It's been too long. Far to long. You are having with drawl pains.
You must have the next act for Curse of the Ghost Dance, or you will
surly parish from a long and a painful withdrawal. So, driven by
your vary will to service, you are on your way to the dangerous,
crime ridden water front. You are about to risk life and lime to
satisfy you're your habit.
But first, lunch.
Today, you decide to try that brand new Japanese fast food place. So
you drive into the drive throw.
"Moshi Moshi, Welcome to McSushisi. May I take your order please?"
The voice from within the menu panel says. So you give him your
order.
"Would you like fries with that?"
Yuck.
So, you pull around to finally meet the person face to face to
exchange the money for your order, when who should appear in the
window, but a familiar black clocked, beady eyed spy. And he appears
to be as suppressed to see you, and you are to see him.
"Greeting's friend. Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to
you. But as you can see, I had to supplement my income a bit. I
like being a Fan Fiction Spy, but it doesn't pay all that great.
Well, I suppose your ready for the next fan fic. Then it's good that
you came here. Code Name D's fan fiction to go.
"Code Name D then hands you yet another envelope, titled, Ranma 1/2,
Curse of the Ghost Dance. Act 9: Flight to the Mines of Marty.
"As you may remember. Ranma and Tarry had foolishly charged into
certain death. (Good old Ranma) But The Shaman had a plan to rescue
both Schools, and sent Kuno and Marry Lou out to execute his plan.
But what of Soun, Genma, Cindy, Kelly, and the Darenger brothers? Or
more importantly, what of Akane and Redd?
"Well, to find out, you will just have to read.. the.. story? What
the?"
You look behind you, and see an all too familiar Japanese Copyright
agent, pounding at the menu board for some attention.
"Opps, sorry. Duty calls. Oh, don't forget the free Rumiko
Takahashi disclaimer cards. This week, it's the "She own Ranma 1/2"
week. Enjoy. Oh, and you forgot your fries!"
+----------------------------------------------+
| Code Name D presents: |
+----------------------------------------------+
| Ranma 1/2 |
| The Curse of the Ghost Dance |
+----------------------------------------------+
| Act IX |
| Flight to the Mines of Marty |
+----------------------------------------------+
Once again, Nabiki felt the earth move beneath her. She held on for
dear life to one of the house support beams, as did her older sister.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the earthquake stopped,
and the house was still standing.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my..." was all that Kasumi could say.
"Now now Kasumi, we will get through this," Nabiki said, "Somehow."
Suddenly, Kasumi became quiet and looked at her sister rather oddly.
"Oh no, I am not scared, necessarily. But I have this feeling that
we forgot someone," Kasumi said with her usual calm and demure tone
as she looked about the basement.
"Forgot who?" Nabiki asked. Suddenly, she inhaled sharply as she
felt something cold and clammy clamp onto her buttocks. Then Nabiki
finally forced herself to relax. "Never mind, I found him," she said
as she looked behind her to see that Happousai had glommed onto her.
"Woo wee, that was a close one," Happousai said, "For a moment, I
thought I was a goner Ahhh "
A moment later, and Happousai found his head lodged into the ceiling,
leaving him hanging from the shoulders down.
"Ow! Is that any way to treat your elders?!" Happousai said as he
folded his arms and with his voice muffled from the floor.
Suddenly, there was another tremor that shook the entire house.
Happousai was shaken loose from the ceiling, and grabbed onto the
support beam along with Nabiki and Kasumi. A few moments of mind
racking terror, and the earth settled once again. Leaving Kasumi,
Nabiki, and Happousai panting nervously. Suddenly, there was a
shadow in the basement window.
"Ahhh! It's the Volcano Demon!" Happousai shouts. In a panic, he
scurried under Kasumi's skirt. He wasn't there but for a few seconds
when he Nabiki pulled him back out from under her sisters skirt, and
then held him up to her eye level.
"And just where do you think your going? That's not a Volcano Demon,
it's only Cologne," she said as she turned him to look at the
basement window to see Cologne and Mousse climbing inside to take
shelter from the raining ash and pumice stone outside.
"I think I would prefer the demon," Happousai said.
"Nice to see you too, happy," Cologne said as she hopped atop her
walking cane, "Actually, Mousse and I were just checking to make sure
you two are alright. As well as to see if you two might happen to
know any thing about this volcano that suddenly erupted."
Kasumi and Nabiki gave Cologne a strange look. It was Nabiki that
broke the silence first.
"Ah, excuse me but, how are we to know any things about the inner
workings of a volcano?" Kasumi said with her trade mark cock of the
head.
"Because, young Miss Tendo, this is no ordinary volcano. Something
is causing it to erupt. A foreign spirit I think. One that I have
never encountered before. I don't even think it's an eastern
spirit," Cologne said.
"Really," Nabiki said, "Then what do we do about it?"
