[Standard Disclaimer+1 (new and improved!): Here we go again! Like (almost?) everyone else on the fanfiction side of the house, i don't actually own the bulk of the characters that i'm writing, and i don't claim any rights to reproduction or anything even remotely legal like that. Please don't sue me! I have no money, and even if i did, i'm not sure how much i can send out of the country ^_^;. Author's notes after the chapter, for everyone who was waiting and who asked questions in their reviews for the prologue!
~Eimii]
Why did it have to be like this? Had she offended the fates in some way, that they would conspire to rob her life of happiness? For a long time, she simply stared at her feet, lost in her own dark thoughts. How long had it been since she'd simply been held by someone? Had she ever just smiled, without a hint of estimation, a glint of challenge sparkling in her eye? She couldn't remember. *So long ago...* At quiet times like this she felt so very alone; a chill shivered through her, as though the long, cold shadows of duty and history were trying to swallow her alive.
Consciously taking hold of herself, she pushed the emptiness back down inside. It wouldn't do for him to see her like that. He tried so hard for her. She knew with utter certainty that his every waking moment was dedicated to the protection of her happiness and her honor. Every time she saw him, she felt her heart swell with warmth, and she could almost forget the loneliness. She couldn't bear to hurt him, even if his love was the root of all her pain.
"Child, come speak with me awhile before you leave," rang a stern voice from above, reedy with age yet still wrought of iron and fire, spirit unbroken by the countless years passed.
"Coming!" she replied, thankful that her own voice was steady. Kicking off her shoes in the genkan, she took a moment longer to compose herself before ascending the stairs. Sliding open the first door, she shut it behind her and dutifully knelt beside the wizened figure at the center of the room. "How are you feeling this morning, Grandfather?"
"Well enough child, well enough; If that buffoon you call a father didn't insist I stay cooped up in here, I'd be teaching a class right now," the old man huffed irritably, though it was clear that none of his ire was aimed at the pretty young girl beside him. "How are you, Granddaughter," he asked, favoring her with a look that was perhaps a little too expectant.
"I'm fine, Grandfather," she answered quickly, wishing to allay any suspicions that he might have. She didn't want to worry him... or disappoint him. "School has gotten easier, and there were even some new transfer students not long ago-"
"You'll be turning sixteen soon, won't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"I'm sixteen now, Grandfather," she corrected with a slight blush. "My birthday was last month."
The old man regarded her for a moment, as if trying to decide whether she was lying to him or not, then finally let out a tired breath, seeming to deflate slightly. "You know I worry for you child. You know that I mean only the best for your future."
"I know, Grandfather. I remember my promise."
It wasn't an answer, really, but he could hear the conviction in the girl's voice. Shaking his head slightly, he relented. "I've heard tell that there are many strapping young lads over in Tokyo; practically falling from the sky, they say. Perhaps, if you're having such an easy time at school now, you could take a train over there and have a look?" The suggestion was offered with a warm, paternal smile.
"If you think that would be best, Grandfather," she murmured demurely, standing as she sensed that the conversation was at an end. "I will probably be late for supper then. Please don't give father too hard a time? He tries..."
"Bah... Only for you, Akari-chan."
Descending to the foyer, Unryuu Akari found herself once again lost in her thoughts. *Tokyo...* She had never been to such a large city before. *So many people; could one of them be the one...?* Inside the hollow of her heart, she couldn't help but kindle a tiny flame of hope at the idea. Could it be true? Could an end to her loneliness at last be in sight? The uncertainty, the fear that this far off beacon of happiness might flicker out once again, was almost too painful to bear.
But then, as she opened the front door, she saw him waiting for her. Those great soulful eyes filled with steadfast purpose, strong shoulders ready to protect and support her; she could feel that small warmth grow to encompass her entire body. "Katsunishiki..." A genuine smile alighted on her lips as she approached her guardian, her champion. "We're going to Tokyo today."
The smile finally reached her eyes as he absorbed this, understanding and renewed determination conveyed to her in a deep bass rumble. How could she fault him? His devotion was unwavering, his strength of character unparalleled in all the world. She could only wish to be so noble, so wonderful as the creature that stood before her, his every breath a fulfillment of her family's legacy and ideals. Her grandfather couldn't be wrong, except perhaps in the sad mistake that there could be any human man that could hope to match the natural perfection that was a pig. But if such a man existed, she knew that Katsunishiki would find him.
Queen of Pigs
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
Chapter One: Hit the ground running! Oh, and try not to trip...
*Can it be true...?* Scarcely believing her own eyes, she stood transfixed as the weak, guttering spark of hope in her breast burst into a roaring flame of triumph. She couldn't help it; tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she gripped the railing before her, hoping against hope that this single, sublime moment was real.
