Crossover With Non-anime Series Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Wild Stallion and the Drow ❯ Nuts, Love, and...Mom? ( Chapter 3 )

Standard disclaimer:  Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are all from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope. 

This story is based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at http://addventure.bast-enterprises.de

That's done, now on with the story

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The Wild Stallion and the Drow

Nabiki looked up at her erstwhile protector, as he walked along the fence.  "Ranma," she asked, "is there something bothering you?"  He'd been busy that day, acting as her bodyguard from Kuno.  The mentally unstable kendoist had, at various points in the day, threatened both Nabiki and Ranma, but wound up spending more time in the nurse's office.

Ranma looked down at the drow priestess.  "Nothing, Nabiki.  Just got a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Oh.  Like what?"

"Like why the kami hate me.  Why I have seven fiancées floating around that five I know about.  Like why Pops thinks with his stomach, rather than his head.  Why there is so much chaos in my life."  Ranma smirked at his latest fiancée's handmaiden.  "And why a certain former information broker would charge her own brother-in-law."

"…"  Was Nabiki's only reply.  "Ranma, can I ask you another question?"

"You just did," the pig-tailed martial artist remarked.  "But I'll give you another one."

She glared at the martial artist above her.  "When did you become so experienced with a sword?  And what you were doing this morning with the bow was like something out of a gaijin legend."

"It was like some sort of block was removed when I was talking to Eilistraee last night.  This morning, when Kuno went to attack you, and I drew my own training sword, it was like exactly what forms to use; when I was using Oyaji to hold my target, it was I knew how to use the bow, and core the apple.  It's like I know the true Neko-ken and not the one that baka Oyaji taught me.  It's like I remember my time in Arvandor, and my training with Eilistraee, Solonor, Fenmarel and Bast."  Ranma's danger sense flared to life.  He dove off the fence and tackled Nabiki, as an insane kendoist charged past them.

"So, the foul Saotome cavorts with the black-hearted mercenary Tendo.  I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall end your depredations on this ward, and liberate the fierce tigress that is Akane Tendo and the healthy, flame-haired pig-tailed goddess.

"I attack!"  Kuno charged towards Nabiki and Ranma, live steel in his hands.  The blade whispered bare millimeters from Ranma's head.  A few raven black hairs fluttered down.

"Nabiki!  Get out of here!"  Ranma shouted, as he shoved Nabiki towards the Dojo.  She stumbled, but then started running.  Ranma jumped back on to the fence.  "So be it then, Kuno.  You've attacked a noncombatant several times today.  It ends here, now."  Ranma reached into his weaponspace and drew out his sword.  Kuno looked on in anticipation as the pig-tailed martial artist unsheathed the longsword.  Elven runes highlighted the fuller, shoulder and crossguards.  With a resounding battlecry, Ranma leapt off the fence, and charged at Kuno. 

With the clash of steel against steel, European-style longsword met Japanese katana.  The forms used by both duelists were completely different-as different as their swords.  Kuno attacked as a traditional kendoist, rigid yet methodical with his forms.  Ranma, on the other hand, was trained with a strong Western influence but also incorporated his own unique style of Musabetsu Kakutou into his sword technique, making him look like a cross between Jackie Chan and Errol Flynn.  The pig-tailed martial artist would advance, attempt to strike, only to be blocked by Kuno, then leap over Kuno's counterstrike to withdraw.

"Hold still, foul demon, so that I may strike you with the all the vengeance of Heaven!"  Ranma's reply was uncharacteristic for the egotistical martial artist-there wasn't one.  The goddess-trained warrior was focusing all his talent into a skill that was last used ten years ago.

There are some residents of Nerima that believe Ranma is just a dumb jock.  However, the way the pig-tailed martial artist develops tactics and strategy for fighting tend to belie that idea.  Can't get mad.  I'll lose my edge, and expose myself to Kuno's attack.  Eil-sensei taught me never to show emotion when fighting.  But one of the main tenants of Musabetsu Kakutou is to throw taunts and challenges to keep your opponent off balance.  Of course, if you taunt the same opponent time after time, then they are going to be familiar with that tactic.  So, I shouldn't use it.  Heh, Kuno's off-balance as it is since I'm using a sword.  Not taunting him'll be a piece of cake.

The fight moved down the street towards the Dojo, neither fighter yielding as rivers of sweat poured down their brow and backs.  The skirl of steel on steel echoing off the buildings sounded like a death knell.  Another constant of Nerima's residents was the grapevine that was set up when any of the insanely powerful martial artists that inhabited that particular ward got into a fight.  This allowed the residents and shop owners in the affected areas to batten down the hatches and evacuate; as was the case this fine day with Kuno and Ranma fighting each other with bare steel.

There was one notable exception-the most accurate of Nerima's martial artists: the dreaded Ladle Lady.  And, as she washed down her sidewalk, hit one of the combatants with a ladle full of water with uncanny accuracy.  And for once it wasn't one of the Nerima water magnets.

Kuno spat out a mouthful of water.  Ranma, who'd backed up when he had the chance, began at first to chortle, then to laugh out loud at Kuno's dousing.  He used his foul magic to cause the old woman to hit me with a ladle full of water.  "For ensorcelling an innocent, I attack!"  With renewed vigor, a sopping wet Kuno charged again at Ranma.  "Once I have dealt with you, fair Nerima shall be free of your foul perversions.  And the fierce Akane Tendo, the fiery pig-tailed goddess, and the beautiful yet bubbly Amazon princess shall be free from your spells of bondage and shower me with all the affection that I deserve."

