Trials and Tribulations XI




Bright purple eyes glared down at him in amusement. He stood in the 
doorway, his jaw hanging down to his knees as he took in the wild sight 
that lay before him. Ebony hair cascaded to the ground, and Ranma 
shivered as he felt wisps of it brush his feet. He tore his eyes away 
from the piercing gaze quickly, his face heating up with his 
embarrassment. 

“ Well, are you coming or not?” 

Ranma blinked in confusion as he stared at the hand that tightly gripped 
his own. Those large purple eyes glared at him silently, with an almost 
dangerous glint. Another emotion hid in the depths of those eyes, an 
emotion that made him shiver in anticipation and not a little fear. 

“ Who are you?” Ranma whispered as he felt himself led down the dark 
hallway adjacent to his cell. Ranma shivered as he felt cold wind touch 
the nape of his neck. The silence lasted for about a minute, an eternity 
for Ranma. He grew more and more suspicious about the aloof purple eyes, 
the confidant sway of the long black hair, and the fast gate at which he 
was propelled down the hallway. 

“Who…” 

“I am your /help/, as you so aptly put it, dearest ningen.” Ranma was 
rewarded with a brilliant smile, and a subtle tilting of the head in 
concentration. 

“ My help?” 

“Shush!” His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked behind them with a 
quick furtive glance. ”Come, we must hurry!” 

“No.” 

Ranma stopped still, a determined look on his face, as he glared at the 
astonished demon before him. “ Not until you tell me who the hell you 
are.” 

The violet his blinked in confusion, the only things alive on his 
bewildered form. Suddenly, he snapped out of his trance, and Ranma 
heaved a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, as he was met with a 
kind glance. 

The demon let out a little chuckle,” I guess I do owe you an explanation 
don’t I?” 

He stopped there, and Ranma frowned. “ Well….” 

“We talk, while we walk. Come.” 

“ My name is Issoku.” He brushed his black hair from his back as he 
looked over to Ranma with a furtive glance,” I heard your call of 
distress, and… I want to help. We have a common enemy you see, his name 
is Ousui.” 

They both stopped as they reached the doors that separated the hallway 
from the cafeteria. 

“That’s all I can tell you now.” Ranma jumped as he felt a warm hand 
envelope his own,” Trust me.”< You don’t want to know anymore > 


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Ryouga’s mind whirled in a million different directions as he saw Ranma 
enter the cafeteria with the strange violet eyed demon, hand in hand. A 
feeling of hurt welled up in his chest, and a suspicious pin-prick stung 
his eyes. So lost in his thought was he, that he didn’t notice when 
Ousui followed his gaze across the room, or when his eyes narrowed 
dangerously at the sight of the two new arrivals. 

Ranma felt eyes on the back of his neck, and turned around sharply, in 
perfect time with Issoku. They both stared at Ousui’s smirking face, 
before glancing over at the lost boy’s, well…lost expression. Ranma felt 
his face heat up with familiar battle fervor, and his chi level 
skyrocketed at Ryouga’s pleading gaze. As he began to make his way 
across the room, a strong hand grabbed his pigtail, and yanked, 
bringing out a startled yelp. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Issuko demanded angrily. 

Ranma opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off abruptly.” You must be 
a fool to think you can take him by yourself. All you’d do is get 
yourself hurt! Think, before you act Ranma!” Issoku took in a deep 
breath,” It might save your life one day.” 

Ranma blushed as he felt Issoku’s heated gaze centered on him. The 
uncomfortable proximity of those eyes to his own made him fidget 
nervously, but the level of his self-consciousness skyrocketed as 
he realized Ryouga’s warm brown eyes were still watching him. 

“Um…” Ranma hurriedly stepped back, ignoring the brief look of hurt that 
flashed in Issoku’s eyes,” We need a plan.” 

“Right, that’s something we definitely need.” He pulled out a chair, and 
sat down, gesturing for Ranma to do the same,” But first you need some 
info on our demon foe.” 

“ Ousui has been in this prison for about seven hundred years. He was 
first captured by a hunter after he had slept with the young daughter of 
a koorime maiden. The legend is this,” He lowered his voice and leaned 
closer to Ranma’s wide eyes,” His goal is a life of pleasure in the 
ningenkai, and his right of passage…” Here Issoku paused, glancing 
around cautiously,” Is through the Yotsukado. “ 

Ranma’s stomach dropped as the word seemed to resonate throughout the 
cafeteria. “ The… the Yotsukado?” 

“Yes, the yotsukado. It is a myth thousands of years old about power 
even older than that. It goes that a mind unleased from life’s easy 
restraints shall move from death to death, til little deaths of 
countless number equal naught but little life.” 

Ranma frowned,” Is that supposed to mean something to me?” 

“ Not really, only through the fact that Ousui told me himself that his 
/pet/ was an opener of the Yotsukado.” 

“But that can’t be!” Ranma gasped, startled,” why would he keep 
something like that a secret?” 

Issoku shrugged,” He probably didn’t even know about it, Ranma.” 

They sat there is silence, watching the food diminish quickly in the 
cafeteria, and making sure to take their share. When they were done, 
they sat there and just looked at each other. With no small talk to 
occupy them, the level of intimacy quickly rose, and they both grew 
steadily uncomfortable. 

“Let’s get out of here.” 

Issoku pushed back his chair, and helped Ranma stand up. Ranma moved 
stiffly as he felt Ryouga’s accusatory glance burn into his back all the 
way out the door. 



To Be Continued …