Author�s Notes:
This is just a rough draft and is set in a different timeline and is set
in its own universe. This is a Fusion of Ranma � and some elements of
Disney�s "Mulan."
Winter Flower
By Kahlil Noriega
Standard Disclaimer:
All rights belong to the creators of Ranma � and the movie "Mulan"
Prologue:
The afternoon sun hovered high over a pristine garden. Its collection of
bright yellow and red flowers, arched bridges and pink leafed trees were
encircled by a high slate roofed wall as wide arched doorway opened the
garden to its neighboring house.
>From this doorway walked in an old and wrinkled woman. Her silver hair
was tied in a neat bun, which hung limp behind her head as she crossed a
small stone bridge that overlooked a small and shallow stream.
And stopped at the top of a small hill, which had a single tree on top
of it as it shed pink petals all around it. Giving off a soft sweet
scent all around.
Walking underneath the tree, which gave a generous amount of shade to
sit underneath and sat comfortable on a stone bench nearby. She extended
out an old wrinkled hand and caught a single fragile petal that landed
in the cup of her open palm.
"Such delicate beauty..." she whispered sadly, letting the fragile petal
go, which was then carried off by the wind to join the others as they
all flew away.
She looked up at the sky, gray she saw, with small flashes of lightning
flashing underneath as a chill wind passed by, stirring up her hair.
Then she noticed a single blossom�. Which unlike the others before her,
hadn�t bloomed in the summer sunshine. This had yet to open she thought
finally�
Colonge smiled deeply as she recalled memories from the past...
Her smile withering her actual years as she slumped her shoulders,
feeling tired.
"Has it been this long already?", she thought. Recalling an old saying
from her childhood.
"The flower that blooms in adversity is truly the most rare and
beautiful of all.", she spoke in a voice that mirrored her years. And
she smiled at the memory as she let it dart pass in her mind.
She smiled deeply again.
"Akane..." she whispered to no one as her eyes held sadness in them, and
she looked up at the summer sky again, which slowly began to darken as
clouds from the west hovered close to where the garden sat.
She felt the cold bite of the wind brush her copper skin and she turned
around to look to the west, and saw the dark clouds that hovered over
the fields.
Thunder crackled in the sky as a harsh wind blew by. And another petal
fell to the ground...
***
Somewhere else�
"Yah! Yah!" a voice called through the stormy night.
***
Rain...
Strong and cold�
A steep mountain, with a narrow pass running through it.
The man led his horse through the narrow pass, which gave way to a steep
drop beside him as the sound of his horse�s hooves thundered through
the mountain pass, accompanied by the sounds of rock falling over the
edge of the pass beside him.
"Yah! Yah!" the rider cried again as thunder cracked in the sky.
Thundering hooves competed with the fury of the storm as it pounded on
the mud covered road. The cries of its rider and the whines of the
frightened horse, clashed with the sounds of thunder rumbling in the
sky.
And the rider felt afraid as he stole a brief glance behind him�
And saw that he was pursued and he felt his heart beat faster. Horses
and their dark riders chased him. Their shadows played on the mountain
walls and on the ground, before their shadows were lost in the pounding
of hooves and broken puddles as they reveled in the chase.
The rider turned his head back in front of him, spurring his mount to
run even faster as he lashed it with his whip. The riders were getting
closer and closer, not too far behind him he thought.
Too close, he thought. Must get there. I must!
And reeled his horse to a stop as his mount cried in the darkness,
kicking its front hooves in the air as he tried to steady his mount.
Before him lay a thick forest. Dark and deep and foreboding�
Lighting lashed overhead again as thunder followed there after as he
thought�
There's no other way...
And the man pressed himself on the saddle, shielding his face with his
arm as he spurred his mount to charge on through...
"Arghh ahh�" he cried, feeling branches scrape his skin as he spurred
his mount to go forward. Branches and leaves brushed pass his face as he
felt the cold chill of the wind and the water on his face.
Lightning lanced down from the sky above, lighting the scene with bright
light, as it sparked a tree to flame.
"Arghhh!" he cried as his horse reeled back in fear and tossed its rider
off its saddle as it galloped off into the night.
The rider slowly tried to get up, and dropped again. Too weak to rise
and too stunned by the fall.
He could taste the soft mud in between his lips, the wetness of his
clothes and the bitter taste of blood seeping from his mouth as he tried
once again to get up�
A cold shiver ran down his spine as he felt the presence of another.
