"Sealed Past" Ch. 26 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 26

Genma's bruised, battered, and bloody body crashed onto stone as Sesshoumaru released the martial artist from his energy attack.

Practically everyone winched at the man's condition. Sesshoumaru had been even more brutal than Ranma.

"I trust I have made myself clear panda?" Sesshoumaru asked rhetorically, the panda was unable to speak any longer.

Kuno who had been watching the proceedings with horror and dismay suddenly remembered something. Soon after he had first met the crass lowlife, Nabiki-san had spoken of how the bastard had possessed his Pigtailed Goddess! The foul demon had not possessed his Pigtailed Goddess, he had devoured her!

"Foul beast!" Kuno burst out, startling everyone with its unexpectedness. "Not only have you harmed Akane-san but you have eaten my Pigtail Goddess!"

"Pigtail Goddess?" Shippou quirked an eyebrow quizzically at Ranma, feeling that his adoptive father knew of what the apparent swordsman was speaking of.

Ranma rolled his eyes and started to mutter a 'Don't Ask' statement but was forestalled by his mate's unexpected move.

"I think it's time some truths be told." Kagome stated calmly, her face serene as she pulled out more rosaries to hold them loosely in one hand. Brown eyes flickered over those affected by the Jusenkyo Curse.

Her eyes did not harden as the beads began to glow but rather grew more intense, more focused on a sight only she could fully see. Those effected by the cursed spring water began to shifted about nervously as something rubbed their instincts wrong—all but Genma who was still to injured to move of his own free will.

Words were spoken in an archaic tongue that none but the demon's present understood. Wooden beads pulsed and flickered with light before dispersing like sparklers from the priestess' hand to reform around four human wrists.

The Shikon-no-Tama residing in her chest glowing, Kagome spoke one word.

"Change."

The heads of the four who had been looking with surprise at the rosaries now adorning them jerked up. The sounds of the animals that they had been cursed to become emitting from their throats as the transformation of the Jusenkyo Curse was forced upon them. A duck, cat, panda and piglet appeared.

If Ukyo had not been supporting her, Akane would have collapsed in shock. Ryoga. Ryoga was P-chan. Her mind was numb with the revelation. She just couldn't absorb it... Ryoga... Ryoga was...

Ranma snorted as he looked the stunned expressions of those few Wrecking Crew members who hadn't known of the Jusenkyo Curse and the fascinated ones of the demons and Higarashi family members.

"Animals are not only what they can become," Kagome spoke softly, the light within her body pulsing with a weird rhythm.

"You mean..." Kuno trailed off as he tried to assimilate what he'd just witnessed.

"The woman that you speak of was nothing more than a cursed being."

"Who... who was she?" Kuno questioned hoarsely, devastate to learn that his Pigtailed Goddess was the result of a curse.

Kagome arched a brow at the traditionally dressed man than said softly, "I think you know."

Slowly, hesitantly, Kuno looked at his companions who all turned their gaze from his own to look at... Ranma. He looked at the back haired teen to find Ranma standing with a belligerent expression on the boy's face as he was glared at. No, it could not be.

"Yes," Kagome spoke once again, voice still gentle but undeniable, intuitively knowing what the bokotu(1) carrying man was attempting to deny, "His cursed form was the body of a woman."

For a long moment Kuno started at the man who had been his rival in everything since their first meeting. Than he burst into tears and fled.

The Wrecking Crew who were familiar with such actions watched Kuno flee with various degrees of sympathy while the demons all snorted in disgust.

"Humph," Kodachi muttered before drawing herself full erect and facing the Higurashi woman, "You may have defeated my family but we shall not rest until our honour is restored. Mwahahahaha!"

Kagome blinked as the gymnast disappeared in a swirl of black rose petals. "Odd."

Ranma snorted, she had no idea.

Kagome smiled faintly at the noise her mate made as she turned her attention back to the animals. Her eyes darkened once more as power hummed through the air. "Return."

Instantly those cursed returned to their human forms, blinking still in shock they stared at the priestess. How the hell had she done that?

The sharp voice of the Amazon Elder spoke unexpectedly from between the torii pillars.

"Great-Grandmother!" Shampoo exclaimed in surprise.

