Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Ranma OneHalf: First steps ❯ Book Three, Chapter Seven-B ( Chapter 27 )

Ranma Onehalf: First steps. Book Three.

Chapter 7 -B.

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Continued from Chapter 7 -A

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Oto Igan walked towards the mountain shrine, his hand on his sword. Carefully he kept watch for attackers, though he doubted that bandits would attack a samurai in full armor.

"Of course, there is more to fear than bandits...." he thought as he approached. "Toko is one such thing."

Reaching the shrine he began to climb the steps, Pausing he turned to look out over the valley below, where his pursuers were undoubtably camped for the night beside a warm fire. He however had ridden long into the night to put as much distance between him and his pursuers as possible.

He come across the shrine as he rode in the darkness and had decided to stop for a few hours of rest before continuing on. So he had hobbled his horse and walked up to the shrine.

Turning away from the valley he entered the shrine proper.

Inside the shrine Matada was sweating bullets. Here he come to a supposedly deserted shrine to steal some supposedly mystical talisman and then a samurai in full armor had shown up. And by the look of things he wasn't in a happy mood.

"Why me?" Matada thought. "Child's play my ass. The next time Kododa says that I'm gonna kick his ass into next week- oh shit."

The samurai had stopped and was looking around warily. With a subtle movement he unseated his sword from its sheath.

"He heard me. Great. Just great." Matada thought as he palmed a dart from his sleeve. "If the guys saw this I'd never live it down."

Oto carefully drew his sword and tried to figure out where the attack was going to come from. "I know I heard breathing." he thought. "But where is he?"

There was a sudden swish and Oto threw his hand up in front of his face. Turning his arm he saw a dart embedded in the hand guard right at eye level.

"Of course that mongrel would hire ninjas." he thought. Shaking the dart from his hand guard Oto raised his sword and waited for the attack.

From the shadows Matada saw the samurai shift and reached for his sword.

"Matada, you idiot, he's a samurai." he berated himself. "He's in full armor. It would have been a miracle if you'd managed to tag him with that."

Knowing that there was only one way out Matada drew his sword. Oto heard the sound and turned to face it.

"So, finally decided to come out and fight mongrel?" he growled. "I hope you were paid well, because you are not going to live to enjoy it."

The ninjas response was to send a shurikan whizzing at him. Oto deflected it with his sword and then immediately parried a slash at his belly as the ninja appeared out of nowhere.

Oto parried three more strikes before returning one of his own, but all he hit was empty air. The ninja appeared on Otos left and tried to drive him back with a flurry of strikes but Oto held his ground and drove the ninja back.

"Whoever this guy is, he's good."Matada thought as he hopped backwards. "Doesn't fear much either."

Charging forwards again Matada attacked and tried to force his way past the samurai to the door, but again the samurai held his ground. Suddenly the samurai went on the offensive, catching the ninja off guard.

Matada stumbled backwards as he found himself parrying dozens of strikes. Hopping backwards to avoid a slash at his belly Matada suddenly found himself with his back against the back wall of the shrine.

Momentarily distracted he looked away from Oto to figure out what was going on. Oto saw the opening and took it.

"I have you now!" Oto roared as he raised his sword for an overhead slash.

Matada looked up to see the samurai looming above him ready to strike. He had no time to think, just react before the samurai struck at him. He dodged right as the samurai's sword slashed down through the wall where he had been a heartbeat earlier.

Matada, running on instinct attacked the samurai rather than use the opening to escape. Charging he slashed at the samurai's exposed neck, only to have the samurai pull his sword free at the last moment and block his strike.

Turning to his right the samurai let the ninjas momentum carry him forward. When the ninja was in front of him Oto struck out with his left hand and slammed the ninja against the wall.

Matada hit the wall where the samurai's sword had cut through it and smashed through the boards into a hidden chamber behind the wall. Landing with a crash Matada shook his head.

"Since when do samurai use bare handed strikes?" he thought. "And what the hell are all these ropes here for?"

