DISCLAIMER:
All characters of "Ranma Nibunnoichi" a.k.a. "Ranma 1/2" are the property and
copyright of RUMIKO TAKAHASHI / SHOGAKUKAN INC. / KITTY / FUJI TV
Never Forgot
By: Jason Monti
2990 years ago.
Mountain Temple, Quinghai, China.
"Come on Liang Chi, I can see the temple roof from here, hurry up! Come
on...no up here, before you get lost again!" Luan Ma yelled down to his
friend. They had finally found it, a cure for the curses they had so
foolishly picked up at an awful place known as Jusenkyou. This temple was
supposed to have been built around a spring, a spring the was said to grant
wishes.
"Shut up already Luan Ma!" shouted Liang Chi, who was getting sick of Luan Ma
constantly pointing out his weakness. "An' stop sayin' I'm getting lost!"
Inside however, he was grateful for Luan's friendship and his leading him
around. Although his gratefulness stood knee-high to his pride, so he would
never admit it.
*****
The two teens gazed into the spring with a wanton eyes. Luan Ma was the
first to 'test the waters,' by diving into the spring yelling out, "I wish I
didn't have my curse!" SPLASH! A wet but human Luan broke the surface of the
water, and gestured for Liang to follow. Liang procceeded to do as Luan did,
and emerged human as well.
"NO MORE DOG CURSE!" yelled Luan.
"NO MORE PIG CURSE!" followed Liang.
"HEY, YOU TWO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" cried out an incredulous monk. "Now you
two will live to the end of days! This is the spring of eternal life! Now
you can never die!"
*****
2985 years ago.
Nujiezu (Joketsuzoku), Quinghai, China.
"Luan Ma! Luan Ma!" the desperate cries of the woman rang through the
village square. Tears unhampered flowed down her cheeks as she was restrained
by her fellow villagers. "Please, don't hurt him! No!" she pleaded with her
sisters.
Luan Ma looked into his lover's eyes, a sadness showing through, as his neck
was forced down onto the block. "I love you, Long Shen, I will never
forge..." was all he got out before the large ax separated his head from his
body. He felt a sharp pain, which increased tremendously in an instant, then
another as his head landed on the hard ground below with a sickening thud. He
tuned out the pain and watched as his beloved was lead to the block.
"Long Shen, you are a disgrace to the Nujiezu! First you lead us to built
this village fifteen years ago. From out of the bonds of slavery to men, you
lead us here, and now, now you betrayed us, submitting yourself to a man. You
will be made an example of, Long Shen, and know that from this day forth, we
shall have a law, that no woman from Nujiezu shall submit herself to a man!
If a man bests her, then her punishment shall be to marry him!" charged Ba De,
the soon to be village matriarch, and most zealous of all the Nujiezu. she
motioned for the ax to fall, and fall it did, whisking away with it the
beloved of Luan Ma.
Watching his body be taken and burned, Luan Ma was not surprised when he felt
a firm grip on his mane of black hair. He was picked up and carried over to
the bonfire where his body was rapidly becoming ash, and he was thrown in. As
he burned, he vowed to never forgive the warrior bitches. Never. Before he
passed out from the pain, of the fire, he lamented on Long Shen, his love of
five years.
It took him sixteen years to grow back from the airborne ash that carried his
consciousness.
*****
16 years ago.
Juuban, Toukyou, Japan.
Luan Ma, or Ranma which he called himself here in Japan, sat on a park bench.
He sat lamenting the loss of his 'parents' once again. Ever since this
century came along, he always needed a set of 'parents' to get anywhere. Sure
he could live on his own, but the companionship and financial help 'parents'
offered always made life that much easier. He was also not too quick to
forget the true reason, the legal issues. No matter how much he said it, no
one would believe that he was a little over three thousand years old. He
would need to find another couple soon.
And as if summoned, a couple that looked to be in their mid twenties appeared
down a path leading to the park's pond. Of course Ranma didn't really notice
them until the wrapped katana caught his eye. He started watching them.
