Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Ranma or Wild Arms. But now I know what to ask Santa for next year.
Today's theme is: Zankoku no Tenshi no Teize - by Megumi Hayashibara; the opening theme to Neon Genesis Evangelion
C&C, hatemail, and proclamations of love to:
guy_jin@jusenkyo.com
By: Guy Jin
Wild Guardian
Alone
+++++++++++++
"I'm afraid not husband, five years old is just too young to embark on a journey of training. Ranma could get hurt!"
"Please Nodoka! He'll never be a great martial artist if he isn't put through the hardships of the road," blubbered Genma pathetically. He was currently sitting at the table in the family room with his wife across from him, their son sitting in her lap playing with a piece of paper and some finger paint.
"I said no, Genma! He will be a great man one day but not if he is dead, which is what may very well happen should he go with you on this trip," she said adamantly.
Genma got an evil glint in his eye. "Are you saying I'm not man enough to protect my own son?" His tone was slow and measured, like he was barely restraining anger. But inside he was thinking more along the lines of, "Hehe, this'll get ya."
Nodoka reeled back in shock. "I would never! But what I am saying is how am I to be sure that the risk is worth it? If you were, God forbid, to fail in making a great man of our son, then you would have put his life in danger for naught!"
The pudgy martial artist slouched forward in thought. "How am I going to get the wife to let me take the boy? He'll never be a great fighter the way she's always babying him. If he's not a good fighter then he'll never be worthy of uniting the schools, and if he can't marry a Tendo then I can kiss early retirement goodbye!"
He looked over to where his son was playing. Ranma was busying himself with his little paints, periodically showing his mother something he drew. Suddenly Genma was struck with divine inspiration.
He quickly grabbed a sheet of paper from little Ranma's pile and began a little finger painting project of his own. His wife looked at him strangely, wondering just what her husband was doing now. After some scribbling he held the paper at arms length and smiled.
"This woman, is how you know the risk is worth it!" he crowed.
Nodoka cocked her head to the side questioningly. "Are you feeling all right dear? Do you want me to call a doctor."
"I've never felt better my dear," he replied with a grin. "Read this."
She took the proffered parchment and gasped at what was written.
"I, Genma Saotome, do hearby swear an oath to make my son, Ranma Saotome, a man amongst men, Should I fail, both myself and my son will bow our heads before our ancestors, and atone for bringing shame to the family name by commiting sepukku." Nodoka's voice trailed off as she read the last part.
She looked up at her husband with a newfound respect. Did he really feel this strongly about making their son a man amongst men?
"Very well," she replied with a smile before handing the paper back to have him sign it. Genma quickly did so, and then took his son's hand and pressed it down firmly, the paint on the boy's hand causing a print which would have to pass on a signature since he couldn't write.
"It's settled then," said the Saotome matriarch. "When do we leave?"
Genma's eyes popped out of his head as he dropped to the floor like a rock. "W-w-w-what do you mean... we?"
She smiled happily as she got up to go pack. "I mean what I said. I trust you husband, but I also do not cherish the thought of you and my son having to kill yourselves. I will go and make sure you do not fail."
Genma lay there twitching a few times, his son poking him with a stick he pulled off a nearby potted plant.
"What the hell have I done!?!"
+++++++++++++++
The night air chilled young Ranma as he crept along under the moonless sky. He ducked behind trash bins and concealed himself within the shadows. He dared a peek over a wooden crate at his mark.
His father walked along the dimly lit street, hunched forward with his hands in his jacket pockets.
Ranma had been following his father for the past fifteen minutes and was seriously considering just walking back to the dojo. Genma seddenly stopped and looked around, causing Ranma to duck back into his hiding place. After looking around Genma walked over to the building next to him and entered through a large steel door.
Ranma quickly jumped out from behind his hiding place and ducked into the alley next to the building his father had just entered. Near the end of the alley was a power meter that jutted from the ground, right beneath an open window.
The boy went to the meter and used it as a step to reach the window. He shimmied through the tiny entrance and dropped into a dark room, which was used for storage judging from the dusty boxes that were piled along the walls.
At the other edge of the room was a door to another room. On the other side of the door Ranma could hear the sounds of music, and the occasional clinking of glass.
He cracked the door open barely and inch and peeked out.
He was in a bar. There were few occupants and the placed smelled really bad. Ranma had never been in a bar before but he was was pretty sure that this one was below standards in the sanitary department.
Almost immediately Ranma spied his father, the man was sitting on a stool only a few feet at the bar nursing a tall mug of beer. Ranma had decided that following his dad had been a waste of time, and was about to head back when the bartender decided to walk over to Genma and strike up a conversation.
+++++++++++++
"Hey buddy. You've been coming here every day for the past month, and I don't even know your name."
Genma looked up from his drink and eyed the man. "I'm Genma. Genma Saotome."
"Nice to meet you Genma. My name's Kenshiro. You can call me Ken," the short man replied with a smile. He then went about wiping at some glasses with a small towel.
"So what's on your mind? You come in here, sit down, order one beer and nurse it for the whole night. Let me guess. Woman troubles?"
Genma scoffed a bit in reply. "You can say that."
Ken stopped what he was doing and leaned against the bar. "Wanna talk about it?"
"Don't tell me you want to listen?" asked Genma with a bit of curiosity.
"Actually I do," said the man with a shrug. "I like listening to other people's stories, maybe help them out a bit with what's bothering them. That's why I became a bartender. I'd thought about being a psychiatrist, but then I decided I'd rather join a proffesion where I could help with their problems."
Genma couldn't help but smirk at the man. "If you really want to know, it's my wife and my son. I'm training my boy to be the heir to my school of martial arts. Basically we're travelling around so he can learn from a lot of different types of people."
"Sounds like fun," commented Ken. "A real father/son bonding experience."
"Yeah it would be. But the wife came along."
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it," said Genma as he rubbed at his temples. "I finally get her to agree to let me take the boy, and what happens? She says she wants to come along to make sure our son becomes a 'man amongst men'. We've been traveling for almost two full years now, and the boy hasn't done any real serious training yet."
"Why?"
"The wife won't let me. Every time I try and have him do an exercise that will better him as a martial artist, she steps in and stops us. Giving me that 'seven years old is too young for that type of thing' stuff."
Ken's eyes went wide. "The kid is only seven?"
"That doesn't mean anything. The kid's got it in him to be great, if not the best, but with his mom around... I hate to say it but at this rate we'll fail. I love my wife but what she knows about martial arts could probably fill a shot glass. All I want is for my boy to be strong, and take over my school," said Genma with a sigh.
