[Ranma][FanFic] Quest for the Dragon Fist--Chapter Two: "None Such Thing"
Wolf Shadow
PART TWO:
Quest For the Dragon Fist
Chapter Two:
"None Such Thing"
--Disclaimer--
I do not own the Ranma 1/2 characters. There, i said it. Happy now?
--Warning--
This story contains language strong enough to earn an "R" rating, and
may without warning contain "lime" scenes. I'll warn before going
"lemon", however, when and if I do.
This is a Serious fanfic... not Dark, but I'm not hard-wired write
slapstick. Sorry.
This is an Alterniverse which deviates shortly before the Hiryuu
Shoten Ha Cycle.
This story contains a New Character. Sorry if that pisses you off.
--Just So You Know--
"Text" is spoken in whatever language is common to most of those
present. Usually this is Japanese, and I'll make a point of saying
which, but let's use common sense, please?
"<Text>" is spoken, almost invariably in some language that few or
none of the present characters understand (Such as Mandarin Chinese).
This is for your benefit, dear readers, and mine.
'Text' is thought, or sub-quoted.
*Text* is telepathically imparted, though you'll see little of this,
if any.
<Text> is telempathic communication through Xian Mao's Kinship with
felines.
[Text] is written, language will be denoted. I'll probably use this
for Genma-panda's signs, too.
--Flashing Back to Last Chapter...--
Ranma, Akane, and their fathers finally make their way back to the
Amazon Village where they are given a less-than-warm welcome.
[
Image of Ranma, Akane, Genma, and Soun surrounded by beautiful,
pissed-off women weilding instruments of death. The two elders are
cowering, and Akane looks somewhat nervous. Even Ranma's not
entirely certain what to do with this. Sure he *can* win, but... does
he (she at the moment) want to have Shampoo all over again?]
]
Shampoo comes out of her home to see what the racket is all about and
shoo's off the guards and rubberneckers... suffering, of course,
through some abuse by an Elder.
[
"<So,>" Lin Long said, voice sugary with contempt, "<this is the
Ranma you dishonored yourself over?>"
Shampoo knows better than to react.
"<I see. Quite a woman he is. I thought your tastes less
traditional than that, Xian Pu. Perhaps there is hope, after all.>"]
]
Shampoo offers Ranma & Company a place in her home, where there is
some rejoicing at the sight of Nabiki and Xian Mao alive. Ranma,
however, is not quite sure what to do with the fact that Xian
conquered one of the two foes that (s)he never could...
And, now, the main event!
*****
[I don't know why Xian-kun gave me this thing, but I might as well use
it. We'd been there for not even a whole day, and I was already
starting to twitch...]
--this is the first entry in Ranma's journal, a gift
from Xian Mao
"Whenever opponents try to attack you, let them go ahead and do
anything that is useless, while preventing them from doing anything
useful."
--Musashi Miyamoto, the Book of Five Rings
Quest for the Dragon Fist
Chapter Two
"None Such Thing"
Ranma's questions had been answered, for the most part. He knew, now,
the history behind Xian Mao's feud with Cologne and how it had
escalated into the kidnapping of Nabiki. He wasn't exactly sure why
Shampoo had been taken, but if the Amazon didn't want to say, it
really wasn't any of his business. That "engagement" had been dealt
with. Shampoo had told him, after Akane and the old men had fallen
asleep (Xian Mao and Nabiki had dragged them up to the guestroom, then
found somewhere to talk quietly), that she was releasing him from the
Marriage Kiss. He regretted her loss of face and honor, but she'd
just shaken her head.
"Shampoo no--" she coughed, and started over. "I do not care
for my people any longer. Their way of life is... what is word?
Never-changing? No room for growth? <Stagnant,> but you no speak
China-tongue."
Shampoo had sighed wearily.
"Their ways are still my ways, but I have... grown. My ways
are no longer all theirs. I know better now. I'm sorry I hurt you,
Ranma-san. I... I really did love you, for a while." A tear had
formed at the corner of her eye, and she'd looked very, very sad. "<I
guess love doesn't always work out...>"
She had left, then, and Ranma had been more confused than
before. At least he knew a little more of what had been going on
around him and dealt with his responsibilities and obligations.
Now it was time to deal with what was important to -him-:
finding The Cure. Jhusenkyo was just down the path (literally), and
now that the major obstacle between him and Nanniichuan--getting back
to China--had been overcome by circumstance, there was no way he was
going to blow this opportunity. Akane had wanted to come, but his
fear that she would fall into a spring (especially Nanniichuan) had
convinced her to stay--neither of them wanted to take that risk,
particularly after Nabiki made some only half-joking remarks about
that making certain -really- interesting combinations.
"Nabiki!!!" Akane had screamed.
"Don't GO THERE!" he had simultaneously shouted.
Nabiki had left the room laughing, leaving Xian and Shampoo
looking at each other in confusion (wondering, though Ranma didn't
know it, if they knew Japanese as well as they thought they did).
"Do not go, Ranma-kun," Xian Mao said softly as the pig-tailed
boy was about to leave the house. "You will not like what happens."
