Werewolf Claws & Vampire Fangs
A Ranma AU Story By Imortis
With Some minor Editing by Proze

Disclaimer: This Disclaimer is brought to you by The American 
Association of Semi-Original Disclaimer Writers. Or AASODW Which is 
basically Meaningless however it is shorter than the full name. Of course 
AASODW Can be rearanged to spell WADOAS or even AWSODA Which 
could be related to A&W Rootbeer only this would be A&W Soda Of course.
But Back to the disclaimer. After A rigourous testing process We at the AASODW 
have verified that The moon is not made of cheese,Ambrosia is an old form of the 
word pizza, And The earth is not flat. How this relates to fanfiction in general and this 
story in particular we will leave to your imagination.

--==Chapter Four: Moon's Eclipse & Darkest Night==--

Akane breathed deeply a few times as he stood before Dracorian
"It's ok son!" he chuckled. Suddenly music burst forth, the organist
playing a strange song with a haunting lilt. He turned around and
took one look at Ranma before his eyes glazed over and almost fell.

Ranma stepped out into the aisle made between the guests and gasped,
her insides turning to pure liquid lust as she saw Akane. She took a
shaky step forward and felt a touch on her mind 'Hold.' Ranma froze,
feeling two conflicting magics within her.

Akane shook his head Ranma
looked at Akane as the red color started to fade from his armor. She
felt her body grow cold as she realized what was happening.
"Tou..." she started softly then took a step back closing her eyes.
She half turned away as the world left her and she colapsed to the
floor.

Akane took three steps to run to her when the armor froze around him
"Did you think you could take whats mine pup?" a weak voice said as
a purple light spread over the wall. A wrinkled old man being
supported by another vampire walked through it. "Did you think you
could take my slave?"

Ryoga jumped up and charged at him "Die you monster!!" he yelled
before the man raised a hand and he crumpled to the ground
unconscious "What is the meaning of this Maelic?" Dracorian demanded
walking in front of him "The girl is mine dracula. I turned her
myself." he said weakly. The counts face hardened "I have bad news
for you fool, the girl was already of vampire blood, my neice. Do you
dare take family as a slave?" he intoned, fire gathering about his
hands.

The old one cackled "And who's family would that be?" he demanded
then jumped back as a blade with blue fire pouring off it flashed
past him "You dare hurt my daughter!?!" she roared slashing at him.
He winced as the blade nicked him then blasted her with a ray of
purple light. "Insulent welp!" he yelled as she was knocked through
the back wall. The count roared charging the man firing blue bolts
of energy at him, vaporizing the younger one holding him up. The
vampire jumped back from the counts enraged attack.

The old count was canny, even when blinded by rage, so his sudden
dodge to the left saved him from the bolt that flashed past him and
splashed against Akanes frozen form. He groaned as the armor over
heated. 'Akane...' came a sob in his mind. He looked over at Ranma
and saw that blue light pulsed around her, making the purple lines
containing her appear 'The armor.... why did it push me away?' the
voice cried to him. 'Ranma, I can't move! The vampire that killed
you..' he cried out as pain flashed through his mind "No talking to
my slave!"

Ranma couldn't move, but she could hear. 'What do I do?' she
whispered to herself. suddenly, the armor she wore flashed and she
saw something coming 'Set me free, I'll take him!' her male half
said appearing. She blinked as all the spells the armor had seen
performed by the archmage who made it were suddenly in her
mind. Male Ranma smirked 'Send me.'

Ranma looked at him and nodded 'You'll have ten minutes before you
are sent back, I'll equip you.'

Everyone in the room not watching the fight looked over as the light
about Ranma suddenly brightened and the purple chains holding her
burst Ranmas eyes opened "Go." she said and the light around her
flashed briefly before a man was standing over her shrunken and old
form. She looked at her stronger younger male self as he smiled at her 
"I got him."

The count dodged as he sweated blood, feeling his strength give. He
looked and blinked as the spell he didn't jump in time to the avoid
splashed harmlessly off a man that was suddenly there "Well, your
good at fighting my weaker half monster. Lets see what you can do
against the real Ranma!" the man in blazing blue armor said
mockingly. He held up his hands and fired a pure white bolt as the
monster then disappeared.... right to the spot where the vampire
dodged to.

