----------
Preludes Next, but first this rant...
----------
Well, Y'know what?
A funny thing happened as I read back what I wrote
on The Pursuit of Happiness.
I had the thing 40% done, really. And then I read it
over.
and again.
And Y'know what? I hated it. Not all of it. About 70% of it, really.
It was enough for me to just trash the whole thing.
And I did.
I started from scratch, step zero. Reorganized the plot somewhat, and
took it from there. I'm still trying to find a spot to fit in the joke
about the flying monkey...
anyways, here it is.
================================
BETA VERSION
================================
(The future...)
Ryoga shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. Where was he? The
last thing he remembered was Ryo, Pantyhose Taro, bright lights, a big
explosion...
His vision cleared. He wasn't alone. It looked like Ranma, Akane,
Shampoo, Mousse, and Ukyo were just waking up as well. There was a flicker
of something at the edge of the room, something dark, but he didn't notice
it.
"Where the hell are we?" muttered Shampoo. "I remember fighting someone,
but after that, it gets all cloudy..."
Everyone looked at her. "Wow, Shampoo, your Japanese really got better,"
said Ranma.
"What? I'm not talking Japanese. When did your Chinese get so good?"
Ryoga looked around. It was apparently a waiting room. There were
magazines on the tables, and the chairs weren't that comfortable at all.
There were also two doors, and both of them said DO NOT OPEN.
"Well, this is strange," said Mousse.
"Ryoga, hey, what'cha looking at?" asked Ukyo.
Ryoga stared at a friendly and warm sign hanging on the wall.
"Um, Ukyo..." he said, pointing to the sign. She looked at it. She
frowned.
The dark flickering shape got closer.
"Hey, guys, I think you oughta read this," said Ukyo.
=========================
WELCOME TO THE AFTERLIFE!
-------------------------
Please be patient, as all
of our staff is currently
busy. Thank you!
- The Management.
============================================================================
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Preludes: Looking Ahead, Looking Back
============================================================================
Warning:
In an infinite number of worlds, anything is possible.
***
(Many Months Ago...)
Ukyo walked, actually wandered around the streets of Nerima in a daze.
{Ranchan, why? Why not me? I thought you loved me!}
It had been several days since Ranma made his announcement, officially
becoming an item with Akane and declaring all his other engagements void.
{Why....}
She cried, of course. She didn't like doing that. It made her feel
weak, and that was another thing that she didn't like.
{Damn you...}
She _begged_ him to change his mind, she yelled at him in anger for
betraying her like he had, and she walked away feeling foolish, betrayed,
and so very much alone.
So, when does the pain stop? she asked herself.
She decided to close down the shop for a couple of days. Her emotional
state was ruining her cooking technique. Staying in the house was all she
could bear to do, at first, but the depression caught up to her, and she
decided to wander.
Just wander.
No particular place in mind, really.
Maybe it would help her forget?
So, she thought, maybe this is the real reason Ryoga is lost so much?
She laughed bitterly at her own joke as she walked by shops, markets,
buisness offices, and just kept on moving. A tear formed in her eye.
Dammit, she thought, I am _not_ gonna go to pieces over a guy!
I'm not...
I'm...
"Hey, you, get a move on!"
"Go 'way."
Ukyo snapped out of her haze.
I know that voice, she thought. That's...
Nearby, in an alley, an officer was standing angrily over a ragged,
dirty, unkept, and apparently drunk Ryoga.
Oh man, she thought, he looks like a wreck! Ryoga, you dummy.
"Officer! I know this guy! I'll take care of it," she said, rushing
over to them.
The officer turned, examined her, and said, "you'd better get him outta
here, right now. We've been getting complaints."
"Sorry that he's a bother, sir. C'mon, Ryoga, let's go." She pulled
him to his feet, put his arm around her shoulder, and together they
staggered away.
Ryoga, not in much shape to do anything, didn't, as Ukyo helped him
stagger some blocks away. After some distance, his brain finally kicked
in and decided to find out what was going on. As far as he could tell,
he was in the park, with Ukyo, helping him walk.
"Wha... Ukyo... whacha doin?"
"C'mon, stupid, let's get you cleaned up."
"Don'wanna."
"What then hell are you doing to yourself? You stupid jerk! You're
gonna get yourself in trouble."
"Shadup."
Ukyo stopped.
"_What_ did you say?"
"Go'way, dammit."
Ukyo angrily grabbed Ryoga by the collar. "LISTEN UP YOU IDIOT! IF YOU
KEEP THIS UP, I _WILL_ LEAVE YOU OUT HERE ON THE STREET TO ROT! IF IT
WEREN'T FOR THE FACT THAT WE'RE FRIENDS, I'D KICK YOUR ASS RIGHT NOW, GOT IT?
NOW STOP PUTTING UP THE ATTITUDE AND SNAP OUT OF IT!"
