The Saotome Blade

Disclaimer: Blade isn't mine Ranma isn't mine either

* *: Thoughts

[" "]: Chinese Language

<" ">: Vampire language

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

Chapter 2

Trouble At Sea

Ranma Soatome, known to the Vampire race as the Saotome Blade, Stared in awe at what was before him. Inside the FRH he had expected it to be just as dirty, rusty, and vermin infested as the outside, instead the inside was rather clean. In fact it was better than clean it was absolutely beautiful. First class in his point of view.

"I feel like I've thrown into an episode of the twilight zone." Ranma's friend and confidant said as he too stared at the inside of the small ship, jaw agape. "I mean it's a nice surprise, but, _this_ is one Hell of a surprise. I never would have guessed!"

Captain Stinky, the old Pirate with the dead parrot on his shoulder who had showed the two Vampire hunters onto the ship known as the Faithful Rusty Heap walked past the two teenagers into the ship with some of Donny's luggage that Ranma dropped in shock. "Aaarh. follow me fellows. I'll show you to your rooms. Since your my only cargo this trip around I'll give you my two very best Rooms."

Donny perked up a little. "We get our own rooms?" The Captain dropped the luggage on the floor and pointed down a long, long, _Loooooonng_ hallway "Of course ya do Lads their at the very end of the hall."

Ranma and Donny sweat dropped as they stared down the Hallway that seemed to stretch for miles with door after door on either side. "Can we just have one of the rooms right here?" Ranma asked the Captain as he pointed on either side of him to the doors closest to them."

The Captain frowned. "Eeer No Lad. These here rooms ye be pointin at are reserved for me n' me crew. Ye'll have to take the rooms farther down, lest ye be bunkin with Rico. He's not a very pleasant man t' talk ta." The captain passed the two teens again on his way out also giving his last words of advice for them. "Oh in fact, if I was you kids I'd just stay away from Rico. Very far away from Rico."

Donny suddenly remembered that this boat gave him the creeps and shivered, even though it was 24 degrees outside. "Hey Ranma? Is it all right if I bunk with you? This place has some seriously bad vibes."

Ranma turned picked up his pack and began walking down the hall towards their final destination. "Hey Donn. Don't Worry. We'll be right across the hall from each other. There's nothing to be scared about."

Donny Jogged after his Dhampir friend. "Hey I'm not afraid of anything. I just was saying that this place gives me the creeps that's all." Ranma looked back over his shoulder. "It doesn't matter what you say Donn I can smell it on ya. You are _afraid_."

Ranma's human sidekick Donny frowned picked up his own luggage and continued walking with Ranma towards their rooms. Ranma smiling at his ability to embarrass his friend and Donny frowning at his inability to carry his luggage without the help of Ranma.

***********

(10 years ago)

Six year old Ranma is hiding behind a bush and is peering through it at an okinomiyaki cart on the road in front of him. he is holding his mouth shut to muffle the snickering that he couldn't suppress. Just then he heard a rustle in the bushes behind him and then a dark form burst out at him. the force of the form toppling him to the ground and the two small forms burst out rolling on the small dirt road.

The other young person who we can now see is Ukyo at age six pins Ranma's tiny form to the dirt road beneath them. "I _Got_ you Ranchan!" She said excitedly.

Ranma struggled beneath Ukyo's grip but she had it to firm so he was not getting any leverage. "C'mon Ucchan," He whined "that wasn't fair! I wasn't ready!"

Ukyo tightened her grip on Ranma's arms. "So?! Doesn't matter. I still _got_ you!" Ranma finally stopped his struggling and looked up at his best friend dejectedly. "Fine!" Ranma spat as if the very words them selves tasted more bitter than lemons.

Ukyo got up and started walking towards the Okinomiyaki cart. Ranma got into a crouching position and smiled an evil grin. Once the young Martial Artist was sure that his friends was unaware of what he was about to do, he pounced sending the both of them rolling across the ground again. "_Who's_ got Who now Ucchan?!!" Ranma yelled as he pinned her to the ground, turning the tables once again.

Ukyo struggled beneath Ranma. just as he had not so long ago under her. "Hey no FAIR." She screamed. Ranma just laughed at her vain attempts at escape. "Ha Ha! Who's got who now Ucchan?"

