman in her arms to look at him. "Or do want to see something mo..."

"WAAAAHHHH!!!" Soun yelled, turning into a crying rocket running out of the estate. "My little girl is all grown up!!!!"

"Tendo, wait!" Genma shouted, chasing after his friend. "We haven't convinced them to go back to the monastery."

"That was...umm," Ranma was as red as his female form's hair. "An interesting way to get rid of them."

"I know my dad, he's stubborn," Akane said, she turned back to Kodachi still in her hands. "Sorry about that, Dacchi."

"Huh?" Kodachi asked.

"Are you oka..mph?!" Akane found the tables turned as Kodachi kissed her.

"Should I give the two of you some time alone now?" Ranma asked smiling a little.

"Uhhh..." Akane started.

"Less talk, Akane-dear," Kodachi said, pulling her back to the kiss. Ranma quietly snuck out of the room as the two fell to the floor.

"Ranma," two musical voices called out.

"Could you come here?"

"Please, Ranma-dear?"

"On my way," he said in return.

"How can someone so publicly uptight," Kodachi said, gasping for breath. "Be so..."

"Enthusiastic?" Ranma finished. Kodachi nodded.

"I haven't lost my temper for more than a day," Akane noted. "All that energy had to go somewhere." Kodachi and Ranma stared at her and wondered if she was joking.

Kodachi didn't know why she felt so behind Ranma and Akane, but ever since she and Ranma first started off the wedding night she had been feeling somewhat hot. It was making her a little tired and off balance. She had assumed it was just exercise. Especially since now that they were at least temporarily winding down it seemed to be going away.

"That's Shinjuku down there," Ukyou noted irritably. "Of all the parts of Tokyo to get lost in, you take me all the way back to where I started?"

"At least we can find the way to Nerima from here," Ryouga said. Ukyou closed her eyes and reminded herself that she was rurouni and thus above petty anger. Then she reminded herself that she was probably five times as old as this human wanderer, and she really shouldn't let a strapling like him get the better of her.

"Listen, Jackass," Ukyou said tightly. "Right now there is a very important little girl in the hands of who knows who..."

"So the Kamiya Temple did lose the child," a voice said behind them. Ukyou and Ryouga turned to see who was talking to them. "That vision I received must be from my Lord then."

"Ryuu," Ukyou breathed quietly.

"It has been a long time, Ukyou," Ryuu smiled. "I see you're dallying with the monkeys."

"This is the guy you thought I was related to," Ryouga asked, feeling the evil drip off the man.

"You should know better than that," Ryuu growled angrily. "What do I have to do with humans and elves except for a foul miscarriage of fate. Half-elves! They can't even give us our own name! Well when we are all that remain there will be a name for us!"

Ukyou noted the metal headband her cousin was wearing and her eyes widened.

"Tenken!" she snapped. Ryouga's eyes narrowed and he reached for his umbrella.

"That is the title I have taken," Ryuu admitted proudly, he watched Ryouga and smirked. Still the man felt vaguely uneasy about his near-twin's presence. "Do you two care to face the power that destroyed Kumon? I finally learned to master them." He drew his own sword, a flickering blade that seemed to burst in flames as the light sparked off it. "Master and adapt them."

The blonde woman turned at the sound of shattering wood and turned to see an enraged red-haired man stroll into her office, a pair of cross-marks on his face. Behind him came an equally enraged woman with long black hair. Both of them held swords, one of wood and one of metal.

"Where is she?" the woman demanded angrily. "Where did you hide her!" The blonde smiled superiorly and leaned back in her chair.

"The Lord of the Hitokiri and his Celestial Cunt," she said, unconcerned. "What august visitors I have. Who are you looking for?"

"Don't play games with us, Mara," Kenshin said in a soft, angry growl. "You know why we're here."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Mara said. "This is against the rules. As long as I don't act directly, neither can you. Then again you can't act indirectly can you? Shishio's worshippers are mobilizing on the borders. The Kasshin and Rurouni are preparing for war, and all you two can muster for your family interests is one promising Rurouni. Who, by the way, is about to try and take on the current Tenken, but you knew that, didn't you?"

