Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Nightmares on Nerima Street ❯ The arrival (Oh great another one) ( Chapter 1 )

NIGHTMARES ON NERIMA STREET

 

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Iridia Sunheart.

 

Note: Iridia is a very powerful character. The problem of the so-called Mary-sue is always present when an author creates and introduces a new character in a canon creation. I think that Iridia can beat Ranma initially but he will win in the end because of his amazing adaptative factor, unless she is serious in the very beginning and go for killing moves. However, she is not here to blink away all the problems of the Ranmaverse with just a snap of fingers. And the problems are numerous. I tried to take only facts from my resources but if you think there is something else, don't hesitate to write.

 

Ranma: heir Saotome-Ryu, no social skills, apparent impossibility to really learn non martial skills, Jusenkyo curse, too much confidence, foot-in-the-mouth syndrome, first blood (Saffron), love for Akane, starvation for any kind of love or friendship, relations with his parents, relations with his circle of friends, family honour, personal honour (P-Chan), nekoken and physiological problems due to his training.

Akane: heir Tendo-Ryu, anger, loss of her mother, insecurity from herself, cooking skills, stagnation of her martial skills, love for Ranma, relations with the `fiancée brigade', relations with the `rival brigade', her mallet, personal honour (P-Chan), perception of perversity and brush with death (Kima, spring of drowned Akane).

Nabiki: her mask of ice-princess, loss of her mother, personal honour (blackmail), love life, security of her family, personal cruelty, total control of her environment, money and relations with others.

Kasumi: who is really Kasumi, emotional void hidden by perpetual smile, her free time, relation with Tofu, relations with her family, her pseudo-shield against the chaos (see oni-possession) and the loss of her mother.

Soun: emotional response, personal honour (Chardin incident, P-Chan), family honour, future of the Tendo-dojo (he is an official master, but of what), live in his own world, the loss of his wife, relations with his family and friendship with Genma.

Genma: completely selfish, totally corrupt, no redeeming feature, sealed techniques, Jusenkyo curse, no confirmation official of his mastery of anything goes, relations with his family, live in his own world, cowardice and relation with Happosai.

Ukyo: heir Kuonji-Ryu, friendship/hatred/love with Ranma, relation with Ranma, live in her own world (okonomiyaki), relation with others, relation with Konatsu, her gender and her official gender (male).

Shampoo: heir Amazon wu-shu, no evolution of her personality (Chinese bimbo), amazons laws, her great grand-mother, mousse, relation with the `fiancée brigade', live in her own world, her social status (both in China and in Japan), relation with Ranma and Jusenkyo curse.

Kodachi: her insanity, the might of her clan, relation with her family, live in her own world, her laugh, drugs and relations with others.

Mousse: his vision, live in his own world, amazons laws, social status in china, relations with others and love for shampoo.

Cologne: her tribe, debt of life for Ranma (Saffron), relation with others, personal honour and passing her knowledge.

Kuno: his insanity, live in his own world, relations with others, relations with his family, his way of talking, drugs and the might of his clan.

Ryoga: anger, depression, family curse, Jusenkyo curse, relations with others, relation with Ranma immaturity, live in his own world, dark secret (P-Chan) and what is love.

Konatsu: heir Ninjutsu-ryu, gender orientation, relation with Ukyo and no normal social skills.

Akari: pig-obsession, love with Ryoga and law of her grand-father.

Nodoka: personal honour, family honour, manly obsession, live in her own world, family sword, seppuku contract, relations with family and relations with others.

Principal Kuno: his insanity, might of his clan, hair-obsession, Hawaii and live in his own world.

Hinako: her vampire condition, relation with Happosai, live in her own world, relation with Soun, relations with others and change of personality with age.

Happosai: chi-vampirism, lecher, pervert, no confirmation of his Grand-mastery of anything goes, choice of his heir, relations with others and live in his own world.

