Ranma ½ -- A Deadly Choice

Chapter 15: Ranma’s Plan Unfolds: I’ll Defend Akane With My Life!

Miss Hinako sat back. "Ouch!" She pushed aside the branch that had poked her in the back and settled into the shrubbery beside the main road. She highly doubted that the plan was still on. Neither Akane nor Ranma had shown up at the appointed time and place, and who knew what Ryoga had to do with all of this? Still, she was Akane’s only hope, and Akane was one of her few good students. A friend, almost? If this was the only way to save her, Hinako was all for it.

She sucked at her lollipop as if the sugar were courage, because she needed every ounce. If any part of Ranma’s plan went wrong, which was more likely than the alternative, she would be in as much danger as Akane. The demon was known to attack those who stood in its way, and Hinako had the only means of harming it. She flipped the coin over and over in her hand, concentrating on the energy-draining technique. This time, she would be playing for keeps.

A scream interrupted Hinako’s thoughts. That was Akane! Hinako held her breath, hoping that the diversionary part of the plan was on his way. A draining of this magnitude would take time to prepare, and it wasn’t likely that the demon would remain still long enough. That was where Ranma would – hopefully – come in. Ranma hadn’t been very clear on how he intended to stall the demon, but that was most likely because he wasn’t entirely clear himself. Still, if anyone could pull off this plan, Ranma could. After all, he was the only person ever to successfully counter her Happo Maroyaka Satsu technique.

"Aah!" Akane’s scream was closer this time, and more frantic. Hinako risked peeking out of the bush. Akane was coming toward her, according to the plan, and the demon was mere feet behind her. But Ranma was still nowhere in sight. She clenched the lollipop tightly in her teeth and prepared to use her technique. Even if Ranma didn’t show up in time, there was no going back. She was in this all the way.

Before she could begin, however, an energy ball flew from the rooftops and slammed into the demon, sending its particles flying in all directions. The demon quickly reformed, only to find Ranma standing between itself and Akane. "If you want to get to Akane, you’ll have to come through me," said Ranma. "Akane, get out of here!"

The demon assumed its Ranma form and stared at the real Ranma. "No wonder she saw through my disguise," it said. "Your body has changed." It shrugged. "Oh well. I’ll soon be shedding this disguise forever, once Akane Tendo is mine."

"What do you want with Akane?" asked Ranma. "Why are you kidnapping girls?"

"If I told you why I need them, that reason would be moot," said the demon. "Just accept that you’ll never see most of them again."

"Shut up!" shouted Ranma. "Give them back and leave Akane alone, or else!"

"Haven’t we been through this before?" asked the demon. "You know you can’t defeat me."

"I may not be able to beat you," said Ranma, "but I’m not helpless! Miss Hinako, now!"

Miss Hinako aimed the coin at the demon. "Happo 500 Yen Satsu!" she shouted. The demon turned toward the bush and spotted her, but it was too late. The demon froze as the energy drain began.

From out of nowhere, Ryoga appeared, darting in front of Hinako and grabbing the coin out of her hand. Ranma’s arm darted out and grabbed Ryoga’s collar as he passed. "What the heck do you think you’re doing?" he shouted angrily.

"Hey, be thankful I got here in time!" returned Ryoga. "Miss Hinako almost used her Happo Maroyaka Satsu technique!"

"That was the point! She was going to drain the demon, until you screwed it up!"

"I did that for a reason! You don’t know what will happen if she uses that technique!"

"What will happen?" asked Ranma.

Ryoga paused. "I don’t know."

"I thought so. You’re just jealous. If you can’t have Akane, you don’t want anyone to have her!"

"That’s not it, I swear!" insisted Ryoga. He looked around. "Where’d the demon go?"

"Right over there," said Ranma, pointing down the street. "Not that it matters, now that you stopped Miss Hinako’s technique."

"Forget about that! We have to protect Akane!" Ryoga grabbed Ranma and ran after the demon.

"There’s nothing we can do now, you know," said Ranma.

