Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Trial By Fire ❯ Chapter 5 - Fade To Black ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Trial By Fire

Section I: Melodies of Life

Chapter 5: Fade To Black

Author: Jial Silverthorn (jial_silverthorn@hotmail.com)

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<....> denotes a thought, not verbally spoken. When it involves Ranma/Ranko/Akane, the other(s) can possibly ‘hear’ it.

[....] denotes a feeling or a short action, usually before speech takes place.

*....* denotes a sound effect

(....) denotes writing

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Walking ahead of Shinai, Cologne’s mind is racing, trying to piece together what little she knows of the strange fellow behind her.

Cologne:         Well, the boy can fight, that much is obvious. And with how quickly he adapted to and countered the Hirryu Shoten Ha...he is a rare find indeed. Although I imagine he is here because of Ranma...chaos is drawn to him like a moth to a flame.>

Quickly opening the door to the Nekohanten, Cologne motions for Shinai to take a seat, wondering where Dr. Tofu went. Noticing a note, she picks it up and grumbles.

(Elder,

      I enjoyed our discussion earlier today, but I had to return to work. When I have further free time, I will drop by again.)

Cologne:         Well child, it appears that we will have to go visit the doctor ourselves. I was hoping he would still be here.

Looking up at Shinai,Cologne notices him making writing motions in the air with his good arm. Remembering his encounter with Ranko, Cologne realizes what he is asking for.

Cologne:         One moment, and I will procure what you need. I assumed you were worn out from the fight, I apologize.

Quickly hopping around, Cologne gathers a tablet of paper and a pen, setting them in front of Shinai. Standing off to the side, she watches as he writes on the tablet. The boy’s handwriting is swift, but easily legible, his hand adept from years of practice.

Shinai:           (Thank you Elder. Do not worry about my arm, it will be fine.)

Cologne:         I don’t know who you are fooling, but I heard the bone crack earlier. That arm is NOT fine, and the only way it will be fine is for it to be examined by a doctor.

Shinai flexes his left arm weakly, testing the battered bones. Rotating the arm once, he winces as the pain lances through his body. Turning back to Cologne, his writing is a little unsteady, but still readable.

Shinai:           (Pain is only a reminder that I still live. Besides, I do not think you could force me to see this doctor, so we’ll do this my way. My arm will heal fine as it is. And judging by your actions thusfar, my departure is something you wouldseek to prevent.)

Cologne:         I can see that your mind is made up. And you are correct; rather than risk you leaving, I will abide by your wishes for now, provided you answer some questions for me.

Shinai:           (I will answer those I see fit to answer at this time. Is this perfectly clear Elder?)

Cologne hisses inwardly at having terms dictated to her, but her curiosity overrides the momentary burst of anger. Weighing the options, she realizes that she has little choice but to accommodate him.

Cologne:         <Any other outsider male, and I would have called him a fool, but this is not something I can afford to lose...not yet at least. There is more to his presence than meets the eye, and I would rather have him close to me where I can observe him as opposed to wandering around loose. >You act as though I have a choice in the matter; I agree to your terms. You really are a Shin’yuu aren’t you?

Shinai:           (Yes that I am. How is it that you know of what I am?)

Cologne:         Does the name Kato ring a bell?

Dropping the pen, Shinai leans back and begins tallying the list of the Shin’yuu. Eventually, a lesson returns to him, along with a name, face, and history. Nodding, he begins writing again.

Shinai:           (One of the Shin’yuu...from about 240 years ago, if I recall my lessons correctly.)

Cologne:         He had a run-in with my tribe, and while we learned very little from him, he was content to tell us a few things, of which I have never forgotten.

Shinai:           (One of which was how to spot another of his brethren, no matter how many years have passed...Kato was one of the few Shin’yuu who felt like he should share his knowledge with others before the proper time.)

Cologne:         You speak of him as though he was some traitor.

Shinai:           [frowning] (No, not a traitor, just...idealistic, and some ways idiotic. However the past is gone, all I can do is look to the future. What Kato did is done, and I suppose should never be undone, or else I would not be talking with you today.)

Cologne:         Kato mentioned that Shin'yuu actively seek out people for three reasons. Either to pass on their knowledge before their time ends, to learn from a new master, or to find a person to take them away from their path. I am not that blind as to see you are a young man, with the whole of his life ahead of him. That rules out the first option. The last option is also unlikely since you are beingequally guarded about yourself. So I would assume that you are here to learn.

