Ranma 1/2 : A New Beginning Chapter One Created by Long Ngo Started February 6, 1998 Finished February 7, 1998 Revised May 10, 1998
My name is Saotome Ranma. Some how I found myself in an universe where I never existed. I do not know how or why I was brought to this time and place. All I know is that I left some love ones back home and I WILL return to them.
* * * * *
One week in the past
"Ranma get back here!" shouted an angry girl swinging a frying pan. She was chasing a boy with a ponytail. "There is no way you're going to live after you insulted me like that," continued the very angry girl.
"Akane, we all know your cooking is considered toxic, " replied Ranma.
"What did you say? After all the hard work I went through to prepare dinner for you and all you do is insult me? Die Ranma!!!"
"Akane you are starting to sound like Ryoga now," Ranma chuckled as he ran from Akane.
With that Akane had enough of Ranma's big mouth and threw the frying pan at Ranma. Just when the heavy metal object was about to collide with the back of Ranma's head, a bolt of lightning from out of nowhere struck Ranma. When Akane reached the spot where Ranma was last seen, a black spot on the ground was the only reminder of where Ranma once stood. "Ranma?" Akane asked in a soft voice. "No!!" with that Akane fell to her knees and started to cry.
Next Day
A boy was laying on a table of a small clinic unconscious with a long cylindrical package next to him. A doctor was leaning over the boy and examining him. *Amazing, not only did he survive but I can't find any burns,* the doctor thought to himself.
"Is he going to be all right Doctor Tofu?" a concerned female asked.
"To be honest Kasumi, if it was anyone else who told me this, I would say they were playing a practical joke. This boy shows no sign of ever being struck by a lightning bolt and yet the speed at which he is healing, I would say he'll be up in a few days." at this a small moun could be heard from the young man.
"Oh my" escaped from Kasumi.
"Amazing!" Doctor Tofu could not believe the rate at which the young man was recovering.
Suddenly the strange boy sat straight up surprising both of them.
"Arggg, I have a huge headache," were the first words that escaped the mouth of the young man.
"I'm surprised you're not dead young man," chuckled Doctor Tofu.
Ranma opened his eyes and started to search the surrounding to get a feel of where he was. He found himself in Doctor Tofu's office with Kasumi standing next to him. What was strange to Ranma was the fact that Doctor Tofu's glasses wasn't fogging up and trying to kill him with Kasumi around. *Something strange is going on here* Ranma thought to himself. He may be stubborn and thick-headed at times but he was not blind.
"Are you alright Doctor Tofu?" Ranma asked. At this another chucked could be heard from the doctor.
"I should be the one asking you that question young man. By the way, how did you know my name? I do not recall seeing you before."
"Doctor Tofu don't you know me? It's me Ranma, Saotome Ranma. I come here quite often," Ranma asked confused.
When Doctor Tofu said "no," a strange look came over Ranma's face. Turning to Kasumi, Ranma asked the same question. When Kasumi's reply matched Doctor Tofu's, he really started to get confused.
"How do you know Kasumi, Ranma isn't it?" asked the doctor.
"I live with the Tendos for the past two years and yes my name is Ranma," Ranma answered.
"I think you are confused Ranma. I have never seen you before in my life." a worried look was now on Kasumi's face.
"Never seen me in your life." Ranma whispered to himself as the strain of the day's events took its toll and Ranma fainted.
Tofu and Kasumi both looked at each other and both had a confused look on their face. "Will he be all right Doctor Tofu?" Kasumi asked.
"I think so but are you sure you've never seen him before? He seems to know both of us well enough." Doctor Tofu replied.
"Let me take him back to the Dojo, maybe he's one of father's students." replied Kasumi.
Tendou Dojo later that day
"Kasumi, I'm home," shouted Soun.
"How did the meeting with the Kunous go?" Kasumi asked from the kitchen.
"As well as I can expect. If it wasn't for Akane's engagement with that Kunou boy and the honor of the Tendou, I would never have to talk to that family again. The father is insane and the sister isn't only insane but malicious as well. I can't believe I did that to my poor Akane." With that Soun started to cry. "Waaa my little girl is going to marry a lunatic." Soun continued.