"What do you mean? You’re not giving up, are you?"

"What can we do? I’ve run out of ideas."

"Then think of some new ones! That demon’s going to kidnap Akane if we don’t stop it!"

"Don’t you think I’ve tried that? That’s what Miss Hinako was doing! I staked everything on this plan! Now that you screwed it up, we’re finished!"

"Then, Akane’s done for?" Ryoga’s feet kept running, but his mind was no longer on the chase. It was Ranma’s turn to drag Ryoga along as the eternally lost boy tried repeatedly to go in the wrong direction.

"Hey, watch where you’re going! You don’t want to lose Akane, do you?"

"She’s already lost," moaned Ryoga, who was himself lost in his depression. A ball of light began to form in his hands. "There’s no use in going on!" he shouted.

Ranma stared at him, understanding. "That’s right!" he agreed. "Akane’s as good as gone, and it’s all your fault!"

Ryoga whirled angrily on Ranma. "What do you mean, it’s all my fault?" The ball of light shrank as his depression gave way to anger.

"Well," Ranma stammered quickly, "whose fault it is doesn’t matter anyway! Akane’s life is over if we can’t rescue her."

"I’ll never see Akane again!" whined Ryoga. "It’s too much to bear! She never learned to love me as a man, and now she never will!" His ki energy blazed like the sun in his hands. Without a second thought, he aimed it at his quarry. "Shishi Houkoudan!" The ball of light streaked toward the demon and struck it. Instead of dissipating, however, the demon screamed as if in pain. It stopped chasing Akane and turned around, coming back toward Ranma and Ryoga.

"It worked!" said Ranma. "You got it!"

"I did?" Ryoga stared at his hands. "I mean, I did it!"

The demon loomed over them. "Quick, do it again!" shouted Ranma.

"I can’t!" returned Ryoga. "I’m not depressed any more! Not now that we’ve got a hope of beating it!" The demon wrapped a tentacle of black mist around Ryoga’s head and flipped him over the nearby fence into the swimming pool.

"Great," said Ranma. "We HAD a hope of beating it."

"Ranma, get down!" shouted Miss Hinako from behind. "Happo 500 Yen Satsu!" Ranma threw himself aside as Miss Hinako began to drain the demon’s battle energy. A black funnel stretched from the demon’s body toward the coin between her fingers.

"Is that supposed to happen?" asked Ranma, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of Hinako’s screams. Her body began to contract into itself as the demon’s energy flowed into her.

"What’s happening to me?" she screamed. She fell to her knees, but the coin continued to channel energy into her.

"Miss Hinako, drop the coin!" shouted Ranma.

"I can’t! I can’t control my body!"

"Don’t worry, I’ve got you!" Hikaru Gosunkugi quickly snatched the coin from Hinako’s hand. The funnel of energy spun rapidly and broke apart.

"What happened to me?" Hinako asked him, still in pain, but able to control herself.

"You can’t use an energy-draining technique on the demon," he explained. "It’s made of anti-energy. When combined with your energy, it becomes a volatile mixture that could destroy the universe!"

"Quick, Miss Hinako, get rid of the demon’s energy!" shouted Ranma.

Miss Hinako shakily stood up and aimed her hands at the demon. "Happo No Yen Coin Return!" She fired a burst of anti-energy at the demon, which vanished before the blast could touch it. Exhausted, she collapsed to the ground.

Happosai leapt onto her back. "So, Hinako, you’ve finally met your match, eh?"

Cologne joined him. "Yes, it would appear that the Happo Maroyaka Satsu technique doesn’t work on a demon of Ultimate Darkness."

"It’s a good thing we decided to show up before anybody got hurt," added Happosai.

Cologne stared at Miss Hinako and raised her eyebrows. "That depends on how loose your definition of ‘hurt’ is." She appeared to notice Ranma for the first time. "Son-in-law, it appears you’ve already had a taste of Ultimate Darkness Martial Arts."

