Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Fate: one half ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Day 1.
-
-
 
“Ahh, this must be it.” said one of the newest Jusenkyo valley guests, a heavyset bold man in a dirty white gi and quickened his walking.
 
“This is legendary training ground?” snorted his companion, a young boy with black hair made in a pigtail and dressed in the similar outfit, when he saw a valley with many springs that had bamboo poles sticking out of them.
 
When they passed a small hut near the springs, a middle-aged man wearing Chinese army uniform ran out of it. Looking at two travelers, he started to shout.
 
“Please, sirs! Please go back! Very bad if fall in spring! Get cursed!”
 
“Curse?! There is no such thing as a curse! “ said Genma in dismissive voice when he reached the springs. He put his backpack on the ground and ignoring his son's hesitation, jumped on one of the poles.
 
“Wait a minute, Pops. The water is not see-through…” said the boy, his habit of being careful with weird things acting up.
 
But seeing that his father already jumped on the nearest pole, he put down his backpack as well and jumped on one of the poles. He turned to face his old man and crackling his knuckles, he said with a smirk.
 
“It's time to lose old man. But don't worry. I won't beat you up, too hard.”
 
“Feh. You are way too young to beat me, boy!” answered his father, jumping towards him.
 
-
 
After several minutes of sparring, Ranma decided to end it by throwing Genma into one of the pools and changed his attacks from pressure points to throws.
 
The next time they jumped towards each other, he grabbed his father's hand instead of deflecting it and using this newly created hole in Genma's defenses he kicked him into the pool below.
 
Landing on the nearby pole, Ranma looked at the pool his father landed in and smirked victoriously.
 
“Getting awfully slow, aren't you old man?”
 
Suddenly a tall water pillar rose from the pool, barely giving the boy enough time to jump away.
 
When the water subsided, he saw a panda, standing where he was seconds ago.
 
“What the hell?” he asked in shock, when he noticed his father's glasses and bandana on panda's head.
 
“I told springs have curse. Mr. Customer fall into the spring of Drowned Panda and become panda.” said the Jusenkyo Guide, shaking his head in sorrow.
 
“But magic doesn't exist.” said Ranma and took his eyes away from the panda for a second to look at the Guide. He immediately paid for it when panda leaped at him and even though Ranma tried to jump away, sent him in one of the pools with a paw swipe that looked suspiciously alike to an Anything Goes maneuver.
 
The Guide watched the boy fly to one of the few unnamed springs. Unnamed because all of the Guide's attempts at discovering what the curse was, failed. All of test animals he threw in, remained unchanged.
 
But this time was definitely a special one, because as soon as the boy fell in the spring, the water glowed for a brief moment. Soon, that glow erupted in a cloud of bright sparks that flew out of the spring and danced for a few seconds above the water surface before they disappeared.
 
-
 
Inside of the spring, Ranma felt his body start to tingle with intensity that was driving him insane.
 
Fortunately, a few seconds later his mind drifted away and he found himself near an unusual building. It looked like one of the temples he saw when he and his father traveled through Greece, but it was almost new instead of the ruins the visited.
 
`Maybe the water in these damn pools is poisoned. That would explain both that feeling and this.' he thought as he looked around and if he didn't remember that he was at the bottom of the spring, he would've sworn that he really was near a temple because neither of his feelings could find any flaws in the surroundings.
 
Very soon this vision faded away and he found himself in murky water again and his lungs were in a burning need for air. He planted his feet on the bottom of the spring and jumped out of the water, taking most of it with him.
 
-
 
Ranma's jump lasted a lot longer then usual, long enough for ecstasy of breathing to die down and allow logical thinking. He landed softly in a stance that other people would've called cat-like and felt his hair undone and a lot heavier than usual. He caught a strand of his hair and brought it before his eyes.
 
“Purple!? Why the hell my hair is purple? And why is it that lon…” He stopped when he heard his words spoken by a melodic voice that sounded nothing like his, except for a familiar note of confidence and inner strength.
 
“Oh, now I understand.” said the Guide. “This spring turn into a girl only those it chooses.”
 
“Girl?” asked Ranma, pulling his gaze away from his longer, slender hand and yelled at the Chinese man “I'm not a girl!”
 
“Mr. young customer did fell in spring. Now you turn into girl, but hot water turn back. ”
 
-
 
Hearing these words, Genma, who was still sitting on top of a pole and looked at his paws in shock, unfroze and hurried to the Guide's hut.
 