"We can do nothing. The only way to deal with a problem like this,
is to attack it at it's source," Cologne said. Suddenly, yet another
tremor struck, almost knocking Cologne down from her cane.
Cologne then sighed.
"Mousse and I are going to check on the others, and to help where we
can. At least we know that Shampoo and son in law are Okay," Cologne
offered.
< + + + >
Ryouga and Ranma suddenly froze, realizing that they had turned their
backs to the enemy, and that they had already moved in on them to
take advantage of it. This was their first, and their last mistake.
A rather large Spanish Soldier charged them, and plowed them over.
His heavy steal armored arm making the impact feel as if it was the
impact from a train. Both Ranma and Ryouga were knocked flat on
their backs.
Ryouga shrieked helplessly as two Mayan Warriors stepped over them,
and raised their war hatchets high.
There was nothing they could do, nowhere to run.
"Looks like this is the end, Ryouga!"
"Nice knowing you, Ranma!"
The two warriors let out a battle cry, preparing to fall their axes.
Suddenly, two biscuit like projectiles were thrown into the Indian's
open mouths, and were thrust down their throats.
Their hatchets hovered in the air for a moment, trembled, and slipped
from their grasp. Both warriors suddenly doubled over, clutching
their stomachs.
Shampoo suddenly leaped over them, covering them from further attack.
Slung over her shoulder, was a sack full of those strange biscuits.
"Sh.. Shampoo!" Ranma said.
"Nihao Ranma. Spatula girl use Akane cooking, make terrible weapon."
"Ukyou used Akane's Cooking?" Ryouga said.
"Oh man, things really are getting serious around here." Ranma said.
"Talk later, now must fight!" Shampoo said, turning her attention
back to the enemy.
A Spanish soldier charged forward with a yell, and Shampoo neatly
tossed another biscuit into his mouth, dropping him on the spot.
But there were several more right behind him, and they were keeping
their mouths shut. But before they could attack the trio, tangles of
cords were flung in their path, quickly ensnaring the attackers dead
in their tracks.
Ukyou suddenly jumped in front of them.
"How do like my Chines Noodle Net fellas?" she said to her vanquished
foes.
Suddenly, The Cajun appeared just before another rank of charging
Mayan Warriors and Spanish Soldiers. With his impossibly wide grin
still intact, he began to mix something together in mid air that at
first looked like a black blob of goo, then began to take on the
shape of a rabbit.
"Biue Tar Baby! Yaw!" he shouted as The Cajun reared back with his
strange concoction in hand, and tossed in directly into the path of
the charging solders.
The goo splattered in all directions, instantly adhering anything it
touched to the ground. The moment that the worriers stepped onto the
goo, they tripped and fell head first into the rest of it. They then
tried to cut there way free, only to have their hatchets frozen into
place by the first strike.
Ukyou then looked at Ranma and Ryouga from over her shoulder, and
tossed an extra bag of biscuits at their feet. "Don't just sit there
goggling you two, we got a battle to win. Work your way over to the
main road. The Shaman has some kind of rescue plan." Ranma and
Ryouga did a double take, then took up the bag.
"Right," Ryouga said as he took up the bag.
Both Ranma and Ryouga jumped back onto their feet, and charged into
the fray. No more than a few dozen meters away, they saw the
Clearwater school making a stand at a beaten down old cobble stone
wall. They arrived just in time to reinforce their position. For
once, the battle field was strung with hundreds of sick looking
bodies who were slowly crawling away from the fray.
"Glad you all could join us," Tarry said as she kicked another Mayan
warrior out of the way.
"So am I," Ranma replied, "And just in time too, it looks like you
guys can use a hand."
"I am NOT a guy!" Tarry snapped, she then looked out over the wall,
and grew pale. "Uh oh..."
"What?" Ranma said as he too looked over the wall. He then regretted
doing so. It looked as if the entire zombie army was charging them.
Before any of them knew what was happening, they began to poor over
the wall, en mass. Then continued on running. About thirty seconds
passed as the army sprinted through and thinned out, leaving only the
stragglers, and the confused students of the Clearwater and Saotome
school behind.
Tarry still had her hands up in a defensive posture. "What the.."
she said as allowed her posture to drop. "It's almost as if they
weren't running to fight us, but running away from something else.
Suddenly, every one began to hear screams of terror coming from the
other side of the wall.
"Say, that sounds like Kuno," Ukyou said.
"And Marry Lou," Bob added, as confused as the others. It was Bob
who looked over the wall again, then clearly panicked.
"RUN AWAY!! RUN AWAY!!" Bob shouted as he sprinted away from the
wall. His warning wasn't in time when a large yellow school bus
crashed through the wall, and came to a stop. After the dust
settled, every one looked up at the bus.
"Kuno," Ranma said.
Kuno and Marry Lou were still plastered to the front of the bus, even
after having plowed through a stone wall. The "wear and tear" from
their ordeal was plainly evident, with Kuno having a stray brick in
his mouth.