"And maybe get the chance to sit back while the boy's wife pumps out the grandkids, and Ranma packs 'em into the dojo," he added in his head.
"Well you got lots of time. I mean he is only seven after all," Ken said with a sagely nod.
Genma only shook his head in reply. "No, you don't understand. Imagine a kid being trained in the most rigorous ways available, being groomed to be powerful from an early age."
"That kind of head start would put that child far ahead of everyone in his generation," commented the bartender, finally understanding where Genma was going with this.
"Exactly," said Genma. "That's the kind of jump I wanted my boy to have. But the wife just doesn't seem to understand that. I would be okay if I could get her to go home, but she'll never leave the boy."
"Well if you ask me it sou- did you hear that?" asked Ken.
Genma perked up his sensitive ears and looked towards a door off to his right. "In there," he said pointing towards where he deemed was the source of the noise.
Ken jumped over the bar and the two walked to the door. Inside the small storage room a few boxes could be seen scattered across the floor. They both looked towards the open window above the mess.
"Cat," offered Kenshiro, Genma nodding in agreement.
++++++++++++++
"I'll show them," muttered Ranma as he readjusted the straps on his pack. "I'll get strong on my own. Then pop and mom will be proud of me!"
The young boy looked overhead and checked his heading by the rising sun just as his father had taught him. Though he'd only been training for two years, but it was two years spent on the road. He'd learned a thing or two about travelling and camping, and those lessons would serve him well on this new journey.
After he'd heard his father's words and opinion of his progress, Ranma had decided that his father probably knew best. If his father said that he'd be better off away from his mother, then it was probably true.
He'd miss them. Miss them a bunch. But it was his duty to become strong enough to inherit his family style. To do his parents proud and become the kind of man they wanted him to be.
That night, he swore that he'd become all that they wanted, and more. As soon as he retuned to the the dojo they'd been visiting, Ranma had written a note describing what he was doing, and telling his parents that they needn't worry. Although his grasp of the written word was... childish, despite his mother's strict tutoring, he was certain that he'd communicated his feelings well enough.
And so here he was, a boy on a journey to return home a man. It had been somewhere around three hours till sunrise when he'd finished packing his essential items, and he surmised that it was well past eight judging by the sun's position. He opened wide with a loud yawn but continued onward, it was still far to early for him to go back to sleep.
The place they had been staying was near the outskirts of the city, and he arrived in the forests within minutes. He continued on for a few more hours before leaving the thickly wooded area, and fiding himself walking along a rocky trail.
The narrow path stretched off for quite a distance and was covered in many rocks of varying sizes, despite the lack of any vegitation one might think this was an unused path. The trail followed along a tall mountain that Ranma had seen occasionally through the openings in the treetops as he ventured through the forest.
The mountain was pretty high, and had s slope that was a little too steep to climb without some experience. ALhtough Ranma had a bit of experience mountain climbing, he didn't really feel up to the task.
Not that he couldn't do it, he just needed to get to his destination quickly and the road seemed the best path to take.
When Ranma had been thinking of where he should go he remembered a temple that his fathr told him about. He'd been told it wasn't very far, and that the monks that lived there had brought a rare form of kung fu when they migrated from mainland China.
Wihtout warning the young boy's feet snagged on something and he pitched forward with a cry. His training helped him break his fall but the many stones that littered the path, smashed into his back as he rolled forward to disperse his momentum.
He stopped only two feet from where he'd tripped and rubbed at his sore back with a curse. He looked over his shoulder and saw a large rock that lay on the ground, a large hole in the dirt showed where he'd uprooted that rock when he'd hit it.
Ranma got up and dusted off his clothes before strolling over to where the stone lay.
"Stupid thing," he muttered. He reared his arm back and chucked the offending object at the mountain side.
The boy gave a contented grunt and head off along his original course. He only got a few feet when his ears were filled with a deep rumling sound that filled the air. Quickly turning toward the mountain he came face to face with a landslide that barreled relentlesly towards him.
"Uh oh..." he whispered, thinking that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to throw that rock.
"Ranma!" came a shout as he was lifted into the air by a powerful set of arms.
++++++++++++
In the forest not far behind Ranma.
"I don't know how husband, but this must be your fault," growled Nodoka as she made her way through the wooded thickets. Beside her Genma could only snort in disdain for his wife's foolishness.
"If it is anyone's fault it's your's woman!" he snapped.
The woman halted her walking and turned on her husband with a sneer on her lips. "And what gives you that idea, husband?" said the woman, more than a bit of malice in her voice.
"You read the letter. He didn't think he was challenged enough and wanted to journey on his own. If you'd let me train him as a proper martial artist..." he let the last part hang so she could fnish the sentence herself.
The woman narrowed her eyes manacingly. "What exactly are you insinuating husband?" she asked, the chill in her voice becoming even colder.
"I'm not insinutaing anything dear wife," replied the bald man cooly. "I'm out right saying that this is your fault."
That drove the already distraught woman right over the edge.
"How dare you!?!?" screamed Nodoka, reaching for the Saotome family sword she'd been given by her mother-in-law. Genma eyed his wife calmly while she drew her blade, ready to defend himself should she lose her self control.
Before the squabble could turn physical, a loud yelp was heard just past a line of trees not a dozen feet away. Their actions ceast as they ran full tilt towards the sound.
After a short run they could see their son, not twenty feet away, picking up a rock and tossing towrds the mountain that the trail ran along side. They watched in horror as the rock struck a small boulder high above the boy's position, which set off a chain reaction causing a quickly growing landslide. Without thinking about their own safety, both parents sped off to save their son.
"Ranma!" screamed Nodoka with a panicked shrill in her voice.
Genma being a trained fighter grabbed his son in scant seconds of his realising the situation. Once they were clear the man looked back to find his wife coming towards them. She'd tried to get to Ranma the same as Genma had, but was much slower than her husband and was caught right in the path of the oncoming rocks.
He let loose a loud curse as he threw his son into the bushes and rushed to save his wife.
+++++++++++++
Ranma could only watched in a stunned silence, as his father scooped his mother into his arms and leapt away from the falling stones. The man crouched low and sprung away, only to have one of the stones smash into his laegs, causing the man to flail in the air for a moment.
The hit had cuased Genma to lose the strength in his leap and landed only a few feet away, but was able to control his fall and land lightly on his feet. The martial artist immediately tensed and tried to jump away in time, his movements fast, but not fast enough.
Ranma could only sit in the bushes, mortified, as his mother and father were swallowed in a storm of dust and stone. As one they'd screamed, and their dual cries would echo in his mind for the coming hours as he wept.
