Ranma ½:
The Open Sky
It was a cool night, the breeze bringing with it fresh air. The pigtailed boy inhaled as he walked down the street. It was late at night and there was school tomorrow, but he didn't care. Without a care in the world he continued on his journey, wondering what Oyaji would be doing right about now. Probably he turned in early and was sound asleep, it was almost one in the morning after all. Tomorrow would be a big day, the day of the fight with Ryouga Hibiki. Ranma was looking forward to it and just hoped the lost boy showed up. Oyaji had talked him into going on a trip to China to improve their skills in the art, Ranma couldn't help but wonder how they would get there though. Knowing the old man he'd make them swim across the China sea just to get there.
"Freeze!" Ranma turned around and shielded his eyes from the bright glare from the cars headlights. Two men came forward, it was hard to see them against the blinding light though. His first instincts were to run, and so he did. He could hear the men shouting after him, but he didn't once look back. The siren pierced the air, sounding much like a police car. "Oh god.... what do they want? I didn't do nothing.... this time..." his mind wandered to every theft he'd been a party to, every law he and his father had broken, and he felt his throat tightening up.
"Shit...." Another car came from the other side of the street and swerved in front of him, Ranma jumped the car and kept going. He turned the corner onto another street and found himself face to face with the barrel of a gun. He looked up at the uniformed officers and slowly raised his hands into the air. There were two people with guns aimed at him, one however was a girl with long, dirty blond hair.... "Suspect has been apprehended.... requesting back up and transportation." Ranma could hear the other cars pulling up behind him, his eyes were wide in surprise and shock. It had been so peaceful only moments ago, and now everything was like a surreal nightmare. "W-what do you want?" Ranma asked. The female officer instructed him to put his hands against the squad car and she read him his rights. She then cuffed him and led him towards the car, opening up the back door she pushed him inside. As the car began to drive away the male officer asked "what's your name kid?" Ranma hesitated "my names Ranma Saoutome.... what's going on?" The officer turned to face him "shut up Saoutome.... we're the ones who are asking the questions here." Ranma complied.
* * *
Ranma found himself sitting at a wooden table alone with one of the officers. He was of average build and had black hair cut short. His eyes dark and piercing. He slammed a file down on the table and Ranma heard the 'smack' of paper on wood. "Your in deep shit now Saotome...." Ranma looked slightly up at the man, keeping his eyes lowered to avoid eye contact. "Fifty criminal warrants alone..... " He than began to recite the offences. "Massive property damage, theft, fighting in a public place, disturbing the peace, theft again, assault, improper use of fire hydrants, destroying public services, vagrancy, assault and battery, robbery, shoplifting, running from officers of the law..... need I go on?" Ranma shook his head. "And now we can add murder to the list as well.... " Ranma sighed "I already told ya, I didn't kill anyone." The officer slammed his fist against the desk "Than why were you running....?" Ranma sighed a second time "probably had something ta do with the fifty or so arrest warrants....." The officer sat down at the desk, across from Ranma.
"We'd like to contact your family.... but we need your parents names...." Ranma laughed "The old man's probably left the country already......." The man leaned back in his chair "what about your mother?" The pigtailed boy shook his head. "Any relatives at all?" The pigtailed boy looked up and into the mans eyes for the first time since the questioning had started "no..... What's going to happen to me now?" he asked. The man sighed and stood up, he than walked towards the door.
* * *
Officer Ikemoto Akita walked into the office, several of the officers looked up at him expectantly. He shook his head sadly. "No luck...."
* * *
The trial hadn't gone well at all. Maybe threatening to kill his own lawyer..... and the judge..... hadn't been such a good idea after all. Ranma stared at the bars of the cell, he'd been stuck in here for a week, waiting to be transferred to the prison in China. It was a new facility, one that specialized in the rehabilitation of youths. Ranma was already plotting his escape, he had after all picked up a few tricks from his old man.
He wondered where his father was, or what ever happened to Ryouga.
Tomorrow he'd be transported.... he had no idea what the method of travail would be yet though.