Kuno's jaw relaxed, and the stone fell to the ground (along with
several teeth).
"That hurt," he weekly said.
"Ow," Marry Lou said with a soft and shaky voice.
The door to the school bus opened to reveal a proud Kelly Clearwater
at the wheel.
"Howdy. Look'en like you guys and galls could use a get away bus.
Hop in, and let's get while the gettin's good," Kelly said.
The whole display prompted Tarry to slap her forehead in
embarrassment. Then without warning, Kuno bowled Tarry over in order
to confront Kelly through the bus door. He lunged, seething with
anger as he held his bokken towards Kelly.
"By what mockery of bureaucratic fool-men-ship was it that saw fit to
place you in the position of public transportation!" Kuno hissed.
Kelley only blinked at Kuno.
"What in tarnation did you say?", Kelley said.
"To even consider that one such as you, are charged with the task of
piloting this vehicle gives one cause to shutter. To transport
innocent students, no less, too and from there beloved institution
no less! Explain your self, woman.!"
"She was the only one the Dirt Hill School Board could get to take
the job," Tarry explained as she climbed back to her feet, "Those
'innocent students' on there way to there 'beloved institution' kept
throwing off the bus driver and high jacking the bus."
Tarry's explanation seemed to take the steam out of Kuno's rage.
It was then that Cindy Darenger peeked out from over the first seat
that over looked the bus door.
"Uh, I hate to be a bother, but we really ought to get moving, and
soon!"
Kelley looked into her rearview mirror, and gasped.
"Great gallop'in glue pots. Them suckers are on horse back now."
Kelley shouted, "And there head'in straight for us!"
At that point, The Shaman stood up, and took charge.
"Tarry, and Ranma, upon the wall. Hold them at bay with a spirit
attack until all are on board. The rest, board the bus at once."
"No can do Shaman," Tarry said, "I'm too spent, running all the way
from town. I suspect that Ranma is tapped too." Ranma nodded in
agreement.
"Fear not! I Tatewaki Kuno shall hold them at bay long enough for
the rest of you to make good your escape."
Ranma looked at Kuno with awe.
"Are you sure man? There are a lot of them," Ranma said.
"Of what concern to me is overwhelming numbers. I shall surely rise
to the occasion," Kuno said as he closed his eyes and struck up
several dramatic poses as he continued to drone on and on.
Meanwhile, every one else, including Ranma, filed onto the bus as
Kelley revved up the engine to free the bus from the wall.
"For at my disposal, is the most powerful weapons that a true warrior
of virtue may call upon. For I am commanded by not just one, but two
earth shattering loves. That of Akane Tendo, and the Pig Tailed
Girl. And if a warrior of true hart and virtue can call upon the
powers of these loves so great and true, surly than I am able to..
to.."
It was at that point that Kuno looked over the wall, and saw a
virtual heard of horsemen thundering their way towards him. But this
time, the bus had already pulled it self free of the wall, and began
to advance down the road.
"Are you coming Romeo, or are we to come back for your body?" Kelly
shouted as she stuck her head out the drivers window.
Kuno looked back at the advancing cleverly.
"Uh oh."
With that, Kuno sprinted after the bus. Just on his heels, the
Calvary began to poor over the wall like a flood defeating a dike.
Kuno poured on the speed, and then made one final leap before the bus
accelerated beyond his reach. He was just able to grab the rear of
the bus, just as its tires squealed into life, thrusting the bus
forward.
The Calvary thundered after them. At one point, they came close
enough that Kuno could feel the hot breath of the horsed down his
back, prompting him to clamber onto the bus roof.
< + + + >
"Kelley! They're getting closer!" Cindy said to the driver, whom she
was sanding next to.
"Thank you Mr. Spock, I am well aware of that..." Kelley said, she
then looked at the doorway, and saw that some of the riders had
managed to advance as far.
"Great hop'in horney toads. they're a fix'in to board the bus,"
Kelley said, "Not while Kelley Clearwater is at the wheel!"
Kelley rapidly spun the steering wheel, and the bus made a violent
turn. Every one else hung on for dear life as the bus suddenly
vaulted onto its left tires. The underside of the bus quickly
enveloped many of the riders. When the bus finally righted itself,
many were crushed underneath.
A long string of untranslatable Japanese words were then hurled at
Kelley from the roof of the bus.
"Kuno! Watch your language!" Ukyou said, "There are girls present."
< + + + >
The Bus roared along at top speed. Kelly's maneuver cut the strength
of the Calvary in half, and forced the rest to respect the bus's
space. Instead of coming at it from the sides, they approached from
behind.
Two riders dismounted, and latched onto the rear of the bus, and
began to climb their way's to the sides. The window was lowered, and
a giant hand reached out and grabbed the first rider by the throat.
"Audios, amigos!" Area said, as she dropped the rider from the bus.
Each rider who attempted to board the bus was neatly dispatched in a
simpler manner. Leaving only one rider left in pursuit.
