Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Fatal Fury Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Tekkaman Blade II Fan Fiction / Transformers Fan Fiction / Mobile Suit Gundam Fan Fiction ❯ A NEW DESTINY - Book 1: Hope's Sorrow and Vengeance ❯ The Death of Innocence ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A NEW DESTINY: Book I
Part 3: The Death of Innocence


Disclaimer: I do not own any characters save for King Robert/Blue Goblin.

Previously: Burter told TK that Friezor and his father are on their way back to Earth for revenge, and offers to help TK prepare for the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, Kari is determined to find out about TK's change. By chance, she ends up at Ukyo Kuonji's restaurant and has a chat with Genma Saotome, Ranma's father and TK's uncle. Suddenly, a new guest arrives...



"Puppetmon! What are you doing here?"

Puppetmon walked over to the table Kari and Genma were sitting at and pulled up a chair. "I heard TK was in the area and thought I'd see how he was doing. Not to mention I haven't tasted Ukyo's okonomiyaki in a long time. Anyhow, you wanna know the truth, Kari? Then you talk to me."

The Digimon looked over at a calendar on the far wall, and frowned sadly. "Two weeks from tomorrow night will mark the sixth anniversary of not only Ranma's death, but of Takeru Takaishi's as well."

Kari was now confused. "What do you mean? TK's alive."

Puppetmon shook his head. "He's no longer the TK we all knew and loved dearly, Kari. You've seen how much he's changed. Takeru Takaishi died alongside Ranma, and from then on he became Takeru Saotome. I know because I was there with him, Cell, and some others that fateful night. The evening had started simple enough. Metal-Etemon and I were playing checkers for the tenth time, Cell was reading a book, and Rusty was fixing the TV for TK, who had dropped by earlier on his way to see Ranma. It was then we got a call from Kasumi. Ranma was missing..."


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Puppetmon rushed back into the lounge where he had left TK and the others. He looked over at everyone and said, "Kasumi just called. Ranma's-!"

"Hey guys."

Everyone looked to see Ranma walk into the room. TK immediately got up and rushed to hug his cousin. Puppetmon walked over as he said, "Ranma, why did Kasumi think you were miss-?" He stopped when he and the others finally noticed Ranma's tear-stained face. Something had happened, something bad.

TK let go of Ranma and also looked at his sad cousin. "What's wrong? Why were you crying?"

Cell put his book away and walked up. "Ranma?"

Ranma was silent for a moment before he sat down on a couch and finally spoke in a pained voice, "Akane's... marrying Ryoga. She rejected me."

No one could speak after that. They were all in shock. Finally, Rusty spoke up. "She can't marry him! She doesn't know that-!"

"She knows everything," Ranma said. "He told her about his Jusenkyo curse... last night... and she blamed me for it all. She broke the engagement to marry him... as atonement for what I had done." He then began to cry again. "She never believed me when I said I tried to tell her, or that I loved her."

More silence came, save for Ranma's sobbing. No one could move, until TK hugged his cousin. He couldn't believe what was going on. <I always thought Akane loved Ranma, even though she hit him and never trusted him...>

It was then that TK realized the cold truth: Akane couldn't have loved Ranma if she couldn't trust him. Love and friendship was based on trust, and Akane had none towards Ranma.

Cell realized this, too. He walked over and placed a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "I'm truly sorry, Ranma. I guess... she never really loved you."

Ranma let go of TK and stood up. "It no longer matters now. Nothing does anymore. Because of this, I have failed my father and my family name."

Cell didn't like where this was going. "You're not thinking of that vow to commit ritual suicide, are you?"

TK felt his blood run cold. He had heard about this before, some silly vow that if Ranma was not considered a "Man among men," he would kill himself to satisfy his honor.

Ranma said, "I am. If I had treated Akane better and got her to trust me instead of insulting her and stringing along the other girls, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. But I can't dwell on what might have been, and I know that without Akane I have nothing to live for. I love her... and if she wishes me gone from her life then I gladly do so."

TK was crying now. "Ranma no! Let that witch go! She's not worth losing your life over. She's just a stupid girl."

