Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. I am not profiting from this story in any way. So there!
Introduction: Here we have a new pilot chapter while I work on the second chapter of "A New Face, a New Life?" and the first chapter of a crossover about which I'm fairly excited. This story is greatly indebted to Ranko twin's "Yearning" for direct inspiration (though it contains the DNA of a few other fine stories as well). It's my take on the "Ranma discovers some great power within himself during the battle with Saffron" subgenre, only Ranma isn't the one making a discovery. After all, there's a third party in that battle, isn't there? Why can't she be the one to find something deep within herself? Akane-bashers should turn back now, as they won't get much out of this one! I can't promise that the rest of you will enjoy it, but I certainly hope you will.
(Special thanks to Noy Telin'u and Ranko twin for their involvement. And here's an acknowledgment of a last-minute title change to avoid confusion with Arthur Hansen's "Birthright.")
.
Her Birthright
by tuatara
Prologue: Coming of Age
.
"I'm truly sorry to do this to you, Kimi-chan. But I fear there's no one else I can trust."
"You have no reason to apologize, Tina-chan. Of course I'd do this for you! You're my best friend."
"But it's such a great burden when you already have two young daughters of your own," the woman sighed. "And I doubt your husband will be so accepting of another mouth to feed."
"Don't worry about that…you just leave Soun to me, okay?" her friend reassured. "Besides, having two beautiful girls has softened his sharp edges greatly. I'm certain he'll understand and will look after her as if she were his own. And you know I will do the same, don't you?"
"Yes, of course. I wouldn't have come to you if I had even a sliver of doubt. But Kimiko…oh, this is so hard! I don't want to let her go! She's my little girl…I may never be able to see her again. And by leaving her with you, it means giving up my dearest friend as well! I hate this!" Tina-chan cried.
"Shh, shh…let it out. It'll be okay, Tina-chan. One way or another, I'm sure things will work out. And I know you'll get to see her again. Until then, we will raise her as a Tendo…as one of our beloved daughters," Kimi-chan promised, embracing her friend.
"Thank you so much, Kimi-chan. I'm more grateful than you'll never know. If I have anything to say about it, the gods will smile upon your family for generations," Tina-chan said solemnly.
"Oh, Tina-chan…you've always been one for big, sweeping declarations, haven't you? But you needn't bother. I'm not doing this to curry favor with the gods or anything like that. I'm doing this because you're my precious friend and you're in trouble. I only wish you'd explain to me what happened in your family that could be so bad that you would need to hide away your child."
"I'm sorry, Kimi-chan. I wish I could explain it all to you…but the less you know, the safer you'll be. And I should go now before anyone figures out where I am," Tina-chan said sadly, rising to her feet.
"Oh my…are you sure you have to leave already?"
"I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry, Kimi-chan. Thank you for everything. I know my little girl will be safe with you."
"I promise, Tina-chan, that I'll protect her with my life."
"I know, Kimiko. May the heavens watch over you and yours always," Tina-chan replied as she held her dear friend for the final time. Turning away, she approached the nearby crib where her infant daughter lay.
"Farewell, beloved," the woman whispered, her voice full of heartache as she looked down at her child. "Stay safe."
Touching her fingertip to her daughter's forehead, Tina-chan alone witnessed a brief glow emanate from the point of contact.
Turning back to the newly adoptive mother of her child, she gave one simple bow of gratitude and rushed out the front door of the home.
Her friend quickly followed suit, calling out, "Wait! Tina…chan?" Yet the woman who had just fled after entrusting her only child to the Tendo family was nowhere to be seen.
Somewhere else, both impossibly far from and intimately near that simple street in Tokyo's Nerima Ward, a sorrowful voiced whispered, "Goodbye, Kimiko. Goodbye…Akane-chan."
.
The mountains of China, nearly seventeen years later…
Fire.
It engulfed her, a heat unlike anything she'd ever imagined. The heat was her whole world. With the heat came…the thirst.
Never had she been so thirsty, as if almost all the moisture had been driven from her body. And indeed it had, as the wicked flames of their opponent had left her little more than a dessicated doll.
She was certain she was going to die here. To leave her father and her sisters behind. To die without ever letting him know how she felt. As much as she wanted to go on, she could feel that her time was up. But she feared that he would soon meet the same fate…and that was something she could not accept.
Their tormentor had readied another attack, and she knew that he would not be able to avoid it. Without hesitation, she leapt into the path of the inferno.
It burned! Oh, how it burned. But if it gave him even a moment's protection, it was worth it. And the pain wouldn't last much longer. The world around her was already beginning to fade away…
.
Soon, all was white and peace.
Mother…I'm coming, Mother. I'm coming!
"Sweetheart, no…your mama won't allow it. Not yet," a loving voice called out to her in response.
My mama? But you're my mama! I want to be with you!
"We'll see each other again one day, I promise. But not yet. You still have far too much to do. And he still needs you."