This one was no dummy either, having already skillfully avoided being
crushed by Kelley's side swiping maneuver. As his horse raced
forward to close the distance, the rider stood up in his saddle.
When he was close enough, he leapt from his horse, straight to the
roof of the bus.
Kuno, up until now, was hanging on for dear life. But when he saw
some one had boarded the bus, he stood tall, and readied his bokken.
The Spanish soldier eyed him knowingly, then drew out his saber from
its scabbard, and held it
forth.
Kuno began to mentally prepare for the coming attack. With both
hands on his bokken, he had the leverage and strength to respond with
blinding speed. But what the saber lacked in strength and speed, it
made up in its agility and range of motion, not things to be taken
idly.
As Kuno looked into his opponent's eye, he knew that the Spanish
soldier was also aware of this. This was no mere trooper, but
probably the captain of the Spanish Army.
Driven my a single que, both attacked simultaneously. Kuno tried to
power his way through the sabers defenses, but the blade was too
skillful in deflecting his attack, and swiftly spun around in a
thrust.
Kuno abandoned his two handed grip in favor for a single right hand,
and spun his bokken about in a parry. Kuno's reword was to get the
captain's free hand shoved into his face, knocking him a step
backwards.
The captain then made another thrust, hoping to take advantage of
Kuno's spoiled balance. But Kuno's balance was far from spoiled. and
he was again to parry the thrust, and return with a two handed slice.
The two began to exchange cuts and blocks, until the Captain made yet
another thrust. But a particular thrust that Kuno was hoping for.
Again, Kuno went single handed, and parried the thrust. But this
time, his bokken carried the blade on around. The human wrist had
its limits of flexibility, and soon, Kuno would neatly leverage the
sword from the Captain's grip.
Then he did the impossible, the captain emplyed the only defense.
The sword remained in the captain's grip.
The two broke apart to resize each other up. They began to pass
about each other, as far as the narrow roof of the bus would allow.
"/You are good./" The Spanish Captain said, in French, a language
that Kuno actually knew, "/You employed Philod's sword wrenching
technique with perfection. I have rarely seen it done so well, and
have never even seen it attempted by a samurai armed with a bokuto ./"
"/And indeed you too must be schooled in the French art of fencing,/"
Kuno said, "/for how else would you have know it's counter./"
"/It is best to know the ways of your bitter enemy,/" The captain
said. He then lowered his sword in an offensive manner. "/Now, let
us complete our battle./"
Kuno narrowed his vision, and tightened his focus, and readjusted the
grip on his weapon.
"/Oui/" he said.
Again, the two charged at each other, exchanging a maddening volley
attacks and blocks. Steel and wood flew about at a pace barely
perceivable by the human mind. Only the sharpest of discipline and
skill prevented the captains saber from slicing Kuno, or his bokuto
from bludgeoning the captain. Over and over, they engaged,
unrelenting, surrendering ground only when given no choice, or
serving their advantage. But not a single step was random, as the
two played a violent and deadly game of chess.
The captain pressed an obscure advantage, and Kuno was forced to
tumble to one side, breaking the flow of battle. Kuno then backed up
to the edge of the bus, and suddenly found himself at the losing end
of this game of steel chess.
The captain position himself to block Kuno's escape.
"/It is the demand of my culture that I give you the chance to yield.
It is no dishonor to recognize a superior opponent./"
Kuno stood up strait and with deserved pride.
"/My people do not yield, nor do we recognize another's superior
skill. You must prove that to me. If you can./" Kuno said. He then
let go of his bokuto with he left hand, and allowed his weapon to
come to come to rest by his right side. It was almost as if he was
accepting defeat.
"/Very well. Prepare your sole to be received by God./"
The Captain charged.
Kuno swung his bokuto to the floor, the roof of the bus, and sliced
open the thin aluminum. With the roof no longer intact, the Captain
fell through, but not before Kuno swept his sword clear, and then
kicked him clear from the bus.
"/It would appear that you could not prove it./" Kuno said in French
as he held his hand to his forehead.
"What in Sam Hill, bat boy?!? Are you tearing up my bus!", Kuno
heard Kelley shout from below.
< + + + >
"RANMA NO BAKA!!!"
Akane tried hard to hold back her tears of fear. But it was becoming
harder to do by the moment. Here she was, thousands of miles away
from home, in a strange land with a stranger culture.
This was more than enough to make her uneasy. But now she was
trapped in what looked to be a dense fog bank, and though it was
difficult for her to tell for sure, somehow she was certain that the
translation pendant had failed, further adding to her sense of
isolation
She could hear lighting crackling far overhead in distant invisible
clouds, and the daylight swiftly fading through the thickening fog.
Although whether this was due to the fog growing thicker, the late
hour, or the advancing storm that was to be announced by the constant
lighting and distant thunder, was unknown.