Ryoga blinked, then snarled. "Lis... listen up, y... you bitch..."
Ukyo's fist clenched. She started to do that blue glowing bit that
Akane does so well.
Ryoga, ignoring Ukyo's flaring battle aura, continued, "I DON'T NEED
YOUR HELP! I DON'T NEED ANYBODY! GOT THAT?! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"That's it... _nobody_ calls me a bitch... DIE!!!"
Ukyo threw a massive uppercut that caught Ryoga right on the chin,
popping him up into the sky briefly, and then descending down to the
park waterfountain...
*SPLASH*
"Bwee!"
Ukyo blinked in surprise. "P-chan?" She picked up the squealing,
snarling piglet with the yellow bandanna. "YOU were P-chan?"
P-chan glared at her.
She started shaking, covering her mouth.
"HAAHAHAHHAHAHA! Oh, this is funny." She continued giggling, with
P-chan still held up by his bandanna. He squealed angrily and tried to
get loose.
"Say, I wonder what Akane'll think if she finds out, eh?"
"BWEEEEEEE! BWEBWEBWEBWE!"
"Calm down, I'm just joking!" She patted P-chan on the head. He
settled down, but still looked angry. "C'mon, piggie, let's get outta
here."
She couldn't wipe the smirk off her face. No wonder Ranchan kept
on calling Ryoga P-chan! Ha! To think that Mr. Strongman here turned
into a _cute_little_piggy_
Ucchan stifled a loud burst of laughter.
P-chan sulked.
***
(years ago, Unorthodox Weaponry dojo...)
Ryo breathed hard. The sparring today was especially tough. He'd
finally felt the full hit of Ryoga's new umbrella. Damn, that thing
was heavy. It felt like someone hit his side with a steel club. The
rest of him wasn't doing so great either, being bruised or very sore.
He limped sideways, wary of Ryoga's advance, and readied his umbrella
for one last-ditch attack that he'd learned recently.
Ryoga cautiously edged forward, umbrella at the ready. This was one
intense sparring session, and he was fully into it. Whenever he started
fighting it was hard for him to stop, and it seemed Ryo wanted to take
this as far as he could too. He waited for Ryo to make the first move.
Ryoko watched nervously from the side. She wanted to stop them, but
knew that both people didn't like a good sparring session interrupted.
If it kept up like it was, she thought, then somebody would end up dead.
She wished Kyoko or Megane was here, instead of on that training trip.
They didn't see Ryoga much, and Ryo always seemed to hold back when
Kyoko was watching.
Ryo lost patience. He shifted his grip on his umbrella to the 'bludgeon'
position and charged at Ryo. "DIIIIIIIEEEE!!!"
Ryoga shifted into a defensive stance, but was startled when he saw
Ryo's umbrella handle start to glow. He jumped back as Ryo charged
and began his swing. No way was he gonna try and block that...
Ryo yelled "GEKIHOU!" and brought the umbrella down hard. There was an
explosion, a burst of light, and then there was a small crater in the
middle of the floor.
"Ryo! Stop!" Ryoko yelled.
Ryo yelled again, and charged at Ryoga once more. Ryoga swiped at
Ryo's midsection, but Ryo slid under the attack, snared Ryoga's ankle
with the umbrella hook, and knocked him off his feet. Ryo got up to his
knees as fast as he could and thrust the sharp tip of his umbrella towards
Ryoga's throat.
He stopped.
The point pressed lightly against Ryoga's throat.
He felt Ryoga's umbrella, lightly touching next to his skull. Ryoga
could've smashed his brains out, and Ryo knew it.
You know, you could kill him, right now, a voice in his head whispered.
You know you wanna do it. Get the upstart outta the way and earn back the
title of Best in the Dojo. C'mon.
Ryoga looked nervously up to Ryo's eyes. He didn't like the way they
were twitching.
"Ryo! Hey!" Ryoko yelled.
Ryo slowly pulled his umbrella away from Ryoga's throat. "Good match," he
said calmly.
"Yeah, you actually managed to get a draw from Ryoga!" teased Ryoko.
Ryo twitched again. He signed inwardly, knowing that he passed up a great
opportunity.
"C'mon guys!" said Ryoko happily, pulling them both by the arm. "Let's
go hit the soda joints!"
Ryo seemed disoriented for a moment, then smiled. "Yes, a vanilla
milkshake would be nice, hm?"
"Um, yeah," said Ryoga nervously. He didn't like the look he saw in
Ryo's eye. Maybe he was taking their matches a little too seriously.
***
(In the past)
Two young people walked slowly down a street, both in boy's school
uniform, looking somewhat tired. One had short hair, and the other
had a long ponytail.
"Man, that teacher is tough," said Ryuunosuke.
"Yeah, I've got a ton of homework tonight," said Ukyo.