It felt like she'd spent forever and a day waiting for this. Endless miles of frustration and despair stretched behind her like a long shadow cast in the blinding light of deliverance, her goal always dancing just out of reach.
Now, with the fruits of her unwavering patience and determination in her grasp at last, she knew that they were sweet indeed. After all the schemes and disappointments, all the torturous days and restless nights, her long ordeal was at an end. *It's finally over...* She sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, and to her it tasted of freedom.
"Doesn't it just break your heart, dearest?," the tall man murmured, voice thick with emotion as he gestured at the young woman who stood at the aft railing, gazing forlornly at dwindling shore. "I'll bet it's her first trip away from home, and at such a tender age! Look how her family has all come to send her off..."
"Put on your glasses, you blind idiot!" The woman beside him snapped, slapping him on the back of the head. "Those are _pigs_, not people!"
Indeed, lined all along the cramped ferry docks were a veritable army of swine. With that many wild animals wandering free in the city you'd expect there to be a giant ruckus. But aside from worrying the port authority into a quivering bundle of nerves, all they seemed to be doing was standing there.
Begrudgingly, though, she had to admit that it did kind of look like they were seeing the ferry off. The entire lot of them were on their feet, heads turning in unison as the slow boat lazily plied its way out of the sound. She could almost imagine one or two of them waving farewell, or perhaps wiping wet eyes with a handy handkerchief.
And the girl _was_ staring back at the shore. Though her eyes were lost in the shadow of her thick fringe, glistening tear tracks ran down the girl's face, shining in the light of the setting sun. How had the nearsighted fool caught that? Maybe he hadn't...
"And besides," she huffed, dismissing the absurd idea, "she's not _that_ young. And she's obviously a foreigner. Look at her hair, or are you colorblind too?"
*****
*There he is!* A thrill of anticipation rippled through her body, attuning every muscle to taut readiness as she crouched in the shadow of a large tree and observed her quarry. The pigtailed boy seemed blissfully unaware of her presence. All the better... Wait! He'd stopped abruptly, and was turning! Had he sensed them?
A dark form at her back shifted restlessly, but stilled after a warning glance out of the corner of her eye; the game wasn't up yet. The boy had stopped turning before his gaze swept their hiding spot, and he was looking at something off in the distance. Now was the time to strike! But how to go about it? She considered her usual approach, but dismissed it reluctantly. This would have to be handled more carefully...
*Aw maaan, Akane ain't gonna be happy about this,* the young martial artist concluded with a sigh of exasperation. Not for the first time, he wondered at how timing and circumstance always seemed to align against him. It was like there was some great, cosmic conspiracy to cast Saotome Ranma in the worst possible light in the eyes of his fiancé.
As he tried to conceive of some way to defuse the explosive situation that was rapidly developing around him, a peculiar notion occurred to him. If the universe really was out to get him, then it was probably about now that someone would appear out of nowhere and attack him, screaming about vengeance or panties or something stupid like that.
But that was just plain silly. Saotome Ranma wasn't the sort to linger on pointlessly morbid trains of thought, so he dismissed the idea. The only person he knew who was that paranoid was probably somewhere far, far away right now, cursing his existence for some imagined sleight.
*... Damn, wouldn'cha know it?* he observed, as the small hairs on the back of his neck chose just that moment to stand on end and scream for attention. He noticed the faint shadow cast on the ground around him just in time to look up, a chagrinned expression on his face.
'SAOTOME RANMA!! FOR REASONS WHICH HAVE NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH ANYTHING OR ANYBODY THAT YOU MIGHT POSSIBLY KNOW OF OR REMEBER, SINCE YOU'RE A STUPID, COWARDLY, FORGETFUL JERK, I'VE EXPERIENCED HELL BECAUSE OF YOU! AND I REFUSE TO EXPLAIN THAT STATEMENT FURTHER, SO DON'T EVEN ASK! BUT YOU STILL OWE ME, SO TAKE ME TO THE NEKOHANTEN!'
Staring down at the unconscious pigtailed boy at her feet, then around at the splinters of signboard scattered around them, Ryouga released a quiet sigh. Crossing her arms over her knees and crouching down, she prodded her catch warily with the truncated handle in her hand. Turning him over revealed a slightly crumpled look of incredulity still frozen on Ranma's face. She sighed again, regretfully; it just wasn't the same...
Also, she'd put a lot of effort into crafting that sign so that it conveyed the depths of her suffering and the might of her fury at Ranma, while at the same time hopefully discouraging too much deep thought about the nature of her particular grievance. She'd been rather proud of the large and clear, vibrantly red lettering. Maybe she shouldn't have hit him so hard with it. Damn Ranma and his stupid, thick skull.