Maelic cried out as pain exploded through his side. He lashed out
and was pleased as he raked solid flesh. "Bad move." Ranma
growled as a yellow fire started to gather in his hands "Your all
for using spells, lets see how you are against the power of the soul!" 
he shouted raising his hands "Mouko Takabisha!!" he roared as he
launched the ball at him. Maelic, confused, didn't dodge far enough
and screamed as half his body was charred to the bone "It ends now
monster." Ranma said launching another one then quickly flashed to the
other side and nailed him full blast in the face when he dodged.

Ranma turned back to the club and charged in as he felt his body
start to numb. As he got to himself he noticed that she had blood
all over her side. He touched her and disappeared back into her.
Ranma closed her eyes after her body returned to normal passing out as 
the pain became unbearable.


Ranma opened her..no...his eyes and sat up. he looked at himself, naked
and bandaged. He closed his eyes nodding to himself "I lost it." he
whispered. He jumped up and found his clothes and armor before
getting dressed.

The door opened and he looked at his mother dully as he continued to
tighten the straps on his breast plate. "Hello son." she said
softly. Ranma nodded. "What are you doing?" she asked. He slung his
sword accross his back then looked at the other sword on the bed. 
He picked it up and closed his eyes as he pressed it to his chest, feeling
the despair it let off. He strapped it around his shoulders and grabbed his
staff "I'm getting out of here." he said in a dull whisper.

As he reached the door he saw Ukyo and Moouse standing in front of
it, his pack in their hands, looks of comfort and understanding on their faces. 
He nodded in thanks leaving the club.


//--Several Years Later: An Interlude--\\

"That was a bitch." Moouse grumped rubbing his head. "Hunting fangs
made you soft." Ranma-chan grunted as she drained the panther she
had caught. Ukyo cringed away from the terror in the cats weakening
voice.

After draining it Ranma flung it to the two "Meat." she said walking
away from them. Ukyo looked at Moouse "It's your turn." she muttered
following Ranma. She stopped a few yards from their camp and blinked
seeing Ranma curled up in a ball, sobs clearly heard from this
distance. Ranma looked up as Ukyo stepped on a twig.

"Why? Why did he turn his back on me?" she asked the normal
question. Ukyo sighed "Why don't you just talk to her Ranma?" she
asked siting next to her. Ranma shook her head "She didn't love me
enough to marry me Ukyo, the old wizard may have forced the suit,
but he would not have been able to do it if Akane hadn't faultered
in the process, if her love had been as strong as mine we would not
have been knocked out like that.... I wouldn't have lost.... my
baby."

Ukyo brushed her hair as she cried next to her. "She doesn't love
me, I let her see my heart, I let her get me pregnant!! And she
never said it once, she never said she loved me, she never said she
wanted to marry me." she cried in an agonized voice.

Mousse appeared at the edge of the clearing and looked sympathetic
before heading back. Ukyo sighed 

//--Several Weeks Later--\\

Ukyo looked at Moouse and he nodded showing Ranma something as
she left the shop. She made sure they were still in the shop before
grabbing a phone "International please" she told the operator.
"Yes, I need a number dialed."

"Your connected ma'am." the operators voice said before
disconnecting "Hello?" Souns voice asked. Ukyo sighed "Mr. Tendo? Is
Akane there?" she asked softly. "Ukyo. Is Ranma still with you?" he
sounded haggard. "Yes, he hasn't changed at all. Even mentioning
japan makes him disappear for a few days. Even after five years hes
still in great pain. He keeps asking us why, over and over again,
and he won't even think about going back to ask her. To him, she
might as well have cut his heart out that night, at least she
doesn't wake us up screaming about cats anymore."

"I guess thats a good thing." he murmured. Ukyo snorted "Not likely,
now he wakes us up sobbing, pretty much reliving the event." Soun
sighed "Where are you?" he asked softly. "Ugandi. We're heading for
Europe in two weeks, we're going to try to get Ranma to go to the
old Castle Dracula."

Soun hung up the phone and slipped on his shoes "I'm going to see
your sister." he called to Kasumi as he headed for the door. She
walked out of the kitchen glancing first as Genma then grabbed her
bag "I'll go with you."