Matada barely scrambled out of the way as the samurai exploded through the hole in the wall and struck at him. Shaking the ropes off Matada turned to face the samurai, who once again was standing in front of the only exit.

"How does he do that?" Matada thought.

Glancing backwards Matada saw that there was a second chamber behind him which was considerably larger than the one he was in. Smiling at his good luck Matada back flipped over the ropes strung across the path into the second chamber.

Growling in irritation Oto strode forward, cutting the ropes from his path. Entering the second chamber he found the ninja crouched on what appeared to be a small altar with a large rope with Shinto wards tied to it wrapped around it.

"Is nothing sacred to you, dog?" Oto growled.

Deciding that he needed an additional weapon Matada rolled backwards off the shrine and slashed the rope with his sword. Grabbing the rope he whipped it off the alter and snapped it at the samurai like a whip.

Growling raised his sword and ignored the improvised weapon. Dropping the rope the ninja leaped over the alter at the samurai and he simply stepped back out of the way.

They faced each other for long moments before either of them noticed the alter had begun to glow. Oto carefully backed away as Matada skipped off to the side to face the alter.

Both men jumped when the top of the alter split down the middle and fell apart. Both were blinded by the light that blazed forth from the interior. Shielding his eyes Oto was now able to see the wards pasted to the walls of the chamber and realized that this wasn't a burial chamber, but a prison.

"You fool! You've unleashed a demon!" Oto yelled at the ninja.

"Finally, at long last I'm free!" an unearthly voice rasped as the light died away.

Both men slowly lowered their hands, not knowing what evil was before them. Neither of them was in the least prepared for what stood before them.

Instead of a great and terrible demon, there stood a short, buxom girl in a forest green kimono with a veritable mane of red hair. The only thing that suggested that there was something unhuman about her was the pair of short, triangular ears that sat atop her head and the tail twitching behind her.

Opening her eyes the girl looked at the two men as she took a fan out of her sleeve and snapped it open.

"I'm Fujiko." she said. "And I want to thank you two for setting me free."

Both men looked at each other and ran back the way they'd came. Snapping the fan closed she tucked it back into her sleeve and smiled.

"Oh, you want to play?" she said.

Suddenly she dashed forwards with inhuman speed after the two men, a storm of debris in her wake.

Matada was the first one out of the chamber with Oto bringing up the rear. Together they charged the door and had almost made it when a red and green blur blew past them with a blast of wind and a cloud of dust.

Oto and Matada skidded to a stop as the girl literally appeared in front of them.

"Going somewhere?" she asked.

"How-?" Matada gasped.

Fujiko giggled as she took her fan out of her sleeve. "I'm a demon silly. How else?" she said. "Now which one you two released me?"

"I did." Matada answered, raising his hand.

"And I'm the one who's going to put you back!" Oto roared as he charged forward, his sword ready.

Fujiko smiled demurely and neatly stepped out of the way as Oto charged her, extending her foot out and tripping him as he past.

"AAAAH!" Oto screamed as he crashed into heap behind Fujiko.

Fujiko snapped open her fan and fanned herself as she watched Oto get to his feet.

"Nice try samurai, but two thousand warriors like you tried to kill me and died very heroic and very bloody deaths." she said. " I doubt you would be able to succeed where they did not."

"You'll find I'm no ordinary samurai." Oto growled as he turned to face Fujiko. "I am Oto Igan, and I will be your doom."

"Hello Mr. Igan." Fujiko said as she bowed. "I am the cat demon Fujiko."

Fzzzt!

Fujiko blinked as an arrow zipped through the space where her head had been a moment earlier. A few strands of her hair floated down, cut by the arrowhead. Narrowing her eyes she turned her head and looked where the arrow had come from.

"Alright, who shot that?" she asked.

No one in the mob of villagers said anything as she straitened and turned to face them. Scowling slightly she narrowed her eyes as she looked the mob over.