"How could I not like getting cured?"
Ranma was really confused, but Xian just shook his head and
went up to his room. Ranma shrugged and leapt out the door.
No one bothered Ranma as he dashed through the village and out
the gates, but he was used to not being bothered (except by certain
persons who just wouldn't give up), and didn't count it noteworthy...
for that matter, he didn't even notice. Ranma had big things on his
mind.
'I almost don't remember what it's like to be a guy all the
time.' It had been just over a year, but it already seemed as if it
had been all his life. 'It's almost over... This hell is almost
over!'
Tears brimmed at the corners of his eyes, and even had he
known, he would not have been ashamed. This was something to cry
about: cry out in joy. A cure!
It took most of the morning, but Ranma hardly noticed as he
dashed down the mountainside to the Training Ground of Cursed Springs.
Savoring the moment, Ranma looked out at the Grounds.
Just as they had been before, they stretched out on a plain
that was mostly flat, nestled in a valley between the rocky crags.
Funny, really, that Chinese mountains actually looked like the
impossibly strange paintings the Chinese had made of them. The far
end of Jhusenkyo was at a slightly higher elevation, and from the path
leading in you could see all of the maybe hundred and fifty Springs.
They varied in size from barely more than a puddle to one that looked
like a small pond, each with at least one bamboo stalk sticking out.
Perfect for balance training... and a perfect trap. He knew which was
Nyannichuan. He'd never forget where and when he'd gotten his curse.
Looking at the place again, Ranma realized that there was a lesson
here that he'd missed: look before you leap. Maybe if he'd learned
that -then-, he'd not be in so much trouble -now-. The Guide sat
where he'd been sitting that fateful day: on a small chair in front of
his hut, smoking his long pipe. Ranma came nearer, and the Guide
looked up.
"Hello, sir. Welcome to Jhusenkyo, famous Training Ground of
Cursed Spring," the Guide rattled off the phrase in badly accented
Japanese (why'd the Guide speak Japanese, anyway?), then peered at
Ranma more closely. "You, sir. Look very familiar. You come here
before?"
"Nyanniichuan. Shonmaoniichuan."
The Guide smiled.
"Ah, yes! You sirs very strange! You and father come and
fight at Springs, fall in. Where your father? He no come back?"
"Pops doesn't care."
"Ah. Understand," the Guide said, his head bobbing up and
down. "What can this one do for you, sir?"
"Where is Nanniichuan?"
"Sir, you sure you want to do that? Not wise fight Curse..."
"Of course I want to!" Ranma snapped.
The Guide sighed, and pointed. "That one Nanniichuan. Very
sorry, sir."
Ranma, being Ranma, missed the mournful undercurrents in the
Guide's voice, and dashed toward the blessed spring. Halfway there,
he tripped and fell on his face.
"Kuso!"
Three steps later his foot hit a muddy patch and he almost
fell into a spring.
"Shimata!"
Wondering what was wrong with his footing, Ranma leaped at the
Spring... and overshot, landing neatly on the far side. With a
frustrated growl, he dove in... only to find himself pulling up short
as he almost rolled into the wrong spring. Again and again, he tried,
always finding himself pointing in the wrong direction. A
particularly powerful leap found him face-first in the ground outside
the Guide's hut.
"What's wrong?" he demanded of the Guide, grabbing the
overweight Chinese man by his uniform coat. "Why can't I get cured?"
"Sir, I...Sir! Stop shaking me, sir, I..."
"Ranma, stop."
Ranma looked back to see Xian Mao balancing on one of the
stone lanterns that lined the path. Idly, he noted that Xian was
dressed strangely, wearing loose, flowing robe-like garments that tied
at the ankles and hung loose at the wrists. Ranma met Xian Mao's eyes
with a wild, animal panic... Xian Mao met them with the feral calm of
a hunting cat. Ranma started to quiver; possibly from rage, possibly
from his fear of cats, possibly from sorrow... possibly from all
three.
"I ... want ... to be ... cured."
"I am sorry, Ranma, but that's just not possible."
"Whaddaya mean, 'not possible'?"
"Let the Guide go first, Ranma."
Ranma set the guide down, and folded onto his knees.
"Not possible?" he whispered.
Xian Mao nodded then gestured for the Guide to leave... who
quite gladly did.
"It is not possible to cure a Jhusenkyo curse, Ranma. The
Springs are God-Touched." At Ranma's desperate and quizzical look,
Xian sighed and continued. "Remember, while you were learning the
Hiryuu Shoten Ha, I was in China? Shampoo and I came here; she to
visit relatives, myself to research the Springs. I found some things
out... Things you aren't going to like hearing."
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because we were all somewhat busy... it slipped my mind.
While I was researching, I stumbled across an important passage:
....For She Who Has Fallen placed this Curse upon the Springs:
That all who came should suffer the Fate they deserve, and
That the only way to overcome this Fate is to accept it, and
That each who accepts his Fate shall learn from it, and
That each who has so learned shall bask in the light of greatness...
"There is no cure for your curse, Ranma, only acceptance.
But, with true acceptance comes not only power over the curse... but
some great lesson as well."