Not thick enough though, as it had apparently worked a bit _too_ well. Idly, Ryouga wondered why Ranma hadn't simply gotten out of the way, just like every other time she'd announced herself. In fact, the pigtailed boy hadn't even looked up until she was almost on top of him. He probably hadn't even had time to read her message. And after all the work she'd put into it! Inconsiderate bastard...
*Wait... it couldn't be... could it?!*
A thunderbolt of Inspiration struck the blonde wanderer, and she experienced a moment of profound clarity. *Why didn't see it before?! It's so simple!* Leaping to her feet, she stood seemingly transfixed upon Ranma's still form, one hand clutched into a fist before her. Beneath her thick, obscuring bangs, her lips were formed into a small 'o' of surprise.
Slapping the fist down onto the palm of her other hand, Ryouga closed her mouth and nodded to herself. *The sign was too big! There's no way even Ranma would be able to get out of the way in time...* The moment passed, and Ryouga began contemplating how best to streamline the message just in case she got lost and had to get Ranma's attention again. Inspiration stalked off to sulk behind a convenient thundercloud.
Suddenly, Ryouga's recent epiphany was vindicated, as she successfully evaded an equally silent but much smaller object aimed at her own head. Eyes immediately drawn to the festively decorated bonbori that was embedded in the street where she'd been standing just a heartbeat before, Ryouga's gaze traced the haft of the weapon upward to the arm that was still attached to it, then further along the arm, hastily detouring around the whole upper torso area, until she finally arrived at the face of one very pissed looking amazon.
"What strange billboard girl think she doing to Shampoo's airen?!" the Chinese girl demanded, gesturing threateningly at Ryouga with her other bonbori.
*Shampoo?! What's she doing here?!* Reflexively backing away from the other girl's accusing glare, Ryouga took a quick glance around. *I'm not at the Nekohanten already, am I?*
Unfortunately for the directionally challenged girl, her goal was nowhere in sight. Actually, that large building behind them looked an awful lot like Furinkan High School... or so she assumed. Schools tended to look a lot alike to her, since she hadn't attended one in quite some time, but this one definitely seemed a little familiar.
She didn't recognize any of the students wandering around or watching the scene they were making, but there was just... something about it. Maybe it was the shape of the building, or the landscaping out front. Perhaps it was the hideously ugly bronze statue of a Hawaii-freak holding a pineapple and a set of trimming shears that stood just inside the gates.
On top of that, Ranma and Shampoo's presence might be a good indicator that she had indeed found Furinkan High School, and without even trying either! *But if Ranma's here, then that must mean... Akane!* Her heart leaping into in her throat, Ryouga frantically began scanning the area for the girl she adored, but this time dread overshadowed the joy that bloomed in her heart. *Oh no- I can't let Akane see me like this!*
"YOU LISTEN TO PEOPLES WHEN THEY TALKING!!"
Ryouga hopped a meter and a half up and away in shock as the shout echoed painfully in her ears. Once she seemed confident that she had everyone's undivided attention, the amazon put away the megaphone and continued. "Shampoo not know who you is, or why you try to keep airen from taking Shampoo out for too-too wonderful date, but if girl with silly-looking dye job get in Shampoo's way, she become obstacle, and-"
"OBSTACLES ARE FOR KILLING!!" several nearby students chorused along with the purple-haired girl, a few of them striking some very credible, amazon-esque poses.
"..."
"..."
With an almost audible blink, a pair of colorfully coifed heads turned as one to stare in confusion at the growing crowd. *That's... new...* Ryouga mused uneasily, glancing between Shampoo and the students and praying that the China contingent hadn't established some sort of local amazon enclave while she was gone. Aside from her beloved Akane- and the entirely pleasant and tolerable Kasumi- the girls in Tokyo were strange enough already...
"Shampoo... not sure what just happen...," said she lavender locks slowly, seeming to choose her words with great care. The students who had shouted, mostly girls, were smiling at her in a rather unnerving way. "But she no think she like it. Shampoo starting to think she never understand crazy Japanese people; maybe is good thing, yes?" Ryouga couldn't argue with that logic.
"But is true anyway," Shampoo admitted, focusing a slightly less vehement glare on the blonde. "Obstacles are for killing. Shampoo think maybe you not worth killing yet, but Shampoo still have to punish for hitting Airen on head and making him late for date." With that, the amazon assumed an aggressive stance and began advancing on the lost girl.
*AARGH! Noooo, I can't fight Shampoo!* Looking rather flustered, Ryouga found herself backing away from her newfound opponent. The prospect of getting the Kiss of Death for beating Shampoo was decidedly unattractive, but she didn't relish the thought of letting the amazon use her for a punching bag either. More importantly, every moment that she was at the school, the chance that Akane might see her increased. *I've gotta get out of here!*
Seeing that despite her earlier actions, fighting wasn't foremost in the other girl's mind, Shampoo remembered that she had a date to keep. She took the blonde's moment of indecision to leap in for a quick knockout. "KYAAaieeaaaAAAH-!?!"
