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Early in the morning at the lakeside camp, Kasumi is happily washing the sooty clothes in the lake while humming a happy tune. Right now, she's scrubbing Akane's clothing with a salvaged brush and some soap powder stored in her own dress.
Kasumi: "Hmm hmm hmm, lah lah.... lah hmm mm! Ara, that's the last one!"
She wrings it dry and hangs it up with the rest of the drying clothing on the clothesline by the lake, watching the wrecked plane as she does so.
Kasumi: "Ara.... what an ugly thing. I must remember to make it prettier later...."
Old, withered, mummified voice (*donk*! "Who's an old, withered, mummified voice!?): "Ohayo, Kasumi-chan."
Kasumi turns to see Cologne hopping up to her in her nightgown on her staff, a strange frilly orange affair with no sleeves (Gasp!) but a long skirt (Whew!). Kasumi smiles and bows slightly.
Kasumi: "Ohayo-gozaimasu, Cologne-san!"
Cologne hops over to Kasumi's side and watches the plane.
Cologne: "How are we going to go back this time?"
Kasumi: "Gomen, I don't know...."
Cologne : <That was a rhetorical question.>
Then Kasumi looks down and spots something. A pretty something. (Pretty strange, anyway.)
Kasumi: "Oh! What a strange flower!"
Cologne's eyes follow Kasumi's, to the little red and white flower.... red at the petals, white everywhere else. Her eyes widen even larger than a frying pan's. She points to the flower with her staff, exclamation marking her voice.
Cologne: "This..... this flower!"
Then she looks out into the distance, her eyes slitting down. Using her chi, she looks straight into the water.
Then carefully, deliberately, she raises her staff.... aims..... and DOWN!
She pulls up the bleeding corpse of a Kappa, a tortoise-man. A very hungry one, by the state of its face. In a flash, Cologne starts shouting.
Cologne: "EVERYONE WAKE UP! THERE'S AN EMERGENCY!"
Cologne watches as several tents collapse immediately, then an army of arms and legs poking out from all angles underneath the canvas coverings. Bigsweat forms on her head as she mutters under her breath.
Cologne: "an emergency all right.... of stupidity."
Shampoo: "Ranma, Zao An!" (Zao An means Good Morning! in Mandarin, the main dialect of Chinese.)
Ranma (C): *snort* "...grgh... huh?"
Ranma groggily opens her eyes, still sleepy. Looking at Shampoo's face over hers, with several strands of purple (blue?) hair tickling her own face.
Ranma (C): "Aw, Shampoo.... couldn't ya wake me up later?"
Shampoo kneels besides Ranma as Ranma sits up. A flutter of red falls into Ranma's lap.
Ranma (C): "My shirt? Shampoo....? Agha...."
Ranma's jaw drops open as she looks at Shampoo. Wearing a sleeveless grassy top which reaches down to her thighs, followed by a leafy skirt which reaches to her knees, Shampoo is literally making a chinese fashion statement out of "Back To Nature". In fact, it looks so much like a normal silk cheongsam (THAT is the proper name for the clothes Shampoo wears! NOT pyjamas! \_/*) it might as well have been dyed green and left at that.
Shampoo smiles, giggles and claps her hands together as she tilts her head in the most adorable way.
Shampoo: "Ranma like? Shampoo spend all night making cheongsam!"
Ranma (C): "With vines and leaves!?"
Shampoo: "Mm! And hairpin! Oh ba ba always tell Shampoo never leave hairpin behind, so Shampoo always make sure wear hairpin out!"
Ranma (C): <No wonder she ties her hair like that. I'd wager she has about a dozen of those in there.>
But before Ranma can pursue that line of thought, Shampoo quickly puts Ranma back into her chinese shirt before leading Ranma out. Ranma's eyes bug out.
Ranma (C): "................!!!"
Like a miniature Neko Hanten before her eyes, Ranma can see a wooden table, two chairs, a glorified stone kitchen, bowls, cups, even chopsticks and a even a steaming kettle! Shampoo gestures to the "camp" like an artist presenting his latest masterpiece.
Shampoo: "Ranma like? Shampoo spend half night making!"
But Ranma doesn't really get to answer before Shampoo pulls Ranma over to the table and sloshes the kettle on her, changing "her" back into a "him".
Shampoo: "Shampoo no like girl-type Ranma, no nice like boy-type Ranma! Like this Ranma better!"