"Ranma!"
++++++++++++++
Kasumi strolled along the walk way that surrounded the pond of the park near her home. In her hands she carried a brown paper bag with a lunch and her favorite book. Summer vacation had just started, so she was finally able to find an hour or two to herself every now and again.
Ever since her mother's passing, Kasumi saw it as her duty as the eldest daughter to care for her family. And it was a responsibility she did not take lightly.
Every day after Nerima Elementary let out for the day, she'd rush home, finish her homework, and perform her duties as a homemaker.
Cooking, cleaning, laundry, she did it all for her family, and with a smile on her face. But despite the smile, deep inside the girl held little joy other than seeing her family healthy and happy.
At nine years old Kasumi had become the head of a household, a burden that left one little time for the activities that children her age found enjoyable. Going to movies, hanging out with friends, joining school clubs and sports teams. Even the martial arts that she so loved were put aside for the sake of a responsibility self imposed.
Two years. It had been two years since that cold autumn day when her mother's heart stopped beating. And the wounds still ran deep.
They thanked the kami every day for the sizeable amount Kimiko had inherited from an estranged relative, it had paid for much of the woman's stay in the hospital, and was what they lived on now that their father no longer taught.
Understandably her father had taken the death badly, spending long hours doing nothing but staring at old photo albums and crying. He was slowly drawing himself out for the sake of his children, but would most likely never be the same man he was.
As for her younger sisters.
Nabiki was two years younger than her, yet the girl's eyes burned with a keen intelect. Nabiki had seemed to shut herself off from the world around her, showing only the most minimal of emotion to anyone but her own family.
Akane had taken to her training with a renewed vigor. Only a child of eight, yet her life was the art. But without her father to guide her, she was forced to develop on her own. Kasumi would watch as her younger sister would try and recreate techniques her father had shown her long ago, but with no one to keep her focused Akane would lash out and allow her frustrations to lead her fists.
Kasumi often wished she could help her sisters and their father, but other duties always got in the way.
Kasumi wandered around a bit more, enjoying her day off when she saw a large sakura tree on a hill that over looked most of the park. Suprisingly, the peaceful spot was vacant and she quickly marched up the hill to stake her claim.
A small tearing sound caught the girl's hearing as she neared her chosen reading spot. She looked down in her hand just in time to see the bottom of the paper bag with her lunch tear, causing her red apple to fall out and roll down the hill.
"Oh no..." she muttered as her apple quickly sped down the grassy noll. Suddenly the apple disappeared with a swooshing sound and a grey streak. Kasumi blinked a few times and calmly walked off to the bushes she'd seen the grey blurr vanish into.
What she found was totally unexpected. A young boy, maybe only a few years younger than herself, was crouched down eating the apple voraciously. She tell by the odor wafting from the boy that his dogi had not always been grey, and the numerous tatters it sported spoke of the boy being quite active.
She continued walking forward until he seemed to stiffen when she approached too close. He jumped to his feet and spun on his heels to face the intruder. Seeing the girl he'd stolen the apple from he grunted and spit out a seed.
"Yer too late. I already ate yer apple so beat it," said the boy with a sneer, he quickly calmed however when he saw the slightly hurt look on the girl's pretty face.
"That's alright. My name's Kasumi, what's your name?"
The filthy child stood there for a moment, debating whether or not to answer. "Ranma," he replied cooly.
"That's a nice name. Tell me, where are your parents?" she asked, intending the give the boy's parents a stern talking too about letting their child get so filthy.
Ranma narrowed his eyes. "Don't got no parents."
Kasumi went wide eyed at his remark. "Really!?! I'm so sorry."
"You ain't got anything to apologize for. S'not like you killed 'em."
Kasumi ignored his coarse manners and continued. "Well judging from how you ate that apple you must be quite hungry."
"So what if I am?"
"Well if you want I still have this lunch, and I'm not all that hungry." she said with a frustrated frown. Boys could be so difficult!
"What's in it fer you?" he asked suspicious of the young girl's intentions.
"I was going to spend the afternoon reading. But if I had someone to talk to, that would make it an even better day."
Ranma eyed her another minute before giving a little smile. "You got yerself a deal!" He calmy walked over to her to accept the bag and have himself something to eat. Just as he reached out his hand he saw Kasumi's nose wrinkle as her eyes began to water.
"Oh sorry 'bout that. Not gunna be a very pleasant conversation with me stinkin' the way I do." With that he dashed out of the bushes and ran to the lake shore. Kasumi watched in amazement as he simply jumped in, removed his top and swam around in a couple of circles.
After a moment he walked out and rung his blouse dry. "That's better," he commented to himself as he went over to his companion for the day and took the lunch from her.
"Your an odd boy," she said with a giggle.
Ranma looked up from the bag with a peanut butter sandwich half hanging from his mouth. He swallowed the sandwich whole before asking, "Why do you say that?"
"No reason," she replied with a dismissive wave. Suddenly she realized just how muscular he was now that he had his gi top thrown over one shoulder, much more so than the average boy. Also she began remembering how quickly and easily he moved.
"Ranma? Do you know martial arts?"
"Sure do!" he exclaimed, glad she decided to start their conversation off with subject he was familiar too.
+++++++++++++
Kasumi hummed to herself happily as she hung the laundry out to dry. The past two weeks had been some of the best she'd had in a long time.
Every day after finishing the bulk of her chores she'd tell her family that she was going to spend some time at a friend's, not really a lie since she for all she knew, Ranma lived in that park. Then they'd spend the afternoon doing nothing in particular. They'd skip stones, talk about her day, or just do something as mundane as playing tag or hide and go seek.
She smiled to herself as she thought back to the end of that first day they'd spent together. As the evening aproached Ranma had stood and told her. "Well I held up my end of the bargain. Thanks fer the grub, maybe I'll see ya around again, someday." And that said he'd just walked away.
The next day however Kasumi had decided on a whim to go back to the sakura tree in the park. Astonishingly Ranma was already there, waiting. "Hey fancy meetin' you here," he'd said with a grin. "Say, you wouldn't happen to have another sandwich on you, would ya?"
After that she took a bag lunch with her every time she went to see him. Although he was a secretive at first about his past, over the weeks he opened up to her a little more every day.
Only the previous day Ranma had decided to tell her why he was an orphan. Although his tale brought a tear to her eye, she was also very happy that he finally trusted her enough to tell her the story.
She'd known from that first day that he was a martial artist, but it wasn't until hearing of the past year of his life did she learn of his quest to visit different dojos to study.