"For the last time, this was just an accident! It’s that stupid Akane’s fault!"

"Oh?" She looked Ranma up and down. "Well, it’s just as well you’re no longer fiancé material. You won’t be able to save Akane from the demon. No one can defeat the techniques of Ultimate Darkness Martial Arts."

"What’s with this Ultimate Darkness stuff anyway?" asked Ranma. "I’ve never seen either of you old freaks afraid of anything before this demon came along."

"Ultimate Darkness Martial Arts is as old as Anything Goes Martial Arts," said Happosai. "They’re rival schools, but the Ultimate Darkness school’s sole purpose is to defeat the techniques of the Anything Goes style. Every time I developed a new technique, the masters of Ultimate Darkness would develop a counter for it on the spot. When I unleashed the Happo Fire Burst, they were ready with the Rubber Sheet Shield. When I tried the Beanjam Blowout, they countered with the Pastry Pileup! Now do you see the true terror of Ultimate Darkness Martial Arts?"

Ranma snorted. "That don’t scare me! I thought it was something dangerous, not a bunch of food-fighting techniques."

"Oh, but it truly is the most terrifying of all the martial arts styles!" said Cologne. "Even my own Amazon techniques would be no match for it. After seeing a technique only once, a master of Ultimate Darkness can instantly develop a counter for it, either a more powerful version of the move or a way to reverse the move’s power. Even a new move can often be stopped by using the counter for a similar move that’s been seen before. And worst of all, Ultimate Darkness is a collective set of techniques. Once a move is developed by one student of the school, all of them can use it as if they’d been practicing it their entire lives. Do you understand now why you have no hope of defeating the demon?"

"That may have worked on Ryoga," shouted Ranma defiantly, "but I don’t get more powerful when I’m depressed, so I don’t bother getting depressed!"

"You’ve come a long way from the boy who didn’t want to have anything to do with Akane only a few hours ago," noted Happosai. "I’m proud of you, son! But don’t let pride steer you wrong. Opposing that demon will probably be the last thing you ever do, if you even live that long."

"I don’t care! If that demon wants Akane, it’s going to have to kill me first!"

"I’m sure it won’t hesitate to do that," said Cologne.

A nearby bush rustled. Ranma dove into the bush and grabbed a handful of something soft. A quick squeeze told him what he was holding, and he braced himself for Akane’s slap. But she was frozen in terror, her face as white as her well-bleached shirt.

"Akane, what are you doing here?" asked Ranma, removing his hands from her breasts.

Akane snapped out of her trance at the sound of his voice. "I – I hid from the demon when Ryoga attacked it," she said. "Ranma, listen. I don’t want you to fight the demon any more."

"You want your dear Hikaru to fight it instead?" asked Ranma.

"Dear Hikaru?"

Hikaru poked his head into the bush. "Sure, I’ll do it! I could do some more research... I’m sure I can come up with something!"

"I don’t want anyone trying to defend me," insisted Akane. "If Happosai and Cologne can’t beat it, it must be really powerful. I don’t want anyone getting hurt for my sake! Please, promise me you won’t try to fight it!"

"No, Akane," said Hikaru. "We won’t give up! We’ll beat that demon!"

Ranma glared at Hikaru. "That’s right," he said. "I don’t care what the ghoul and the freak say! I won’t let that demon touch you!"

"No, Ranma," insisted Akane. "Don’t be stupid. You’ll only hurt yourself if you try to fight the demon. It’s too powerful for you!"

Ranma reached for familiar territory. "Hey, I’m only doing it because you’re too thickheaded to know when you can’t do something on your own!"

Akane curled her fists in rage. "How dare you! Here I am trying to be noble, and you –"

"Come on, you two," urged Hikaru. "This is no time to argue!"

"You stay out of this, Don Juan!" shouted Ranma. "You may have Akane now, but I am NOT jealous! You got that?"

"Ranma, you misunderstand," began Hikaru.