-and was suddenly intercepted in midair by a hulking brown blur that seemed to explode from a small patch of shrubbery next to the school gates. Tumbling out of control, the Chinese amazon only had time to gasp in horror at the leering mug of Kunou-kouchou before she collided head-first with the tasteless statue and the world went dark.
Meanwhile, the mob in the courtyard hastily moved to make plenty of room for the recent arrival. It wasn't so much that they feared it more than an angry amazon or a juicy-looking cat fight, or even that it took up that much more space. Mostly, it was the fact that it's not every day you see a wild boar the size of a compact car leap out of a bush no bigger than a telephone booth; who knew what other sorts of giant ninja wildlife might be lurking nearby? Uneasy murmurs filled the crowd.
Releasing a sigh that was just half a nervous breakdown from being a sob, Ryouga warily approached the fallen amazon. Behind her, the pig's angry, bloodshot eyes still watched the crowd for other challengers as he trotted protectively up to his mistress. *Whew, that was close- I guess it's good for something after all...,* the blonde mused grudgingly, noting that Shampoo was every bit as KOed as Ranma. Unfortunately, now she had no one to guide her to the Nekohanten. She supposed she'd have to just ask one of these strangers...
"Hey, what's all the commotion about? And what on earth is that thing?!"
Ryouga's blood nearly froze in her veins as the voice, that sweet, wonderful voice registered. *AKANE! NOOOooOOOooOO!* In flash of terror-stricken insight, she remembered that pigs had an incredible sense of smell; a little-known fact she'd had opportunity to verify personally on several occasions. (Inspiration cheered and danced a little jig on her thundercloud, eliciting an ominous rumble from above.) It had never worked for her, of course, but just maybe the boar would be able to find his way to the Nekohanten by Shampoo's scent!
Politely pushing her way through the throng, Tendou Akane caught a glimpse of the strange, but somehow unsurprising sight of a blond girl vaulting onto the shoulders of a giant boar. Laying the limp form of a familiar Chinese amazon across the animal's back, the girl pointed in a seemingly random direction and the beast obediently charged off, knocking down a few trees and smashing a sizeable hole in the courtyard wall in its flight.
Nearby, Ranma lay in a pile of wood splinters, apparently knocked unconscious. *It figures...* Though she knew it was unfair, Akane couldn't shake the feeling that he probably deserved it somehow. Sighing to herself, she walked over to see if he was alright.
"Daisuke my man, that has to have been the second biggest pig I've ever seen."
"What pig?"
"Hah! Couldn't take your eyes of the blond chick, eh?"
"Could you? Daaamn, but she was fine, and did you see the size of her-"
"Hold that thought; you realize that she appeared out of nowhere and attacked Ranma. She's probably another fiancé or something."
"Hiroshi, _WHY_ did you have to say that? There might still be hope..."
"MY DARLING SHAMPOO! Speak to me! Who did this to you?!"
"Uhg... OW! Watch the hands, blind-boy; I ain't Shampoo! And before ya accuse me of it, I ain't done nothin' ta her either!"
"It's good to see you so concerned about Shampoo getting kidnapped, Ranma..."
"KIDNAPPED!? DAMN YOU, SAOTOME, HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!? SHAMPOOO!!"
"No Daisuke, I don't think so; no hope at all..."
"..."
[Authors notes: Whee! Sorry about taking so long to update (even though i had chapter one done already -_-;). I was out of town for Chuusok, the Korean Harvest Moon Festival, and miles away from the nearest internet connection. Did anyone guess who the 'mystery' folks were for the first couple sections? I sometimes wonder if i was being too oblique... Anyhow, now onto specific items: Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement ^_^! Especially to Jen-chan! I really ought to thank her and everyone else at Anime Freeform RPG (John, Trev, Michael, you know who you are...) who preread this, as well as Jim Nutley and T.H. Tiger; it's good to be working with you guys again! For those who asked: Yes, i am the same Eimii that wrote 'Shattered Hearts on the Road' and 'Fairy Tails' (the 'Bii'bi' thing ^_^;). I do plan on continuing them! Chapter 5 of Shattered Hearts is finished, and 6 is in progress. Chapter 2 of Fairy Tails is under scrutiny for major revision, but i'll get to it as soon as possible. With regard to Queen of Pigs, i hope this story isn't moving too slowly for you; i can't seem to get through a single day of in-story 'time' without 100kb of text, nowadays ;_;. Chapter 2 is finished (and ends the first day in Nerima!), but i may hold off on posting it until i'm closer to finishing chapter 3. Please bear with me here; it's a rocky road ahead, but hopefully it will be entertaining and light (for me) on angst...
Thanks again for reading! Please C&C and review!
