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