"Ranma! Where are you?" she heard herself say.
Still, no answer. He couldn't have gone far, it was barely an hour
since he collapsed from the battle. Akane was still perplexed as to
how he managed to escape her arms as it was. Was he playing their
old game so soon? Even Ranma was not so insensitive as to turn so
cold so soon after rescuing her as he did.
"Think Akane. Ranma is probably unconscious. What about Redd? He
has to be near here. Or perhaps a passer by. But how to reach them?
What's the English word for help?
Akane swallowed hard. She knew a few English words. She even
volunteered for several extra English courses for school.
Unfortunately, she never really put much effort into the class, and
help wasn't one of the words in her vocabulary list.
"HI!!!" Akane called out desperately.
"/Sayonara/!" some one called out.
"Good by?" Akane repeated. That must have been Redd calling out to
her, with a similar problem. That means his pendent is broken too.
"Darenger Redd!!" Akane called out.
"Akane Tendo!!" Redd answered.
Then it was him. Akane blindly felt her way through the fog, calling
out Redd's name as he called out hers.
It was strange, but every time she heard her name called out over the
fog, the tension in the air changed, becoming more.. well, more
hostile some how.
Suddenly, Redd appeared out from the fog, no more than two feet away
before the fog released him. All they he was clearly glad to see
her, he wasn't exactly a welcome sight, since is was apparent that he
was near total panic.
Akane carefully began to select her next words. Not sure of there
accuracy.
"No Ranma? No Tarry?" Akane said. Redd shook his head no.
"Stay to," she said, clapping her hands together, "no get lost."
Redd nodded again, "We stay together."
"Together," Akane finished. So that was the word I needed. Well at
least I know he understands. "Domo Arigatoh Gozaimasu," she said
with a slight bow.
Redd had a puzzled look on his face. Akane paused for a moment,
searching for a translation.
"Thank you." she said.
"Domo Arigatoh Gozaimasu, thank you."
She smiled at him, then returned her attention to the present
situation.
"I must sound like Shampoo to you." Akane said, the irony not
entirely lost on her. Redd looked at her strangely, clearly not
understanding. "Never mind," Akane said, only making Redd more
confused.
The fog continued to grow thicker, and darker. Simply moving around
would be dangerous, even if Redd knew the territory. Judging by the
contour of the ground there were standing on, they were still on the
hill. But where were the bodies Ranma left behind? Where was Ranma?
There seemed to be only one option. To sit and wait. Their only
decision, was whether to call out for help or not. With the Black
Raven dead, Akane didn't see a reason why they should be silent.
"RANMA!!" Akane called out. Redd replied in kind, calling out for
Tarry.
"RANMA!!" Akane called out again.
"Lanma." some one said back to her from some where in the fog. It
was a dark, and frighteningly familiar voice. Slowly, the fog began
to fill with an evil, pricing laugh.
The fog began to swirl about Akane and Redd as she felt her blood run
cold with fright. Redd nervously grabbed onto her arm, lest they be
separated again.
The fog continued to swirl, and then, instantly disappeared.
With the fog gone however, Akane suddenly learned that they were not
where she thought they were. It looked as if they were in some kind
desert. The only light came from a full moon that hovered at
midnight over the sky. Bramble, tufts of grass, and even the
occasional cactus broke up he sandy, rocky soil. An owl regarded
them from the branches of a short and crooked tree. The air was
surprisingly cool, almost to the point of needing a jacket.
The dark laugh continued behind them, Akane turned around to see the
Black Raven regarding them from the crest of a low hill. His laugh
and stares promoted Redd to shiver from fright. The reaction
prompted a new emotion to begin boiling within her, anger.
"What's going on here! How dare you do this to me. I am a Japanese
Citizen! You had better let us go or..." Akane's rage boiled over,
as she razed a determined fist against the man like monster, "Or I
will make you so sorry."
A small smile appeared on the Black Raven's face. Then he spoke, in
English.
Damn. He probably didn't understand a word I said. He then slowly
approached them.
Redd promptly hid behind Akane, who suddenly wished she had some one
to hid behind herself. Any thought of running seemed vain, since as
far as could be seen, there wasn't any conceivable hiding places.
The vegetation was too sparse.
The Black Raven finally reached arms length from her. He then
reached forward for her chest. Akane was close to lashing out, but
stood her ground.
The Black Raven then took her translation pendent, and griped it in
his fist. Black fog began to orbit his closed hand. And then, he
replaced it, allowing the pendent to drop back to Akane's
chest.
"As you were saying, Akane Tendo?" The Black Raven said.
"Why have you brought us here against our will?" Akane snapped.
"Against your will? It was your will that brought you here to me.
But I still commanded it. Because I need you to complete the curse."
"What curse?" Akane said.
"The curse, of the Ghost Dance." The Black Raven said, "A prophecy
set forward by the Native Americans. A prophecy that says that all
white men will be buried under a rain of soil, and the buffalo shall
return to the plains."
