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E-mail only for fic requests, please).


			     POOLS OF HORROR

			 A Ranma 1/2 fanfiction
			     by Gary Kleppe


			PART THREE: THE GATHERING

There was once a girl called Rouge. A native of India, a shy, beautiful
girl, a Virgo with blood type A; at least that was how she would
introduce herself.

One day, Rouge fell into one of the cursed pools of Jusenkyo. From then
on, contact with cold water would turn her body into that of the
three-headed six-armed fire-wielding demon known as Ashura.

Time passed. The nature of the curse subsequently changed. The spirit of
Ashura awoke, and engulfed the young Indian's mind. There was no longer
a girl called Rouge. There was only Ashura.

"Ashura has returned, little ones!"

The two policemen and the five representatives of the Tendo Dojo watched
the flying demon intently, waiting to see what it would do. Pantyhose
Taro, in human form, handcuffed, and locked into the back seat of a
police car, could only look at Ashura and growl.

Ashura swiveled around in midair, surveying her surroundings. One of her
heads fixed its gaze on Pantyhose. "Ashura remembers you from her
sleep-time, vulgar one. You once stole something from her. Something
that she no longer needs. Still, you deserve to be punished."

The other two heads looked toward Soun Tendo and Police officer
Usugurai, who were standing next to the car. "Ashura suggests that you
step back, little ones." The two men dove away from the vehicle. A
column of fiery energy came from the demon, consuming the helpless Taro.

A moment later the car's gas tank exploded. Ryoga quickly moved himself
to shield Akane as everyone was thrown back by the shock wave.
"Interesting," the demon said. "Ashura did not know that that would
happen."

A ball of light began forming around her, quickly increasing in
intensity, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. "Ashura wishes to
spend some time observing this modern world before she decides what to
do with it. Should any of you little ones wish to challenge her, she
will be at this location at noon tomorrow. Do be warned that Ashura is
not in the habit of showing mercy to her foes." She laughed as the
miniature sun around her flared even brighter, until it suddenly
dissipated, Ashura nowhere to be seen.

Nabiki was the first to stand. "I'm going to call Kasumi and have her
start calling for help. We're going to need everyone we can get on this
one."

***

Kodcahi Kuno was practicing her gymnastics routines. She was bored. The
team from Makeru High School had had to forfeit their match against her
team that was to take place tomorrow, due to a sudden mysterious
outbreak of diarrhea among its members. That left her with nothing
interesting to do.

Earlier she had gone to Furinkan to look for her beloved Ranma, only to
find that he was not there. Not only that, but he had not been seen all
that day, and the day before he had left school early without
explanation. Something was evidently amiss with him; the Black Rose
would have to find out what.

One of Kodachi's clubs emitted a short, muffled ringing sound. She
pressed a hidden stud on it, revealing it to be a concealed cellular
phone. "Yes?" she said. "I see. What exactly is the situation?" Kodachi
paused in her routine to listen to the caller's explanation.

"Very well, Kasumi Tendo. I, the Black Rose, shall attend your little
gathering. I shall also speak to my brother. For now I bid you au
revoir." She put down the phone and leapt up the stairs.

Kodachi's brother, Upperclassman Tatewaki Kuno, was sitting in his
study, reflecting on the events of the day. He had helped the Pig-Tailed
Girl as she had been menaced by the vile pervert Happosai. For the first
time, she did not put her boot in Tatewaki's face or throw him down the
street. For once she seemed appreciative of his attentions, perhaps even
grateful for his help.

The Upperclassman was certain that he had seen, for the first time, a
glimmer of the Pig-Tailed Girl's true self. Would she finally be able to
cast off whatever sinister control the vile Ranma Saotome had on her?

She had finally used a name of her own, instead of calling herself Ranma
Saotome as she had always done in the past. Tatewaki couldn't remember
what it was, but she had used a different name. Obviously the malevolent
influence of Saotome was indeed beginning to fade.

But what of Akane Tendo? She had seen the Pig-Tailed Girl's attraction
to him, and pulled her away. A most jealous reaction. Clearly Akane did
not want him dividing his affections between the two of them.

And was that not to be expected? Was not it reasonable for a woman in
love to resent having to share her man's devotion with another? Perhaps,
the Upperclassman thought, he was insane for expecting to be able to
have both of them. Was there ever any person anywhere more insane than a
man who could believe such a thing?

"Brother, dear!" Kodachi opened her brother's door without knocking.

"Yes?"

"Kasumi Tendo just phoned. She requests that we join a fighting force
being assembled by the Tendos. They require help in dealing with a
three-headed six-armed flaming demon creature."

"Inform her that the Blue Thunder pledges his full skill and resolve to
the cause. As long as there is life within me, I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall
fight on, until the evil is vanquished."

"That's nice, brother. Be at the Tendo residence in two hours. In the
meantime, I leave you to continue meditating on your two lady loves."