 

 

CHAP 1: THE ARRIVAL

(OH GREAT ANOTHER ONE)

 

Well, the journey was not a complete disaster for Ranma. He had been only malleted by his mercurial fiancée just three times. Once on the road to Furinkan due to the enthusiastic `Nihao' and subsequent glomping by Shampoo. The second time during the pause of noon because of his description, completely true by the way, of the appearance of the so beautiful food that Akane made especially for him. And the last time because of the two terminal morons who were trying to play fathers and matchmakers to the couple. Something about responsibility and honour. Ha, as if any of them, knew even the definition of those terms.

 

The `fiancée brigade' has been also out of view. Apart Shampoo, he had only fended one assault of the Black Rose Kodachi and one tentative of free okonomiyaki by Ukkyo.

 

Of course the `rival brigade' could not let him have a single instant of peace. Ryoga “Ranma prepare to die!” Hibiki has been lost after a record of three minutes of combat, Mousse was a little low on weapons due to delivery to be made but promised to come back later with a full store and Kuno used his bokken instead of the katana he used during the failed wedding.

 

No, really, the journey was not a complete disaster and Ranma was sarcastically thinking that why even the evening was free for anything. He and Akane were on the return road to their home. Home, yes, for Ranma, the Tendo house was home. This is where Akane lived and thus was home. Home is where the heart lived right? But what to do when everybody is trying to wreck it.

 

“Tadaïma!” The two teenagers enter their home and already the scents of the kitchen made Ranma's stomach growls.

 

“Okaerinasaï!” Kasumi, always the dutiful mistress of the house was working her magic for the supper. She had prepared a kettle for Ranma in case of sudden cold water and a little snack since he was always hungry. The wild horse was after all a part of her family for her.

 

After that, the evening was standard for the Tendo-Saotome. A little malleting from Akane, tears from Soun, moaning from Genma about his ungrateful child, a bill from Nabiki for the damage to the house and a fantastic serving of food from Kasumi. Ranma was thankful to the Kami for the absence of Happosai and P-Chan. The only black cloud was a sensation of oppression, like what one can feel before a storm. As the food was consumed, the tension was building. Nabiki had the confirmation that something was wrong when she saw Genma and Ranma slowing their food intake.

 

“What is the problem Ranma?” The very fact that her fiancé was distracted from eating was a sure sign for Akane that something was wrong.

 

“Don't know, `kane, but I feel somethin' buildin'.” That was the trouble, Ranma was sure something was happening, but he didn't know what or where.

 

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The heir of the Saotome-Ryu was not the only one who was perplexed. At the Neko-hanten, the formidable matriarch Cologne was seriously freaked. She was the most experienced in analysing the flows of Chi and the weaves of Magic in the Nerima ward. She really didn't like what she was feeling. She knows that Happosai was attempting an undergarment convention somewhere and so was not responsible of `that'. `That' was the specific energy building of Chi and Magic necessary to pierce the barrier between the worlds. Happosai dabbled in Magic and has already invoked a demon in the past to `punish his ungrateful heir'. But the magnitude of the energies was beyond his amateur invocations. Some thing big, very big and very dangerous was coming. She could probably deal with the dimensional overture but she was not capable to target it yet. And when she will know the point of arrival, it will be too late.

 

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And it happened. In the centre of the courtyard of Furinkan, the fabric of reality suddenly shattered, creating a ripple of Chi and Magic that send everyone sensitive to such emanations to their feet.

 

A fissure of blackness began to grow from a hairline to a giant cleft of 30 feet of swirling darkness. Darkness suddenly banished by a bright blue-white light and the dimensional opening ejected two travellers.

 

One of the travellers revealed herself to be a young medium tall woman of mixed origins with waist long black hair and luminescent green eyes. She was clothed in a black silk with dark green trim kung fu outfit with a silvered yin-yang symbol in the back and a much smaller blue dragon/red phoenix yin-yang like symbol in the left front. At her waist, a white sash was holding the shining black sheath of the silvered hilted Shi-Zi Jen sword (`tai chi' or lion head sword of China) that she was pointing in her right hand to the other traveller.

 

The other traveller was a giant humanoid of 20 feet height with four arms, blue skin, flaming eyes, hair made of green flames, a long green beard and a large mouth with teeth like a rhinoceros. He was garbed in an elaborate Chinese armour of gold and black steel and was holding in a defensive position a Mao Chiang (Chinese spear with a wavy blade) with two of his arms, the others were waving gests of power.

