From: lordjeram@ranmafics.com or jemhf@wam.umd.edu
http://come.to/ranmafics
Post: [Emerald Ranma] Prologue
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi is the creator of Ranma 1/2. Copyright
belongs
to Viz.
Lord Jeram is my own creation. I'd also like to pay quick homage to
those
esteemed authors whose stories of time and multiverses have inspired me,
such as Skysaber, Metroanime and Jurai Knight.
A Quick Universe and Timeline Guide
(you'll need this because this story is about twisting and turning
timelines
and universes)
For now all you need to know regarding what a timeline is, is that each
timeline is another possibility for a universe. As for what that really
means in the end, well, you'll have to wait and see. Each timeline has
the
property of time moving at a certain rate, like in ours, it moves at, in
reference to us, normal speed. Other timelines could flow slower or
faster
than ours, especially if they have to do with another universe.
In addition, in the story I'll announce the current universe and/or the
current timeline in a header if it changes. If there has been no change
from
either universe to universe or timeline to timeline then I won't add the
extra info. E.g.:
(The Incorrect Universe - The Really Fast Timeline)
Ranma looked in astonishment at the blurry figures around him.
"Huh? Why is everyone moving so fast?"
(The Normal Timeline)
"Wah! Ranma will never unfreeze!"
etc...
(Imagine that you are Ranma, casually strolling down the
road, whistling a tune, perhaps tossing a few chi attacks
into the nearest dummy, say Kunou. The day is perfect. The
sun is shining, not a cloud in sight. You haven't even been
splashed once, and the feeling is just great. Suddenly, the
world collapses in your face. Or does it?)
Emerald Ranma
==>An epic of Epic Proportions and a story of a story<==
Prologue
The End and/or the Beginning
(Ranmaverse, Streets of Nerima, 1996)
Ranma strolled down the streets of Nerima, whistling a happy tune. From
time
to time, he hopped on some fences and rooftops, just for fun. The day
was
going so perfectly, that it seemed too
be too good to be true.
Ranma grinned. After the two huge meals he had received from Ukyou and
Shampoo, he was feeling pleasantly stuffed. Even Kunou could not
depreciate
the day. After spouting a crazy challenge, the insane samurai-wannabe
had actually lost earlier than normal. Akane had not screamed at or hit
him once. She had even flashed him that cute smile of hers.
Ranma took a healthy breath of fresh air, then let it all out at once.
"Oh, man. This is the best day I've had in a long time. Nothing short of
something nasty like Akane's cooking can possibly ruin this."
Ranma wandered over to a nearby park, and laid face up on the grass,
absorbing the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the spring breeze, and
the
relaxing sounds of nature. He closed his eyes, and started drifting off
into that place between sleeping and dreaming.
(Maybe Ranmaverse Or Maybe Not)
A scream that shook Ranma to his core shattered his midday nap. He awoke
with a start and jumped up. Horrified, he gazed at the destruction
around
him. Nothing was as it had been. Fire was raging everywhere, in the
skies,
and on the ground. Even the water was aflame. Grating rasps of pain and
suffering echoed around him. The world was, in effect, destroyed.
Breathing heavily, Ranma pinched himself repeatedly. He began to utter a
mantra of sorts. "It's only a dream. It's only a dream . . ."
He felts the pain from the pinches. "No! It can't be real! It's just a
horrible nightmare," he tried to convince himself.
He started backpedaling slowly, then started increasing the pace faster
and
faster. He fell backward, tripping over something. He reached behind to
pick
it up.
The thing screamed. Ranma's eyes widened as he dropped the still howling
severed head back onto the charred ground. He panicked and started
running.
Not quite knowing where he was headed, he still ran as fast as he could.
He
wiped away the tears from his eyes, the tears from the smoke, the tears
from
the horror.
Then, he stopped. There, in front of him, was the Tendo Dojo. His heart
stopped for a moment when he saw the broken gate. It started up again
when
he saw that the dojo appeared unharmed, apparently unaffected by the
nearby
blaze of the neighboring buildings.
Cautiously, Ranma stepped inside. The house was completely silent, save
for
the distant sounds of death. Ranma looked around, hoping against hope.
"Hello? Is anyone here? Anyone?" No one answered.
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Anyone? Please?"
A lone tear slid down his cheek. "Pops? Mr. Tendo? Nabiki? Kasumi?
Ak-kane?"
He lowered his head. 'They're all gone. I can't believe it! I'm all
alone.
All alone.' Depressing thoughts swirled inside his head.
He wiped his nose and breathed in. 'Wait! That smells like Kasumi's
cooking!' Heart racing, Ranma rushed to the kitchen and nearly collapsed
in
relief. Kasumi stood there the way she always did, leaning over the
counter.
She was cutting some carrots. Tears of relief fogged his vision.
"Kasumi! You're . . . you're alive!" He choked back the tears. "Thank
everything that's holy!"
Kasumi chuckled. "Ranma, I've been waiting for you." She turned around.