Neither of them answered.

"And of course Ryoko and Heero will soon be in same situation," Mara said. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Perhaps you should have told them about the girl. It would have been next to impossible to get her with all four of you watching."

"What do you plan to gain from taking her," Kaoru demanded. "What does a Goddess of Temptation need with her anyway? You have enough succubi, incubi, eriynes and who knows what else?"

"What are you doing with our daughter?" Kenshin demanded. He wished that he was allowed to handle this directly, but the damnable temptress in front of him was right about the rules. He had to operate through mortal or planar agents as long as she did. The alternative was another cataclysmic war in the heavens. The Akuma would lose badly, but not before much of the world was devastated.

"I'm making sure she's safe," Mara said innocently.

"Safe!?" Kaoru snapped moving forward. "You call killing her guardian and dragging her to some hidden spot keeping her safe?"

"Shishio had learned about your rather poor attempt to hide her on the mortal plane, and he was going to move." She shook her head. "It's always the same, isn't it Kenshin?"

"What do you mean by that?" his eyes narrowed.

"You couldn't keep Tomoe safe," Mara said. "You couldn't keep the demon scum in their prisons. You couldn't save your people from being turned into a race of sluts, rapists and whores. You couldn't protect Ryoko or Heero, they had to fight for survival over a thousand years before they escaped the Abyss. And of course, how could we forget your youngest, until recently of course."

"She died in the betrayal," Kenshin said angrily. Kaoru gripped the shoulder of her husband's avatar.

"Who are you to say such things?!" Kaoru snapped. "You've been a goddess for less than a millenium. You even abandoned your following for fifteen years! Of course, what would I expect from a low slut like you."

"Those fifteen years were not my decision," Mara growled, smile faded into an angry scowl. "I forgot who I was for a time."

"I'm sure you have an excuse!" Kaoru snapped. "Layabouts like you always have an excuse. You steal our daughter for safe-keeping and dare to accuse us of negligence! What gives you the right!?"

"I have every right!" Mara shouted, slamming her hands on the desk in front of her, shattering it. Neither of the two greater powers were impressed.

"What grudge do you bear me?" Kenshin demanded angrily.

"You pretend not to know?" Mara asked. She laughed bitterly and looked away. "I know that you told Ryoko her sister died, and she certainly didn't pass up the chance to adopt someone with the same name. But do you really think Kagato would pass up the chance to experiment on the Battousai's child, who do you think the first succubus was? Do you know how painful that was? What her first experience with so-called 'love' was?"

Kenshin and Kaoru's eyes widened as they realized what was being said.

"You're her." Kaoru gasped.

"Nodoka?" Kenshin asked. Mara smiled darkly.

"I don't use that name anymore," she said.

"I didn't know..." Kenshin started.

"How could you know?" Mara asked. "You were too busy fighting."

"I was a fool in those centuries," Kenshin said. "Things have changed."

"No they haven't," Mara snapped. "You still can't protect your family."

"Why are you doing this?" Kaoru shouted. "She's your sister."

"It's necessary, isn't it Father?" Mara asked. "I tried Father's way for a time, and everything I built, everything that depended on me nearly collapsed. No, the only way to protect the weak is to make them strong. And I'll put your child and mine through hell to make sure they are!!"

Martial Artists and Mayhem: Third Edition
Part 18: Challenges
By Thrythlind

"What nothing to say?" Mara asked.

"Nodoka..." Kenshin started.

"That's not my name any more!!" Mara shouted, angrily slamming the wall next to her. "Nodoka died a long long time ago."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," Kenshin said, ignoring her outburst. "But this is wrong."

"Oh no, this is right," Mara said. "The Akuma will die, Father. All four of them, I'll be the only one left. You should be glad. It is your blood who will carry the swords that will avenge us on those butchers."