~Eimii
P.S.: Oh, and i really do applogize for any glaring continuity or grammar errors that you might notice. I've edited this so many times that i just _know_ that i've edited something important right out of existence. I sadly tend to do that quite often -_-;...]
~Eimii]
Why did it have to be like this? Had she offended the fates in some way, that they would conspire to rob her life of happiness? For a long time, she simply stared at her feet, lost in her own dark thoughts. How long had it been since she'd simply been held by someone? Had she ever just smiled, without a hint of estimation, a glint of challenge sparkling in her eye? She couldn't remember. *So long ago...* At quiet times like this she felt so very alone; a chill shivered through her, as though the long, cold shadows of duty and history were trying to swallow her alive.
Consciously taking hold of herself, she pushed the emptiness back down inside. It wouldn't do for him to see her like that. He tried so hard for her. She knew with utter certainty that his every waking moment was dedicated to the protection of her happiness and her honor. Every time she saw him, she felt her heart swell with warmth, and she could almost forget the loneliness. She couldn't bear to hurt him, even if his love was the root of all her pain.
"Child, come speak with me awhile before you leave," rang a stern voice from above, reedy with age yet still wrought of iron and fire, spirit unbroken by the countless years passed.
"Coming!" she replied, thankful that her own voice was steady. Kicking off her shoes in the genkan, she took a moment longer to compose herself before ascending the stairs. Sliding open the first door, she shut it behind her and dutifully knelt beside the wizened figure at the center of the room. "How are you feeling this morning, Grandfather?"
"Well enough child, well enough; If that buffoon you call a father didn't insist I stay cooped up in here, I'd be teaching a class right now," the old man huffed irritably, though it was clear that none of his ire was aimed at the pretty young girl beside him. "How are you, Granddaughter," he asked, favoring her with a look that was perhaps a little too expectant.
"I'm fine, Grandfather," she answered quickly, wishing to allay any suspicions that he might have. She didn't want to worry him... or disappoint him. "School has gotten easier, and there were even some new transfer students not long ago-"
"You'll be turning sixteen soon, won't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"I'm sixteen now, Grandfather," she corrected with a slight blush. "My birthday was last month."
The old man regarded her for a moment, as if trying to decide whether she was lying to him or not, then finally let out a tired breath, seeming to deflate slightly. "You know I worry for you child. You know that I mean only the best for your future."
"I know, Grandfather. I remember my promise."
It wasn't an answer, really, but he could hear the conviction in the girl's voice. Shaking his head slightly, he relented. "I've heard tell that there are many strapping young lads over in Tokyo; practically falling from the sky, they say. Perhaps, if you're having such an easy time at school now, you could take a train over there and have a look?" The suggestion was offered with a warm, paternal smile.
"If you think that would be best, Grandfather," she murmured demurely, standing as she sensed that the conversation was at an end. "I will probably be late for supper then. Please don't give father too hard a time? He tries..."
"Bah... Only for you, Akari-chan."
Descending to the foyer, Unryuu Akari found herself once again lost in her thoughts. *Tokyo...* She had never been to such a large city before. *So many people; could one of them be the one...?* Inside the hollow of her heart, she couldn't help but kindle a tiny flame of hope at the idea. Could it be true? Could an end to her loneliness at last be in sight? The uncertainty, the fear that this far off beacon of happiness might flicker out once again, was almost too painful to bear.
But then, as she opened the front door, she saw him waiting for her. Those great soulful eyes filled with steadfast purpose, strong shoulders ready to protect and support her; she could feel that small warmth grow to encompass her entire body. "Katsunishiki..." A genuine smile alighted on her lips as she approached her guardian, her champion. "We're going to Tokyo today."
The smile finally reached her eyes as he absorbed this, understanding and renewed determination conveyed to her in a deep bass rumble. How could she fault him? His devotion was unwavering, his strength of character unparalleled in all the world. She could only wish to be so noble, so wonderful as the creature that stood before her, his every breath a fulfillment of her family's legacy and ideals. Her grandfather couldn't be wrong, except perhaps in the sad mistake that there could be any human man that could hope to match the natural perfection that was a pig. But if such a man existed, she knew that Katsunishiki would find him.
Queen of Pigs
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
Chapter One: Hit the ground running! Oh, and try not to trip...
*Can it be true...?* Scarcely believing her own eyes, she stood transfixed as the weak, guttering spark of hope in her breast burst into a roaring flame of triumph. She couldn't help it; tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she gripped the railing before her, hoping against hope that this single, sublime moment was real.
It felt like she'd spent forever and a day waiting for this. Endless miles of frustration and despair stretched behind her like a long shadow cast in the blinding light of deliverance, her goal always dancing just out of reach.