Ukyo started to laugh with him and soon they were both rolling around on the ground laughing like...well, like little kids. The two of them got up and skipped to wards the okinomiyaki cart that Ukyo's Father was currently working at. She grabbed his pant leg and tugged on it to get his attention. "Daddy can me and Ranchan have some lunch now?" she asked.

The fairly plump man in question looked down at the two children with pleading eyes and sighed. "Okay Ukyo I'll make you an okinomiyaki." Ukyo tugged at his pant leg again as he turned around to make her order. "Ranma too!"

Once Ranma and Ukyo got their lunch they ran over to sit under a tree to eat. Ranma was done his in no time flat while Ukyo ate at, at least a normal pace. Ranma looked up at her after finishing his food. "Ucchan, Where's you're Dad? Isn't he gonna eat?"

Ukyo turned her head away from Ranma and stuttered. "Uuh He's t-talking w-with your Pop."

Ranma nodded in under standing and snitches a piece of Ukyo's lunch from her. Genma Saotome walked up to the two youngsters as they started to fight again. "Ranma," He said, stopping Their fight for food, "It's time to go."

Ranma looked up from his fun to see his father looking down at him at the time the sky was getting darker, clouds blocked out the sun and lightning flashed in the background making Genma seem like a villain. "Where we goin Pop?" Ranma said as he looked around at the quickly darkening sky. Genma was about to answer when a shadow seemed to form behind him as if it were alive then before Genma got half of his first words past his lips a blade pierced through him.

The shadow figure stepped forward so that the two children could see clearly who or what it was. It was a man with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail that flailed in the wind wildly, he wore all black, and he had a sheath on his back for the Katana that he was currently pulling out of Genma to put back in the sheath. He had a gleam in his red eyes that spoke of true evil, and a fanged smile to match.

Genma's limp form fell to the rain soaked ground with a splat, blood covering the earth around him. Ranma's anger flared and he jumped at the stranger meaning to deal his own damage to the man in Black.

The stranger gave a back handed slap to the young boys face that sent him sprawling into the mud. "Stay out of my way _boy_!" Ranma picked himself up in pain. The stranger's slap was a hundred times harder than the strongest of all his fathers blows.

The stranger then stepped over the prone form of Genma and grabbed Ukyo by the throat. Her tiny hands instinctively grabbed the man's hands trying to pry them apart, to no avail. Ranma screamed. "NO NOT UCCHAN TO! LEAVE HER ALONE, or"

"Or what, child? you'll kill me? I hardly think you would ever be a half decent match for Toru Asahata." The man said Ranma sat down and began to cry. He knew real men didn't cry but he didn't care right now. "W-why a-are you (sniff) d-doing this?" he sobbed.

Toru shifted Ukyo around so that she was facing away from him, he bent her head to the side baring her neck. "The prophecy must be fulfilled. La Magra is coming and you are the _key_!" Toru then bared his fangs and bit down on Ukyo's neck.

***********

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Ranma sat up fully awake and sweating profusely he looked around to see that he was in the cabin on the FRH. *That dream again. That's the third time I've had that dream this week.* Ranma threw off the sheets then got up and walked over to where his clothes were. He picked up his trench-coat and dug through the pockets until he came across a picture. He held it up to the dim light coming through the porthole at the side of the room. We can now see it is a picture of him and Ukyo when they were kids with their arms around each other. They had big smiles on their young faces. The picture was old and it showed.

Ranma sighs while he sits in the middle of the room on the floor looking at the picture. *I miss you so much Ucchan. I wish I knew where you where.*

Just then the door smashed inward. Ranma bolted upright to see eight dark figures rush into the room trying to catch him off guard. They nearly succeeded but Ranma had been training himself all his life to hunt vampires, so catching him off guard just wasn't a possibility.

Ranma leapt to action the moment the door was knocked off it's hinges, leaping back to the opposite side of the room to get a little bit of fighting distance. The eight figures were definitely vampires. Ranma could smell it on them, also the way they were baring their fangs and growling was a dead giveaway.

The Dhampir sprang towards the group with lightning speed and stabbed one in the chest with a small silver knife that he had pulled out from his pants. The vampire screamed in pain before his body disintegrated into black dust. Ranma spun around and kicked another vampire into two others knocking all three of them down. He looked towards the other four at the door with a mocking smirk on his face. This angered the vampires enough to make them attack. Ranma jumped over the first ones head kicking another out of the door.