Ranma screamed, a cry beyond normal sound, one echoing from the depths
of
the soul. Kasumi's face had been shorn off completely, and her eyes
glowed
with a horrible flaming light. Worst of all, around her neck, hung the
severed head of her sister. For the first time, Ranma noticed the other
heads displayed like trophies around the blood-soaked room. She hadn't
been
cutting carrots.
As Ranma dropped to his knees, Kasumi cackled and raised her knife.
Ranma
closed his eyes and resigned himself to his fate. The killing blow never
came.
Suddenly, Kasumi screamed. Ranma's head jerked up in surprise. The
scream
faded and Ranma could have sworn that he had heard her sigh in relief.
As
she faded from her tortured existence, Ranma noticed a figure standing
behind her, whose hands were outstretched. Ranma blinked his eyes and
clearly saw a short man with pale skin and dark hair. Tears streamed
down
his face. Anguish and pain marked his features.
"It never gets any easier," the man mumbled softly.
Ranma rose to his feet and peered at the stranger, terror momentarily
forgotten. "Uhm, who are you?"
The man, startled by this, looked at Ranma as if noticing him for the
first
time. The man stared intently at Ranma, assessing him.
"How can this be? You! You're not corrupted!" the man exclaimed. A look
of
intense joy appeared on the man's face.
Ranma stumbled back in surprise. "Uh, heh heh. Who are you, mister?"
The man smiled at Ranma. "We have a chance after all. Will you come
with
me to try and save the world?" He outstretched his hand.
Ranma struggled internally for a few moments. "Oh, hell. What have I
got
to lose? It's not like I can lose anything more than I already have."
Ranma
gripped the man's hand and was gone.
(Vileverse, Streets of Nerima, 1997)
Kasumi ran.
Smoke-induced tears soaked her dress and obscured her vision. She
staggered
as she felt a wave of hunger pass over her. She fell back and tripped
over
a stone, falling to the ground. She kicked off her heels in disgust,
got up
and continued her escape. She knew They were right behind her, gaining
ever
so slowly. She pumped her feet harder, and sensed Their laughter.
Wiping the water from her reddened eyes, she made out a figure in front
of
her. Coming closer, she saw her beloved father, weeping intensely on
the
charred earth. Not being able to help herself she approached and knelt
beside him, stroking his hair.
"Father, please, feel better. It will all be over soon. It will all"
she
choked on the words but forced herself to continue. "It will be all
right.
It has to." She started tearing again and was barely able to control
herself. "Father? You've stopped crying. Is everything . . ."
Kasumi gasped, then screamed as her father slumped onto the ground.
Kasum
rose like a rocket, eyes blazing.
"That's it! I don't care if I have to use the technique on you. Prepare
to
be destroyed for good!"
The figure in front of her laughed.
Kasumi attacked.
(Skyverse, 2000 feet above the Pacific, 1996)
Ranma found himself in a small room, with walls painted with sky
landscapes,
though when he looked closer, he realized that the clouds were moving.
He
looked up at the ceiling and instantly flinched away, as there was a sun
shining brightly. He ran his hands over a wall and was surprised to feel
a
normal texture.
"What the heck? What kind of weird room is this?" He looked closely at
the
moving pictures on the wall, but didn't see anything out of the
ordinary.
"It looks almost real."
"That's because it is." Ranma whirled toward the origin of the voice. A
tall
man stood at the other end of the room. He appeared like an ordinary
human,
with dark hair and a short-trimmed beard. An expression of deep sadness
was
clear on his countenance. His robe was a deep black color that seemed to
draw in light. In sharp contrast, bands of bright light that refused to
disappear streamed and crisscrossed each other on the surface of the
robes.
The man spoke again, his voice rumbling forcefully yet without being
loud at
all. "It is actually merely transparent material. We are floating in the
middle of the sky above the Pacific Ocean."
Ranma closed his eyes and held his head. "But the sky isn't this color
anymore. It's a horrible orangish color."
The man sighed. "Indeed it is. But this is not the same universe. I
brought us here to buy us some time before we can escape this timeline."
While Ranma thought that over, the man shook his head. "By the
Infinite, I
wish I knew more about temporal mechanics."
At that, Ranma quickly looked up at the man. "What do you mean you wish
you
knew more? I don't need this." He mumbled the last part to himself.
The man smiled slightly. "I'm afraid that it isn't my area of
expertise."
Ranma scratched his head. "Well, not to be rude or nothin', but what is
your 'area of expertise' anyway? Universe-hopping?"
Suddenly, the man turned his head and looked behind him. "Listen,
friend,
they'll be plenty of time for questions later. For now we have to get
out
of here while we still have time."
Ranma blinked, confused. "But how?"
End of Prologue
Questions for Chapter One:
What the heck is going on?
When did history diverge, anyway?
I'm hungry, when's dinner?
None left? Then what should I do?
Who is the "pale" man? Is he someone I know?
What makes one timeline "evil" and another "secondary"?