This popped into my head recently, and while it begs to have something
done with it, I can't do anything with it at all. Does someone out there
want to give it a try?
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Jack Staik
Property of Jillian
http://home.earthlink.net/~jstaik1043/otaku.htm
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: RPOA.TXT
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Ranma 1/2: Ryoga's Visit
By Jack Staik
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Ranma and Akane were walking home from school, bickering
about something - even they knew not what - when Ranma went
silent.
Akane turned her gaze to where Ranma was staring. A strange
man stood before the gates to the Tendo home, dressed in
dark red velvet, with a long cloak.
"Not another one," Akane groaned. Challengers, kidnappers,
and just plain weird people had shifted in Akane's lists
from 'novelty' to 'annoyance' rather quickly since Ranma
arrived in her life.
"Well, at least he's meeting us outside this time. A lot
better than being ambushed while Kasumi's serving supper."
"True," Akane agreed.
"Akane! Ranma!" the figure called out.
For a moment, they failed to recognize the figure, but then
memory kicked in.
"Ryoga?!?" they cried together.
Ryoga Hibiki strode up to them, black leather boots on his
feet, a dark red velvet cloak about his shoulders with a
gold clasp. He wore black tight-fitting pants and a close-
fitting red velvet waistcoat over a shirt of white linen. A bandana of red and black covered his forehead. The entire ensemble had a vaguely medieval flavor to it.
"Hey, P-Chan!" Ranma called out. "You become a hairdresser?"
"Ranma!" Akane chided. "Stop teasing Ryoga!"
"It's okay, Akane," Ryoga said. "Perhaps I should have
changed before I came here."
"And gotten lost," Ranma added.
"Ranma!" Akane said warningly.
"Actually, Ranma, I don't get lost anymore."
Ranma broke into a smile. "That's great, pal! Glad you beat
one of your problems! Only a million to go!"
Akane almost hit her fiancee, except that Ryoga was laughing
along with Ranma.
* * * * * * * * * *
Akane helped Kasumi prepare the tea service while Ryoga and
Ranma sparred. The Tendo and Saotome patriarchs admired the
vast improvements that Ryoga had made in his form and speed;
even Ranma had to work to keep up.
Ranma barely dodged another of Ryoga's punches and grabbed
his wrist. With a twist, Ryoga suddenly flew through the air
and landed in the koi pond.
Ramna stood in mute shock, knowing that Akane was watching -
- as Ryoga stood up, normal.
Ranma's eyes bugged out as he stared, stunned. Long enough
for Ryoga to dash over to him, pick him up bodily, and
deposit him in the koi pond.
Ranma-onna jumped out of the pond. She stared at Ryoga,
still flabbergasted. "How - why - cure -"
"No, I don't have a cure," Ryoga answered.
"But - You didn't -"
"The curse was destroyed. It involves an old magic kept by
my family. It won't work for anyone who doesn't have our
blood. Sorry."
Ranma-onna nodded. "Figures. But I'm happy for you, buddy."
"Thanks. That means a lot."
"Tea's ready!" Kasumi called.
As everyone sat down to tea (and Ranma had some hot water
poured on himself), Akane asked, "We haven't seen you in
over a month, Ryoga. Where have you been all this time?"
"Only a month?" he said, an odd smile on his face. "Time
does move diffently," he commented quietly.
"Huh?" Ranma asked.
"Nothing." Ryoga took a sip of tea. "Well, first I met an
aunt I didn't know I had - my father's sister. Then I
learned that my father had another name, and his family had
been trying to locate him for years before I was born."
"So you're not Ryoga Hibiki?" Akane asked.
"Not 'Hibiki' - but I decided to keep 'Ryoga'."
They all noticed that Ryoga said nothing about his father's true family name, and decided not to pry. "Did your aunt manage to find your father?" Akane asked.
"Nope. But they were glad to find me."
"How so?" Nabiki asked.
"Well, it seems that my dad had hidden a lot about his past
from me - like his real name, my heritage, and the fact I
have a half-brother, numerous aunts and uncles, and enough
cousins to fill a stadium." Ryoga chuckled. "And it seems
that mom's side was also descended from a mutual ancestor
several generations back. That's where the 'lost curse' came
from."
"So your dad's side has the lost curse, too?" Ranma asked.
"Not exactly," Ryoga said, trying to phrase it right. "It's
a side effect of a - a type of magic that my family can control."
Akane looked fascinated. "So did you learn any magic,
Ryoga?"
Ryoga shook his head. "I've got enough control so I don't
get lost any more, and I can do a few tricks, but I'm no
sorcerer. Now my brother Merlin - he can do
*magic*! I saw
him once make a demon explode!"
"What was he doing with demons?" Ranma asked. If Ryoga's
new-found relatives were black magicians ...
"Trying to keep them from killing us."
