Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Rolling Mist, Morning Wind ❯ Deterdamnation ( Chapter 6 )

Rolling Mist, Morning Wind A Ranma/Rayearth Fanfic by Adyen (senranda@yahoo.ca)

Yes, that's the name of the chapter. It's not spelt wrong (though it isn't a real word), so don't break your internet viewing program trying to make sure if you read right.

I still can't think of a good way to end this chapter, as I want to keep them short so if I wish, I can stick chapters together later.

Chapter 6: Deterdamnation

--------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- --------------------------------

Ferio mentally sighed in relief that it wasn't *him* that Kasumi was angry at. He can admit that it's petty to see someone else suffer under Kasumi, but she has a VERY large temper under her calm exterior, and after seeing her take out her frustrations with that large sword of HER'S... Well, he never want to experience it himself.

However, even though he's relieved that it wasn't aimed at him, he could still help the young man who felt the tips of Kasumi's verbal lances. Though it must be hard for him, having to hear THAT from KASUMI of all people. Having known her for many years, Ferio knew that she's often the most reserved of the group, but when she spoke, everyone listened. She was the big sister of the group, the one who always cared for everyone, friends or foe alike.

Realizing that he's getting lost in his thoughts, Ferio looked down at Ranma to find that his hands were clenched and he was mumbling something to himself. Ferio started to get alarmed when he noticed that his hands were tearing off the parts of the blanket he's holding on, and starting to draw blood though his nails.

"Ranma." Ferio tried to get the pigtailed martial artist's attention. "Ranma! RANMA!"

Snapping out of his own thoughts, Ranma angrily yelled, "WHAT?!"

Ferio jumped back at the anger in Ranma's voice. "Please! Calm down. You're starting to hurt yourself."

"Calm down?" Ranma asked, a slightly hysterical tone creeping into his voice. "CALM DOWN!? HOW CAN I CALM DOWN KNOWING THAT SOMETHING MY STUPID FATHER DID TO ME MAY RIGHT NOW BE KILLING INNOCENTS OFF SOME PLACE IN CEPHIRO?!"

Ferio sweated. "That's only the worse case scenario, Ranma. It might not happen, so please, just calm down. Breath in, breath out; Breath in, breath out..."

Ranma allowed himself to do as directed; tapping into the Soul of Ice to sooth his emotions (somewhere out in Cephiro, a random snowstorm suddenly started over a bunch of startled citizens). "But, Kasumi... She was *ANGRY* at me! It has to be bad for *KASUMI* to be angry at me."

Still trying to reassure the young man, Ferio said, "She's just doing her job. As Wind Knight, she watches over the citizens of Cephiro and finds out if they have any problems or trouble. They're more than just people to her, they're like her siblings, or even children that she's never have, even more than those in your previous home. Just as it is the Water Knight's jurisdiction... Job, is to hunt for any dangerous monsters that show up and the Fire Knight is the Pillar, it is just part who they are. She probably has nothing against you personally, because if she does, you'd know it immediately. Now, repeat after me, 'It may not happen, it may not happen...'"

"It may not happen. It MAY not happen." Ranma repeated twice before shaking his head in frustration. "AH hell. Knowing my luck, it will happen, and at the most inconvenient time as well. Forget that. I'm going to find it."

Ferio blinked, not seeing how the 'possibility' of some cat like manifestation connected with Ranma knowing it will happening and searching it out instead of waiting for the others to find it first.

"Where's my pack?" Ranma asked, looking around.

Ferio mutely pointed at a closet, which Ranma opened to find his travel pack. He checked what was inside before nodding to himself and putting it on his back.

"Ranma?" Ferio asked, "How are you going to face it? From all that I heard, it's *your* manifestation of an all consuming fear. It's not likely you can even get close to it without being scared away."

Ranma was silent for a moment, but Ferio could see the young man shivering. Most likely he was imagining himself facing his worse fear and found himself lacking.

"I... have to." Ranma said, trying to steel himself with the Soul of Ice (the snowstorm has upgraded into a full blown blizzard). "I brought IT with me into this land, and now it's loose. This is my responsibility, so I'll fix it."