"Innocents will die," Kaoru protested angrily.

"Then they die!" Mara snapped. "Pathetic mortals with a mayfly existence, they'll die anyway."

"GIVE ME BACK MY DAUGHTER!!" Kaoru shouted angrily. Mara was thrown back against the wall at the force, revealing the difference between a greater power and a young, lesser power. As the outburst died down, Mara smirked.

"Ahh, just announce our location to everyone," Mara said. Kaoru growled. "Now I have to leave, business to attend to you know. You're welcome to try and find Linn. And I do mean try." Mara vanished, ending the physical avatars existence and pulling her awareness back to her planar home.

"I know she's your daughter, Kenshin," Kaoru said. "But you heard what she said. She plans to put Linn through hell."

"I know," Kenshin said, sorrowfully. "And her own child as well, but we won't let it happen." He said the last confidentally. "She'll be found."

"If anything happens to Linn," Kaoru said. "I'll have her following destroyed, she'll lose her godhead. And THEN I can do something to that..." Kenshin sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"She's bitter and hurting," Kenshin said sadly. "And she's right, I did fail back then." Karou looked at her husband, and comforted him.

~Even if it were true,~ Kaoru thought, doubting that. ~It doesn't give her the right...~

They vanished away before anyone came to investigate the outburst of divine power.

Ukyou drew her sword and held it ready in front of her, watching Ryuu grimly.

"I knew you could be stupid," Ukyou said. "But using two magics known to lead to self-destruction?"

Ryuu smiled. "Stupid is living like a ghost just because you happen to be of mixed blood."

"You should get out of here while you can," Ukyou said. "This isn't your fight."

"I can't just leave you to fight this creep on your own," Ryouga insisted, brandishing his umbrella.

"And you're going to fight with that pathetic little toy?" Ryuu asked, smiling.

"Yes, I am," Ryouga said smiling. He lunged forward in a straight stab with his umbrella. The abruptness of the motion surprised both Ukyou and Ryuu, though they recovered quickly.

Ryuu smirked and casually brought his flaming sword up to brush aside the incoming weapon. The umbrella didn't budge and Ryuu had to dodge out of the way, frowning. He was stopped from making any other sort of action by the sight of Ukyou charging in from his side. He was surprised as she leaped into the air.

~She wants to end this quickly,~ Ryuu thought.

"Ryu Tsui Sen!" Ukyou shouted diving downward with the sword leading. Ryuu rolled back out of the way smirking. Ukyou hit the ground and had to roll to absorb the shock as well, coming to her feet and facing Ryuu.

"What is it about becoming a Rurouni that makes you all so predictable?" Ryuu asked. Before Ukyou could respond Ryouga came in again, still stabbing with his umbrella. This time Ryuu didn't try to casually brush aside the attack.

"Fiend! Prepare to die!" Ryouga shouted angrily.

"No, wait!" Ukyou shouted.

"Moko Kaimon Ha!" Ryuu shouted, shifting to a two-handed grasp of his longsword to push the umbrella to the side and launching a powerful kick that tossed Ryouga across the scene. An aura of shimmering darkness followed the kick and faded as the Tenken took a solid stance again.

Ukyou came in, sword flying. Images of that same aura destroying the central fortress of Kumon in her memory. Ryuu's blade in a handed grasp again caught her blade and smiled as he blocked Ukyou's strikes.

~Keep smiling, Jackass,~ Ukyou thought. ~We keep this up and that sword arm is going to be too far out to do you any good.~ With the one-handed grip Ryuu was maintaining, she was finding it easy to slowly maneuver his guard where she wanted it.

"You always were too impressed with weaponry," Ryuu smirked. Ukyou did her best not to be distracted by that comment. She noticed the incoming fist with just time to roll back so it merely clipped her shoulder. "Hono Dokuja Tanketsu Sho!!"