That was the reason she was so happy today. As they were parting for the day Kasumi had told him to meet her in the usual place and to be ready because she was going to give him a suprise. Today when they meet, she'll blindfold Ranma and lead hiim back to the dojo so he could learn her family style. Won't he be so excited!
She quickly hung the last of the garments and climbed down from the step ladder she used to reach the high clothesline. Kasumi then returned to the house and grabbed the things she'd need, a kerchief and the usual lunch. But just as she was stepping out the door her father's voice stopped her.
"Kasumi? Where are you going?"
She turned to look at the man and gave a cheery smile. "I'm just going to see my friend, father."
Soun gave his oldest a studious look before responding. "Kasumi, do you have something you want to tell me?"
"No father, nothing at all I want to tell you," she replied with the same cheery smile.
"This 'friend' of yours wouldn't happen to be a 'boy' friend, would he?" questioned Soun as he crossed his arms.
The girl gave a thoughtful frown. "Well he is a boy, and he is my friend. But thats not how it is, daddy."
"I think you'd better tell me how it is then," he said with a heavy, tired sounding sigh.
Kasumi slumped her shoulders and walked back into the house to tell her father what had happened. He would have found out later in the evening when she brought Ranma home anyway. When she finished with her story she patiently waited for her father to speak.
Soun silently sat there, mulling over what his daughter had told him. "I'm disappointed in you Kasumi. You should have told me what was going on sooner. That boy has to be cared for by the proper authorities."
The girl let out a startled gasp. "You can't! you don't know him like I do, he'll only run away if you-"
"ENOUGH! I'll not have my daughter running around with some... some rorouni! He could have been dangerous! You'll go up to your room while I take care of this matter." Soun's stern tone was very much out of character, especially when talking to Kasumi.
"But daddy!" protested the girl.
"I said enough!"
Kasumi sat there looking at her father for a few moments before she burst into tears and ran up to her room. She barely even noticed her sisters as she passed them in the hall where they'd been eavesdropping on the conversation.
Soun sat at the table for a few minutes more before going over to the phone, and alerting the authorities of where the boy named Ranma would be. After the call was made he sat back down and cried to himself softly, rather than his usual gushing sobs.
He hated himself for talking to his eldest the way he just did, but part of being a father was making sure his children where safe, for all he knew the boy was dangerous. Besides, the child would be placed into government care and given the help he needs.
It was best for everyone.
+++++++++++++++
In the park Ranma sat beneath the sakura tree that had become the usual meeting grounds for he and Kasumi. It was growing later into the evening and he twiddled his thumbs silently as hae waited.
Kasumi was running a little later than she usually did, but that didn't bother Ranma. If she said to wait, he'd wait. At first he hadn't known what to make of the girl, but after a while she began growing on him. For almost a full year now he'd been alone, travelling here and there, learning from different wandering fighters. It was nice to stay in one place for more than a little while, and to have a friend.
While he waited he busied himself a twig he was using to draw pictures in the dirt. All the while he was careful of the new dogi he was wearing. Although he had no money, Ranma had quickly learned another benifit of the kind of training he did. It made him a very good theif.
All he had to do was find a place that sold the things he wanted, wait until the shopkeeper's eyes were turned, then strike. That's how he'd gotten these new clothes. He'd even stolen some soap so he'd be clean when Kasumi came with her suprise. Even though he didn't care much for hygiene, she seemed to like it when he showed up clean.
"Is your name Ranma?"
The voice caused Ranma to look up startled. He cursed under his breath for letting himself be caught off gaurd when he noticed the voice belonged to a police officer.
"And if I am?" he asked icily.
"We got a call that you'd be here. You'll have to come with me," said the officer as he reached down to pull Ranma to his feet.
The boy responded by kicking the man's wrist as he rolled away. "What'ya want with me? Last time I checked it was pretty legal ta sit in the park," he said with cold tone in his voice.
"I'm here to take you downtown to social services. But I should book you for assaulting an officer," he barked as he rubbed at his sore wrist. He hadn't expected the kid to be so damn strong!
"Yeah right! You'll have to catch me first!" Ranma yelled. He dug his foot into the loose soil around the base of the tree and kicked out, flinging the dirt into the cop's eyes.
The man stood there for a while rubbing at his face trying to get rid of the stinging sensation. By the time he was able to see again the boy was long gone.
++++++++++++++
Alone again, Ranma sat in the car of a train with the heavy iron door open so he could watch the stars roll by overhead.
As soon as he blinded the cop he'd ran directly for the nearest train yard, figuring it the best and quickest way out of the city. Although he didn't want to believe it, he knew who had sent that officer there to take him away.
He lay there on a bed of torn up cardboard boxes, silent and shivering. The night seemed just a bit colder when he thought about how the only person he'd trusted in almost a year had betrayed him.
The steady, rythmic beating of the train chugging along the tracks soon had him falling into a dazed half sleep.
He sniffled and looked back up to the stars as his eyes slowly drooped.
"I wish I had a real friend. I don't wanna be alone anymore," he wished, even thought he knew no one would hear.
But someone did hear, and the shadows next to the young boy pulled away to reveal a large furry animal. Ranma looked up with his half opened eyes and caught sight of the giant wolf that loomed over him.
It had a coat of dark violet and crimson, with a bushy mane extending from the back of it's head like long hair. Two long horns extended from each side of it's face giving the appearance of four enormous fangs, and the claws on it's feet were the size of kitchen knives.
Despite the wolf's monsterous appearance, Ranma was unafraid. He could feel a warm, friendly sensation coming from the beast as it neared him.
"Hello," it greeted him in a deep, soothing voice. "My name is Lucied, I will be your... friend." Lucied then walked over to Ranma and lay down next to him.
Ranma looked to the creature for a moment before scooting over and nuzzling against the wolf's warm fur. "My name's Ranma," he said before finally giving in to sleep.
++++++++++++++
Notes:
This was hard to write. Inspirado did not strike until late in the chap, but now that this (I guess you could call it the prolouge despite it's length) is out of the way I know what I want to do in this story. So the next chap should be a bit smoother.
To those of you wanting to know know what Lucied looks like in better detail, just try a search for pics of him. My Lucied is the one from 2nd Ignition, but with the colorings darker.
Also, before I get mails about this, Ranma treats Kasumi like his first friend because she was. Ukyo never met Ranma in this fic. She'll be in it, but this way is better for the story line I have planned for her. Trust me.
I really want C&C for this. I'll keep doing it no matter what, but I'd still like to hear opinions.
Next time: Ranma's journey of training is coming to an end, and he must face one last challenge before he fufills a promise he'd made himself the day his parents died. But what awaits him after?