"This could be interesting," he thought.
The man seemed to be comforting the woman, who had a sad expression. They
made their way to the edge of the pond and laid out a blanket, and started
their picnic. They didn't move their mouths much, save to chew their food, so
Ranma figured that they ate in silence.
A group of thugs approached the couple, and after a few moments, the man was
in action, moving like the wind through the thugs downing them with efficient
strikes, and within a minute, they were all unconscious. The woman applauded
and they gathered their belongings and hurriedly left. Ranma observed, before
following them, that the man hadn't broken a sweat. "Excellent!" he thought,
as he trailed them, now all he had to do was get acquainted.
*****
Knock, knock.
Genma Saotome opened the door and looked down into the eyes of a teenager.
"Can I help you?" he asked the boy.
"I'm Ranma, and hopefully you can. I saw your fight today at the park, I was
wondering where you learned that style. I've only seen it once before in my
life time."
"He must be thinking of Tendou," thought Genma. "I'm Genma Saotome and I
learned from the founder of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu, and mastered it," stated
proudly, though he shuddered at the thought of his old master.
"That's where I remember it from!" exclaimed Ranma. "In that case I have a
proposition to make."
Genma facefaulted. "Or not," he thought. "And what would that be?" the
larger man inquired.
"Do you have an heir Mr. Saotome?"
"No, in fact."
"Would you like one?"
"Well...Yes, my wife and I have been trying for several years now."
"Would you mind if I learned you style?"
"No, I suppose not...why?"
"Well then, I would like to learn the style that even the mighty Nujiezu
couldn't beat, I propose you make me your heir, and I'll supply you with an
appropriate sum of cash."
Genma was about to protest the idea of any other than his own flesh and blood
becoming his heir, until money was mentioned. He'd have to ask about the
'Nujiezu' later. "I accept."
"Good, I'll also need room and board, but I can pay for those as well."
"Excellent, this should get Nodoka out of her funk. You wouldn't happen to
have any parents would you?"
"No, they both just died recently, I've been on my own since. Why?"
"Would you mind if I called you...son?"
"I guess not, I suppose I'll need a family until I'm eighteen."
Genma was too caught up in his happiness to really understand what he just
did, all he cared about was that he now had a 'son', an heir, and was going to
get money.
Ranma, for his part couldn't shake the feeling off that this seemed too easy,
and that he was getting into something bad.
Genma went to tell his wife about their new 'son,' and to write to Soun and
tell him of the 'birth' of his heir. Now the families could be joined...well
sort of.
*****
10 years ago.
Nerima, Japan.
Nodoka proved to be an excellent 'mother,' if not a little too traditional.
She had accepted him right away and the whole family got off to a good start.
Genma proved to be a decent sensei, and a mediocre father. And while Ranma
was probably the best fighter on the face of the planet, he did, after all
have 3000 years of experience and learning; he put up with Genma's teaching
for the sake of learning a new art. Also, the Saotomes took it in stride that
he hadn't aged one bit since arriving six years ago, which was a good thing.
"Son."
"Yes pop?"
"I think that it's time to go on a training trip."
"A training trip? For how long?"
"I think that ten years aught to do it, and then you'll be ready." Genma
stated. "Oops, slipped there, what to say, what to say?"
"Ready for what pop?"
"Aa, up, you will be a master by then, yeah, that's it." Whew!
"Okay. What ever you say pop?"
*****
3 years ago.
Japan.
Two boys are running in the halls of a school toward their respective
classes. Both are too concerned with being late to watch where they are going
and collide.
"Hey, watch where you're going, man!" Says a bandana clad boy to Ranma.
"Well why don..." he began, but trailed off when their eyes met. "Do I know
you?"
"L-l-l-u-luan Ma?" stuttered the larger of the boys.
"Liang Chi?"
"Oh my God! How long has it been?"
"I'd say a couple hundred years, you?
"Wow, small world isn't it? By the way, I go by the name Ryouga now. I got
adopted by the great people up town, the Hibikis! How 'bout yourself?"
