Ukyo Kuonji felt silly, what with having an ofuda stuck to her forehead. Of course, she'd rather feel silly than have to constantly battle that... being... that had seeped into her. It had promised her vengeance against those that had wronged her - Genma and Ranma Saotome. But instead, it immediately tried to take over her body. She had been really lucky to be able to resist it for so long, but she had nearly lost... when HE showed up.
The man was elderly, but still quite spry. And he was a Shinto priest - a real one, not just someone performing a duty. He had been attracted by the evil spirit, and had immediately placed the ofuda on her head when he found her. Since then, Fiore's presence had been cut off. He wasn't gone, but he wasn't able to do anything, as long as the wards were in place.
So now Ukyo was in the priest's - Katsuhito Masaki's - shrine, on top of a hill, waiting for the old man to return with something.
A few minutes later, the Katsuhito returned, carrying a... sword hilt?
"How are you doing, dear?" He asked her.
Ukyo sighed. "I gotta splitting headache, and this thing itches like nothing else... but that's better than letting that thing in my mind take control."
"Well, I hope to be able to help you with that, child," he said, "and I hope you can help me, and another, as well."
"Huh?"
Katsuhito placed the sword hilt before Ukyo. For the first time, Ukyo noticed the three red gems at the base of the hilt, each one glowing like small flashlights. "Those stones haven't reacted to anyone or anything in over seven hundred years, child. This is a good sign, for it may mean that at long last, I can discharge my family's duty."
Ukyo didn't need to say anything. She knew the lead-in to a story when she heard it.
"Seven hundred years ago, my ancestor, Yosho, was a great and powerful Samurai. He was considered one of the best fighters in the land, if not the world. However, he was also very arrogant, and believed he was infallible. That would prove to be his undoing.
"At the time, a great demon arose and began terrorizing the land. She was known as Ryoko, the Spirit Caller. As powerful as an army by herself, she had the ability to summon and control other unbound spirits, making her a scourge upon any who faced her. Until Yosho did.
"Yosho took up the challenge, and fought against Ryoko. It was a climactic battle, that was said to last two weeks from start to finish. In the end, though, Yosho prevailed, and struck the Spirit Caller low. Then, he saw things, seeing visions of a man, binding Ryoko's power to his service, forcing her to do his dirty work. Yosho shook off these visions, scoffed at their message, and slew the demon, cutting her cleanly into three pieces.
"That was his mistake, for those visions had been the truth. Ryoko had been a slave to a powerful sorcerer, who had captured her when she was just a child. Those visions had not been, as Yosho had presumed, some last ditch attack by a demon, but rather, an attempt by a Megami to save her daughter.
"That Megami, known only as Washuu, brought her wrath against Yosho for killing her child. She shattered his sword, leaving nothing but the hilt you see here. Then she gathered up the fragments of her daughter, and turned them into three gems - the gems you see here. She then charged Yosho, and all his descendants to watch over these gems, to protect them from those who would use them for evil, and to await the time one would come who could unleash their power, restore Ryoko, and bring about her redemption.
"For seven hundred years, we have waited and protected these gems. This morning, for the first time ever, they began to glow. Ukyo, I believe YOU are the one we have been waiting for. Will you accept this?"
Ukyo blinked, having been engrossed in the story. "Um, but what does that mean? I've already got one uninvited guest..."
"If you accept the gems, and the gems accept you, that other spirit will not be able to remain within you. You may have to deal with Ryoko instead, but she will not take you over completely."
Ukyo wasn't in a position to really debate. "I'll do it."
Katsuhito handed her the hilt. When she touched it, the gems flew off, and struck her. One merged with each of her wrists, the third at the base of her throat. Power flooded her being...
***
Inside her mind, Fiore seethed. While that ward was up, he couldn't finish taking over this host. It was only a matter of time before the ward collapsed, but Fiore always hated waiting. Then he became aware of another presence...
It was a female spirit, and a powerful one. "Beat it, pal," she said. "I'm moving in."
Fiore sneered. "Never, this mortal is MINE!"
Ryoko smirked. "I was hoping you'd say that...
Moments later, Fiore barely managed to disengage from the mortal before being destroyed utterly. Floating away on the astral plane, he marveled at the power that spirit possessed, and vowed revenge on her.
Provided he could even regain enough power to reach the mortal plane again...
***
Ukyo blinked, and removed the ofuda. It no longer was necessary. She knew that Fiore was gone, and wasn't going to be back for a long, long time. She understood so much now... why these gems were meant for her. Washuu could only save Ryoko's power, and an echo of her spirit. Much of Ryoko had already passed on...
And had been reborn in a young girl named Ukyo Kuonji. And now her past life and her present were merging.
Katsuhito looked on in surprise, and Ukyo smiled for him. She knew what she going to do. Fiore had mentioned others of his kind, and she was going to find and get rid of each and every one of them. After all, what reason was there for going after the Saotome? They were insignificant to her now.
Katsuhito smiled, his family's curse was finally over. And besides, this girl was cute, maybe that grandson of his would like to get to know her better...
(Posted Fri, 11 Oct 2002 01:12)
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