Ukyou felt herself become airborne from the impact. That shimmering darkness followed her and pulled along a burning fire. The burning died quickly as the darkness smacked solid into her blowing it out and pushing her along again. She flipped about and caught her feet again, but she was still skidding backwards and looking forward to a rough fall, until she smacked into something behind her.

"Ryouga?" she gasped looking up.

"I'm impressed," Ryuu said. "That attack can destroy a castle gate in one blow."

"It felt like it," Ryouga agreed.

"Back off, kid, this is about to get ugly." Ukyou grimaced and got into stance again, one arm hanging loosely at her side. ~I don't want to get serious with another survivor but...~

"I think I'll have to actually get serious," Ryouga agreed. Ukyou snorted.

"What do you think...?" Ryuu paused as he watched Ryouga step forward. The human grew several inches as he walked forward, wings appearing from his back, folding outward and then loudly snapping to Ryouga's back. An aura of power and righteous menace filled the scene as Ryouga hefted his umbrella.

"What the fuck?" Ukyou said, impressed. Then shook her head clear.

"That explains why you're still alive," Ryuu said, clearing his head of the surprise. "But it won't make a difference as far as this battle goes."

"We'll see about that," Ryouga said, snapping open his umbrella and sending it along in a buzzsaw. Ryuu calmly sidestepped the attack and prepared as the celestial waded into combat.

Ukyou grimaced at the embarassment of the shock and hefted her sword before following along behind, looking for an opportunity. Usually one on one was how she preferred to fight, or one on many, but Ryuu was too dangerous to take so lightly. Besidses, who was she to deny heavenly aid.

Ryuu slashed out with sword as he dodged under Ryouga's strike, cutting a slim line across his side. Ryouga grimaced but he had dodged aside before the blade could cut too deep. He caught his umbrella as it came back in and prepared to lunge in again. He hesitated as Ukyou appeared, fighting one handed.

"Hey! You can't fight like that," Ryouga shouted.

"She can't answer right now," Ryuu said, smiling. "She's a little busy trying to stay alive." Ryouga growled and moved in. He glowed white as he took a space between Ukyou and their attacker. The celestial pushed her away, sending the white aura along with her. Ukyou rolled hard to the ground.

"What was that for you...!?" Ukyou stopped and examined herself, as injured as she had been, that fall should have really hurt her. She briefly examined her shoulder and was surprised to find it healed. She looked up to see Ryouga throwing back Ryuu by sheer brute strength, and then gathering powering. "Don't kill him!!"

"Power of heaven smite thee!!" Ryouga shouted unleashing a bright flash of pure white light that flashed over the scene and blanked out Ukyou's vision for a moment. When it cleared, Ukyou saw Ryuu lying crumpled on the ground and Ryouga looking down victorious.

"Gotcha," Ryouga said smirking.

~Oh no, Kenshin forgive me,~ Ukyou thought wearily. ~I should have...~

"That actually hurt," Ryuu moaned sitting up and smirking. Ukyou and Ryouga stared at him in shock. "Very good."

Ryouga bridled at the mocking tone and flashed forward, swinging down with his umbrella. Ryuu rolled out of the way and stood up to Ryouga's side. The Tenken smiled evilly as he slashed down with his blade.

"May Lord Shi-Shi-o lend me power!" he shouted catching, and slicing through the celestial umbrella. Ryouga flinched back, holding the remainder of his weapon in shock. "A blight on your lives!!!"

A greasy black cloud blew outward from Ryuu's mouth as he shouted the spell. Ryouga was too close, but Ukyou saw it coming in time to reverse her approach and avoid the dark spell. The wave of inky darkness washed outward and then faded into nothing as the light had before.

Ryuu frowned as he noticed that Ukyou had avoided the blight spell, but turned his attention back to Ryouga as the celestial staggered back, weakly coughing. He rose his sword up and swung down at the disoriented celestial. His strike was blocked.

"No one is going to die here," Ukyou promised.