Akane was taken aback by this.
"What does this have to do with me?!" Akane snapped.
"Because, to destroy the inhabitants of North is no longer good
enough. Not when so many people, in so many countries still live.
And America has many allies, who would come to rescue those who
suffer. Including your own country, Akane Tendo. Of all the lands
that should hate the US, it should be yours. They burned down your
cities with atomic fire. But your people would sacrifice every thing
for Redd Darengers kind. Therefore, you must parish too. Your
people, must share the same fate To configure the curse to destroy
Japan, I lured you here, as well as the one from china."
"That's crazy!" Akane suddenly said, "Wouldn't that destroy your own
people too?"
The Black Raven suddenly burned with new rage.
"What arrogance." he said. He then swept his arms, and a thick fog
bank rolled over them, only to roll away, reveling that they were in
a new environment.
"Behold, the untainted splendor of the Rocky Mountains."
Akane stood up, and stared at the vista that stood over her. Finally
understanding why they were called, Purple Mountain's Majesty. The
mountain range that stood before her was like nothing that she had
ever seen before. Even photos and paintings failed to deliver
anywhere near the impact that she saw before her. The air was so
clear, so crisp.
Suddenly, another fog bank rolled over them, and she founder herself
in an alien looking woodland that was filed with white barked trees.
"The birch forest of the Appalachain mountains. With a diversity of
life that rivaled the Amazon, until man arrived. And the greatest
shame towards man of all. A wonder that would have paled the plains
of Africa."
Again, another fog bank rolled over them. Akane once gain opened her
eyes, and gasped.
They were again standing on a rise, but one that was hundreds of feet
tall, that gave a commanding view of a vast plain before her. It
was always her opinion that the plains were boring, when compared to
the mountains. But what she saw was not nothingness, but vastness.
Plains that stretched out so far, in air so clear, that one could
clearly see the curvature of the earth. But this plain was not
empty. In fact, it was teeming with bison. Buffalo. A massive,
unimaginable heard that covered the plains like a fast, living
carpet. Numbers that easily rivaled the stars in the sky.
Only now, was Akane beginning to grasp the true nature of the crimes
that man was being accused of.
Then, the Black Raven stepped in front of Akane, and took her by the
front of her shirt, and lifted her off her feet.
"I fight for them, Akane Tendo, and you will die for them, as they
have died for you. Your kind will die without care, without mercy,
without reason. If even a few of man should survive, then they will
return to their rightful place. But only, if they earn their
survival."
With that, the Black Raven threw Akane back, allowing her to crash
into the dirt.
Akane's rage began to boil.
"Grrrr!!! There is no way I am going to let you do that!"
Akane jumped to her feet, and charged at the Black Raven, kicking and
punching with all her skill and might. But the Black Raven only
continued to retreat out of range.
"I will die first, before I let you hurt Nabiki or Kasumi."
The Black Raven then caught her fist, stopping it cold. The then
gave her an icy smile.
"Yes, you will die."
The Black Raven then whipped her around and did a shoulder toss,
throwing her into a thick fog bank. She landed in a shallow pool of
water that she could have sworn wasn't there before.
Instantly, she jumped to her feet, to confront a the Black Raven who
was bellowing with his maniacal laughter again. She clenched her
fists, and searched the fog for a target.
"Akane!" she heard Redd call out to her, only this time, his voice
was more distant.
He's getting away.
Akane charged from the pond and into the fog, only to see it swiftly
thin. The Black Raven's laughter began to fade into the wind,
leaving Akane alone.
The fog finally began to clear, and she found herself in a hauntingly
familiar place.
"HOME!"
Akane turned around, and realized that the pool of water that she had
just leaped out of, was in fact the small fish pond in her back yard.
The structure before her was in fact the house where she grew up in.
Every thing was as she remembered it. Even so, there was still a
slight, surreal quality to what she was seeing.
"This is to big for me. I have to get help. Cologne or maybe Meio
can help."
She then ran forward, and into the house.
"Nabiki! Kasumi!"
But there was no answer. Akane began to search the whole house, only
to find it empty.
She then ran to the corridor, where the telephone stand was placed.
From there she could call Doctor Tofu, or Cologne. But when she
arrived, the phone was gone. The stand was still there, but no phone.
Akane ran to the kitchen, where the other phone was kept, only to
find it gone as well. Even the phone jack in the wall was gone.
Did the Black Raven some how come in and steal all the phones? If he
did, how can he just wipe away the phone jacks as if they never
existed?
"I'll just have to warn the others in person." Akane decided.
She quickly made her way to the front gate, only to find it closed
and locked from the outside.
Akane growled angrily at the gate, then readied an attack stance.
"Hiya!"
With as much force as she could bring to bare, she kicked the gate.
But the gate stood firm. Not a single crack. She knew that she
wasn't the martial artist that Ranma was, but ever since the Magic
Buckwheat noodles that she accidentally ate, strength was always one
of her assets. That door should be splinters by now, and herself on
the other side.