Ranma nodded. "Good use for magic."
"So what brings you back this way?" Akane asked.
"Looking for Dad," he replied. "No one's heard from him
since my grandfather died a while back. My aunt stumbled
across our home here in Tokyo by accident. Apparently, I've
had more recent contact with him than anyone else, and the
trail's fresher here."
"Your family sounds anxious to get in touch with him," Akane
said.
"Family togetherness is very important," Kasumi commented.
"Well, they want to make sure he's all right," Ryoga said.
"And they're worried he might not be well."
"'Not well' as in 'sick'," Ranma asked, "Or 'not well' as in
'nuts'?"
"Ranma!" Akane hissed.
"Hey! You never saw his dad! He'd get these weird moods -
creepy!"
Ryoga answered quietly, "Actually, Akane, he's right."
"Oh," Akane said sadly.
"Before he disappeared, Dad had worked some powerful magic -
and what he created is still around. No one knows if it's
dangerous or not, and no one can do anything about it.
They're hoping that Dad can - and that he's sane enough to
want to."
"Sorry, man," Ranma muttered.
"It's okay, Ranma."
The rest of the tea passed in an embarassed silence.
* * * * * * * * * *
Ranma was sorry to see Ryoga leave. The Lost Boy was a lot
nicer than he used to be - not as depressed or tempermental.
More focused. Ranma found himself envying whatever it was
that Ryoga had found with his father's family.
"Can we help you get to your parent's house?" Akane asked.
"That's okay - I've already been." Ryoga put his fingers to
his lips and whistled. "I was headed somewhere else anyhow."
A white stallion with an elaborate saddle trotted up. Nabiki
and Kasumi looked around, wondering how a horse got into
their yard without anyone noticing.
"Where'd that come from?" Ranma asked.
"I told you I learned a couple of tricks," Ryoga said
mysteriously. He hopped into the saddle with practiced ease
and handed Ranma a letter, then spurred the horse lightly.
"Home, Dancer."
The horse trotted around a corner of the house. Ranma and
Akane walked over to where the horse had been, but all trace
of it had vanished. Even the hoofprints stopped abruptly, as
if the horse had evaporated into thin air, rider and all.
"'A couple of tricks', my ass," Ranma muttered.
* * * * * * * * * *
Later that evening, Ranma and Akane opened the letter, which
was addressed to both of them.
Ranma and Akane:
I wanted to thank the two of you for the kindnesses
you've both shown me over the time that I've known you. And even for the aggravations that Ranma heaped upon me. Don't be too rough on him, Akane - he thinks of his insults as a form of affection.
(Akane looked at a blushing Ranma and smiled gently.)
I also wanted to apologize for the many wrongs I
committed. That includes blaming Ranma for many things that
weren't his fault - including the Jusenkyo curse. Ranma will
tell you about it, Akane; I hereby release him from the vow
of silence I made him swear.
I hope you will not judge him harshly for what I did,
Akane. I misused his sense of honor for my own selfish
reasons. I hope to one day, somehow, make it up to you both.
("Ryoga had a Jusenkyo curse?" "I'll tell you later.")
I owe the two of you not only a debt of honor, but a
debt of friendship as well. If you ever need me, take the
card you find within and concentrate on the image. You'll be
able to contact me then.
(Akane took out what appeared to be a large playing card,
which was cold as ice. On it was the image of Ryoga, dressed
in the red velvet suit he'd worn at the gate, his umbrella
held in a fencer's pose. The back of the card was lime
green, with the silhouette of a unicorn in silver.)
Despite both of our words and actions in the past,
Ranma, I always knew that you loved Akane. Take good care of
her. And stop being such a chicken - she loves you, too.
(Akane looked at Ranma, wide-eyed. Ranma stared back with
terror on his face. She smiled at him, making him blush.)
It's said that our actions cast shadows that affect not
only our lives, but those of others we may touch as well.
For those who bear the Blood of Oberon, this is true in a
deeper sense. I hope that I've learned that lesson well, and
that I can cast better shadows in the future.
If we never meet again, I want you both to know that
you were the best friends I ever had.
Signed,
Ryoga, Prince of Amber
====================
Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Amber (true classics of
fantasy literature) were written by Roger Zelazny, and if
you don't dash out and get all the novels now, you should be
ashamed of yourselves.
Note: This is intended as a one-shot. As you could tell if
you read the Amber books, Ryoga's father is Corwin, the Lost
Boy's tendency to get lost is a manifestation of his Shadow
powers, and the Pattern burned out the Jusenkyo Curse.
As for Ryoga's maturity, "Time passes differently in
Shadow." While the Rumic World only aged a month, Ryoga
spent several years away.
If anyone wants to write either a follow-up or a prequel
(describing Ryoga's time in Amber and/or his training), feel
free.