She proceeded to rain blows on Ryuu, taking comfort in the frown her opponent was giving her. She wasn't going to make the same mistake she had last time and ignore that open hand. She could hear Ryouga struggling to his feet behind her, but tried not to let it distract her. It wasn't long before Ryuu's flaming sword was sent flying away from him.

"I've got you!" Ukyou shouted, smirking as Ryuu leaped back. "Ryu Sou S..!"

"Kijin Rachu Dan!!" Ryuu shouted spreading out his arms wide.

A sickle shaped blade of darkness ripped out from his outstretched arms and soared at her. The blade sliced through her sword on its way to her, and she barely ducked and rolled under it. A blast of air from the attack sent her off course, sending her painfully into a rock.

"No weapon," Ryuu said above her. "No threat." Ukyou felt herself picked up roughly, she glared angrily at the man holding her. He had an upraised hand that was becoming rimmed in a aura of fiery darkness.

"Forget something?" Ukyou asked angrily.

Ryuu felt a small surge of power and suddenly the magic fire around his hand flared blindingly bright. He dropped Ukyou and tried to block out the light. Ukyou smirked as she tried to back away from the man, she could mend her sword in a moment, and then the fight would be back on. She did not expect the blinded Ryuu to reach out and grab her with the enchanted hand.

Ukyou screamed in terror and pain as it gripped her hand. It burned, terribly and painfully hot. And the flames were catching on her clothes.

But that was not all, she could feel it pulling at her. Pulling at her soul, stealing her life away. She remembered the dried husks that remained of some of those that had tried to stop Ryuu's father as he fought to control this new power. Ryuu was stealing away her life, like some living vampire.

Then the contact was broken and Ryuu was pushed away, still batting at his eyes, but smiling. It was obvious he could see them at least somewhat.

"This has been fun," Ryuu said. "But time to end this now." He stood solidly and and blinked his eyes once or twice more.

Ryouga growled, he could tell Ryuu was healed now, and he was weakened and Ukyou had fallen unconscious after Ryuu had let go of her. Even if Ryuu hadn't healed himself, Ryouga wondered if he would have been weak enough for them to defeat.

~I don't want to have to do this...~ Ryouga thought to himself as Ryuu stalked inward confidentally. He took a deep breath and shouted. "MOTHER!!!!!!!"

It is often said that inspiration strikes like a bolt of lightning. In this case it was several such bolts. Ryuu covered his eyes as the sky rained down bolt after bolt between him and his targets, a veritable wall of power. When it finally faded away both the rurouni and the celestial were gone.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to deal with them later," Ryuu said, sheathing his blade. "They'll make an annoying obstacle later."

Ukyou blinked awake to find herself in a world of shadowy wisps and immaterial terrain. She cricked her neck and glanced around, trying to figure out where she was. She didn't think she was dead, the mark where Ryuu had grabbed her was still there, though it appeared to have healed more than she would have thought possible. Unless she had been out for a long time. Maybe she was dead, and the mark was just there.

"Where am I?" Ukyou asked.

"The ethereal plane," a voice said behind her. Ukyou turned around to see a little girl wearing goggles with a hammer strapped to her back. Behind the girl she could see Ryouga sitting in the wisps rather contritely.

"What?" Ukyou asked. "Why?" The little girl suddenly got very irritated, almost turning purple in anger.

"Because HE can't come home yet," the girl said pointing back at Ryouga. "Because he just had to run an errand for Auntie Urd." Ryouga winced. "Never mind that his Mother told him not to deal with Auntie Urd. Never mind that the last time he went to visit Auntie Urd he got lost, and hasn't yet gotten un-lost!"

She glared back at Ryouga who winced again.

"Banned from the upper planes until he can manage to translate drunken babble into what exactly Urd sent him to do!? ARRGGGGGHHH!! I'm going to get her! Gah, he's just like his father! He'll be running off that fire-haired witch next."