Tszietzen
-Guy Jin
Today's theme is: Zankoku no Tenshi no Teize - by Megumi Hayashibara; the opening theme to Neon Genesis Evangelion
C&C, hatemail, and proclamations of love to:
guy_jin@jusenkyo.com
By: Guy Jin
Wild Guardian
Alone
+++++++++++++
"I'm afraid not husband, five years old is just too young to embark on a journey of training. Ranma could get hurt!"
"Please Nodoka! He'll never be a great martial artist if he isn't put through the hardships of the road," blubbered Genma pathetically. He was currently sitting at the table in the family room with his wife across from him, their son sitting in her lap playing with a piece of paper and some finger paint.
"I said no, Genma! He will be a great man one day but not if he is dead, which is what may very well happen should he go with you on this trip," she said adamantly.
Genma got an evil glint in his eye. "Are you saying I'm not man enough to protect my own son?" His tone was slow and measured, like he was barely restraining anger. But inside he was thinking more along the lines of, "Hehe, this'll get ya."
Nodoka reeled back in shock. "I would never! But what I am saying is how am I to be sure that the risk is worth it? If you were, God forbid, to fail in making a great man of our son, then you would have put his life in danger for naught!"
The pudgy martial artist slouched forward in thought. "How am I going to get the wife to let me take the boy? He'll never be a great fighter the way she's always babying him. If he's not a good fighter then he'll never be worthy of uniting the schools, and if he can't marry a Tendo then I can kiss early retirement goodbye!"
He looked over to where his son was playing. Ranma was busying himself with his little paints, periodically showing his mother something he drew. Suddenly Genma was struck with divine inspiration.
He quickly grabbed a sheet of paper from little Ranma's pile and began a little finger painting project of his own. His wife looked at him strangely, wondering just what her husband was doing now. After some scribbling he held the paper at arms length and smiled.
"This woman, is how you know the risk is worth it!" he crowed.
Nodoka cocked her head to the side questioningly. "Are you feeling all right dear? Do you want me to call a doctor."
"I've never felt better my dear," he replied with a grin. "Read this."
She took the proffered parchment and gasped at what was written.
"I, Genma Saotome, do hearby swear an oath to make my son, Ranma Saotome, a man amongst men, Should I fail, both myself and my son will bow our heads before our ancestors, and atone for bringing shame to the family name by commiting sepukku." Nodoka's voice trailed off as she read the last part.
She looked up at her husband with a newfound respect. Did he really feel this strongly about making their son a man amongst men?
"Very well," she replied with a smile before handing the paper back to have him sign it. Genma quickly did so, and then took his son's hand and pressed it down firmly, the paint on the boy's hand causing a print which would have to pass on a signature since he couldn't write.
"It's settled then," said the Saotome matriarch. "When do we leave?"
Genma's eyes popped out of his head as he dropped to the floor like a rock. "W-w-w-what do you mean... we?"
She smiled happily as she got up to go pack. "I mean what I said. I trust you husband, but I also do not cherish the thought of you and my son having to kill yourselves. I will go and make sure you do not fail."
Genma lay there twitching a few times, his son poking him with a stick he pulled off a nearby potted plant.
"What the hell have I done!?!"
+++++++++++++++
The night air chilled young Ranma as he crept along under the moonless sky. He ducked behind trash bins and concealed himself within the shadows. He dared a peek over a wooden crate at his mark.
His father walked along the dimly lit street, hunched forward with his hands in his jacket pockets.
Ranma had been following his father for the past fifteen minutes and was seriously considering just walking back to the dojo. Genma seddenly stopped and looked around, causing Ranma to duck back into his hiding place. After looking around Genma walked over to the building next to him and entered through a large steel door.
Ranma quickly jumped out from behind his hiding place and ducked into the alley next to the building his father had just entered. Near the end of the alley was a power meter that jutted from the ground, right beneath an open window.
The boy went to the meter and used it as a step to reach the window. He shimmied through the tiny entrance and dropped into a dark room, which was used for storage judging from the dusty boxes that were piled along the walls.
At the other edge of the room was a door to another room. On the other side of the door Ranma could hear the sounds of music, and the occasional clinking of glass.
He cracked the door open barely and inch and peeked out.
He was in a bar. There were few occupants and the placed smelled really bad. Ranma had never been in a bar before but he was was pretty sure that this one was below standards in the sanitary department.
Almost immediately Ranma spied his father, the man was sitting on a stool only a few feet at the bar nursing a tall mug of beer. Ranma had decided that following his dad had been a waste of time, and was about to head back when the bartender decided to walk over to Genma and strike up a conversation.
+++++++++++++
"Hey buddy. You've been coming here every day for the past month, and I don't even know your name."
Genma looked up from his drink and eyed the man. "I'm Genma. Genma Saotome."
"Nice to meet you Genma. My name's Kenshiro. You can call me Ken," the short man replied with a smile. He then went about wiping at some glasses with a small towel.
"So what's on your mind? You come in here, sit down, order one beer and nurse it for the whole night. Let me guess. Woman troubles?"
Genma scoffed a bit in reply. "You can say that."
Ken stopped what he was doing and leaned against the bar. "Wanna talk about it?"
"Don't tell me you want to listen?" asked Genma with a bit of curiosity.
"Actually I do," said the man with a shrug. "I like listening to other people's stories, maybe help them out a bit with what's bothering them. That's why I became a bartender. I'd thought about being a psychiatrist, but then I decided I'd rather join a proffesion where I could help with their problems."
Genma couldn't help but smirk at the man. "If you really want to know, it's my wife and my son. I'm training my boy to be the heir to my school of martial arts. Basically we're travelling around so he can learn from a lot of different types of people."
"Sounds like fun," commented Ken. "A real father/son bonding experience."
"Yeah it would be. But the wife came along."
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it," said Genma as he rubbed at his temples. "I finally get her to agree to let me take the boy, and what happens? She says she wants to come along to make sure our son becomes a 'man amongst men'. We've been traveling for almost two full years now, and the boy hasn't done any real serious training yet."
"Why?"
"The wife won't let me. Every time I try and have him do an exercise that will better him as a martial artist, she steps in and stops us. Giving me that 'seven years old is too young for that type of thing' stuff."
Ken's eyes went wide. "The kid is only seven?"
"That doesn't mean anything. The kid's got it in him to be great, if not the best, but with his mom around... I hate to say it but at this rate we'll fail. I love my wife but what she knows about martial arts could probably fill a shot glass. All I want is for my boy to be strong, and take over my school," said Genma with a sigh.