Now, with the fruits of her unwavering patience and determination in her grasp at last, she knew that they were sweet indeed. After all the schemes and disappointments, all the torturous days and restless nights, her long ordeal was at an end. *It's finally over...* She sucked in a deep, shuddering breath, and to her it tasted of freedom.
"Doesn't it just break your heart, dearest?," the tall man murmured, voice thick with emotion as he gestured at the young woman who stood at the aft railing, gazing forlornly at dwindling shore. "I'll bet it's her first trip away from home, and at such a tender age! Look how her family has all come to send her off..."
"Put on your glasses, you blind idiot!" The woman beside him snapped, slapping him on the back of the head. "Those are _pigs_, not people!"
Indeed, lined all along the cramped ferry docks were a veritable army of swine. With that many wild animals wandering free in the city you'd expect there to be a giant ruckus. But aside from worrying the port authority into a quivering bundle of nerves, all they seemed to be doing was standing there.
Begrudgingly, though, she had to admit that it did kind of look like they were seeing the ferry off. The entire lot of them were on their feet, heads turning in unison as the slow boat lazily plied its way out of the sound. She could almost imagine one or two of them waving farewell, or perhaps wiping wet eyes with a handy handkerchief.
And the girl _was_ staring back at the shore. Though her eyes were lost in the shadow of her thick fringe, glistening tear tracks ran down the girl's face, shining in the light of the setting sun. How had the nearsighted fool caught that? Maybe he hadn't...
"And besides," she huffed, dismissing the absurd idea, "she's not _that_ young. And she's obviously a foreigner. Look at her hair, or are you colorblind too?"
*****
*There he is!* A thrill of anticipation rippled through her body, attuning every muscle to taut readiness as she crouched in the shadow of a large tree and observed her quarry. The pigtailed boy seemed blissfully unaware of her presence. All the better... Wait! He'd stopped abruptly, and was turning! Had he sensed them?
A dark form at her back shifted restlessly, but stilled after a warning glance out of the corner of her eye; the game wasn't up yet. The boy had stopped turning before his gaze swept their hiding spot, and he was looking at something off in the distance. Now was the time to strike! But how to go about it? She considered her usual approach, but dismissed it reluctantly. This would have to be handled more carefully...
*Aw maaan, Akane ain't gonna be happy about this,* the young martial artist concluded with a sigh of exasperation. Not for the first time, he wondered at how timing and circumstance always seemed to align against him. It was like there was some great, cosmic conspiracy to cast Saotome Ranma in the worst possible light in the eyes of his fiancé.
As he tried to conceive of some way to defuse the explosive situation that was rapidly developing around him, a peculiar notion occurred to him. If the universe really was out to get him, then it was probably about now that someone would appear out of nowhere and attack him, screaming about vengeance or panties or something stupid like that.
But that was just plain silly. Saotome Ranma wasn't the sort to linger on pointlessly morbid trains of thought, so he dismissed the idea. The only person he knew who was that paranoid was probably somewhere far, far away right now, cursing his existence for some imagined sleight.
*... Damn, wouldn'cha know it?* he observed, as the small hairs on the back of his neck chose just that moment to stand on end and scream for attention. He noticed the faint shadow cast on the ground around him just in time to look up, a chagrinned expression on his face.
'SAOTOME RANMA!! FOR REASONS WHICH HAVE NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH ANYTHING OR ANYBODY THAT YOU MIGHT POSSIBLY KNOW OF OR REMEBER, SINCE YOU'RE A STUPID, COWARDLY, FORGETFUL JERK, I'VE EXPERIENCED HELL BECAUSE OF YOU! AND I REFUSE TO EXPLAIN THAT STATEMENT FURTHER, SO DON'T EVEN ASK! BUT YOU STILL OWE ME, SO TAKE ME TO THE NEKOHANTEN!'
Staring down at the unconscious pigtailed boy at her feet, then around at the splinters of signboard scattered around them, Ryouga released a quiet sigh. Crossing her arms over her knees and crouching down, she prodded her catch warily with the truncated handle in her hand. Turning him over revealed a slightly crumpled look of incredulity still frozen on Ranma's face. She sighed again, regretfully; it just wasn't the same...
Also, she'd put a lot of effort into crafting that sign so that it conveyed the depths of her suffering and the might of her fury at Ranma, while at the same time hopefully discouraging too much deep thought about the nature of her particular grievance. She'd been rather proud of the large and clear, vibrantly red lettering. Maybe she shouldn't have hit him so hard with it. Damn Ranma and his stupid, thick skull.
Not thick enough though, as it had apparently worked a bit _too_ well. Idly, Ryouga wondered why Ranma hadn't simply gotten out of the way, just like every other time she'd announced herself. In fact, the pigtailed boy hadn't even looked up until she was almost on top of him. He probably hadn't even had time to read her message. And after all the work she'd put into it! Inconsiderate bastard...