Akane looked up from the bar, she was chatting softly with Nodoka,
who was bouncing her child on her knee. "Dad." she said blinking at
him then at Kasumi. Soun walked over to the bar and took the whisky
bottle off the bar and smashed it over his daughters head before
seating himself. "I'm listening." she growled picking the glass out
of her hair.

"Ukyo called. she said Ranmas nightmares about cats have faded." he
said softly, nodding to Dracorian as he came out. "I don't care if
shes sharing his bed." Akane said, having finished the job.

Soun took the bottle Dracorian handed him and swiftly smashed it
over her head "From what I've gathered, Moouse and Ukyo got married
a year ago, Ranma didn't attend. She said any mention of japan sends
him running for the hills. She also said Ranma's nightmares have
changed, you can guess what they're about." He took the glass of
sake and drank it thankfully "She said he hasn't changed at all
since running away. She was colorful in the way he sees what
happened that night."

He downed the next glass "I believe her words were 'It's like she
stabbed him in the heart and twisted as she jerked it out.'
colorful, I asume she is you." he murmured. Dracorian nodded "I've
been tracking the child. He's been death itself to every were clan
and even the few vampires he can find. I found out where he was once
and scryed him...." he said then shook his head. "Can... can I see
him?" 

Everyone looked at Nodoka and Dracorian frowned at his wife "Are you
sure? He's changed a lot from the smiling teen we knew." he said then
bowed his head seeing her comanding look before leading them out of the 
bar and into their room. He opened a door and turned on a small light. The 
inside of the room was black, everything but a huge crystal ball in the middle.
"Please sit." he said closing the door. He whispered a few words to
himself and the globe brightened "Show us the one of our worry." he
murmured a it cleared to the scene of battle.


Ukyo yelled as Moouse faultered under the werebears attack and
fought harder with her opponent then looked again to see Ranma's red
hair a second before Moouses attacker fell into pieces. "Thanks."
he gasped, but Ranma was already killing Ukyos monster. She looked
about calmly and dashed off "Three got away." she said before
disappearing. 


The crystal moved to follow her.


Ranma looked down on the three panting creatures a split second
before she fell upon them, killing two of the huge creatures before
smirking coldly at the last "Please! Have mercy!" it croaked. Ranma
chuckled softly "Why? What reason do I have to be merciful? In the
end we're all alone." she said raising her hand to the creature 
and blinked when nothing happened "Fuck." she growled pulling a
rune ingraved battle axe from her back.


"Four weapons!?!" Dracorian exclaimed seeing it "He carries four
weapons and the armor!?!?! His power is unimaginable!" he exclaimed
softly. Everyone looked at him for a second before looking back in
time to see Ranma cleaning the axe blade on a terry cloth rag. She
reslung the axe and started back to the others without once changing
the expression on her face.


"We're going to have to back out for a few days." Ranma said softly
to the other two. Ukyo nodded "Why? We're just getting into their
midst." Moouse asked. Ukyo scowled at him as Ranma jumped into a
tree "It's that time of the month idiot." she hissed then raised her
voice "Where are you off to?" she asked Ranma. "To hunt."


Everyone in the room paled at Ranmas calm words.


Ranma sat in the tree listening to the sounds of the forest and
darted silently off when she heard a sound. She stopped a few miles
from where she had been and looked down at a crouching lion that was
hunting a deer "Ukyo would appreciate the deer, but Moouse would be
pleased with the lions fur." she whispered before dropping from the
tree and pouncing on the lion. It screamed in anger once before she
had knocked it out with one punch "Looks like you will know another
day mister deer." she said to the disappearing animal. Ranma picked up
the limp lion and looked at it for a moment then sank her fangs into
its neck, a slight look of pain and misery crossed her face as she
drank the lion dry.

"Oh Ranma..." Nodoka breathed sadly. No one looked at Akane, they
could feel her tears.

They looked up as a dead lion dropped to the ground before them
"Meat." she muttered before slipping off again. Ukyo sighed "It's
your turn this time." Moouse said following Ranma with a resigned
look on his face.

"What's going on?" Kasumi asked. No one answered.