"And maybe get the chance to sit back while the boy's wife pumps out the grandkids, and Ranma packs 'em into the dojo," he added in his head.
"Well you got lots of time. I mean he is only seven after all," Ken said with a sagely nod.
Genma only shook his head in reply. "No, you don't understand. Imagine a kid being trained in the most rigorous ways available, being groomed to be powerful from an early age."
"That kind of head start would put that child far ahead of everyone in his generation," commented the bartender, finally understanding where Genma was going with this.
"Exactly," said Genma. "That's the kind of jump I wanted my boy to have. But the wife just doesn't seem to understand that. I would be okay if I could get her to go home, but she'll never leave the boy."
"Well if you ask me it sou- did you hear that?" asked Ken.
Genma perked up his sensitive ears and looked towards a door off to his right. "In there," he said pointing towards where he deemed was the source of the noise.
Ken jumped over the bar and the two walked to the door. Inside the small storage room a few boxes could be seen scattered across the floor. They both looked towards the open window above the mess.
"Cat," offered Kenshiro, Genma nodding in agreement.
++++++++++++++
"I'll show them," muttered Ranma as he readjusted the straps on his pack. "I'll get strong on my own. Then pop and mom will be proud of me!"
The young boy looked overhead and checked his heading by the rising sun just as his father had taught him. Though he'd only been training for two years, but it was two years spent on the road. He'd learned a thing or two about travelling and camping, and those lessons would serve him well on this new journey.
After he'd heard his father's words and opinion of his progress, Ranma had decided that his father probably knew best. If his father said that he'd be better off away from his mother, then it was probably true.
He'd miss them. Miss them a bunch. But it was his duty to become strong enough to inherit his family style. To do his parents proud and become the kind of man they wanted him to be.
That night, he swore that he'd become all that they wanted, and more. As soon as he retuned to the the dojo they'd been visiting, Ranma had written a note describing what he was doing, and telling his parents that they needn't worry. Although his grasp of the written word was... childish, despite his mother's strict tutoring, he was certain that he'd communicated his feelings well enough.
And so here he was, a boy on a journey to return home a man. It had been somewhere around three hours till sunrise when he'd finished packing his essential items, and he surmised that it was well past eight judging by the sun's position. He opened wide with a loud yawn but continued onward, it was still far to early for him to go back to sleep.
The place they had been staying was near the outskirts of the city, and he arrived in the forests within minutes. He continued on for a few more hours before leaving the thickly wooded area, and fiding himself walking along a rocky trail.
The narrow path stretched off for quite a distance and was covered in many rocks of varying sizes, despite the lack of any vegitation one might think this was an unused path. The trail followed along a tall mountain that Ranma had seen occasionally through the openings in the treetops as he ventured through the forest.
The mountain was pretty high, and had s slope that was a little too steep to climb without some experience. ALhtough Ranma had a bit of experience mountain climbing, he didn't really feel up to the task.
Not that he couldn't do it, he just needed to get to his destination quickly and the road seemed the best path to take.
When Ranma had been thinking of where he should go he remembered a temple that his fathr told him about. He'd been told it wasn't very far, and that the monks that lived there had brought a rare form of kung fu when they migrated from mainland China.
Wihtout warning the young boy's feet snagged on something and he pitched forward with a cry. His training helped him break his fall but the many stones that littered the path, smashed into his back as he rolled forward to disperse his momentum.
He stopped only two feet from where he'd tripped and rubbed at his sore back with a curse. He looked over his shoulder and saw a large rock that lay on the ground, a large hole in the dirt showed where he'd uprooted that rock when he'd hit it.
Ranma got up and dusted off his clothes before strolling over to where the stone lay.
"Stupid thing," he muttered. He reared his arm back and chucked the offending object at the mountain side.
The boy gave a contented grunt and head off along his original course. He only got a few feet when his ears were filled with a deep rumling sound that filled the air. Quickly turning toward the mountain he came face to face with a landslide that barreled relentlesly towards him.
"Uh oh..." he whispered, thinking that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to throw that rock.
"Ranma!" came a shout as he was lifted into the air by a powerful set of arms.
++++++++++++
In the forest not far behind Ranma.
"I don't know how husband, but this must be your fault," growled Nodoka as she made her way through the wooded thickets. Beside her Genma could only snort in disdain for his wife's foolishness.
"If it is anyone's fault it's your's woman!" he snapped.
The woman halted her walking and turned on her husband with a sneer on her lips. "And what gives you that idea, husband?" said the woman, more than a bit of malice in her voice.
"You read the letter. He didn't think he was challenged enough and wanted to journey on his own. If you'd let me train him as a proper martial artist..." he let the last part hang so she could fnish the sentence herself.
The woman narrowed her eyes manacingly. "What exactly are you insinuating husband?" she asked, the chill in her voice becoming even colder.
"I'm not insinutaing anything dear wife," replied the bald man cooly. "I'm out right saying that this is your fault."
That drove the already distraught woman right over the edge.
"How dare you!?!?" screamed Nodoka, reaching for the Saotome family sword she'd been given by her mother-in-law. Genma eyed his wife calmly while she drew her blade, ready to defend himself should she lose her self control.
Before the squabble could turn physical, a loud yelp was heard just past a line of trees not a dozen feet away. Their actions ceast as they ran full tilt towards the sound.
After a short run they could see their son, not twenty feet away, picking up a rock and tossing towrds the mountain that the trail ran along side. They watched in horror as the rock struck a small boulder high above the boy's position, which set off a chain reaction causing a quickly growing landslide. Without thinking about their own safety, both parents sped off to save their son.
"Ranma!" screamed Nodoka with a panicked shrill in her voice.
Genma being a trained fighter grabbed his son in scant seconds of his realising the situation. Once they were clear the man looked back to find his wife coming towards them. She'd tried to get to Ranma the same as Genma had, but was much slower than her husband and was caught right in the path of the oncoming rocks.
He let loose a loud curse as he threw his son into the bushes and rushed to save his wife.
+++++++++++++
Ranma could only watched in a stunned silence, as his father scooped his mother into his arms and leapt away from the falling stones. The man crouched low and sprung away, only to have one of the stones smash into his laegs, causing the man to flail in the air for a moment.
The hit had cuased Genma to lose the strength in his leap and landed only a few feet away, but was able to control his fall and land lightly on his feet. The martial artist immediately tensed and tried to jump away in time, his movements fast, but not fast enough.
Ranma could only sit in the bushes, mortified, as his mother and father were swallowed in a storm of dust and stone. As one they'd screamed, and their dual cries would echo in his mind for the coming hours as he wept.
"Ranma!"
