Retro's thoughts: This is it. The Grand Finale. Enjoy!
Chapter 11
America tapped his pen impatiently on the table in front of him. Their top agent was giving a very detailed report of Ranma's defeat of their strike team. America motioned with his hand and cut him off after the man was half way through Ranma's confrontation with Akane.
"Where is Ranma now?" America asked half annoyed. The agent was visibly sweating under the stare of the most powerful man in the world.
"S-Still at his house sir," said the agent stuttering slightly.
"Well then what are we waiting for. Send another team to the house right away. Shoot to kill this time. Make the team-"
"It's not that simple sir."
America lost his rhythm with the pen and dropped it on the desk. It rolled across the wooden top and fell with a clatter to the floor. With the meeting room empty except for those two, the silence was very unnerving. "And why not", he said
"A-As I was about to say," the agent said rustling through some papers in his briefcase. "Akane took the ring off his hand and threw it into the canal. We've been searching for three days and we can't find anything. It's disappeared." The agent punctuated the last word, and soon realized his mistake.
America was on him in a flash, leaping over the table and kicking the man in the chest sending him sprawling across the floor. The agent who had been trained in hand to hand combat was up in an instant and charging at America. He again realized his mistake.
Several bolts of lightning shot from America's fingers and wrapped themselves around the agent. They lifted him into the air and smacked him back down on the ground a couple times before several loud cracks were heard.
America let his grip go and his eyes returned from snow white back to their original deep gray coloring. He gasped for breath and fell to the floor. Gripping his hand, his breathing became steadier as he crawled toward his desk telephone. He dialed several numbers and talked into the receiver.
"Yes. Get me a round trip flight to Rome, and hurry it up. This is very urgent," America said as his breathing finally grew steady, but his weak body remained on the floor and hung up the telephone. He would have to personally consult his master about recent events.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Tendo Dojo)
(Ranma stood in the same open space that he had been in before, except now he noticed that the land was barren, and the forest was rotted. The gnarled trees reached crookedly towards the sky as if trying to get out of the contaminated soil that their roots resided in. Before him was his father looking at him with a sullen face. His gi was stained as it had been..that day. Genma Saotome who had been very dead was now standing before him. Skeptically Ranma walked forward with his hands outstretched. Abruptly Genma disappeared and was replaced by the man who had plagued Ranma's dreams. Ranma brought up an attack stance, but failed as he felt his body go numb as it had before. The dark figure's tattered cape swayed as he turned his back on Ranma and began to walk away. Don't you walk away from me, Ranma tried to say, but nothing came out. The man must have heard him anyway, because he turned around and faced Ranma drawing himself up to his full height which was an easy eight feet. The image flashed away and Ranma could then see a reflection of himself standing over the corpse of his deceased father, holding the sword still warm with dripping blood. Tears started to well up in Ranma's eyes. The Ranma holding the sword turned to look at him and suddenly split into two Ranmas both holding swords and both staring at him. They then turned their backs on him and walked away with the black clad figure side by side. Ranma was screaming aloud to them, cursing them, hating them, but deep down knowing that they were only showing him the truth.)
Ranma shot straight up out of bed sweaty and gasping. He then felt his sore body scream in response. Looking around the quiet room, he rested his head back on the pillow listening to the gentle pitter-patter of the rain on the window outside. He guessed that it must have been midnight for the lack of noise from downstairs.
All the memories of before came flooding into his mind and he cringed in the bed drawing the covers up close to his head. He had done terrible things and here he was, resting in a bed, still in the same house, which he had attacked earlier without reason.
He heard a series of feet outside his door. He thought quickly and pretended to be asleep as the door slid open and someone walked inside. He heard him or her kneel beside his pillow and dab a wet washcloth gently against his forehead. After conforming that the person was not hostile, he opened his eyes.
And looked into the face of his mother. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, neither speaking. Nodoka's eyes betrayed her as they started to fill with tears. She grabbed Ranma in as tight a hug as a mother could give.
