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We had our hour challenge again tonight in FFIRC. Here are the results.
The Swimmer
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by June "KaraOhki" Geraci
karaohki@snet.net
December 17, 2000
Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi, and belongs to her. This story
is for entertainment purposes only, and is not to be used commercially.
----------
News item heard on National Public Radio, November 2000.
"Our sources report that a fishing boat three miles off the coast of
Portugal picked up a very unusual cargo. When they pulled up their nets, in
among the fish was a wild boar. They had no idea how it had survived that
far out at sea."
*****
"Ready? Pull!"
The men brought the fishing net up over the side of the boat, and dumped its
contents into the sorting bin. It was a good catch--the bin was full.
The fish flopped around, trying to find their way back to the sea.
Something else desperately tried to make its way to the surface of the mass
of slippery fish, and one of the fisherman spotted a pink snout.
"Hey, what's that?" He reached in and grabbed, and felt a piece of cloth in
one hand. He yanked on it, and his hand came up holding the cloth, which
was wrapped around the neck of a small pig.
All of the fishermen crowded around, trying to get a look at it.
"He must be one hell of a swimmer. How did he get this far out?
"Kinda scrawny, isn't he? Not worth keeping."
The pig squealed indignantly, causing the man who was holding him to laugh
so hard he nearly dropped him.
"I don't think he cared for your remark, Manuel."
*****
Ryoga looked from face to face. Had he been saved, or was he in a worse
situation than before? He felt a little better when the man who'd pulled
him out of the fish carried him into the cabin and heated up some milk.
"I don't know if pigs drink milk, but you look awfully cold. My name's Joe,
and I won't let them throw you back." He poured the milk into a bowl and
set it on the floor. "Listen to me introducing myself to a pig! I must be
losing it."
The man sat there, watching Ryoga drink the milk. Ryoga wished he could
speak. He would thank Joe for saving him. For a moment he considered
knocking the warm milk onto himself, but he was afraid to. He'd found that
many people reacted quite violently when faced with his transformation. The
reason he was out at sea was that a bunch of superstitious people had called
him "devil's spawn" and were chasing him with knives. Big knives. Faced
between the sea and the mob, he'd chosen the sea.
Ryoga was brought back from his thoughts by the awareness that Joe was
talking again. The man squatted down and patted him on the head.
"It's hard being out at sea for days on end. I miss my wife, and I miss my
little girl. This last catch should fill us up, and we can head back home.
You're falling asleep, aren't you?"
The last thing Ryoga remembered before giving in to sleep was being wrapped
in something warm and put on a soft surface.
*****
"Scrawny? Manuel called you scrawny?" The ship's cook held Ryoga up by his
bandanna, and poked his stomach. "You've got plenty of meat on you!"
Ryoga struggled as the cook climbed up to the deck. He didn't like the look
in the man's eyes in the least.
"Hey fellas! I think we got a gift from God! He knew we were tired of
eating fish every day, so he sent us a nice pork dinner!"
Ryoga finally wiggled free and landed on the deck. He dodged away from the
cook and ran. Soon there was a free-for-all on deck, with men leaving their
job of sorting the fish and joining in on the chase.
"Catch him! Catch our dinner!"
"KWEEEEE!!!"
"No, don't hurt him!"
"He's mine! Mine to cook!"
"Bu-ki!"
A pair of hands closed around Ryoga's body and lifted him up. He struggled
violently until he heard the voice of the man holding him.
"Calm down, little pig! No one will hurt you while Joe has you."
The fishermen crowded around, shouting different opinions and suggestions.
"Throw him back in the sea!"
"Cook him!"
"Make him the ship's mascot!"
"I don't like any of those," said Joe. He scratched the pig between the
ears and smiled. "I think he's rather cute. My daughter might like him for
a pet."
"Cute? He's a PIG! How can pigs be cute?"
Ryoga twisted around and looked up at Joe, trying his best to be very, very
cute. Joe smiled and patted his head.
"Well I think he's cute, and Connie will just love him. Any of you lay a
finger on him and you'll regret it!"
The cook and his followers backed away. Joe was a big man, too big for them
to even consider crossing.
*****
Joe spent the remainder of the trip back sorting fish and keeping an eye on
his daughter's prospective pet. The pig sat near him, watching the sorting
process as if he understood what was going on. He even seemed to sense when
Joe was about to reject a fish and throw it overboard, for Joe would see him
look at the fish and then look at the rail.
"You're a smart one, aren't you? Would you like this to eat? It's too
small to keep."
Ryoga shook his head, and Joe jumped. "I didn't see that."
*****
The ship finally pulled into its home port, and the men unloaded the fish.
Then they hurried to get their gear so they could go home to their wives and
children.
Joe picked Ryoga up, slung his bag over his shoulder, and started down the
street.
"You'll be happy in our home, little pig. Connie is very good to her pets.
She's fifteen years old, and very affectionate. I'm sure the first thing
she'll do is give you a bath. After all, we both stink of fish!"
The entire scenario played out in Ryoga's mind. A fifteen year old girl was
going to put him into a hot bath. He was going to change in front of her,
and her father was going to tear him into little tiny pieces.
He wrenched himself out of the man's grip and ran.
"Little pig! Come back!"
Ryoga just kept running.
--------------
The original news item concluded with the note that the fishermen brought
the rescued animal ashore and freed it. Yes, I really DID hear this story
on the radio.
--------------
Comments are very welcome! Send them to the FFML, or to me at
karaohki@snet.net, or to both!