++++++++++++++
Kasumi strolled along the walk way that surrounded the pond of the park near her home. In her hands she carried a brown paper bag with a lunch and her favorite book. Summer vacation had just started, so she was finally able to find an hour or two to herself every now and again.
Ever since her mother's passing, Kasumi saw it as her duty as the eldest daughter to care for her family. And it was a responsibility she did not take lightly.
Every day after Nerima Elementary let out for the day, she'd rush home, finish her homework, and perform her duties as a homemaker.
Cooking, cleaning, laundry, she did it all for her family, and with a smile on her face. But despite the smile, deep inside the girl held little joy other than seeing her family healthy and happy.
At nine years old Kasumi had become the head of a household, a burden that left one little time for the activities that children her age found enjoyable. Going to movies, hanging out with friends, joining school clubs and sports teams. Even the martial arts that she so loved were put aside for the sake of a responsibility self imposed.
Two years. It had been two years since that cold autumn day when her mother's heart stopped beating. And the wounds still ran deep.
They thanked the kami every day for the sizeable amount Kimiko had inherited from an estranged relative, it had paid for much of the woman's stay in the hospital, and was what they lived on now that their father no longer taught.
Understandably her father had taken the death badly, spending long hours doing nothing but staring at old photo albums and crying. He was slowly drawing himself out for the sake of his children, but would most likely never be the same man he was.
As for her younger sisters.
Nabiki was two years younger than her, yet the girl's eyes burned with a keen intelect. Nabiki had seemed to shut herself off from the world around her, showing only the most minimal of emotion to anyone but her own family.
Akane had taken to her training with a renewed vigor. Only a child of eight, yet her life was the art. But without her father to guide her, she was forced to develop on her own. Kasumi would watch as her younger sister would try and recreate techniques her father had shown her long ago, but with no one to keep her focused Akane would lash out and allow her frustrations to lead her fists.
Kasumi often wished she could help her sisters and their father, but other duties always got in the way.
Kasumi wandered around a bit more, enjoying her day off when she saw a large sakura tree on a hill that over looked most of the park. Suprisingly, the peaceful spot was vacant and she quickly marched up the hill to stake her claim.
A small tearing sound caught the girl's hearing as she neared her chosen reading spot. She looked down in her hand just in time to see the bottom of the paper bag with her lunch tear, causing her red apple to fall out and roll down the hill.
"Oh no..." she muttered as her apple quickly sped down the grassy noll. Suddenly the apple disappeared with a swooshing sound and a grey streak. Kasumi blinked a few times and calmly walked off to the bushes she'd seen the grey blurr vanish into.
What she found was totally unexpected. A young boy, maybe only a few years younger than herself, was crouched down eating the apple voraciously. She tell by the odor wafting from the boy that his dogi had not always been grey, and the numerous tatters it sported spoke of the boy being quite active.
She continued walking forward until he seemed to stiffen when she approached too close. He jumped to his feet and spun on his heels to face the intruder. Seeing the girl he'd stolen the apple from he grunted and spit out a seed.
"Yer too late. I already ate yer apple so beat it," said the boy with a sneer, he quickly calmed however when he saw the slightly hurt look on the girl's pretty face.
"That's alright. My name's Kasumi, what's your name?"
The filthy child stood there for a moment, debating whether or not to answer. "Ranma," he replied cooly.
"That's a nice name. Tell me, where are your parents?" she asked, intending the give the boy's parents a stern talking too about letting their child get so filthy.
Ranma narrowed his eyes. "Don't got no parents."
Kasumi went wide eyed at his remark. "Really!?! I'm so sorry."
"You ain't got anything to apologize for. S'not like you killed 'em."
Kasumi ignored his coarse manners and continued. "Well judging from how you ate that apple you must be quite hungry."
"So what if I am?"
"Well if you want I still have this lunch, and I'm not all that hungry." she said with a frustrated frown. Boys could be so difficult!
"What's in it fer you?" he asked suspicious of the young girl's intentions.
"I was going to spend the afternoon reading. But if I had someone to talk to, that would make it an even better day."
Ranma eyed her another minute before giving a little smile. "You got yerself a deal!" He calmy walked over to her to accept the bag and have himself something to eat. Just as he reached out his hand he saw Kasumi's nose wrinkle as her eyes began to water.
"Oh sorry 'bout that. Not gunna be a very pleasant conversation with me stinkin' the way I do." With that he dashed out of the bushes and ran to the lake shore. Kasumi watched in amazement as he simply jumped in, removed his top and swam around in a couple of circles.
After a moment he walked out and rung his blouse dry. "That's better," he commented to himself as he went over to his companion for the day and took the lunch from her.
"Your an odd boy," she said with a giggle.
Ranma looked up from the bag with a peanut butter sandwich half hanging from his mouth. He swallowed the sandwich whole before asking, "Why do you say that?"
"No reason," she replied with a dismissive wave. Suddenly she realized just how muscular he was now that he had his gi top thrown over one shoulder, much more so than the average boy. Also she began remembering how quickly and easily he moved.
"Ranma? Do you know martial arts?"
"Sure do!" he exclaimed, glad she decided to start their conversation off with subject he was familiar too.
+++++++++++++
Kasumi hummed to herself happily as she hung the laundry out to dry. The past two weeks had been some of the best she'd had in a long time.
Every day after finishing the bulk of her chores she'd tell her family that she was going to spend some time at a friend's, not really a lie since she for all she knew, Ranma lived in that park. Then they'd spend the afternoon doing nothing in particular. They'd skip stones, talk about her day, or just do something as mundane as playing tag or hide and go seek.
She smiled to herself as she thought back to the end of that first day they'd spent together. As the evening aproached Ranma had stood and told her. "Well I held up my end of the bargain. Thanks fer the grub, maybe I'll see ya around again, someday." And that said he'd just walked away.
The next day however Kasumi had decided on a whim to go back to the sakura tree in the park. Astonishingly Ranma was already there, waiting. "Hey fancy meetin' you here," he'd said with a grin. "Say, you wouldn't happen to have another sandwich on you, would ya?"
After that she took a bag lunch with her every time she went to see him. Although he was a secretive at first about his past, over the weeks he opened up to her a little more every day.
Only the previous day Ranma had decided to tell her why he was an orphan. Although his tale brought a tear to her eye, she was also very happy that he finally trusted her enough to tell her the story.
She'd known from that first day that he was a martial artist, but it wasn't until hearing of the past year of his life did she learn of his quest to visit different dojos to study.