Ranma swallows hard as Shampoo hugs him for the morning before a strange sound stops them. The two look around for a while, then Ranma grins sheepishly and rubs his stomach.
Ranma: "Sorry, it's my stomach."
Shampoo: "No matter! Shampoo already make breakfast!"
Ranma: <Is it me, or is she the reincarnation of some survival instructor?>
Sekki: "And that's about it, you old cat."
Kurimuu: "So it is. Very well, Sekki, thank you for your..... information."
Sekki: "You already owe me about a hundred years of favors, what is this one?"
Kurimuu: "....... fine, just remind me to pay them back."
Sekki: "Soon enough. Is there anything else before I go out for my.... patrols?"
Kurimuu: "I shall call if I need you, you old bat."
Sekki: "Bat, yes, old, no. Very well, goodbye!"
In a flash, Sekki disappears. Kuriimu growls softly, his large yellow eyes turning away from the spot of their conversation. He looks up to the forest canopy, and spots several beams of light shining down to the leafy floor.
Kurimuu: "Daytime. Such a despisable time. Ah, maybe I'll just.... stalk my treats today."
With a quick shimmer, Kuriimu fades into the background, his only giveaway being the abrupt end of the beams of sunlight whenever he passes under them.
Cologne: "I must warn you all now. This island is infested by demons. We of Joketsuzoku speak of it as Xie Mo Dao, The Demon Isle. Also called the Dark Isle by tourists."
Mousse: "Looks pretty bright to me."
Ukyo: "If you could look, sugar."
Everyone begins to murmur. Suddenly, Kuno stands up from the crowd and raises his bokken above his head.
Kuno: "Fear not then, Tendou Akane, Osage no onna! For I, the Great Tatewake Kuno, age 17, shall rid these evil woods of all the defiling presences and protect you damsels! Come then, evil spirits! Come face the wrath of my holy sword! Haa haa haa!"
*tap* *tap*
Kuno: "Huh?"
Bake (Monster): "Hello, Kuno."
Kuno: ".....eek."
*bomph*
Blinking, Ukyo takes off the monster mask she was wearing and stares at Kuno, flat out on the ground, snow white and twitching, mouth wide open. She puts a finger to her lips as she kneels over Kuno along with Akane and Nabiki, looking thoughtful.
Ukyo: "Oh my, I seem to have overdone it."
Nabiki shrugs and nods to Cologne.
Nabiki: "So, what do we do?"
Cologne: "We'll need to be on our toes. No telling when one of the forest's local spirits might pay us a most un-social call. But we also need to find Ranma and Shampoo! My two great grandchildren are in greater danger than us!"
Soun: "WHADDAYA MEAN, YOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN!? RANMA'S TO BE ENGAGED WITH AKANE!"
Soun, tears streaming down his face, screams into Cologne's ear with a megaphone. Cologne blinks a few times, then shrugs.
Cologne: "Let's split up into three search parties anyway, we need to find them! Nabiki Tendou, you take Kuno, Mousse and Sasuke! Soun Tendou, you take Akane, Ryouga and Ukyo! I'll take Happosai here. Kasumi, stay here in one of the tents where it's safe. Alright everyone, let's go!"
Group: "Yeah!"
Everyone splits up into their respective groups and leaves the camp empty, all in different directions, all looking for the two missing people.
In a tree near the camp, a crow caws, blinking its three reptilian slitted eyes before fluttering off.
Nabiki: "Sasuke, does Kuno-chan frighten easily?"
Sasuke: "Er..... I think so. But Tatewake-sama is so.... strong and smart!"
Nabiki: "Yeah... right."
While Mousse (having had his spectacles taped to his face at Nabiki's insistence) clears a path in front of them with a helicopter blade hidden somewhere in his sleeves, Nabiki is dragging Kuno by the collar with Sasuke trailing behind. Trying to find some trace of the missing two, Nabiki nods to Sasuke.
Nabiki: "You have any experience tracking?"
Sasuke: "Yes, Nabiki-sama!"
Nabiki: "Let's see what you can pick up then."
Sasuke: "Hai!"
Sasuke quickly takes the lead in front of Mousse, and goes on all fours, examining the floor. Almost immediately he picks up a trail. It looks like someone ran through the place in absolute panic. He quickly stands up and calls behind him.
Sasuke: "Nabiki-sama! I've found something!"
Nabiki calls back to him.