Slowly, he turned his head around, and backed away quickly as he saw
another man standing before him bathed in shadow as lighting once again
flashed in the sky and thumbed rumbled overhead�
Afraid, he unsteadily rose to his feet, his legs wobbling underneath him
as he tried to grab for his sword still in its sheath before he levered
it up before him. Point tipped at the stranger�
The stranger didn't move, he just stood there watching him. Measuring
him, this he knew. And he felt afraid. Even as he held up the sword
before him, he felt fear gripping his heart as the rain continued to
pour on him�
He must get to the camp quickly, the message was just too important. He
must get through, he must�
Hesitation as he sized up the shadowed man before he finally charged�
A quick slash and a brief glimpse of shining metal caught in the moon
light and then it was over...
Lightning flashed in the sky, followed by the clash of thunder. Rain
continued to pour from the heavens as the two shadows stood perfectly
still, before the rider staggered a step and fell forward as his blood
was scattered from him as he fell�
Lightning danced again in the sky lighting up the whole forest briefly.
A young handsome, with a medium built stood over the riders dead corpse.
His long silver hair trailed behind him was slashed with blue streaks
that ran down the front of his face and matched the color of his blue
gray eyes, which held only anger in them as he sheathed his sword.
The rain fell hard around him as he turned around and looked away from
the body as he stared out into the forest.
"It is done�" He thought.
And he smiled as he walked away as he vanished into the night�
***
Blood oozed out from the body as it gathered around it in a glistening
red pool and swallowed a slightly torn piece of parchment that fell
loose during the rider�s brief fight.
The writing on the parchment was smeared as the ink slowly began to mix
with the rain water, yet the letter could still be read�
"The Musk are coming..." The letter told, before the ink on the
parchment was washed away. Joining the slowly darkening red pool around
it, while lightning lanced in the sky above, and thunder rocked the
world below�
"The Musk are coming..." The letter told.
"The Musk are coming�"
~ To be continued...
Explanations:
Well, it's been a long while since I first started this fic. I might�ve
abandoned this a long time ago, if it weren't for a few people who
pushed me on to continue it. They know who they are, and I hope their
happy! ^_^
Oh yeah, I did a separate scene a long time ago when this idea first hit
me. That scene was set after this prologue and a few chapters as well.
If anyone wants to read it, just ask for a copy from me. And I'll send
it to you.
Ranting:
Something I do when I write a fic...
When an idea first hits me, it usually takes precedence over ALL of my
other fics. Which means, everything gets shelved until I finish writing
down the story, be it done on paper, typed in the computer or when I
finally get bored writing it.
It just keeps on nagging at me to write it ^_^ and I end up doing it,
even though I don't know where I'll end up with it. The good thing here
though, I've already laid out the plans long ago. Just didn�t follow on
through, till now.
I guess that's why I have so many series to finish.
ACGS, DPTH, Fallin..., AFoP, LikeYou, Akana, Nuku, Pikachu -
Now I have 3 other fics to write down as well ^_^
Winter Flower
An alternate universe fic, based on the movie "Mulan".
A series devoted on the adventures of Akane as she takes on the Musk
empire.
A part from thee
Just my take on an old Ranma 1/2 fanfic concept.
An alternate universe dealing with a separate Ranma and Ranko
A DBZ / Ranma fusion
An alternate universe fic. The story of the last saiyan princess. Guess
who will be the princess? ^_^ My favorite character of course! A
suggestion for a title is also welcome.
Anyway, I hope you liked the story. And if there's anything you wish to
say to me about this fic or any other work I�ve done, please tell me.
Even a short reply would be nice. In fact, I implore you to do so.
Please send all C & C, MST or even flames to the address below or to the
FFML if you feel bold enough to do so.
e-mail: Becknkal@addax.bc.ca
And if you're curious as to what other stories I've done. Please don't
hesitate in visiting my sister's Web Page at:
The anything goes Ranma 1/2 fanfic page
http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/temple/9371
Anyway, that's that for my rant. ^_^
Sincerely
~ Kahlil Noriega ~
Author of the fic "Ranma 1/2 A Chinese Ghost Story"
" Frost fills the sky over Ten Mile Lake,
Silken threads anxious of youth....
Looking at the moon and feeling lonely...
Envious of lovers, not of immortality.
Envious of love, not of immortality. "
- Excerpt from the movie " A Chinese Ghost Story "
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