chap 1

~Present time~

A young man can be seen walking across the wild woods. A bag was slung over his shoulder and a scabbard protruded on his back. Seriousness on his face masked his nervousness and anticipation of returning home.

Home. It's been years. Many things have happened, some good, some bad, some terribly bad that it pains him to recall them. He was a war veteran now. At a tender age of fifteen he joined the rebellion that successfully overthrew the old government. It was rough going in the beginning but slowly the tide of war eventually shifted and fortune smiled on the rebels.

He smiled a pained smile as he now recalled the final battle of the war when he and his fellow warriors stormed the palace of the Shogun. Two months before the attack a large chunk of the Sanzenin Army changed sides and the chain of command of the remaining loyal army was in disarray. Gaining momentum, the rebels intensified their attacks and then finally reached the last stronghold of the enemy, the impregnable palace of the shogun.

~Flashback~

'Onward' Kuno screamed while he did one of his patented 'noble poses'.

'Shut up Kuno! Save your breath, we're almost there!' Ranma was very annoyed. 'What a fool!' he thought.

If Kuno weren't a decent enough fighter Ranma would have insisted that Kuno be excluded in this crucial battle. He was just an annoyance.

'Careful commoner! You better show more respect to your future emperor!' Kuno said.

'The insolence of this commoner! My plot to rid of him was a complete failure, why!' Kuno's mind screamed.

~End of flashback~

Ranma was very popular among the rebels. Kuno was informed of this and was told by his loyal servant that there was talk that when the war was over a good number of the rebels would proclaim Ranma as their new ruler.

In the beginning, Kuno attracted followers by his daring speeches and his prowess with the sword. And not to mention he was of noble blood. Many believed he was a saviour to them. However, at the early stages of the war it was soon apparent what an incompetent leader he was. He was a complete buffoon when it came to the art of war.

The rebellion wasn't going well.

Then out of nowhere a young man came forth and joined the rebellion. His name was Ono Tofu. He was a brilliant strategist and well liked among the rebels. He quickly gained the support of the rebels and with their consent he reorganized and started a new battle plan. Thanks to his timely intervention the rebellion was saved and was given new life.

Kuno resented this new comer but was powerless to remove him. The rebels had appointed Tofu as their new general and Kuno had taken the back seat. Kuno became just a figurehead and his unending rants were generally ignored.

It was during this stage that Ranma joined the rebellion. Tofu was astounded at the young boy's skill. So Tofu had taken him under his wing and made him the key to the new rebel offensive against the dark warriors.

The feared constabulary tasked to counter the insurgency was called the 'Dark Warriors.' They were ruthless and merciless. They had abused their station and were the cause, as many had believed, of the rebellion itself. Using their post and power they ransacked homes and murdered suspected rebels.

The constabulary's early purpose was to police the countryside and capture criminals. As years passed by they grew in power and became a political force to be reckoned with. A young Mikado Sanzenin used them to usurp the ascendancy of his older brother. With the strong military backing of the constabulary, Mikado strong-armed his father, the Shogun, to appoint him as the successor.

When the old Shogun died, Mikado showed his true colors and lavished himself with wild parties at the country's expense. Mikado, to maintain his playboy lifestyle, overtaxed his people. He gave the constabulary the task and absolute power to oversee that taxes and duties were strictly enforced.

Many villages were burned and destroyed for failure to meet the high taxes that Mikado had burdened them. It was one of these destroyed villages that Ranma passed through on his return trip from China. Ranma had asked an old lady why their village was torched to the ground. Ranma remembered the anger he felt when he heard their sad tale. He pitied them and swore that he would avenge them.

Ranma had returned home troubled. He could not erase the anguished face of the old lady from his mind. He later learned of other terrible stories about the dark warriors and then decided that he would join the rebellion and end this madness.