"Both of you, just leave me alone," said Akane, climbing out of the bush. Ranma stood up to call her back, but he saw the horrifying silhouette of the demon lurking further down the street. The demon saw him as well, and launched its attack immediately.

"Get down!" shouted Ranma, throwing himself on top of Akane as a blast of anti-energy passed above her. She groaned in pain.

"You’re too heavy! Get off!"

"Fine. Next time, I’ll just let it zap you." Despite his anger, Ranma stood up. Akane, however, continue to lie facedown, moaning.

"Get it off me! It hurts!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Ranma. "I already stood up!" He reached down to help Akane up, but he couldn’t lift her. "Have you gained weight?" he asked.

"Let me help," said Hikaru quickly. Together, they managed to roll Akane over. "Look! She has the doll in her pocket! She was weighing herself down!"

"I got it," said Ranma, reaching for the doll. Akane grabbed his hand.

"Leave that alone! It’s a present from Hikaru!"

"I think you misunderstand," began Hikaru as the demon drew near. Before he could explain, the demon grabbed him and flung him away.

"We’ve gotta get out of here!" shouted Ranma. He grabbed Akane’s arm and ran, leading her away from the demon as quickly as he could.

"Ranma, please! Let me go!" pleaded Akane. "I don’t want to go with you any more!"

"Would you rather be with Hikaru instead?" asked Ranma.

"That’s not what I meant," panted Akane, "I’ve been running for a long time, and I’m too tired to go on. Just leave me."

"No way! Don’t give up on me now! We’ll figure something out! All we have to do is find Ryoga –"

"No! I mean it!" shouted Akane, jerking her arm out of Ranma’s grip. The voodoo doll fell to the ground, unnoticed. "I’m tired of running! That demon’s going to get me in the end no matter what you do!" Tears ran down her cheeks, and she brushed them angrily away. "I just want to get it over with!"

"I’m never going to let you go," said Ranma, pulling Akane close to him and kissing her hard on the lips. Akane was too tired to resist as he swept her off of her feet and carried her away from the pursuing demon. When he decided that he’d gained enough ground, he broke the kiss. "I know how you feel about Gosunkugi now," he said, "but that’s a voodoo spell, not your real feelings. I’ll get him to take it back somehow. All you have to do is come with me. I’ll carry you as far as I have to to keep you away from the demon, I promise."

Akane suddenly realized that her arms were wrapped around Ranma’s shoulders. She started to pull them away, but left them where they were. "Ranma, I..." she began.

"Don’t say anything," said Ranma. "I’m going to keep you safe – because I love you."

"Ranma! I –" Akane’s face screwed up in pain.

"Akane! What’s wrong?"

"It hurts! It hurts!" Akane’s entire body began to darken. Ranma nearly dropped her in shock.

"What’s happening to you?" asked Ranma as Akane’s body turned pitch black.

"I don’t know!" screamed Akane. "I feel sick!"

"Could this be the problem?" a voice idly asked from nearby. Ranma looked over his shoulder to see the demon holding the voodoo doll in a tentacle.

"Give it back!" he shouted, reaching for the doll. However, with Akane in his arms, Ranma wasn’t agile enough to get to the doll, and the demon simply floated out of reach.

"A voodoo doll... how convenient. I needn’t worry about fighting you for the girl while this is in my possession."

"Give it back!" repeated Ranma, carefully laying Akane down on the ground. "Don’t make me come after it!"

"Oh, you read my mind!" taunted the demon. "I enjoy a game of keep-away every few thousand years. Catch me if you can!" The demon took its Ranma form, but left the pigtail a trailing tentacle of black mist that held the doll securely. It leapt to the nearest roof, and the real Ranma followed.

"That does it!" shouted Ranma. "Now you’ve made me mad!" He quickly caught up to the demon and grabbed for the doll, but the demon vanished and reappeared behind Ranma. Ranma quickly spun to face the demon, but it moved so quickly that he could hardly see it.

"What’s the matter? Can’t get your precious doll?"

