Now things REALLY begin!!
This is all that I have done so far, and depending on the response, I shall
keep working on this with a fervor that I really cannot explain! ^_-
C&C Appriciated, Flames Not.
[Insert Standard Disclaimer here:]
**********
�How can I repay you, Sensei? For bringing me back from the RAGE�The Rite��
�That I do not know, my son�� An aged man sighed, patting the dejected
Terry on the back while the both of them sat on the wooden porch of the
Dojo.
Sensei began to ponder on the question his student proposed of him, but his
thoughts slowed when he heard him choke back a sob.
�I miss her so much�� Tears trickled down Terry�s face as he shuddered to
hold his rampant emotions inward. He nearly broke completely when he felt
the hand of Sensei slowly grasp his shoulder, �I never knew how much I loved
her�Until�Until�� He trailed off, shaking his head slowly in denial of his
loss.
�You just need time.� Sensei began, �Time away from this place�� He waved
his hands to the mountainside that makes his home, �Time away from the
Rifts�� Both his hands clenched the younger man�s shoulders, �Time to train
in the art that you have been Chosen. Time to find yourself again�To
remember the good times you had with her, the accomplishments you both have
made�� The old, grayed man cracked a smile in seeing the dawn of recognition
of hope being born in Terry�s eyes.
Shaking him slightly in a tighter grip, �Do not dwell on the Past, Remember
it! Live in the Present and Forge a new Future for yourself�� �And to those
that can reside in your heart later in Life.� Sensei thought to himself, not
having the heart to say it himself, despite his many millennia of experience
over Terry.
Looking back down from his new Master�s face to his hands. He clenched then
into tight fists while he screwed his eyes shut. Never before in his life,
even after his liberation from the Slave Camps, did he ever feel so
powerless and helpless.
He closed his eyes to the onrush of memories.
Memories of his wife, Kiwi, being pawed all over her beautiful body.
Her clothes being ripped off forcibly for all the world to see.
But they didn�t care, they molested and raped her, right in front of him.
When they just finished pummeling her loins�
Her crying for him, to help her�then the blaster fire, taking her head and
life away�
Terry can remember clawing at the ground where they held him, the image of
Kiwi�s beaten, broken and headless body burned into his eyes and psyche. All
on the grounds of the home they have built in the few years they have been
married. His own cries of anguish falling upon deaf ears. The mocking, far
worse than the downtown beatings they gave him.
The ones in heavy powered armor, since it proved ineffective that the
standard grunts, no matter how strong, could faze him�
Then they held him down again, beating the living daylights out of him
after they gave Kiwi Final and Everlasting Peace�
But Nanaki�His little girl�His ONLY little girl�Barely four years old�And
so full of energy and spirit�
Their little miracle child�
Born from the love and the years of trying�
He ignored the beating after that, watching in muted horror of the most
adorable child he ever knew, being beaten with such a ferocity, it made him
remember how cruel and malicious human beings can be�
Terry knew he could heal her physical wounds easily, despite his struggles
to get to her�To make her hurting stop�
But they did something similar before he could get the chance�
There was nothing left but a bloody, blackened smear on the ground when the
Lieutenant leveled his plasma cannon at her and pulled the trigger�
Laughing at his pain�His loss�He couldn�t barely remember anything after
that�
Shaking his head again, Terry cried, no amount of comfort from anyone could
massage the pain away from his being. Burying his face into his hands, his
frame became more racked with sobs and choking coughs�
Seeing Terry stumble off onto the dusty training grounds, Sensei did not
follow, �He needs to get it out before it tears him apart from the inside
out.� He thought to himself sadly as he folded his hands in his lap.
Even Sensei knew the virtue of Patience.
**********
Seeing that the explosions have stopped in the quarry, a few hundred yards
south of the Village, Sensei walked slowly, taking his time, to the stone
pit. Knowing full well that this is one thing that cannot be rushed.
Toeing the edge into the pit, he fingered the stone that he enchanted
earlier. A lovely, pure blue sapphire, with hints of marble white veins
rippling through it. Destiny, he called it. �The future of one of the
greatest powers known to Gods and Man alike�� He thought, ��And the key to
begin the healing of a broken man.�
Sliding down the pebbled wall with ease, he spotted Terry just a short
distance away, crushing melon-sized rocks with ease in his hands, and
laughing madly, �Tis not the Beginning of the End�� Sensei began calling
out, getting the despondent man�s attention, ��But merely the End of the
Beginning !� He finished, tossing the gemstone to him when he got onto his
haunches.
