Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to a lot of people other than me. Will in later chapters multicross into other things that are also not owned by me.
The first word she learned in this new land she had fallen into was 'yoma'. Alien, born to commit evil, an enemy of Man. Demon, monster, creature, they whispered and shouted it often enough that Ranma was very clear that she was unwelcome in their midst. There was one, however, who stuck close to her. A young girl, seven, perhaps eight years old. She has brown hair, green eyes, and a multitude of scars. She never flinches.
Now they are wandering the wilderness, but though they have not known each other long they came to meet in a place very far away, in a small town by the name of Eriador. The citizens there were like many in this land – hardworking, loyal to their families, and afraid of what lay beyond the edges of the village. As was often the case in this land, the source of danger was already among them.
Some time long before, when, if perhaps not better off, the people were at least more optimistic, the Holy City of Rabona formed a charter to settle the fertile valley. The streets were laid out following a careful plan, and a wooden stockade wound around the village to keep wild beasts at bay. Around the village was a small expanse of hand-plowed fields that ended in brush grown from abandoned lots before deepening into true forest. At the center of the village is another clearing, once the home of flowers and trimmed grass perfect for play or relaxation. Now the children still play, but where once there was flower petals there is now only dust, and light wooden balls are kicked and thrown over hard-packed dirt. It is here the story starts, at the center of a valley in a village that would hide itself from the world if it could.
Two seeming-men argue and plead, asking the village headman for a place to stay for themselves and the young girl that travels with them, playing the part of the shy daughter. She says nothing, knowing of the punishment for interference and aware that nothing she does will influence the outcome. The larger monster guised in human flesh decides that for the delay the headman is causing him he will devour him first, despite his preference for younger flesh. It would ruin the game a bit, but with none having the authority to summon a claymore the entire village would be theirs to consume.
The other actor in this play appeared some distance uphill. Her tracks appeared out of nowhere, as if a creature was spat from the air itself. The truth was not far off. The prints were deep and twisted at first, turning in circles around an imprint of a fall, two clawed hands pressed into the soft ground from where she had caught herself. The prints changed as the trail lead on, becoming shallower and more defined, the scuffing tread of a lifeless individual replaced with a certain soft grace. However there was a degree of threat in those footprints. The blurred footprints at the start of her journey could easily be mistaken for that of a humans, but as she gained more control over her new form so too did her footprints become more clearly alien. Five tiny marks showed where her new-formed claws had dug into the ground during her passage, surrounding the mark made by the balls of her feet. Her heels, unlike most humans during a slow walk, did not touch the ground.
Her path was much like that of water. Meandering and full of pauses, it nonetheless continued inexorably downwards. When she finally came upon the outskirts of the village fields the afternoon was already winding to a close. The carefully tended fields were the first sign she had seen of civilization, of humanity in general, since she had arrived in this place. Startled from the sudden cessation of wilderness and still not entirely familiar with her new body she pitched forward, catching herself on all fours. She was disturbed to note that it felt entirely too comfortable.
Creeping forward she made her way through the brush, unaware that the bushy tail swishing high in the air behind her rendered her attempt at stealth useless. Luckily for her the fields were already abandoned, townspeople all gathering in the town square to observe the spectacle of the three newcomers. Red-gold mane shining in the dying sun she slid cautiously into the field of chest-high stalks, ears pricked for any sign of life. A cheer arose from the walled village and Ranma froze for a moment before shaking herself back into action.
A discarded sack proved a welcome solution to at least one of her problems. Claws easy piercing the hand-woven fabric she was able to fashion a knee-length. Tail tucked inside of it, the furry thing protested its confinement, tickling at her shoulder blades. That annoyance aside, the simple act of dressing was enough to significantly boost her confidence. If nothing else, the more prominent changes to her anatomy were now safely out of sight. As long as she faced straight ahead and ignored the two large fox ears on top of her head then she could almost forget that she was no longer Saotome Ranma, human male – even if it did take her a moment to remember to walk on two feet instead of four.
The gate was unguarded, and with a quick glance to either side as if to cross a highway she took a step inside. No shouts rang out ranting about trespassers and taking this as a good sign Ranma proceeded farther into the village. Turning a corner another wave of cheers rang out and Ranma recoiled from the crowd she had encountered, ears folding back against her hair. Looking closely she felt more at ease when she realized no one had spotted her yet. All eyes were turned to the performer in the center of the dirt square, five colored stones dancing between his hands like magic to those with eyes slower than hers. To her sight, however, it almost looked as if their limbs bent slightly differently than human limbs were meant to bend.
A strange sense of joy started to fill her, battering at her from all sides, but try as she might she couldn't think of any reason yet why she should feel so happy. It was with a remarkable intuitive leap combined with what little she had learned of chi that she realized the truth. "It's coming from them." Emotions flowed off the crowd like a thick mist, and it was only with great force of will that she was able to separate her own emotions from the mix. Wary now of venturing closer to this mass of humanity that threatened her already shaken sense of self she nearly turned to leave.
It was then that their eyes met. The performer's eyes flashed gold, vertically slit pupils forming that Ranma would later learn almost perfectly matched her own. Ranma watched in horror as his skin cracked open, hand rising up to point at her through the rapidly dispersing crowd. The panic and hysteria of the crowd threatened to drown her as their emotions added to her own. Through the dispersing crowd Ranma watched in horror as the man's companion followed his gesture and broke into a wild grin upon seeing her. Despite every inclination to run away, Ranma dropped to her knees as her legs failed her. The girl that traveled with the yoma looked on with dead eyes, muscles trembling beneath her skin though she did not move an inch.
At least seven feet tall they towered over Ranma's small form, grey-skinned monsters with too many teeth and oversized limbs, long clawed fingers scraping the ground as they drank from her fear. Their emotions sank into her like poison, hunger and lust and an eagerness to consume this strange new meat. They were slightly disappointed, however, that their prize was not giving them a proper chase.
They would regret their hesitation. The villagers were gone from the area now, and while their emotions were so close to Ranma's own that it had proven impossible to keep them out, the emotions of the yoma were very foreign to her. Fighting them back with anger and finally unbridled rage Ranma regained her feet, swinging an uppercut that sent the smaller yoma smashing through a wall. "That's what you get for messing with Saotome Ranma." Neither the yoma or the child understood a word, but they knew now that whatever this creature was, it was far more powerful than it appeared.
End Chapter 1:
Intended to get through this fight in chapter 1 but things sort of dragged on. Will probably crossover with a more modern series, Stargate or Macross, or perhaps Chronicles of Riddick or Evangelion.