They were finally making good time. Akane and Ranma had convinced Mousse to put on his glasses, and now he wasn�t stopping to talk to trees, at least. Unfortunately, Ryoga still had to be watched closely. Once he even managed to get a few miles away from the others before Ranma found him and dragged him back.
Mousse stumbled over a rock. He fell to his knees and remained there for several moments, clutching his side and looking pale.
�Mousse? Are you okay?� Akane moved nearer to him.
�In...in a moment.� Mousse took a deep breath and, gritting his teeth, stood. He stumbled again, but managed to remain upright.
�You don�t look so hot,� Ranma observed.
�The demon cut me,� Mousse mumbled. �Before it took Shampoo. I�m....I�m still recovering.�
�We�ll walk slower,� Akane said.
�Yeah, we need to keep a closer eye on Bacon-Boy, anyway,� Ranma added. Ryoga scowled.
�Don�t call me that!� he growled. His battle aura flared up. Ranma�s aura appeared as well as he got ready for another fight.
Because of these two battle auras, no one noticed the demons until Mirkahash landed right in between Ranma and Ryoga. The four stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment. That moment was all Mirkahash needed.
�Kill them!� it howled. Suddenly, demons leaped up from behind bushes and down from trees. There were about twelve in all, and they swiftly surrounded the group.
�Do what you will with the mortals,� Mirkahash stated. �But the winged one must either die or return with us. He mustn�t be allowed to escape.�
The creatures nodded in agreement and attacked. One made a leap for Akane, only to be knocked out of the way by Ranma and Ryoga. The two exchanged a brief glance before turning to deal with the other demons. But in that glance was a mutual agreement to protect Akane, whatever the cost.
Mousse was not so fortunate. Three demons launched themselves at him. He shied away for a moment, then threw out a barrage of knives. One took the most damage and fell, but the other two kept coming. Mousse reached into his voluminous white robe and tossed several more weapons at them, including several small smoke bombs, one of Akane�s mallets, and an ordinary hammer. The smoke bombs momentarily blinded the creatures. Mousse took advantage of it and jumped forward, pulling out a spear that shouldn�t have been able to fit inside his robe. He plunged it into the back of one, while slicing at the throat of the other with the knife in his other hand. Both demons fell, howling in pain. But Mousse had no time to savor his accomplishment. A fourth demon surprised him from behind, slashing at his waist. Mousse collapsed.
Ranma had his hands full. He had been attacked by four demons at once, and was having difficulty defeating them with just punches and kicks. Even worse, he found that he was unable to use the Shiryu Hoten Ha on the creatures. They had no discernible battle aura. Rather, they were fueled by an unfamiliar aura of darkness.
Two demons advanced on Ryoga, but Mirkahash stopped them.
�I will deal with this one,� it growled. �Stand back.�
Mirkahash darted in quickly, aiming a slash for Ryoga�s chest. Ryoga jumped backwards to avoid it, then aimed his own punch at the demon�s face. Mirkahash reached up and caught his fist. The demon began to squeeze, and Ryoga cried out in both pain and surprise as he felt the bones inside crack. Desperately, Ryoga touched the ground with a finger on his other hand.
�BAKUSEI TENKETSU!�
The ground split apart, tossing stone and sticks everywhere and scattering the two demons who had been watching. Mirkahash let Ryoga go and stumbled backwards. To Ryoga�s surprise, it started to laugh.
�Is that the best you can do?� Faster than Ryoga could see, Mirkahash attacked again. For a moment, Ryoga didn�t know where the demon had gone and whirled about helplessly, trying to locate it. Several moments later, he felt sharp claws digging into his wings. Ryoga tried to flip Mirkahash over his head, but the demon held firm.
�You know the problem with wings like these? They are easily broken!� With that, Mirkahash began to pull at one of Ryoga�s wings. Ryoga felt burning pain tear through his back as the demon suddenly gave a hard push at the wing and the bone snapped. Ryoga collapsed to his knees as Mirkahash let go. One of the Lost Boy�s wings drooped, broken and torn. Mirkahash raised its claws and struck Ryoga�s back. He fell to the ground with a dull thud.