"I said, who shot that arrow?" she repeated.

"I did."

Fujiko looked as a teenaged boy stepped out of the mob carrying a bow. She blinked as she recognized the boy.

"Yashima?" she asked.

"My name's Isokoru." the boy answered. "Yashima is my grandfather."

"How long was I in there?" Fujiko asked with a confused look on her face.

"Ninety years." rasped an old man in priests robes.

Fujikos blinked in surprise as she looked at the old man. "Wow. You really let yourself go Yashima." she said.

Yashima growled as he pulled a slip of paper from his sleeve. Fujiko realized that several more bowmen had stepped forwards and they had sealing arrows nocked.

"I haven't spent the last ninety years idle, demon." Yashima rasped. "I've been improving my wards. And when we put you away this time we'll put your friends up as a warning to others."

"Hey! It was an accident!" Matada objected.

Oto merely raised his sword and switched into a fighting stance.

Deciding that she was at a severe disadvantage Fujiko snapped her fan closed and put back in her sleeve. When she withdrew her hand she was holding a small spherical bomb.

"Here, catch!" she said as she flung it at Yashima.

Yashima ducked and the bomb sailed over his head to land in the crowd behind him. It landed and exploded into a cloud of foul smelling smoke.

"Run!" Fujiko yelled as she dashed by Matada and Oto.

The two men looked at each other, shrugged and ran in the direction Fujiko had gone.

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Oto collapsed in a heap, exhausted and out of breath. Reaching up he undid the ties for his mask and took it off. Sticking his sword into the ground Oto took his helmet off.

"About time you showed up."

Oto looked up to see Fujiko sitting on a log looking down at him. Oto gaped as he looked up at her.

"How?" he gasped.

Fujiko smiled at him. "I'm a cat -demon. You figure it out." she said. Reaching into her left sleeve she pulled out a folded piece of cloth. "Handkerchief?"

Oto took the cloth and swabbed his face. "Where's the ninja?" he asked.

Fujiko shrugged. "Dunno." she said. "But he is around. I can smell him."

"I'm up here."

Fujikos eyes bugged out and her ears stood up strait. Looking upwards she saw a dark shape in the tree branches above.

"How long have you been up there?" she asked.

"Ever since you stopped." Matada said. "I crossed your trail when you were fishing."

Oto looked up at Fujiko. "You were fishing?" he asked. "With a mob of villagers after you?"

Fujiko shrugged. "You get a little hungry after being sealed for ninety years." she said. "Want some?" she asked holding up a stringer full of fish.

Picking himself up from his face vault pulled his sword free of the ground and re -sheathed it.

"How did you escape from them? It took me an hour to lose them." Oto asked as he stood shakily to his feet.

"Easy. They don't look up." Fujiko said, pointing to the tree tops.

"Of course." Oto growled. "Now how about we get those fish cooked?"

"Lets." Fujiko said as she rooted in her right sleeve. "I have it in here somewhere..."

Matada dropped down silently next to Fujiko as she pulled out a straw box.

"Found it." she said.

"Found what?" Matada asked.

"Tinderbox." Fujiko answered.

"I'll get the firewood." Matada said before melting into the darkness.

Thirty minutes later the fish were sizzling merrily over a fire along with a pot of water for tea. Munching on his fish Oto glanced at Fujiko, who was munching on her own fish and purring merrily.

"Tell me, just how much do you have up your sleeves?" he asked.

"I dunno, actually." Fujiko said as she looked into her left sleeve. "I never really checked."

Fujiko looked up as Matada stepped into the firelight with more firewood and a pair of rabbits.

"Anybody like rabbit?" he asked as he set down the firewood.

"Me!" Fujiko said, raising her hand.

Fujiko glanced over at Oto as he finished his fish -on -a -stick.

"Tell me, what brings Yoshiro Igans grandson all the way into the mountains?" she asked.

"How did you know he is my grandfather?" Oto asked.

