Special thanks to LittleDragon5. Here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it as much as the first ^_^
Thanks also to ka_chan and abc.
To ikillyoupig, thanks for mentioning my misspelling.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the one's that I made up (the expendable knights). The rest belong to Rumiko Takahashi and the story line is based on the movie The King's Guard.
FORBIDDEN
The King's Ex-Guard
Last Time….
"I approve, mercenary. As you say, surely one woman is no match for a man." Ranma cringed at Kuno's misgivings on the opposite sex. If only he knew what kind of damage that Ukyo could do. Ranma took off shortly after. Guessing he would intercept Ukyo in a secluded clearing in a few minutes.
And Now…
The dry leaves on the ground hardly made a sound as Ranma used his speed to run across them. Ranma knew that he had to hurry. He wanted to get to Ukyo before Kuno got it into his pea size brain to send reinforcements. He needed answers that only Ukyo could answer, such as:
Why was Akane's hair so short, and Why is she leaving to marry Shinnosuke, when obviously she does not love him?Slowing down, Ranma concentrated on steadying both his heartbeat and breathing. He used his training to seek out the slightest sound that Ukyo might make.
Snap
Ranma forced his head not to turn to the obvious sound of a tree branch. From past experiences, he knew that this was a plow to get enemies over confident and vulnerable. Lord knows that she kept using it on him.
Flashback…
A ten-year-old Ranma tried his best not to make a sound. Somewhere in the woods was hiding his good friend and fellow knight in training, Ukyo. He was told by their master to find her without getting caught. Of course ten-year-old Ranma thought it was no problem. After all, it is harder to hide than it is to hunt, right? You are trapped when you hide and once caught, there would be no hope for escape. Yep, Ranma held all of the cards…or so he thought.
Snap
Ranma's smile grew. His heart pounded with anticipation as he headed towards the direction of the sound. His hands started to sweat and his knuckles turned white as they constantly held his sword at the ready. He tried his best to hold in his snickering. 'Soon, Ucchan,' he thought to himself.
Spotting his target, he froze. Her back was turned to him, as he hid behind a bush near a small clearing.
Ranma crouched down preparing to pounce when the time was right. He was solely focused on his target.
'NOW!'
Ranma leaped into the air at Ukyo, and landed face first in a puddle of mud. Ukyo held her sword against Ranma's back.
Present…
Oh yeah. He learned a valuable lesson that day, and many days after. However….Ranma paused in step. If he did not respond to the sound soon, Ukyo would know it was him and compensate. He had to think of something, for Ukyo hardly ever tried the same trick twice….wait, that's it! Ranma's smile grew as a plan formed in his mind. He turned to his left, towards the sound.
There she was, acting as if she had no idea that someone was there. Who was he to deny her of her well crafted plan. Placing his sword to his side, he kneeled down and scanned the area. He looked for any traps or anything out of the ordinary that a regular person could not see. His smile grew.
Ranma put his black leather gloves on. Careful of where he stepped, he came out of the brush into the opening. Calculating, knowing that Ukyo did not have enough time to set some of her more elaborate traps.
Making sure his face was hidden, Ranma played ignorant.
He stepped where she wanted him too. Many years of training taught her how to keep her breathing and heartbeat under control, but it could not stop the slight rush of a plan working out. Ukyo prepared for the strike, just a few more steps and….
'Crap!' Her target disappeared.
Trying to remain calm, Ukyo refused to move. Sometimes the best defense is staying where you are.
There, to her left. Quickly, she threw her mini spatula daggers.
Ranma felt the movement of the daggers as he played dumb. Now was his time to strike. He could tell that Ukyo was trying to maneuver him into a more advantageous position for her. He would not have it. So, Ranma charged right at her, and the daggers.
Ukyo did not expect this. The man ran right towards her instead of to the side, right into the razor sharp daggers.
Ranma used his speed and his gloved hands to deflect the daggers. With one swift attack he grabbed Ukyo and pinned her so she could not move. One of her arms was trapped under her body, the other held by the man's knee. Her legs were immobile under him, leaving his arms free. Only one man knew how to trap her that quickly and effectively. Her blue eyes came in contact with a pair of grey-blue.