A familiar cry made Ryoga�s pain-fogged brain clear. He focused dimly on two figures standing several feet away. One was Akane, and she had just been struck. She hit the ground unconscious.
Ryoga stared, thoughts racing. Akane might be dead, and he hadn�t been able to help her. He had let her come here only to be killed. He felt the depression rising within him and fed it on the thought that he might have let Akane die. Somehow, he managed to rise. He was glowing green.
Uh oh. Ranma looked up from where he had just knocked out two demons. He followed Ryoga�s gaze to where Akane lay. Avoiding the two demons he had yet to deal with, he ran to Akane, knocking the demon that had attacked her out of the way and dragging her behind a large rock.
�Mousse, get outta there!� he called over his shoulder. �Ryoga�s gonna blow!� He didn�t know if Mousse had heard him or not. He simply crouched low and wrapped an arm protectively around Akane.
�SHI....� Ryoga glowed brilliantly. The demons stared at him. �SHI...�
Mirkahash�s eyes suddenly widened as Ryoga�s aura flared supernaturally brighter. The green became mixed and entwined with gold, and his eyes flamed as he collected the power in his hands.
�HOKODAN!�
A blast of green ki power flew from Ryoga, straight at the demons.
Ranma felt the backwash of Ryoga�s power as a huge wind buffeted him. He shut his eyes, hearing the demons scream in pain behind him.
Damn...was that Ryoga? He�s never been able to make a shi shi hokodan so powerful! It�s....not natural. As the wind blew itself out, Ranma opened his eyes. Carefully propping Akane against the rock, Ranma slowly inched his way out of his hiding spot.
Ryoga�s blast had been aimed upwards enough that he was not standing in a crater. However, for miles the treetops had been cut drastically. The only thing that remained of the demons was ash. Mousse was nowhere to be seen.
The cause of all this stood rooted to one spot. One wing sagged limply and a dim golden glow was fading around him. With a noise like the tinkling of bells, the supernatural gold aura winked out and the Lost Boy swayed, looking strangely empty.
Ryoga collapsed.
Standing facing away from the Tendo Dojo, Cologne glanced towards the horizon. There had been a sudden burst of power there, so large that she had noticed it from Nerima.
�Most interesting,� she murmured as she headed back towards the Nekohanten. She had just left the Dojo when Ukyo came running up to the door.
�Ranchan! Ranchan, are you here?�
�He isn�t here and he won�t be here,� Cologne snapped from behind her.
�What do you mean?� Ukyo grabbed hold of her giant spatula. �What�d you do with my Ranchan?�
�Son-in-law is on a mission for me,� Cologne informed her. �Shampoo was kidnapped, and I sent son-in-law, Mousse, and the Hibiki boy after her.� She looked back towards the horizon. �And it seems that was a wise move. I would be careful if I were you, girl.� Cologne left without another word.
�What the heck is going on here?� Ukyo wondered out loud. She headed back towards the Dojo. �Could someone tell me what is happening?�
Ranma stared thoughtfully at the sticks and bandages in his hands. He had no idea how to set a broken wing.
�Akane, do you have any idea how to do this?� he asked helplessly.
�Ranma, you idiot! Haven�t you ever set a bird�s wing?� Akane stood several feet away from him. Her face was bruised where the demon had struck her, but she was otherwise unharmed. Mousse leaned against a tree stump beside her, the top of his robes open to reveal his torn and bruised chest. He now had several more scars to go with those he had acquired from his previous fight with Mirkahash. Luckily, Akane had packed a first-aid kit and had cleaned his wounds. She was now bandaging him while Ranma was supposed to be treating Ryoga. That wasn�t working too well. He had managed to bandage Ryoga�s injured hand and some of his cuts, but had no idea as to how to set a broken wing.
�Girls set bird�s wings!� Ranma argued. �Do I look like a girl to you?�
�If I had a bucket of water, you would!� Akane shot back. �Mousse, can you finish with your bandages while I fix up Ryoga?�
�Of-of course,� Mousse panted. His eyes were glassy and he looked very pale. The injuries were taking a heavy toll on him.
