Subject: [FFML] [fanfic][DARK][Ranma] Happi's Legacy, episode 2, Final(ish) draft
From: Liath Shadow
Date: 5/31/1999, 5:15 AM
To: ffml@fanfic.com

Things happen how they happen.  This story is a product of my imagination,
and the pain I feel.  this chapter(ish) is also a small interlude...to
explain...if it can.

<disclaimer>
Okay, before I let you into the story, I have to state that THIS IS A VERY
DARK STORY! If you don't like that theme of story, turn back now.  Also
included in this story are scenes of rape and murder, so you would be well
advised to turn away if you hate that kind of stuff as well. </disclaimer>

          Ranma 1/2
          Happi's Legacy
          by Shadow Dancer (AKA Liath Shadow)
          Episode 2

"Turn it off," I said.  I've seen enough.

"You can no more turn it off then turn yourself off," my ungrateful student
replies.

"Turn it OFF!" I yell, becoming frantic.  Who'd have through that a world
where one of my first students died early on would make him happy.

Maybe it is because I die, as well.

"It is your fault, Happi.  You have caused that which is in front of you.
You must reap the rewards you've sown."

A world, where I die, at the hands of one of the most innocent girls in the
world.

A world where my greatest apprentice is my own son.  Where he is destroyed
by my own hand.

A world that I created by a single wish. "I wish that my greatest student
was my own child"

My only wish now is that I had never made that wish.

A pity that I used all of my wishes up.

*****

Searching through my panties and scrolls, I happened to come across a
scroll that I had never seen before.  It caught my eye, just barely.

Well, actually it caught my hand.  I was reaching for the golden silk
panties just underneath it when it...jumped into my hand.

Not that this didn't happen on occasion...but it kind of surprised me when
I saw a rune on the sealing wax.

A rune that started glowing as soon as I touched it.

Surprised, I broke the seal on the scroll, and opened it.  Halfway through,
I knew what it is.  I hurried to collect everyone.

*scroll*
<in ancient writing>
Gather ye six people who desire something in their hearts.
Gather thy six people at the crest of the hill which bears mine visage.
Gather ye at the crest of the hill with the visage of the dragon, aged with
time.
Gather ye at the dawn of the first of the celestial year, of mine year.
<scrawled at the bottom, in standard japanese>
On the first day of the celestial year of the dragon, meet on the summit of
the hill with the face of the dragon.

*** next day ***

Cologne, Shampoo, Ranma, Akane, Genma, and I all arrive at the top of the
hill described by the scroll.

"Are you sure today is the day, Happi?"

I nod, nearly cackling in glee, "Yes, oh yes...today, here, it's all ready..."

Just as I say this, a scarlet glow emanates from the tip of the hill,
slowly expanding into an incredibly complex magical circle.

By the sun, it is high noon.  By the Chinese calendar, it is the new year,
the year of the dragon.

Khronos, the dragon of time, appears before us.

"State your wish, in accordance to the rules,"  the dragon rumbles, eyes
looking over us carefully.

Each of us steps up to him, and tells him our wish.  Some he lets others
hear, some he doesn't.

Cologne steps up.  I can't hear her wish.  At times I wish that I had taken
more of an interest in lip reading.

Shampoo steps up next.  Hers I can hear very clearly indeed, "Shampoo wish
Ranma loved Shampoo as much as Shampoo loves Ranma."  I see a couple
shudders at that.

Akane steps up, and again, I can't hear what is wished for.  The dragon-god
listens intently, and nods at what she asked for, the first sign of him
recognizing a wish that I've seen so far.

Genma steps up, and says, "I wish that I did not have to live through my
masters training."  Again the dragon nods.  Nothing is changing yet, so
something seems fishy...

Ranma stands up, and wishes, "I wish that I had the free choice to marry
who I wanted."  A smile of happiness, and one frown.

Still nothing happens, so I step up, and make a wish that couldn't possibly
happen, "I wish that my greatest student was my own child!" I proclaim.

The dragon nods again, and a whisper from his lips falls on the breeze,
"All wishes have been taken and accepted.  The new time line has been
started."

And then we are transported, all of us...but one...to a black room, with a
window.

Only Ranma is missing.

*****

Visions haunt my dreams.

Visions of things that happened to me.

Visions of things that didn't.

My father.  I have...two fathers?  My father, Happousai.  Who trained me to
be a pervert.  Who promised to train me in martial arts, but didn't.

A father I have never known...one who is fat, and slow, and lazy.

and who loved me.

I remember, somehow.  He trained me in martial arts...

trained me in techniques that I haven't even seen my other father use.

brought me to people...martial artists...that taught me in still more
techniques.

I...I want this other father.

I want to be loved.

*****

Walking home with Kasumi, I remember the visions from my dreams.  Not much
of them, in particular, but enough to recognise where I remember them from.
Even now, when I can see what is happening, still I feel that something
else should be happening.

Kasumi walks beside me, a thoughtful expression on her face.  She turns,
looking me in the eye.

"Ranma-chan.  please tell me.  What did you mean, before?  When you said
you were a male?"

I stop, caught flat-footed as it were.  "I...I was a male before.  It was
a...a curse.  I can't explain it, really...it is just how it is."  I hold
my head down, embarrased.  How can I explain something I don't even know
myself?