"Oh my boy has come back to me," she managed to say threw wreaked sobs. "I'm so glad you're alright." She returned him to a sitting position in the bed and looked him over. Ranma's body had hurt but it felt good to hug his mother again, probably for the last time.
Ranma tried to say a million things at once. Where is everyone? Is Akane all right? Is anyone dead? And although he tried not to think it, he could not deny that he wished to know where the ring was.
Ranma saw his mother's face soften realizing his confusion and began to explain that everyone was fine and that he had been asleep for three days. Several of the others had tried to kill Ranma after they had woken up, but had decided that, without his ring, he posed no threat for now. Ranma's eyes felt very heavy. He tried not to cry, but a single tear escaped his eyes as he looked at his mother and then shared her same thought.
"Mom I.." he tried to start but was cut short with her finger on his lips.
"It is okay my dear. I know how you must feel, but remember it was not your fault. You were possessed by a foul spirit, and therefore are not held accountable for your fathers death," Nodoka said her voice starting to crack. She stopped and began to sob and cry again. Ranma wrapped a protective arm around his mother. She accepted it gratefully, and the two drew strength from each other. Ranma had to be a man for his mother and held his tears back for her sake. He had lost one parent. He would not lose the other.
A pair of feet down the hall forced both of them to be quiet until the figure appeared in the doorway. Kasumi.
"I thought I heard voices, and oh my..." she started to say but was cut off by Ranma's obvious consciousness. The two stared at each other waiting for the other to make a move. Nodoka moved first. She got up and put a reassuring arm over Kasumi's shoulders whispering in her ear. Kasumi seemed to calm down after Nodoka was done and walked over to Ranma's side kneeling next to him.
"How are you Ranma? Do you need something?" Kasumi said sincerely, all doubt about Ranma's condition gone. She really believes that I'm back, he thought feeling horrible, and just days earlier I attacked her.
Ranma turned his head to the side blushing at the kindness that was being displayed before him. He heard the two women giggle and Nodoka sat down at Ranma's other side.
"We are glad you are back to yourself Ranma. Your father was very special to me," she said her eyes lowering for a second but returning to meet his. "But you are very special to me too. I love you Ranma and nothing will ever change that." She reached over and gave Ranma another hug before both women stood up and turned to leave.
"Wait," Ranma said quietly his eyes on the floor. "Where is everyone?"
"They are all here Ranma." Kasumi replied wondering where he was going with this.
Ranma started to get up. "I must apologize to them. I have wronged everyone and I must beg for forgiveness." Ranma collapsed to the bedroll, his legs denying him the right to stand on them.
Nodoka rushed to his side and laid him back down. "You need rest. Explanations and apologies can wait for tomorrow."
A small shrill voice sounded from behind her. The same voice her husband had learned to fear for a majority of his life.
"No, Nodoka my dear they can't."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone sat down in the ruined living room tired and grumpy. All of them had decided to stay at the Tendo's for the sake of Ranma and his "condition".
Nodoka had woken everyone up in the middle of the night saying that she had something special to tell everyone.
The whole crowd had been grumbling loudly to each other about what would be so special to be woken up for when Nodoka stepped in the doorway. She walked in with a bright smile and stepped to her right allowing the figure that had been standing behind her to step forward.
The temperature of the room dropped as Ranma walked in, his head hung low. Akane gasped and looked upon the ravaged boy. He still wore the tattered clothes of that day and his body was thin and pale. His face still had the lines from before, but it looked like they were starting to fade.
"I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you," Ranma said getting on all fours and bowing his head so it touched the floor. "Will you please forgive me?"
Akane got up and moved towards him and said, "Of course we..."
"Don't forgive you," Nabiki said cutting Akane off. She stood up and started to walk out the doorway when Kasumi got in her way. Smiling, she motioned Nabiki to have a seat while Ranma finished. Nabiki reluctantly sat down and crossed her arms to show her discomfort.