"I remember once, master telling us not to get tunnel vision, but to look at the area around you. Do not be focused on one objective alone, because that could cost you, your life." Ranma spoke silently to her.
"RANMMM…….." Her voice was cut off by a gloved hand over her mouth.
"Nice to see you too, Ukyo. It's been awhile." A growl was her only response back.
Meanwhile….
It was time to send the next runner. Though the terrain looked like a big blur to him, Mousse had a general idea of where to run. He was not sure of this plan…however, seeing Ranma heading towards Ukyo, he knew that defeating Kuno would be easier. Ranma had shown his great skills many times back in China.
Obviously everyone in the rundown house was thinking the same thing.
Waiting for the signal, Mousse adjusted his robes.
With the nod from Ryoga, Mousse bolted. He ran as quickly as he could to the first bolder protecting him from the oncoming arrows. Taking a few deep breaths, he was off bolted to the next cover, then the next. Soon he was in the forest, protected by trees.
Kuno's Camp….
"Curses!!! These knights are truly clever," Kuno growled. "Sister dear, I need you to take about a third of our men and go after him!"
Kodachi just cocked up an eyebrow, but with no complaints, she did as her brother said. In her hands, she prepared a whip for battle.
"Oh my sweet Akane. Why is it that so many people stand in our way of true happiness, in the way of love? But fear not, I shall rescue you, even if at first you refuse, like last time." (Uh-oh, Kuno's a little evil here)
Flashback…
Princess Akane was paying her visits to the local village as she did every once in a while. It was here that she would practice some of her battling skills at a tournament. A small one, yet one owned by the local doctor to insure safety and fun. It had rules that everyone must follow. Only a little blood was allowed. No killing, and no maiming.
She just completed a battle and her next opponent was a stuck up baron named Kuno.
Yes, he was attracted to her beauty, but even more so because she was a princess and won all of her matches. He began a big speech on how they will marry if he defeated her. Unfortunately he never finished, as Akane knocked him out. The crowd cheered. A strange man, all in black approached Akane. He wore a cape that signified the Captain of the King's Guard. Because of the slight concussion and spots he kept seeing, the man in black apparel was a mystery to Kuno. But what wasn't, was the way that the man stood too close to HIS Akane and being rewarded by her smile.
From then on Kuno kept proposing and getting turned down. Soon all he could think about was Akane, and how to make her marry him.
Present…
Kuno's knuckles turned white as he held his hands in a tight fist. 'Oh yes, she will marry me.'
Ranma and Ukyo…
Ranma stood in a relaxed battle stance as Ukyo took a more aggressive one. He released her from the ground, telling her that they should talk, but instead they ending up like this.
"You have some nerve Ranma! Did you come here to get Akane, or are you after her dowry? I don't even know you anymore. What happened to you?!"
Ranma totally relaxed and turned his head.
"I came to see for myself about a rumor. It turned out to be true. No, I did not come for the dowry or…or Akane. I came to stop Kuno from hurting her. As for what happened to me, it's a long story." Ranma spoke softly, and with much emotion. Soon Ukyo also let down her guard.
"Ranma please. You must know that you can tell me anything. What happened in China, what made you turn your back on your fiancé?"
Flashback…
The battle raged on. Ranma knew that it was now impossible to save the Amazon village from Herb. Bodies littered the ground, as homes burned. But he had a promise to keep, a promise to the village elder Cologne.
"Shampoo, Mousse! We must leave!" Ranma yelled at them. Shampoo turned her cinnamon eyes at him, glaring as if she could strike down Ranma with a glance.
"NO! I stay and fight!" Shampoo blocked an attack and countered with one of her own. Ranma sighed, he had no choice.
"Sorry, Shampoo, but I made a promise to your great grandmother." Using the hilt of his sword, Ranma knocked Shampoo unconscious. She fell into Mousse's waiting arms.
"Ryoga! Call the men back. We are retreating."
"…" Ryoga, Ranma's second, gave him an unbelieving look. However, orders were orders and they fled.
Present…
"Some of Herb's men followed us. We continued to run, when we came to a place called Jusenkyo. There were springs everywhere. Shampoo and Mousse tried to warn us, but the men who followed us attacked. We…fell into those accursed springs. We can never be the same again. I could not allow Akane to feel the shame that I have to feel."