"What the..? Fine then, I'll just go over."
Akane neatly leapt to the top of the wall, and instantly regretted
it. She was preparing to use her forward momentum to carry her over
the wall, and suddenly had to reverse direction, because there was
nothing in front of her.
Franticly, she waved her arms in hopes of readjusting her balance.
It wasn't enough, and she went over, only just managing to reach
behind her to grab the edge of the wall and to arrest her progress.
A stray piece of plaster was kicked free, and fell, as Akane came to
rest, holding on to the ledge of the wall by only one hand.
She then looked down, and watched the chunk of plaster continue to
fall, well past the point where the street should have caught it.
It eventually just disappeared into the distance.
No wonder the house seemed so surreal, because it probably wasn't
real. Just some kind of illusion that the Black Raven plucked from
her mind. She was now held a captive in her own home, that was
adrift in a complete void.
Akane pulled herself back up to the crest of the wall, and gasped
from shock. It was a good thing that she didn't just completely
vault over the wall.
"It looks like I am trapped here." Akane said to herself, "Huh?"
She suddenly felt a presence behind her. Turning slowly, she
discovered a giant version of the male corn husk doll, standing on
the sidewalk leading to the front gate. It stood about ten feet
tall, like a statue. It's only expression, being carried by its
black stitched eyes.
Akane slowly rose to her feet, balancing along the edge of the wall,
unsure if the doll represented a threat to her or not. Eventually,
she felt safe enough to jump back down to the side walk. The doll
remained unmoving, unflinching. But it still responded, all the
same. She could feel its emotion. It was alive.
The doll radiated an unpleasant mix of tormented emotions. The
greatest of which seemed to be that of overwhelming loneliness. A
longing need unfulfilled, of desperate passion and desires that was
unrealized. The doll's melancholy was palpable, even to the point to
cause Akane to withdraw from fear. Fear that the doll may release
it's lost in the form of rage. Indeed, its anger was great, and
ancient, and checked only by the barest of margins.
But its anger was not directed at her. If any thing, she got the
feeling that the doll was begging her to relive it's suffering
somehow. Pleading with her.
The doll may not be a threat, now. But it was still very dangerous.
Akane considered the doll for a moment. Thinking about her
situation, plotting of any way out. It stood to reason that she was
some how transported to this place. Another dimension? Another
reality? One thing was for sure, she was not in Japan, so Cologne
and Meio was no longer an option. Nor was a conventional escape
possible.
No, her best, and perhaps only hope, lay within the enigma of the
corn husk doll.
Akane slowly moved in front of the doll. Doing so, she felt a slight
shift in emotions that it emitted, as if it's desire was cooled
slightly.
Could it be that this thing was actually male?
Akane continued to move closer, this time, moving more gracefully,
more.. feminine. This seemed to cool the dolls passion slightly
more. But over all, it was like a single drop of water against a
raging forest fire.
Akane finally stopped about five meters away, and sat down on the
sidewalk, folding her legs together, and resting her hands on her
knees.
With an audible sigh, to further calm the doll to her approach, she
closed her eyes, and began to sort through the tortured emotions that
the doll was radiating.
< + + + >
Deep in the hazy distance, along a rarely used, dusty and treacherous
dirt road, a splash of color, in the form of a large yellow school
bus, could be seen winding up it's way up. Rolling along sheer
mountain drop offs and narrow and rickety old bridges.
Slowly, the bus wound it's way up to the road, until the road itself
ended at a small parking lot. But it wasn't until the bus reached
the end, would the true speed of the vehicle be know to the outside
observer, as it rocketed over the final rise, for a moment, taking
flight. No longer encountering resistance with the road, the diesel
engine roared, like a beast set free. With a loud and violent crash,
the school bus returned to earth. Only when it entered into the tiny
parking lot, did its wheels lock up begin to decrease.
Animals of all sorts scrambled to escape the buses path as it began
to swerve into a 180. Then, with a large plume of dust, the bus came
to rest. Perfectly parked in its reserved space.
A moment later, and the motor went silent. Then, the boarding door
opened, and seventeen persons spilled out onto the ground, resembling
something like an over stuffed locker just being opened. Every one,
including the unshakable Cajun, looked rather green and queasy. Even
The Shaman, stumbled off the bus on shaky lags, using his staff for
support.
Only Kelly Clearwater stepped off the bus, invigorated. She inflated
her lungs with the cool mountain air, and sighed.
"There is nothing like a brisk and invigorating drive through the
country side. Huh! What in tarnation!?!" Kelley said who just
noticed the pile of martial artists on the ground, "Dag nabbit, you
guys are weenies. Y'all are acting just like my students."
"I am not a guy, mother," Tarry weekly said, still reeling from her
motion sickness. Suddenly, her cheeks bulged, and she needed to
unload with a Technicolor yawn. Further adding to every one else's
ill state.
