On a lone winding road in Fire Country, on his way to the Village Hidden in the Leaf, also known as Konoha, Arashi Kazama made his way home, after completing a difficult mission. He had protected the daimyo’s daughter—and didn’t give in completely to her advances, just a little third base action at best, captured or killed the assailants, and basically proved just how damn good he was.
It was days like this that made him glad he wasn’t the oldest ranking Hokage in the village. But Sarutobi seemed to enjoy the paperwork anyway.
Anyway, he was able to still get out of the village, go on missions, and basically enjoy his adventures. Granted, he still had to assist his team at times, but they were growing together without him, and every good teacher knew there were times where you had to let them go. Besides, Kakashi did have that healthy rivalry with Obito, so the two would still improve. The only problem was he wondered how much of the rivalry was based on Rin.
“Oh well,” he smiled, “as long as they don’t kill each other over her, they should be fine.”
He paused though, as lightning seemed to start streaking across the sky, a very bad omen, considering there wasn’t a cloud to be seen. The former blue sky took on a blood red undertone, as light itself seemed to slink away, a hole of darkness forming.
Arashi could only stare, the memories of stories recalling such an event running quickly through his mind. The story said that centuries ago, nine Bijuu had appeared from such an event, before they raced away.
Could more Bijuu be coming? Did this herald a new threat, not just to the village, but to the world at large?
But from the small circle of darkness, from out of what he could only sense as the most foul and polluted chakra he had ever had the misfortune of sensing, came to small figures.
And they were falling fast.
Ranma held onto Nabiki as best as he could; struggling to keep the winds from yanking her from his grasp.
His body was tired, the trip through the breech taking more from him than his shield had inside that murky hell.
And now they were free of both ... and falling rapidly to the forest below.
He struggled as best as he could, putting as much of his remaining ki that he could grasp, into slowing their descent towards the ground, hoping that while it had never been enough to duplicate Herb’s technique, that it was enough to soften their landing.
But the tanks were too dry, and even that little energy wasn’t enough.
So this is it, huh? This is how I die? I saved us from one hell to become compost?
I refuse to believe this is it! I refuse to lose like this! Nabiki’s counting on me to save us and get us some help! I can’t ... no ... I won’t give up!
Sadly, his power was all gone; between keeping the ... stuff ... from ripping into their souls and from keeping the energies of the breech from shredding them apart, he had reached his limit. The best he was able to do was slow them down slightly from terminal velocity, as they raced towards the ground.
But ... if they died ... at least it wouldn’t be in ... there.
But death never came, and he could feel their descent ... slowing. Around both him and Nabiki, he felt something warm wrap around them, as it seemed to not only slow them down, but redirect them towards ... a giant frog in a coat?
His last thoughts before he passed out were borrowed from his pig-headed rival. Just where the hell am I now?
“That was close,” said Arashi, sitting on top of the Gamabunta.
“Are you certain they were worth saving?” asked the Frog Boss, his tongue wrapped around the two. “They are tainted.”
“But they are not demons,” said Arashi. “They seem to have come from the same place though, if the stories are correct about how the Bijuu first appeared in the lands.”
“Perhaps,” said the Toad Boss. “Hmm,” he murmured, bringing the two close enough for his eyes to look over them.
“See something?” asked Arashi.
“Perhaps,” said Gamabunta. “They are ... different, the male more so. There is something to them.”
“I’ll watch over them,” said Arashi. “Think you can give us a quick lift to Konoha?”
“You’re asking for a lot of useless things today, aren’t you?”
“Well,” teased the Fourth, “I did get this nice bottle of sake as partial payment for my latest mission,” he said, opening it up, and pouring a bit into the giant toad’s mouth.
“Ah,” said Gamabunta. “Share some more and I’ll do it.”
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(Posted Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:55)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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