The Vampire hunter then back flipped over the one he had previously jumped over and kicked him in the back of the head sending him sprawling towards his other downed companion. Ranma jumped backward towards the bed where his sword lie sheathed beside it. He took the covering off of the blade pointed it at the vampires that were still standing. "Now your all in serious trouble."

The vampires getting up from the floor took one look at the skilled vampire exterminator and knew they didn't stand a chance. The one standing knew it to.

************

Ranma wasn't the only one with Vampire problems. Across the hall Donny was being confronted by two other blood drinkers. They only had two because he was _just human_. It seems vampires can't ever presume right. Donny was working on the final file for moving his establishment to Nerima Japan when two vampires had kicked down the door and entered prepared for a little bit of a midnight snack. Donny, having been friends with The Saotome Blade for the last five years, and having once worked with vampires, Knew a little something on how vampires worked.

The blood drinkers set foot into the room cocky and overconfident. Which was a grave miscalculation. Donny leapt upright at the brash intrusion. "What's goin on here?" He said startled. One of the Vampire with Brown hair answered him while revealing his teeth in anticipation of the blood that the human contained in his body. "We have orders. and you have to die."

Donny, having stalled them long enough pulled out a single throwing star from his jacket pocket and hurl it at the vampire who had just been speaking haughtily to him. The shurikan shot through the air like a bullet and passed through the talking vampire as if he weren't even there. Donny gave a little victory pose while pulling out another Shurikan and gloated to the remaining vampire as the other shrivelled up and died.

"My specialty is shurikans, Vampire killing one-O-one taught by sensei Saotome. Wanna nother demonstration?" The vampire Snarled and tried to rush Donny but that was about the time that a Shurikan passed through his throat. He didn't even have a chance to scream as he disintegrated into black ash.

Donny ran towards Ranma's room and just as he was about to pass through the doorframe which was missing a door a vampire came flying towards him. "_Geez_" Donny cried as he ducked out of the way of the vampire as it shrivelled up and collided with the outside wall exploding in a shower of dark powder.

Donny looked up to see Ranma beating the hell out of the last vampire with his bare fists. The vampires shoulders were stapled into the floor with two of Blades Silver stakes. After Ranma was finished bloodying his face he grabbed the vampire by the throat and stared at him enraged. "Who set you up to this?" The vampire looked up at the vampire slayer in defiance. "_FUCK_ You!" Ranma picked up another stake and held it in front of the vampires face "No _you_ fuck _this_!" He said as he slammed it into his hand holding it to the floor.

The vampire screamed in agony and breathed heavily trying to mentally block out the pain. Ranma held up another spike to his face. "I'm gonna ask you one more time. "_Who_ set you up to this?" The vampire didn't retort instead he just reared back his head and spit in Ranma's face. The Saotome Blade didn't hesitate as he thrust the silver spike into the Vampires right eye.

Ranma walked over to the bed and opened up the bag that was lying beside it. He opened it up and took out his fighting clothes. These consisted of a bullet-proof vest and several straps and holsters for the guns and Blades that would soon be occupying them. Ranma rushed out of the room into the hall followed by Donny who moved at a much slower pace. "Where are we goin Blade?" Ranma slowed down. "The ships not moving. It hasn't been for quite a while. Now we got Vampires attacking us in the middle of the night. Something's up and I intend to find out."

Ranma and Donny came to the end of the narrow corridor to a large door with fancy sculptures carved into it. Donny examined the intricate designs that adorned the large wooden door. "This is the captains room."

"Seems a little fancy for the Captains Quarters. Don't you think?" Donny nodded his head as he studied the structure some more. "Definitely! In fact you don't see doors like this on most boats." Ranma pointed to the top Right side of the door. "Look there." Donny looked up at where Ranma pointed.

Donny stood up to examine the mark Ranma had pointed at more thoroughly. "Well it looks like old Stinky is in Cahoots with a Vampire. And not just any Vampire. Our pal here is helpin out your old pal Toru."

The Saotome Blade's eyes flashed red with hate for his Long time enemy. "Toru." Ranma took out his sword from it's sheath and sliced the door in half and nearly Donny too. "_Geez_ Ranma watch what your doing. I mean I know your mad at Toru but... hey are you listening to me?"