"Hiya, Shampoo is wondering, where is Shampoo?" She said, apparently
being the first to recover.
"Glad you asked me that," Kelley said, "Or course, we ain't nowhere
just yet. Just the parking lot. But up that trail you see there, is
the Legendary Mines of Marty."
"The Mines of Marty, you say," Kuno waxed, "Surely you jest, or
intend to say, the Mines of Moreya. The famed and treacherous
labyrinth that were have been said to be hewn from the hands of
dwarves, so told by the master novelist of J.R.R Token's, and his
tale of the Lord of The Rings."
"This ain't no British Novel, Mr. Bad English. I am talking about
the gold mines that were started by Mr. Wrong Way Marty himself, and
in turn, founded the town of Dirt Hill," Kelley said.
"You mean that they used to mine gold here?" Ukyou said.
"Nope. There never was any gold in them thar hills. Wrong Way Marty
just wanted to dig for some, he didn't much care if there was any
there or not. You see, old Marty wasn't none too bright. Never the
less, he caused quite a stir when he set down a claim for a gold
mind. Sure as I am standing here, there was a gold rush, and the
town of Dirt Hill was literally built over night. Ha ha, you can
imagine there surprise when they realized that there wasn't any gold
to be had. But by then, it was too late. No one had any money to go
home with, so they just stayed put."
"Why am I not surprised," Tarry said. Clearly, she was unimpressed
to the origins of her own town. Suddenly, her mother whacked her on
the back of the head.
"Show some respect to your home town," Kelley said, "And you call
yourself a Native Dirt Hillian."
That was when The Shaman cleared his throat to gain everyone's
attention.
"We do not have much time. I do not believe that The Black Raven
will allow us to flee so easily. Surely, his army will make its way
here. And here, we will make not only make our final stand, but
launch a meaningful attack," The Shaman said.
"What about Akane?" Ranma protested.
"Yeah, what he said," Tarry said, chiming in as well. "We can't just
leave Redd in the hands of that monster."
The Shaman regarded them with steady, but forgiving eyes.
"It was you two who launched a direct assault on the Shaman's
forces," The Shaman said, "All you won, was a further retreat, as
well as placing your lives, as well as the lives of your comrades, in
great peril."
Suddenly, everyone gathered around the two martial artists, and
glared at them with spite. Shampoo, Ryouga, and Ukyou on Ranma's
side, and Bob, Area, and The Cajun on Tarry's.
"Oh yeah, tee hee," Tarry said as she flashed a fragile smile at her
companions, "I almost forgot all about that."
"Rest assured, young Ranma and young Tarry, I have forgotten neither
Akane, nor Redd," The Shaman said, "In truth, I fear that The Black
Raven is already making good his promise to assault Tokyo."
Without further delay, the Shaman marched up the path, and was
quickly followed by the others, leaving only Ranma and Tarry behind.
The sense of his own betrayal of Akane was leaving a very nasty taste
in his mouth. If only he had not gone into Dirt Hill. He could have
been there for her.
Ranma gave a final look out over the vista. For some reason, he was
hoping to see Akane, to know where she was, and if she was OK. Of
course, he couldn't.
"Don't worry Akane, I won't let any thing hurt you." Ranma said as he
studied his closing fist. "I'm coming for you, Black Raven."
"!! Black Raven!" Tarry suddenly shouted at full volume. Ranma
recoiled, and held up his hands in a warding fashion.
"If you harm a single hair on Redd's head!! I swear!! I will rip you
head off with my bare hands and shove your skull up your.."
Suddenly, a rock flew throw the air, and hit Tarry dead center to the
back of her skull, and knocked her for a loop.
"Dag'nabit daughter," Kelley snapped, "Why don't you take the bus in
to bring them up here while You're at it."
-- To be continued in act 10: Tale by the Fire -
_____Closing Credits____________________________
-->Do be do be do "Beware of the Penguins!"<----
------------------------------------------------
Story by : Douglas E. Kulp
Editing by : Christopher S Martin (All I want is frickin' sharks,
with frickin' laser beams on their frickin' heads...is that too much
to ask?)
Based on stuff by : Rumiko Takahashi
Transportation and lodging by : Code Name D.
I know your just trying to get into the sprit of things Ranma, but
the spurs are a bit too much.
[ ___/\/\___ ]Code Name D.
[ _(_@ @)_ ]dougkulp@feist.com
[ _\__\/__/_ ]code_name_d@my-deja.com
[ \ () * / ]Read the rest at:
http://www.tass.org/fanfic/ranma.curse-of-the-ghost-dance
The Cat Cafe: http://anime.at/catcafe
Or visit my Brand new Web Page, Code Name D's
Fan Fiction Underground. At
http://www.oocities.com/Area51/Aurora/8484
(
geocities.com/area51/aurora) (
geocities.com/area51)