"Onsen Mark was a bit trigger-happy today too."
"No kidding! He threw so many erasers around I had to duck for cover!"
Both started laughing a bit.
"Hey, Ryuunosuke," said Ukyo, "I think that girl is looking at'cha."
Ryuunosuke looked around, and saw the girl that Ukyo was talking about.
"Hm. Not interested. Why don't you go for it?" she asked.
"Me?" said Ukyo, "Er, no."
"Why not? She's a girl, you're a guy."
Ukyo paused at that statement, but said nothing more. She frowned and
looked at her friend of several years. "Um, Ryuunosuke," she said, blushing.
"Hey, something bothering ya?"
Ukyo sighed inwardly. No, she decided, she couldn't tell him. He'd
probbably freak out, think she was a freak, and tell everyone. She wished
she could at least tell Ryuunosuke. Maybe he'd... no. Probbably not.
Damn that Saotome!
"Nah," she said, "just thinking about somebody I knew a long time ago."
***
(A number of years ago)
He looked upon the infinite, with the universes and stars swirling
around him. He looked out and saw his "brothers" amongst the stars.
"You know," he thought, "we really ought to form a union or something."
***
(Back even farther...)
Outside, the rains that had plagued the city for the last several days
continued to pour.
Inside, A boy stood in a cushioned cell, wrapped by a straitjacket, but
as calm as a five year old shouldn't be.
He blinked, as his mind replayed recent events...
-
It was raining that day. Mom and Dad wanted to make it home before
the rains got so bad they were flooded out. They huddled around dad's
umbrella and ran for the car, and everyone was wet but still we had
to hurry home dad said.
They were driving really fast, mom and dad were.
And so was the other guy.
There was a bang. A really loud noise, louder than he'd ever heard
before.
Everything was moving around so fast! Mom and dad were screaming, so
was his sisters and brother.
And then everything went black, for a while.
He opened his eyes slowly. He hurt. All over. His vision was blurry.
"Mom? Dad? Wha'happen?"
The rain continued to beat down.
"Mom? Dad?"
He finally realized that something was all over his face. He wiped his
eyes, finally getting a clear vision, and his hand was now covered in
something slick and red. He squirmed out of the car, stumbled a bit,
and looked into the front seats.
He saw mom.
He saw dad.
And he knew they weren't going to be moving, ever.
"H-help... me...."
The boy turned around with a scowl. There's the other car. The one that
HIT US. It's HiS FaUlt! HIS!
"Oh God... I'm trapped... it hurts... help..."
He reached in, pulled out his parents' umbrella, and walked to the other
car, a scowl on his face.
"Kid... hey... you... get help... please..."
This man, he didn't look as bad as mom and dad did. He could still make
out the man's face.
"Hey... wha... you...doin..."
The boy remembered something as he stood above the one that took his
mom and dad away. This looks an awful lot like that umbrella his uncle
gave his dad.
He looked for a particular button.
-click-
A blade emerged from the point.
oH gOOd, It WAs.
-
He stood there, in the padded cell, feeling confused.
He should't be there. He'd just act like a good little boy until they
see, he doesn't belong there, not at all....
Accident? What accident? He wasn't in an accident.
***
(MANY years ago)
(Translated from Chinese...)
A very young Shampoo cautiously entered the hut where the visitor was
staying. She was curious. She'd heard that the old man was a seeker of
ancient lore and legend, and Shampoo always did like a good story.
"Well, hello there, little girl," he greeted. He was an elderly man,
dressed in typical chinese garb, with long white hair. His shoes showed
signs of long travel, and he seemed to be very tired.
"Um, hi."
"May I help you with something?"
"You're the one that has many stories?"
"Hm? Oh, if you mean I know alot about legends and such, well yes, I
guess I am."
"Oh." Shampoo wasn't exactly sure what to ask next. She was terribly
shy around grownups.
"You want to know why I'm here?" he asked, trying to be friendly.
"Yes, I guess."
"Ah, well, I'm on the trail of one last legend."
"A legend? Here?"
"Oh, yes. I'll tell you what I've found, in fact. Would you like that?"
"Yes! Please!"
"Right then," he said, smiling. He reached into a travel bag and pulled
out an old scroll."
"See this?" he said, showing it to her. "This is a rather unusual scroll.
Your great grandmother had a look at it."
She peered curiously at the scroll. "What's strange about it?"
"Now, just look at it from the corner."
She did.
"Tell me, without moving your eyes, is it a page full of words?"
"Yes."
"Any blank parts?"
"No."
"Now read it."
"But it's in a weird handwriting. I don't think I can."
"Trust me."
She began to read...
And noticed that certain parts dissapeared before she read them.
"Wow."
"Almost as if it doesn't want to be read, hm?"
"How does it do that?"
"Magic, I suppose."
"Great-grandmother is good with magic."
