Ok, if this won't still show up, I'm quitting...


The Seven Martial Artist
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

by Florencio B. de la Merced, Jr.

A Fanfic inspired by the anime Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi, 
and by the movie, Seven Samurais, a film by Akira Kurosawa.

[Warning: This is a Chain Fanfic - Authors Beware]
=-=-=-=

Part One

=-=-=-=

A hillside, the beautiful landscape of early Japan.  The clearing, a 
farm, a village.  The slopes were filled with flowers, the valley 
riddled with rice paddies.  A dirt road, north, leading into a quiet and 
peaceful forest.  The south, a lonely stream beckons, a rice mill in the 
distance, it's water wheel moved with the wind.  East was the Sun, West 
was the mountain, all was right in the world.

A distant thunder, the ground shook in fear.  Horses, a heard of them
rumbled and charged their way up the hillside.  An army of brigands, 
armed and ready to do battle. A massacre awaits.  Down below the farming 
village had turned into remorseful chaos, the streets abandoned in 
despair. 

"Didn't we come by here last fall?"  A man atop of his horse asked his
comrades.

"Yes, they may still have no harvest yet,"  A brigand answered back.  
Their leader struggled with his horse, it stopped recklessly at the 
crest. He looked fervidly at the scene before him, gathering the wits 
and intelligence that his troop so desperately depended on.  "We'll come 
back," he swung his mightily stick, " after the harvest."  He whipped 
his bokken fiercely at the imaginary enemy in front of him, his 
anticipation rising. "Yes, this I decree."

The horsemen, an army of marauders and slayers, left in quick haste.  
Their chant echoed all around the hillside, like the crack of thunder, a 
rampage of danger soon to come.  As the blues and chuckles of the enemy 
died down into the distance, a lone farmer, hiding among the fig thorns 
finally appeared in view.  Without hesitation he quickly ran down 
towards his fellow men, the crier or wolves that he is, this time they 
had to listen with fear for he brings the word of death to all.

=-=-=-=

A meeting of the villagers, the well in the middle of the village was
crowded with people, young and old.  Their faces though were not of the 
festive type, for they had heard the news.  A pillage soon to come, the 
imminent doom to them all was the cry that morning.  No one did stop 
crying, all men, women and children were in hopeless solitude.

"Why don't we just kill ourselves?!"  A lunatic cried in pain.  "They 
won't stop pillaging, raping our wives and children if we don't do 
something."

"But what can we do?"  A woman asked, clutching her children in her 
arms.

"We'll talk to the old man,"  One of the elders spoke.  "He'll tell us 
what to do."  The crowd turn to look south, the rice mill still turning 
as if nothing had changed in the life of the village.  "Come on."

=-=-=-=

"Eh?  What do you want me to do?"  The miller, a tall man fashioned in 
robes met with the riotous people.  "You know that he can't be 
disturbed."

"But, the brigands."  An old woman pleaded, and so did the rest.

"Very well.  But don't be hopeful, he's never helped anyone in his 
entire life."  Soun let opened the gates to let the people in.  Soon the 
Tendo household was overbearing with mournful farmers, wives and 
innocent children.

"Daddy?  What's going on?"  Akane's question was hardly heard over the
ruckus inside their home.  She was busy handing out the tea her dear 
older sister had prepared for their guest.  Her father was too busy, 
though, to notice her so she went to her other sister for the answer.

"Looks like there's another problem in the village," Nabiki answered as 
she too was busy handing out some rice cakes to their unexpected guest.  
"And looks like these poor folks are really scared to death about 
these," she paused to remember, "brigands, yeah...that's it."

"Oh, my is that true?"  Kasumi joined her sisters.  "Brigands are such
trouble in these parts.  I hope nothing like that happens here."

Akane looked puzzled, for her knowledge on the subject matter was 
somewhat outdated or incomplete.  "Really?  What are brigands anyway?"  
A roar came from their father's direction.

=-=-=-=

"Really?  These brigands did all those things to you and to the village 
last fall?!"  A face of horror fell on Soun's face.  Had he known he 
wouldn't have chosen this quiet village to set up his trade.  "My god, I 
can't believe that."

"It's true.  You folks just arrived here, so you may have no idea what 
had happened here last fall,"  A weary spokesperson of the villager 
replied.

Kimiko Tendo looked troubled, "Is it true, people were sacrificed just 
so they would leave?"

"Yes, Kuizo's wife was taken, I'm afraid."  A man said, while another 
man at the back fell down on his knees crying.   Soun looked immediately 
at his wife, with Kimiko staring at him as well.  "I'm so sorry that we 
never told you anything about these."

"You should have!"  Soun shouted, but he himself knew that was for no 
good reason.

"Oh, Soun.  What shall we do?" Kimiko held on to her husband, "What 
about our kids?  My God...I don't think..." She started crying, the news 
had hurt her as well.

"Don't worry, Kimiko," Soun embraced his wife, comforting her with his
words.  "We'll just leave this place."

A roar erupted among the unruly crowd, fiercely asking for Soun for his 
help.