"On the contrary," said Ranma with a smile, "it’s just like taking candy from a baby. Or a Phoenix Pill from a ghoul..." He hauled back his fists and let them fly. "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ranma’s hands moved faster than the eye could see, repeatedly grabbing for the doll. The demon, however, moved faster yet to dodge Ranma’s attack. It struck back with its own Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, and Ranma quickly found himself outmatched. With one shorter arm, he couldn’t compete with the demon’s reach.

"So, do you surrender now?" asked the demon.

"I suppose so," said Ranma. "You win."

The demon grinned evilly. "Sayonara then, Ranma Saotome." It vanished.

"Sayonara yourself," said Ranma, pulling the doll out of its hiding place behind his back. "I did it, Akane!" he said to the doll. "I saved you!" No sooner had he said it than the doll began to crumble into black dust from the feet up. "What? How could it..." The color drained from his face. He dropped the doll and ran back toward the spot where he’d left Akane behind to chase after the demon. He saw the black cloud absorbing the unconscious girl while he was still over a hundred yards away. "Get away from her!" he shouted.

"You’re too late!" replied the demon, pulling Akane’s body into itself. "The girl is mine!" The top of the cloud resolved into the upper half of Ranma’s form, making it appear to be in a rather compromising position with Akane, who was hip-deep in the anti-energy already. "I must admit, your plan was my inspiration. I allowed you to distract me so that the Happo Maroyaka Satsu woman could prepare her attack. A lapse on my part, although the attack did me little harm. So, in return, I distracted you with the doll, which was worthless to me in any case."

"Shut up!" shouted Ranma, launching a powerful jumpkick. The demon bent down and scooped Akane up in its arms, then leapt above Ranma’s attack. By the time Ranma hit the ground to continue his offensive, only Akane’s chest and head remained outside the black cloud. "Akane!" shouted Ranma, charging toward the demon again.

Akane shook the cobwebs out of her head and opened her eyes. She screamed. "Ranma!"

"I won’t let it get you!" shouted Ranma, reaching for her. "Akane, give me your hand!"

"Say goodbye," said the demon calmly, drawing Akane even further into itself. It began to radiate darkness as a lamp radiates light. The aura of darkness pushed Ranma away as he fought to reach Akane.

Akane struggled against the pull of the demon and managed to free an arm. She extended it toward Ranma. "Ranma, here! Grab it!"

"You can’t save her, Ranma! Just give up and you won’t have to die trying," said the demon.

"Never!" groaned Ranma. He continued to move forward as the demon swallowed Akane’s shoulders and began to devour her head. He forced his words out between aching breaths as the darkness drained his strength. "I – will – never – give – up!"

"Ranma!" screamed Akane as the black mist closed over her face.

"Akane!" Ranma’s hand closed around Akane’s at last, and relief flooded his heart as her hand squeezed back. However, the demon continued to draw Akane’s arm into itself. Ranma pulled at her arm, but only succeeded in pulling himself closer to the swirling black cloud. At this proximity, the flood of darkness washing over, around, and through Ranma was a solid mass, pressing in on him from all directions. It applied a crushing pressure to his wrists, forcing his muscles to relax. He felt his grip on Akane’s hand weakening and fought with all of his ebbing strength to maintain it.

Even as Akane’s hand was finally drawn completely into the cloud, Ranma held on, letting his own hand be drawn in with it. He didn’t let go, and neither did Akane. Her hand never left his; it just wasn’t there anymore, as if Akane had ceased to exist. Ranma forced his way through the darkness that now cut at his skin like a thousand icicles, biting at his eyes and drawing out the tears that already threatened to pour forth. He groped blindly in the blackness for Akane, but the dark mist vanished, leaving Ranma standing in the middle of the street, completely alone. He fell to his knees, the remnants of the mist catching in his throat and choking him as he stared at the hands that could not hold the girl he loved. He gasped for air for several minutes before finally managing to fill his lungs. Then, the primal scream that had been building in his chest exploded, piercing the night like a siren:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"