*Wait... it couldn't be... could it?!*
A thunderbolt of Inspiration struck the blonde wanderer, and she experienced a moment of profound clarity. *Why didn't see it before?! It's so simple!* Leaping to her feet, she stood seemingly transfixed upon Ranma's still form, one hand clutched into a fist before her. Beneath her thick, obscuring bangs, her lips were formed into a small 'o' of surprise.
Slapping the fist down onto the palm of her other hand, Ryouga closed her mouth and nodded to herself. *The sign was too big! There's no way even Ranma would be able to get out of the way in time...* The moment passed, and Ryouga began contemplating how best to streamline the message just in case she got lost and had to get Ranma's attention again. Inspiration stalked off to sulk behind a convenient thundercloud.
Suddenly, Ryouga's recent epiphany was vindicated, as she successfully evaded an equally silent but much smaller object aimed at her own head. Eyes immediately drawn to the festively decorated bonbori that was embedded in the street where she'd been standing just a heartbeat before, Ryouga's gaze traced the haft of the weapon upward to the arm that was still attached to it, then further along the arm, hastily detouring around the whole upper torso area, until she finally arrived at the face of one very pissed looking amazon.
"What strange billboard girl think she doing to Shampoo's airen?!" the Chinese girl demanded, gesturing threateningly at Ryouga with her other bonbori.
*Shampoo?! What's she doing here?!* Reflexively backing away from the other girl's accusing glare, Ryouga took a quick glance around. *I'm not at the Nekohanten already, am I?*
Unfortunately for the directionally challenged girl, her goal was nowhere in sight. Actually, that large building behind them looked an awful lot like Furinkan High School... or so she assumed. Schools tended to look a lot alike to her, since she hadn't attended one in quite some time, but this one definitely seemed a little familiar.
She didn't recognize any of the students wandering around or watching the scene they were making, but there was just... something about it. Maybe it was the shape of the building, or the landscaping out front. Perhaps it was the hideously ugly bronze statue of a Hawaii-freak holding a pineapple and a set of trimming shears that stood just inside the gates.
On top of that, Ranma and Shampoo's presence might be a good indicator that she had indeed found Furinkan High School, and without even trying either! *But if Ranma's here, then that must mean... Akane!* Her heart leaping into in her throat, Ryouga frantically began scanning the area for the girl she adored, but this time dread overshadowed the joy that bloomed in her heart. *Oh no- I can't let Akane see me like this!*
"YOU LISTEN TO PEOPLES WHEN THEY TALKING!!"
Ryouga hopped a meter and a half up and away in shock as the shout echoed painfully in her ears. Once she seemed confident that she had everyone's undivided attention, the amazon put away the megaphone and continued. "Shampoo not know who you is, or why you try to keep airen from taking Shampoo out for too-too wonderful date, but if girl with silly-looking dye job get in Shampoo's way, she become obstacle, and-"
"OBSTACLES ARE FOR KILLING!!" several nearby students chorused along with the purple-haired girl, a few of them striking some very credible, amazon-esque poses.
"..."
"..."
With an almost audible blink, a pair of colorfully coifed heads turned as one to stare in confusion at the growing crowd. *That's... new...* Ryouga mused uneasily, glancing between Shampoo and the students and praying that the China contingent hadn't established some sort of local amazon enclave while she was gone. Aside from her beloved Akane- and the entirely pleasant and tolerable Kasumi- the girls in Tokyo were strange enough already...
"Shampoo... not sure what just happen...," said she lavender locks slowly, seeming to choose her words with great care. The students who had shouted, mostly girls, were smiling at her in a rather unnerving way. "But she no think she like it. Shampoo starting to think she never understand crazy Japanese people; maybe is good thing, yes?" Ryouga couldn't argue with that logic.
"But is true anyway," Shampoo admitted, focusing a slightly less vehement glare on the blonde. "Obstacles are for killing. Shampoo think maybe you not worth killing yet, but Shampoo still have to punish for hitting Airen on head and making him late for date." With that, the amazon assumed an aggressive stance and began advancing on the lost girl.
*AARGH! Noooo, I can't fight Shampoo!* Looking rather flustered, Ryouga found herself backing away from her newfound opponent. The prospect of getting the Kiss of Death for beating Shampoo was decidedly unattractive, but she didn't relish the thought of letting the amazon use her for a punching bag either. More importantly, every moment that she was at the school, the chance that Akane might see her increased. *I've gotta get out of here!*
Seeing that despite her earlier actions, fighting wasn't foremost in the other girl's mind, Shampoo remembered that she had a date to keep. She took the blonde's moment of indecision to leap in for a quick knockout. "KYAAaieeaaaAAAH-!?!"