Everyone was giving each other the same look when Happosai and Cologne walked in through the open door. Soun immediately bowed down, but the situation felt odd without Genma.
"Where is that insubordinate pupil Genma, Soun?" Happosai asked and noticed Ranma wince as he said that. He looked at the corner to see a picture of Genma and several candles placed around it still burning down. He put two and two together and he himself winced. "I tried to get here as fast as I could, but we were delayed. I have no doubt that the allies we tried to seek help from have been overcome with greed and will not aid us in our endeavor. It is therefore evident that the ring must be destroyed. How this task is to be done is beyond my power, but before we were double-crossed we were given a scroll that predates anything ever found on this world."
Happosai took the scroll from Cologne and placed it on the table unraveling it. The paper held together as he opened it up to reveal a large triangle and a map. Ranma looked upon the paper and gasped as he saw him. The man from his dreams was standing in the center of the triangle. The drawing was crude, but he made no mistake.
Ukyou walked up to the paper also looking at the lettering. "What is this writing?" she asked tracing her fingers over it.
The answer came from the yard behind all of them. When Ranma looked to see whom it was, he gasped again.
A short man with one glass eye and a very aged face stood before all of them in the rain. His lack of teeth, but clear speech, was intimidating for everyone there.
"The language is that of the Elves," he said moving from shadow to shadow in the yard until his full form could be seen by everyone.
"Wait," Ranma said pointing his finger accusingly. "I thought I killed you." That comment made all eyes fall on Ranma and he backed again into the corner.
"I'm afraid I cannot fool you any longer Ranma nor any of you for that matter. Before us lies an ancient evil that has been destroyed for many millennia. I am not as you think I am either," he said as he transformed in the blink of an eye to a tall man of about six feet. His simple brown robes and brown hat that he wore seemed to shine in the dark night, and were devoid of any wetness from the rain. His gray and white beard came down past his waist, and his eyes had in them a gentleness that welcomed all. "My name is Radagast the Brown, and I am the Ring Guardian."
Everyone was speechless, even Cologne and Happosai who stood their dumbfounded at the man who now towered over all of them. Elves, magic rings, and transforming old guys. Ranma wasn't feeling too well.
The man walked over to the house and stepped inside. He kneeled before Ranma and placed his large hands over Ranma's. "I am sorry Ranma. I have used you most harshly in my quest to watch over the ring. In doing so I have caused all of you much pain and suffering", he said with deep sorrow in his booming voice. It was almost melodic in the air; sailing into Ranma's ears and sending a tingle through him that made him feel better. This man and the dark figure must be related in some way. Almost as if this man was God and the other was the Devil.
"But I must now clarify much, for I am sure that you are confused as what to do next. I come from a land known as Middle-Earth, and the Undying Lands. I will not bore you with my history, but I will try to make you understand the lineage of what you carry. The ring that you possessed Ranma was a ring of power that has in it the evil to give its wearer the power to enslave the world. The Dark Lord Sauron created it and after many centuries, it was destroyed. So we thought. In the pillaging of his dark fortress of Barad-Dur, we found this scroll. It tells that of the coming of the ring of power even after the twisted creature Gollum destroyed it. It is said, that when three powerful beings, each bound by the mark of fate, were to share the thought of anger, the ring would "recreate" itself. We did not know anymore, but I took it upon myself to watch for the coming of the ring."
"I waited for a thousand lifetimes moving from place to place even after my homeland sank beneath the seas. I saw the ring on his finger in my store one day so I took it upon myself to lure Ranma into a trap fueling his rage and hunger so that I could take the ring. I spoke of attacking the Tendo family and of training Ranma special techniques that, with my power, I designed myself to weaken a person. In the end, my plan backfired and I too was made a casualty of Ranma's rage. I should have stopped it when I had the chance, but my blindness and stupidity allowed the ring to escape us all."