Ferio watched as Ranma walked towards the door, still determined to go after his greatest fear. "Ranma, wait." He said, walking over to the young man. "Talk to Guru Clef first. He might have something that can help you. I suggest talking to Presia as well, since some monsters that are born from the darkness of men that cannot be fought off by flesh alone. Some of them are even acidic to the human body."

Ranma stopped at the door, considering what the prince is telling him. "Fine. Where's that 'viewing orb' thingy that Kasumi mentioned?"

"I'll lead you to it." Ferio said in relief, glad that at least he managed to stall Ranma's departure. Maybe Clef will talk some sense into him...

As the pair walked towards where Kasumi said Clef was, Ranma thought about what Kasumi said to him. While it is true that he feared 'those things', he never felt any anger or hatred whenever waking up from it. Heck, he never felt anything other than the feeling of waking up after having a nice nap. Maybe Kasumi's wrong, but he's never known Kasumi to say anything she wasn't sure of.

He mentally reaffirmed his promise. He will defeat the neko-ken, not only because he must, but because he can't let anyone else suffer for his own decisions. This problem, for once, was his own making and he intended to see it through the end.

Ranma looked up at the sound of knocking. In front of him was a large door that seemed fit for Taro's cursed form instead of people. He vaguely noticed as a male voice told them to enter as the large doors opened inwards by themselves. Inside was a large U shaped table, and on the far end was a seat that looked somewhat like a throne. There were currently around ten people in there, all sitting around the U shaped table, and in the middle was a white haired... the best Ranma could come up with was 'midget', holding up a large staff.

"Ah, Prince Ferio." The white haired man greeted. "And this is Ranma, I presume?"

Not knowing how to respond, Ranma simply nodded.

"Ranma here wants to go out and look for his... problem." Ferio delicately said, knowing that both sides hold a stubborn person. "I was thinking perhaps you have something that could help him with his decision."

For a moment, both mage and martial artist was silent. One was assessing the young man up, while the other was mentally daring the midget to stop him.

"I'll let you go under a few conditions." Clef eventually said, causing Ranma's eyebrows to burrow and Ferio to grimace. "First, you'll keep in contact at all times." The master mage searched around his robes for a moment before bring out a clear crystal the size of Ranma's fists and tossed it to him. "This will allow you to contact either me or the Magic Knights. Just hold it in front of you and say whoever you wish to speak with. You can also use it to contact anyone else, but they won't be able to hear you, speak with you, or see you."

Catching the crystal, Ranma placed it inside a pocket in his pack. One day, he's going to learn how Mousse does his Hidden Weapons trick, and then...

"Secondly, that you join the Guard." Clef continued. Seeing Ranma's questioning glance, he said, "The Guard is the Water Knight's elite group of monster hunters under her direct command. Ferio here is one of her Commanders who takes are of the area round the castle, so he's always stationed here."

"And if I didn't know better, I would think they did it so they can keep me here." Ferio grumbled, clearly *do* knowing better, but unable to do anything about it.

Clef merely smiled at him and turned back to Ranma. "I'll suggest to Lady Umi that you be put on revolving patrol so you can move as you like around Cephiro, and I think we can skip the training as well..." He glanced to Ferio, who merely grinned back. "Yes, I think we can skip that. Please, head over to her pillar and visit Presia while you are there. You'll need to pick up some things that all of the Guard has."

Ranma saw no problems with him joining something that hunts down monsters, and said so. However... "But can I leave whenever I want?" he asked, not too sure if he's willing to make a long term commitment with something he doesn't know about other than the basics.

Clef and Ferio blinked. Clef looked at the prince and shrugged, passing the metaphorical ball back to him.

"Ummm... I've never actually known anyone to quit." Ferio said thoughtfully. "But I guess there's nothing preventing anyone from leaving the Guard, we just don't want to since we're here to protect our home."

Nodding thoughtfully, Ranma allowed himself to be led out of the room and towards the blue tower belonging to the Water Knight. He thought back to his own problem with his Ki, and thought, `Maybe I should get some training while I'm at it...'