-
 
When Ranma looked down, he saw a black dress with enough cleavage to prove, without a doubt, that he was a she now. She squeezed one of her breasts hard and pain that surged through her body, broke her hope that it was another dream to pieces.
 
“Where is he?! Where is that bastard?!” she yelled and her anger, at the man who took away the very thing he taught her to treasure most, materialized in her hands as a pair of metal spikes, with arcs that served as hand guards, that were connected to each other by a long chain.
 
-
 
“Boy, immediately change back! And take off that blindfold!” shouted Genma as he walked from the Guide's hut.
 
“Blindfold?” asked Ranma in irritated voice. “What are you talking about, you stupid old man? And first thing I'll do now, will be beating you up for taking me to these stupid springs!” With that she dashed towards Genma, who saw that his son was intent on delivering a lot of bodily harm to him and ran like hell.
 
“Get back here and take what's coming to you!” yelled Ranma and before she could think how to do that, her reflexes acted up and brought the chain in her hands to life. It shot towards its target and tied itself around Genma's legs. With a mighty pull, Ranma sent him flying backwards and smirked when he crash-landed at her feet.
 
“Yeah, I'm the best.” Ranma said in a smug voice and with a single motion she freed her weapon.
 
When she looked down on Genma, she noticed that his body was limp as if she knocked him out and kicked him in the ribs.
 
”Come on old man, stop acting, I know the landing wasn't that hard and I'm not finished with you yet.”
 
When her father refused to get up, she briefly thought of ways she could extract her revenge but not finding any to her liking, she sighed and turned to the Guide.
 
“So, hot water will cure this curse?”
 
“No, Mr. Customer. Hot water turn you back, but cold water change again.”
 
-
 
Meanwhile, in Fuyuki city, Japan, a young girl finally finished a pentagram that, as she hoped, would summon a powerful warrior to her side. Brushing away one of the strands of her plum-colored hair, the only thing that brightened her rather shy and timid appearance, she walked out of the symbol she drew on the floor and picked up a small book.
 
Slowly, she started to read the incantation.
 
"Hear me.
 
If thou wouldst serve under me, my fate will be entwined with thy blade.
 
If thou wouldst hear these words under the laws of the grail, come.
 
For the river of war flows once more.
 
It calls to thee who followed its path.
 
By the memory of conflict held in this blade I abjure thee.
 
Let blood rain from the sky again.
 
Come forth, my servant!"
 
-
 
When she said the last words, the symbol before her glowed with power and strands of light rose from the ground, quickly coalescing into a glowing humanoid figure.
 
When the light subsided, the summoner saw a woman, in mid-twenties, with long purple hair and matching blindfold. She wore a short black dress that left her shoulders bare, shoulder length gloves that were held in place by small purple leather belts and left her palms and fingers free. Thigh high boots and a choker finished her outfit.
 
“Man, not another stupid dream.” She said as she looked around, her blindfold obviously not blocking her sight. “Stupid old man, stupid curse.”
 
“Ahh, excuse me. I'm Sakura Matou. Are you my Servant in the Grail War?” asked the girl, when she mastered enough strength to speak.
 
Seeing that her guest ignored her, she tried again and this time, the older woman muttered something before she answered.
 
“Servant? Ranma Saotome is nobody's servant. And what the hell is Grail War?”
 
Upon hearing that answer Sakura's shoulders slumped and she reached for a handkerchief, an act that that got all of the attention from other woman. In fact, she looked like she was about to panic.
 
Wiping away a tear she couldn't hold back, Sakura started to answer.
 
“Grail War is very old. In it, seven mages fight each other until only one remains and that winner is granted any wish by Grail. But in order to make a wish, mages need help from spirits of legendary heroes that protect their Masters until Grail appears.”
 
“So, let me get this straight. You are a mage and used your magic to summon one of those Servants to protect you until you get your wish, but summoned me instead?”
 
“I don't really need a wish.” said the girl, answering her guest's question with a nod.
 
When Ranma saw Sakura reach for the handkerchief again, she desperately tried to find words that'll calm the girl and suddenly a perfect plan, how to get rid both of the girl's tears and her own curse, formed in her mind.
 
“How about I'll protect you? I'm no legendary hero, but I'm one of the best martial artists there is. But in return I want that wish for myself.”
 