Akane knocked Ranma roughly aside and inspected Ryoga�s broken wing. After a few moments she had Ranma hold the wing in position while she splinted it with the sticks and bandages. Once the job was done, she surveyed it proudly.
�See how easy it was?� Akane gave Ranma a condescending smile.
�Shaddup,� Ranma grumbled. �Who wants to carry Sleeping Beauty?�
�No one has to,� Akane said. �We�re resting here for the night. Mousse needs rest, and you can�t carry both him and Ryoga.�
�No worries about that.� Ranma pulled a canteen out of his pack and dribbled the contents over Mousse. Where the Chinese man had sat there now lay a very annoyed looking duck in the middle of a pile of white robes. He was still scarred, but the scars were now much smaller. �There. Now you can carry him.�
Akane glared at him and scooped up Mousse, who quacked indignantly as she put his clothes in her pack.
Ranma looked down at Ryoga. It would be hard to carry him and his pack. It would be easier to turn Ryoga into P-Chan, but he couldn�t do that in front of Akane. For once, Ranma had an idea. With some help from Akane, he gathered up some of the scattered tree branches and then used a spare blanket to form a litter. When they set off again, Ranma wore Ryoga�s pack and dragged the Lost Boy along behind him, while Akane walked beside him, with both her backpack and Ranma�s on her back and with Mousse the duck in her hands.
�Impossible!� Xan Talos scowled fiercely into the blank water pool. �First your pathetic mortal friends destroy Mirkahash and an entire squad of demons, and now they have found some way to elude my sight!� He whirled on Shampoo. �Tell me, pretty one, what powers do your friends possess?�
�Ranma powerful,� Shampoo sniffed. �Airen defeat stupid wing-man.�
�You overestimate your friends,� Xan Talos snorted. �And underestimate me. Do you remember this?� He reached into the pocket of his deep black vest and pulled out a necklace with a glittering purple jewel on it. Shampoo recognized it immediately.
�You can have Shampoo necklace,� the Amazon told him. �But let Shampoo go.�
�But this will be your dowry, my dear.� He walked over to her and placed the necklace around her neck.
For a moment, the jewel seemed normal. Then it began to glow brightly, so brightly that Shampoo was half-blinded. It started to burn, searing her clean, white skin. Shampoo began to scream in pain.
�Now, tell me.� Xan Talos grabbed her head roughly and forced her to look at him. �Tell me about your friends. Who they are. Their powers. Their weaknesses.�
�No!� Shampoo shook her head stubbornly.
�Tell me, wench!� He struck her again. �Tell me, and I will remove the necklace. I can stop the pain. But only if you tell me.�
�Shampoo will not!� Shampoo cried out again, but her resolve was fading. The jewel continued to burn her, and blood was trickling down her chest.
�You will.� Xan Talos pressed the jewel closer to her neck. Shampoo screamed in pain, then slumped in defeat.
�Shampoo will tell.�
�Good girl.� Xan Talos tore off the necklace and returned it to his pocket. He spoke to her in Chinese once more. �Do not fear, Xian Pu. I will give you back the necklace on our wedding day. After you have died, it will help you rise again as one of us. Then it shall not burn you.� He switched back into Japanese. �Now, I want to know about your friends. First, who is the winged one?�
�Winged?� Shampoo stared at him in confusion through her tears. �Shampoo not know of winged friend. Only stupid Mousse has wings when he a duck.�
�You know who I speak of!� The winged man snapped angrily. �The boy with the bandanna and feathered wings!�
�Bandanna?� Shampoo stared. �You mean lost pig-boy? He no have wings.�
�He doesn�t, does he?� Xan Talos looked thoughtful. �Now, dear Shampoo, tell me more about this �lost pig-boy�....�
I call to you, enigma of the air...
Do you know what the gold was?
We can tell you.
Enigma of the earth...
The light that feeds you.
We can help you.
Enigma of the sea...
Black wings, white feathers...
Who are you?
We know you.
Enigma of the flame...
�Leave me alone!� Ryoga woke with a start. His hair was matted with sweat and his eyes were wild. For a moment he saw only a hazy gold and white light that threatened to entrap him. Then his vision cleared and he saw Akane sitting beside him, staring at him with worry. Beyond her, he could see a two figures, one large and one small, sitting near a fire. It was dark out and the stars glittered in the heavens.