-and was suddenly intercepted in midair by a hulking brown blur that seemed to explode from a small patch of shrubbery next to the school gates. Tumbling out of control, the Chinese amazon only had time to gasp in horror at the leering mug of Kunou-kouchou before she collided head-first with the tasteless statue and the world went dark.
Meanwhile, the mob in the courtyard hastily moved to make plenty of room for the recent arrival. It wasn't so much that they feared it more than an angry amazon or a juicy-looking cat fight, or even that it took up that much more space. Mostly, it was the fact that it's not every day you see a wild boar the size of a compact car leap out of a bush no bigger than a telephone booth; who knew what other sorts of giant ninja wildlife might be lurking nearby? Uneasy murmurs filled the crowd.
Releasing a sigh that was just half a nervous breakdown from being a sob, Ryouga warily approached the fallen amazon. Behind her, the pig's angry, bloodshot eyes still watched the crowd for other challengers as he trotted protectively up to his mistress. *Whew, that was close- I guess it's good for something after all...,* the blonde mused grudgingly, noting that Shampoo was every bit as KOed as Ranma. Unfortunately, now she had no one to guide her to the Nekohanten. She supposed she'd have to just ask one of these strangers...
"Hey, what's all the commotion about? And what on earth is that thing?!"
Ryouga's blood nearly froze in her veins as the voice, that sweet, wonderful voice registered. *AKANE! NOOOooOOOooOO!* In flash of terror-stricken insight, she remembered that pigs had an incredible sense of smell; a little-known fact she'd had opportunity to verify personally on several occasions. (Inspiration cheered and danced a little jig on her thundercloud, eliciting an ominous rumble from above.) It had never worked for her, of course, but just maybe the boar would be able to find his way to the Nekohanten by Shampoo's scent!
Politely pushing her way through the throng, Tendou Akane caught a glimpse of the strange, but somehow unsurprising sight of a blond girl vaulting onto the shoulders of a giant boar. Laying the limp form of a familiar Chinese amazon across the animal's back, the girl pointed in a seemingly random direction and the beast obediently charged off, knocking down a few trees and smashing a sizeable hole in the courtyard wall in its flight.
Nearby, Ranma lay in a pile of wood splinters, apparently knocked unconscious. *It figures...* Though she knew it was unfair, Akane couldn't shake the feeling that he probably deserved it somehow. Sighing to herself, she walked over to see if he was alright.
"Daisuke my man, that has to have been the second biggest pig I've ever seen."
"What pig?"
"Hah! Couldn't take your eyes of the blond chick, eh?"
"Could you? Daaamn, but she was fine, and did you see the size of her-"
"Hold that thought; you realize that she appeared out of nowhere and attacked Ranma. She's probably another fiancé or something."
"Hiroshi, _WHY_ did you have to say that? There might still be hope..."
"MY DARLING SHAMPOO! Speak to me! Who did this to you?!"
"Uhg... OW! Watch the hands, blind-boy; I ain't Shampoo! And before ya accuse me of it, I ain't done nothin' ta her either!"
"It's good to see you so concerned about Shampoo getting kidnapped, Ranma..."
"KIDNAPPED!? DAMN YOU, SAOTOME, HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!? SHAMPOOO!!"
"No Daisuke, I don't think so; no hope at all..."
"..."
[Authors notes: Whee! Sorry about taking so long to update (even though i had chapter one done already -_-;). I was out of town for Chuusok, the Korean Harvest Moon Festival, and miles away from the nearest internet connection. Did anyone guess who the 'mystery' folks were for the first couple sections? I sometimes wonder if i was being too oblique... Anyhow, now onto specific items: Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement ^_^! Especially to Jen-chan! I really ought to thank her and everyone else at Anime Freeform RPG (John, Trev, Michael, you know who you are...) who preread this, as well as Jim Nutley and T.H. Tiger; it's good to be working with you guys again! For those who asked: Yes, i am the same Eimii that wrote 'Shattered Hearts on the Road' and 'Fairy Tails' (the 'Bii'bi' thing ^_^;). I do plan on continuing them! Chapter 5 of Shattered Hearts is finished, and 6 is in progress. Chapter 2 of Fairy Tails is under scrutiny for major revision, but i'll get to it as soon as possible. With regard to Queen of Pigs, i hope this story isn't moving too slowly for you; i can't seem to get through a single day of in-story 'time' without 100kb of text, nowadays ;_;. Chapter 2 is finished (and ends the first day in Nerima!), but i may hold off on posting it until i'm closer to finishing chapter 3. Please bear with me here; it's a rocky road ahead, but hopefully it will be entertaining and light (for me) on angst...
Thanks again for reading! Please C&C and review!
~Eimii
P.S.: Oh, and i really do applogize for any glaring continuity or grammar errors that you might notice. I've edited this so many times that i just _know_ that i've edited something important right out of existence. I sadly tend to do that quite often -_-;...]