"Ranma," he introduced himself. "Ranma Saotome. I' currently studding a new
form called, get this: Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu!"
"I heard of it, what's so special about it?"
"Remember the warrior bitches I told you about?"
"Yeah, what about them?"
"The guy who created the style, he was able to raid Nujiezu by him self and
live to tell about it, I'm studying under his student."
"A style that can beat those Amazon bitches huh, that's impressive."
*****
1 month ago.
Quinghai, China.
To say that Ranma was pissed, would be an understatement. That stupid assed
panda had gotten him another curse. Well, at least he remained human, instead
of turning into a dog. How had he not remembered about the place. Of course,
after 3000 years, anyone's memories would be Swiss cheezed he supposed. At
least Genma turned into a panda, that made Ranma feel slightly better.
He hadn't been to this part of china since, well since Long's death. Of all
those things from that time, he remembered her. How he had loved her, of the
time they shared, of their deaths. Suddenly lamenting, and still angry, he
didn't recognize where the guide was leading them.
"Here sirs is Nujiezu! Village of Amazon warriors." said the guide in his
pigeon Japanese.
Ranma wasn't listening, and the three were in the village square before he
notices something. Something that haunted his dreams to this day, seeing as
it was the first time he 'died.' His eyes widened as he looked at it. The
same block, a rather large carved stone perfect for decapitation. Looking
around, he confirmed his suspicions. He was back here. "Shit!" he cursed
under his breath. "Oh fuck..." he cursed louder seeing Genma eating the
'First Prize.'
"Red hair girl, pet eat Shan Pu prize!"
Too late. Wait a moment, why should he care, he could destroy this village
in minutes if he chose, and he remembered his vow. Ah, now he would get his
revenge, play with their pride!
"Are you descended from Ba De?" the red head asked. In Chinese.
"What," Shan Pu was startled, "which one?"
"The first one!"
Everyone, including Shan Pu who knew their Amazon History gasped. How had
this outsider known of their great founder? "Yes, she is," a very old voice
called out. It belonged to a withered old gnome on a stick.
Ranma turned and looked down at the woman with contempt. "And who are you,
can't the descendent of the 'mighty' Ba De answer for her self?"
Ku Long was very quickly getting irritated at this little girl. Did she know
who she was dealing with?! "She is my great-granddaughter, and I am Ku Long,
matriarch of the Nujiezu! WHO are YOU to be so bold in the presence of us
Amazons?"
Ignoring the old woman's question she turned to the incensed Shan Pu.
"Consider it penance." she almost growled in response.
"Penance for what, your animal is eating MY prize." countered an irate Shan
Pu.
"This has nothing to do with your prize, girl, not now, you come from Ba De,
who murdered my Long Shen, and so you pay."
Now everyone gasped. This girl just uttered the name of that woman who
history records as having betrayed their glorious founder, then slandered Ba
De's name. Ku Long had had quite enough! "WHO ARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU UTTER
SUCH BLASPHEMIES IN THIS VILLAGE?! DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH?!!"
"Be quiet little girl, you should know your place underneath your elders."
snapped Ranma at Ku Long.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!" Ku Long squawked and charged the little red
haired bitch. Blindly thrashing with her staff, knowing that the girl
wouldn't live another minute.
Much to her consternation, though, the girl was not there to be killed, and
in the next instant, she felt each one of her limbs systematically broken.
The next thing she knew, there was a foot on her neck and she was looking into
the fiery eyes of the fiery haired girl.
"I am Luan Ma, beloved of Long Shen before she was murdered by Ba De. I have
walked this earth for as long as this village had existed. I have never
forgiven your kind for her death, and I never will. I should rid the world of
this village, and I could, no sweat, but I want you to live with you failure,
descendent of Ba De, I will leave, and it is in your best interest not to
follow. Your pride is not worth more pain. Good bye.
With that, she grabbed a stunned panda, and a guide, who had soiled himself
at some point, and left Nujiezu.
*****
Present.
Japan.