Kasumi looks me over for a few minutes.  A few minutes, of which each feels
like an eternity in itself.  "Do you believe this, Ranma, deep inside?  Is
this how you want to be seen?"

"I...I want to be seen as I...am."  I force the words out of my mouth.  It
isn't entirely true...but it is what I want to be true.  "I will never
be...comfortable with how I am now.  But...I could use help.  I can always
use help."  That, also, is hard to spit out.

I could almost feel her, knowing about my lying.  She says nothing,
however, but continues walking home.

I hope to have a home of my own.  With people I can love.  Without fear.

Why do those visions of things that never happened haunt me?

Why would I want them to?

Memories, oh, so fleeting.  Not enough to drown out what is happening.  But
enough, at times, to learn from.

I hope I can continue my training with Akane, now that my father is gone.
I'll miss him.

*****

Upon coming back to the house, I'm greeted by the sight of Mr. Tendo and
another person I haven't seen before.  Mr. Tendo looks over at me as Kasumi
and I arrive.  Suddenly, for no reason, a sense of forboding strikes my
heart.  What's happening?  What's going on?

I must have said this out loud, because Mr. Tendo replies, "I asked mister
Fujisawa to come here to be a witness to what I'm about to ask you,"  I
shiver as he continues, "To begin.  What is your name?"

I hesitantly reply, "Ranma."

"By what family name do you go by?"  He continues, eyes partially
unfocused, as if he is saying something by rote.

"Saotome..." Again I'm hesitant in my reply.  Why is he asking me this?

"Ranma Saotome, do you have, at this point, any living relatives that you
know about?"

At first I want to reply `yeah, and you killed him!', but a sense of duty
comes over me.  I shouldn't be talking to my elders that way, "No, sir, I
do not have any that I know about."

"What are you now, Ranma Saotome?"

That question startles me.  I am...what I am.  "I am...a...girl."

"You told us that you were a male before, is this true?"

A shiver runs down my spine...something seems wrong here.  I look at
Kasumi, and she smiles gently, nodding at me.  I turn back to Mr. Tendo.
"Yes, sir, this is true."

"You are a female now, though.  Is there a female named Ranma Saotome
recorded anywhere that you know of?"

Again the shiver, "N-no.  No sir."

"Then Ranma Saotome, the girl, doesn't exist, does she?"

I feel my world slipping away, what is going on here?  I nod my head,
agreeing with him. Everything feels wrong for some reason.

"Ranma, of no family, something in your past has gone wrong.  Sever
yourself from your past,"  I nod my head, "Will you, Ranma, of no family,
accept me as your father?"

My eyes fly wide open in disbelief.  Is he asking that?  For real?

"Would you be my daughter?"  He wants me...as...a...daughter?

The world spins crazily, swiftly going black.

*****

"Ohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohoh!  Kneel at my feet, oh my Ranma-Sama!
Accept the pain of love from the one who loves you most!!!"

[Eeeep!  How did that get in there?  Wrong nightmare. *blushes*]

*****

"Oh Shun..."

"Oh Suka..."

"Oh Shun!!"

"Oh Suka!!!"

[Eeeep!  How did that one get in there?  *blushes furiously* *hides that
one, as well*]

*****

Visions don't haunt this dream.  Instead, I hear several voices.  Some are
new and familiar, some old and long forgotten.

"Can't we undo our wishes?  Bring him back!"  One voice calls out.  I
haven't heard this one before, that I remember.

A voice that I faintly remember, but don't know where from, replies in a
deep and resonant voice, "You can visit, for a short time, but you may not
bring him back.  After your first visit, you will be given back to your own
time."

"First visit?"  This voice sounds remarkably like Akane's, although older,
"Does that mean we can come back later?"

"Some may, " the resonant voice replies again, "But two will only get one
or two chances to visit.  Then they will be banished from this line
altogether."

"Who can't?" another voice that I've never heard before.  It sounds old,
wise, and most definitely female.

"Those who are already gone."

*****

Sorry about the dream sequence, I just had to =^_^=

For some who have pestered me, and others who want to, but can't find the
time to ask, here are the wishes that were wished for.  I bet you can't
find more than a handful of Ranma stories where most, if not all of these
wishes would not be asked for. (translated into good english:)

Genma:  I wish that I did not have to live through training with Happousai
(or something close:)
Ranma:  I wish that I had the chance to choose my own fiancee, rather than
be forced into it. (expanded)
Akane:  I wish that Happousai would shrivel up and die (all females would
wish for that, ne? =^_^= (I already have :) )
Shampoo:  I wish that Ranma would love me as much as I love him
Cologne:  I wish that Ranma would respect his elders



Thanks for reading this far :)

Liath Corrine Shadow
Shadow Dancer
Shadow-Chan

<Step after step after step.  Giving up is not, and never shall be an option>

<My hands, small, I know, but they're not yours, they are my own, ..., Only
kindness matters..."Hands, by Jewel">

<sent myself a request for my own story the other day.  I haven't replied
to myself yet.>

<Real Life Dragon in hiding, 554 years and counting.  Forgetfulness finally
setting in *feeling her age*>