"Thank you for responding to my phone call so quickly Elder Cologne." Kagome greeted with a smile.

"Why you phone great-grandmother?" Shampoo demanded as she glared at her rival. After the woman had left the café her great-grandmother had said they were returning to China—without her husband!

"Come Xian-pu, Mousse the boat is leaving in an hour. We must be on our way to the harbour." Cologne said regally, shocking the other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

"You're leaving!" Ryoga blurted out.

"Yes," Cologne said sharply. "We no longer have a reason to remain in Japan. Good-evening Lady-Elder Kagome, I apologise for my great-granddaughter's intrusion."

"None shall be taken." Kagome replied. "May the gods grant you strong winds and gentle sailing."

"Thank you for your blessing Lady-Elder." Cologne replied with a bow of deepest respect. Turning the Amazon Elder began descending the stone staircase, Shampoo and Mousse looked forlornly at their friends and rivals.

"Shai shen,"(2) Shampoo finally said in a voice choked with tears before obediently following her great-grandmother.

Those remaining watched as Mousse followed the Amazons down the staircase, his path crossing with Kasumi's as the eldest Tendo daughter appeared atop the stairs.

Kasumi surveyed the scene before her, her expression serene. She looked with curiosity at the two demons she saw and the battered forms of her little sister and her father's friend. "Come," she spoke quietly, "It is time for us to leave."

"Ryoga-kun?" Kasumi asked as she walked towards the injured form of her sister, "Would you help me with Akane-chan?"

Ryoga hesitated, biting his lower lip as he looked at the tomboy. He'd seen her expression when the priestess had revealed that he too was cursed by the springs. His hesitation lasted only a moment before he nodded his agreement. Even if he didn't what to deal with the aftermath of the revelation of the truth, Kasumi did need his help to carry Akane home.

Kasumi stood beside Akane and brushed lose strands of hair away from her sister's battered face. "I hope you learn some things from today."

Akane blinked up at Kasumi, learn? What was she suppose to learn? The train of though was momentarily lost as pain washed over her as her weight was shifted from Ukyo to Ryoga as he picked her up.

Kasumi looked over at her other sister, silently passing a message to Nabiki.

Nabiki fumed mentally as she looked at the camera she held. The matter however was taken out of her hands.

"Souten," her mate spoke softly, "The camera."

The thunder demon glanced over and saw that indeed, one of the Tendo's carried a digital camera. Good, that meant it would be easier to destroy. Dark eyes narrowed, lighting leaping in the air and electrocuting the piece of equipment.

Nabiki squawked in shock as she dropped it, electricity visibly fizzing along the casing. She looked up and blinked to discover that the woman in the brown suit, though she still looked remarkably human was also a demon. The mercenary girl fumed mentally as she stormed to join her family, knowing instinctively that it was that demon who was responsible for the loss of her camera and the pictures it carried.

Kasumi fought the smile that wanted to quirk her lips. Nabiki wasn't use to someone else getting the better of her.

"Father, would you carry Mr. Saotome?" Kasumi asked of her remaining parent.

Suno looked at his eldest and nodded in agreement, moving to his friend's side he hoisted Genma's battered body over his shoulder and began to carry him from the shrine grounds.

"My sincere apologise from disturbing you, I hope you will forgive us." Kasumi addressed the demons and Higurashi family.

Akane scowled at her sister from Ryoga's arms, why was Kasumi apologising? It was Ranma and that demon that had beaten them up.

"Of course," the priestess replied solemnly, "No ill will shall be bore towards you."

Akane looked back at the priestess over Ryoga's shoulder as the other inhabitants of the shrine gathered around the woman, scowl fading as she was carried away. The Tendo's, Ryoga, and Ukyo all began the long descent of the shrine steps.

The priestess… she reminded her of Kasumi. Was that what she was missing? But what did Kasumi have that she didn't? Slowly realisation dawned. It wasn't really about what the two women had but what she didn't have. Maturity. Inner strength. Personal confidence in themselves that allowed them to listen to others and make decisions without being judgemental.

She remembered all the times she'd jumped on Ranma, instantly blaming him for things that didn't go the way she wanted them to. Never listening, even bluntly ignoring him whenever he spoke harshly of others, thus ignoring the truth he attempted to tell her.