He…? Ranma! He needs me! I can't die yet! Mama! Mama, I have to go back!
"Yes, dear one. But we must part now. Your mother has something for you. Remember that my love will always be with you."
Mother? Okaa-san, I don't understand! Okaa-san!
Instead of a reply, she could see a small shape in the distance, growing steadily closer. It soon resolved itself into the image of a bird…of an owl, with great glowing eyes. The owl swooped closer, growing ever larger in her sight until its bright yellow eyes filled the whole of her view. Yet she felt no fear, knowing instinctively that the animal meant her no harm…as if she'd known the bird all her life.
As she felt herself becoming lost in its gaze, she heard a somehow familiar voice, both steely and soft, reverberate within her mind.
"I will not allow my child to fall this day! Receive my blessing, Daughter. Awaken!"
.
From within the searing flames, a cool, soothing light suddenly washed over the battle's onlookers. It quickly grew in brightness until all parties had to look away.
When the light finally began to dim, a figure stood at the center of where the fires had raged. Clearly female, she wore robes and armor in the style of the ancient Greeks. Down her back spilled a mane of dark blue-black hair, and on her head rested a gleaming brass helm. On her left arm lay a shield with an owl emblazoned on its face, and in her right hand she held a long spear topped by a narrow blade.
Turning her brown eyes to the young man behind her, Tendo Akane smiled. "Thank goodness you're safe," she said simply before directing her attention to their antagonist.
"Akane…" the stunned boy whispered.
The furious lord of the Phoenix tribe bellowed in rage. "What sorcery is this! ? Who are you, woman! ?"
Calmly, the young woman answered. "Saffron. You will not harm anyone else today…or ever again," she declared, her eyes glowing white.
"You dare command me! ? You shall pay for your insolence, landling!" he roared, preparing to unleash a massive barrage of flames upon those who would oppose him.
In response, the girl uttered a single word.
"No."
In an instant, she was in front of him, her spear piercing his chest. The blade had torn straight through his heart. The Phoenix lord looked down at his mortal wound in utter disbelief.
"Wha- what have you done? Damn you…" Saffron gasped as the whole of his body burst into flames. Soon, all that remained were ashes—ashes and a large egg. The Phoenix would be reborn once more, but that was beyond the young woman's current concerns.
Smiling beatifically, she returned to the boy's side. "Ranma! You're okay, right? We did it!"
"We? Akane, what-"
"I was so worried that I wouldn't make it in time! What a relief," she continued on, not acknowledging the boy's attempted interjection. "And thank you, Bubo-chan Without you, I couldn't have done anything."
"Bu…who? Who are you talking to?" Saotome Ranma asked, even more confused.
As if in answer to his question, Akane's armor and weaponry vanished in a flash. It left her clad only in white robes, but with a new companion: a speckled brown and white owl sat perched upon her left shoulder.
"Ranma, this is Bubo. Bubo, Ranma. She helped us!" The owl cooed in her ear in response. "Oh, you don't need to be so modest. No, that couldn't have come from me! Eh? Really? Sugoi…" Akane whispered, stifling a yawn. "What do you mean, 'rest'? I feel…fine."
"Akane. Hey, Akane! What's going on, huh?" Ranma demanded, grabbing the girl by the shoulders and shaking her lightly. Rather than getting an answer out of the clearly exhausted Akane, he received a nip from the bird on her shoulder for his efforts.
"Sorry, Ranma…Bubo-chan's just protective of me. It's her job, after all," she explained, her words slurring from a mighty yawn. "I promise we'll talk all about it later, okay? Just as soon as I…take a quick…nap," she mumbled, her eyes drifting shut as she slumped against Ranma's chest.
"Who the heck are you? What's all this about, huh?" Ranma asked as he matched his gaze with that of Akane's avian companion. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tightly as he listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing. He had feared it was a sound he would never hear again. As long as she was safe, all other concerns could wait. "Man, Akane," he sighed, "…what'll happen next?"
.
Author's Note: There it is. Brief and to the point, no? Well, it's just a prologue, after all. Assuming I return to this one, it'll be a while before I do. That's because I'm not very sure where I want to go with it. I can at least say that it wouldn't be a very long story, really, and it would focus mostly on how Akane's newfound nature would impact the Tendos, the Saotomes, and the Amazons. Not needing Ranma to rescue her anymore will be no small change, for example. And did you figure out who her mother is? Sorry, no bonus points awarded if you did, since I tried to make it fairly obvious (especially for anyone who's seen the original Clash of the Titans) without saying it outright. That—along with any discussion about her father—will have to wait until later, if there is a later. One thing I'll say is that Soun doesn't know that his baby girl isn't exactly human, since "Tina-chan" kept her status to herself.
I hope you found this little diversion worthwhile. If not, I apologize. But at least it was short, right? Any comments and suggestions will be most appreciated. Thank you so much for reading!