"How did you know I was..."

"Why brother! What *else* would you be doing? OHOHOHOHOHO!!!" Kodachi
closed her brother's door and bounded down the stairs, laughing all the
way.

Tatewaki frowned. Had his behavior become... predictable?

No matter. He would have them both. He had no idea how it would happen,
how he could get the two objects of his affection to agree to it, how he
could commit such an act of bigamy and still satisfy his honor. But he
knew that it would happen, simply because it was right and proper that
it should. He would have them both. It was only a matter of time.

***

Two hours later, the Tendo family had gathered together in their living
room, along with Lili-Ranma, Ukyo Kuonji, and the two Kuno siblings.

"This is it, huh?" Ukyo said. "Where's Ryoga? You told me he was here,
and we could really use the big lug's help."

"I'm sure he'll turn up tomorrow," Kasumi said. P-chan had gone back to
pig form as soon as the group had gotten home, and was now resting on
Akane's lap. When the time for the fight came, he would be there, but
for now he wanted to spend as much time as he could in the body that was
comfortable to him; especially since he knew that he might not survive
the battle.

"I also called Doctor Tofu," Kasumi continued. "He can't be here right
now because of his patients, but he'll be with us for the battle as
well."

"That still leaves us with a pretty small fighting force," Akane said.
"We're going up against Rouge. She was good enough to beat Pantyhose in
his monster form. She might be the most powerful opponent any of us has
ever faced. It couldn't get much worse than this."

"I hate to be the one to say so," Nabiki said, "but it *is* worse than
that. You're not fighting Rouge, a girl who has Ashura's body and has
learned a few tricks that she can do with it. You're fighting Ashura
herself. You're going to be fighting a demon, maybe even a goddess, who
knows exactly what she can do and is fully experienced in using her
powers."

"Though our numbers be few and the peril dire, fight we must and fight
we will; for our cause is noble and right, and we will win because we
are right," Tatewaki said. Nabiki started to think of a witty remark to
add, then decided that a little mindless optimism might not be a bad
thing at the moment, considering how they seemed to be up the proverbial
creek without a paddle. Kuno-chan was certainly a better cheerleader
than she could be right now.

"If Ran-chan were here, he could find a way to beat this demon-thing. I
don't know how, but he could." Ukyo saw the sorrow in Akane's eyes. "Oh,
damn, I'm sorry, everyone, I didn't mean to remind us. I think I'll go
bash myself upside the head with my spatula now."

"Where *is* Ranma?" asked Kodachi. "I for one have not been told, and I
would like to know."

"I'm afraid Ranma is... not well." Kasumi thought back to a time when
she had had to explain to a very emotional six-year old sister that they
wouldn't ever be able to see their mother anymore. It didn't hurt any
less now. "It... it looks like he might not be coming back at all. I'm
sorry."

Lili watched with a feeling of helplessness. As usual. There was nothing
she could do to help, no way for her to bring back this Ranma whose body
she now possessed. Still she felt as if she should be blamed for the
whole situation.

This was the oddest-looking group of people she'd ever seen gathered in
one place; Lili was fairly certain that she would have thought so even
without the cultural differences between this place and her home. The
girl Ukyo carried items that were more like cooking utensils than
weaponry. Her manner seemed to vary continuously; she would be as rough
as a boy one moment and properly ladylike the next.

The man, Tatewaki Kuno, reminded Lili so much of Yang Wei, her love
interest from so long ago. But she also saw in him something akin to
herself. Like her, he seemed to be someone who was trying to do what was
right, but whose sensibilities were geared towards another time, another
culture.

Tatewaki's sister, the girl called Kodachi, frightened Lili, as so many
things she'd seen since waking did. The insane-sounding way Kodachi had
laughed earlier, the way she casually walked around in what seemed to be
her underwear, made it seem like she was not afraid of anything. What
were the objects she carried? One of them was circular, about an arm's
length in diameter. Lili took a closer look.

"Be careful, pig-tailed girl. This is one of my razor hoops. If you grip
it anywhere other than in the right place, it will cut your fingers
off."

Lili recoiled back into her chair. Then she wondered if it could cut her
heart out, or perhaps slice all the way through her neck. She wouldn't
have to live anymore in this place that wasn't hers, where her very
presence brought pain and disaster. Just slice the razor hoop through
her neck, that's all it would take.

Except that it wasn't her neck. It wasn't her body. If she died, what
would that do to Ranma? Wouldn't that ruin any possible chance of
getting him back? Anyway, it wouldn't do anyone any good. She may or may
not have caused the situation they were in, but now all she could do was
stay and wait her chance to do something to help.

"Good heavens!" Kasumi exclaimed. "I forgot about Mr. Saotome! He'll
want to help us, I'm sure!" She went upstairs, quickly followed by the
others. Nabiki, finding herself the last one left in the living room,
was about to follow when her attention was diverted by a persistent
knocking on the front door.