�Ryoga, thank heavens you�re awake!� She smiled. �Are you all right? You sounded like you were having a nightmare!�
�Probably thought someone was trying to cook him,� Ranma said jokingly from beside the fire. �Everyone loves fresh pork.�
�Shut up, Ranma!� Akane snapped. �Don�t pick on him!� She turned back to Ryoga, but was surprised to see that he apparently hadn�t even heard Ranma�s comment. �Ryoga?�
Ryoga didn�t answer. His eyes had a far away look to them.
�Ryoga? Ryoga!� Akane shook him. Ryoga didn�t respond. �Is he okay?� Ranma got up and moved towards them.
�I don�t know!� Akane was starting to sound frantic. �He doesn�t even seem to notice me!�
�Is he...smiling?� Ranma knew that Ryoga usually went into dazed gibberish- mode whenever Akane was close to him.
�Of course not, you idiot!�
Ranma crouched by Ryoga and waved a hand in front of his face.
�Yo. P-Chan. Wake up.�
Ryoga didn�t move. Several moments later, he shuddered and shook his head, blinking rapidly. He seemed disoriented.
�You back, Ryoga?� Ranma asked. Ryoga looked at him, and Ranma felt a shiver run down his spine. It was almost as if Ryoga was looking right through him, and the strange stare did not suit the Lost Boy at all. It was as if someone else was looking at him, not Ryoga.
�I call to you, enigma of the air...� Ryoga whispered in a dead, emotionless voice. �Enigma of the earth....enigma of the sea...enigma of the flame....enigma of the soul ...enigma of the heart....the fires are burning....the fires of heaven...gold and red and yellow and black....� He shook his head again, and his voice returned to normal. Normal, and very frightened. �Leave me alone! I don�t know who you are...I don�t want to know you...and I DON�T WANT YOUR HELP!!� This last was screamed out, and Ryoga lashed out at Ranma.
No, Ranma thought as he instinctively dodged. Not at me...at whatever he thinks he sees behind me.
Ryoga seemed to be aware that he had just tried to punch something that wasn�t there, and suddenly went limp. He was panting and breathless, and his eyes were wide. Akane touched his hand lightly.
�R-Ryoga?�
�Akane...� Ryoga relaxed. �They won�t leave me alone...�
�Who won�t?� Ranma interrupted.
�The voices...� Ryoga closed his eyes. �I don�t know why. They just...keep bothering me.� Suddenly, he sat up. �What happened to the demons? Weren�t we just fighting them?�
�You destroyed all of �em,� Ranma informed him. �And I gotta tell you man, that was one huge shi shi hokodan you made back there.�
�I remember that...� Ryoga murmured. �I think....I can�t remember everything.�
�That�s okay, Ryoga,� Akane told him quickly. �Why don�t you rest for a bit, and I�ll get you something to eat.�
�Mousse brought some food from the Nekohanten,� Ranma added. �So don�t worry, it�s not Akane�s.�
�Ranma...� Ryoga said weakly before Akane could protest.
�Yeah?� Ranma said.
�C-come here.� Ryoga waved him over, looking as though he had used up all his strength just to make the gesture.
�What is it?� Ranma leaned in closer to hear what Ryoga was saying.
�I-if...� Ryoga coughed. �If I ever hear you insult Akane again....� He suddenly reached up and grabbed Ranma by the neck. His voice was immediately stronger. �I will TEAR your head off with my BARE HANDS!!!�
�Now...that�s the Ryoga...I know,� Ranma grumbled as Ryoga�s hands clenched his neck tighter.
�Ryoga, stop that!� Akane snapped. �You should save your strength.� She glared at her fiancee. �You can kill Ranma later.�
�Hmmph.� Ranma stalked back over to the fire. He glanced over his shoulder to see Akane talking softly to Ryoga. The Lost Boy�s face had that goofy look it got whenever Akane noticed him. �I can�t believe her. She�s all over him. And that...pig. What a jerk. Making time with someone else�s fiancee. Not that I care.�
From across the fire, Mousse gave a quack that sounded a bit like a laugh and gave Ranma a �now-you-know-how-it-feels� look.
