[Ranma][FanFic] Anijza 2 / Part 7: The End
Nicholas Stone
Anijza
Part Two:
`In Hell as In Forever'
Nicholas Stone
The End
The silence in the dojo could not dampen the tension
from the seven people staring at the inert forms lying on
the floor between them. No one dared to speak for fear that
is they did something terrible would happen to break the
spell cast earlier in the night.
From her position, Cologne's gnarled fingers gripped
and flexed around her staff as her worries grew. Each
minute passed brought more and more concern to her mind,
wondering if any of these brave children would return from
their fateful journey.
Suddenly, Happosai's head snapped up. "They are
coming," he announced.
A split second later, Tatewaki's body jerked, followed
by Shampoo, and then Ukyo. Sharp coughs followed, and they
all began to spit up the residue of the monsters blood that
ran down the sides of their mouths onto the floor.
"I better get a sponge," said Kasumi, starting to rise.
"No!" exclaimed Cologne, "Stay where you are! Their
returns are not yet complete."
For the next few minutes, they watched as their
unconscious friends and kin heaved beneath heavy spasms
until finally, Tatewaki let out a great plume of froth and
foam sending Cologne and Soun scurrying for cover. Another
harsh cough and then Shampoo did the same. Soon the entire
group lay sprawled about on their stomachs gasping for
breath as they awoke.
"Uhhhh. are, are we back. yet?" Mousse said in a low
voice.
Ukyo pulled her matted hair aside and looked up. The
surroundings were blurred but as her vision returned she
made out Cologne's face.
"Ooo, if we aren't, then something is terribly wrong,"
she said.
"Now can I get some towels?" asked Kasumi. Cologne gave
her a nod and she scurried off for the pantry.
Akane opened her eyes letting out a low moan as a wave
of dizziness came over her. She tried to sit up, but the
effort only increased the feeling and she stopped. "Daddy?"
she called out.
"Just a moment, Akane," Soun answered back.
Akane relaxed then a towel landed on her face. "AHHH,
what are trying to do?" she cried, flailing her arms about.
Another pair of hands pulled the towel down. Kasumi
helped Akane sit up as she wiped the wet residue from her
face.
"Sorry, but you need to be cleaned up first," she said.
"To hell with a towel," commented Nabiki, "get me some
Listerine!"
As the nine recovered, Cologne hopped over to Akane.
"Since you have returned I assume you were successful?" she
said to the girl.
"More ways than one," Konatsu said. "Akane kicked
Anijza's ass."
"Ah, I would have like to have seen that," said Genma.
"And it was very refreshing too," Kodachi added.
"Although I still disagree upon whose husband Ranma is."
The mention of Ranma's name brought a sudden hush to
them all.
"Ranma," gasped Akane, looking around.
He was not there and that sent the fire straight to her
head.
"He lied!" she exclaimed.
"Who? Who lied?" asked Cologne.
"The CEO of Hell, that's who," answered Ryoga.
Ukyo shot him a dark look. "CEO of Hell. will you shut
up!"
"Who are you talking about?" shouted Cologne.
"Xue," explained Akane, "and he promised to return
Ranma to me if I could defeat Anijza."
"Which she did, but now it seems he's reneged on the
agreement," Nabiki said.
"But he said he couldn't do that," said Mousse.
"So then where is my Son?" asked Genma.
No one could answer him. It appeared that their
efforts were all for nothing. Ranma could very well be
still in the hands of Anijza suffering untold fates.
Akane rose up to her knees. "Cologne, you've got to
send us back!"
A flurry of protest and disagreements flooded the air
upon her request from the others. They were not willing to
make another trip through Hell after this last excursion,
Ranma or no Ranma.
"Fine!" shouted Akane. "Then stay here! I'll go back
by myself!"
"You need them with you, Akane," Cologne told her. "It
was their added wills that allowed you to endure Hell's very
nature."
But Akane was not about to relent. "Anijza still has
Ranma! You've got to send us back!"
"Shampoo not drinking anymore monster blood!"
"Here, here," agreed Nabiki.
Happosai spoke up. "Ranma should return to us," he
said to them.