Ranma walked past Donny into the room that he had just unlocked the traditional Saotome style. He ignored his best friends talking and strolled in. He looked around the room for the captain and spotted him in the oversized bed at the other end of the room. Donny walked up beside Ranma and thrust his hands out towards the agitated vampire hunters face in a warding gesture.

"Whoa there big guy you don't know if he really works for Toru yet. I mean, he could be his slave or something." Ranma's eyes looked cold and dead. He seemed to stare right through Donny. "Anyone who associates with vampires deserves to die." Ranma tried to advance towards Toru's minion but Donny didn't move out of his way. "He _Hey_ HEY! Buddy think about that for a second. I used to work with Vampires. I have the mark to prove it. But I'm not all bad I just didn't have a choice."

Ranma stopped. Donny took hold of his friends shoulders and lead him to the other side of the room. "Ranma come on. We don't have to go around killing everyone that works for vampires. Most of them would at least talk it out. So lets just wake...

"Wake up and smell the coffee boys yer not leavin this ship. Ain't that right Rico?" Ranma spun around to face a hulking goliath looming in the darkness. It swatted Donny to one side with one hulking arm before he could get a shurikan ready. Donny fell to the floor unconscious. It then wrapped it's hands around Ranmas waist, pinning his arms to his sides. Ranma struggled to break free but even his enhanced vampire strength was nothing compared to the powerful being behind him. The captain walked forward close to Ranma, his face just mere inches away.

"It's no use Saotome, Rico is the strongest vampire in all of China. Trying to break free of his grip is like trying to make world peace. It'll never happen." Ranma glared at the captain of the F.R.H. menacingly. "Well Obviously you're _not_ a slave now _are_ you _Captain_?!

I've got a pretty sweet deal young man. I do some work for the vampires, I get to keep my humanity. I also have protection and very high wages. Said Stinky as he stepped back from the contained Dhampir.

"I'll bet Stinky's not even your real name is it?"

"My _Name_ is none of your concern young man. Your only job is to stay _here_ in China." Ranma looked at the Captain in puzzlement. "Stay in China? Why?" The Captain walked back to his bed sat down and took a swig from a nearby whisky bottle.

"That too is none of you're business boy. It's all part of Toru's master plan. Lock em up Rico!" Ranma was about to push further to find out about this master plan but before he could get a word out a blow to the back of his head knocked him into unconsciousness.

********

Dowel and Cologne walked through the streets of one of the nearby villages close to the docks. Dowel held two large backpacks, one over each shoulder. She was panting heavily and sweat was almost literally pouring off her. Cologne just bounced along beside her on her cane.

Dowel dropped to her knees in the middle of the dirt road they where walking on with a heavy sigh. The Packs fell from her shoulders onto either side of her. ["Great-Grandmother why must I carry both my and your packs all the way to the boat? I'm not as strong as Shampoo!"] She whined.

Cologne stopped in her track just a few feet away from where Dowel was resting. "A true amazon will get the job done no matter how hard it may seem! Persistence is the key to success!" The withered old hag replied with chagrin.

The Long Green haired beauty Groaned exasperated. ["Great-Grandmother can you please stop using Japanese?! I can only understand a few words! And I can barely speak them!"] Dowels whiney words angered the Matriarch of Joketsuzoku. She hopped off of her staff to land right in front of Her great Grand-Daughter.

["How many times must I tell you this before you get it through your thick skull girl? We are travelling to _Japan_ so you must learn _Japanese_! We only have a few weeks before we get there so you will only speak to me in _Japanese_! And I You! Do You _understand_?!"]

Dowel withered under the gaze of the old woman. But still replied [I understand _Now_ but before you were talking in Japanese. I hadn't a clue what you were saying."] Cologne turned away with a look of defeat {well not quite _Defeat_} and continued towards the docks.

Cologne called back to Dowel without looking back. "Pick up our bags and hurry up or well miss our boat."

Dowel picked up the bags and struggled with the weight to catch up to Cologne. ["W-What did you say Great-Grandmother?! Wait, Wait! don't go so fast!"]