"Ukyo wants me to go back and.... and ask Akane why." she whispered
as Moouse sat down next to her. "I think shes right. No don't run
away Ranma, I'm not saying I want you to." he said as she stood up
sharply. After she slowly sat down he sighed placing a hand on her
shoulder "Ranma, you are my best friend, you've saved my life more
times then I've seen birthday's." he started then looked her in the
face "But... we've been at this for five years now, and the two of
us are tired."


"What happened to his glasses?" Kasumi asked. "Ranma healed him." 
Dracorian murmured softly


"We can only go so far Ranma, we're human. Like today, I faultered
against something I should have finished off long before then. We
need to stop and take a break." he said softly. Ranma looked down "I
don't want to slow down Moouse. When I slow down I start to think,
and then I'll sleep... I don't want to sleep." she said almost in a
sob. He hugged her "You haven't slept for a month Ranma. You need to
learn to control this pain. I mean, you beat the cat fist!" he said
waving his hand. Ranma looked down at her hand and a blazing blue
paw appeared around it.


"Oh my!"


She flared her claws out then let them disappear "My fear died in
me Moouse. Along with the rest of my feelings." she said distantly.
Moouse snorted "Ya right. Then why do we do this every month? You
toss us a carcuss and head off into the next clearing. One of us
follows you. Your either emotionless as a corpse or crying away all
you just took in. This is eating away at you Ranma."


"my son." Nodoka cried.


"Why should I care huh? What do I have to go back to? My mother? She
has a new husband, she doesn't need an emotional leper around. What
else do I have?" she said. Her voice starting to quiver. "I know
what I had, I had a family that liked me a mother that loved me....
I had a love and a child.... two out of four isn't good enough
Moouse. Losing the baby would have been bad enough.... but...." she
stopped squeezing her eyes shut as her chin quivered "It... it would
have been bareable.... if Akane..." she broke and darted off. Moouse
wiped at his eyes "Oh my friend... some times I think it would be
less painful for you if you were killed one of these days."


Everyone looked down from the crystal as it showed the agonized pain
on Ranmas blood soaked face.

After a few hours of hearing Ranmas strangled sobs they looked up
when it stopped "I'm sorry mister deer, but it looks like you won't
be seeing the morn." Ranma said in the after math of her weeping as
she found the deer she had let go and killed it. When she came back
to camp her face was a mask of ice. "So where should we go for a
few months R&R?" she asked the two. They smiled at each other "Well,
I was thinking we could go look for the Castle Dracula ruins, for
fun." Ukyo said a hopeful look on her face. Ranma looked down "Why
look for it? I know exactly where it is. We can be there in four
days if we hurry." he said as the suns rising had completed. Ukyo
snorted "Taking it easy means taking it easy. We can use some of
that money we've stockpiled and splurge a little." she said grinning.
Ranma blinked at her "You want to go shopping."


"Why does he make it Sound like a ride through hell? And for that
matter, Why do I get the feeling that wouldn't faze him." Soun said
softly.

Ranma sat in the travel office looking dully at a sign displaying
the pleasures of sun lit honalulu. He looked at the brochure Ukyo
pushed in his face "A pleasure cruise!!" she said excited. Ranma
looked at her and grinned, showing his teeth. She looked crest
fallen "Alright." she said walking away "Book three Ucchan, I can eat
fish." he said disinterested. She smiled at him as she bounced over
to Moouse.

Ranmas mouth quirked in an almost smile "Anything for my friends."
he whispered and his deep sadness and need showed. A woman walked
over to him, worried about the beautiful sad young man "You look
like you don't have a friend in the world." she murmured softly.
Ranma looked at her "I have two. Anymore and I might be hurt again."
he said bluntly. She blinked "I'm sorry, did a loved one die?" she
asked. Ranma chuckled "Ya, I did. I was all ready to marry the most
perfect girl I had ever met, I loved her more then life. She waited
until we were half way through the wedding to say she didn't love me
enough to marry me. I died just as much as if she had thrust that
sword into my heart. Pretty much every day I can feel it twisting." 


Nodoka hugged Akane as she sobbed silently "Soon dear." she
whispered as the train rocked softly. Dracorian didn't look up from
the ball "I think this guys in trouble."

