The reluctant fianc�e,
This is a story I wrote some time ago; I know I should be writing other
things right now. [The Teacher comes to mind...] However, I really
enjoyed writing that fic and I just feel like doing it on a grander
scale. I'm not sure how many parts it will be, probably around twenty or
so when it's finished.
Before you even ask, I won't give out any of the details or copies of the
original short story that inspired it, cause it will ruin it for those
who haven't read it before. At any rate, this was one of the fics I got
the best response on, even more than the first parts of permanent. [That
was a lot by the way.] It is a self-insertion tale, probably the one most
true to what I'd really do if I went to the Ranmaverse. I hope you enjoy
it, and yes it is a comedy.
The Reluctant Fianc�e.
Part 1: The story of Shun!
Sean walked out of his house with a smirk on his face, he was having a
pretty good day, he didn't have to work and he had long ago finished
school. He hummed a small tune to himself that most people would not be
able to place as he strolled down the sidewalk towards the small
convenience store a few blocks from his home. He stopped when he noticed
a small light from behind a dumpster. Curious, he walked over and leaned
around the corner only to find a small old man hunched over a mirror.
"Hey," he said to the man as he turned slowly and noticed him.
The old man shrieked in surprise and lobbed a small ball at him, Sean
frowned as he caught it. "Jeez, don't freak old man I was just
wondering..." the ball exploded in a brilliant flash of light sending him
in the opposite direction the old man had originally intended. He slammed
into the geezers waiting fist and the light from the mirror intensified
suddenly.
Sean screamed in shock as he fell down into a pool of water after
finding himself floating over it for a single moment. He struggled
desperately as he floundered under the water for a moment. Suddenly he
realized he could not move his leg, he thrashed violently in an attempt
to free the hold on his leg and turned to see his foot caught in one of
the rocks below the surface of the pool. Desperately he reached forward
finding the tips of his fingers could only barely break the surface of
the water. His eyes went wide as the last breath of air left his lungs
only to be replaced by the fluid surrounding him. Slowly his eyelids fell
as his struggles became mere twitches, then the world became black.
He awoke with a start jumping up as sweat covered his body and gasping
in shock. Desperately throwing his arms around he glanced around at his
surroundings and cursed under his breath. "What the?" He was in a small
room it was simple with only a bed, a dresser, and a single wooden chair.
He sucked in a quick breath and shuddered slightly as memories came into
his mind of his near death. He turned silently as the door opened
revealing a tall Asian man in his fifties. He was bald and extremely
muscular, with long flowing orange robes that hung loosely off his body.
"Hello young one, how are you feeling today?" his face was warm and
inviting as he said this and squat down next to him on the bed.
"I'm fine, where am I? Who are you?" he replied anxiously.
"You are in a monastery on the island of Hokkaido. Tell me child, what
is your name?" asked the man cheerfully.
"Sean," he replied simply as he held his head. "I feel like shit."
The man raised his eyebrow at this and said nothing. "So young Shun,
tell me how it is you fell into that pool? We found you in the waters of
a spring in a remote area of China, why where you there? Where is your
family?"
"I was lost, and I've been on my own for a while old man," he replied
honestly.
"On your own?" said the man with a small frown appearing on his face for
a moment.
"Yea," said the boy warily.
"Well, you may stay as long as you like, just be aware that you must
earn your keep here," said the man cheerfully as he stood and walked
towards the door. "We don't expect you to do much for a while yet, just
stay in bed and recover."
"Yea, thanks," he replied simply. "How long have I been out?"
The man turned to face him with a little hint of surprise on his face.
"You have been in and out of consciousness for several days. We were
afraid the fever would take you, such a lucky child." The monk turned
away again and walked out the door.
Sean frowned, "Why is he treating me like a child?" he wondered a little
annoyed. He hopped out of the bed and staggered for a moment as his legs
struggled to hold his weight. "Whoa!" he propped himself up against the
bed and looked at it again. It was surprisingly large. A small fear
tingled in the back of his mind as his eyes went wide, "No!" he dashed
over to the dresser while stumbling over his own feet and gasped in shock
as a small sky-blue haired child stared back at him. "What the hell?