Ranma had only heard the part he wanted to hear.
"Power over the curse?"
Xian Mao sighed. "I believe your father is accepting his
curse. You see how he can seem to transform forth and back at will?
I believe that is part of the power acceptance gains you."
"But..." Ranma stumbled over his words. "How... how do you
accept ... this?"
"That, Ranma, is for you, and you alone, to know and
discover."
It was past sunset when the ghost-pale Ranma stumbled back into
Shampoo's house. A sad, but resigned Xian Mao trailed behind,
deliberately "allowing" himself to go unnoticed by Ranma, the Amazons,
and those in the house. After a brief explanation of the days events,
Ranma and Akane were allowed some quiet time alone (read: Xian,
Shampoo, and Nabiki stuffed the two fathers in a trunk and sat on the
lid).
"Akane, I..."
Shyly, uncomfortably, but knowing that it was the only thing
she could do, Akane wrapped her arms around Ranma, who squeezed back
desperately.
"I... There's no cure, Akane. I don't want to believe him,
but... somehow, I know that it's true. I think I've always known,
just not wanted to admit it. I don't have a choice now, Akane... I
can either admit it, or die trying to find something that just doesn't
exist..."
"We talked about this... about what to do if you couldn't find
a cure..."
"Yeah, we did..."
***Flashback Begin**
At first, they had ranted. Then they had raved. Screamed and
screeched, aloud at each other, silently at themselves. Then they'd
cried. Actually, Ranma had done most of the shouting, and most of the
crying as well. He'd snapped, and gone well beyond the point where he
cared if guys were supposed to cry or not.
Then they had been quiet, for a time. A sullen silence, one
that desperately attempted to stem the flow of words and feelings, to
put everything back as it had been. A silence that had died in a
stream of tears and a fierce embrace.
They had begun to talk, then. Sometimes about things that
didn't matter, and about things that did. About training with their
fathers and growing up without mothers. About the initial engagement
and the subsequent difficulties. About many other things, not least
among them the decision that, yes, they did wish to remain engaged.
If that were to change, however, they also agreed that their fathers
could go to Hell, and that they would try to part as friends.
"What does it feel like?"
"Huh?"
Akane's question had come after another silence, this one
contemplative and resting. They were sitting, again, near the center
of the dojo, away from the candle.
"Your curse," she clarified, blushing a little. "What does it
feel like when you change?"
Ranma shrugged.
"It doesn't feel like much, really. Like getting wet, mostly,
except it tingles a little. Suddenly I have... er... and no... ahem.
But I really don't feel the transformation."
Ranma paused, thinking. Akane, for once, did not interrupt
him.
"I guess the biggest clue that I've changed--and it's not
much, I don't even notice half the time--is that my clothes feel
different against my skin. Everything's like that. It feels better
to be touched, and hurts more to get hit. I guess that's part of why
I don't like hitting girls: I know it hurts more."
"When you're a girl, do you... um... feel like a girl?"
Blank look of confusion.
"Do you... like... boys?"
Utter shock and a bit of disgust washed across the young
martial artist's face.
"GAAAHHH! NO! Where'd ya get an idea like that?"
Akane just blushed. Ranma sighed.
"That brings something up, though..." he said hesitantly.
Kami, he'd known that this would come up. The instant Akane had
admitted that she didn't mind the idea of being engaged to him. "What
if I can't ever find a cure? Or if the price is too high? Can you
live with a guy who's a girl, too? Can you accept that, if I have
to?"
Akane blushed the color of Ranma's shirt, and wouldn't meet
his eyes.
"Yes."
**End Flashback***
"Does that still stand, Akane? Now that we know that there's no cure?
Can you put up with my sex-changes?"
Again, Akane blushed furiously, but nodded against his
shoulder.
"Oh, God, though," moaned Ranma, choking back a sob. "I don't
know if I can..."
"We'll survive it, Ranma, we always have before. Whatever
comes, you'll win over it, and I'll be there with you."
======
Author's Notes:
Okay, a couple brief language notes:
Kuso -- "k'soh" -- equivilent to "shit"
Shimata -- "sheemahtah -- equivilent to "dammit" or "damn!"
Next, to all who read my li'l note about "Gaki":
It has been brought to my attention that, in Japanese folklore, a
"Gaki" is a harmless but vastly annoying spirit (think the way Kitsune
are played in Inu-Yasha). Wheather this is the correct mythos, or
just one different from what i encountered in whatever damn sourse i
encountered the one i used, is... well, utterly beside the point.
It's my guess that it's just two different "myths" with the same
title. Think dragon or ghost... how many things get called that,
y'know?
Or, maybe i'm just plain old WRONG.
Dunno, but it's set, now (although I recal a line from the Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe: "It is not written in stone, and even if it
were, stone can be broken."), and i like it to much to change it. so,
if there wasn't an undead Gaki in the Ranmaverse before, there is now.
^_^
Anywho, for those of you who're afraid that all my chapters will be
this short (tho' i'm famous for short chapters), fear not: the next is
twice this size. should be out much faster, too. (couldn't be much
slower, ne?)
--jeff