Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Nezumi ❯ First Change ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: SoulSurvivor 
Newly re-written version
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Drama / Horror / Martial Arts / Occult / Supernatural / Thriller | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.28.2001 | Updated On: 09.28.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 921 | Status: Completed
Newly re-written version
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Drama / Horror / Martial Arts / Occult / Supernatural / Thriller | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.28.2001 | Updated On: 09.28.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 921 | Status: Completed
By the way folks, I could use some C&C here
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Disclaimer: Aside from Rumiko Takahashi, the list of people who have the rights to Ranma 1/2 escapes me at the moment. However, I can tell you with absolute certainty that it most definately does NOT include me.
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Chapter 1
The flames of the pyre lit the early evening skies, consuming first the collected wood, then Hidoshi's remains. As he watched it burn, Ranma could hear the chittering of his warren brothers, some commenting on their recent victory, while others quietly berated him for wasting valuable time. Even as the fire consumed the over-honored hakken, they were already preparing to break camp and disperse into the night. Even before he spoke, Yashida's presence behind him spoke volumes, questioning his actions this evening.
"Why are we doing this? Why not leave him for the carrion birds? We have much to do before the night is done."
As true as the words were, he could not bring himself to agree with the sentiments behind them. True, the aged hakken had been a burden, his notions of honorable combat more than once causing friction between himself and the rest. It had even been the cause of his death, facing the bakemono openly, inviting then to lay him low, yet... His suicidal frontal attack had also given them their victory, the bakemono, so occupied were they with the lone raging wolf, never saw the rats with daggers striking from the shadows.
"He knew..."
"Ehh?" Yashida was more than a little confused by his warren brothers behavior by this point. First allowing the hakken to join their hunt, knowing that the old wolf would cause trouble, then going through the trouble of building a pyre when the fool mutt went and got himself killed. Now, spouting nonsense and wasting time when they had appointments to keep.
"He knew our chances were slim..." Ranma's voice held confusion and a slight hint of awe "He sacrificed himself as a diversion so we could win the day."
"More the fool then..." The younger warriors words fairly dripped contempt. "Had he stuck to the shadows with the rest of us, he might still be alive."
"He might... Or we might all be dead... But, either way, that was not his way. While I dont agree with his views, I can and will honor his sacrifice." Adjusting the ornate katana slung across his back, he turned to Yashida. "The very least I can do is return his sword to his clan, and let them know that he died with honor." Turning back to face the flames he dismissed his warren brother "Leave with the others... When my business is concluded I will meet you in Osaka." He then returned to his meditations as his brothers slipped off into the night.
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When next Ranma awoke, it was to familiar surroundings with the morning sun on his face. With a mild sense of relief, he realized that the room he was in was the same one he occupied on a regular basis after an argument with Akane. From what he could tell, his fever had broken though his head still ached slightly and his throat was bone dry. Casting about, he spotted a pitcher of water and a glass that the good doctor had apparently left in anticipation of just that eventuality. While a relief to his throat, the water merely aggarvated his grumling stomach, which chose that particular moment to remind him of exactly _why_ he was not in his hospital room. Deciding that he'd had enough bed rest for one day, he was out the window and headed towards the dojo without further ado.
Meanwhile...
It was a quiet day in the Tendo Dojo, as rare as those are. Taking advantage of the lack of challengers / kidnappers / fiancee's / family members, etc. Kasumi was catching up on the days laundry when she heard scuffling sounds coming from the kitchen. Quieter than a mouse, she crept to the doorway, wondering who might have come in without knocking. 'Maybe it is that Ryouga fellow, lost again, or perhaps P-chan...' The sight that greeted her instead was that of Ranma, dressed in a hospital gown, inhaling the leftovers of last nights meal... What was left after Mr. Saotome, anyway. Wrinkling her nose at the odor of stale bed sweat that surrounded him, she quickly retrieved on of his outfits and returning she placed it on the table before him. "Ranma, why dont you go wash up while I make you some lunch? You need it rather badly."
Before he could answer, she was already at he cabinets selecting ingredients. After taking a quick whiff of himself, he had to agree with her, so grabbing his clothes he headed for the bath. After scrubbing himself down, he inched his way into a piping hot furo to loosen up his muscles and hopefully lose his headache. Drowsing slightly from the furo's heat, the buzz in his head resolved itself down to what sounded like the simultaneous muttering of thousands of chittering voices. Strangely enough, he found this comforting, their presence reasured him for some reason. Slipping deeper into his trancelike state, he failed to hear the rest of the family arriving as he was elsewhere...
