A/N: Wow! Sorry it took so damn long to get this part out but one: I was stuck and two, I was on vacation for a month. Geez, I feel bad now that this chapter is a tiny bit shorter then the others! Well I tried to make this part interesting and I have given you a few hints for some of the plot ::wink wink:: So I hope you enjoy this chapter and REMEMBER..

I love comments!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma1/2 or the vampires in this fic. ^.^ Just the plot.

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Armand brushed back the bangs that had fallen over the child's eyes. When the child spoke of his life to Marius, it reminded him of his own life before being a vampire. How he lived in Russia, that cold country with his father that wanted him to be something he wasn't.

He didn't pity the boy named Ranma at all, however. He felt the boy was so very strong to endure such a life. Many mortals would have given up after a while and would have left the life in either suicide or running away. But Ranma didn't break down until two years after being in his life, an amazing feat. The boy was strong, so very strong in spirit and body. Ranma reminded him of Lestat slightly. The boy was stubborn, brash, arrogant, but also compassionate, loving, and lonely.

The stories he told were amazing to even him at his age of five-hundred years. Of course he had watched Ranma since his arrive in Japan, it was his territory for the moment after all. The old city of Japan was a rich blend of old culture with new ideas and it had strong traditions that traced back to its ancestry - which was what attracted him to the island in the first place.

He had seen the boy that night of his arrival just before the splash that had accompanied the boy being thrown into a fishpond by his father. He had hidden in the shadows to see a boy flying into water only to suddenly stand up as a busty red-haired girl and yell at her father angrily, "My life yes, BUT NOT MY MANHOOD!" And then the busty red-haired girl proceeded to splash her father with cold water from a bucket and he changed into a giant panda.

From then on, he would visit the Tendo home nightly and watched the young boy change into a man. He had seen him mature and being forced to grow up under the pressure of his life. It had saddened him to see the boy after he had came back from China.

He could tell the boy was different then. He was more powerful now, it rolled of the boy in waves like no other mortal he had seen. But his attitude was changed then, he was more depressed and sad. Armand would sit by his window and listen to the boy's whimpers in his dreams as he slowly sank further and further into the hell he had created for himself.

He had fallen in love with Ranma for his courage to face his life without comment and to slowly suffer under his so called friends and family. He loved the boy as much as he loved David, his new fledgling that he had made during the crisis of the Queen of the Damned awakening. The Japanese boy had a charm about him that pulled him in, just as it had done to his master this night, he thought with some amusement.

Armand looked over at Marius, his master and mentor. He smiled as he watched the old immortal wipe the tears that were still on the boy's cheeks and held the mortal close. "We should protect him," Marius said softly. "He is the unique mortal among all mortals, he can't be hurt again like this."

"I know," Armand replied as he sat in the chair across from his master. "I offered him to come with us so that we can teach him. To let him grow under our love and to be what he wants to be without any pressure."

Marius looked up at Armand seriously. "You know he could become tempted at the power of immortality. He could loose his mind."

"He won't be," Armand said with a small smile. "He is too strong, he wouldn't give in to the power. He has enough of it as it is, I'm sure he would understand."

Marius stood up and shifted the mortal boy in his arms slightly for the boy to sleep more comfortably. He started to walk out but stopped for a moment before turning his head slightly to gaze at his fledgling. "I hope you are right, my Ameleo. I do not want to see another one like Lestat's failed fledgling, Nicolas." He walked out of the room without another comment, leaving the Russian vampire to his own thoughts.

****

Lestat stood up as soon as Louis walked into their house that was in Miami. He knew he startled his fledgling at his quick movement. The other vampire still wasn't used to his burst in power through the blood of the deceased Queen of the Damned. He would have normally moved much slower, but tonight he was excited. "Louis," he said. "Come, we are going to Night Island."

The other vampire glanced at him, sighed and shook his head. "No, Lestat. Not tonight, I'm tired and I just want to go read." He said quietly as he sat down on his comfortable chair in the den. Lestat followed him into the den and then the brat prince laughed and grabbed his fledgling's hand gently.

He smirked. "Come on, you can read later. Come with me to Night Island. Armand and Marius might be there."

Louis knew he wouldn't change Lestat's mind once he got it fixed onto something. It was impossible to try and to make him not do it. He gave up with another sigh and shook his head. "Fine, let us go to Night Island. I know you won't give up on the idea and will continue bug me to go if I do not."

Lestat just smirked at him as his blue eyes sparkled.