That was the reason she was so happy today. As they were parting for the day Kasumi had told him to meet her in the usual place and to be ready because she was going to give him a suprise. Today when they meet, she'll blindfold Ranma and lead hiim back to the dojo so he could learn her family style. Won't he be so excited!
She quickly hung the last of the garments and climbed down from the step ladder she used to reach the high clothesline. Kasumi then returned to the house and grabbed the things she'd need, a kerchief and the usual lunch. But just as she was stepping out the door her father's voice stopped her.
"Kasumi? Where are you going?"
She turned to look at the man and gave a cheery smile. "I'm just going to see my friend, father."
Soun gave his oldest a studious look before responding. "Kasumi, do you have something you want to tell me?"
"No father, nothing at all I want to tell you," she replied with the same cheery smile.
"This 'friend' of yours wouldn't happen to be a 'boy' friend, would he?" questioned Soun as he crossed his arms.
The girl gave a thoughtful frown. "Well he is a boy, and he is my friend. But thats not how it is, daddy."
"I think you'd better tell me how it is then," he said with a heavy, tired sounding sigh.
Kasumi slumped her shoulders and walked back into the house to tell her father what had happened. He would have found out later in the evening when she brought Ranma home anyway. When she finished with her story she patiently waited for her father to speak.
Soun silently sat there, mulling over what his daughter had told him. "I'm disappointed in you Kasumi. You should have told me what was going on sooner. That boy has to be cared for by the proper authorities."
The girl let out a startled gasp. "You can't! you don't know him like I do, he'll only run away if you-"
"ENOUGH! I'll not have my daughter running around with some... some rorouni! He could have been dangerous! You'll go up to your room while I take care of this matter." Soun's stern tone was very much out of character, especially when talking to Kasumi.
"But daddy!" protested the girl.
"I said enough!"
Kasumi sat there looking at her father for a few moments before she burst into tears and ran up to her room. She barely even noticed her sisters as she passed them in the hall where they'd been eavesdropping on the conversation.
Soun sat at the table for a few minutes more before going over to the phone, and alerting the authorities of where the boy named Ranma would be. After the call was made he sat back down and cried to himself softly, rather than his usual gushing sobs.
He hated himself for talking to his eldest the way he just did, but part of being a father was making sure his children where safe, for all he knew the boy was dangerous. Besides, the child would be placed into government care and given the help he needs.
It was best for everyone.
+++++++++++++++
In the park Ranma sat beneath the sakura tree that had become the usual meeting grounds for he and Kasumi. It was growing later into the evening and he twiddled his thumbs silently as hae waited.
Kasumi was running a little later than she usually did, but that didn't bother Ranma. If she said to wait, he'd wait. At first he hadn't known what to make of the girl, but after a while she began growing on him. For almost a full year now he'd been alone, travelling here and there, learning from different wandering fighters. It was nice to stay in one place for more than a little while, and to have a friend.
While he waited he busied himself a twig he was using to draw pictures in the dirt. All the while he was careful of the new dogi he was wearing. Although he had no money, Ranma had quickly learned another benifit of the kind of training he did. It made him a very good theif.
All he had to do was find a place that sold the things he wanted, wait until the shopkeeper's eyes were turned, then strike. That's how he'd gotten these new clothes. He'd even stolen some soap so he'd be clean when Kasumi came with her suprise. Even though he didn't care much for hygiene, she seemed to like it when he showed up clean.
"Is your name Ranma?"
The voice caused Ranma to look up startled. He cursed under his breath for letting himself be caught off gaurd when he noticed the voice belonged to a police officer.
"And if I am?" he asked icily.
"We got a call that you'd be here. You'll have to come with me," said the officer as he reached down to pull Ranma to his feet.
The boy responded by kicking the man's wrist as he rolled away. "What'ya want with me? Last time I checked it was pretty legal ta sit in the park," he said with cold tone in his voice.
"I'm here to take you downtown to social services. But I should book you for assaulting an officer," he barked as he rubbed at his sore wrist. He hadn't expected the kid to be so damn strong!
"Yeah right! You'll have to catch me first!" Ranma yelled. He dug his foot into the loose soil around the base of the tree and kicked out, flinging the dirt into the cop's eyes.
The man stood there for a while rubbing at his face trying to get rid of the stinging sensation. By the time he was able to see again the boy was long gone.
++++++++++++++
Alone again, Ranma sat in the car of a train with the heavy iron door open so he could watch the stars roll by overhead.
As soon as he blinded the cop he'd ran directly for the nearest train yard, figuring it the best and quickest way out of the city. Although he didn't want to believe it, he knew who had sent that officer there to take him away.
He lay there on a bed of torn up cardboard boxes, silent and shivering. The night seemed just a bit colder when he thought about how the only person he'd trusted in almost a year had betrayed him.
The steady, rythmic beating of the train chugging along the tracks soon had him falling into a dazed half sleep.
He sniffled and looked back up to the stars as his eyes slowly drooped.
"I wish I had a real friend. I don't wanna be alone anymore," he wished, even thought he knew no one would hear.
But someone did hear, and the shadows next to the young boy pulled away to reveal a large furry animal. Ranma looked up with his half opened eyes and caught sight of the giant wolf that loomed over him.
It had a coat of dark violet and crimson, with a bushy mane extending from the back of it's head like long hair. Two long horns extended from each side of it's face giving the appearance of four enormous fangs, and the claws on it's feet were the size of kitchen knives.
Despite the wolf's monsterous appearance, Ranma was unafraid. He could feel a warm, friendly sensation coming from the beast as it neared him.
"Hello," it greeted him in a deep, soothing voice. "My name is Lucied, I will be your... friend." Lucied then walked over to Ranma and lay down next to him.
Ranma looked to the creature for a moment before scooting over and nuzzling against the wolf's warm fur. "My name's Ranma," he said before finally giving in to sleep.
++++++++++++++
Notes:
This was hard to write. Inspirado did not strike until late in the chap, but now that this (I guess you could call it the prolouge despite it's length) is out of the way I know what I want to do in this story. So the next chap should be a bit smoother.
To those of you wanting to know know what Lucied looks like in better detail, just try a search for pics of him. My Lucied is the one from 2nd Ignition, but with the colorings darker.
Also, before I get mails about this, Ranma treats Kasumi like his first friend because she was. Ukyo never met Ranma in this fic. She'll be in it, but this way is better for the story line I have planned for her. Trust me.
I really want C&C for this. I'll keep doing it no matter what, but I'd still like to hear opinions.
Next time: Ranma's journey of training is coming to an end, and he must face one last challenge before he fufills a promise he'd made himself the day his parents died. But what awaits him after?
Tszietzen
-Guy Jin