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Ranma walked down the streets of the prefecture known as Nerima, Hidoshi's katana still slung across his back. He needed to find the old hakken's family so he could rejoin his... This however was proving to be more dificult than he had anticipated. He was running out of time, if he did not leave for Osaka soon he would miss the meeting with his brothers, and that could not be allowed. Slipping into a kendo training hall he hid the wrapped bundle, digging a hole for it under a loose board. He then vowed to return when his battle was won, but, until then, Tendo Hidoshi's family sword would have to wait.
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Ranma sat up... He knew... He knew where it was! He could feel it... Stumbling out of the tub he gave a quick once over and dressed as he was exiting the bathroom, plowing over Akane who was half undressed in the changing room in the process. Before she even had a chance to yell, he was out the door and down the hall, still muttering, "I know where it is... I know where it is!"
Climbing to her feet, Akane was more than a little annoyed 'That Baka!... He didnt even see me! What the hell was he talking about? ''I know where it is!'' He knows where what is?' "RRRAANNNMMMAAA!! Come Back Here!!" 'Dammit!! I _WILL_ find out what's going on here...' She turned and began the chase '...even if I have to beat it out of him!'
Elsewhere in Nerima, Ryouga was lost. While there is nothing new about this fact it is still fair to mention it at times. It wouldnt be so bad if he at least had a clue as to where he was. Last he checked he was in Kyoto, now he was here, and while here looked slightly familiar, so did most of Japan. 'Kobe... Yes this looks like Kobe... So where's Nerima in relation to Kobe? North? Yes north...' So thinking, he turned to face the afternoon sun and started walking... Only to be trammpled by a hurried pigtailed martial artist and then by the love of his life.
"Ooof!" Sometimes it just didnt pay to get up in the morning... Slowly he climbed to his feet and began to stagger after them. "Damn you Saotome!!"
On the rooftops there is a bare flicker as a handkerchif covered bald head pokes out momentarily then vanishes once more.
That morning also saw the 'Blue Thunder of Furinkan High' in his most sacred temple... The kendo hall next to the high school. There, he was able to pass on the wonderous knowledge of the sword to his peers and junior classmen. Like now, maintaining a pace that challenged yet did not overtax the advanced members of the Kendo Club. Challenged _them_ anyway... For one such as himself, these drills were mere child's play, yet they cleared his mind and allowed him to think... His problem today was the same problem as yesterday, and the day before that... That Foul Sorcerer Ranma Saotome...
On a subconcious level, he knew that Ranma was no sorcerer, simply a master martial artist, yet his pride would not allow that he could be defeated by a mere bare handed peasent, so he convinced himself that it was magic... He did it so well that some days he actually believed it. Others, like today, when he was losing himself in the motions of his art, he could actually come close to admitting the truth. The truth about Saotome, Akane and his Pig Tailed Goddess... Though the last... What was supposed to be the truth proved to be as bad as his fantasies, so he simply ignored it.
His problem was that as much as he would like to drop the whole sordid affair, he could not, he had openly declared his love for the pigtailed girl, and his pride would not let him admit that she might be other than she seemed. Yet while he was ocasionally delusional, he was not entirely stupid... He had seen them change into each other on many occasions, and even delusions have their limits. Yet, if he admitted that she was Ranma then he admitted to declaring his love for a man, and that could not be tolerated...
So caught up was he in his thoughts that it took him a few seconds to realize that the class had stopped, and as one they were staring at a new arrival. Following their gaze, a smile touched his lips momentarily before his eyes hardened. 'Saotome!' The Game was afoot!
Falling into character, he glared daggers at the young martial artist "Saotome! How dare you defile these sacred halls with your foul stench! Begone at once ere I show you the error of your ways!" Upon seeing that he was being ignored he advanced, while in the back of his mind warning signals were going off left and right, telling him that something was not right here.
"Very well then sorcerer, the Wrath of Heaven is slow but sure... Prepare to Meet Justice Fiend!!" with that he charged his opponent, bokken held at ready, one part of his mind knowing that it would do no good, another part rationalizing that appearances had to be maintained. He was not in the least bit surprised when he felt his boken leave his grasp, nor when he felt Ranmas foot connect with his chin, slamming him into the far wall.
Feigning unconciosness, he watched Saotome, curious in spite of himself. He observed as Ranma looked at the bokken as if he had never seen it before, then walking over to far left wall, he paced his way from there to roughly halfway across the room.