Jusenkyo!" he snarled as he realized that the cursed pools where
responsible for his condition. He sighed and walked over to the mattress
climbing back on top of it with a large frown while cursing under his
breath. He finally made it and lay spread out on the sheets with an angry
scowl etched onto his features. His mind told him he probably looked cute
doing it and he found he didn't care. The monks had dressed him in a long
brown shirt that reached his feet. His new body couldn't be more than
seven years old. "I've got to get some hot water," he grumbled to himself
as he lay there after a moment. He brushed his new longer hair out of his
eyes lazily and shifted the shirt down on his legs absently. The room was
comfortable, but the absence of sheets made him feel a little cold. His
wrist brushed across his crotch and he stopped cold, with a look of
complete terror in his eyes he gently and slowly pulled the fabric up his
waist and held his breath.
The monks meditating within the small shrine turned their heads slightly
as a faint scream floated down the hall into the chamber.
Several days passed and Shun sat in front of the kindly old monk with a
worried look on her face. "You want me to work here?" she asked to the
man in confusion.
"If you wish to stay with us yes, I have already put in for adoption
procedures. Your lack of memory and the way in which you were found have
created complications, however, if you are to become my daughter you will
have to obey the rules of this shrine and work for your food and
lodgings."
The monks had accepted her instantly and she was grateful. Unfortunately
the only way thing she could do to hide her unusual past was lie and tell
them she lost her memories, only remembering her name. She had managed to
get her hands on some hot water and found that while she could turn male
she remained seven years old. Life was slightly easier for women within
the shrine so she decided to keep her current form. It was a remote place
near the peak of a mountain. She wasn't sure what religion the monks
themselves where. Apparently it allowed them to marry and keep families,
certain parts of the place were off limits to females though.
"I've got no problem with that," she replied to the old man cheerfully.
"You will also be given training with the other women in the morning, I
hope you are well enough to join them," said the old man with a
questioning smile.
"No problem pops," replied the girl cheerfully to the kindly old monk.
Calling him that was something of a revenge for butchering her name so
much, but in the end she didn't mind and everyone started calling her
that.
Three hours later she strained as several candles burned her stomach.
She was lying in a push up position above the ground on several chairs,
the old man watched patiently and pushed her stomach up slightly with is
palm correcting her position. "Kindly old monk my ass!" screamed her mind
angrily.
Two years pass...
Shun smirked at the girl standing next to her in the kitchen as her
hands became a blur of motion carving the vegetables in front of her into
neat even slices in a seconds time. She growled under her breath and
snorted. "Show off."
"Come on Hitomi-chan, you know you're impressed," said the girl proudly
as she scraped them into a pot of water cheerfully.
"It's only because you spend all your free time practicing outside while
watching the boys. Honestly Shun-chan, why don't you spend more time with
us?"
"Come on Hitomi, girl stuff is boring! You know I hate to wash my hair
and talk about boys! Besides, there's nothing else to do around here, and
how else am I going to keep gorilla boy off me?" she smirked and pushed
the long ponytail back over her shoulder lazily.
She was referring to the temple's bully, an oversized monster of an
eleven year old named Munchi. He was the temples best young fighter and
easily outclassed anyone but her in martial arts. He could already cut
trees down with a swipe of his belt and was quite good at using the silk
sash he had a habit of wearing as a weapon. She had quickly become the
best cook in the temple and that alone was enough to make him smitten
with her charms.
"I swear, you are such a tomboy Shun-chan," replied the girl with a
giggle. Her friend always preferred more masculine clothes and
mannerisms.
"And you're uncute, so what's the big deal?" retorted the girl lazily.
She knew working in the kitchen was risky and she had been splashed
several times. Fortunately there wasn't much difference between her male
form and her female form at her age, only her hair changed color. No one
seemed to notice though and she quietly continued her work.
"Hey, who is that?" asked Shun as she finished up the soup and closed
the lid to allow it to cook. She was referring to the small boy of about
her own age practicing a strange kata in the yard by himself. She jumped
down from her place and scampered over to the door to watch. Hitomi
followed with a blush forming on her cheeks.
"He's cute, some boy on a training mission with his father, they're
going to be staying at the temple for a while. I heard he doesn't talk to
girls much though," she sighed slightly and turned back to the kitchen.
"Watch that pot will ya?" said Shun to her friend as she walked out into
the courtyard towards the boy.
"Why? What are you going to do?" gasped the girl in embarrassment.