Fujiko tapped her nose. "Smell. Your scent is almost identical."

"Interesting." Oto said as he disposed of his fish bones. "But as for why I'm out here, I was framed by my rival Toko Arimaki in a murder plot against his father."

"He framed you in a plot against his own father?" Fujiko asked. "Nice guy."

"That is something of an understatement. He is to inherit his fathers position, but he is impatient, so he framed me." Oto said. "Unfortunately for him I foiled the plot, but was unable to clear my name."

"I see." Fujiko said as she took a fresh fish -on -a -stick from the fire.

"He and his henchmen are pursuing me supposedly to bring me to justice, but in reality-" Oto continued.

"But in reality they are just trying to kill you keep you quiet." Fujiko finished.

"Exactly."

Oto looked over at Matada, who was spitting the rabbits after cleaning them.

"You, ninja, why are you here?" Oto asked.

Matada set the rabbits in place over the fire and sat down to watch them.

"My name is Matada." he answered. "And I was retrieving a talisman that belongs to my clan when you showed up."

"Hmpf." was Otos response. "And what about you, demon? How did someone who defeated two thousand samurai let themself be sealed away?" he asked.

Fujiko rolled her eyes as she recalled the memory. "A half ton of fish and an all -you -can drink sake contest." she said. "I passed out drunk and woke up in that box. Those wards were so strong I couldn't even move."

Oto gave the demon a blank look. "You mean that priest defeated you by getting you drunk?"

"And over feeding you?" Matada added.

Fujiko nodded. "Yep. My big weakness." she said. "Which is good thing to know, because now you're my traveling companions."

Matada and Oto both sat up when she said that.

"Excuse me, but what makes you think we're going to be you're traveling companions?" Oto asked.

"Because the village that mob came from sent out runners with the news that a horrible evil demon (me) is on the loose and that you two are the ones who set it loose." Fujiko explained. "And they have good descriptions of the both of you, which means that you get caught you're going to die a long, painful, screaming death." she added, giving them her cutest smile.

Matada and Oto looked at each other over the fire.

"She's right you know." Matada said. "I've seen anti -demon mobs before, and it's not pretty."

"Shut up ninja." Oto growled. "So where do we go first?" he asked.

"North." Fujiko answered. "I have some stuff cached up there we could use."

"Are you sure it's still there?" Matada asked.

"Have there been a plauges of demonic cats in the last ninety years?" Fujiko asked.

"No." Oto answered.

"Then it's still there." Fujiko said. " We can take the secret roads there."

"Secret roads? How can a road be secret?" Oto asked.

"She's referring to ninja footpaths." Matada said. "You've probably crossed them dozens of times and didn't even know it."

Oto merely grunted and grabbed another fish. Fujiko smiled and picked up one of her own.

"Anyways, we can get started tomorrow." Fujiko said. "Right now lets eat and sleep. We're going to need it."

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The sun streamed down through the canopy of branches over head as they walked down a secret road. Matada was in the lead with Fujiko in the middle and Oto brought up the rear. Reaching a large tree Matada held up his hand.

Looking around at the forest surronding them Matada pointed off to his right.

"That way." he said as he began to walk in the direction he had pointed.

"That heads west." Fujiko said as she stepped in behind him.

"I know. This heads to a friendly village."Matada said. "We can cache the samurais armor there and get traveling clothes and forged passes there."

"Don't expect me to dress like a commoner." Oto said from the rear.

"Don't worry, you won't." Matada said.

The remainder of the walk to the village was silent. When they were within sight of the village Matada stopped the party and pointed to some bushes.

"There's a hiding place behind those bushes." he said. "Hide there until I return."

"Where do you enter?" Oto asked.

"I see it." Fujiko said. "I'll get us in."

Reaching into her left sleeve she pulled out a small bag and tossed it to the ninja.

"I don't need money." he said, hefting the bag.

"So buy yourself something nice." Fujiko said as she parted the bushes and stepped in.