As he watched, Kuno felt a familiar, at least to him, blurring sensation as the scene changed. The training hall was empty, and had changed in apperance, the floor was lower to the ground, and the architecture was of a much more archiac design. A man entered the room, casting glances about as if to confirm that he was alone, and walked to a lose board in the center of the floor. Lifting it, he dug a shallow trench in the dirt underneath and therein placed a silk wrapped bundle. After patting the dirt down the man replaced the board and examined the area critically, then he turned and left.
The collective gasp from the class brought Kuno back to reality as Saotome used the bokken to pry up one of the floorboards, revealing concrete below. They then watched on in mute astonishment as his hands became a blur reducing the floor in that section to rubble which he dug out, digging thru into the dirt below. The greatest shock came when he withdrew a bundle wrapped in tattered silks from the hole he had made, and with a smile of satisfaction turned and left the hall, unimpeded as the club members, unlike their leader, knew better than to try and stop him.
Kuno waited until he had left and before rising, curiosity burning in his soul. If he didnt know any better, he would have sworn that the bundle was a wrapped sword, if so, then who was that man who had buried it under the hall, and more importantly, how had Saotome known of its location? After leaving the club members with terse instrucions to stay put, he left the hall to follow Saotome.
As he followed, he thought of what he had seen... The vision did not particularly trouble him, as he had been plagued by them since childhood, as had his sister and their father. As had members of his family for generations gone by for that matter. His father at one point had claimed that the visions were why the Kuno house was as wealthy as it was, as several of his ancestors had taken advantage of the family 'curse' so to speak, using the predictions garnerd from them to manipulate the family finances into a sizeable fortune.
Members of his family had always seen what others could not, and paid a heavy price for it in the end... While accurate, and sometimes usefull, the gift was not free. For every Kuno gifted with visions was cursed with madness as well... As little as he liked to admit it to himself, on days like this, when his mind was clear, he knew that he had not escaped.
But no, the vision itself was not the problem here, Saotome knowing the location of a sword buried at least a hundred years ago, on the other hand, was cause for more than a little interest on his part.
Well ahead of the scion of the house of Kuno, Ranma was still in a daze, and barely registering where he was going, thus, he was wholly unprepared for the blow that slammed him into a building and knocked his bundle flying. As anger began to cloud his mind he saw the lost boy standing over him, umbrella held at ready.
"Maybe that will teach you not to ignore me Ranma." The lost boy's face was a mask of anger and hate as he lunged at his rival. "Ranma! Prepare to Die!"
Blocking desperately, Ranma could feel anger, anger like he'd never felt before, it was fire coursing through his veins, the chittering in his head growing louder and louder. He wanted to rend, he wanted to maim and kill! Rage, rage such as he had never felt before welled up inside him, clouding his thoughts to the point that Ryouga got a blow in, then a second and third. Strangely enough, the blows didnt really hurt, they simply fueled the fire raging inside of him. Looking at his opponents face, he saw a mask of anger and hate, and then, everything Ryoga had ever done to him, came rushing in. Every unprovoked attack. *kill him* Every interfereance with Akane. *Kill Him!* P-Chan. *KILL HIM!!* He could feel something growing inside of him as he fought, something clawing it's way out as his rage quickly consumed the last of his reason.
As Genma crouched on the roof overhead and watched the fight, the sense of foreboding that had plagued him since Ranma's mysterious illness rose to a fevered pitch. He could feel something building down there, something big, and had a sinking feeling he knew what it was. He also knew, that if his suspiscions were correct, then nothing would ever be the same again. 'Gods... Why him... Why my son?'
Snapped out of his reverie by Ryouga's attack, Tatewaki stepped off to one side, out of sight as he picked up the bundle lost during the initial assault. Unwrapping it he confirmed his suspiscions, it was a katana, an old one, Tokugara era from the looks of it, and probably a family blade... His ruminations were interrupted by the latest development in the battle...
Ryouga was elated... For the first time in years, he finally had his nemesis on the ropes... Victory was finally within his grasp! Feinting a strike with his umbrella, he lashed out with a powerfull forward kick, flinging his opponent into a wall. Stepping forward, he drove him to the floor with a vicious overhand strike, poleaxing the smaller martial artist. Drawing back for a finishing strike, he paused in astonoishment as Ranma's body began to change. Hackles rising in unreasoning terror he backe off as his opponents features began to swell and distort.
The figure that rose before him was something out of his worst nightmares, better than 6 feet tall, heavily muscled and covered in fur, it growled at him menacingly. Try as he might, the terror that consumed him would allow no movement, neither attack nor flight, all he could do was stand in numb shock as death came for him. With a single swipe of a clawed hand, his umbrells was torn from his hand and ripped asunder, the tail swipe that followed left his vision blurred with pain. Desperately willing his muscles to move, he felt his body leave the ground, a slave to the blows that drove him farther and farther into darkness.