Kasumi inside the kitchen. She was also worried for Akane. Tousan, in trying to pass legacy on the Tendou's Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu to the next generation engaged Akane to Tatewaki Kunou. Kunou being the best martial artist in Nerima was the most likely choice. These days, when Kasumi looked into Akane's eyes she did not see the once proud spirit Akane once had. Now there was only a hollow shell of what use to be there. Bringing some tea for her father, she could see that he regretted his decision but could not go back on his word of honor. Poor Akane. As Kasumi was about to leave when she remembered Ranma.
"Father do you have a student going by the name of Ranma?" Kasumi asked Soun.
"No why Kasumi?"
"Just wondering, I found a boy who was struck by lightning."
"Is he going to be all right?"
"Yes father, but it's strange. He seems to know me and Tofu-san yet we both have never seen him in our lives."
Soun was sad that the friendship between the good doctor and his eldest daughter never worked out. "What was the boy's name again Kasumi?"
"He said his name was Saotome Ranma."
With these words Kasumi could see Soun's face turn white and the tea cup falling from his hand.
"Father, what is wrong?" Kasumi asked.
"The Saotome Clan died 16 years ago."
"Oh my."
To be Continued :
Thanks for reading this new series. I hope you all enjoyed it. All C&C are welcomed.
The idea for Akane's engagement with Kunou was inspired by Todd Hall's Careful Destiny. This story will be different from CD in many ways and will be nothing like it past the engagement. I could not resist the temptation to add the Akane and Kunou item to this story. Also special thanks to David Johnston for helping me proof read this chapter.
Until next time!!!!!!
Ranma 1/2 : A New Beginning Created by Long Ngo February 8, 1998
Tendou Dojo
"Argg, I have a huge headache, " Ranma mumbled to himself.
"You already said that Ranma," replied Kasumi.
Turning to the source of the voice he could see Kasumi with a smile on her face.
"Kasumi, I had the weirdest dream. I was struck by lightning. When I woke up, I found myself in Doctor Tofu's clinic and both of you didn't knew me."
At this time a man wearing a gray gi enters the room. "Tell me young man, who might you be?"
Ranma turning to Kasumi, "That wasn't a dream then?" When Ranma saw Kasumi shake her head, an expression of misery could be seen across his face.
"Mr. Tendou, my name is Saotome Ranma."
"Tell me Ranma, who are your parents?" Soun became very tense after he asked this question as if he was afraid yet also hoping for something.
"My parents are Saotome Gemna and Saotome Nodoka, why?"
"It's hard to believe that they're your parents because they died 16 years ago. Soun calmly explained it to Ranma. There was a confused look on Ranma's face as Ranma tried to grasp what Soun had just said.
"Nani?" Ranma was in shock.
"They died in an avalanche accident. Genma was trying to protect Nodoka from the master. The Master did not take it well and caused a part of the mountain to explode and the debree crushed Genma and Nodoka. Afterward the Master just said they gave their lives to the arts. I left the Master soon after because I could not follow someone as heartless as he. The main question is can you prove that they are your parents."
Ranma couldn't believe that his parents were dead. Only a few months ago he was finally able to see his mother in his male form and now they're dead. To top it off he was never born and the Tendous did not know him. * I do not know how I got here but I will return to the Nerima that I know. I'm alone here. The Tendous do not know me, I hardly had any good friends back where I came from. At least the Tendous are here. They were my family for the past two years. First I have to convince them that my parents are who I said they were. * Ranma thought to himself. Thinking hard, Ranma could only think of the arts as proof but he didn't want to hurt Mr. Tendo. He had two years to improve since he first arrive at the Tendous. Then he remembered his first visit and the promise that both Genma and Soun made before he was ever born. "Mr. Tendou, I can prove that I am Genma's son." Leaning toward Soun's ears, Ranma whispered something for a few seconds before Soun fainted again.
"Oh my."
Later that Day
"Kasumi, Nabiki come here please I have something to tell you." Soun shouted to his daughters.
Kasumi coming from the kitchen. "Yes Father?"
"Could you please get Nabiki as well Kasumi, I need to tell you both something."
"Yes father." Kasumi headed toward Nabiki's room. She knocked on the door before heading in. "Nabiki, father wants to talk to you."