Ukyou sweat-dropped as the little girl paced wringing her hands. Her eyes were wide as she realized just who it was talking to her. She immediately kneeled before the ranting goddess and bowed. It wasn't a kowtow, that she would only do for Kenshin or Kaoru, but it was deeply respectful.

"Sorry to intrude on you Lady Skuld," Ukyou said politely. Skuld blinked and looked down at her for a moment. Then she pointed and looked back to Ryouga

"This mortal has manners," Skuld said. "Which reminds me..."

"Yeah?" Ryouga asked nervously.

"What are you doing dallying with mortals instead of figuring out what you're supposed to do?!" Skuld demanded.

"Ummm, Great Lady," Ukyou felt a little strange addressing the little girl like that. "We weren't dallying, he was leading me to Nerima." Skuld stared at her in disbelief and then turned to look back at Ryouga.

"Ryouga, honey," Skuld said sweetly.

"Yes, Mom?" Ryouga asked nervously.

"You didn't tell her that you could lead her somewhere," Skuld asked. "Did you?"

"Well, umm," Ryouga scratched the back of his neck. "I said I'd been to Nerima." Skuld grabbed her hammer and swung down, conking him on the head. Ukyou swallowed nervously and sweated as Skuld turned to face her.

"Really, hanging around a mortal, inhibiting a greater power's minions," Skuld shook her head irritably. "My son has really been hanging around with Urd far too much."

"Uhhhh...Lady Skuld?" Ukyou said weakly.

"You're still here?!" Skuld said, surprised. "You have quest, get to it! Mortals." She rolled her eyes.

"But how do I..." Ukyou stopped as the ethereal plane disappeared around her and she and Ryouga were suddenly in a clearing overlooking a town. The main fortress hanging on the edge of a cliff. "Get out of here?"

She stood up and looked around confused.and glanced at the dazed Ryouga. She walked over to him and glared.

"Oww that hurt," Ryouga muttered as he was coming to.

"Hey, jacka..." Ukyou started angrily. Before she could finish a bolt of lightning came out of the sky and plastered her to the ground. "Owwww."

"She must have still been listening," Ryouga said scratching his head. Ukyou debated whether bashing Ryouga's head in with what remained of her sakaba was worth getting zapped again.

"Ranma-darling, Akane-dear," Kodachi called out, looking toward the gates of the estate. A blonde girl was staring inside the gates, smiling stupidly. "Can you come here for a moment?"

"What is it?" Akane asked as she came to stand next to Kodachi.

"Do you know that person?" she asked pointing. Ranma came around them to see what they were looking at.

"YOU!!!" he shouted, rushing across the grounds. The blonde girl watched, unconcerned as he leaped the gate and came down on top of, or rather through her.

"Oh dear, did you think little Azusa would come herself?" the projection asked. Ranma growled and sneered at the image.

"Who is this trollop?" Kodachi demanded, coming to the gates.

"This is that bastard's partner," Ranma growled. All eyes narrowed and glared at the smiling blonde.

"What are you doing here?" Akane demanded.

"Oh, I just wanted to apologize for Miki's behavior," Azusa said. "He should never have taken more than was offered. Your husband offered...her hand, not her lips. Tsk Tsk...some men just can't settle for being friends."

Kodachi frowned and crossed her arms. Projection or not, the woman's mind was with them, and there were things she could do as a priestess of Ayeka.

"You sent the c..c..cat," Ranma cricked his neck. "You summoned dogs against me."

"And you destroyed them too." The girl pouted. "I have to wait before I can play with all my pretties."

"Why are you here you little bitch?" Akane demanded coming through the gate and confronting the projection.

"I came to tell you where Miki is," the girl said honestly, giving that same vacuous smile. "Consider it feminine solidarity."

"You have to have a soul to be feminine," Ranma snapped, angrily.

"Oh, you can see that can you?" Azusa asked, surprised. Kodachi lost her patience and reached out. "Oh what is the pretty going to do to poor widdle Azusa?"