 

Behind the two warriors, the dimensional aperture was snuffed out of existence. “You cannot win in this realm! Oh mighty Shen Wu!”

 

“Perhaps Chosen of the Earth, perhaps. But that is not a question for now. The only question is whether or not you are capable to sustain my next assault with your depleted power.” The voice of the Chinese demon was deep and wise. The race of the Shen Wu was a race of wise warrior sought for their guidance, advice and wisdom.

 

“You cannot win.” The voice of the Eurasian was solid and with a note of finality as she witnessed the spell formed by the warrior-demon. It was true that she was low in magical energy and Chi, but she was far from being vulnerable. The trap has been perfect. When the party of demons led by the demon-lord Ba Kung Mo Ming (Eight Centipede Devil Hell) sprung around her in the realm of Tung Tien (caverns of Yin), she thought that her time has come. A force composed of one demon-lord of the eighty-eight Mara race (`he who kills'), 2 Ch'iang Shih (Chinese vampire), 9 goblins, 18 lesser demons and finally 6 greater demons including the present Shen Wu. This was a sufficient force to blast her in her next reincarnation. And of course the negative nature of Tung Tien has weakened her more. She was very lucky that they begun their assault with Chi-magic. Drawing on her knowledge of the Dragon Chi (ambient Chi energy), she has been able to absorb the tainted energies and redirect them to a spell of dimensional portal. She didn't have the time to direct the destination to a known world so she has trust Lady Luck.

 

The vortex has been formidable and shred those of not enough level of power. During the fall/travel, she has attacked with reckless energy since she had nothing to lose. Handicapped by the sudden transfer and by the fact that touching the walls of the vortex means instant oblivion, the demons were slaughtered, Ba Kung Mo Ming himself has been disrupted in his cycle of existence by a vicious spirit burst at point blank range. The eighty-eight race of the Mara have been reduced to eighty-seven. There will be consequences but it was secondary to the actual situation.

 

They were in a realm with positive energy with the sun still in the sky although the evening was nearing. The powers of the Shen Wu were weakened by the place and the sun. The victory will go to the one who will survive the attack of the other.

 

She summoned her green animus (aura of humanoid form) of wood. The soft green glow covering her body enabled her to absorb any chi or magic based attacks in order to replenish her reserves. It was for a feint.

 

The Shen Wu proved his wisdom by casting a power bolt, a lance of pure magical force to pierce his adversary. The magic was absorbed but the demon has used the blinding attack to cover for a physical attack. His mighty spear thrust in the heart of the female warrior spilling red blood and she vanished, a nearby trash can in her place.

 

The feint have worked, the energy of the power bolt has been used to empower a short range double-teleportation spell to replace her by an object. She was already in the garbage zone nearby focusing on her sword the rest of her Chi and Magic. “DRAGON FIRE!” The gift of the Dragon King of the South was invoked. A dragon made of Living Fire Chi erupted from the sword and its holder, roaring to the Heavens and flying to its prey.

 

For a fraction of second, the gaze of the two warriors locked. In the eyes of the Shen Wu was respect and calm acceptance. In the eyes of the Chosen of her planet was the same respect and sorrow. The area around the demon exploded in fire as the dragon consumed its target. As the wisps of fire achieved to dissipate a name floated to the mind of the young woman. `Dong Tian Bar Lao Shih' (Winter Trident Teacher).

 

“Thank you for the immense honour of your name Dong Tian Bar Lao Shih, you will not be forgotten.” From the battle only remained a large round of glazed earth and a still red hot giant Mao Chiang. She came out near the site and sit down in a meditation posture. Releasing her Zanshin (mind no mind, complete focus and instant readiness and awareness), she slipped in the first Mudra (rigid posture of the hands and the body in order to channel ambient Chi in a defined way) of self-possession or An Wei She Chu Yin (calm the mind, lend peace to the user and help recovering lost energies). As she relaxed, she called upon her art as a Wu Shih, (Chinese sorceress) converting enough external Chi to empower a spell to have an all-around perception of Chi and Magical energies.

