InuYasha Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Not All Demonds Are Bad! ❯ Phase One: Jewels, sacred wells and time portals, Oh My! ( Chapter 1 )

Not All Demons Are Bad

Hanyoulover2004

Phase One: Jewels, sacred wells and time portals, Oh My!

Tendo Dojo

Akane smiled up at her ceiling as she thought of the festivities that had just accrued. Today had been her eighteenth birthday and thanks to a fee her father had paid Nabiki months in advance the day went on without crisis. She had spent most of her time home celebrating with family. Ranma was even being nice to her as he kept his tongue in cheek for most of the night but that wasn't the highlight of her day, even if it was extremely close to it. No, it was the gift her father had given her. Akane expected another engagement ring in the small velvet box her father had given her but when she opened it she soon found out it had nothing to do with the engagement at all. Inside the velvet box was a simple necklace of a silver chain but what made it special to Akane was the object attached to the chain. It was a small round jewel about the size of a large marble. It was blue in color but as the light played on it's smooth surface it changed color. It also seemed to have a certain hidden beauty to it.

"This jewel once belonged to your mother Akane, she asked me to give it to you on your eighteenth birthday shortly before she passed away." Soun smiled sadly.

"It's known as the Hakainko no Tama."

"Jewel of Destructive Souls?" Ranma mused. It fits Akane's personality perfectly. He thought to himself.

That night Akane fell asleep the jewel around her neck and a warm smile on her face.

Next Morning

Akane was all smiles as she packed most of her belongings into a huge tan backpack the following morning. She had decided to visit a childhood friend of hers today and wanted to get an early start. Ranma met her downstairs after breakfast also sporting a huge pack on his back. Their father's had insisted that he go with Akane to keep her company…among other things.

"Akane-chan, are you sure you don't want to wait a few more hours before you leave?" Kasumi asked cleaning the dishes.

"No, I want to get out of here before chaos shows up for Ranma and ruins the whole thing."

"Oi! It's not like I ask for trouble to follow me `round Akane!"

"I know but it's still expected."

"Very well, I'll tell father and the others goodbye for you. Please take care of yourselves, ne?"

"We will, Bye Kasumi!"

With one last look back at the dojo the two turned the corner heading for the train station.

The walk was a silent one as both Tendo and Saotome were lost in thought each one thinking somewhere along the same lines: Where does our relationship stand? [Insert long tale of flashbacks of Saffron and the failed wedding as well as other events that proved they have feelings for each other. Trust me if you've heard one you've heard them all. I for one am getting sick of read/writing them. 0. o;;]

They caught the 11:30 train and sat together making small chat to pass the time. They reached their destination two hours later and trekked the small distance to the Higurashi Shrine.

Higurashi Shrine

Akane knocked on the main doors and waited for a reply. She removed her heavy pack resting it at her side.

A little boy with dark hair and eyes opened the door. "Hello? Can I help you?"

Akane grinned down at him. "Souta-chan, my how you've grown! It's me Akane."

The boy's eyes grew wide as her identity dawned on him. "Akane-chan!" He squealed jumping into her open arms.

"Souta, who's at the door, son?" A beautiful older woman came to the door followed by an old man.

"Momma, it's Akane-chan!" Souta said with glee turning to his mother still in Akane's arms.

"Why, Akane-chan it's been so long since I saw you last. How's Emiko? Soun? Your sisters?"

Akane's expression changed to one of distress. "Oh Higurashi-obasan has it really been so long since we've last visited? Mother died ten years ago…"

Mrs. Higurashi clasped her hands over her mouth as she gasped. "No, oh Akane-chan I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you but we lived too far away back then. How are Soun and your sisters doing?"

Akane perked up a bit. "We're okay sometimes it's hard especially for daddy or around the anniversary of her death but we're doing okay."

She nodded her eyes traveling behind Akane to the handsome man behind her. "I can see that, Akane who's your friend?"

Akane blushed. "Oh, sorry I forgot to introduce you. Ranma, this is Mrs. Higurashi, are families were close. Mrs. Higurashi this it Saotome Ranma…my fiancé." Her blush intensified.

"Oh my, Akane you have been busy! It's very nice to meet you Ranma, such a handsome young man."

Ranma blushed.

"Akane-chan, how did this come about? The last I remember you hated boys." The older man asked.

"Ah, well it's a complicated story I'll explain it to you inside. By the way, where's Kagome?"

"Oh, she went on a trip with a friend a few days ago and I'm not sure when she'll be back." Mrs. Higurashi said.

"I see, and I was really looking forward to seeing her after all this time."