Watching the carnage, Tatewaki was at a loss, part of his mind was screaming at him to flee, while another, the cool calm part he associated with his visions, held him in place as he watched Saotome transform into a large furred rat-like creatue and proceed to tear the Hibiki boy apart. He knew of the lost ones incredible endurance and resistance to damage, he had seen the breaking point attack and had watched Ryouga shrug off the resulting shrapnel blast with no ill effects, yet this creature tore into him with ease, leaving great bloody rents in his flesh. And for all of the lost boy's vaunted strength, he was being tossed about like a rag in a tsunami, never even getting a blow in. Kuno stepped forward, not sure of what to do, but trying to prevent a murder when a scream stopped him in his tracks.
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Akane was still looking for Ranma when she heard the yell followed by the cries of pain. 'Ryouga?' She wondered. 'What could do that?' Following the sounds she came upon a sight that chilled her to the bone and brought forth an involuntary scream. Ryouga was being held by the throat by what looked like a giant huminoid rat, he was battered and bleeding from dozens of slashes on his body, as the creature stood with one clawed hand cocked back, ready to tear the lost boys throat from his body.
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As kuno stood by, Ranma was dealing much needed damage to the puny being that had attacked him. Finally, as his hand was drawn back to administer the killing blow, a womans scream penetrated the haze of rage that surrounded him. Casting about for the source of the distraction, his eyes came upon Akane, and the look of absolute horror upon her face cut him to the core. The rage bled from his being as if it had never existed, and he barely even noticed the change back to human form... But Akane had, he heard her whisper his name as she turned and fled.
Confused for a moment, he wondered what had happened, then he noticed Ryouga's limp body dangling by the neck from his hand. Releasing him, he watched in horror as the lost boy's form bonelessly slumped to the ground and lay there bleeding and twitching. In bits and pieces, the fight came back to him, first the rage at the attack, then the elation at the feel of Ryouga's flesh tearing beneath his claws. Slowly he took in the blood on his hands, the scraps of flesh trapped under his nails, and his world collapsed around him. 'It is a martial artists duty to protect the weak' The words he had spoken so many times ran through his head now, mocking him. Now the weak needed protecting from him it seemed, now he was the villan... Slowly he backed up, muttering incoherant denials and making warding gestures with his hands, as if that would make it all better, as if it could change what he was... A killer.
As he looked around himself, he saw Kuno standing there, a worried expression on his face... As their eyes met, the expression went from worry to dismay followed by horror. He watched as the normally impasive swordsman hit his knees, a strangled scream escaping his lips.
Finally, unable to deal with what had happened, he ran, sprinting down the road in the vain hope of outdistancing himself.
Tatewaki stood. It took every ounce of self control he had to keep from collapsing from the horror of what he had just witnessed when his eyes had locked with Saotome's. The scene had blurred, and he had seen Ranma, sprawled in a pool of blood with his throat sliced open, the implement of his demise, a shard of glass from a bottle, still clutched in his right hand. While this disturbed him, he could understand Saotome's reasons, no one _wants_ to be a monster.
Then he saw another image. He saw a rain of fire falling down, destroying everything in its wake, for half an instant he _felt_ every scream, every death as the world around him was consumed, and he knew... He knew that if his first vision came to pass, then the second would as well, and while the part of him that was 'The Blue Thunder' might hate Saotome with a passion, even delusions only went so far. The katana fell from his suddenly nerveless fingers, as Kuno ran in the direction Ranma had fled, all the while praying that he was not to late.
Genma watched. He didnt know what to do, and for once there was no plan, no scheme that could fix this, all he could do was pray that his son would recover. Jumping down to the road, he picked up Ryouga's limp body and the forgotten katana and headed for Dr. Tofu's.
Tbc
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People, I could use some C&C here... I know Kuno is OOC, as is Genma, however this simply reflects my personal view on the characters, and much of their odd behavior is explained in later chapters. Im hoping my chapter size increases in the future, but even with that I am looking at at least 8 to 10 chapters for this story.. Also, if anybody has a pic of a Crinos Ratkin they can spare, I would appreciate it.
Send C&C Questions to simkin@rocketmail.com
For those of you who wonder about the Nezumi, this may give you some insight:
http://members.tripod.com/wwta/Breeds/Ratkin/Tribes/Nezum i/nezumi_tribe.htm
SoulSurvivor
We are the equalizers, the Low Born, the ultimate truth. When our Hakken brothers realize the need for us again, they will come, and we will make a killing...literally.
