Greetings,
So..lets begin at the begining and follow the trail where it may bend and
wind. This idea blossemed from discussing several plotline idea with TabyK
involving her story 'Ukyo's Daughter' (Which I HIGHLY recomend.)
While the idea to be included in her story was cast by the roadside, it grew
long teeth and hung on in my mind. Very Bulldogishly too. Wouldn't let go. I
batted it around a bit, sculpted, analysed, added to and subtracted from it. I
finally have an outline and a bit of a teaser written up. The teaser is below.
First off though, this is my first foray into true 'Dark' territory. I've been
very careful to orient the darkness around a need for plot, not modify the
plot to the need for darkness.
Second I want to thank TabyK for discussing fanfics with me in the first
place, as it was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable conversations I've had
in a very long time.
So, with no more waffling in mind, I am pleased to announce a teaser for my
latest project.
Ranma 1/2, 'Come in From the Cold'
Disclaimer: (Buckling under the pressure.) These characters are not my own.
They are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi. I'm merely using
them.{Authors voice takes demonic edge while his eyes begin to
glow}.Distorting, twisting, changing them at my whim.. dance puppets..DANCE!!!
(I obey the letter of the law, not the spirit.)
Drain Bramaged Inc. Presents,
A Mad-Hamlet Production
General Advisory: This fic is...not nice. Dark would be a good term. Yes,
we'll go with Dark. I suppose a heavy lime label could also be slapped on it.
However as I equate 'lime' as somewhat erotic it wouldn't apply here as some
of the goings-on herein are so far from erotic the light from Erotic will
never, ever reach it.
Come in From the Cold
She hovered near the entrance of an alleyway. No other place seemed
appropriate to one such as her. Here she hid in the darkness, surrounded by
waste. Breeding ground for pain and betrayal. Things she knew well.
Oh it was dark, always so very very dark. It was part of her, she held it in
her arms, her heart..her soul. She was in the dark..she was dark. Soon though,
soon she would find her light, all she had to do was wait. Her light would
pass here soon and the Dark would be pressed back. Her light would help her,
would protect her, and with her light, the wounds would heal. She could feel
them, great gaping maws in her soul. Tattered edges flapping like old clothing
in a storm. Small, chubby, hands fumbled at her chest, seeking comfort,
nutrients but she had to push them away for she had neither to give. All she
could do was hide in the alleyway and wait for her. Her light.
Eighteen year old Akane Tendo trudged home from yet another day at Furinkan
High, alone. Like she had for nearly twenty months now. Soon she would be
going to a University and putting more and more distance between her and her
past. At not even twenty-she felt she had quite a past to distance herself
from though.
Compared to any other young adult at least.
Her eyes idly drifted to a chain link fence that ran parallel to the canal.
And for just a brief instant she allowed herself to remember a certain
arrogant, yet skilled, young man who could walk along it like her upon a
sidewalk. Mental defenses and old anger slammed down on any affectionate
reminiscing. He had disappeared nearly two years ago, and taken with him
love, dreams, and respect. Proving himself to be, much to her regret, much
like his father. Her good mood now thoroughly crushed she began stalking home
in great angry strides. Her jaw was clenched tight and between her teeth she
was muttering a litany of curses that would have made a sailor blanche. It had
all been said before but it didn't help the pain much. It still hurt, even
after twenty months, ninety-nine weeks...six hundred and ninety-nine
days...sixteen thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six hou...she almost didn't
hear the voice calling her name.
"Kane....".
Akane spun on her heel and dropped into a defensive crouch. Instincts honed on
the battlefield called 'school'. The foe was not one she had anticipated.
The...person was lurching out from the maw of a darkened ally. Covered by,
what might have been at one time, a cloak? It was dark purple but the color
had long been destroyed by stains, time and...was that blood? Their features
obscured by a mangy hood. Then the smell hit her and Akane had to visibly
struggle not to recoil. Whoever they were hadn't bathed for a very long time.
The stench of waste, garbage and, her brow creased pain? assailed her. The
figure held out one hand in a plaintive gesture or maybe they were seeking
some support to rest against. Either way Akane wasn't about to let some
stranger paw at her.
"Back off!" She warned.
"Akane, no...please...." The figure's voice was horse, tired and desperation
seemed to echo. Akane got the impression they barely had strength enough to
speak much less stand. They kept lurching toward her though.
"I'm warning you! Another step and you'll regret it!"
Akane didn't want to hurt this person, whoever they were, but she was prepared
to defend herself, and it had been a while since she had gotten practice.
"Akane..help.....hel...me..." The figure slumped to the ground, whatever
little strength they had long since expended. Akane slightly relaxed out of
her stance.
"Great." She thought. "Now what?"
She wiped the nervous sweat from her brow with the back of one hand and looked
around if there was anyone around who might help her. The street was deserted
though and she wasn't about to check the recesses of the ally. She was on her
own.
She approached cautiously, just in case a game of possum was being played. It
wasn't like she could just abandon someone in pain.
"A true martial artist defends the weak. Defends the weak...the
weak...defends...martial artist, defends the weak...defends.."
The mental litany ran through her mind as she took another hesitant step
forward. She wrinkled her nose as a fresh wave of stench assailed her.