"I'm gonna go talk to him, he looks pretty good," said the girl with a
shrug.
Hitomi turned completely red and smiled at her friend waving her away.
"Tell me about it!"
Shun just looked at her in confusion and turned away. "What a weirdo."
The boy landed from a huge jump and turned into a spin kick that ended
the kata. He smiled to himself and noticed a new sound, clapping. Quickly
he turned to see what looked like a young boy of about his own age
smiling at him cheerfully.
"Wow, you're pretty good," said Shun.
The boy blushed slightly. "Yea, I guess."
"What's your name?" asked the girl cheerfully.
"Ranma Saotome," said the boy quietly.
The girl stared at him in shock, barely able to keep her jaw closed. "No
way!" screamed her mind in shock. Absently she chided herself for not
seeing it sooner. She quickly put a smile up and walked up to him. "My
name is Shun, you want to be friends?"
Ranma looked up at her in bewilderment. "Sure."
That evening they came into the temple covered in dirt with two wide
grins on their faces. The two parents stared down at them in shock; Genma
had spent the day meditating with the monks.
"Ranma, come here boy!" said the older Saotome sternly.
"Yea pop?" replied the boy as he walked over to his father.
"Where have you been?" growled the man without much malice. It was
obvious he already knew.
"I got a new friend!" he replied cheerfully pointing at Shun. The girl
smirked and waved at him.
Genma ignored her and looked down at his son. "Tomorrow you'll help out
with the chores here."
"Yea pop," replied the boy looking down cast. He had been hoping to
train a little.
"I'll take him," said Shun cheerfully, both men looked at her. "He can
help out with me, it doesn't take long and we can train together
afterwards."
"It sounds like an excellent suggestion to me," said the monk
pleasantly.
"Train?" asked Genma warily.
"Yes," said the monk. "Shun is the most skillful martial artist of her
age group, the boy could learn much of our art from her. That is why you
are here is it not?"
"Sounds good," agreed Genma.
"Thanks pop!" cried the girl with a huge grin on her face.
The two children gave each other satisfied looking smirks as they dashed
away from the parents.
"I've got to cook?" asked Ranma with a snort as he surveyed the kitchen.
"It's not unmanly to cook for yourself, chefs do it!" said Shun in
slight annoyance.
"Are you a chef?" asked the boy with a slightly confused look on his
face.
"I'm the best!" announced the girl while flexing her arm proudly.
One of the older women hit her on the head with a rolling pin and she
fell forward on the ground. "Well, I'm good for my age," she amended
getting a satisfied snort from the woman.
"Oh, I guess it could be useful," reasoned Ranma as he remembered some
of the meals his father had cooked.
"It's not that bad, of all the chores here it takes the least amount of
time, I'd rather be in here than outside pulling weeds," said the girl
with a shrug as she led him over to a table. There was a large window
that the men's practice hall could be seen from opposite them. Ranma
would train with his father there in the early morning and evenings. Shun
started her work with the boy and failed to notice the silent looks of
jealousy and surprise from the girls behind her.
Hitomi smiled as an angry looking red head placed a coin in her hand. "I
told you she wasn't," she said with a giggle as the girl turned away and
went back to her own work.
Six weeks passed in a flash and Ranma spent most of his free time with
the girl.
Late one evening he lay on the rooftop of the shrine gazing at the stars
in a half daze. The boy jumped when Shun slumped down next to him. "What
are you doing here Ranchan?"
"Hun? Oh, I'm just lookin at the sky," said the boy pointing at it. "How
about you?"
"Oh, I come up here all the time, it's been wet lately so I haven't in a
while," replied the girl lazily as she leaned back against the clay
tiles.
"Well, I think I'll be leaving soon. Pop says it's about time we got
going again, I wish you could come with us," a painful memory danced
across his mind and he turned away.
"Are you all right Ranchan?" asked the girl with a bit of worry in her
voice.
"It's nothin, just thinkin about Ucchan," said the boy honestly.
"A friend of yours?" asked the girl, she already knew the story behind
it. Somehow it had more meaning now though.
"Yea, he was my best friend," said the boy sadly.
"Well, no matter what happens Ranchan, I'll be your friend," said the
girl with a small smirk on her face.
"You promise?" said the boy with a strange look crossing his face.