“…”
 
“Oh, come on. Stop crying already.” said Ranma when the other girl hugged her with tears of joy streaming freely.
 
`I simply don't understand girls. I said no and she cries, but when I said that I'll do it, she cries even harder!' thought the older girl trying to understand what she needed to do and decided to just stand still until the crying ended.
 
-
 
When Sakura finally released her, Ranma asked.
 
“So, what we do now?”
 
“I'm very tired from casting the spell, so I'll take a nap. And if you're tired too, I'll show you where my room is.” smiled the girl.
 
Ranma hesitated, she was a little tired, but curse or no curse, she was a guy and the girl's sincere smile made it impossible to agree to sleep in her room. Thinking quickly, she replied with enough confidence in her voice to convince even her father.
 
“Nah, I'm fine. I want to train and this room looks good enough, so I'll stay here.”
 
The other girl nodded and exited the room, leaving her guardian alone.
 
-
 
“Ah, damn. I forgot to ask for some hot water.” cursed the purple haired woman as she remembered the Guide's words. Sighing at loss of opportunity to change back, she manifested her chain and started her katas.
 
-
 
It was already dark when she was finishing her last exercise.
 
She blocked her imaginary enemy's vertical sword slash with a chain between her hands and kicked him away with a chain around his neck. In one swift motion she crushed his throat and freed her weapon so she could throw the other end at her last foe. The spike slightly changed its course to bypass his shield and impaled him.
 
“Man, I'm good. I wonder when I became that good with chains though, I never even liked weapons.” mused Ranma, as she retracted her chain and threw her ponytail back over her shoulder so it wouldn't tangle with her weapon.
 
“And I wonder why I like my hair long. It must be because that curse is playing tricks with my mind.”
 
Dismissing her weapon she yawned and began to stretch, but instantly turned around blushing when she saw in a nearby mirror what that innocent move did to her short dress and well developed figure. `At least I turn into a good looking one that knows martial arts' she thought and shook her head to clear out embarrassing images that appeared when she saw herself in too much detail.
 
`Maybe I just need some sleep, Pops always says that when I get these feelings.'
 
-
 
But the sleep brought her no relief because she dreamed about that strange temple again and this time she walked inside. She passed both the outer row of columns and the two columns that stood before the entrance. Inside she saw a big and long hall, whose walls had many images carved on them, and three thrones, masterfully crafted from stone, stood near the opposite wall.
 
“Where's everybody?” she asked, disliking the emptiness of the thrones for some reason and heard someone's voice through the arc in the opposite wall. She was about to walk there but suddenly, a feeling that something was terribly wrong, pulled her away from the dreamland.
 
Ranma woke up and leaped to her feet, trying to find what her danger sense was warning her about. When she couldn't find any outside threats, she concentrated on feeling if there was anything wrong with her body and immediately heard somebody's cry for help from a nearby room.
 
`Ahh, damn, that's bad. Maybe one of those mages she talked about found her while I slept.' she thought, dashing to where the cry came from.
 
-
 
When she opened the door, she heard heavy breathing and moans and soon she saw Sakura lying on her bed in torn clothing with some boy on top of her. That made her hesitate for a second but when she saw Sakura's teary face, it took only a second for Ranma's chain to wrap itself around the boy and throw him into the wall with a bone crushing force.
 
Seeing that he won't be moving for a while, she ran to the girl, who was trying to pull together remains of her clothing, and quickly inspected her body for damage. Not finding anything serious, she sighed in relief and decided to show the guy, who was about to regain his consciousness, that treating someone so badly would cost you at least a few broken bones.
 
But when she started to rise from the bed, Sakura caught her hand and refused to let her go.
 
“But I'm not leaving you. I just want to beat him up for what he's done with you.” said Ranma trying to calm the girl.
 
“That's right sister, control your Servant, or better give me your Command seals right now!” said the boy when he rose to his knees, trying not to move his left hand. Hearing no response, he snarled.
 
“Give me those seals before I told Shiro what I was doing to you at night!”
 
The expression in Sakura eyes briefly changed from fearful to panic, but when she looked at her guardian, it changed to anger and she released the gloved hand she was holding.
 
Ranma flashed a reassuring smile for the smaller girl and soon, not only he wasn't able to speak but he could barely move at all.
 
-
 
When she finished, Ranma wanted to turn but froze when she remembered that the other girl was almost naked.
 