Ranma gritted her teeth as the fowl breath of the man behind her
stung her nose "Come on, whats your name?" he asked giving her a
grin he thought would charm her. Ranma turned around and looked up
at him "My names death, want to dance?" she growled. He blinked then
looked angry "Well if you want to be a bitch about it." he muttered
tossing his drink at her.

"Ouch." Dracorian said wincing.

Ukyo looked up and paled seeing Ranmas face covered with rosy warmth
"You promised!" she hissed. Ranma looked stonily at her "He acosted
me. The fates deserted him." she said and Ukyo had to be satisfied
with it. she looked at Moouse and he shrugged.

Everyone blinked at that.

Ranma looked up from the bar he was sitting at and held out two
fingers "Two double scotch, plain." he said tonelessly. The waitress
bit her lip but did as he asked. "Looks like a nice sunset huh?"
she said conversationally. Ranma looked out at the sky and cursed "I
won't be needing those drinks maam." he said as the sun gasped its
last breath and died. The woman blinked at him then freaked as he
shrank into the broodingly beautiful redhead they had never seen in
the bar. She leaned her head on the counter and looked out at the
night ocean "Does that happen all the time?" she asked. Ranma nodded
"The price of power some would say."

Dracorian snorted "You had it worse then others child."


"Can I ask you a question?" the woman asked. Ranma smirked at her
"Shoot." She gulped "Why are you never in the bar?" she asked
leaning close. Ranma grinned, flashing her teeth "Because of these.
I can't eat food at night. Only during the day. Do you mind if I
tell you a story? I need to share it with someone." she said sitting
up and blinked at the pale woman. Ranma smirked "As long as I eat
during the day I have no need of blood at night." She looked a
little uncertain but nodded. "I and my father had just come from
china, we had been training...."

"He's going to tell the whole thing!" Nodoka exclaimed.

"When I woke up.. the baby was gone, and I had nothing." she
finished. The woman blinked a few times "What... what about this
Akane?" she said and winced as the girl flinched "He didn't want me,
its pretty screwed up when the love of your life up and decides he
doesn't want to marry you." she said then held up her hand "No I'm
not wrong here. Sure, the bastard vampire lord had trapped us
through the wedding armor, but it would never have happened if he
hadn't balked. He turned away from me.... before he attacked. I told
you of the red chest plate? The armors magic ditates that if the man
loves the woman wearing the second suit the front of the armor will
be colored bright red. It was, then it faded, along with my life, I
watched the red fade from his chest as he shook his head.... and my
world ended. I don't know what was more cruel, him turning his back
on me or stringing me along as far as he did."

"Oh Ranma...."

"Maybe he was confused." she said softly then blinked at the puddle
of blood that was pooling on the counter. Ranma shook her head "No,
confusion is something that happens to humans, you don't get
confused like that, not while wearing that armor." she said taking a
bunch of napkins and blotting at the blood on the counter and her
face "we bleed when we cry." she said softly. the woman nodded "How
long ago was this?" she asked softly. Ranma looked down "Five years.
The funny thing was, my birthday was three days later." she said
laughing painfully. The woman touched her shoulder "I know you may
not believe it, but life has a way of rewarding those that help
others." Ranma looked at her then smiled, a real smile "Thanks, but
the only reward I'm looking for is the deep sleep, the one you never
wake up from."

Nodoka shook her head fiercely "No! No my son don't leave!" she
pleaded. Ranma blinked as if almost hearing her and looked around
the bar.

"If its that painful then why are you still..." she faultered.
"Still among the walking? Because suicide is dishonorable, and I
haven't yet met man or beast good enough to beat me in a fight.
hell, I hunt werewolves for christ's sake, you'd think one of them
would have gotten in a good shot, but no. I've killed whole clans of
the various weres. Wolf, bear, lion, I even met a rhino were once!
On the african plains. I didn't believe it myself. He gave me a
little workout, maybe if I go without my weapons or armor... no, I'd
still beat him. Only once had I been beaten, and that was before I
came into the power given to me by my blood, I wonder if pantyhose
is still alive? Maybe I can trick him into killing me." she raised
her head and made a fist "Only one way to find out!"