 

`Well, let's see what I can learn from this realm as I replenish my energies… HOLY SHIT!!!' The spell used by the Chi-mistress was an all-purpose information-gatherer which boosted and supplemented her own Chi-awareness, the maiden already knew that she was in a civilized country with an apparent degree of technology identical to her own but what she was able to perceive was far from her norms. There were Dragon-lines (currents of Chi that crosses the earth) to draw in for her depleted Chi reserves of negative and positive energy and there were enough active Ley-lines (currents of magical energy that crosses the earth) to replenish her magical might, but the aspect here… A chaotic web of tangled lines of all sorts. Worse, the VERY attention of all the Chi-Dragons (Asian dragons that live in and regulate the flows of Chi) of the area was focused on her.

 

Now that she was aware of their presence, they almost literally ripped into her being with their Chi-senses. She remembered her trials on her own earth, the Dragons must be very wary here to break protocols in such a way. It was the same thing as holding her by the lapels and shouting to her face: `who the hell she was'. She endured their attention with good humour. She was a stranger in this realm and it was polite and prudent to defer to the local authority.

 

She let the Dragons flew in her essence searching for what they want as she began to build an image of where she was. It was … chaotic. She couldn't make head for tail but she has the impression that it was the result of a deliberate intervention. How or/and why was still beyond her current perspective. She would have to question the locals to know more. Speaking of locals, she was sensing 2 rather intense sources of Chi and Magic converging on her position, and big surprise, they were auras of people capable to use their Chi.

 

The auras were not familiar and they didn't radiate killing or hostile Chi. She was however in an unknown territory and… At that moment, the Dragons released their focus on her. It was…a pleasant pressure now. She was sensing their mood and they seemed to be rather happy of her presence and of her nature. Good news for her since she was now able to draw in the ambient Chi to replenish her power without angering the local Chi-Dragons. In one hour of meditation, if it was given to her, she will be at top level again. As a security measure she cast, by Celestial Calligraphy (magic stocked on a paper which must burn in order to release the spell), a glamour in order to disguise her aura and her level of power. No need to frighten the Chi-wielders that she was detecting. As the strip of rice paper burned to liberate the Chi-Spell stocked, she just hoped to have a good diplomatic encounter with what appeared to be the defenders of the area.

 

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Ranma was roof-hoping at top speed. He had managed to make Akane stay at the dojo in order to `protect her family' while he will go and see what was the problem. On his route for Furinkan, he crossed the little form of Cologne who was pogoing on her staff. Without breaking his stride, he maintained his level to Cologne and tried to know what was going on.

 

“Well? Old ghoul? Any idea of what is goin' on?”

 

“Why, yes, son-in-law. At least one powerful demon who has bite the dust and one very powerful martial artist who destroy him.”

 

“Aww, nuts. I was hopin' for someone we know from before. Sure it's not the freak? Will not be the first time.”

 

“No, it's definitively not Happi. Too much power and it was not an invocation.”

 

“Huh?”

 

The elder Chinese matriarch sighed. “The demon came from his world with his personal power. Nobody opened the door for him.”

 

“Oooh! Wanna take a bet about the martial artist?”

 

“No bet. If it isn't a female and engaged to you because of your father, I am the Musk Emperor.”

 

“Oh great! Another one!”

 

She laughed. “You must agree that you are making a fine collection here. So ready to meet fiancée number 5?”

 

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The warrior from another world was now seeing the two Chi-masters approaching her position by…jumping from roof to roof? Well, there must be high-level martial artists in this realm. The easiness with which they proceed to her speaks volume about their skills level. She couldn't detect anybody cloaked in an art of Invisibility for now so it was only those two for now and… She must be dreaming.

 

One of the silhouettes was a three feet tall very old woman with white long hair pogoing on a staff and the other was a black haired pig-tailed teenager garbed in Chinese black and red silks. No, she was not dreaming: Khu Lon of the Joketsuzoku and Ranma Saotome. It was a good thing that she was deep in meditation so that her facial expression did not give away her dismay. She was in a realm based on the most chaotic creation of a mangaka. She stopped herself. Although she was the Chosen of her world, she was still an anime otaku when she can. Ranma