“Umm… Can you put some clothes on first?” and when she heard a faint yes and rustling of clothes, she asked.
 
“Is this guy really your brother? Why didn't you called police or told your parents about this?!”
 
There was a silence for several seconds before Sakura answered with slight resentment in her voice.
 
“I was adopted by grandfather Zouken. He's a very cruel man and even encouraged my brother Shinji to do… things. But I couldn't tell anyone because… Shiro would hate me if he heard about it.”
 
Ranma turned to stare at now fully clothed girl in disbelief ` I really don't understand her. She took that much crap because she's worried what some guy would think of her? There's no way I'm letting her stay with these people.'
 
She walked to the door and was about to exit, but heard that Sakura wasn't moving and returning, she pulled the plum haired girl out in the corridor and asked for directions until she heard an answer.
 
-
 
Soon they reached Zouken's room and when Ranma found out that it was locked, she knocked it down with a kick and entered, pulling Sakura after her.
 
“Hey, are you Zouken?” she asked a very old man sitting at the desk near the opposite wall.
 
The old man's eyes rose from the book he was reading and scanned the pair.
 
“A Rider class Servant. I'm glad you succeeded Sakura, but if you won't control her, I'll give your seals to Shinji.”
 
Ranma cut him off. “Hey, watch it! I'm nobody's servant! I'm just helping her to get out of this.”
 
She walked towards him and stopped when a faint trace of worry appeared on his face. Looking straight in his eyes, she said with a tone that usually meant that she was ready to fight seriously.
 
“I have an offer for you old man. You leave Sakura alone and I won't paralyze you for the rest of your life as you deserve. And don't worry about this Grail War you put her in. I am one of the best there is, so she'll win it for sure. Is that a deal?”
 
She saw him slowly nod and started to walk back, but stopped when she remembered a small detail she forgot to mention.
 
“Oh, yes. You better call an ambulance for Shinji.”
 
-
 
Landing near the house that fit Sakura's description, Ranma looked at the girl in her arms that fell asleep while they roofhopped towards Shiro's house and gently shook her.
 
“Hey, wake up. Is this the right one?”
 
Sakura woke up and her eyes widened in fear when she saw something above them.
 
Ranma immediately jumped away, her danger sense telling that she had no time to look up.
 
Landing far enough to protect her fragile cargo from almost anything, she turned around and saw a woman about her age with blond hair gathered into a knot behind, leaving only two strands that framed her face and expressionless green eyes. She wore a blue dress with plate armor protecting vital areas.
 
“Hey, what's your problem?” yelled Ranma. “I didn't come here to fight.”
 
“Don't take me for a fool, Rider.” answered her opponent. She lifted her hands as if she held an invisible sword and charged to them with an obvious murderous intent.
 
-
 
`I really need my hands to fight, but Sakura won't live a second if I put her down.' thought the purple haired woman when her ponytail lost an inch of its length, even though she was sure that she was safe from that sword slash. `Oh, I'll just ask for some hot water and show her that I'm not a Servant like she thinks I am.'
 
But her words were ignored by the swordswoman who finally managed to land a hit and even though it was very shallow, deeper ones could follow any second.
 
Ranma was already thinking of running away when she saw a redheaded boy, probably a high school student, exiting the house they were jumping around.
 
“What's wrong Saber?” he asked when he noticed his Servant attacking a purple haired woman who carried a younger girl in her bloodied arms.
 
“Shiro, go back in the house. It's Rider and her master.” answered Saber landing near him in a defensive stance.
 
“Gah. For the last time! I didn't come here to fight! Shiro, stop that maniacal friend of yours before she kills Sakura. And if you give me some hot water, I'll prove that I'm not a Servant.”
 
Shiro looked closely at the girl in Rider's arms and hurried to her, not listening to Saber's warnings.
 
-
 
Inside of the house, Shiro put a kettle on a stove to boil some water as Rider asked and went back to the living room where the girls sat.
 
“Shiro, I still think that is wrong to help a Master and her Servant. This War can't be won by allying with enemy.” said Saber, glaring daggers at aforementioned people.
 
“I can't do it, Saber. Sakura is my friend and Rider took all this wounds so she could bring her to me. I can't attack them.” answered Shiro as he walked to get a first aid kit.
 
“Well, I can see why Sakura likes that guy so much. He's…” started Ranma, but stopped when Sakura blushed deeply and tugged her glove. But she misunderstood and thought that Sakura warned her not to tell anyone how she was treated at home.
 