Shun stood and extended his arm. Ranma followed his example and accepted
it clasping her hand. "I promise Ranchan. No matter what!"
The boy smiled with a look of confidence she had only seen on his face
when he was beating her into the ground during their training sessions.
"I wish you could come with me."
"I wish I could go, but don't worry. We'll see each other again," said
the girl confidently.
"You think so?" asked the boy with a glint of hope appearing in his
eyes.
"I know so," said the girl honestly. "Especially since I know exactly
where you'll be in about six years time," she thought to herself.
"I got to go," said the boy as he turned away now. Genma's voice floated
up from the ground calling for his son.
"You know Ranma, you're probably the best friend I've had since I came
here," she pat him on the back and turned back towards the window she had
climbed out on the roof from.
The next morning Shun's adopted father strolled through her through the
halls with a smirk on his face. "Tell me Shun, do you like Munchi?" he
asked suddenly.
The girl looked at him in surprise. It was an unusual question. "Lard
ass? Not really, why? You gonna marry me off to him?" The reply was a
joke, but the man's silence told her the answer. "No way! I'd rather
marry Ranma than that over grown tub of lard!" the answer was supposed to
show just how much she was opposed to the union. The monk took it the
wrong way of course. Within the hour the agreement was drawn up between
him and Genma. A small tab built up by the man was all the leverage he
had needed to get it done and the contract signed.
Shun stared at the two men in shock and turned away in disgust, this was
the last thing she had wanted. Now she was nothing more than yet another
fianc�e. Suddenly it dawned on her, "Hey, Munchi can't touch me now! None
of those perverts can so much as look at me the wrong way anymore!" a
cruel looking smile crossed her face as she dashed down the hallway.
Ranma almost slammed into her as he rushed by in search of his father.
"Hey Shun what's up? Have you seen my pop?"
"Huh? Yea, he's talkin with my pop, we should leave them alone," said
the girl to her new fianc�e. She saw no reason to inform him of the
union, especially since she had absolutely no intention of ever following
through on it. She was still a guy after all.
The next morning Genma and Ranma stood with their traveling packs
resting comfortably on their shoulders. Munchi lay knocked out on the
ground after a very short fight with the ponytailed martial artist. "What
was that about?" asked Ranma as he huffed slightly. "What happened to his
love? Why does he think it's my fault?"
Shun laughed nervously and waved the question away. "Don't worry about
it, he's just stupid." In reality she was relieved, Ranma had just
pounded out any possible claim the boy had once had on her.
"Oh," said the young boy cheerfully as if that totally explained
everything.
"Bye Ranma, I swear I won't forget my promise!" said the girl as she
grabbed him in a rough hug.
"Yea, me either," replied the boy uncomfortably. The monk seemed pleased
by this while Genma looked nervous. Shun noticed this and smiled slightly
despite having to say goodbye to her friend. They punched each other's
arms and turned away from one another.
Shun neared the main building on the temple grounds and was rushed by a
group of girls. Hitomi led the pack and rushed into her chest crying
uncontrollably. "Shun-chan! That was so beautiful!"
The girl looked around in shock as the girls began to either cry or
squeal at the romantic side of their girlfriend. She blushed and looked
away realizing how the whole scene must have looked. "It ain't like that
at all!"
"What promise was she talking about?" asked Genma carefully as he turned
to look at his son. The boy looked sad, but strangely cheerful as well.
"Huh? We promised to be friends!" said Ranma proudly.
"Is that all?" asked the man with a frown on his face.
"Yea, what else would we promise? He's a great guy pop!" said the boy
cheerfully as he continued walking.
"He?" asked the elder Saotome with a smile crossing his face. The boy
thought she was a boy; that comforted him greatly. "Well, maybe we'll
visit him again sometime," lied the man.
"Really? That'd be great pop!" said Ranma happily.
TBC...
I know it seems a bit WAFFY right now, but it's important for some of
the later chapters. BTW, this is not a 'Ranma's new friend fixes
everything' fic. Shun is sneaky and will enjoy the mayhem of Nerima quite
a bit, plus she isn't about to take sides. She's Ranma's friend, but
doesn't really care who he marries in the end.
Next time: Fast forward ten years or so, Shun recounts some of her other
adventures in the shrine before making her way towards Nerima.
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com