Catching the stone with ease, Terry glared at Sensei, not even bothering to
look at the stone, �What?� He broke into another fit of giggles.
He didn�t even see Sensei fly at him with a speed that FAR belied his age
and spin kicked him onto the back of his head, �Look at yourself!� Sensei
barked, �You are falling apart at the seams!�
Shaking the cotton out of his head as he got up and out of a gravel mound,
�So what?� Terry roared back, �What good is this power NOW if I cannot
protect the most basic of things in MY life!� He didn�t bother wiping the
tears running down his dust covered face when he pounded the mound with
incredible force, shaking boulders from their perches in the quarry walls,
�Add to the most INSULTING fact is that this POWER came to me AFTER the
FACT!� He growled through his teeth, not seeing the massive hail-maker
coming at his face that sent him flying into the stony wall, imbedding him
far into it.
Absently dusting the sleeve of his Gi off as he stepped up to Terry, �You
are the Chosen of Fire! The power would have come to you eventually as you
trained!� Sensei snapped into the younger man�s face, then grabbing his hand
that still held the Destiny Stone, �You now have a new mission in life!�
Blinking his eyes, �What�s the point?� Terry groaned, �I have nothing to
live for now�� His moaning stopped when Sensei�s fist exploded a portion of
the wall.
�Even protecting another Chosen�s LIFE?�
�What?�
Pulling his fist slowly away from the destroyed portion of the wall next to
Terry�s head, �I have discovered the whereabouts to the Chosen of Wind.�
Sensei stated, �And a way that you can repay your debt of honor to me.�
Terry glanced at his fist holding the stone and looked back at Sensei�s
face, which nodded, �Yes, your mission is to get the Chosen here to the
Dojo. The first will be Wind, the next�� Sensei just shrugged as he let go
of the younger man�s fist, complete with a light grin on his face.
�But first�� Sensei pulled Terry out of his impression, �You have to pull
yourself together. Live for the sake of just Living.� Patting out the dust
in Terry�s shirt, �You wouldn�t want to disappoint *HER* by not being able
to join her in heaven if you suicide, no?� He asked.
Gaping at him, �Sensei?� Terry squawked, �How did he know? I have been here
in years�� He blinked and began shaking his head slowly as it bowed,
chuckling half-heartedly, �I still do not know how you do that, Sensei�� He
trailed off when the support from the older man suddenly left.
Looking back to the younger man, stopping in his walk away, �I wouldn�t be
your Master if I didn�t have something over you, didn�t I?� Sensei quipped
back, �You feeling better?�
Seeing the man nod slowly, but quickly getting more sure, �Good!� The aged
man clapped the other heartily on the back, �You have something else that
you must do before you go to find the Chosen of Wind.�
Clapping off his hands and absently wiping his face, ��And that would be,
Sensei?� Terry asked tiredly.
�Training! Lots and Lots of Training!�
**********
Stepping out of the crackling tear in Space/Time itself, a tall man,
wearing a loose-fitting, long, leather trench-coat and a �ten-gallon� hat.
Looking around the vacant lot that he stepped into, �Sensei told me that I
should find a Chosen near here�� The man trailed off to the sounds of a
small child screaming�
Snapping his head around to where he heard it, �Shin-chan, there�s going to
be a bit of a delay in setting up in this universe.� The man projected his
thought to a star faring vessel high above.
�I heard, we can miss a day or three.� She replied in the same manner.
�Please, Daddy!! Don�t throw me back in there!!� The child wailed between
choking sobs.
�Stop your whining, Ranma! Take it like a man and LEARN the Neko-Ken!!� A
man roared back.
Now closer to hear things better, �The Fu�� The man started.
�Please�.NO!!� Then the crying suddenly became muffled after the wooden
bang of a door being slammed shut.
The man could hear the crying of the child plainly, the same child banging
on the wooden door�
�I will�NOT�STAND�BY�FOR THIS!!� The man thought, reaching into an inside
pocket of his trench as he stomped toward the sound. Feeling the coolness of
the metal of some sort of rod, he clenched it and pulled out.