Matada pocketed the money as Oto stepped into the bushes behind Fujiko. Turning to the village he then began to walk towards it, melting into the forest.

Past the bushes Oto found a surprisengly large space with packed earth and a bench made out of a split log. Fujiko was sitting on the bench holding a small saucer and a small clay jar.

"Sake?" she offered.

"Thank you." Oto said as he took the saucer from her. "You're a very well mannered demon, I must say."

"Well, I am a cat demon." Fujiko said as she filled her own saucer.

"True." Oto agreed. "Cheers."

"Cheers." Fujiko answered, holding up her saucer.

They sat and sipped their sake as they waited for Matada to return. As he sat there Oto felt the sake hit his stomach and a pleasant fuzziness reach up into his brain. Draining his saucer Oto held it out for a refill.

"Good sake." Oto said.

"Thank you." Fujiko answered.

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Matada returned two hours later with robes for Oto and himself, along with a blue over-kimono, hair dye, and a straw hat for Fujiko.

"Blue really isn't my color, you know." Fujiko said as she put on her straw hat.

"That's exactly the reason why I picked it." Matada said. "Everyone's going to be looking for a redheaded cat demon with a green kimono. With a straw hat and hair dye no one will realize it's you."

"And I suppose that's why I'm dressed in the robes of a retainer." Oto said from behind Matada. "And you are dressed as a minor noble."

"Exactly." Matada said. "If you dressed according to your station you'd be spotted for sure."

"So what am I?" Fujiko asked.

"My wife, of course." Matada answered. "Now come wife, we have a long way to go and we have wasted much of the day."

"Smiling slightly Fujiko nodded. "Yes husband." she said.

Turning east they began their joureny.

Over the next three weeks their journy was uneventful, traveling on the main roads but using the secret footpaths to by-pass the checkpoints of the shogun. Finally they began to really get into the mountains.

While they walked Fujiko taught the two men a few tricks she had picked up over her four -hundred years of life. By the time they reached the area the cache was in the two of them had learned more than they thought was possible.

Cresting the top of a ridge Fujiko held up her hand.

"What is it?" Oto asked as he looked out over the vista before them.

"We're close." Fujiko said. "Very close."

"Lead on then." Matada said.

"Follow me then." Fujiko said as she turned to the boulder -strewn slope that loomed above them.

Leaping easily from boulder to boulder Fujiko bouned up the slope. Matada and Oto looked at each other and Oto guestured up the slope.

"After you." he said.

Matada bounded up the slope after Fujiko while Oto simply stepped from boulder to boulder. Eventually they reached the summit, where there was a small depression at the top. Looking back down behind him Oto whistled.

"Clever." he said. "No one would know it was up here."

"That's exactly why I hid it here." Fujiko said as she picked up a pebble. "No human would ever look up here."

"What about demons?" Oto asked.

"That's why I set traps." Fujiko said as she flicked the pebble into the depression.

The pebble ricocheted off of several boulders before expending its momentum on a large boulder in the center of the depression and dropping onto a small rock.

Matada and Oto followed Fujiko as she began to leap from boulder to boulder.

'What was that for?" Matada asked.

"Disarming the traps." Fujiko replied as she reached the bottom.

Walking over to the boulder Fujiko pulled out her fan and tapped the boulder with it. Matada and Oto were not the least bit surprised when the boulder easily slid away, revealing a hole underneath.

"So what do have hidden in there?" Matada asked.

"The usual." Fujiko said as she reached into the hole and began to pull out items. "Mystical sword, scroll of incredibly powerful martial arts techniques..."

Taking the named items Matada and Oto watched as she pulled out a ceramic jug and pulled the top off. Taking a swig she turned to face them and grinned.

"And a jug of really good sake." she said.

"Well, now that we found your cache can we please turn to more important matters?" Oto asked. "Like clearing my name?"

"Why do you think I dragged us up here?" Fujiko asked. "These items will help you with your quests."