Shinai:           (It appears that Kato was a little more than forthcoming with certain things...I have come to judge an individual and to see if it is worth my time to learn from them. In this case, that person is Ranma Saotome.)

Cologne’s voice is a mix of shock and amusement as her suspicions are confirmed.

Cologne:         You have seen what his sister can do, yet you doubt his skill?

Shinai:           [shaking his head] (It is not in my nature to assume that because one sibling is skilled, the other is. I will see for myself, even if my other shoulder pays for it. To place too much faith in the words of others without weighing the reality, this is not the way of the Shin’yuu. Every person must prove themselves, no matter what their kin are capable of.)

Cologne:         Might I suggest that you rest before you consider this course of action? I know Ranma fairly well, and it would not do well for you to seek him out injured. <To say nothing of how he will react when he realizes who you are and what you did to his sister.>

Shinai:          [looking at his shoulder] (If you do not mind my being here. I should only be a few days before I am healed again. I do not wish to burden you too much, nor do I wish to cause trouble for you.)

Cologne:         <The damage has been done...all I can do is watch the spectacle unfold.> A bit optimistic, but we'll just have to let time judge that, now won't we? As it stands, you have nothing but time on your hands, and I have more questions for you.

Shinai:           (First, would you tell me a little more about Ranma? I have limited knowledge, and while I was willing to face him blindly, a chance at learning more is not to be passed up. Knowledge is too valuable to waste or ignore.)

Cologne smiles as the roles reverse slightly. Letting out a slight chuckle, she studies Shinai’s face as she begins her explanation.

Cologne:         As you have things that must be kept secret, so do I. I have violated his trust too often...I do not plan on crossing him again. In time, I may be able to tell you more about him, but for now, I will only divulge certain things. Once I verify your intentions, and judge you myself, I will feel safer about revealing more.

Shinai:           (If he is able to inspire fear into you, then I will heed your words. Compared to his sister, how much skill does Ranma have in the realm of martial arts?)

Cologne:         Technically, they have an equal level of skill; it is just that Ranko is less likely to use full force on her opponents. What caused you to become mute; has this been something you have dealt with since birth, or was it an incurred injury?

Shinai tenses up for a moment, letting the pen drop from his hand. Glaring at Cologne, he decides that the truth is best...for once. Picking it back up, his words seem to reflect his grim face.

Shinai:           (Neither...it was a phase in my training. By forsaking the spoken word, I gain a better understanding of motion and a slight ability to predict it. How long have you known Ranma and his family?)

Pausing for a moment, Cologne reaches back into her memory for the first time she met a certain red headed girl bouncing along a rooftop in Nerima.

Cologne:         For almost three years now, not all of it under the friendliest of terms. As a reminder child, be aware that if your health goes downhill, I WILL contact the doctor. I understand that you want to heal naturally, but even stubbornness has limits.

Shinai:           (There is a fine line between stubborn and confident. I know how and when I will heal from this. I am...used to having my body turned against me.)

Cologne:         I still say you are being foolish, but for now I will allow it. Are the overall ‘terms’ satisfactory?

Shinai:           (That is perfectly fair, now if you do not mind, I would like to rest. I would assume that your offer of recuperation includes somewhere I can lay my head. While I do not feel the exhaustion, I know it is there, and must be dealt with.)

Cologne:         I am sure you can make do with what I have to offer. There is a small room upstairs, off to the side. The former occupant is back home in China, for an unknown amount of time. You are welcome to rest there, but be warned; this IS a place of business, so I hope you are used to noise. Today was a day that I chose to close early and that is not normal. You can volunteer your help around here if you are so inclined. I would appreciate it, but it not required.

Shinai:           (I am aware of this, and I understand. As to helping out, we will see how long my stay is. When I am more...stable, I wish to continue this information exchange. I only ask that you do not inform Ranma or his family of my presence here.)

Cologne:         So long as I believe you intend no malice, I will not tell them. Why the sudden urge of secrecy? Back there, you had no troubles telling Ranko who you were. Granted, your purpose here is unknown to her, but she will likely place the blame on a person who is deserving of it.

Shinai:           (Between my bruises and hurt arm, I need to recover. Besides, I imagine that Ranko has already told her brother about me, and I want to give him a few days to stew it over. I am an enigma, and if his intelligence is half as good as his martial arts skill, he will seek out information. To that end, I will wait in the shadows, observing him. The measure of a potential student or teacher is not only in their physical skills, but also how they think. Fists alone do not win a fight; it takes tactical skill at times.)