"Whats happening?" Soun asked, as worried as Akane and Kasumi.
Dracorian murmured a few words and it showed Ranma walking across a
field. 

"Hey pantyhose!!!" she yelled down at the man sitting around a
fire "I think its time we ended this!" she yelled now practicely in
his ear. He growled at her "You want to die Ranma?" he yelled. Ranma
grinned without opening her mouth "One of us dies tonight taro, I'm
thinking you would like it to be me."

"Can't you do anything?" Akane pleaded with Dracorian. He looked at
her "It's not my work that brought her to this."

Taro started to attack and blinked when Ranma didn't move. He stepped
in front of the girl frowning at her bowed head "I will not help you
with your suicide." he said quietly. Ranma shook slightly "Please...
end my pain!" she cried grabbing his shirt. He backed away seeing
the blood trailing down her face "Your not human." 

Akane turned away from the look on Ranmas face.

"Please taro.... being a vampires bad enough.... please, if you
don't I'll kill you." she said charging a ki blast. He looked sad "I
am sorry for you Ranma, but I won't kill you, your pain will fade
with time." he said softly. Ranma laughed humorlessly "It's been five
years Taro!! and every day it gets worse!" He looked at her " Akane
ran you off?" he asked. Ranma froze and the ki blast desolved "No,
she joined me in death, only to leave me after I gave her my heart
and soul! And she turned her back on me. I gave her all my love, and
she... why won't you kill me? We hate each other, I would think you
would take the chance to get rid of me." she said looking up at him.
He snorted and leered "Oh I am your enemy, thats why I won't kill
you, I like seeing you suffer so much, I should go see Akane, just
so I can tell you if she's gone on with her life, and I believe she
has. I was in nerima a year ago, she was going to college, seemed
very happy to me. I wouldn't be surprised if that guy she was
studying with when I saw her was her boyfriend, they were very
close."

"That lying son of a bitch!" Akane yelled. Nodoka pulled her back
down.

Ranma closed her eyes "It doesn't matter taro, I didn't want the
female Akane, only my male side did. I wanted Akanes vampire half,
like me. It was our vampire halves that were getting married that
day. Not our human sides... that was to come later. But she didn't
have the love to see it through. I gave myself to him, and he got me
pregnant, I was happy! I wanted the child! I wanted us to have a
family, to be together. But god didn't smile upon my soul that day,
first I lost Akane, at the fucking alter!! Then I lost the baby in a
fight. All I wanted was to wake up and find that it was a nightmare,
I wanted my love to be other then false. But I woke up, and find it
wasn't. Every time I fall asleep I have that nightmare, and every
time it rips my heart out, and the pain gets worse every time." she
cried 

No one spoke.

"I find this quite amusing." taro said snidely. Ranma looked up at
him "keep laughing freak." she warned. he grinned "If its such pain
you feel, then why not just kill Akane? She caused it." he said
offhandedly. Ranma looked at him "Kill Akane." she whispered then
looked down "No, I couldn't do that." she breathed. Taro smirked
looking at her face "And why not?" He jumped back as an enraged
Ranma was in his face "Because I love her to much!!! Happy? It hurts
so much because I can't stop loving her! I've tried, but its no use.
All I can see when I think of happiness and everything else I see her,
the down side of that is that every time I think of pain and misery
I see her."

No one missed the sobs.

"I love her with all my soul, and it bleeds. it hurts so much even
my soul bleeds from the wound she delt me. Just by a slight shake of
the head and a fading of a little color and I felt more pain then
you could ever bring me." she said to the man. He smiled "I'm so
happy for the two of you, and partings are such sweet sorrow." he
said standing up Ranma bared her teeth at him and stalked after "I
just realized something, why I told you all of this, I'm going to
kill you!" she laughed catching him. He looked up and yelled as her
fangs sank into him.

"Well, at least she's gotten over her aversion to killing." Dracorian
said brightly. Everyone shot him dark looks.

After Ranma drained him she held onto his lifeless body sobbing
"Why? Why did she leave me? Wasn't I good enough to her? Oh lord,
please make the pain stop." she wailed.

I would like to thank Proze for the truely enjoyable disclaimers nicely 
produced for this fic. So, hats off to Proze dear readers!

imortis