“Okay. I won't say why we're going to ask Shiro if you could stay with him.”
 
In response, the girl blushed even deeper and Saber's dagger glare evolved to swords.
 
“I got a medpack. Should I bandage your wounds?” asked Shiro returning with a small old bag.
 
“Nah. I'll do it myself. How's the kettle?” said Rider, taking the bag and putting it nearby.
 
“Water is ready. Should I make tea?”
 
“If you want, but I just need it to splash myself.”
 
“…Okay.”
 
-
 
A few minutes later, the redheaded boy returned, carrying a tray with steaming cups.
 
Ranma grabbed hers and as soon as she poured the water on her wounded shoulder, a cloud of steam and bright sparks surrounded her.
 
“Ouch!! Too hot!” yelled a voice, younger and definitely male from within the quickly dissolving cloud.
 
When the cloud dispersed, everybody in the room saw a raven haired boy, about Shiro's age, dressed in an old white gi and who was inspecting his reddened arm.
 
The reactions of other three people were surprisingly different. Shiro looked like he was struck by a lightning, Saber looked very puzzled as if she was trying to remember something she forgot a long time ago and Sakura looked uncomfortable and tried not to look at either of boys.
 
Looking at them, Ranma put the sleeve back and smiled apologetically “I'm Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this.”
 
-
 
Finally, a cup's edge in Shiro's hand became low enough for some hot tea to spill, awakening him from his trance. Carefully putting the cup on the table and shaking his head to clear out the fog inside, he asked.
 
“So, that's why you told us that you're not a Servant?”
 
“Yeah. Earlier today, I and my father were on our training trip and we came to a legendary training ground in China. And then, because of that stupid old man, I got this curse. Now whenever I'm splashed with cold water I turn into a girl and hot water changes me back.” said the raven-haired boy while he bandaged his arm.
 
Saber put her cup down as well and said in a cold voice.
 
“That's an interesting story. But Shiro, I don't think we should believe it because even in this era it would take far more than several hours to come here from China, unless you a mage. And since I can't feel a magic circuit in him, I'm inclined to believe that he is a Servant with an ability to disguise as a normal human.”
 
“Gahh…” was the only thing Ranma could say, not believing that they thought he was a `she' in the first place.
 
Frowning, he said.
 
“All right, so it was Sakura who brought me, in my girl form, to her house today with some spell and I agreed to protect her. But I'm not a Servant! I'm just helping her so I can get that wish and she could get out of this War alive.”
 
Saber smiled and nodded, but Ranma suspected that she didn't believe a single word he said.
 
-
 
Shiro finished his tea and asked in a slightly confused voice, this whole Grail War situation still too eerie for him.
 
“So, why did you come here? Only for a cup of hot water?”
 
Ranma started to answer but a tug from the girl near him stopped him.
 
“We came to ask you if we could stay at your place, Sempai. We really want to.” said Sakura, timidly but with a hidden resolve mixed with hope and after a few seconds long silence, she added.
 
“I would never fight against you, I promise!”
 
Saber saw that Shiro reached the decision, but most likely a wrong one and tried to change it.
 
“Shiro, you can't invite them here! Since you do not allow me to sleep in your room, I will be too late should Rider decide to kill you.”
 
“I'm sorry Saber, but I believe her. If she wants to stay here, she can.” answered Shiro in a firm voice and gathered the empty cups before he carried them to the kitchen, followed by Sakura.
 
-
 
Saber looked at his retreating back and frowned, probably because she remembered one of her less pleasant memories.
 
Soon she turned to Ranma and said coldly.
 
“My Master might be too soft, but I'm not. And I won't allow you to stand in my way to the Grail.”
 
“Man, I really have the worst luck.” sighed the boy, and as if to prove his words, the healing cream he used on his burned arm started to work, creating less then pleasant sensations along his skin.
 
-
 
When Shiro and Sakura returned, the latter was yawning. Saber's Master looked at her and asked uncertainly.
 
“I'm afraid my house is not big enough to give everyone a room, so will it be all right for you sleep in one room?”
 
Stifling another yawn, Sakura answered, looking pleadingly at Ranma.
 
“Of course, sempai.”
 
Ranma just sighed, remembered the girl's teary face when he saved her from Shinji and why he agreed to help her in the first place and went to the kitchen for the cold water.