"Well, yeah." She thought. "But do the weak have to smell so bad?"
She cautiously knelt beside the prone individual who was laying face down with
the one arm still outstretched. Akane slowly reached out toward their shoulder
with the intent of giving them a good shake when a weak cry rent the air.
"Omigod!"
With little fanfare Akane gently turned the figure over, all hesitation cast
to the winds. Parting the wretched fabric that passed for a cloak Akane saw
that the mysterious woman, for now that cloak lay open the mangy shirt did
little to hide the gender of its wearer, still held her other arm curled to
her breast. Cradled in that protective embrace, lay an infant.
Cooing softly Akane slowly pried the woman's death grip around the infant open
and pulled the child into her lap.
"Come here little one." Akane soothed. "Shhh...I've got you, don't cry. You're
safe."
Carefully she pulled the baby closer to her chest and got her first good look.
Her breath caught in her throat.
It could have been because the child had stopped crying and was now staring at
her with a carefully scrutinizing expression. Or it could have been the fact
that the child's stare was so unnerving; as the child had one blazing blue eye
and its mate was a deep, ominous purple. But no, the real attention getter was
the shock of pure, blazing red hair that curled across the infant's head.
Turning to the still unconscious figure Akane grabbed the hood firmly that
concealed their features.
"I don't know why." Akane thought. "But I'm not surprised."
Still holding the child with one arm Akane hesitantly reached down and slowly
caressed the emaciated, tired, and thoroughly female face of Ranma.
"KAAASSUUMMIIII!!"
Startled by the unexpected shout the eldest Tendo daughter lost control of
the knife for a fraction of a second and was rewarded with a small cut.
Hissing at the pain she quickly tied a handkerchief around the wound before
entering the living room.
"Yes Akane?" She asked calmly. "What's wr..." The remainder of her question
died on her lips. Kasumi saw her youngest sister carefully laying a figure on
some cushions. That in itself was not all that strange. In the past Kasumi had
seen plenty of unconscious people stretched out on those selfsame cushions.
Though some time had passed since the last one. No what robbed Kasumi of the
breath to speak was everything she saw at once. The figure's red hair, the
baby still curled, protectively by Akane, also with flaming red hair.
Kasumi took one look at the baby, then a quick glance at Ranma, then another
back at the baby. She shook her head in slight denial at that line of
thinking.
"Oh my goodness." Kasumi exclaimed. "Ranma, what's happened to him?"
"I don't know Kasumi." Akane replied. Her anxiety clearly heard.
"She..he..just came out of an alleyway at me on the way home! I didn't know
who it was at first but when they collapsed I heard the baby cry and ...
and..."
Akane's voice dwindled. Kasumi sympathized with her sister. She too had, once
again, been yanked out of her emotional equilibrium by this sudden twist in
life. But the storm she felt must be nothing compared to what Akane, out of
the blue, must have been going through right now.
"First things first Akane." Kasumi had to raise her voice slightly as the
child decided to start crying again. "Give me the baby, I'll go warm some milk
up. Why don't you get Ranma out those..'clothes'."
With an almost wistful look on her face Akane carefully handed the still
squalling baby to her sister. Then, with her face set in determination turned
to conquering her next foe: The incredibly smelly garments of the still
comatose Ranma Saotome.
Kasumi was carrying the child in the crux of her arm and just had grabbed a
bottle of milk from the fridge when the second scream of the afternoon sent it
crashing to the floor.
"OH..MY GOD!!" The shriek rang throughout the house.
Kasumi, as quickly as she dared, rushed back to the living room.
"Akane! What's wro.." For the second time this day the same question died on
Kasumi Tendo's lips. If she hadn't been holding a helpless infant Kasumi would
probably have fainted at the hellish scene before her. As it was, she had to
grit her teeth to fight off a wave of dizziness and nausea swam over her.
Akane, in her typical efficient manner, had decided the best way to remove
Ranma's clothing was the direct approach and had torn the shirt open down the
middle. From the neck up, other than appearing filthy and slightly starved
Ranma appeared perfectly fine. It was the scaring that began just below her
collarbone that demanded attention. Kasumi's eyes followed the curving of the
scar tissue as it twisted to the right and neatly bisected Ranma's left
breast, leaving it a mangled horror of tissue, before continuing down the
sternum and finally tapering off just above her navel. The scar tissue was at
least an inch wide over the breast leaving no doubt, even to those with zero
medical understanding, that when it had been received, the wound had nearly
cut the breast in twain.
Kasumi found herself completely numb. The hysterical sobbing of her beloved
sister didn't reach her, the child in her arms own cries didn't touch her. She
could only stand and watch. Watch as Akane, still sobbing, with her fists
pressed over her mouth, sank to her knees beside her former fianc�.
Watch as with a shriek of her own, Ranma sat bolt upright with fire, and fury
burning in her eyes. Watch as the panicked, topless figure lashed out
instinctively and backhand her youngest sister across the room before leaping
at her with another shriek on her lips.
**************
I remain, as always,
Mad-Hamlet
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You say I'm bloodthirsty. I deny it. I'm BloodHungry!
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