"You know Ranma she still loves you." Ukyo spoke after a pause. Ranma nodded his head.
"Yeah, I know. I saw it in her eyes. She loves me, just as I love her."
"Then why Ranma? Why not tell her the truth? I'm sure once she knows…"
"No! You don't know what it will do to her!" Ranma interrupted. Ukyo walked to Ranma and slapped him across the face.
"You don't know either! You just assume like everyone else out there. I thought that you knew her better than that." Ranma nodded his head. He knew Ukyo was right. Should he take the chance? It was hard, harder than any other decision he had to make. To truly trust someone absolutely. Although.…he remembered the times that he had with Akane, the love. Ranma smiled.
"You're right, Ukyo. Let's go and defeat Kuno and save Akane. I promise to tell her everything." Ukyo smiled at her friend's words. That was the Ranma she knew.
Meanwhile…
Ryoga and Shampoo just left, leaving the three sisters, the Duke, and four expendable knights behind. Akane let out a breath of air. She heard Nabiki snort.
"That baffoon. Look, most of his men separated to go after Ryoga and the others. Not only is Kuno vulnerable now, but in the forest our men have the advantage. Well Akane, it looks as if we will get to your wedding on time." Akane gave a half-hearted smile.
Great, into the arms of Shinnosuke, a man who hardly recognizes her. What a future she has. She briefly made eye contact with an understanding Kasumi.
What a future indeed.
Ryoga…
'Where am I know?' he thought to himself. He knew that he was in the forest, but where, he was not sure. By his calculations he should be near the camp, yet this looks as if it is the middle of the woods.
The men who went after him had a similar question. 'Where was this fool going?' But being under strict orders, they continued to follow the lost boy's trail.
Mousse…
He was surrounded. He glanced from man to man, to…woman. Shutters ran down his spine as the woman known as Kodachi Kuno, smiled. He heard stories about her and her love of poison.
"Well, it looks like a lone knight is out numbered. Tell me knight, how will you survive this? Ohohohoho (Kodachi's insane laughter)." Mousse adjusted his glasses.
"Why my lady quit easily."
"Um, that's the bush."
"…" Mousse turned from the bush.
"That's a dragon fly." Mousse and the others sweat dropped. Trying to focus himself, Mousse turned once again to what he thought was Kodachi.
"Now I'm just insulted!" she cried as she began to attack. "You thought that I am a warthog?!" Mousse dodged her attack effortlessly. Apparently what he lacked in eyesight, he made up in martial arts sight.
Mousse shot chains from his sleeves just as Kodachi's poison tipped whip slashed out at him. Kodachi cursed that her attacked was blocked and signaled for the others to attack. Thankfully, Mousse was raised in an Amazon village/forest, so he had no difficulty fighting off his attackers.
Whether by chains, a duck potty, or exploding eggs, Kodachi's men fell one at a time. So that only Mousse and Kodachi were left standing.
They charged at each other, letting out their battle cries. Kodachi used one of her smoke bombs to get the advantage over Mousse. But as the smoke cleared it was her who was chained to a tree.
"You forget that I am half blind. Those tricks will not work on me." Mousse let out a triumphant laugh, which stopped immediately, due to the fact that he knocked himself out by walking into a tree branch. Kodachi just shook her head.
Ranma and Ukyo…
Both Ranma and Ukyo observed Kuno from a distance.
"That baffoon. Most of his men left to go after the others." Ukyo whispered. Ranma gave a cocky grin.
"Well, Kuno was never known to be all there. Okay, Ukyo I'm going to get as much info as I can from Kuno. Then we can head back to Akane."
"Wait, won't Kuno be suspicious?"
"Don't worry. Remember, I'm cursed." Ranma left a dumb founded Ukyo as he went search for cold water.
T.B.C.
Thank you for reading, I hope that this chapter was enjoyable. Boy, this is getting longer than what I originally thought. I only meant it to be a couple of chapters, but it seems like it will be more. It's just so hard to stay focus when I'm having fun writing. Next chapter will get back on target with the movie more. ^_^