Nabiki: "Hai, hai, I'm coming!"
Dragging Kuno along with quite some noise, Nabiki walks through the bushes to Sasuke's side. She looks at the trail, rather erratic, and nods.
Nabiki: "Might be this is Ranma's trail. Certainly nobody leaves a trail of destruction like this.... unless that old crone was right about being monsters here."
Sasuke: "Yes, Nabiki-san. Shall I scout ahead?"
Nabiki: "Be my guest."
Sasuke nods, and disappears in a flash. Nabiki leans against a tree and sighs tiredly, catching her breath in the balmy tropical heat, trying to get cool despite her sleeveless, skin tight polyester blouse.
Nabiki: "Phew! It's bad enough I have to carry Kuno-chan around, it's worse it's so hot!"
Looking up at the forest's ceiling, Nabiki notes a ray of sunlight blinking through the canopy. She follows it down, where it abruptly ends in midair.
When Sasuke returns, he looks around desperately.
Sasuke: <Surely I'm in the correct place!? I can't have gotten lost that easily! Why, my pebble trail's still here!>
But there is nothing. Just the wrecked trail, an empty space, and Sasuke.
Cologne: "Now, you old hentai, I want you to keep your hands off Shampoo when we find her or else you face the wrath of my tribe!"
Happosai: "Oh, what a sad thing to tell an old man! Boo hoo hoo! I just want to live out my days doing what I like best!"
Cologne: "Peh-leeeeease, no crocodile tears, Happosai."
*giggle*
Cologne: "Huh?"
Happosai and Cologne pause as they listen hard.
Cute Voice: "Aiyah! So playful!"
Masculine Voice: "Come on.... nobody can see us!"
Cute Voice: "What they say if they catch us?"
Masculine Voice: "Like those two are gonna find us, come on!"
Cute Voice: *giggle* "You good!"
Happosai's eyes begin to grow teary and glistening as he keeps listening to the exchange.
Happosai: "Ah! Those two lovebirds are getting along so well.... maybe I should use my years of experience to help them! Yes, haa haa haa! I'm coming, sweeties!"
Cologne stares stupidly as Happosai laughs happily and hops into the bushes, yelling "Here I am, Sweeties!".
Then, silence, as expected. Cologne shakes her head and sighs.
Cologne: *sigh* "I knew that hentai would get into trouble.... I should go get him out now."
She starts hopping on her staff towards the bushes... one, two, three hops.... then she stops short as a lightning bolt hits her in the head.
Cologne: "Wait a minute.... Shampoo NEVER says You!"
But it's too late. From the trees above, Cologne only has time to see a shadowy shape leap from the treetops, wings like a bat's extended from its sides, arms extended. (Alright, so I took the succubus image from Vampire Hunter. Sue me already! ^_^)
Soun: "Akane-chan, are you sure Ranma came by here?"
Akane: "Yes, otosan. I'm sure Ranma came by here."
Ryouga: "I don't know..... how do you know, Akane-san?"
Akane: "Oh..... just a hunch."
The group are making their way through a cleared path in the forest totally devoid of any plant life. The place looks like a tornado hit it and travelled in a straight line, which in a sense it did. Not the tornado, the thing that ran through it in a straight line.
Akane: "I walked here.... but it got late so I turned back. But I'm worried for Ranma, if that old woman spoke true."
Genma: "I'm sure my son can deal with any demons here, there's no fear of the heir to the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling finding himself in trouble on this island!"
Soun: "I'm not so sure, Saotome-kun.... Cologne said this forest had evil spirits.... and that turtle-man...."
Genma: "And you believe her? All she said was that the flowers that Kasumi saw were unique only to the Dark Woods, that tortoise didn't even look half human! Surely she was having us on! Haa haa haa!"
Everyone glares at Genma darkly as he laughs, the world turning black with a fiery aura for a few seconds before Genma notices their looks. He stops in mid laugh and a bigsweat forms as he is frozen in position, then slumps over in defeat.
Genma: "You're right. Come on, my son may be in trouble."
Everyone nods and all's right with the world again as light enters the world again. They keep walking, looking in all directions to make sure there're no ugly surprises waiting for them around the corner, while Akane drags Ryouga along by the hand.
In the trees above, a pair of yellow eyes glint but not because of the sunlight. They close into slits as a hissing snicker comes from a white-furred throat.
Kurimuu: "Very good.... very good indeed."