Nabiki looking up from her manga at her sister and nodded before putting the manga away. "I'll be right down." As Kasumi turned to leave, Nabiki asked " Kasumi do you know what it is all about?"
"No, I don't have the slightest idea. Lets wait until father tells us okay?" with a smile Kasumi turned and left. Nabiki sighed before getting off her bed and heading down stairs.
After Nabiki and Kasumi were sitting in front of Soun. He started his tale. "Years ago, even before Kasumi was born I made an oath with a friend of mine. The oath follows, if he has a son and I a daughter then the two would marry and vice versa. This way it would insure that our two families would be joined and the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu. I thought this promise was forever lost years ago. Now I have found that the oath can be fulfilled. If one of you were to marry him then our two clans would be united and you would be able to carry on the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu. I now know that Akane would not be the one to carry on the school so I ask one of you to please unite our two clans.
"You're asking us to marry someone we do not know father," asked Nabiki?
"Yes!" replied Soun.
"I hope he is older than me, younger men bore me," replied Kasumi.
"Oh right father, but if he is anything like Tatewaki Kunou, honor or no honor, I will not marry him. So what is he like?" asked Nabiki.
"Is he cute," asked Kasumi.
"I do not know. Yes he is handsome. Just meet him today." replied Soun. Leaning toward Nabiki, "Do you think anyone could be as crazy as that boy?"
Nabiki sitting a little nervously now replied "No."
"Ranma can you come down here," shouted Soun.
Ranma hearing his name called, slowly walked down the stairs. He still had a slight headache. "Yes Mr. Tendo?" replied Ranma.
"How old are you son?"
"I'm 18, why?"
"Ranma meet Kasumi 19 and Nabiki 17. Pick one and she'll be your fiancee."
"Oh my!!" exclaimed Kasumi.
"He is handsome." replied Nabiki.
Before Ranma could say anything. Ranma noticed Akane in the doorway having heard everything. Suddenly she ran upstairs crying and very upset but not before she yelled at Soun. "I can't believe you father!!! Ruining my life wasn't good enough, you have to ruin one of my sisters as well."
Speechless, Ranma turned to Sound, Kasumi and Nabiki. "What just happened?" He could not ask Soun because he was crying.
"She yelled at me. Waaaaaaa!"
An hour later, Ranma was briefed on Akane's engagement to Tatewaki Kunou and the way he treats her as a trophy. There was a very enraged Ranma facing Soun. "How in the world could you do that to your daughter!!!!" Ranma shouted.
"I had to. I thought Kunou would carry on the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu. With the death of your parents, our two clans could never united and so I was afraid there wouldn't be anyone to carry on the school. Later I found out that Kunou had no interest in carrying on the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu. I am at fault here but honor demands I keep the oath to the Kunous. I have been ashamed of my actions since then." after this Soun broke down and started to cry. "My own baby."
Disgusted, Ranma turned toward Nabiki. "Nabiki, is Kunou an irragant 17 year old boy would likes Kendo?" * Remembering the first time he meet the Tendous. He concluded that he was very close to the first time frame when he first heard about his engagement to one of the Tendous. It was raining that day when the old man dragged him here. Wasn't it raining yesterday as well * Ranma thought to himself.
"Yes." Nabiki answered unsure where this was leading.
"Is he going around saying something like, 'If you beat him, you could date the fair Akane Tendou?'" Ranma asked again.
"Yes," still confused.
Standing up slowly, Ranma cracked his knuckles. "Mr. Tendou, as of tomorrow Akane and your family will have no more problems with Kunou." After stating his ultimatum, Ranma turned and went back upstairs.
Soun hearing what Ranma just said was hopping around the koi pond with joy.
"Wow, handsome and brave as well." Nabiki turning toward Kasumi, "Sis if you don't want him do you mind if I take him."
"Oh my."
To be continued:
Well here is the second chapter to NB. I have recieved a few e-mails saying that NB is very sililar to CD. I will amit that as far as Akane's engagement goes it is but that is it.
I hope everyone liked this series so far. I enjoy writing this one. All and any C&C are welcomed.
Lets give a hand to Free Mage and Anthony Woo for their help in this series. To kill or not to kill. Usually I kill the English language, LOL.
The next chapter will not be out for about a month.