"And why exactly are you helping us?" Oto asked.

"Easy. By helping you two it'll help me with that damned priest and his grandson." Fujiko responded.

"And what help could you be against Toko and his friends?"

Fujiko merely grinned, revealing a set of sharp, white, teeth.

"Never mind." Oto said as he looked away.

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A gentle snow was falling as Matada tended the fire. Oto sat and watched the snow fall while he contemplated his next move on the shogi board. Fujiko sat across from him sipping heated sake.

Matada looked up as heard something.

"Someone's coming." he said. "One person, on a horse."

"Anybody expecting visitors?" Fujiko asked.

"I am." Oto said.

"Who is it?" Matada asked.

"Someone who owes me a big favor." Oto answered.

"I thought you couldn't trust the nobles." Fujiko said.

"You can't." Oto answered. "That's why I keep friends in low places. Our visitor is a sake merchant."

"A sake merchant?" Matada asked.

"Does he give discounts?" Fujiko asked.

"Why a sake merchant?" Matada asked.

"Why do you think?" Oto asked. "He sells to a lot of people, and gossips."

"Of course." Matada said.

"Does he give discounts?" Fujiko asked again.

"He might." Oto said. "I'll ask him."

Reaching out picked up a tile and moved it to another square.

"Your move."

Fujiko sipped her sake and considered the board while Oto turned away to await the arrival of the merchant. Neither of them was too concerned about the game, it had been going on for a month and it was only four turns in.

Out of the haze of snow came a figure on horseback. Approaching the cave the figure stopped and dismounted. Leading his horse in the figure resolved into a man in winter robes. Coming up to the entrance of the cave the man left his horse and approached Oto.

"You summoned me Lord?" the man asked.

"Yes. I have need of your services." Oto said.

"Name them my Lord." said the merchant.

Oto thought for a moment before responding. "My task for you is this: tell whoever that might be interested that I wasn't acting alone." he said.

"Yes my lord." the merchant said.

"And I have one other thing for you." Oto added.

"What would it be, lord?" asked the merchant.

"I have a customer for you." Oto said, pointing to Fujiko. "Rise up and speak with her."

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By the time spring arrived the capitol was abuzz with rumors about the assassination plot on Toko Arimakis father. Much to the annoyance of Toko Arimaki.

Attention was shifting away from Oto Igan and onto other people. No was suspecting him as of yet, but it was only a matter of time. Paranoid as he was Arimaki began to jump at shadows, and after a paticulay juicy rumor called together a meeting of the conspiritors during a party.

Afterwards one of the conspiritors went to his favorite geisha to finish the evening. Unbeknownst to him the geisha in question was also a spy for the shogun.

The sudden falling out of favor of one of his friends spooked Arimaki and gave the tug that was needed for the tapestry of lies that he had woven to unravel. Over the next few weeks his friends were picked up one by one by the Shogunate. In a panic he left the captital and fled north to his family estates. He never made it.

Arimaki was galloping along the road that lead directly to his estate when he found his way blocked by Oto Igan. Hauling back on the reins Arimaki brought his horse to a halt.

"Igan." Arimaki said.

"I see you're running like the coward you are." Oto said as he hefted his pole arm.

"Your one to talk Igan, getting help from a demon." Arimaki answered as he drew his sword.

"The only help I ever got from that demon was escaping you in the mountains." Oto said as he kicked his horse forward. "You however wont escape from me."

Arimaki charged forward to meet Otos attack. They rode towards each other, building up speed. At the last possible second Oto swung his halbred up and forward. Arimaki tried to block it but Otos halbred broke through his defense.

Arimakis horse slowed to a stop as Oto wheeled around to face Arimaki, who instead of either fleeing or attacking was staying still. Frowning he carefully approached his enemy, alert for any possible attack.

As he got close he saw that Arimaki was hunched over to one side in his saddle and was breathing heavily. Coming around he saw Arimaki grasping his stomach as a dark stain spread across his kimono.