How many times she wondered as she looked up at the face of the boy that carried her had Ranma tried to tell her that P-chan was more than her pet pig? He had also insisted on one other truth that she'd dismissed… the truth that till now she had been a child.

As she looked at the back of Kasumi, she resolved that that would end, she would do as Ranma had told her. She would grow up and than maybe she'd find her own happiness and be fitting for someone. At that last though her eyes were drawn back to the boy—no man that carried her.

. . .

Ranma sat at the top of the shrine steps between the arch of the torii pillars, his mind wondering to the fight that had taken place that day. He remembered in particular, not his anger and disgust towards Akane, but as she had been carried from sight feeling a small welling of compassion for the youngest Tendo child.

She was a child, but not to long ago, before finding Kagome again, he too had been a child.

"What are you thinking of?" Kagome asked as she dropped onto the step beside him.

He smiled faintly at her before turning his eyes back to the glowing orb of the setting sun. "Nothing really."

"Yeah," Kagome playfully said sceptically, "That's why you look like someone's just hit you on the head."

Ranma shook his head fondly, the smile fading from his face but not the expression of contentment in his grey eyes as Kagome leaned against him. "Do you think they'll be back?"

"Nah," was Kagome's answer as she traced lazy patterns on his thigh.

Blinking in surprise at her response he looked down at where she rested against his shoulder. "What do you mean, nah?"

"I gave them a little something," Kagome answered with a dismissing shrug.

"What did you give them?" He asked, curiosity piqued when her fingers hesitated briefly.

"The rosaries…"

"What about them?" Ranma quirked an eyebrow at her bowed head.

"I linked the curses' transformation to them."

"What do you mean?"

"Getting splashed by water won't transform them anymore, removing the rosary will." Kagome answered hesitantly as she looked up at him

"Huh," Ranma grunted as he turned his eyes back to the sunset, wondering if those cursed by the springs had discovered what had been done to them. He smiled at the images that formed in his mind. "Thank you."

Kagome smiled as she too continued to watch the dying sun alight the sky in a wash of reds and oranges. She'd though it was a nice gift too, though they had all brought Ranma grief it was that path that had brought him back to her.

As we decree it shall be. Two made one. This one soul divided nevermore.

-FINISHED

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Footnotes:
(1) Bokotu: also bokken, wooden sword
(2) Shai shen: (Cantonese) bye-bye

"Sealed Past" Ch. 25 [novella, Kagome/Ranma(Inuyasha), M]

Chapter 25

Akane continued to fume as she listened to Ranma and that—that witch continue to talk. Hah! 'Like I believed in any of this crap,' Akane mentally sneered. 'No way in hell Ranma is the resurrection of some feudal demon.' There were no such things as demons! And it was lunacy and bordering on delusional to state that those two were soul-mates.

'What's was so special about the witch anyway?' Akane wondered spitefully as she eyed the black haired and brown eyed woman seated across for her. 'The witch isn't nearly as attractive as myself,' she thought smugly, in fact the witch's features were unremarkable and one could almost call them plain. 'Nor does the witch seem to be any sort of fighter—probably one slap would take her out and send her bawling home,' Akane though with a great deal of satisfactory pleasure.

'And she's old! Probably older than Kasumi is.'That was one point that bugged Akane the most, the fact that she hadn't apparently lost Ranma to a younger woman but to an older one!

"Look," Akane rudely interrupted the witch's speech about some deal with the gods, ha! as if, "I don't give a damn about any of this. All I care about is that Ranma has—"

"You haven't been listening to a word we've been saying have you?" Kagome cut the tomboy off with amusement.

"I told you I don't give a shit—"

"It isn't about you," Kagome cut the youngest Tendo off again, growing impatient, "It has noting to do with you, it's about Ranma and me. There is no you."

"You thieving bitch!" Akane snarled as she lunged across the table, her rage boiling over at that statement.

A streak smashed her backwards.

Akane crashing through a wall out into the shrine grounds to lie sprawled in a heap of wreckage upon the flagstones.

A snarling demon crouched before her.