"Is that coming from your demented side, or is it just
a guess?" asked Tatewaki.
The sage pulled out his pipe, lit it and sat back on
his side. "An agreement made by a demon must be followed.
Those are the rules."
Just then a moan carried up from the hallway. It was
weak and filled with deep pain, but clearly recognized by
all. Akane shot to her feet and rushed to the doorway. The
moan called again and she ran down the hallway straight to
the furo. In it half submerged lay Ranma, the steam from
the hot water clouding his nakedness from view. Akane
literally let out a squeal and plunged fully clothed into
the water.
"Ranma!" she said repeatedly, pulling him up in a tight
embrace. His head tipped back, eyelids fluttering for a
second, and then slowly opened up.
"...where. where am I?" he managed to say.
"You're back, Ranma," replied Akane, tears of joy
streaking down her cheeks. Ranma looked down at her and
they stared deeply into each others eyes. He sighed,
wrapping his arms about Akane unable to believe that he was
home again.
"I missed you," he whispered to her.
"I missed you too," she replied, hugging him closer to
her body.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Ukyo suddenly shouted, snapping
her fingers at the two. "Share some of that man there,
missy!" she said and wading into the water.
"You both let go of Shampoo's husband!" cried Shampoo,
charging right after her. "I only one to have pleasure with
Ranma!"
"No, he is my man!" said Kodachi, joining the crowd.
A battle of words ensued as the four women argued and
tugged trying to get as close to Ranma as possible. The
rest of the group stared in wonder at them, not sure what to
do next.
"Well, at least things are back to normal," said
Konatsu.
"Too bad," Ryoga said, "I was kind'a hoping Ranma did
get left behind in-."
A sharp slap on the head from Soun stopped him. "And
you call yourself his friend?" he said.
"I made no such comments."
Mousse smirked. "And Shampoo is still lusting after
Ranma too. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE HER SEE REASON?"
"What are you complaining about?" asked Konatsu.
"Didn't you get an eye-full of her up close and personal
while we were MMMRRRPHH!"
"Ix-nay, my friend," Mousse quickly said, clasping a
hand across Konatsu's mouth before Cologne could hear.
"And what about the pigtailed girl?" Tatewaki suddenly
said. "Where did Ranma put my future wife to be?"
"Oh you are so hopeless," commented Nabiki. She heard
muted sobs and found Genma staring silently at the furo with
tears in his eyes. Gently, Nabiki placed a hand on his
shoulder.
"There, there, Mister Saotome, Ranma is back with us
now so you don't have to cry."
Genma made a slight sniffle, his bottom lip quivering
lightly. "It's not that, Nabiki," he said.
"Then why are you crying?"
He hesitated a moment.
"I hope they stop soon, I'm starving!"
Nabiki just shook her head.
* * * * *
The smell of Kasumi's excellent cooking was a pleasure
Ranma enjoyed as he stood before the bathroom sink drying
his hair. After the girls finally were pulled off him, it
was decided to throw Ranma a lavish welcome home party
complete with a banquet fit for the emperor himself. He was
not about to complain, although Akane's mentioning that she
would personally prepare his dish did send chills through
him.
Anything would be good right now, he thought. It had
been over a week since he'd eaten real food, Anijza's world
hardly a place to offer full course meals of anything
palatable for human consumption. Nothing in hell would be
fit for a human, and he shuddered as brief flashes of his
ordeal came to mind.
"I am so grateful that Akane loves me so," said Ranma
to his reflection in the mirror. "I need to do something
for her. maybe. maybe I should stop pretending and admit I
love her."
There was something Ranma never could admit even to
himself. Akane's selfless act, standing up to Anijza and
the very beings that ruled Hell more than declaring how she
really felt about him. This girl, his woman was more than a
passing notion. She meant the world to him and he was
determined more now than before to end the rivalry from the
others and make her his permanently.
In a way, he would have to thank Anijza for bringing
this decision about. Ranma abruptly shook his head sharply,
not believing what just passed in his mind. Thank Anijza?
That heartless bitch had nothing to do with his love for
Akane. If there was anyway to drive the thoughts of her out
of his mind he'd do it without regard for any consequences.
