Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or word age mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you. Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Vermillion

Prologue

Phantoms

By Kazuma20

Arc one: Soulless Knights

It was or has been two years since I was here in Tokyo. Ranma walked down an undisclosed street. He wore a black kimono, and a thin white kimono underneath the black one they hung loosely on him. He had on a white hakama. A sword on his left side. His long black hair tied in a ponytail. Carrying a sack with a rope wrapped around his left-hand three times.

People moved out of the way when he walked by not wonting to get too, close to him. He's head was down with his bangs covering his eyes. His sandals made a scraping sound as he walked by.

'I tried to stay away from this city the pain. I had experience here. Still, is fresh in my mind. She hurt me by what she did. It is something I can never forgive. I can never forget what I say that day.' he thought.

He continued walking down the street till he reached a crossroad. He was going to visit his mother for the first time in more than two years. After mastering his family's style of swordsmanship and the sword by his side was a family heirloom.

'The scrolls and sword I found in the attic at my mother's house helped me get over some of the pain I felt. I will only use my sword to protect people from suffering.' thought Ranma.

Ranma remembered that day two years ago it was a bout a week after the Failed Wedding. His mother was cleaning the attic. He found a sturdy wooden trunk in the attic with a rusted lock. He pulled the lock off and opened the trunk up.

He found a sword in it and more than 15 scrolls. He picked up the first one and started reading it over. It was about something called Battojutsu and the five basic forms of swordsmanship. He sat their fir over an hour reading the scroll. He quickly picked up the other scrolls and used Mousse's Hidden Weapon's Technique to stuff the scrolls and sword in his sleeves.

Since they had a vacation before school began again. So he went on a training trip. To study the five basic forms and Battojutsu and three other scrolls. He was seventeen at the time and was entering his second year of high school.

Ranma Shook his head out of that memory and walked across the road to the other sidewalk. 'I was so young and foolish and trusting. I can't believe I trusted her like I did. I was so stupid. But never again will io trust another woman.'

Ranma reached his mother's house and walked to the door and knocked on the oak door. He heard light footsteps coming to the door and it opened.

"Hello mom. How are you?" he asked.

His mother didn't answer his question just gathered him in a hug. "Oh! My son. It's good to see you after so long."

She let go and looked him over with his traditional clothes and the sword with a sack by his foot. He was a man all he need was a woman on his arm and it would be perfect. But with what happen to him two years ago. She doubted that anytime soon. She had helped him get rid of the engagement to the Tendo's and the Kuonji's by change his surname. She was also surprised that he took up her family's style of swordsmanship.

Nodoka ushered him in to tell her what's he been doing since she last saw him. Ranma sat by the table waiting for his mother to come back with the tea.

When she came back, she handed him one of the tea cups and they started talking about what he's been doing. He tells her that he finished High School in Nagoya and that he got excepted too, a college called Hosei University in Tokyo.

His mother filled him in on how Akane kept coming over asking where you were so that she could apologize for what she did. She keeps coming around begging for the information on where you went.

Ranma stood outside by the door. He hugged his mother and told her goodbye. He started walking away sack over his shoulder she called him.

"Son where are you going to stay?" she asked.

"I'm heading to my apartment. I wanted to stop by and visit before I headed their mom. Later."

Ranma walked out and down the street and past through a park as a short cut and saw the person that he thought he never see again and a person he never wanted to see again. Ranma growled and throws his sack away.

He started walking slowly to the figure. His eyes narrowed his face calm with no emotions passing on his face at all.

He just continued walking to the figure who was looking around trying to find out where he was at. Ranma stopped a few feet away from him.

"Ryoga you bastard! What are you doing here?" asked Ranma with coldness and spitting out venom on every word.

The people in the immediate area recognized the coldness and the venom he spat toward the other man. They slowly backed away.

"Well Ranma. I finally got my revenge for you making my life a living hell. All there is to do is kill you and go back to her." he said with pride.

"I will kill you for your betrayal I thought we were friends Ryoga. But you betrayal only showed me how much of an honor less pig you really are Ryoga."

Ranma got into Battojutsu stance he pulled the sheath out a little his thump pushed on the tsuba with his right hand over the hilt. Puts his hand on it as he ran and in one swift motion pulled out the sword.

Ryoga just avoided getting cut in half by Ranma diagonal strike. Ranma stood were Ryoga once stood and he stands up fully.

"I missed Ryoga, but I will not miss again. Because of you I can't practice the art without thinking of, you're and hers betrayal. Until I beat you for good. I will never again be complete. There's this hollowness I fell in my soul because of you." he said coldly.

"I will never again lose to you in battle against you Ranma. I am stronger then I was before. You gave up the art and took up swordsmanship, but now you are weak compared to me."

Ryoga pulled out a small kodachi and attacked Ranma with it. Ranma dodged Ryoga's strike. He attacked again and he blocked the strike. They circle each other Ryoga ran at Ranma who moved too, the left and the tip caught him on the cheek.

The sword cut caught him down the jaw from the beginning of the chin too under the eye. The cut started to bleed as blood flies into the air and down his cheek.

"See Ranma I'm better then you ever will be." laughed Ryoga. The Blood dripped from the tip of the kodachi.

Ranma took two fingers with his left hand and whipped the blood off.

"I don't think you will ever be better than I'm Ryoga." said Ranma.

To Be Continued . . .

Authors note: What do you think? Honestly for those who are fans of A Ghost Free to Love I'll have that chapter up as soon as possible. Ranma: Fatalism Still working and Behind these Eyes also in the works. Read and Review. Kazuma20 out.