No one noticed that the old man was awake already, apparently he was
awakened by the noise.  "What the hell are you people doing here?!"
Happosai jumped on top of Soun, glaring at the townspeople.  "You people 
are such a bunch of sissies.  Why don't you fight these brigands?"

"What? Us fight?"  The murmur was deafening. "But we are farmers."

Happosai jumped down off Soun's head, much to Soun's relief.  "So?  You 
can fight, right?  You can carry a stick, can't ya?"  Happy jumped on 
someone else's head.  "I'd do it myself if I wasn't ... I mean...Soun 
would do it, since he's a training martial artist."  Every now had their 
eyes on Soun.

"What?  But master, there are over forty of these brigands.  And I'm 
only one?"  Soun rattled in fear.

"I'll help!"  Akane's voice rocked the whole household.  "I'm a martial 
artist too, ya know."  Somehow her enthusiasm didn't help the situation 
though.  Happy just sighed.

"That's very nice of you Akane, but..." Kimiko was already dragging her 
little child out of the room.  "This is a man's problem, so let's leave 
it to the men to handle this, ok?"  Kimiko excused Akane and herself as 
she was about to leave the room.  "Um, Kasumi...Nabiki, will you help me 
with your sister here."  They all disappeared a few moments later.

"I see your point, Tendo."  Happosai had managed to jump on Soun's head 
again.  Soun was relieved.  "I guess we'll just have to hire someone to 
help us."

"Hire?!"  The question was on everyone's lips.  "Who can we hire?

Soun had a few minutes to think, "Why don't we hire some Martial Artist, 
or Samurais?

"We can't afford to hire anyone...unless they would work for food and
shelter alone."  Everyone was depressed, their backs on the wall, with 
no hope in sight.

Happosai suddenly had an idea, "Then let's hire some hungry and 
desperate martial artist.  There must be some out there."  Everyone 
looked and stared at each other, not really fathoming the old man's 
idea.

=-=-=-=

A provincial town, a large town filled with people coming through and 
from the nearby shanties.  A mixture of the normal and unique, the blend 
of what makes suburban Japan most enthralling.  The market place was 
crowded, the streets rivaling it's activity.  These scenes would make 
any promdi gawk in awe.  And so it was, Soun, Kuizo and Kimiko found 
themselves on a foreign land looking for the deliverer, their hope 
against hope.  They looked all morning, but had only managed to get a 
few ire and laughs from the local samurai's.  Then there was a commotion 
down the street.

"Hey, give that back old man?!"  A pig-tailed boy was running after an 
older man down the street, running just behind the two was a katana 
wielding beautiful woman, who could have easily been mistaken for a 
Samurai.  But a woman?  "I'm warning you, Pops.  Don't you dare drink my 
milk!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha!  Ranma, my boy, you are getting slower by the day." Genma 
had opened the bottle he was running away with.

"Come back here, you two!"  Nodoka was now really far behind her family, 
but many people around her were amazed that she could at least somehow 
keep up with the two ahead of her.  "We have got to ...to..." Nodoka had 
enough, she slowed down to a walking pace, then suddenly stopped.

Kimiko, Soun and Kuizo stared at the woman, as she had stopped just in 
front of them.  Nodoka unwrapped the cloth off her katana and finally 
drew it. The crowd stepped back.  Nodoka raised in high, the sun's light 
brightening and glistening the blade.

"Genma and Ranma Saotome!  Stop at once!"  Her cry was more for battle 
than for pleading.  She was the personae of utmost seriousness.

"Huh?" Ranma looked behind him, seeing her mother with her katana out 
and about made him cringe.   "Yo, Pops.  Looks like Mom's angry."  Genma 
ran back, fixing his glasses to get a better view.  When he did see the 
reflection of the blade, he immediately fell on his knees...dragging his 
son with him. "Hey!  What the..."

"Foolish boy!  Get down on your knees if you know what's good for you!" 
Genma muttered, the approaching footsteps told him Nodoka was 
approaching.

"But why do I have to kneel down, when it's your fault?"  Ranma answered 
back.

Nodoka returned her katana back in it's place, and slowly tapped Genma's 
shoulder.  "Get up, Genma."  So he did, with Ranma still glaring at him. 
"You two, will you stop doing this...this running off to God knows 
where. You know that I can't keep up, especially if I have to carry this 
katana with me." Nodoka playfully pleaded.

"Sure thing, Mom." Ranma smiled.  "So where do we go next?"

"Why don't we eat first?"  Nodoka lead, Genma and Ranma followed.  Soun, 
Kimiko and Kuizo were following as well.

"I heard it's lovely this time of year in Kyoto,"  Genma answered.

"Kyoto?  What the heck are we going to Kyoto again?  We had seen enough 
of that place to last me a lifetime, Pops,"  Ranma replied.

"Why are you scared, Ranma?  Did those samurai's scare you?" Genma 
laughed.

"Don't try to be funny, Pops.  It's ... unbecoming...besides, no 
Samurai, no brigand stands a chance against me,"  Ranma boasted.