-- TienBao, Nezumi Warrior
Nezumi = Rat or Mouse, in this context Wererat
Hakken = Werewolf
Bakemono = Demon of sorts
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Disclaimer: Aside from Rumiko Takahashi, the list of people who have the rights to Ranma 1/2 escapes me at the moment. However, I can tell you with absolute certainty that it most definately does NOT include me.
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Chapter 1
The flames of the pyre lit the early evening skies, consuming first the collected wood, then Hidoshi's remains. As he watched it burn, Ranma could hear the chittering of his warren brothers, some commenting on their recent victory, while others quietly berated him for wasting valuable time. Even as the fire consumed the over-honored hakken, they were already preparing to break camp and disperse into the night. Even before he spoke, Yashida's presence behind him spoke volumes, questioning his actions this evening.
"Why are we doing this? Why not leave him for the carrion birds? We have much to do before the night is done."
As true as the words were, he could not bring himself to agree with the sentiments behind them. True, the aged hakken had been a burden, his notions of honorable combat more than once causing friction between himself and the rest. It had even been the cause of his death, facing the bakemono openly, inviting then to lay him low, yet... His suicidal frontal attack had also given them their victory, the bakemono, so occupied were they with the lone raging wolf, never saw the rats with daggers striking from the shadows.
"He knew..."
"Ehh?" Yashida was more than a little confused by his warren brothers behavior by this point. First allowing the hakken to join their hunt, knowing that the old wolf would cause trouble, then going through the trouble of building a pyre when the fool mutt went and got himself killed. Now, spouting nonsense and wasting time when they had appointments to keep.
"He knew our chances were slim..." Ranma's voice held confusion and a slight hint of awe "He sacrificed himself as a diversion so we could win the day."
"More the fool then..." The younger warriors words fairly dripped contempt. "Had he stuck to the shadows with the rest of us, he might still be alive."
"He might... Or we might all be dead... But, either way, that was not his way. While I dont agree with his views, I can and will honor his sacrifice." Adjusting the ornate katana slung across his back, he turned to Yashida. "The very least I can do is return his sword to his clan, and let them know that he died with honor." Turning back to face the flames he dismissed his warren brother "Leave with the others... When my business is concluded I will meet you in Osaka." He then returned to his meditations as his brothers slipped off into the night.
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When next Ranma awoke, it was to familiar surroundings with the morning sun on his face. With a mild sense of relief, he realized that the room he was in was the same one he occupied on a regular basis after an argument with Akane. From what he could tell, his fever had broken though his head still ached slightly and his throat was bone dry. Casting about, he spotted a pitcher of water and a glass that the good doctor had apparently left in anticipation of just that eventuality. While a relief to his throat, the water merely aggarvated his grumling stomach, which chose that particular moment to remind him of exactly _why_ he was not in his hospital room. Deciding that he'd had enough bed rest for one day, he was out the window and headed towards the dojo without further ado.
Meanwhile...
It was a quiet day in the Tendo Dojo, as rare as those are. Taking advantage of the lack of challengers / kidnappers / fiancee's / family members, etc. Kasumi was catching up on the days laundry when she heard scuffling sounds coming from the kitchen. Quieter than a mouse, she crept to the doorway, wondering who might have come in without knocking. 'Maybe it is that Ryouga fellow, lost again, or perhaps P-chan...' The sight that greeted her instead was that of Ranma, dressed in a hospital gown, inhaling the leftovers of last nights meal... What was left after Mr. Saotome, anyway. Wrinkling her nose at the odor of stale bed sweat that surrounded him, she quickly retrieved on of his outfits and returning she placed it on the table before him. "Ranma, why dont you go wash up while I make you some lunch? You need it rather badly."
Before he could answer, she was already at he cabinets selecting ingredients. After taking a quick whiff of himself, he had to agree with her, so grabbing his clothes he headed for the bath. After scrubbing himself down, he inched his way into a piping hot furo to loosen up his muscles and hopefully lose his headache. Drowsing slightly from the furo's heat, the buzz in his head resolved itself down to what sounded like the simultaneous muttering of thousands of chittering voices. Strangely enough, he found this comforting, their presence reasured him for some reason. Slipping deeper into his trancelike state, he failed to hear the rest of the family arriving as he was elsewhere...