Closing the distance to him Oto saw Arimaki look up and reach out at his with a hand stained red with blood.

"No....I will not let it end like this..." he hissed before collapsing and falling out of his saddle.

Oto watched with no empathy as Arimaki bled out on the ground in front of him. He gasped and shuddered before becoming still. Oto stared at his enemy for several moments before turning and riding away.

From her perch in a tree Fujiko smiled as the shadows quivered.

"Looks like he didn't need that sword after all." Fujiko said. "And I still say you could have chosen a better family."

Silence... said the shadows.

"Oooh...sounds like someone's a sore loser." Fujiko said.

Away with you! hissed the shadows.

Fuji leapt out of the way as a bolt of blackness struck out of the shadows at her, demolishing the tree. Lashing out she sent five white cresents into the blackness.

The forest around her exploded as a unworldly howl reverberated around her. Birds took flight at the noise and Fujiko smiled.

"That was nothing." she said. "Save your breath for the real pain."

You will be the one who will be screaming cat... the shadows rasped.

"You're not the only one who has said that to me, spider." Fujiko answered. "And you're not going to be the last!"

We'll see about that... the spider said as it came out of the shadows.

"Big words." taunted Fujiko.

And I'm a very big spider... said the spider as it came fully into the light.

"Which is why I have this." Fujiko said as she withdrew a dart from her sleeve.

A single dart won't stop me... the spider said as it stepped towards.

"If it's a dart wrapped with the hair of the goddess, oh yes it will." Fujiko said as she hauled back.

Grinning madly Fujiko stepped forward as she began her throw, only to find her hand held fast.

"The hell?" she asked as she looked back to find it covered in silk. "Oh shit."

And now you die... the spider said as it rushed forward, moving with inhuman speed.

Fujiko watched with horror as the spider bore down on her.

"Ohshitthisisgonnahurt..." was the only thing Fujiko could say before the spider was on her.

She flinched away as the spider reared to deliver the fatal bite, but it never came. Instead there was a sharp clang and a hiss. Opening her eyes Fujiko saw scrabbling backwards, a large cut across two of its eyes.

"Not today, bug." growled Matada.

"Matada!" Fujiko cried as she sliced the silk with her claws. "How did you get here?"

"Instinct. I'm a ninja." Matada said. "Hiding my actions in plain sight is something I do every day."

"Nuts! All that work for nothing!" Fujiko said, snapping her fingers.

"Let that be a lesson to you-OOOOF!" Matada began before the spider swiped him into the tree.

You will pay for your impudence, human... the spider said as it turned to face Matada.

"Oh no you don't!" Fujiko said as she threw the dart.

Ching!

What?.... the asked as the dart began to glow.

"Goodbye bug." Fujiko said.

I'm not a bug, I'm an arachnid.... the spider howled as it became enveloped in a white glow. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo................................................. .......

The spiders howl turned into a scream and then into a wail as it was shiloutted in the light. Chunks began to come off of it before it completely fell apart and blew away like smoke in the wind.

The dart landed landed with a shunk! in the earth as the light faded. Matada looked at the bare spot where the spider had been and smiled.

"At least I went on a good note...." he said before he slumped forward, a piece of tree branch sticking out from his chest.

"Matada!!!!" Fujiko screamed as his world went black.

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A songbird trilling and the scent of flowers were the first sensations Matada was aware of when awoke. Cracking his eyes open he found himself in a very large room, and well appointed.

"Nice place to wake up in." he thought as he took in the rooms decor. "Waitaminute, waking up? What about that tree branch through my chest?"

Feeling inside his yakuta* Matada sat up on his futon. Frowning he opened his dressing gown and looked down at his chest.

"Must have been a dream. No scars or pain." he thought.

"Oh, you're up."

Matada looked up as Fujiko slid aside a screen and padded into the room. Matada watched her as she padded over to him and sat down.