"Have to get her out of my mind," he muttered, turning
the hot water on in the sink.
Ranma allowed the steady stream to run, clouding the
air with a light mist of steam. Something caught his ears,
sounding like laughter from a woman. He shut off the water
and listened intently for a second but there was nothing but
silence.
"Must have been one of the girls down stairs," he said,
continuing to dry his hair. A knock on the door startled
him.
"Ranma?" It was Akane.
"Yo."
"We're about to set the table. Are you coming down?"
"Yeah, yeah I'll be there in a moment. I just have to
retie my hair, okay?"
"Okay, but hurry it up. dear."
He grinned, "Okay."
Akane's steps faded down the hall leaving Ranma feeling
cheerful. "See, that wasn't so bad," he said. "Anijza
could never-."
Again, Ranma stopped and shook his head. "Stop
thinking about her!" he growled at his reflection. "Anijza
is gone! She can't hurt me anymore. She can't!"
Ha hah ha hah ha hah ha hah ha hah ha.
There it was again, a laugh that brought chills running
through Ranma's spine. No, it had to be coming through the
vents. Kodachi, or, or Shampoo laughing about something
downstairs. Yeah, that's it, that's all.
Ranma threw his hair forward, forming two groups.
Carefully, he began twisting them together when the laughter
sounded again.
"Stop it!" he shouted, looking up at the ceiling. More
silence followed but this time he could not clam himself
down.
Frantically, Ranma turned the water back on. He
splashed his face allowing the warmth to soothe him. "It's
just my imagination," he told himself, grabbing the towel
from the sink.
As he patted his face dry, the laughter returned this
time much clearer than before. He stopped, trembling and
then lowered the towel looking fearfully around.
"Ranma," called a voice.
It came from in front of him and Ranma thought this was
impossible until he turned and gazed into the mirror. What
he saw was not his reflection, but one that brought terror
to his eyes.
There stood Anijza, just as young and pretty as the
first day he laid eyes on her.
"No, oh no," he gasped, spinning around.
"I'm not there, Ranma-darling," said Anijza's
reflection.
Ranma turned, gripping the sides of the sink and stared
close at the mirror.
"It can't be. Y-y-you-."
"Lost? Hah ha hah ha hah. yes, I did lose to your
trollop."
"Then, then how. who. why?"
Anijza casually gazed up for a moment before answering.
"Well, too tell you the truth, much of it is because of you,
darling."
"Me? There is no way I would help you ever, Anijza!"
"OH, but you did, my darling. It was because of your
selfless act that the Master allowed me a second chance."
"What selfless act?" The knuckles of Ranma's hands
creaked as his grip tightened. "Anijza, you deserved to rot
like those poor souls you've sucked the life out of. You
hurt my friends. You hurt me, and you say I allowed you a
second chance?"
"Well you did."
Ranma drew back glowering at the mirror. "Never!"
Anijza chuckled. "Don't believe me, eh? Well, I'll
give you someone else you might believe."
Reaching down out of the mirror's plain of view, Anijza
pulled up the one other person Ranma did not expect to see.
It was Ranko, bare-chested like him, trembling in her tight
grip and looking very, very much afraid.
"Let her go, Anijza!" cried Ranma.
"Let her go?" Anijza frowned questioning his demand,
and then realized what the problem was. She burst out
laughing again much to Ranma's annoyance.
"You stupid, stupid fool," she said. "After all that
has happened, after all that you have been exposed too, you
still do not understand, do you?"
"Understand what?"
Anijza smiled. She slowly moved her head down getting
cheek to cheek with Ranko. "Take a look, Ranma Saotome.
Take a good hard look. Then you might understand."
Ranma stared at the two trying to see what Anijza was
referring too. Nothing stood out at first, his eyes darting
from Anijza's features to Ranko's and back. Their chins,
their cheeks, to their lips. then to the eyes.
Their eyes.
Exactly the same in all regards except for the color,
otherwise same shape same angles. A shift to their chins
and they also matched as well as the way the peak of the
hair formed on their foreheads. The only thing
differentiating them was the way Anijza curled her hair.
Ranma`s chest felt tight, breaths shallow as he
realized his worst fears.