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Ranma walked down the streets of the prefecture known as Nerima, Hidoshi's katana still slung across his back. He needed to find the old hakken's family so he could rejoin his... This however was proving to be more dificult than he had anticipated. He was running out of time, if he did not leave for Osaka soon he would miss the meeting with his brothers, and that could not be allowed. Slipping into a kendo training hall he hid the wrapped bundle, digging a hole for it under a loose board. He then vowed to return when his battle was won, but, until then, Tendo Hidoshi's family sword would have to wait.
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Ranma sat up... He knew... He knew where it was! He could feel it... Stumbling out of the tub he gave a quick once over and dressed as he was exiting the bathroom, plowing over Akane who was half undressed in the changing room in the process. Before she even had a chance to yell, he was out the door and down the hall, still muttering, "I know where it is... I know where it is!"
Climbing to her feet, Akane was more than a little annoyed 'That Baka!... He didnt even see me! What the hell was he talking about? ''I know where it is!'' He knows where what is?' "RRRAANNNMMMAAA!! Come Back Here!!" 'Dammit!! I _WILL_ find out what's going on here...' She turned and began the chase '...even if I have to beat it out of him!'
Elsewhere in Nerima, Ryouga was lost. While there is nothing new about this fact it is still fair to mention it at times. It wouldnt be so bad if he at least had a clue as to where he was. Last he checked he was in Kyoto, now he was here, and while here looked slightly familiar, so did most of Japan. 'Kobe... Yes this looks like Kobe... So where's Nerima in relation to Kobe? North? Yes north...' So thinking, he turned to face the afternoon sun and started walking... Only to be trammpled by a hurried pigtailed martial artist and then by the love of his life.
"Ooof!" Sometimes it just didnt pay to get up in the morning... Slowly he climbed to his feet and began to stagger after them. "Damn you Saotome!!"
On the rooftops there is a bare flicker as a handkerchif covered bald head pokes out momentarily then vanishes once more.
That morning also saw the 'Blue Thunder of Furinkan High' in his most sacred temple... The kendo hall next to the high school. There, he was able to pass on the wonderous knowledge of the sword to his peers and junior classmen. Like now, maintaining a pace that challenged yet did not overtax the advanced members of the Kendo Club. Challenged _them_ anyway... For one such as himself, these drills were mere child's play, yet they cleared his mind and allowed him to think... His problem today was the same problem as yesterday, and the day before that... That Foul Sorcerer Ranma Saotome...
On a subconcious level, he knew that Ranma was no sorcerer, simply a master martial artist, yet his pride would not allow that he could be defeated by a mere bare handed peasent, so he convinced himself that it was magic... He did it so well that some days he actually believed it. Others, like today, when he was losing himself in the motions of his art, he could actually come close to admitting the truth. The truth about Saotome, Akane and his Pig Tailed Goddess... Though the last... What was supposed to be the truth proved to be as bad as his fantasies, so he simply ignored it.
His problem was that as much as he would like to drop the whole sordid affair, he could not, he had openly declared his love for the pigtailed girl, and his pride would not let him admit that she might be other than she seemed. Yet while he was ocasionally delusional, he was not entirely stupid... He had seen them change into each other on many occasions, and even delusions have their limits. Yet, if he admitted that she was Ranma then he admitted to declaring his love for a man, and that could not be tolerated...
So caught up was he in his thoughts that it took him a few seconds to realize that the class had stopped, and as one they were staring at a new arrival. Following their gaze, a smile touched his lips momentarily before his eyes hardened. 'Saotome!' The Game was afoot!
Falling into character, he glared daggers at the young martial artist "Saotome! How dare you defile these sacred halls with your foul stench! Begone at once ere I show you the error of your ways!" Upon seeing that he was being ignored he advanced, while in the back of his mind warning signals were going off left and right, telling him that something was not right here.
"Very well then sorcerer, the Wrath of Heaven is slow but sure... Prepare to Meet Justice Fiend!!" with that he charged his opponent, bokken held at ready, one part of his mind knowing that it would do no good, another part rationalizing that appearances had to be maintained. He was not in the least bit surprised when he felt his boken leave his grasp, nor when he felt Ranmas foot connect with his chin, slamming him into the far wall.
Feigning unconciosness, he watched Saotome, curious in spite of himself. He observed as Ranma looked at the bokken as if he had never seen it before, then walking over to far left wall, he paced his way from there to roughly halfway across the room.
As he watched, Kuno felt a familiar, at least to him, blurring sensation as the scene changed. The training hall was empty, and had changed in apperance, the floor was lower to the ground, and the architecture was of a much more archiac design. A man entered the room, casting glances about as if to confirm that he was alone, and walked to a lose board in the center of the floor. Lifting it, he dug a shallow trench in the dirt underneath and therein placed a silk wrapped bundle. After patting the dirt down the man replaced the board and examined the area critically, then he turned and left.