"You okay?" she asked. "Is there anything wrong?" she asked.

"I just had a really strange dream..." Matada said, rubbing his head. "There was this big spider, and-"

"And it wasn't a dream Matada." Fujiko interupted.

"You mean there really was a-"

"Yes."

"And I really was-"

"Yes."

"How come I'm still alive?" Matada asked.

Fujiko smiled at Matada. "That's easy. I bonded you to me." she said. "So in effect you're now half -demon."

Reaching up Matada felt his head and discovered that he now had cat ears.

"What the-?" he asked. "Is this permament?" he asked.

"Yep." Fujiko said. "As long as I'm alive."

"And how long will that be?" Matada asked.

"As long as I want to." Fujiko answered. "So you're going to be around for a very long time."

Matada was silent for several moments as he considered what Fujiko had said. Finally he looked up at her.

"So basicllay I'm immortal, right?" he asked.

"Yep." Fujiko answered with a nod.

"Huh." Matada said. "At least now I can learn those techniques on that scroll now." he said.

"That's the spirit!" Fujiko said, slapping him on the back.

__________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________

There was silence for almost a minute afterwards. Then someone clapped, then another, and then another. It quickly built to roar as the audience gave them a standing ovation.

"I think they like it." Naota said over the roar of the crowd.

"You think?" Lia asked as she bowed.

Then Matoko came out on stage in her armor, but with no helmet. She took her place next to them and soon the rest of the cast was on stage as well, all taking their bows before the audience.

The ovation lasted for ten minutes before the curtain finally came down.

"And that's a wrap people!" the Drama club president said.

"About freakin' time!" Lia said as she pulled a fan out from her sleeve. "I'm gonna go change. This thing is a bloody sauna."

"Mine is not much better." Matoko said as she followed Lia.

After they changed (and washed off the stage makeup) Lia and Matoko came back out to find their parents and little brother waiting for them along with Mamimi.

"Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?" Lia asked.

Ranma shrugged. "We back here to congragulate you on your performance."

"Oh, thank you." Lia said.

"Did you have fun playing with your boyfriend-HEY!" Christian began.

"For the last time, he's not my boyfriend." Lia said as she lowered her water bottle. "Chris -chan"

"Eee! You look so cute!" Mamimi squealed as she glomped onto Christian.

"AAAAACK!" was all Christian said as Mamimi glomped her. "Mamimi, I can't breathe!" she wheezed.

"Sorry!" Mamimi said as she relaxed her grip some.

"Well, anyways, thanks." Lia said. "Matoko and I are going to stay here and help clean up ."

Ranma nodded. "Alright. Just come strait home after your done."

"Okay." Lia answered.

______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________

Lia plopped down and wiped her brow.

"Finally we're done." she said. "Gimme a water."

As Matoko handed her sister a bottle of water Naota looked up.

"Well, we did it." he said.

"And no one killed each other." Izu said. "How about we celebrate all out hard work paying off?"

There was chorus of nods at his statement.

"What do you have in mind?" Lia asked.

"Well, there is a theater showing the Matrix trilogy." Naota offered. "In English."

"Subtitles?" Lia asked.

"None." Naota answered.

"I'm in." Lia said.

Matoko raised her hand. "I'm in as well."

"Ditto." Izu said.

Naota looked at Kenji, who looked back up at him. "Do I have a choice?" Kenji asked.

"No." Naota answered.

"I thought so." Kenji said.

"So when do we go?" Lia asked.

"How about next Sunday?" Izu asked.

There was a chorus of assents all around.

"Okay then. We'll meet up on Sunday at the Saotome house." Izu said.

__________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________

End.

*Japanese bathrobe.

Authors Note: I've been doing some sketches of Naota and Lia. Go to JTCorner.com and look under the name Zombie Boy in the artwork/fanart section.

I had a little trouble posting the pics, so you'll want to look at the one at the top labeled 'fanfiction original characters READTHIS ONE FIRST!!!!'