"Why don't you come in and we'll have some tea. You can explain your engagement to us then." Grandfather said.

That Night

Akane woke with a start, something was bothering her but as she opened her eyes and looked around the guess room she shared with Ranma [He slept on a futon while she took the bed] she saw nothing out of the ordinary. She shrugged and turned over to fall back to sleep only to sit up moments later.

What's wrong? Why do I fell as if something's calling out to me? She thought fully awake now.

Akane removed the covers and crept around a snoring Ranma to look out the room's only window. The view was spectacular. She was able to see the full temple grounds from her window and even the small building surrounding the sacred well across the grounds. Akane tensed suddenly as a bright blue light flickered from within the sacred well `s closed doors.

What was that?

Akane rubbed her eyes and looked at the shed again, nothing. She sighed and moved to turn from the window when she saw the light again.

"Now I'm sure I saw that." Akane quickly turned from the window and sat at Ranma's side.

"Ranma, wake up." She whispered shaking him lightly. His only response was to mumble something and turn his back to her.

I can't believe this baka, I swear he'll wake up on day and find he slept through a tornado.

"Ranma!" Her voice was above a whisper now and she shook him more violently. Still nothing.

Fine, but you brought this upon yourself, Ranma.

Akane pulled out her trusty mallet and slammed it on Ranma's head as best she could without making too much noise.

"WHATCH GO AN' DO THAT FOR?!"

"Shh! Ranma you'll wake every one up!" Akane hissed putting her mallet away, for now.

"So what you hit me for?" He asked rubbing the huge bump on his head.

"I want you to look at something, I think it could be trouble."

Ranma groaned but followed Akane to the window. "So? I don't see nothin'" He said sleepily.

"Just watch."

"Akane if this is some sick trick to-" His voice died in his throat as he saw the bright blue light coming from the sacred well.

"See what I mean? I woke up feeling something weird and then I saw that. Do you think it's a youkai?"

"I don't know."

"Let's check it out, if it is I don't want it to hurt the Higurashi's."

Ranma nodded turning to grab his and Akane's packs. He handed her pack. "Here go change and meet me outside in ten minutes."

"Right."

Sacred Well

Akane met Ranma outside the glowing doors of the shed ten minutes later dressed in her pastel yellow gi and her pack on her back. Ranma was dressed in his usual silk red Chinese shirt, black drawstring pants and black slippers, his pack also present but not on his back.

"What are you going to do?"

"Not sure yet, I need to know what I'm up against first." He said edging towards the doors Akane at his heels now carrying Ranma's pack along with her own.

As Ranma neared the doors he looked back to make sure Akane was ready and with a nod from her he slid the door open ready for a battle only to be blinded by the bright blue light. After a moment the light dimmed some and the pair were able to see into the shed. It was completely empty and looked as if it hadn't been entered in a long time. If it weren't for the light emitting from the well it would look normal.

"Nothin' what a rip off!" Ranma mumbled disappointed.

"Oh, so you would have rather face a youkai then?"

Stuffing his hands in his pocket Ranma replied, "No."

"But I still want to know what's making that light." Akane said walking up the steps to the well and looking over. Regrettably she had not taken into consideration the extra weight of her and Ranma's packs and began to fall in the well.

"Ah! Ranma!" She cried her hands flapping beside her as if to gain back her balance.

Ranma turned to her and ran to help her only to be grabbed by a frightened Akane and pulled into the well behind her. As the pair fell into the well the blue light grew stronger and when they expected to hit the dirt floor of the well they were shocked to find themselves falling through the floor.

Feudal Era

With a loud thud Akane found herself in Ranma's arms even thou Ranma was plastered to the ground below her.

"Oh, Ranma, are you okay?" She asked getting off him to make sure he was all right.

"Yeah, just a bit winded. What was that?" He asked.

Akane wasn't puzzled by the question as it had run through her mind just moments before.

"I have no idea but I think we should get out of here."

"Right." But as Ranma got up and was prepared to climb out the well he paused.

"What's wrong?" Akane asked not seeing the reason to stop now of all times.

"I don't think we're at the shrine anymore." He said slowly and evenly.

"What? How can that be?"

"Look up." Was all Ranma said.

"Huh?" Akane looked up to expecting to see the ceiling of the small hut around the sacred well but found only the darkening sky above her.

"Wha- how can that be?"

"Come on let's check it out." Ranma continued to climb out the well and after a moments pause Akane followed suite. As the pair stepped out the well they found themselves in a clearing surrounded by a thick forest of trees. Where were they?