* * *
Ryouga collapsed in front of the school "I made it...." he gasped "finally made it...." He than stood up and grabbed the nearest person. Snarling he asked "where's Ranma Saoutome?" The boy was shaking with fright, and his face had gone white. "H-hes in jail.... didn't you hear?" Ryouga released his hold on the boy "what?!" The boy nodded "he was arrested last week.... for murder." Ryouga backed away from the boy "m-murder?"
The boy began edging away "ya.... They sent him away to some high security prison in China...."
Ryouga looked off into the sky and began wandering the world aimlessly again, already lost among his thoughts and the sky above.
* * *
Ranma rubbed his wrists, they had finally taking the cuffs off. It had been a long plane right getting here. They hadn't allowed the prisoners any freedom of speech in the least. Ranma looked around, quite bored, and realized that he would have rather swam to China as it would have been more fun.
Looking around Ranma wondered how far he'd get if he made a break for it right there and then. Supposedly from what he'd heard from the guards, they had landed at an old airfield beside some amazon village, and they were to hike the rest of the way. Ranma took one look around, and made a break for it. The officers and guards spent a moment wordlessly watching the boy fly past them, before the situation seemed to sink into their brains. "Escape!" one of the guards finally shouted and Ranma hunched down low, to avoid the projectiles flying towards him. He wasn't sure if they were real bullets in the rifles and shot guns that they were shooting at him, or rubber ones. One thing he knew for sure though was that he really didn't want to hang around and find out. He jumped into the air, rolled and continued running. One of the shots grazed his hip and he started zig zagging, his head scanning the distance for shelter. One of the projectiles nicked the top of his head, and he was getting tired of the gun fire pounding in his ears. Below him was a valley, he picked up his speed and jumped off the edge of the cliff. He flipped in the air on his way down, hoping to land in one of the springs, which would break his fall. There sure were a lot of springs down there.
* * *
Ranma looked around the dormitory. They had thrown her in with the other girls. She blushed slightly and glanced over at the small packs they had issued. A change of cloths and other personal items. As if being in this prison wasn't bad enough, she was now also cursed as a girl. The guards had been puzzled by the whole situation, but solved it as quickly as possible so as not have to think much about it.
The dorm was filled with bunks, and Ranma was surprised to see that this really wasn't a prison after all. She glanced over at the brown haired girl who was smiling sweetly at her. "I'm sorry but this is my bunk!" the girl said right before slamming her elbow down on top of Ranma's head. The pigtailed girl felt her pigtail being violently pulled "Ahhhh! That hurts!" she shouted. "Magumi!" Ranma looked from the corner of her eye to see a woman in a uniform standing in the doorway. The redhead found her pigtail being released and shuddered. She didn't think that she would like it here much at all. Today had been so horrible, she didn't want to think about the consequences of tomorrow. The woman walked over to Ranma, and she wondered if she was going to get in trouble again. The guards had spent several hours punishing her for running away already. It wasn't until the woman hugged her that she realized she'd been crying. "Its okay Ranma" the woman soothed....."
* * *
Ranma sat all alone, staring into the black all around. The tour had ended hours ago, and the lights had been out for all so long. She sat and she waited, all the while feeling very alone. She just keep on crashing and burning. Every time she thought things wouldn't get any worse, they did. She didn't know how long she'd be stuck in this place, but it was the first night since all of it had begun, that she'd allowed herself to lie awake and think.
She hadn't seen Oyaji in over a week, her best friend Ryouga would think she ran out on the fight, without even saying good-bye. Not that any of that mattered anymore since she was starting to think that she wouldn't see anyone outside of this place in a long long time. Surprisingly the staff had been kind and considerate.... understanding even. Ranma blushed remembering all the shoulders she had cried on today. The other prisoners mostly left her alone, and kept to themselves. To them, she appeared emotionally unstable, and someone had let slip that she was here under murder charges. Not even Magumi had tried pushing her around much anymore.
She remembered the cool night air, and the way the breeze felt in her hair. The way the night smelled so fresh and clean. The night she lost her freedom and was pulled away into darkness and bondage. She felt so alone, surrounded by strangers she didn't even know, in a place that was big and dark.... mysterious and very scary to someone who spent most of their life living in a tent and under the open sky.
* * *
TO BE CONTINUED......