********

Ranma stood before Toru Asahata The Vampire stared down at Ranma with cold black eyes that seemed to pierce his very soul. Toru smirked and began to laugh psychotically. Ranma tried to lunge at the inhuman monster before him but found himself unable to. When he looked down at his fists he saw that he was shackled to a wall. He looked up at Toru who had stopped his insane laughter and was now leaning down towards the restrained vampire slayer.

Ranma pulled at the restraints knowing that his strength was that of a vampire but he found himself extremely weak. He could barely budge. Toru's lips where mere inches away from his ear.

"Your blood is _mine_ Dhampir!" Toru whispered. His voice was unearthly and it seemed to echo inside Ranma's head like a ghost. Or a spirit.

When Ranma looked down to the floor there was blood pooling at his feet. _Lots_ of blood! _HIS_ blood!! When Ranma's gaze raised to look at Toru again he was standing in the middle of the room on a platform. Ranma watched as he chanted something in the ancient language of the vampires. Red aura seemed to swirl around the room gaining in speed and force.

The Blood Pooled at Ranma's feet began to move as if it had a life of it's own towards the podium which The Vampire lord stood upon. Ranma wanted desperately to jump up and kill the monstrosity that had murdered his father. He wanted to scream but he did not even have the strength to do that.

Ranma's blood circled around Toru's feet and the aura began to contract into a smaller circle. When it reached the blood the aura got blood red as it sucked up the blood and began to take form as a winged demon when all the blood was absorbed. It flew into the air above Toru, paused and then dived right into Torus chest.

The winged demon seemed to be absorbed into Torus body. But Toru was clutching his chest as if in severe pain. Ranma almost smiled at this. But Toru's pain seemed to abruptly stop, and when he stood straight up Ranma froze in terror at what he saw. Torus eyes glowed bright red and Ranma knew in an instant that these were the eyes of pure evil. Toru stared at Ranma for a second and then all of a sudden it was upon him. It was as if he were possessed by Satan himself. His every ability was increased a hundred fold.

The being that was once Toru Asahata the Vampire lord of Japan grabbed Ranma by his throat and ripped him from his shackles with such ease. It was as if he was doing it unconsciously. It pulled Ranma down close to his face bare inches and whispered with such menace that Ranma almost thought that he wouldn't live through this experience.

"I'm coming for _you_!!" Toru growled these words maliciously with promises of pain and suffering clearly shown through the tone. It's eyes bore through him as if they were a weapon all their own. It's voice sounded as if it came from the very depths of hell.

The images before Ranma became distorted and they began to alter. Ranma was able to feel again and he thrust out his hand grabbing the neck of his enemy. Feeling his strength return Ranma stood up and reached for his sword but it was not there. The blurred images came back into focus and Donny's face replaced that of Toru's.

*********

Somewhere in Japan.....

In a large office on about the thirty first floor twelve people sat around a large black table. All of the men ranged from all different races found amongst the world. They all wore black suits and had one thing in common; They were all pure blood vampires.

At the head of the long rectangular table sat Toru Asahata. One of the others spoke up above the silence. "Asahata why have you called us here?"

Toru took a deep intake of breath then looked at the vampire with a smile. "I have called us all here Dragonetti to discuss the future plans of the vampire race."

Lemure a balding old Vampire with strange tattoos drawn on his head spoke next. "What plans Toru? The vampire race has no future plans. We live in the present and to live in the present we must fit in with the humans. There are no _plans_!!"

Toru stood up out of his seat. "Au contraire Lemure The Vampire race does so have a future plan. _The_ futue plan. As prophesied in the book of Erebus!" {Vampire Bible}

Draggonetti stood abruptly from his own seat. "_Asahata_!! What are you talking about? The book is nothing but fairy tails to scare little girls! It..."

Toru chose that moment to cut him off. "Dragonetti I believe it's true. The book of Erebus states this, 'The spirits of the twelve shall awaken the blood god.' Does that sound like a fairy tail? _No_ it doesn't!! And recent evidence from my archeological teams have proven this statement to be 100% true. La Magra is coming and there's nothing anyone can do about it! _NOW_......I need twelve volunteers."

***********

{Well that's the second chapter I hope you liked reading it as much as I did writing it. I really plan on elaborating on La Magra. And Ranma's family. I would gladly take any and all Fan Art. I want C&C's I love em good or bad. WHEEEEE!!