****

The eldest Tendo girl walked to her sister's room and knocked on the door politely. "Nabiki? Can I come in?" She heard her younger sister call in from inside the room and said that she could. Calmly, she opened the door and walked into the room, shutting the door behind her. Kasumi walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, watching as Nabiki read her comic book. "Any luck?" She asked.

"Hmm?" Nabiki looked up at her older sister then frowned. "No, he hasn't been seen since yesterday. I checked all my contacts and they say the same thing, they haven't seen him. Near as I can figure, he might be on a training trip."

Kasumi shook her head slightly. "Ranma would tell us if he was on a training trip or not, Nabiki. Surely you've learned that over the last two years?"

"Kasumi," the middle Tendo said as she glanced at her older sister. "Do you really think that a muscle bound jock like Ranma would be able to escape my contacts when in the past he hasn't? There's something wrong about this. If he did this just to leave Akane, I swear I'll hunt him down and make him pay for that!"

Kasumi nodded and patted Nabiki's hand comfortingly. "Don't worry, Nabiki. I'm sure where ever Ranma is, he’s fine." She got up and left the room.

Nabiki watched her walk out and scowled again as she went back to reading her comic books. Who said anything about her being worried about Ranma? She was just worried as to what they would eat in a week if she didn't get any new photos to sell soon.

****

It was dark, whereever he was.

He was cold, and scared, he didn't like it here. He could smell the stink of animals around him, and the threat of them getting ready to attack him. They were getting closer, he realized with fright. They smelled the fish wrapped around his body and his little body shook in cold fear. He could hear their paws hitting the earth as they marched toward him.

"MEROW!"

The battle cry sounded out in the pit as twenty starving cats attacked him. He cried out in pain, feeling his flesh being torn off by sharp claws. Blood was dripping out of his wounds and he felt dizzy. His other cuts hadn't healed up yet and they just kept clawing and biting. He tried to curl into a ball to protect himself instinctively, but they just kept clawing and biting. He cried in pain and anger. Where was his mommy? He had to call out to her; she could protect him!

..mommy..

...mommy...

....help me mommy....

Suddenly he felt warm, and the cats stopped biting and scratching him. He felt soothing hands pick him up and hold him close. He felt loved and protected, but he didn't dare open his eyes in fear that it was a dream; a very nice, protecting dream.

The person kissed his forehead in a loving manner and then, all the pain he was feeling seemed to float away. The warm glow was spreading from his forehead to the rest of his body and then, the presence was gone.

The last thing he remembered was the pit door opening as he felt himself roll, shifting in the dirt onto all fours, and then it all went black.

****

Ranma's eyes snapped open as he gasped raggedly and sat up on the bed. He looked around and sighed as he relaxed and fell back onto the soft, silky sheets. He could hear the birds singing and realized it was morning already. He wondered as he glanced around the room, how he had gotten back into his bed and in his boxers.

His thoughts drifted back to his dream as he stared at the ceiling. He folded his arms behind his head and tried to sort out the different images. That had never happened before, he thought. He always remembered being in the pit with the starving c-c-c-cats, and then waking up in the old lady's lap. But he never really remembered anything else happening. He did remember calling for his mom as he was being tortured but never anything about the warm presence or nothing.

When his father had found him in the old lady's lap, he remembered the shocked face of Genma as he looked at him. He wasn't cut up anywhere; all wounds were gone and even the ones from other attempts at the Nekoken! It was like when he learned the Nekoken, all the wounds made during the teaching were healed instantly.

Strange enough, every time he got hurt after learning the Nekoken, he would heal very quickly. Doctor Tofu said that even with his ki abilities he shouldn't be healing that quickly. He started to get a headache from thinking about the dream too much so he stopped.

He stretched feeling his back crack and yawned as he climbed out of bed. He walked over to the window and looked out at the rising sun. It was about eight in the morning, he figured. Geez, he slept late. He was probably tired from telling the two vampires about his life. He looked around and spotted a white piece of paper on a chest in front of his bed. He walked over and picked it up.

Ranma,

While we sleep today, you can explore the village. One of the villagers will be waiting in a boat for you at nine. Be dressed and ready to go by then. You'll find some clothes in this chest and some currency so you can by what you want there in the Market Place they have set up. Enjoy yourself and be ready to leave in the boat to get back here by five.

Sincerely,

Armand

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Whew, I'm done. I hoped you like it! Please review me! ::big sad puppy-dogged eyes::

-AlantisB