The Nerima Wrecking Crew were on their feet, feeling as they were moving though molasses at the speed of Ranma and the others who were on their feet and scrabbling though the new exit hole long before they had even registered the attack.

"Akane!" Ryoga cried out disbelievingly as he and his companions scrambled after them all, watching horrified as Akane scrambled desperately to avoid Ranma's attacks.

The Wrecking Crew were in shook. Ranma had never done this before. Yeah, he'd beat Akane constantly in sparing matches, but he had never been so brutal.

"Filthy bitch," Ranma rasped in a low snarl that was not his voice, "How dare you attempt to attack my mate."

The Wrecking Crew all shuddered at the hateful menace they heard resonating within the stranger's voice. This was not their Ranma, but a wild predator who radiated a viciously powerful aura to their marital art's senses. All their instincts were screaming at them that to interfere was to die.

And that was Akane's fate—she was going to die, they had no doubt about it.

"Father!"

The Wrecking Crew barely spared a glance at the russet haired man or the term of address he had used, their eyes locked on the gut churning scene before them as Ranma beat Akane down again and again, toying with her.

"Father stop it! She's only human! You'll kill her!" Shippou tried once again to get though to the enraged demon, knowing that Sesshoumaru would do nothing. The Demon Lord may live in a modern age but he was archaic when it came to demon matters, especially demon family matters.

"Father!" The fox demon yelled again, finally lunging at the dog demon souled human.

Shippou only got one hit in before a fist smashed into his cheek, sending him skidding backwards to crash up against one of the torii pillars. The wooden structure shuddered beneath the bone crunching impact.

But the fox had achieved his aim, Ranma was momentarily distracted allowing Akane a few desperate moments of breathing space.

Those from Nerima stared in shock, not because of the force of the impact which was not an uncommon feat among them, but by what they now saw.

While still wearing a dark business suit, it was no human that lay slumped against the column. Nine golden red fox tails were now evident, lips curled back in a grimace to reveal canine incisors, claws upon his fingertips, elf ears framing his face, slitted green eyes glittered at them.

The silver haired man snorted dismissingly, never taking his eyes off the two combatants. "Foolish kit, you know better to stand before a demon in basukanda(1)."

"Bah-sue-kan-dah?" Shampoo piped up questionably, sounding the term out, recognising it as not being Japanese.

"A demon defending his mate," Souten translated loosely as she looked with sympathy and some amusement at her mate before turning her attention back to the still raging battle.

Kagome steeped forward, a rosary string hanging loosely in one hand. Her bronze eyes cool, expression calm and serene. She could feel the rage burning though her soul link with Ranma but knew that if he did kill the girl he would never forgive himself when he regained himself. It was time for her to put a stop to this.

She raised the string of beads before her and let herself slip into the Third Eye trance.

Those around her hastily backed away, the Nerima Wrecking Crew in particular stared wide-eyed as it seemed as though she was caught within a windy vortex, clothes and hair flying upwards the stone beads beginning to glow.

. . .

Images flashed thorough Ranma's mind as he easily avoided Akane's retaliating attacks unleashing brutal ones of his own that the Tendo girl was having greater and greater difficulty avoiding.

A conflicting clash of memories. Memories of his childhood as Inuyasha. Memories of his childhood as Ranma. Memories playing, overlapping, snippets of events that had made him and had lead him to this fight.
Akane constantly bashing him. Bad mouthing his honour and manhood. Constantly belittling him and now trying to take from him the one reason for his existence. Lunging at his mate. Awakening everything that was demonic within his soul.

Than he felt something, a stirring of power that was not his own. Kagome. Her power rippled out, sliding against his own, caressing and merging with his aura. Bring with it the soothing touch of reason.

Yes Akane may be a self-centered, spoiled brat, throwing tantrums whenever she didn't get her way, letting pride rule her actions and her sharp tongue. But that merely showed what she was… a child who'd been coddled by all those around her.

The red haze clouding his vision faded, leaving him to look down at the battered form that lay snivelling before him.

A child. That was all she was.

"Pathetic," he finally spat and turned on his heel. She was worth no more of his time.