�Hey! It�s not like I tried to defeat Shampoo or anything!� Ranma defended himself. �If it was up to me, I�d give her to you in a second! I don�t really want her, you know!�
Mousse suddenly looked irate. He flew at Ranma with an offended quack. Ranma caught him in midair and set him down forcefully back on the other side of the fire.
�I thought you were too hurt to be doin� things like that,� Ranma grumbled. �Why is it that, no matter what I say about these girls, someone always tries to kill me? You�re as bad as flying pig-boy over there.�
�I heard that!� Ryoga growled. �Prepare to die, Ranma!�
�Ryoga! Stay!� Akane stopped him from rising with one burning glance. Ryoga nodded obediently and sat back down, basking in the glow of her attention.
Ranma watched them for a few more moments, then sighed heavily.
�I hate my life.�
Mousse quacked in agreement.
Shampoo was asleep. She had told Xan Talos all he wanted to know, though she had judiciously skipped over all the Jusenkyo curses. Now, exhausted, she was curled up in the corner of the cave. Xan Talos stood nearby, watching her.
�You�re a sick man, Xan Talos,� murmured a female voice from the shadows. �Imprisoning her like that. She�s a Chinese Amazon. They shouldn�t be chained.�
�Like pets, eh?� Xan Talos smirked as he turned to face a smaller, black-winged figure standing in the shadows. �Is that you, Ny? No wonder you�re against her chains.�
�Warriors of the Amazon tribe deserve respect,� replied the figure grimly. �This one is a champion of her tribe. I can tell that by looking at her. And you...� Her voice burned with fury. �You presume to make her your bride.�
�I defeated her, did I not?� Xan Talos said, amused. �Then by her own laws, she should be my bride.� He moved closer to Ny, who backed even further into the shadows. �You were someone�s bride once, were you not?�
�Taran Ze-Kel,� Ny said softly. �And I spit upon his memory. His wife I may have been, but even the changing of my body could not change my heart.� She stared down at Shampoo. �Take heed of that. You may make her one of us, but you�ll never make her yours in anything more than title. Not that one. Not one of my tribe.� Her burning eyes fixed onto Xan Talos. �Never again.�
�Try to stop me, and be killed where you stand,� Xan Talos warned her. �Veil won�t take lightly to a transgression such as killing one of your own fellows.�
�I won�t stop you,� Ny stated. �I only came to see for myself if the rumors were true. If you had imprisoned one of the daughters of my tribe...and if Mirkahash and his demons had truly been defeated by mortals.�
�Rumors travel fast,� Xan Talos said. �But they are often only half true. Mirkahash was, indeed, defeated....but not by mortals.�
�Then by who, may I ask?� Ny questioned.
�By one of us,� Xan Talos said calmly. �Or not. She has told me of him.� He nodded towards Shampoo. �He is an acquaintance of hers. Ryoga Hibiki, she calls him. He has wings, but they are neither solid white nor solid black. He is an....abomination. Black and white feathers, intertwined. And new. Unless the girl has dared to lie to me, this Ryoga has only recently become one of the Brethren.� He clenched his fists. �And he had enough power to destroy Mirkahash and most of his squad...with one blast.�
�Only one?!� Ny sounded surprised.
�Yes,� hissed the black-winged man. �One single blast. Half of ours could not do as much damage in four or more blasts. But he....he is powerful. Very powerful, and that makes him very dangerous.�
�Why, Xan Talos,� Ny said in mocking tones, �are you afraid?�
�Yes,� Talos said softly. He glanced up at her. �And you should be, too. He could destroy us all.�
�Could,� Ny reminded him. �But I doubt it. This hybrid could not possibly defeat Veil, sadly enough.� She smiled darkly. �Yet I suppose I would fear if I were you. It seems your wedding may have...uninvited guests. If we�re lucky.�
�We?� Xan Talos raised an eyebrow.
�Yes.� Ny turned to go. �The Amazon girl and I.� With that, she flew off. Xan Talos watched her go, scowling.
�Do what you will, Ny,� he grumbled dangerously. �But interrupt my wedding and both you and those mortals will die.