Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The dragon amongst wolves ❯ Enter the Elder ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 7

Enter the Elder

AN (Where back!!!! For those that don’t know you can find this story under two different pen names. ON FF- it is under Shadowdreamer Lady Fate On MM & AFF it is under Kallipso. Please enjoy and tell us what you think.)

Continuing The Continuation of the Continuing Flash Back that Continues to Continue (…maybe I should stop now…)

It was a quite scene in the ICU the next morning. A red haired young girl lay unconscious on a bed as several I.V.’s ran into her arms supplying painkillers and nutrients to the comatose person until the sleeper woke up.

Hajime frowned at all the different machinery and equipment that beeped and hummed and dripped in un-harmonized noise. Dr. Ikura had given him an overview when he had arrived at the hospital that morning.

It seemed as if Ranma had taken to the surgery; however the damage to her leg and the resulting pins required would more than likely cause her to have a permanent limp from the shifting in the bones.

He sighed as he settled further back into his chair and dumped the magazine onto the floor. Bankotsu was out overseeing the surveillance on the Himura household and the last he heard was Shirou was still searching for the missing brother.

“What a way to star a week,” he muttered as he glanced back up at the still figure.

He had studied that face for what must have been hours. He knew every curve of her brow, the jut of her nose, the-

“Oh Kami-sama, I’m losing it,” he groaned as his tiled his head forward into his hands.

But he could not stop himself from looking back upward at her face. It was for this reason that he saw the slight flutter of her eyelashes and Hajime prayed that the girl would finally wake up. It was then that he noticed a small movements on the bed.

Ranma woke up feeling light headed and sore. She knew that she should be feeling sore than she was though. ‘Where am I? The last thing I remember was that man asking me to follow him. What happened?’ Ranma thought as she went to sit up.

“Gently. Your body’s been through quite a strain,” Hajime chastised.

“Wha-” Ranma started to try and say. “What hap-?”

“Easy does it, easy. You shouldn’t try to get up you’re to injured. I don’t know if you remember me but I am Kale Hajime pleased to meet you. We will talk more after you have completely healed. Right now concentrate on getting better. No one here will harm you I give you my word.” Hajime explained. “Don’t worry; you’ll be able to recover here. Gain your strength back.”

“Healed?” Ranma murmured.

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything when you’re more up to it.”

Ranma look suspiciously at Kale for a couple of minutes before she felt sleep pulling at her again. It did not make sense she shouldn’t be so tried she had just been sleeping. Nothing Ranma could do could keep her awake however and she gently slipped into a more natural sleep. Kale sighed in relief; Ranma could be moved out of the ICU now that she had woken up. He smiled as he moved her bangs out of Ranma’s eyes. They would get their answers soon and that was all he needed. Kale pushed the buzzer for the nurse and sat back with a smile on his face.

He stood as heard the door start to open. “Good news,” he announced as he turned.

However the person in the door was not the nurse that he had been expecting.

“Really?” the older man in the door asked. “Well, I hope it has something to do with the fact that the triple guard at the clan house has practically made me a prisoner in my own home.”

Hajime stared in shock. “Kai-Sama!” he said surprised as he made a low bow of respect. “It is an honor.”

Kai snorted in disbelief. “Oh stop your groveling Kale and just explain to me what the hell is going on.”

“Sir!” Hajime snapped to attention.

Kai waved a hand at the guard behind him and the female saluted to them.

Hajime nodded at the woman. “Umi,” he acknowledged.

The young guard jumped slightly, obviously not expecting to be addressed personally. “Ha-Hajime-Sama,” Umi stuttered in response.

Hajime suddenly got a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach and once more wished that Elder Kai did not have the habit of throwing new recruits into the fire by promoting them to his personal guard duty their first week with the montage of “Sink or Swim”.

“Kai-sama, I will be right out side the door if you have need of me,” Umi announced.

Kai once more waived a hand dismissively as he made his way to the bed and gazed at the figure resting upon it.

“Elder?” Umi asked again.

“I heard you the first time,” Kai sing songed as quickly darted to the left and seated himself in Hajime’s vacated chair picking up the discarded magazine and began thumbing though it.

Both younger people blinked at the speed at which this was accomplished before Umi turned dazedly away and shut the door behind her.

Kai turned to the only other person still conscious. “So… I’m waiting.”

“Er, yes sir,” Hajime fidgeted. He could hear the demand in that statement, and despite the fact that the older man was smiling, Hajime could already tell that Elder Kai was past his tolerance limit. “Well it has to do with this young girl.”

“And here I thought you were just one of those people who visited hospital patients for the hell of it,” Kai joked flatly.

“Er, well-” Hajime quickly gave a run down of how Ranma Satome had appeared in the house pool and what limited information Shirou had been able to discover regarding her background.

Kai glanced at the girl once more as Hajime explained her father’s crimes. “So this is one of those famous martial arts prodigy students that I’ve heard about.”

Hajime blinked. “You know of her?” his voice cracked over the question.

Kai sat back, less angry and more of his cheerful nature now that he had some of the information he sought. “Well, as Elder of the clan, it’s my business to know all the different schools for everything. Not just for kendo but for martial arts as well. And archery and so on and so forth.”

Hajime blinked. “Oh, well I suppose you would know her then,” he murmured.

“Indeed,” Kai agreed. “I have heard exploits of both of these ‘Ranma’s’ but it never registered that I might be hearing the exploits of two people.” Kai’s eyes snapped back to Hajime. “However, the fact that the girl is from such a controversy school is still not a reason to triple the guard at the school.”

“Well,” Hajime began. “It’s more the fact of who her mother is than her father.”

Kai blinked at him. “…and…?”

Hajime took a deep breath. “Her mother’s maiden name was ‘Himura’.”

The breath held as he waited for Kai’s reaction.

Kai flipped through the magazine idly. “So?”

The breath came out in a gush and Hajime stared at him dumbfounded. “‘SO’?”

Kai dropped the magazine in a repeat of Hajime’s earlier movements. “Kale,” Kai said almost tiredly, “from what you’ve said it was her own family that has put her in this state. The fact that we are known rival clans, do you really think that they will just barge in here and take her back?”

Hajime blinked stupidly. “Well, yes.”

Kai rolled his eyes heavenward. “Ah youth.” Hajime just continued staring at him. “Kale, the Himura’s, or rather the Satome’s will have to deal with the situation cautiously.” He explained. “To just charge in and take her back would result in another fight between our clans. Not to mention the legal ramifications. They must surly recognize this situation for what it is.”

“What is it?” Hajime asked.

“Simple,” Kai picked the magazine back up. “We have a bargaining chip.”

“She is not some ‘pawn’ to be used!” Hajime snapped angrily.

Kai raised an eyebrow at the unusual outburst from Hajime. For the younger man to show such concern for a non-clan member was telling Kai that perhaps this young girl had already gotten to the boy more than any sword would.

Hajime gasped just as surprised by his outburst as the elder. “Forgive me Kai-Sama.”

Kai shrugged it off. “This doesn’t change that the Himura clan will see her as a bargaining chip and use her as such.”

Hajime deflated some what.

They were suddenly interrupted by a timid knock on the door before it was opened to reveal Umi entering with a small tray. “Elder Kai?” the girl asked cheerfully, “I’ve brought you some tea.”

It seemed as if the feeling of dread that Hajime had felt was well founded for as the girl was so intent of looking at Kai, she did not watch her footing and her toe caught one of the trailing cables.

All three gasped as the girl went flying in one direction and the tea another.

True to Ranma universe the hot tea landed right on top of her.

And the second the hot liquid touched her skin, Ranma began to scream.