"I have had enough of your idiotic banter," Kodachi said. "You have, by your own admission, endangered the lives of my spouses. And now you dare to show yourself on the gates of my family's stronghold and expect that I should not rebuke you?"

Kodachi closed her hand into a fist and almost immediately an immaterial tangle of vines sprang up around Azusa's image and seemed to grow through the girl. Azusa's image screamed in shock and pain as the phantom vines dragged her to the ground.

"You are safe from Ranma-darling and Akane-dear as you are," Kodachi smirked, stalking out of the estate and circling the helpless phantasm. "But you must not have known who or what I was."

"Get these ugly diseased vines out of me!" Azusa demanded angrily, hatefully. That vacuous smile was completely gone now as the vines wriggled through her.

"Ugly, diseased vines?" Kodachi repeated, taking offense. She growled and clenched her fist hard, the phantom vines began to grow vines and tear through the image as Ranma and Akane looked on, moderately nervous. "Where is this uncultured lout that is your partner?"

"The abandoned fortress outside of town!" Azusa answered, shrieking in pain. She ripped her face towards Kodachi and smiled again. "You'll regret this, pretty. I'll torture you slowly over all the years the Mistress gives to me." Kodachi arched an eyebrow and commanded the vines to move again. The woman shrieked pitifully, equal parts enraged and terrified.

"Leave my presence," Kodachi snapped, waving her hands and dismissing the vines. Azusa virtually growled before her projection vanished.

"She was going to tell us anyway," Ranma said after she had gone. "Didja have ta do that? All it did was get her on your case."

"We could have handled her later," Akane agreed. Kodachi walked to Ranma and reached a hand behind his back to trace the scars that cat had given him, hidden by Ranma's clothes. She kissed him lightly on the cheeks and then walked to Akane taking her hand, and tracing the similar scars there on her arm and kissing the inside of Akane's hand.

"It was necessary," Kodachi said. She smiled and walked back into the estate. "Are you coming? We must plan what we are to do."

"Kinnosuke," Nabiki said, arching her eyebrow. "What are you doing here? Run out of poor country bumpkins to swindle?" Kinnosuke was one of those Metalliums that Nabiki would rather not deal with. She plotted, schemed, and manipulated, surely. She did not bring great and permanent harm to people that did not, in her mind, deserve it. Even if she didn't advertise the fact that she had limits.

"Not all of us are lucky enough to have a rich idiot to play with," he said. "Oh wait, he's been banished, insulted a goddess I hear. And what's this about you losing your wizard magic?"

"That is being remedied," Nabiki said, simply.

"How ever are you coping?" Kinnosuke asked. "It is well known that you are mostly a diviner. Your following of Xellos is sort of an afterthought correct?"

"Xellos encourages us to use our own resources rather than depending on him," Nabiki reminded.

"He also says not to put all your eggs in one basket," Kinnosuke reminded. "Maybe this is a way of teaching you that?" Nabiki faced down, eyes closed, and then looked up smirking. Kinnosuke frowned, whether pretending to be annoyed or otherwise, Nabiki didn't care.

"Maybe, maybe not," she said. She recalled the dream she had the night before in the library's guest quarters. Looking into a mirror and seeing a smirking black cat with purple highlights. "And what are you in the library for?"

"My business is outside the library, actually," Kinnosuke said, his turn to smirk. "I just had to extend my condolences for your curse."

"Well, thank you," Nabiki said, smiling back and walking past him. "Now I must be back to my studies." ~And if you think a third rate schemer like you is going to catch me when I leave neutral ground.~

"Of course," Kinnosuke said bowing as she passed him. He watched her walk between the apparently endless shelves of secrets that the main Metallium temple maintained.

"They're coming, Miki," Azusa panted. She looked up to see Mikado's smirking face.

"That sounded painful," he said.

"The noble bitch is mine," Azusa said angrily.