He could still hear the child screaming ringing in his ears�Nearly relative
to his own when he was much younger; when he was sold to the Slave Markets.
Biting down the RAGE, the man marched into another vacant lot, though much
more under cover than the last he was in. He spied a man squatting on a
wooden plank, that man turned to him, sparing him only a glance.
The Trench wearing man walked over to the plank and calmly lifted the board
and the fat man along with it.
�HEY! What are you doing interrupting a SERIOUS training session!� The fan
man barked loudly.
The trench wearer stayed silent and still except to hold up the ornate rod
he took out earlier, then push a button on it; Igniting a meter plus long
bar of hissing and thrumming red energy.
The fat man scrambled away and pressed himself against the wall before the
�blade� vivisected him as it hissed by his last position, the plank. The
board fell into several pieces, all of them smoking at the ends, �Back off.�
The man hissed, then PULLED the entire wooden assembly off of the ground,
treating it so roughly, it fell apart at the joints.
The fat man watched warily as the other man jumped into the pit, still with
that �blade.� The yowls of a hundred cats filled the air as they clawed
franticly out of the shallow pit and then running off to fill their long
neglected stomachs.
But the deep, animalistic snarl. That in itself, nearly set the man running
for the hills.
Gathering whatever will he could muster, the fat man toed over to the pit
and was just about to look within it when the other man leapt out of the pit
so fast, he didn�t see the kick coming at his jaw, knocking him out cold.
Watching the fat man hit the dirt in a large cloud of dust, the Trench
wearing man cradled the small child in his arms, letting him cry out in pain
and anguish.
With a loud snort and hack, the man spat on the face of the unconscious fat
man, �If you only knew what you could have done, you simpleton.� The man
growled. Patting the child on the head, slowing the sobs considerably,
�There, there�The bad man is not going to have you again.� He whispered into
the child�s ear, �Uncle Terry�s not going to let him.�
Hearing the crying slow to a stop, Terry loosened his grip enough to get a
good look at the, now sleeping, child, �Good god�� He whispered to himself,
seeing all the damage that has been done to the child, lots of it,
especially around the face, but not too near the eyes. Everything, all full
of deep scratches and in some, gouges�
He didn�t need anymore prompting to head off to the nearest hospital.
**********
�You brought him to us in the nick of time. He�s lost a lot of blood.�
�Is he going to be okay, doctor?�
Flipping of papers, then a sigh, �Yes, he will be if given time to heal
properly.�
Nodding, �Good. Is he alright enough to visit?�
Smiling, �Seeing the man that brought him in and then terrified the nursing
staff half to death�� The both of them laughed ruefully, ��OH YES!� The
doctor laughed, then opened the door behind him, �Go right on in.� He said
to the man, then turned to the room�s sole occupant, �Ranma�The man who
saved you is here to see you.� He finished softly, then bowed out.
Padding over to the bed, taking off his wide hat and setting it on the
table nearby, �Hello, Ranma.� Terry said in a deep, rumbling whisper.
The child didn�t answer, but his eyes turned over to him as they opened. He
opened his mouth to speak, but found that he couldn�t.
Patting him on the head and finishing with a slight nudge to the cheek, �No
need to say anything�� Terry began, but trailed off when he felt a surge of
power emanate from the child.
Looking back up to the eyes, he watched them change from a deep cobalt blue
to a light sky-blue with wisps of white. �Don�t need any further proof of a
Chosen than that�� He thought to himself, thinking of back when his own
hazel eyes turned a flaming red and burnt orange�
Clasping one hand on the child�s arm and holding the other in the air in
front of him, �Watch.� Terry said simply with a beaming smile, opening and
closing his free hand for emphasis. Switching his attention back to his open
hand, a small globe of heatless, oily fire emerged.
Eyes widening, �Wow�� Ranma whispered, his hand slipping into Terry�s own
as he got into a seated position.
With a slight grunt, the ball of fire expanded and swirled, then split,
forming a ring of sorts, another split at the top and most of the fire
massing at the bottom. With a grunt from Terry, his eyes still planted on
the fire, the flames died out with a snuff, revealing a plain looking
necklace.