The pig-tailed martial artist had had enough.  As he defended himself against Kuno's attacks, he began to cool his ki.  Circling his opponent, Ranma let Kuno's rage filled hot ki help power the winds that were being generated.  Ranma smirked, and then released his potent, nonfatal, attack with a shout of "Hiryu Shouten Ha!"  The resulting cyclone carried the insane kendoist off to the northern coast of Hokkaido.  The elven-trained swordsman resheathed his longsword and trotted off towards the Dojo.

Above him, a spider with lavender eyes followed as quickly as it could scuttle.  Well, that is until it became lunch for a pigeon.
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Deep within the bowels of the Abyss, strange creatures, driders-half drow and half spider-scuttled as quickly as their eight legs could carry them from a scrying chamber as a crystal decanter flew from the chamber, shattering on the cavern wall opposite.  An exquisite wine made with the blood of sacrificed virgins poured down the walls.  "So, my darling daughter is looking to create a safe haven for her followers.  And it seems my dear ex-husband has found a defender of the faith for her," Lolth grumbled as the scrying pool filled with static.

"I'll just have to interrupt them.  Permanently."  The Spider Queen began to laugh maniacally.
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As Ranma leapt over the wall surrounding the Dojo, he found his newest fiancée and Soun showing Nabiki a series of beginner's katas with a bo staff.  Already the Japanese drow priestess had a sheen of perspiration soaking through her gi.  He was surprised to see Mr. Tendo actually teaching something.  "Good work, Nabiki.  We'll continue tomorrow," Soun said as he took the bo from his daughter.  Nabiki gratefully handed it over to her father and headed in to take a long hot soak.

"What brought this on," the pig-tailed martial artist asked his father's friend.

"Today, as Kuno attacked my daughter several times at the school, you were there to protect her.  For that, Ranma, I thank you.

"But Nabiki realized that you won't always be there to protect her.  And her mistress, Eilistraee, reinforced those thoughts be reminding her of the duties and responsibilities of her priesthood.  She also reminded her that the drow are fierce fighters, and their women are the leaders of the communities; although Eilistraee is leaning more toward an enlightened ideas that men are also capable in a leadership role."

"But it was when that boy Kuno attacked the two of you, which is what prompted her to learn the rudiments of the bo staff."  Eilistraee's soft yellow eyes turned lavender for a moment.  "If you would like, Ranma, I can do something about him.  Perhaps a gender-changing curse of his own?"

"Nah.  Kuno's a nutcase, but he's mostly harmless.  Besides, I sent him up to Hokkaido earlier.  He won't bother Nerima for awhile."

"Good.  Since you are already warmed up, Ranma, would you care to spar?"  Eilistraee asked, as she drew her broadsword from weaponspace.  The young warrior smiled.  It was refreshing for Ranma to be asked something he wanted to do, and not "Ranma take Shampoo on date?" or "Ranchan, why don't you try this new okonomyaki I just made."  He pulled out his own sword and held it in a classic guard position.  "Best two out of three?"  Eilistraee nodded.  "Then shall we dance?"

By mutual agreement, the two fencers clashed, filling the yard of the Dojo with the light skirl of blade hitting blade.  They tested each other, probing for any weakness in the other's defense.

Genma looked at his son fencing with his fiancée, a look of disgust on his face.  "Oh the shame," he wailed, "my son has disgraced our schools by using a weapon.  And he's fighting the weaker sex.  He truly has no honor."

Nabiki was on her way to the furo when she heard the clash of swords and headed to the veranda to see what was going when she heard Genma's complaints.  She slapped the lazy panda/man across the back of his head.  "Your son has shown himself to be more honorable than you ever believe yourself to be.  So quit harping on his lack of honor."

"But…"

"No 'Buts' Saotome.  Or I may have to do something…drastic, especially to remind you that women are not the weaker sex."  Nabiki's soft brown eyes, which hadn't changed when she became a drow, turned lavender, and a dagger appeared in her hand.  Sweating bullets, Genma entered his Crouch of the Wild Tiger, and began begging forgiveness from the priestess immediately.  Nabiki ignored him, put the dagger away, and made sure her yukata was closed before heading for the furo.

Eilistraee had scored the first hit on her fiancé, tearing the seam where his sleeve meets his shirt.  Ranma backed off and fingered the four inch long tear.  "Not bad."

"'Not bad'?  What do you mean by not bad?  I could have severed your arm if I hadn't been careful!"

Ranma just shrugged his shoulders and gave his fiancée his disarming smile.  "Shall we continue?"  He asked, as he brought his blade back up.  The drow goddess nodded and raised the tip of her sword up.  The two fencers clashed again, filling the yard with the ring of steel on steel.  Attack was met with parry and counterattack blocked by counter.

Amidst the din of the fight, the gate chimes were rung.  After a few moments, they were rung again, but lost in the din of combat.

Genma all but dove into the koi pond when he saw who walked around the corner of the house.

Ranma was so involved with trying to defeat Eilistraee, that all his attention was focused on the drow in front of him, so he wasn't aware of who walked in until he heard his mother's voice over the din of combat.  "Ranma?"  This caused the pig-tailed warrior to divert his attention right as Eilistraee was lunging.  Ranma brought his sword up to block, but wasn't in time to parry her attack.  He caught the tip of the sword in between his ribs and into his right lung.  There was a universal look of shock on everyone's face-but most noticeably on Nodoka's and Eilistraee's.

With a questioning look in his eyes, Ranma slid off the end of his fiancée's bastard sword and slumped to the ground, pink froth coming from his mouth.