"Kasumi, can I talk to you?" Akane approached her sister. She was nervous,
but knew that her big sister would not make fun of her.
"Why yes Akane what is it?"
"Well, um, I've been having these weird dreams...for quite awhile now."
"Tell me about them then."
"Well, let's see, they start with this man, and he's dragged to a stone where
they prepare to kill him."
"Oh my, that's not good." interjected Kasumi.
"What's weird is that I'm pleading for them to let him go, but they don't.
"He looks into my eyes and says, 'I love you, Lotion,' or something like
that. Then they cut his head off."
"Maybe this has something to do with your little fan-club at school?" Kasumi
opined.
"I don't think so, Kasumi, I mean, I felt overwhelming grief as he dies, and
then I usually wake up crying in a cold sweat. It seems too real, like
they're memories."
"How odd..."
"Sometimes, though, I dream of him and me sharing beautiful tender moments,
of lying in his strong arms, and other...stuff..." Akane had the good graces
to blush furiously at this, as did Kasumi.
"I don't know how to help you Akane, maybe this will go away on it's own.
*****
The next day.
Soun Tendou called his daughters in to the family room for an announcement.
"FIANCEE?!"
Akane was not in a good mood, she had had her reoccurring dream last night,
and it had been most disturbing. Unlike the others, which had been bits and
pieces of a greater whole, this time, she lived the whole. Five years
apparently, she was Long Shen and had lived and loved this man, Luan Ma. And
she died right after him.
Her head was at war with itself. In one camp, there was a growing
desperation for this Luan Ma, or some facsimile of him, and in the other,
there was a disgust for the pervert he must be, after all, he was a boy.
There came a knocking at their door, and so Nabiki and Soun went to get it.
And right back in they came followed by a panda holding a girl.
The panda set the girl down who introduced herself as Ranma Saotome. When
father realized this, he fainted. After he woke up, Nabiki harassed the girl,
so I took her into the doujou for a little practice.
Ranma was being groped by a girl who had obviously needed to confirm her sex.
And the Ranma's eyes met with another girl's. She knew that she could feel
Long Shen's presence in the area, and she believed in reincarnation, but to
have an almost exact duplicate of Long staring into her eyes, she had to
suppress crying for joy right then. The girl invited her to a bout in the
doujou, and she accepted. The fight was brief: Ranma of course only tapped
her love on the back of the head.
*****
Akane prepared to enter the furo, scrubbing herself down, and rinsing off.
After seeing Ranma's clothing in the hamper, she decided to go ahead and bathe
with the red-head.
Entering the furo, she saw only a man there, no, wait, it was him, to the
finest detail, and after last night's dream *blush* she knew every detail. It
had to be him, there was nothing that could deny it, save for him...and then
something clicked.
"L-l-lu-luan m-m-maa?" she asked tentatively.
Ranma looked at her, she was just like he remembered her. "Long Shen?"
"You came back?" Akane inquired.
"My sweet Long Shen, I never really left. I never did forget!"
"Oh Luan! I missed you so!"
"And I you, Akane, I love you."
"I love you Ranma."
END.
Author's notes:
Hi everybody. I started this around 1:00am 10/15/2000, and finished around
8:37am 10/15/2000. I know that its really farfetched but it just came to me,
so I figured I'd give it a shot.
As for the characters' names:
Luan Ma = Ranma = Wild Horse.
Long Shen = Dragon king.
Liang Chi = Ryouga = Good fang.
If anyone wants to write a side story, or a continuation, be my guest. This
originally started out as a story idea, but I decided to make it a whole fic.
As you can see, there is LOTS of room for side stories. Also, there are
several possibilities for continuations, though I will not continue this
myself, I rarely get ideas, and its rarer still for me to gather the patients
to actually write a fic.
By the way, for those of you who are wondering, I cannot change/update my
website, http://www.student.smsu.edu/j/jmm769s/. I don't know why, but will
find out soon. I have another MST by Tim Parker to add.
Ja ne ^_^
(see you later)
-Jason Monti
http://www.student.smsu.edu/j/jmm769s