I was actually inspired to do this one by the debate
over "Ranma Kills". This is my way of dealing with Ranma
as a killer, speaking from experience; I will not say
whether it is as a killer, or as someone who helped the
killer get through it; all I will say is I spent 5 years
in the Marine Corps.
Ranma Has Killed
Less than two years ago, Saotome Ranma defeated the
immortal God-king Saffron in an epic battle over Jusendo.
However, less than three hours ago, he once again found
himself with the lifeblood of another on his hands. With
Saffron, the strain was not as great; he may have
destroyed the phoenix's physical form, but the form was
reborn almost instantly. This time, however, it was a
simple mugger.
In hindsight, it was a stupid mistake. A little too
much force, a half inch too far to the left, and
someone's son would never call home again. Someone's
brother would never tease her again. Possibly even
someone's father would never celebrate his child's
birthday again.
Genma came home, later that day, from a fruitful day
of getting food with his 'cute panda' act. Not seeing his
son anywhere, he turned to Akane. "Where's your fiance?"
She just scowled. "Probably mooching food from one
of his other women," she huffed, "all because I'm cooking
tonight. You're staying, aren't you?"
"Umm, no, Akane. I, er, have to observe a special
fast today," he stammered.
"But you just got back from begging!" she said.
"Um, yeah, but the fast is from sundown to sundown,
heh, heh. I'll, um, be in the dojo." He stretched his
arms, and began trundling to the dojo. "Ah, yes, a
workout will do me a world of good." *That, and it'll
keep me safe from Akane's cooking,* he added mentally.
The first thing Saotome Genma noticed in the dojo
was his son, slumped against one of the walls, eyes
staring off into space. He had a vacant expression, but
his eyes were filled with horror. "Boy, what's wrong with
you? Akane's cooking isn't _that_ bad, is it?"
"..."
"Do you hear me, boy? Pay attention to your old
man!" Genma grabbed Ranma by the front of his Chinese
shirt, and dragged him to his feet.
Ranma finally seemed to notice him."A boy? I guess,"
he muttered. "A man wouldn't have done what I did today."
"What did you do, boy? Oh, the shame, that my only
son would consider himself unworthy of being called a
man!"
"I killed." Ranma's voice was quiet, but cut through
his father's tirade like a katana cuts through a
peasant's neck.
"I see." Genma's voice took on a tone Ranma had
never heard before. It was not the mock serious tone he
had been using throughout his two-year engagement, and it
wasn't his usual jovial tone. It was, in fact, barely
above a whisper. "I guess it had to happen eventually.
Who was it?"
"Just some mugger. The guy jumped me in my girl
form. As I was punching him in the face, something
splashed me with hot water. I changed in mid-punch. His
neck snapped from the force. He's dead." Ranma blinked,
eyes slowly losing what little focus they had. "And I
killed him."
"Now, boy, there's a lot of things I could say.
Soun, he might even say them. I won't. Because I know
they don't mean a damn thing. The only thing I can say is
that you're not the first."
"Go away, Pops. Just go away." Ranma shrugged
himself out of his father's grasp, and lurched back
against the wall. "Leave me alone."
Raising his hand towards his son once, Genma let his
arm fall back to his side. Ranma was his only son, his
only child. And he didn't know how to show the boy he
cared. Doing the only thing he could think of, he walked
back into the house.
"That was a quick workout, Uncle Genma," said Akane.
Noticing the look on his face, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Akane, we have to talk about Ranma."
**************************
The door to the dojo slid open slowly. Seeing the
state of the pigtailed martial artist, the young Tendou
girl walked slowly across the floor, and sat down next to
him. She didn't dare say a word, or do anything other
than watch him.
"Come to see the killer, huh?" he growled.
"No, Ranma. I've come to see my fiance." She put her
hand on his. "Is he still there?"
Startled, he glanced over at her. She could see the
pain there, and the confusion. One moment's mistake had
shattered whatever innocence was there, and taken a good
bit of the young man's innocence, as well. She reached
up, and pulled his head down to her shoulder, and
gathered him in a hug. "It's okay, you can let it out."
He pulled back slightly, but Akane wouldn't let him
go. "No, I can't." He pulled out a glass of water from
nowhere, and splashed himself. "Now, I can let it out."
Something absurd about the scene got Akane started
laughing. She was horrified at her reaction, but couldn't
stop. Ranma glared at her for all of half a second,
before joining in with her. They broke down into belly
laughs, leaning against each other, until the chortles
and guffaws turned into sobs and tears. Holding her
fiance tightly, Akane cried, as well.
Something precious was lost in Ranma, today. However,
she, er, he was not alone. He would make it. With Akane's
help, he would regain his confidence. But it would be a
long, hard road, a road they were both prepared to face
together.
=====
- Valandar the Red of the Empty Tankard
Captain of the Guard of the Barony of the Far Woods
Empire of the Iron Mountains
http://members.tripod.com/~Valandar/fanfic.html
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