He regarded all of the people gathered before him that had witness the fight. Genma, Soun, Nabiki, Ryoga, Kuno, Kodachi, Shampoo, and Mousse. They were all of his—no Ranma's—past and that was were they would remain. He may be called Ranma now and to a certain degree be Ranma, but he was Inuyasha in his soul, his future was with his demon family, his brother, son and most importantly his mate.

"Take her home," he spat out, "I disown the lot of you."

Genma drew himself up, affronted by the boy's words, no son could disown his father! "As your father I forbid it!" He raged, "You have a duty to the school—"

Smack!

The sound of flesh striking flesh resonated in the air. Surprised they all looked from where Genma lay on the ground to the man in the grey suit that towered menacingly over him. Even Ranma was surprised at Sesshoumaru's interference.

"Listen and listen well panda," the pure dog demon began, golden eyes glittering within the icy mask of his face, "You may have fathered that body but the soul is of my brother. As he is of the Seibuinutaiso lineage and a Lord himself this makes this issue a demon matter."

The elder martial artist looked up with disbelief at the form towering over him. He was a master of the Indiscriminate Grappling Technique! No man should be able to attack him unaware!

Canine gold eyes narrowed though Sesshoumaru's expression remained stone cold as he realised the man upon the ground was not really paying attention to what he had to say. Well, that could be fixed.

Jaws slackened and half steps were taken backwards as the image of the silver haired business man wavered to reveal a predatory creature with red slashes across his cheek bones and a blue crescent moon crowing his brow, silver fur draping over his right shoulder. Pupils elongated and grew slitted as they remained their burning gold colour. He also had elegantly pointed ears and nails that were now claws.

"Demon!" Genma shouted, a shout echoed by many others.

"Keh!" Ranma snorted, "You only realise it now? After my son has shown his true fox self?"

"Son?" Ukyo squeakily asked assisting Akane to her feet, wide-eyed as the nine tail fox climbed to his feet to stand beside the silver haired demon. Shippou gave the pizza cook a toothy grin and chuckled when not just she flinched away.

"Yes," Ranma drawled in amusement, declining to clarify the true relationship.

"Demon or not!" Genma shouted surged to his feet, preparing himself to unleash the Forbidden Technique upon the foul creature, "I will beat you!"

Ranma rolled his eyes, 'please, as if a human could ever defeat the Lord of the Western Lands.'

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the human. 'The panda reminds me of that poisoner that almost took Inuyasha's mate from him during their quest to restore the jewel.'(2) But unlike then he couldn't just kill the infuriating bear off and be done with it. Modern legalities, how he cursed them sometimes.

"Die cursed demon!" Genma shouted as he lunged at the great demon lord.

Sesshoumaru sighed, humans, as stupid as ever. Two fingers flicked out, a whip of golden light emerging to slash through the air. Intercepting Genma's charge.

A flick of a red lined wrist and the end of the whip curled around the human's ankle. Fingers twisted, the energy whip snapped forward yanking Genma's feet from beneath him.

The martial artist stumbled but soon regained his footing and began the dance that would unleash the Indiscriminate Grappling Forbidden Technique.

One of Sesshoumaru's silver brows quirked upwards as the human began a familiar move. 'Does the panda really think he can take me down with a flea attack?'

Other eyes familiar with recognising demon attacks noted the move with disbelieving interest as well. When executed properly the demon attack was quite effective and would allow an attacker to use their opponent's energy against themselves. But you did not use a flea attack on a dog. It was just plain stupid—not to mention suicidal.

Genma leaped forward after performing the last deadly step—and crashed into flagstone.

"Stupid panda," a voice growled in his ear from behind, Genma's eyes widened in pure fright. How had the demon avoided the Forbidden Technique?

"I am the Demon Lord of the Western Lands and you're only a cursed bear," Sesshoumaru snarled as he unleashed a vortex of energy upon the panda, battering the bear's physical and spiritual body.

The Wrecking Crew who were witnessing the battle realised that like Akane's fight against Ranma, Genma's battle against that truly demonic creature was no contest. Genma would only live if the demon deemed it so.

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Footnotes:
(1) Basukanda: a purely fictional term that I just randomly slapped together.
(2) The reference specifically is to Mukotsu the fat poison user from the Band of Seven (Shichinin-tai)