The collective gasp from the class brought Kuno back to reality as Saotome used the bokken to pry up one of the floorboards, revealing concrete below. They then watched on in mute astonishment as his hands became a blur reducing the floor in that section to rubble which he dug out, digging thru into the dirt below. The greatest shock came when he withdrew a bundle wrapped in tattered silks from the hole he had made, and with a smile of satisfaction turned and left the hall, unimpeded as the club members, unlike their leader, knew better than to try and stop him.
Kuno waited until he had left and before rising, curiosity burning in his soul. If he didnt know any better, he would have sworn that the bundle was a wrapped sword, if so, then who was that man who had buried it under the hall, and more importantly, how had Saotome known of its location? After leaving the club members with terse instrucions to stay put, he left the hall to follow Saotome.
As he followed, he thought of what he had seen... The vision did not particularly trouble him, as he had been plagued by them since childhood, as had his sister and their father. As had members of his family for generations gone by for that matter. His father at one point had claimed that the visions were why the Kuno house was as wealthy as it was, as several of his ancestors had taken advantage of the family 'curse' so to speak, using the predictions garnerd from them to manipulate the family finances into a sizeable fortune.
Members of his family had always seen what others could not, and paid a heavy price for it in the end... While accurate, and sometimes usefull, the gift was not free. For every Kuno gifted with visions was cursed with madness as well... As little as he liked to admit it to himself, on days like this, when his mind was clear, he knew that he had not escaped.
But no, the vision itself was not the problem here, Saotome knowing the location of a sword buried at least a hundred years ago, on the other hand, was cause for more than a little interest on his part.
Well ahead of the scion of the house of Kuno, Ranma was still in a daze, and barely registering where he was going, thus, he was wholly unprepared for the blow that slammed him into a building and knocked his bundle flying. As anger began to cloud his mind he saw the lost boy standing over him, umbrella held at ready.
"Maybe that will teach you not to ignore me Ranma." The lost boy's face was a mask of anger and hate as he lunged at his rival. "Ranma! Prepare to Die!"
Blocking desperately, Ranma could feel anger, anger like he'd never felt before, it was fire coursing through his veins, the chittering in his head growing louder and louder. He wanted to rend, he wanted to maim and kill! Rage, rage such as he had never felt before welled up inside him, clouding his thoughts to the point that Ryouga got a blow in, then a second and third. Strangely enough, the blows didnt really hurt, they simply fueled the fire raging inside of him. Looking at his opponents face, he saw a mask of anger and hate, and then, everything Ryoga had ever done to him, came rushing in. Every unprovoked attack. *kill him* Every interfereance with Akane. *Kill Him!* P-Chan. *KILL HIM!!* He could feel something growing inside of him as he fought, something clawing it's way out as his rage quickly consumed the last of his reason.
As Genma crouched on the roof overhead and watched the fight, the sense of foreboding that had plagued him since Ranma's mysterious illness rose to a fevered pitch. He could feel something building down there, something big, and had a sinking feeling he knew what it was. He also knew, that if his suspiscions were correct, then nothing would ever be the same again. 'Gods... Why him... Why my son?'
Snapped out of his reverie by Ryouga's attack, Tatewaki stepped off to one side, out of sight as he picked up the bundle lost during the initial assault. Unwrapping it he confirmed his suspiscions, it was a katana, an old one, Tokugara era from the looks of it, and probably a family blade... His ruminations were interrupted by the latest development in the battle...
Ryouga was elated... For the first time in years, he finally had his nemesis on the ropes... Victory was finally within his grasp! Feinting a strike with his umbrella, he lashed out with a powerfull forward kick, flinging his opponent into a wall. Stepping forward, he drove him to the floor with a vicious overhand strike, poleaxing the smaller martial artist. Drawing back for a finishing strike, he paused in astonoishment as Ranma's body began to change. Hackles rising in unreasoning terror he backe off as his opponents features began to swell and distort.
The figure that rose before him was something out of his worst nightmares, better than 6 feet tall, heavily muscled and covered in fur, it growled at him menacingly. Try as he might, the terror that consumed him would allow no movement, neither attack nor flight, all he could do was stand in numb shock as death came for him. With a single swipe of a clawed hand, his umbrells was torn from his hand and ripped asunder, the tail swipe that followed left his vision blurred with pain. Desperately willing his muscles to move, he felt his body leave the ground, a slave to the blows that drove him farther and farther into darkness.