"Yes, Ranma, it was I who fell into that spring those
many centuries ago," Anijza said. "Mine was the first
spring to be cursed. I am surprised you didn't make the
match when I first arrived. That buffoon Tatewaki Kuno
almost blew my cover when he first saw me. Fortunately,
none of you take what he says seriously."
"no." Ranma said lightly, eyes growing wider.
"I wasn't exactly a good person back then, and when my
soul drifted into the realms of Hell, the Master gave me a
choice. Oversee the curse of the springs, or allow myself
to become his consort for all of eternity. You can guess
which choice I made."
".oh no."
"And so I have been doing just that, my image
manifested in the curse of the drowned spring paying my
penance to keep me out of torment. That was all to change,
my love."
"It was?"
"Yes." Anijza pointed to Ranko. "I was going to give
her to the Master in return for your everlasting existence,
unmarred, a perfectly resplendent specimen. Mine forever.
all gone now, all gone."
"So Ranko-."
"Ranko-, showing mercy on her, taking her back into
yourself, re-establishing the curse thus sparing me from the
agony of eons past."
"I-I saved you?"
"Yes, Ranma. Oh I found another soul to give the
Master, so don't worry; I will be around for another eon to
come."
Cold sweat broke out on Ranma's forehead. His knees
started knocking together uncontrollably, vision swirling
around.
"No, this can't be. This can't be!"
"It is Ranma-darling, and you know what the best part
of all this is?"
Ranma could barely stand now, shaking his head. Anijza
leaned closer to the glass.
"I will never leave you, ever. Your curse is my
enjoyment. Every shift, every time that little toad changes
you, it will be us standing there, together as it should
be!"
Ranko was crying now, mirroring Ranma's emotions. He
could not move terror holding him ridged, unable to speak or
do anything. Anijza laughter filled the air and she backed
away from the glass pulling Ranko along.
"And now I must leave you, my dear, to ponder what
could have been a long and amorous relationship. I could
have given you everything you wanted, Ranma, but you chose a
toad over me. (Sigh) such a loss; however I will leave you
with a gift, something to remind you that my love is still
yours. always."
Anijza's left hand slipped up around Ranko's waist, her
fingers working their ways around her exposed breast. Ranma
could feel them too and it made his skin crawl.
"Stop it, Anijza!" he blurted out.
She continued, Ranko's whines rising as they began
caressing her nipples. A gentle kiss to the cheek warmed
Ranma's skin.
"Stop it, Anijza!" he said again.
Anijza turned and gave him a seductive wink. She took
Rank's chin in her free hand, turned her face towards hers,
and gave Ranko a deep long passionate kiss. Ranma gagged
feeling her tongue slip down his throat. He waved his arms
trying to brush Anijza's aside from her violation, and then
clenched a fist, drawing back.
KEEE-RASHHH!!!
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
In the kitchen, Akane paused from her work startled by
the loud scream coming from above. She placed the bowl in
her hands down; Kasumi, Ukyo, and Shampoo also looking up,
and they ran out into the living room. Everyone there had
stopped what they were doing; wondering what was going on as
well.
"Ranma," said Akane, and a surge of bodies rushed up
the stairs towards the bathroom. They burst in and found a
trail of blood running from the sink, shattered glass strewn
everywhere. The trail lead over to the narrow side of the
wash tub, and huddled in the corner sat Ranma.
A look of terror covered his face, his right hand
resembling shredded meat, bloodied with shards from the
mirror lodged deep in his skin.
"Ranma!" cried Akane rushing over.
She pulled him out, cradling him close while doctor
Tofu snatched a towel from the wall to stop the bleeding.
"Call an ambulance!" he shouted, Ukyo quickly running
for the nearest phone.
Ranma sobbed pressing his face into Akane's shoulder.
"Ranma, what happened?" she asked him. "What made you
do such a thing?"
He looked up and started to speak when Anijza's evil
laugh sounded lightly in his ears. He was not sure anyone
heard it, but the fear in him held him silent. Ranma grit
his teeth together and then broke down again sobbing like
he'd never done before, leaving everyone lost and confused...