"Wait," Ryouga asked stepping forward. "What do you mean 'enslave the world?"
Radagast laid his deep dark eyes upon Ryouga and studied him for a moment before answering. "Exactly as I say I'm afraid. The power of the ring gives the dark lord the ability to twist peoples minds and bend them to his will."
Soun gestured to the aged parchment and asked, "So what does this tell us about destroying it?"
Radagast winced slightly and looked up at Soun with sorrow. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you for I do not know myself. Sadly the scroll does not speak of any such way, but I am sure one exists. For now though we must rest. I'm sure that all of you understand the pain and turmoil that Ranma has experienced. Tomorrow morning a new quest will begin. We are far from the end, and if it is as you say Happosai, then we are guaranteed harassment and trouble on this long journey. Let our quest commence tomorrow."
Ukyou looked around the group of people assembled and noticed the lack of one. One who had been here just seconds before. She looked at Shampoo, who was closest to her, and asked, "Where's Ryouga?"
_______________________________________________________________________
Retro's thoughts: Well that's it for the first book, The One Ring. I never really understood what authors meant when they said, "I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it." Now after writing my first fanfiction I finally understand that.
I've got the main plan already laid out for the second book and a rough idea for the third. The second book I plan to make a very angsty one dealing a lot with Ryouga's anger and Ranma's depression over the loss of his father and his failure to protect those he loves. Also, the Illuminati will play a much bigger role. It will show the Nerima crew in its darkest hour with the loss and separation of many people. I will start writing it after the second Lord of the Rings movie comes out so I may gather more ideas and what not.
Now for the biggy. I would really, no, I would DEFINITELY like you to REVIEW my story. I am a newbie at the whole fanfiction thing I would very much enjoy constructive criticism, and even flaming (as long as it has a point). I would like you to comment on things you thought were bad, good, ok, nice, horrible, kinky, dirty, or even silly.
Seeya next time,
RetroDude987
P.S. REVIEW!!!
Chapter 11
America tapped his pen impatiently on the table in front of him. Their top agent was giving a very detailed report of Ranma's defeat of their strike team. America motioned with his hand and cut him off after the man was half way through Ranma's confrontation with Akane.
"Where is Ranma now?" America asked half annoyed. The agent was visibly sweating under the stare of the most powerful man in the world.
"S-Still at his house sir," said the agent stuttering slightly.
"Well then what are we waiting for. Send another team to the house right away. Shoot to kill this time. Make the team-"
"It's not that simple sir."
America lost his rhythm with the pen and dropped it on the desk. It rolled across the wooden top and fell with a clatter to the floor. With the meeting room empty except for those two, the silence was very unnerving. "And why not", he said
"A-As I was about to say," the agent said rustling through some papers in his briefcase. "Akane took the ring off his hand and threw it into the canal. We've been searching for three days and we can't find anything. It's disappeared." The agent punctuated the last word, and soon realized his mistake.
America was on him in a flash, leaping over the table and kicking the man in the chest sending him sprawling across the floor. The agent who had been trained in hand to hand combat was up in an instant and charging at America. He again realized his mistake.
Several bolts of lightning shot from America's fingers and wrapped themselves around the agent. They lifted him into the air and smacked him back down on the ground a couple times before several loud cracks were heard.
America let his grip go and his eyes returned from snow white back to their original deep gray coloring. He gasped for breath and fell to the floor. Gripping his hand, his breathing became steadier as he crawled toward his desk telephone. He dialed several numbers and talked into the receiver.
"Yes. Get me a round trip flight to Rome, and hurry it up. This is very urgent," America said as his breathing finally grew steady, but his weak body remained on the floor and hung up the telephone. He would have to personally consult his master about recent events.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Tendo Dojo)
(Ranma stood in the same open space that he had been in before, except now he noticed that the land was barren, and the forest was rotted. The gnarled trees reached crookedly towards the sky as if trying to get out of the contaminated soil that their roots resided in. Before him was his father looking at him with a sullen face. His gi was stained as it had been..that day. Genma Saotome who had been very dead was now standing before him. Skeptically Ranma walked forward with his hands outstretched. Abruptly Genma disappeared and was replaced by the man who had plagued Ranma's dreams. Ranma brought up an attack stance, but failed as he felt his body go numb as it had before. The dark figure's tattered cape swayed as he turned his back on Ranma and began to walk away. Don't you walk away from me, Ranma tried to say, but nothing came out. The man must have heard him anyway, because he turned around and faced Ranma drawing himself up to his full height which was an easy eight feet. The image flashed away and Ranma could then see a reflection of himself standing over the corpse of his deceased father, holding the sword still warm with dripping blood. Tears started to well up in Ranma's eyes. The Ranma holding the sword turned to look at him and suddenly split into two Ranmas both holding swords and both staring at him. They then turned their backs on him and walked away with the black clad figure side by side. Ranma was screaming aloud to them, cursing them, hating them, but deep down knowing that they were only showing him the truth.)
Ranma shot straight up out of bed sweaty and gasping. He then felt his sore body scream in response. Looking around the quiet room, he rested his head back on the pillow listening to the gentle pitter-patter of the rain on the window outside. He guessed that it must have been midnight for the lack of noise from downstairs.
All the memories of before came flooding into his mind and he cringed in the bed drawing the covers up close to his head. He had done terrible things and here he was, resting in a bed, still in the same house, which he had attacked earlier without reason.
He heard a series of feet outside his door. He thought quickly and pretended to be asleep as the door slid open and someone walked inside. He heard him or her kneel beside his pillow and dab a wet washcloth gently against his forehead. After conforming that the person was not hostile, he opened his eyes.
And looked into the face of his mother. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, neither speaking. Nodoka's eyes betrayed her as they started to fill with tears. She grabbed Ranma in as tight a hug as a mother could give.
"Oh my boy has come back to me," she managed to say threw wreaked sobs. "I'm so glad you're alright." She returned him to a sitting position in the bed and looked him over. Ranma's body had hurt but it felt good to hug his mother again, probably for the last time.
Ranma tried to say a million things at once. Where is everyone? Is Akane all right? Is anyone dead? And although he tried not to think it, he could not deny that he wished to know where the ring was.
Ranma saw his mother's face soften realizing his confusion and began to explain that everyone was fine and that he had been asleep for three days. Several of the others had tried to kill Ranma after they had woken up, but had decided that, without his ring, he posed no threat for now. Ranma's eyes felt very heavy. He tried not to cry, but a single tear escaped his eyes as he looked at his mother and then shared her same thought.
"Mom I.." he tried to start but was cut short with her finger on his lips.
"It is okay my dear. I know how you must feel, but remember it was not your fault. You were possessed by a foul spirit, and therefore are not held accountable for your fathers death," Nodoka said her voice starting to crack. She stopped and began to sob and cry again. Ranma wrapped a protective arm around his mother. She accepted it gratefully, and the two drew strength from each other. Ranma had to be a man for his mother and held his tears back for her sake. He had lost one parent. He would not lose the other.
A pair of feet down the hall forced both of them to be quiet until the figure appeared in the doorway. Kasumi.
"I thought I heard voices, and oh my..." she started to say but was cut off by Ranma's obvious consciousness. The two stared at each other waiting for the other to make a move. Nodoka moved first. She got up and put a reassuring arm over Kasumi's shoulders whispering in her ear. Kasumi seemed to calm down after Nodoka was done and walked over to Ranma's side kneeling next to him.
"How are you Ranma? Do you need something?" Kasumi said sincerely, all doubt about Ranma's condition gone. She really believes that I'm back, he thought feeling horrible, and just days earlier I attacked her.
Ranma turned his head to the side blushing at the kindness that was being displayed before him. He heard the two women giggle and Nodoka sat down at Ranma's other side.
"We are glad you are back to yourself Ranma. Your father was very special to me," she said her eyes lowering for a second but returning to meet his. "But you are very special to me too. I love you Ranma and nothing will ever change that." She reached over and gave Ranma another hug before both women stood up and turned to leave.
"Wait," Ranma said quietly his eyes on the floor. "Where is everyone?"
"They are all here Ranma." Kasumi replied wondering where he was going with this.
Ranma started to get up. "I must apologize to them. I have wronged everyone and I must beg for forgiveness." Ranma collapsed to the bedroll, his legs denying him the right to stand on them.
Nodoka rushed to his side and laid him back down. "You need rest. Explanations and apologies can wait for tomorrow."
A small shrill voice sounded from behind her. The same voice her husband had learned to fear for a majority of his life.
"No, Nodoka my dear they can't."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone sat down in the ruined living room tired and grumpy. All of them had decided to stay at the Tendo's for the sake of Ranma and his "condition".
Nodoka had woken everyone up in the middle of the night saying that she had something special to tell everyone.
The whole crowd had been grumbling loudly to each other about what would be so special to be woken up for when Nodoka stepped in the doorway. She walked in with a bright smile and stepped to her right allowing the figure that had been standing behind her to step forward.
The temperature of the room dropped as Ranma walked in, his head hung low. Akane gasped and looked upon the ravaged boy. He still wore the tattered clothes of that day and his body was thin and pale. His face still had the lines from before, but it looked like they were starting to fade.
"I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you," Ranma said getting on all fours and bowing his head so it touched the floor. "Will you please forgive me?"
Akane got up and moved towards him and said, "Of course we..."
"Don't forgive you," Nabiki said cutting Akane off. She stood up and started to walk out the doorway when Kasumi got in her way. Smiling, she motioned Nabiki to have a seat while Ranma finished. Nabiki reluctantly sat down and crossed her arms to show her discomfort.
Everyone was giving each other the same look when Happosai and Cologne walked in through the open door. Soun immediately bowed down, but the situation felt odd without Genma.
"Where is that insubordinate pupil Genma, Soun?" Happosai asked and noticed Ranma wince as he said that. He looked at the corner to see a picture of Genma and several candles placed around it still burning down. He put two and two together and he himself winced. "I tried to get here as fast as I could, but we were delayed. I have no doubt that the allies we tried to seek help from have been overcome with greed and will not aid us in our endeavor. It is therefore evident that the ring must be destroyed. How this task is to be done is beyond my power, but before we were double-crossed we were given a scroll that predates anything ever found on this world."
Happosai took the scroll from Cologne and placed it on the table unraveling it. The paper held together as he opened it up to reveal a large triangle and a map. Ranma looked upon the paper and gasped as he saw him. The man from his dreams was standing in the center of the triangle. The drawing was crude, but he made no mistake.
Ukyou walked up to the paper also looking at the lettering. "What is this writing?" she asked tracing her fingers over it.
The answer came from the yard behind all of them. When Ranma looked to see whom it was, he gasped again.
A short man with one glass eye and a very aged face stood before all of them in the rain. His lack of teeth, but clear speech, was intimidating for everyone there.
"The language is that of the Elves," he said moving from shadow to shadow in the yard until his full form could be seen by everyone.
"Wait," Ranma said pointing his finger accusingly. "I thought I killed you." That comment made all eyes fall on Ranma and he backed again into the corner.
"I'm afraid I cannot fool you any longer Ranma nor any of you for that matter. Before us lies an ancient evil that has been destroyed for many millennia. I am not as you think I am either," he said as he transformed in the blink of an eye to a tall man of about six feet. His simple brown robes and brown hat that he wore seemed to shine in the dark night, and were devoid of any wetness from the rain. His gray and white beard came down past his waist, and his eyes had in them a gentleness that welcomed all. "My name is Radagast the Brown, and I am the Ring Guardian."