Watching the carnage, Tatewaki was at a loss, part of his mind was screaming at him to flee, while another, the cool calm part he associated with his visions, held him in place as he watched Saotome transform into a large furred rat-like creatue and proceed to tear the Hibiki boy apart. He knew of the lost ones incredible endurance and resistance to damage, he had seen the breaking point attack and had watched Ryouga shrug off the resulting shrapnel blast with no ill effects, yet this creature tore into him with ease, leaving great bloody rents in his flesh. And for all of the lost boy's vaunted strength, he was being tossed about like a rag in a tsunami, never even getting a blow in. Kuno stepped forward, not sure of what to do, but trying to prevent a murder when a scream stopped him in his tracks.
==
Akane was still looking for Ranma when she heard the yell followed by the cries of pain. 'Ryouga?' She wondered. 'What could do that?' Following the sounds she came upon a sight that chilled her to the bone and brought forth an involuntary scream. Ryouga was being held by the throat by what looked like a giant huminoid rat, he was battered and bleeding from dozens of slashes on his body, as the creature stood with one clawed hand cocked back, ready to tear the lost boys throat from his body.
==
As kuno stood by, Ranma was dealing much needed damage to the puny being that had attacked him. Finally, as his hand was drawn back to administer the killing blow, a womans scream penetrated the haze of rage that surrounded him. Casting about for the source of the distraction, his eyes came upon Akane, and the look of absolute horror upon her face cut him to the core. The rage bled from his being as if it had never existed, and he barely even noticed the change back to human form... But Akane had, he heard her whisper his name as she turned and fled.
Confused for a moment, he wondered what had happened, then he noticed Ryouga's limp body dangling by the neck from his hand. Releasing him, he watched in horror as the lost boy's form bonelessly slumped to the ground and lay there bleeding and twitching. In bits and pieces, the fight came back to him, first the rage at the attack, then the elation at the feel of Ryouga's flesh tearing beneath his claws. Slowly he took in the blood on his hands, the scraps of flesh trapped under his nails, and his world collapsed around him. 'It is a martial artists duty to protect the weak' The words he had spoken so many times ran through his head now, mocking him. Now the weak needed protecting from him it seemed, now he was the villan... Slowly he backed up, muttering incoherant denials and making warding gestures with his hands, as if that would make it all better, as if it could change what he was... A killer.
As he looked around himself, he saw Kuno standing there, a worried expression on his face... As their eyes met, the expression went from worry to dismay followed by horror. He watched as the normally impasive swordsman hit his knees, a strangled scream escaping his lips.
Finally, unable to deal with what had happened, he ran, sprinting down the road in the vain hope of outdistancing himself.
Tatewaki stood. It took every ounce of self control he had to keep from collapsing from the horror of what he had just witnessed when his eyes had locked with Saotome's. The scene had blurred, and he had seen Ranma, sprawled in a pool of blood with his throat sliced open, the implement of his demise, a shard of glass from a bottle, still clutched in his right hand. While this disturbed him, he could understand Saotome's reasons, no one _wants_ to be a monster.
Then he saw another image. He saw a rain of fire falling down, destroying everything in its wake, for half an instant he _felt_ every scream, every death as the world around him was consumed, and he knew... He knew that if his first vision came to pass, then the second would as well, and while the part of him that was 'The Blue Thunder' might hate Saotome with a passion, even delusions only went so far. The katana fell from his suddenly nerveless fingers, as Kuno ran in the direction Ranma had fled, all the while praying that he was not to late.
Genma watched. He didnt know what to do, and for once there was no plan, no scheme that could fix this, all he could do was pray that his son would recover. Jumping down to the road, he picked up Ryouga's limp body and the forgotten katana and headed for Dr. Tofu's.
Tbc
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People, I could use some C&C here... I know Kuno is OOC, as is Genma, however this simply reflects my personal view on the characters, and much of their odd behavior is explained in later chapters. Im hoping my chapter size increases in the future, but even with that I am looking at at least 8 to 10 chapters for this story.. Also, if anybody has a pic of a Crinos Ratkin they can spare, I would appreciate it.
Send C&C Questions to simkin@rocketmail.com
For those of you who wonder about the Nezumi, this may give you some insight:
http://members.tripod.com/wwta/Breeds/Ratkin/Tribes/Nezum i/nezumi_tribe.htm
SoulSurvivor
We are the equalizers, the Low Born, the ultimate truth. When our Hakken brothers realize the need for us again, they will come, and we will make a killing...literally.
-- TienBao, Nezumi Warrior
Nezumi = Rat or Mouse, in this context Wererat
Hakken = Werewolf
Bakemono = Demon of sorts