Second Promise

Part the First:

Pity Party

Kuonji Ranma

A Ranma 1/2 crossover

Disclaimer: I own not these characters...merely

the situations and circumstances I

thrust upon them unwittingly.

***************

"Ranma, prepare to die!"

Upon hearing these words, Ranma Saotome couldn't help but sigh.

If he were to be asked to sum up his life experiences in a

single phrase, that would be it. Those simple words were his

life for the past 4 years. It had been uttered so often in that span

of time that he couldn't even get too concerned that one of his many

enemies, rivals, hell, even fiancees, were after his head once again.

With another sigh, he turned around to face this new 'threat'. And

facefaulted.

'Oh C'mon Mousse! I couldn't have possibly have done anything

to your precious Shampoo, I haven't been near the Nekohanten

all week!' Ranma stated, picking himself up off the ground.

'I know! and because of your abandonment, my Shan Pu is miserable!

You shall pay for every tear you've caused her! NOW DIE!'

With that, the myopic amazon charged at Ranma, producing a curved

blade seemingly from out of nowhere. He very nearly connected too,

Ranma was barely able to duck *he he* out of the way of Mousse's

first swipe, frantically dodging for a few moves before finally

finding his rhythm and closing his mouth.

You see, Ranma didn't almost get hit because Mousse had gotten

better, or faster, or trickier. No, Ranma almost got skewered

because he had spent too much time gaping at his obviously mentally

challenged foe. Of course, Ranma wasn't one for much internal

thinking, so his mouth had to have it's say.

'Wait a sec...you're telling me you're actually mad because I'm

NOT hanging all over Shampoo?' Ranma asked incredulously, jumping

over the obligatory chains Mousse felt he had to throw in every

match.

'SHUT UP! Do you think I like this Ranma? You think I enjoy having

to punish you for staying away from Shan Pu? But the woman that I

love is suffering, and all because you're too spineless to make

a decision! Now hold still so I can kill you, you enemy of all

womeeeeeeeeennnnnn...!'

This last bit was said as Mousse, who had just been punched into

LEO, flew towards the horizon, leaving behind a rather angry

martial artist, angry because Mousse's words held truth, truth

he wasn't ready to deal with yet.

'Mousse, you jerk! It's not I like the way my life is...' Ranma

growled to the empty air, 'I just can't see a way out without

...without damaging my honor. Honor, or rather, my father demands

that I marry too many people, but...'

Ranma breathes in deeply, before saying the next few words...

it hurts even to say it to himself,

'...I also can't, or won't, marry any of them for honor, nor

for any other reason other than love. And...I can't marry them

for that. So the best I can hope for is to stall

them and hope for a miracle someday.'

Ranma chuckles at his imaginary listener...you know, someone who

actually does that, listens.

'Besides, why do you think it's taking me this long to get into

Tokyo U? 2 years? If I wanted to I would have been in by now, but

right now my graduating is the only thing standing between me and

a lifetime with Akane *shudder* and that's a fate worse than death.'

Ranma spoke these last words in a whisper, his anger spent as he

looked morosely up at the sky, once again wishing for a way out,

a way to live his own life without destroying anyone else's, hoping

against hope, that this time his wishes would be granted, his

perserverance. Instead all he noticed was a distant rumbling of

thunder, and the feel of water soaking him to the bone. Looking

to her left, she saw a familiar old woman with a now empty ladle,

walking inside her house, leaving Ranma-chan to sigh for the 3rd

time in less than 10 minutes,

'Great...'

************

Elsewhere:

We see a young woman soaking in a hot spring as she gazes up at the

stars. The woman's dark tresses float peacefully behind her and seems

to reflect the light. She raises her arms before her face and looks at

her hands, they are callused and darkened, a direct opposite to the

rest of her pale, smooth, unblemished skin.

A sigh escapes her lips and she bows her head and contemplates her

reflection in the water as she considers her future. She had been

sent to this place in the hopes that in a new environment, her studies

would approve, but she knew that it would not matter where she was.

She hadn't cared about her studies for the past two years, she had

already discovered her passion, The Art,

"But I still have such a long way to go, just to compare to my elders.

Why do they insist on wasting my time like this? Sticking me here

with these...these people! A drunkard, a chain smoker, and a brainy

know it all. *sigh* How long? How long must I suffer this indignity?"

She raises her eyes to the sky once more, no longer in quiet sadness

but with a kind of tragic hope, a desire for a way out. Some miracle

that would make it possible for her to devote her all to The Art.

She had already promised herself that she would never end up like

her onee-san, but she needed to train, not just for peace of mind,

but to be a better woman. With all this in her heart she implored the

night, not for the first time, hoping that maybe this time, she would

be heard. Instead, she heard a loud rustling as the air around suddenly

sped up, sending her hair sprawling about.

After the wind had quieted down, and trying to convince herself that

the wind was not a bad omen, she glanced down and caught her reflection.

Bits of leaves and twigs were intertwined her hair, which would take

quite some time to get out. Sighing for the third time in less than

ten minutes, she proceeded to work her hair free from accumulated debris.

'Great...'

*************

Elsewhere again:

A mysterious figure stands here, gazing into a pool at our two wishers.

He seems to think for a bit, before he seems to toss something round

into the water. Obviously pleased with himself, he steps away from the

pool.



'Heh, be careful what you ask for...I just might decide to give it to

you.' he says with a very feline grin.

'Toltier! what are you doing over there?'

'Umm...nothing much Urd! No matchups going on over here, nope he he.'

'Well okay...you just remember, couples are my territory. As is befitting

of a goddess of LOVE! HA HA HA'

'Yeah sure!' Toltier waits until Urd turns and walks away before a sigh

escapes him. Looking until the pool one more time, he allows a smile

to settle on his face, 'Well now, let's see how this turns ou...t?

This said as he notices Urd coming up behind him.

'Oh yeah, I forgot what I came by to tell you, It's about Skuld, you'll

never guess what...ano? Why do you seem so jumpy? What were you looking

at? *takes a quick peek over Toltier's shoulder, not at all deterred

by his panicked attempts to block her* Oh, that looks interesting...'

*Pauses*

'WHAT THE HELL?'

**************

Author's notes:

Whoot! Another story, another

chapter. What a wild and crazy

roller coaster inspiration is!

Yes, this is another crossover,

seems like that's all I know

how to do. Maybe I just like

having more characters than I

know what to do with, or maybe

I'm just an unthinking idiot,

who knows? certainly not me!!!

Also, I am seriously considering

a battle royale crossover, but I'm

not sure if we're ready for that yet.

For those of you that don't know,

a b.r. fanfic would be DARK. let me

know whether or not I should do it.

Btw, I'm at an impasse right now,

I have no idea which story to

work on next, please e-mail with

your picks cause i'm clueless.

As usual critiques are welcome

as long as they're constructive.

Flames will be used to stuff

Rizel-chan's stuffed husband.

-Kuonji Ranma

kuonji_ranma@hotmail.com

www.geocities.com/kuonji_ranma