***

A familiar panda was sitting in the Saotomes' bedroom. Everyone noticed
the presence of an overpowering stench in the room. "Geez!" Ukyo said.
"This room smells like someone took a --" She paused, searching for a
more polite way to express what she wanted to say.

"That's because someone did," Kasumi said. With several paper towels,
she proceeded to pick up a mass of what had to be panda droppings from a
spot nearby where Genma was sitting. "Oh dear. Oh dear. Mr. Saotome's
become a panda."

"You mean... SAOTOME!! My best friend!" Soun held the panda and sobbed
uncontrollably. The panda merely grunted, not understanding the reason
for all of the excitement. He only hoped that someone would bring him
some food soon.

It's true, Akane thought. It's really true.

Up until then, she had still believed that the whole thing might have
been some elaborate hoax. Some plot by Cologne to try to force Ranma
into going off to China with Shampoo. No, she thought. Ranma is dead. He
was doomed the moment he fell into that damned cursed pool.

Why was it so much easier now to feel for him? When she and Ranma had
been together, they spent most of their time trying to push each other
away. Now he was gone, and she felt that if she could have him back,
she'd marry him in an instant, and they'd love each other forever.

How much easier it was to love a dead man. A dead man wouldn't be
unfaithful, wouldn't call her an uncute macho sexless tomboy when she
wanted a tender moment, wouldn't give her any of the trouble that two
real people trying to share a life together would always give each
other. If she could bring Ranma back, would this experience of having
lost him make her appreciate him the way she did now? Would the same be
true the other way around? Or would they be back to the same old
fighting?

Uncute macho sexless tomboy. Akane wanted so much for someone to call
her that right now.

***

"I'm sorry," Nabiki said, looking quizzically at the strange woman on
her doorstep, "but we didn't order any cologne."

"No," the woman said in heavily accented Japanese. Her name was Ti Pi.
She was wearing clothes similar to Shampoo's battle dress. "I have
*express letter* for you from someone *name* Cologne." Working for
Amazon Express was never easy, especially considering the guarantee that
a late delivery gave the recipient the right to marry the delivery girl.
That would have been a particularly horrifying fate with the customer
that Ti Pi had delivered to before this one.

"Oh, duh, of course, you'll have to forgive me. It's been a really bad
day," Nabiki said, convinced that she had just won the Understatement of
All Time Competition. She signed the receipt form and took the letter.
Ti Pi bounded off gratefully.

Nabiki examined the letter. "Well, well..." she said to herself. Maybe
here was the proverbial paddle.

She walked back upstairs. Everyone else was there, just standing, as if
at a loss for what to say or do. "I'm sorry, people," Nabiki said, "but
there needs to be an emergency Tendo family meeting. Right now. Would
the rest of you please excuse us?"

"Very well. Let the rest of us go into the dojo and spar," Kodachi said.

"Good idea," Ukyo said. "I have a serious need to work off some
tension."

Tatewaki balked. "I should fight with women?"

"Ashura is a female, brother dear. Did you not plan to fight her
tomorrow? Come along. You also, pig-tailed girl."

"No, I can't. I..."

"It's all right," Nabiki said. "Ran -- Lili, you come with us instead.
This concerns you, too."

Akane whispered to Kodachi, "She's not a fighter. She's a Chinese girl
from the fifth century..."

"You need not explain such things to me, Akane Tendo. Come, Ukyo. Come,
brother." Kodachi understood. She knew full well the terrible emotions
that came from losing a loved one. This girl had been in love with
Ranma. Obviously the knowledge of his death, or whatever horrible fate
was now his, perhaps coupled with some guilt of hers in the matter, had
driven the pig-tailed girl insane.

"Very well," Tatewaki said, as the three headed down the stairs, toward
the combat area. "I have not had the pleasure of making your
acquaintance before, Ukyo Kuonji. It is an honor. One of the
underclassmen at my school is, I believe, your brother."

Shortly, the Tendos and Lili were assembled in the living room. "Okay,"
Soun said. "Now what is it, Nabiki?"

"It's nothing definite, but I just found out that there *might* be a way
to help Ranma."

Everyone's eyes lit up, with various cries along the lines of "Help
Ranma? How?"

"That's the problem. I don't know. This letter from Cologne was just
delivered. It says that there's a way to draw out Ranma's curse,
bringing him back to who and what he was. Doesn't say what it is or how
to do it, only that Cologne's sent the means to a certain person around
here."

"Who?!?" Akane asked. "Who is that person?"

The outside door opened. Happosai entered carrying a sack, looking like
a miniature Santa Claus. "Hey ho, everyone! Who's up for a panty raid
tonight?"

Happosai stood on the room's central table. For some odd reason,
everyone was looking at him.

Gary Kleppe
kleppe@execpc.com, Home page http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe
My fanfics and the FFML map are on my comics/manga page,
       http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics