Drowned Girl
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma or any of the character of Ranma ½ anime. I'm new to the wonderful world of Ranma1/2 if I get any detail of event wrong from the show forgive me.
Once long ago in china's past, an beautiful girl was born to very to poor family. Her name was Xiao Shun Ye. In a time when many poor families saw the birth of a girl as a burden, Xiao radiated so much joy any one could tell this child was special. Unfortunately Xiao's warm heart and loving nature, was sorely out of place in that harsh and cruel world that was ancient China. War was commonplace, along with feminine and violence, but the ill's and trouble of the world never seemed to touch Young Xiao's heart. Often her mother with scold her for giving away half her meals to other children, when they had nether food or parents to look after them. After wards her mother would quietly sigh and tell her
" I know you can't help but to try and ease the pain of others Shun Ye. No, you could no sooner do that then stop breathing. A heart like yours was not mean for this world." after which she would always hug her foolish daughter.
Xiao second misfortune was her intelligent mind. Which was also an very undesirably trait in a future wife. She knew her mother spoke the truth, and her rumbling tummy confirmed it. Her cursed intelligence also told her why her parents kept her inside much of the time. For as Xiao grew up she grew more beautiful, by the time she was 12 she was threaten to grow into one of the most beautiful maidens in the land. And for a girl who's parents who had little money and no social or political influences, her beauty would very likely get her mother and father killed and her carried away by some brute. Her active mind also told her father's, health was failing, and the long days working on their small patch of land, was quickening his declining health. For a time Xiao took to dressing like a boy and helping her father work their field. But her delicate frame was not made for fieldwork. She really wanted to help her parents and spent many nights taxing her young mind trying to come up with a way. Through listening to some of the local woman gossip. Xiao learned that, a near by wealthy landowner with ties to the empiral palace was looking for a concubine. It's seems that his first four wives had grown tired their bedchamber duty. The ideal of becoming lowly concubine at her tender age really didn't appeal to Xiao but it was a fate no worst then any other she was slighted for. She then thought about her family and knew here mother and father would never want her to go into such a life. As the sun rose the next morning Xiao had made up her mind. She pieced together as much cloth she could fine, and used her nimble and skilled fingers to make a gown for her self. It was a patchwork effort but even the crudest eye would detect the care of the gentle hands that made it, thus enhancing its visual appeal. Early that morning before the sun or her parents rose. Xiao took nothing but here hand made dress. Knowing the hard and difficult life she walked towards she allowed few tears to leave her eyes. As she looked at her small home for the last time.
Xiao kneeled at the foot of the steps of the large estate. Never looking up. She had been there since dawn. She knew they had been watching her for the last hour. But she never broke her pose, showing an incredible amount of fortitude. Finally the large hand engraved doors swung open. Hearing footsteps coming towards her she almost looked up, but remaining in control she sat perfectly still.
"And what did do we have here?" A voice the was both hard and sharp, but sophisticated and cultured. Xiao concluded that this would be the master's first wife, the most powerful and influencal of the household. She also concluded that this was question was not directed at her. She continued to say nothing. First wife wasn't the mistress of this household for nothing. The base of her power was the ability to read people as easily as a scribe could read a scroll. Her cold dark eyes traced Xiao's small form reading her, fathoming her motives. No girl her age volunteered to be a lowly concubine, for any noble reason. "Tell me child well your belly be fat with some village louts child and now you seek to have that bastard child under my husbands roof?" It was a very slanderous accusation, but tone, manner and content of Xiao's response would give, her all the reason she needed to send this little upstart away. First Wife didn't truly want her husband to have a concubine. This household as well as the other three wives where all under her control. Her husband would sleep by himself tell those times she gave sub-wifes permission to bed the master. This interview was merely for show.
"That last question was directed at Xiao, but as First Wife used her skill to read Xiao. Xiao was also taking First Wife's measure as well. Xiao could read people a well as this cruel woman could. Xiao unlike most of the peasant stock Xiao was born from, She had heard enough of the refined way for speaking to mimic the educated toned and mannerisms of the nobles. In a clear and melodic tone Xiao said, "My name is Xiao Shun Ye from the southern province, I have come to exchange my worth as concubine to the master of this household for gold and services to the estate of my father."
First wife face did not betray the anger the sieved up in her breast as this whelp of a girl responded perfectly to her question. Never acknowledging her slanderous question or giving her any real reason to out right deny her and send her on her way. First Wife eyes borrowed into the form of the young girl. Not only was she beautiful but intelligent and perceptive enough not to fall into First Wife's verbal trap. The girl was a factor that she could not allow into her perfectly controlled household.
First Wife was about to signal the guard to take their away then a voice silenced her. The master of this house, the only voice that could silence her own, her husband. The master walked down the stairs. The woman stepped aside and allowed him access to Xiao. The master studied the girl a moment and said." You are a strange one. You seem to come from a poor family yet you speak and carry your self like a noble." Again it was not a question so Xiao remand quite. The master continued. "And you seem quit young to want to be a concubine." Xiao could see by his feet that he had stopped right in frount of her. "Look up at me girl and tell me why you would willing walk into my bed chamber"
Xiao looked up for the first time and studied him for a second. She could tell that her was a hard, man molded by the cut throat environment that was china's empirical politics. Not only was his social rearing hardening to his heart but also the cold loveless arranged marriages he lingered in. But for the cold factors that seem to strangle his soul. He a small light of goodness he has when he was a young man. So when Xiao answered his question. She spoke to that soft spot in his heart.
"My lord, having been born a girl, and with out the strong frame of a son I am unable to help farm my fathers land, as to make it worth while or produce enough that well help carry my parents into old age, and as times seem to get harder and harder, I become more of a burden to then. Also I am not only fair of face but of body, it becomes more and more likely that will become the wife to some soldier that will take a liking to my body. Which will not be unlike being a concubine. So am taking my fate into my own hands, and trying to secure my worth in gold and services so that my parent can live their lives out on the land they love so much."
The master arched his eyebrow and asked "And how do I know your not lying and trying to get into my house for your own gain and not your parents?"
Xiao looked deeply into the mans eyes and answered " Because you can read me as well as First Wife could, your ability is what helped you retain and advance your position in the empire. If I had lied just now you would have known and had my thrown off your property.
The master of the household smiled inwardly, this girl was special. "You'll do." he said coldly and walked into the house.
First Wife was furious. He had never taken any interest in the house hold affairs before , content to let her run then as she saw fit. Although the taking of a concubine was technically his choice, normally the First Wife, would find the girl for her husband. But her husband for some reason, taken a liking to this girl. Her eye burned with misplaced rage. "Already this little whore is usurping my power." She thought.
The details were worked out, and 4 pounds of gold and a young boy servant was transferred to her fathers land. Xiao hope the boy would work hard on that farm being the son she should have been born as. Ether way the boy was going to a warm and loving home unlike the cold hell she had walked her self into. As the house concubine she was no more then the servant of the four true wives and their daughters. On that first night, she bathed and prepared her self for the masters bed chamber. Knowing full well what she would be required to do. But knowing her parent's future well-being was on the line she carried her self through the experience just like she had her whole life, with nobility, and a genital touch, that would warm the coldest of hearts. Although the master would never admit it, it was understood between the two of them that her loving nature moved him very deeply. The fact that she carried though the ordeal with out complaining or any visible change in her natural after losing her virginity only seem to anger First Wife even more. Whenever First Wife cast an evil look toward Xiao she would only continue on with whatever task she was doing. Seemly untouched by the hard life she lived. Following First wife's lead the rest of the household turned against Xiao from all of the other wives to their snide and spoiled daughters, each seeming to take joy in degrading her. All done behind the masters back of course. Xiao seemed unaffecting but the venom of these snakes. Her basic nature never changing, kind caring and loving to all even those who tried to kill her sprit. When assigning lowly degrading task didn't work, First Wife took to verbal cruelty. Calling her names like whore and slut. Once again the others followed first wife's lead, but never the less Xiao endured. Finally this turned into physical abuse. Even though Xiao completed all of her assignments and chores flawlessly First Wife always found reason to beat her. First wife was certain that this delicate flower would soon welt under such conditions. But Xiao continued to endure year after year. Not only were they not succeeding in grinding her down. But she seems to flourish. After four years of this torturous life. Xiao had blossomed into radiant beauty, possibly the most beautiful girl in china. More importantly her soul never changed. She seemed immunized to the cruelties of the world and the people around her. First Wife could not understand it. Every time she watched this warm, caring, beautiful girl her anger grow more and more with each passing day, till it consumed her mind in madness. In truth Xiao was a mirror, her purity of spirit reflected every evil, dark, and ugly thing about First Wife. How could she allow her to live and continue to mock her with the beauty and grace? How many times will Her husband take this retched girl to the healing springs of Jusenko to make love to her? How could she stand by and watch her husband whom she never love find what she wouldn't give him in the arms of just a lowly concubine? Dark and evil thought and ideal festered in the heart of First wife. Not only would she be rid of Xiao but show would make sure she received no rest in the after life. As the last bits of compassion and humanity left her maddening mind she know what the horrible fate she would deliver to Xiao.
The old woman frowned, as she complied the last characters on the horrible spell. In all of her years of a spiritualist she had never been asked to make such a vile curse. She had to will her old hands to stop shacking as she panted the last evil symbols on the sheet of paper. "M'lady! Please I ask you to reconsider. The evil you would have done to this poor soul is unthinkable!" the old mystic try once more to reason with this hateful woman.
"I have no interest in your please old woman! Just fashion the curse at I instructed, or you and your family will suffer." She said the last part with such cruel coldness that it make the old woman soul ache. Any one that looked into First wife's eyes knew she was capable of any act of evil.
The old woman handed the sheet of parchment to First wife saying, "I'm done! Take your curse and leave my home. I will take no payment for such a evil thing" she stop and spat on the floor." But know this, that evil you do to this girl will revisit you and your house five fold!"
First wife turn and leave saying, "I only care that that girl suffers." A cruel smile formed on her face as she hurried to their favorite love making spot the place of a hundred healing pools "Jusenko" how fitting that she would met her end there, in the very pool she watched them be tender to each other. she chuckled madly as she thought about what was happening right as now. How the men she hired would grab that little upstart on her way back from the market. Chills of joy coursed through her body, at the thought of how they would beat and ravage her body. As she neared Jusenko, she couldn't wait to look into Xiao's eyes and see the hate, to loathing as she figured out that it was First wife, which was responsible. She wanted that girl sprit broken. To see the world as she saw it, not warm and loving but cruel and hard! First Wife made her way through the bamboo forest towards the spring where Xiao would soon die. Soon she saw exactly what she thought she would. Xiao bound and gagged near the edge of the water. The men she hired had already departed as instructed. She wanted Xiao to only see her as she perished. First Wife almost drooled at she looked at Xiao's closed tear felled eyes. She could hardly wait to see that large eyes full of hate and anger. Xiao's head turned to the sound of First Wife's footsteps and opened. But what she saw in them was nether anger or a broken spirit, but the one thing she could never forgive, forgiveness. As Xiao beautiful eyes full of forgiveness looked at the evil woman. The last bits of her sanity fell away. " You Mock me with those eyes!" she scream that the bound girl." after all I put your through your soul never broken what kind of a demon are you! I hate you and curse you for all eternity" Her trembling hand reached into her pocket and grab the Curse she force the old woman to cast, and trust it under a loop of the chains that bound Xiao. Her eye grew wide with insanity as she used all of her strength to push the young girl into the waters of the Jusenkyo pool. " I hate you! Your warmness will no longer pelage my house. Your soul, this pool and this whole area is here by curse! Your soul will receive no peace in the afterlife. Your spirit is cut loose from the Tao and can't even be reborn! You vile girl!" she could even feel the healing powers of the spring losing its power. She stood and stumbled mindlessly towards her now curse and doomed household, as her insane laugher filled the night sky.
The old spiritualist watches the evil and insane woman leave, it took all of her courage to come here and try and say that poor girl, but as the old woman near the edge of the water she know it was too late. The evil of the curse had already taken hold, and she couldn't even touch the water much less pull the girl free of it. Her heart broke as she looked at the curse, dying girl at the bottom of the pool and from her guilt for her role in it. Then an ideal took hold in her old mind. She may not be able to save the girls life but she would do what she could for her soul. The chanted and prayed, the curse was too strong to be broken out right but she could weaken it. Xiao's soul wouldn't spend eternity in limbo but perhaps only a thousand years. Then her soul would be free, and with no body to return to it would be reborn into a new life. The Old woman finished her spells and prayers, she could only hope the gods would forgive her hand in this tragedy.
Xiao felt her body sink to the bottom of the pool her body struggled to no avail against the weighty chains that bound her. She cried out as the last bobble of air left her lungs being replaced the water of the pool. She didn't want to die like this, in an unmarked, unblessed, watery grave. As her consciousness faded away into the darkness of death, her mind filled with images and memories of her Father and mother. And even of the master of the house where she was concubine. Her last thoughts were a prayer where in she asked the Gods to look over them all, and even to forgive First wife. Her mothers words came back to her as she died. "A heart like yours was not mean for this world. "
Suddenly Xiao felt life reenter her body with a shock, her arm flailed as she could no longer, feel the weighty chains binding her body, she had no time understand her current state. And just wanted to get to out of the water and to safety. Xiao's head broke the surface of the blue water coughing a little water out of her lungs. Here eyes tried to adjust to the dark night. Her eyes refocused but the strange thing she could no longer see the bamboo forest of Jusenkyo only strangely constructed buildings. Unexpectedly, Xiao felt a pair of strong hands grab her roughly about the neck. She curse her self for not running away as soon as she got out of the water, now she would be at the Mercy at the hands of those evil men or First Wife. That powerful grip spin her around and she came face to face with her attacker. Her was a young foreign looking boy, perhaps Japanese. He wore and yellow and black striped bandana. "Your dead now Ranma!" he yelled in the Japanese language. Xiao had been near while The Mister entertains foreigners. Some of whom were Japanese. She had picked up enough of the language to know this Boy was angry. "Your going to pay for my humiliation!" the Boy smashed his fist into Xiao's belly with such force she though her body would shatter. Xiao body crumpled to the ground. Japanese boy jumped onto her with his fist rose ready to strike again.
Xiao knew she her lost her second chance at life. Her attacker would surely finish the job First Wife started. Resigned to her fate, Xiao searched her memory for the little Japanese she knew and said, "Please sir, I'm tierd of hurting, if you have any humanity please kill me quickly" she closed her eyes allowing tears stream from her eyes and onto the hard ground.
The Japanese Boy looked questionably at Xiao. "Hmm this is not like you at all Ranma, even you posture is different not like a martial artist at all!" the then seem to think, then continued. "Is this another one of your wicked tricks Saotome?"
Then Xiao noticed another Japanese boy came up from behind him and grabbed his arms stopping him from attacking her." Hey Ryoga tell me what's wrong with this picture?"
Ryoga looked at the girl Ranma under him, and to the Boy Ranma holding him from behind. His mind and mouth Failed him but he managed to get out" Ranma….. and Ranma? Bu…. but how?"
Xiao finally figured out that this Ryoga boy thought she was someone named Ranma, which was the same name of the boy that helped her. She sat up and looked about her self. Everything seemed wrong, not only was the bamboo forest gone, but the large mountain range, and so where the Pools of Jusenkyo she almost drowned in. "Where am I?" perhaps she was dead and she was in one of the many hells and her mind was being assaulted with strange images. Panic rose up in her breast." Please somebody tell me what going one!" all of the events of the day swirled through her mind. This strange place, her abduction, the beating and rape she had just suffered. All of this became too much for her to handle, her mind retreated from its self as she fainted.
Ranma moved quickly, catching her head before it hit the hard cement. His mind too filled with questions, He was holding his female self, but she seemed so different, fearful delicate and she spoke Chinese. He felt Ryoga's fist bop him upside the head "Ouch! What you hit me for?"
"What did you do now Saotome!" Ryoga challenged
"Baka! What makes you think I know what going on here?" Ranma shot back angrily
"Because when ever weird stuff happens around here you're the one to blame" Ryoga accused.
Moron. Ranma thought as he held the girl in his arms. Here really did have no clue at to what this means. What ever it was he knew his life was about to get a lot more interesting he just hoped he survived it.
Authors note: whenever I watched Ranma1/2 I always wonder about the girl that drowned in that pool of Jusenkyo. She was obviously beautiful. (We can see that when Ranma get wet) But in all of the episodes I've seen they haven't said anything about her. So I decided to write a story about her and how she gets a new chance at life