Everyone was speechless, even Cologne and Happosai who stood their dumbfounded at the man who now towered over all of them. Elves, magic rings, and transforming old guys. Ranma wasn't feeling too well.
The man walked over to the house and stepped inside. He kneeled before Ranma and placed his large hands over Ranma's. "I am sorry Ranma. I have used you most harshly in my quest to watch over the ring. In doing so I have caused all of you much pain and suffering", he said with deep sorrow in his booming voice. It was almost melodic in the air; sailing into Ranma's ears and sending a tingle through him that made him feel better. This man and the dark figure must be related in some way. Almost as if this man was God and the other was the Devil.
"But I must now clarify much, for I am sure that you are confused as what to do next. I come from a land known as Middle-Earth, and the Undying Lands. I will not bore you with my history, but I will try to make you understand the lineage of what you carry. The ring that you possessed Ranma was a ring of power that has in it the evil to give its wearer the power to enslave the world. The Dark Lord Sauron created it and after many centuries, it was destroyed. So we thought. In the pillaging of his dark fortress of Barad-Dur, we found this scroll. It tells that of the coming of the ring of power even after the twisted creature Gollum destroyed it. It is said, that when three powerful beings, each bound by the mark of fate, were to share the thought of anger, the ring would "recreate" itself. We did not know anymore, but I took it upon myself to watch for the coming of the ring."
"I waited for a thousand lifetimes moving from place to place even after my homeland sank beneath the seas. I saw the ring on his finger in my store one day so I took it upon myself to lure Ranma into a trap fueling his rage and hunger so that I could take the ring. I spoke of attacking the Tendo family and of training Ranma special techniques that, with my power, I designed myself to weaken a person. In the end, my plan backfired and I too was made a casualty of Ranma's rage. I should have stopped it when I had the chance, but my blindness and stupidity allowed the ring to escape us all."
"Wait," Ryouga asked stepping forward. "What do you mean 'enslave the world?"
Radagast laid his deep dark eyes upon Ryouga and studied him for a moment before answering. "Exactly as I say I'm afraid. The power of the ring gives the dark lord the ability to twist peoples minds and bend them to his will."
Soun gestured to the aged parchment and asked, "So what does this tell us about destroying it?"
Radagast winced slightly and looked up at Soun with sorrow. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you for I do not know myself. Sadly the scroll does not speak of any such way, but I am sure one exists. For now though we must rest. I'm sure that all of you understand the pain and turmoil that Ranma has experienced. Tomorrow morning a new quest will begin. We are far from the end, and if it is as you say Happosai, then we are guaranteed harassment and trouble on this long journey. Let our quest commence tomorrow."
Ukyou looked around the group of people assembled and noticed the lack of one. One who had been here just seconds before. She looked at Shampoo, who was closest to her, and asked, "Where's Ryouga?"
_______________________________________________________________________
Retro's thoughts: Well that's it for the first book, The One Ring. I never really understood what authors meant when they said, "I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it." Now after writing my first fanfiction I finally understand that.
I've got the main plan already laid out for the second book and a rough idea for the third. The second book I plan to make a very angsty one dealing a lot with Ryouga's anger and Ranma's depression over the loss of his father and his failure to protect those he loves. Also, the Illuminati will play a much bigger role. It will show the Nerima crew in its darkest hour with the loss and separation of many people. I will start writing it after the second Lord of the Rings movie comes out so I may gather more ideas and what not.
Now for the biggy. I would really, no, I would DEFINITELY like you to REVIEW my story. I am a newbie at the whole fanfiction thing I would very much enjoy constructive criticism, and even flaming (as long as it has a point). I would like you to comment on things you thought were bad, good, ok, nice, horrible, kinky, dirty, or even silly.
Seeya next time,
RetroDude987
P.S. REVIEW!!!