Letting it fall into his hand, then using said hand to wipe the sweat off
of his brow, finally opening it and handing it to the child, �Here.�
With his free hand, Ranma tentatively reached out to the gemstone, a
slightly glowing red oval.
�Go ahead. This is for you�As a memento to remember me by, and a promise.�
Terry smiled when the child finally took hold of the gem.
Looking up at him with wide, bright eyes, �Promise?�
Nodding and messing the boy�s hair, �Yes, a promise for me to come back to
you and take you from this place.�
�Why?�
Placing the rest of the necklace into his hand, �Good question.� Terry
stated, �I guess it is that you are destined for something far greater than
any person. I saw it in your eyes.�
Blinking, �You did?�
�Yes, I did�Remember the fire I brought about?�
Ranma stayed silent, but nodded.
�With the right training when you get older, you can do something similar,
if not more grand.�
Looking at the gemstone, then up to Terry�s face and back again, �I can?�
Ranma asked himself.
Taking the necklace and fastening it around the child�s neck, �You can and
much more�� Terry said soothingly. �Beeping� Ranma on the nose, making him
giggle a bit, �And no-one can take that treasure from you, no one but myself
and you can take it off�� He trailed off to Ranma�s fervent shaking of his
head.
�No, No, No, No�!� The child denied, �I�m not going to take this off! Not
ever!�
Chuckling a bit, �Good to hear�� Terry began, pushing the child into the
pillows, �Now, you need your rest, okay?� He asked, running his hand through
the thick mop of hair on the boy�s head and tousling it further.
Nodding, Ranma closed his eyes and curled up under the covers, his little
hand clenching at the gem of, now his, necklace.
Standing up from the stool he was sitting on, �I�ll see you in about twelve
years time.� Terry whispered.
�Why so long?�
Turning back to the bed-ridden child, �You need to grow up, healthy and
strong for the Journey that lies ahead of you.� Leaning over the foot of the
bed, �All that you need to remember from me is �To Just Live, Live Well,
Live Honestly and Live Honorably to Yourself and those around you.� All
better than your Father, so just remember those words.� The boy nodded
before curling up again, this time, falling asleep as the older man watched.
Holding out his hand, palm down, �Remember this gift unto you: The gift of
Health and of Knowledge.� Terry chanted into something, but he mumbled it to
himself. A slight flare and mist of light came from his hand, then floated
down to the bedridden child, circling around him until it disappeared.
�I can only hope that you gives you peace.�
Stepping out into the hallway of the hospital, not seeing the child wake up
for a moment before he left the room, Terry did an about-face and marched
down it, feeling rather good about himself for once. He patted the doctor
that worked on Ranma on the shoulder as he walked out of the door.
He spared one glance back, with a frown, putting on his hat and walked
away.
**********
Years Later:
�Here�s is something in the mail for you, Father.�
Putting down his paper, grasping the envelope, �Ah, thank you, Kasumi.� The
black-haired, mustachioed man smiled. Watching his eldest daughter pad away
silently, �She reminds me so much of you, Kimiko.� He thought with a sniff.
Shaking his head and then taking a deep breath, �Now who�s this from?� He
wondered out loud as he saw no return address on the envelope.
Arching his brow, he opened it and found a rather sizable letter.
�Soun,
I hope this letter finds you well as since the boy has compelled me to
write this�
The trip to China was a success! Ranma has picked up more skill and power
than I could ever hoped! To prove it, he has pummeled me soundly several
times when he challenged me to the Mastership!�
Soun�s eyebrows arched to his hairline on reading that line.
�But the bad news is that we crossed into Jusenkyo��
He furrowed his brow at trying to read the smudges, it was as if someone
has attempted to erase them.
�We will have to show and explain things to you when we arrive��
�And the date is today!� Soun exclaimed.
**********
That's it for part One!
I'm not going to say anything, for fear of SPOILING things! ^_-
**********
Knight_Hawke
E-mail: knight_hawke22@yahoo.com
ICQ UIN: 9124852
'Live Life, Don't Let Life Live You.' - Words to Live By
'If Violence is not solving your problems...
You're just not using enough of it.'
-- Misato Kitsuragi, NGE
'No Excuses, No Mercy, No Remorse, No Regrets.' - Words to ponder
**********
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