A shimmer, and the demon cat-man disappears.
While Ranma helps clean up the fireplace and bury the garbage in the soil, Shampoo goes off to search for the hot water spring she used the last time to bring some drinking water back. Along by himself in the camp, Ranma dusts his hands after patting the last of the dirt down and looks around him.
Ranma: <Sure hope we can find Akane and the rest soon.... I don't know about Shampoo, but I can't live like this!>
A rustle in the leaves and bushes, and Ranma spins around to the source of the sound. A stone in hand, Ranma eyes the spot carefully to make sure he doesn't bruise Shampoo again.
Ranma: <Not after those first two times, no way.>
Ranma lets out a sigh of relief as a small squirrel appears from the bushes, looks at him curiously, then scampers off again.
Up in a tree, a silent giggle and flapping of wings are the only things to betray the succubus sitting in the tree.
Sekki: "My, this one is a worthy prize. I must be careful not to let Kuriimu get him.... it would be such a waste for him to go to that dusty old furr-ball."
Silently, Sekki simply watches Ranma as Shampoo appears again with a wooden bucket of water.
*rustle*
Soun: "?"
Soun, taking the rear, turns around to see what caused the noise, cold sweat forming on his head. He tugs at Genma's gi, and Genma turns around.
Genma: "What is it, Tendou-kun?"
Soun: "Did you hear that, Saotome-kun?"
Genma: "Hear what? It must be your imagination, Tendou-kun."
Soun: "Maybe.... maybe you're right."
But still a little high-strung, Soun keeps looking behind him for the source of the sound. He doesn't notice his pace slacken though.
*bump*
Soun: "Oh! Sorry, Saotome-kun! I must've bumped into you accidentally."
Purring Voice: "Oh.... but I'm not Saotome-kun."
Behind Ryouga, Genma is nervously watching his sides as he trails behind Akane and Ryouga. He wipes his head with the back of his hand as the noises of the local fauna call out from the forest. He takes a moment to look behind him to make sure Soun is still there.
Genma: "Tendou-kun?"
Nobody. Genma begins to panic.
Genma: "Tendou-kun? Don't joke with me! Where are you?"
Still no reply. Genma blinks, then turns around to run, deciding Akane's safer company. He almost bumps into the brown-gi clad person in front of him.
Genma: "Oh! There you are, Tendou-kun!"
Genma almost laughs in relief as he sees Soun in front of him, also grinning. Then he looks more closely at Soun's face. He adjusts his spectacles and prods Soun's cheek.
Genma: "Are you alright, Tendou-kun? You look pale."
Soun nods. Genma sighs in relief.
Genma: "Come on then, we've still got to......"
Genma watches as Soun floats into the sky, then watches as something materializes behind him, holding him by the gi. His jaw hits the floor like so much dead weight.
Genma: "Ahhhhhh!"
Akane is still busy leading the way as she hangs onto Ryouga's arm when she hears Genma's scream. Both Ryouga and her turn around to see what caused the scream.
Akane: <Ojousan! Don't tell me some wild creature scared you!>
Finishing their turn, Akane and Ryouga see.... a monster of white. A cat demon, holding onto Genma's gi as he screams and wets his pants. (Eeew!) Akane herself opens her mouth to scream, as Ryouga quickly stands in front of Akane, baring his impressive teeth and preparing to fight. Akane lets go of Ryuga's hand to cover her mouth from screaming.
Ryouga: "Akane-san! I'll cover you!"
The cat demon turns around to look at Ryouga and Akane, all muslces, claws and sinister intent. It smiles, with teeth even more glaring that Ryouga's which make it looks like a grimace.
Kurimuu: "Ah, I nearly forgot about the two of you. Well then...."
Flicking its paw-hands, Kurimuu causes both men in his hands to disappear, then drops to all four with an earth shaking force. He growls once, something like an overbassed roar, and charges with even more earth-shaking strides. Ryouga braces himself as he shouts to Akane, pushing her farther behind him.
Ryouga: "Akane-san! RUN!"
Akane: "But, Ryouga...."
Ryouga: "MOVE!"
Akane nods, obviously scared witless, and runs. She doesn't look back, she doesn't want to. Running because her life depends on it, Akane keeps straight and true. Behind her, she can hear someone scream. Her heart screams at her to turn back and help Ryouga, but her mind and cold logic tells her to find safety somewhere, anywhere. She runs on.