Cologne:         You walk a dangerous path; I only hope you survive the trip. I will help you as long as I feel comfortable. I will not take sides should you anger Ranma though. I have done my share of damage in his life, I seek to avoid further conflict. I hope you understand my position in this matter.

Shinai:           (Then we have an agreement of sorts. I will leave you be for now Elder. As I noted before, I am in need of rest, and despite my bravado, I am beginning to feel the toll of the day set in.)

Standing up, Shinai walks upstairs, his arm hanging at his side limply. His movements are dulled by the pain in his arm and the massive energy loss from the day. Heading into Mousse’s room, he collapses on the bed in an undignified heap, his mind processing the information gleaned from today.

Shinai:          < So it begins, Ranma. What have you to teach me, and why did ‘Zaku insist I seek you out? This visit is a violation of the principal teachings, so you are a special case. Let us hope that the mystique surrounding you has some validity to it. I would hate to have wasted my trip on smoke and mirrors.>

Watching the wraith-like figure walk upstairs, Cologne chuckles as she realizes that peace is no longer an option in her life once more. Sighing, she sits back and smiles again.

Cologne:         <I only hope that he treads lightly. The peace has been a welcome change. I am not sure how Ranma will appreciate dealing with inconveniences once more. And this child...his status is one of extreme scarcity. Shin’yuu do not make themselves known, and his open display of power means that he is here to stay unless Ranma proves unworthy. Somehow, I think it is Shinai who is going to be tested, not Ranma.>

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Elsewhere...

'Zaku:          You will see the reasons why Shinai. The gears are in motion, all you have to do is survive the ride.

???:           Well, so far everything is going as you planned you fool. But why would you risk him on such a gamble?

'Zaku:          I gambled with Shinai because he has nothing to lose, and possibly everything to gain. Besides, it is not your place to ask ‘Bu, you only helped train him, I am his master. His time with us is over, just sit back and watch.

‘Bu:           And I don’t care what you think, he represents a decade of hard training, some of which has not been used in centuries. C’mon, ‘Ko, you should be agreeing with me on this. Shinai may have been a pain, but we trained him as best we could and HE guided him into the maelstrom.

‘Ko:           I hate siding with our resident fool, but he is right about one thing. The road that Shinai now walks is his alone, and we can do no more than watch. Although it would be nice for him to be proven wrong, on this, I want him to be right.

'Zaku:          [smugly] Thus far, if I am have made a decision, it has not blown up in my face. I see no reason why it will start now.

Feeling an ominous presence behind him, a familiar face glares down at him, clearly unimpressed.

???:           [angrily] It can and most likely will go wrong. You may have planned for Ranma, but what of his sister? You never accounted for that, you stupid oaf.

'Zaku:          Amazing, you are actually speaking for once...It appears I have made you too flustered to remember the lessons that you teach. Calm down ‘Ryu, what’s the worst she can do? You just heard, she is less of a factor than Ranma is.

‘Ryu:          Then you underestimate her, and I will be standing here ready to laugh when you finally see this for yourself. Maybe if you took some of that precious knowledge of yours and applied it properly for once, you would see this. In fact, you should go do that now, seeing as you have nothing better to do.

'Zaku:          For once, I see YOU used your brain as opposed to that brute force you wield. Fine, I’ll see what has you so worried about Shinai. I still say that when he and Saotome finally meet and begin learning from each other, all our work will pay off. And besides...

‘Bu:           We know, we know, you have never been proven wrong. Well, let’s hope that she DOES. For once, I’d like that smug look to get wiped off your face.

'Zaku:          We will see, now if you will excuse me, I have some things to look up. I need to see if Ranko is as big a threat to Shinai as you claim he is. Do tell me if anything relevant occurs.

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Author’s Note:

1)           This and the next chapter were written at the same time, and occur in the same timeframe. I split the chapters for personal reasons, but it did not feel right leaving them condensed together.

2)           Shinai is almost as good with pen and paper as a person is with words. Several years of practice make you very quick with the pen.

3)           Character building; Not my favorite thing to do, but it has ta be done. If it seems choppy, feel free to chew me out later.  

4)           Oh, and who are our 4 mystery guests and what plans have they set in motion? The names listed are only a partial reference, but I imagine a few people will get the reference.

5)           There are a few formatting errors that are being impossible to iron out. I have spent a good 3 hours trying to re-work the HTML and they refuse to leave, so forgive any such errors in this chapter. I refuse to let a few small bugs delay this chapter any more.

Next Chapter: Chapter 6 – Awake (Artist: Godsmack, Album: Awake)