=-=-=-=

"Did you hear that?"  Soun whispered to Kimiko.  "These people may be 
able to help us."  Kimiko, though was thinking of something else.  Kuizo 
was doubtful though.

"They were fast, " Kuizo paused, "and that woman looked like a Samurai 
and was very good wielding that sword."

"That's it!"  Kimiko shouted, startling everyone, including Ranma's 
family who was just ahead of them.

"Kimiko?"  Soun muttered, recovering from a mild heart attack.  His 
wife, though was unfazed.

"Nodoka!  Remember me?!"  Kimiko said excitingly as she ran ahead 
towards Nodoka.

"Kimiko? Is that you?!"  Both women recognized each other and hugged 
each other.  " I can't believe that's you?  How long has it been?"  The 
rest of the party were amazed at the sight of the two friends reunited 
at last.

"You've got to tell me what you've been doing all these years." Kimiko 
asked as they all entered a restaurant, the men following hesitantly.  
"I heard you married a martial artist."

"And I heard that you married one too." Nodoka replied, and she and 
Kimiko just laughed at the news.  Genma looked at Soun, without uttering 
anything. Soun did the same.  Ranma looked at Kuizo, but realized that 
he was almost as old as his father.  Kuizo, just cringed at Ranma's 
stare, fearing for his life he must have felt.

"So, Kimiko.  What brings you to the city?" Nodoka asked as they all sat 
down to eat.  "I always thought you'd settle down in the countryside, 
raising kids."

"Well, we have trouble back home.  Brigands are terrorizing our village, 
I'm afraid."  Kimiko looked at her husband, waiting for him to talk for 
the group, but Soun was busy playing a mental game with Nodoka's 
husband.

"Did you say, Brigands?"  Nodoka looked over at Ranma, who at the moment 
was roaming his eyes around to see some beautiful lady around.  "Ranma?!  
Did you hear that?  Brigands."

"Huh?" Ranma was obviously inattentive.

"Say no more, Kimiko.  Your problems are solved."  Everyone at the table 
had one question.

"They are?"  Kimiko was relieved.

"Wait, what  are you saying, Nodoka?"  Genma finally paid attention.

"I'm saying that we'll be helping Kimiko and their village get rid of 
some troublesome brigands."

"Oh." Ranma sighed "Well, One or two brigands is no problem with me."

Soun cleared his throat, "Well, actually they are forty in all."

"Forty!"  Genma, Ranma and Nodoka was dumbstruck.

"How the hell..." Ranma was thinking...

"Nodoka, what have you put us is?"  Genma was angry, a bit scared 
himself too.

"I ... Are you sure about that?" Nodoka asked her friend, apparent she 
heard correctly.  "Well...um..."

"I guess we just have to find some help then."  Ranma stood up and had 
his hand rolled into a fist.  "Yeah, I'm sure there are guys out there 
that we can hire to help us."  His words made him think again.  "How 
much are we getting from this endeavor anyway?"

Kimiko and Nodoka looked at each other.  "Well, I was hoping our home 
and the meals would suffice."  Kimiko crossed her fingers.

"What?!"  Genma and Ranma where in unison.  "You want us to fight forty 
brigands for board and lodging?"

"Uh, ugh.  No way!"  Ranma fell back to his chair, crossed his arms in
protest.

"Ranma!" Nodoka demanded, but Ranma wasn't listening.  So was Genma, but 
he was content with the food part.  "Um, Come on Ranma.  Do this for 
your mother?"

"No, Mom.  I'm not that stupid!"

"Ranma, my boy.  What would it take for you to reconsider?"  Soun may 
have just had an idea.

"Huh?  Mister Tendo, if you were me...and you were asked to go fight 
forty people just for food, what would you say?"  Ranma sarcastically 
asked.

"I would say yes!"

"Oh, brother!"  Ranma slapped himself silly.

"It would be a tremendous honor for any martial artist to fight for the 
weak, those kind people of our village..." Soun heard Ranma's muttering 
every word he was saying, " and of course to fight for our three 
beautiful daughters."  Ranma's head shot up.

"Daughters?"  Ranma held the word beautiful to himself.

"Soun?"  Kimiko asked.

"What do you say, Ranma?"  Soun crossed his arms as well. "You seem to 
be old enough, and it seems you are a strong young man, what if I would 
let you chose to have one of my daughters for a wife?"

Genma couldn't resist, "Hey, Ranma this may be your chance."

"Butt out!  You pervert!"  Ranma berated.  "I'm not that kind of a 
person."

"Then it's settled then."  Soun shook Ranma's hand, and the die had been 
cast.

"Hey, wait..."

=-=-=-=

And so, the two families will become one...only after the trial that may 
take their lives and as well as those of others foolish enough to be 
willing to be defenders of truth, justice, and a plate full of Kasumi's 
cooking....Not bad, not bad at all.

THE END

=-=-=-=

C & C appreciated

Please send them to fmerced@pworld.net.ph

- Chain Fanfic -

Much oblige if you want to continue this, coz I won't.
To the next author that continues this, send me a copy will ya? ^_^

Finished:  June 27, 1998



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