"She is, but even she was not able to read all of the scroll. Do you see
this bit at the bottom?"
"Yes."
"It is a notice and a warning. That much can be read."
"What's it say?"
"Basically, it says 'I have cast these words into the infinite void, and
only those that are worthy of my legacy shall read these words in full.'"
Shampoo looked a bit sad.
"Something upset you?"
"I wanted to know the story about that," she said, poking the scroll.
"Well, I'll tell you what I have been able to read, what has been told
from generation to generation from other towns, and where I found this
scroll."
Shampoo smiled.
"You see, not far from here, there was a wizard. A good man, actually,
and he served a rich and powerful family. He had his own family to look
over, a lovely wife and several children. His life was pleasant, for the
most part."
Shampoo yawned.
"Hey now, don't fall asleep on me yet. The story has yet to begin!"
"No action." she flatly said.
"Wait for it, it'll be worth it. Anyways, a chain of events began that
would lead to great misfortune for all involved. A very tragic story
indeed. It all began..."
***
(Several hundred years ago...)
The wizard, disarmed and wounded, stumbled back. He knew this was the
end. He defiantly spat blood at those who would blindly follow the words
of the royalty and the rich and the warlords and all of their ilk. Fools!
Puppets! He coughed up blood.
"Foul sorcerer, know that this is your end."
He was so close. So very close. He watched sadly as the great column
of blue hued energy that was meant to bring him power was suddenly sent
off-course by his enemies, landing in a distant place.
I'm sorry, my love, he thought, I have failed to avenge you and ours.
This is my end. He didn't like the way that sounded. No, he decided, it
won't end like this.
He looked up defiantly, and with his last energy said, "I will have
revenge."
"Not if you're dead." A quick slice later, the wizard was beheaded.
The swordsman fell to his knees, exhausted from the long battle. Nearby,
his allies were also on the floor, recovering from the long battle. There
were many henchmen and bizzare creatures that they had overcome, and the
battle against the wizard wasn't easy either.
The ragtag group managed to survive it all.
"Build a fire," said the swordsman, "the body must be burned to ashes."
Nearby, the wizard frowned. He didn't like being dead. There wasn't
much one could do in an ethereal state aside from move a few dust particals.
Magic seemed to be not quite working either. He'd been stomping on the
foot of the swordsman for some time, but apparently it wasn't working.
"Arrogant, self-righteous bastard!" he angrily yelled.
"Pompus son of a bitch!"
"Moronic simpleton!"
He noticed that they were starting to burn his body.
"Damn you all!"
Then he noticed that he wasn't alone.
He nervously peered behind him.
"You are the self-proclaimed wizard-king, right?" a feminine voice asked.
He blinked. "Yes. You wouldn't happen to be..."
"Yes, I am."
He frowned in confusion. He thought death would be some large scary
figure in ebony with the body of a demon, not a girl. It wasn't that the
girl wasn't dressed to the theme (she was _very_ pale, and wore all-black),
but that death was... well...
"You're female," he bluntly said.
"Yeah. Surprised, right?"
"I guess I am. One tends to put grand expectations on his demise and
the events afterwards."
"So, you're saying I'm not right for the job?" She lowered an eyebrow.
"No, no. You're just surprising, that's all. So what happens now?"
"Whenever you're ready, we go."
The wizzard paused, looking out at the scene of the four bastards that
interfered.
"I wish to do one last thing."
"Hurry, you haven't much time."
He grinned and stepped to the middle of the group that had dared defy him.
"To you that dared defy my will, I vow to have my revenge upon you and your
families. I curse thee..."
Lo Shun shivered.
"Hey, Shun, you okay?"
"Yes," she said, "I just felt a chill." She looked out across the many
springs that covered the landscape, and thought she heard an evil laughter
echoing in the wind.
***
Somewhere far away from China...
Akemi watched the skies, always fascinated with the clouds, the sky,
and the stars. Today it was very cloudy.
"Hey, Akemi, quit daydreaming," said her mother.
"Sorry Mom!"
Then she noticed it. A column of blue colored light, spinning madly
like a tornado, striking out from the clouds.
"Mom! Quick!" she yelled.
"What's bothering you... oh my, what is that?"
They were not the only ones to notice. The whole market crowd pointed
up in the sky at the energy form. As it came closer, everyone ran for
cover.
Akemi's mother took her hand and pulled hard. "Come on!"
As they ran away quickly, Akemi looked back. She noticed one person
in particular, who looked hypnotized by the energy. He wasn't running.
The tornado of energy suddenly struck down hard, becoming a beam of light,
and the man was engulfed in otherworldly energies...
There was a scream.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then the beam stopped. What it left behind was the smoking remains
of the foolish man.
He groaned.
"Mom, he's still alive!"
"He... help..." the man croaked.
"Help... me..."
-end preludes-