Ranma knelt before TK and looked at him. "Takeru... you're still young. One day you will understand how powerful love can be. A life without love is a fate worse than death. I don't want that kind of life."

TK couldn't control himself as he cried. "But I need you! I don't want you to die."

Ranma pulled TK into a hug once again. "You're growing up, my little brother. There's nothing I could teach you."

"Yes there is! You could teach me martial arts."

Rusty, who had stopped working and now stood by the TV, then got an idea. "The kid's right, Ranma. You could teach him what you know, since you are family. Unless you want TK to train under your father, as you did..."

Ranma realized what would happen if his father chose to take TK as his successor. He did not want what he went through to happen to anyone, especially not TK. He looked at TK and wiped away the boy's tears.

"TK, I'll make you a deal: I will train you if you agree to become my successor to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. Now, before you answer, I want you to think very hard about this. If you choose to, I warn you that I will not go easy on you because you're my cousin.

"The life of a martial artist is not an easy one. You must train hard everyday and keep focused on what you do. Others will come to challenge you, and you may not be able to avoid a fight. You will have to defend those you hate because in your heart you know it's right. It could take years for you to become a master of the art. You may not succeed in some of the higher skills."

There was silence once again before Ranma said, "Now, TK, what is your decision?"

TK looked at Ranma and said, "I want to train hard and become your successor to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts." The boy then looked over to see Rusty wink at him.

Ranma smiled a bit and said, "Then from this day on, I name you the heir to the family school. You will begin your training tomorrow..."


************************************************ ********************************


Puppetmon smiled at the memory. "It was all a trick set up quickly by Rusty to keep Ranma alive a little longer. We had hoped that in time he would forget Akane and move on with his life."

Then, he frowned. "But, fate would not allow it..."


****************************************************** **************************


Suddenly, an explosion of immense proportions came from the wall behind Rusty. The poor spider-being screamed in pain as he was caught in the blast, his body and limbs torn apart by debris. The others fell back from the blast as a dark figure made his way through the smoke and the large hole in the wall.

"Surprise, Avengers!" an evil voice came from the silhouette. "It's payback time!" The smoke finally cleared to reveal a white and purple alien with red eyes, a tail, and two horns on his forehead...

"Friezor!" Cell shouted. "You've got guts attacking our base like this!" He looked to see Rusty's battered and bleeding body and his eyes turned red with rage. He then leaped at Friezor and they began to fight.

Ranma picked up TK and gave him to Metal-Etemon. "Take TK and get out of here, then call for help and an ambulance!"

The metallic Digimon asked, "What about you?"

"I have to help Cell and protect Rusty!" With that, he turned and leapt into battle.

Puppetmon pulled out his identicard and hit both the alert and medical buttons to summon back up and doctors. He then watched as Ranma and Cell were knocked away by Friezor's tail as the villain laughed at them. Grabbing his mallet, he charged at the villain and yelled, "PUPPET PUMMEL!"

However, Friezor caught the mallet and shoved Puppetmon away into Metal-Etemon, who quickly pushed TK aside to prevent him from getting hit. The two Digimon fell to the floor.

TK angrily picked up a rock and threw it at Friezor. "Leave my friends alone, you bully!"

Friezor swatted the rock away with his tail and glared at the boy, staring into young eyes that amazingly showed no fear. "That annoyed me, kid. It's the last mistake you'll ever make." The monster pointed his two fingers and shot a thin red beam at the boy.

Everyone looked on, as things seemed to slow to a crawl. Ranma saw TK in the path of the incoming attack, and quickly shoved the boy aside as the beam hits him in the side, destroying his flesh and muscles there. He let out a cry of pain at the same time as Cell and TK cried out in horror. His body hit the floor hard, blood pouring out of his wound.

Friezor laughed again, this time deeply. "A noble save, my friend! A pity you just merely delayed the inevitable."

Ranma slowly got up, his eyes burning crimson red. "That's my cousin, Friezor! Touch him... and I'll kill you!" He began to summon all his power, knowing he had to do everything he could to protect TK. He whispered, "Kaio-ken."

A red aura surrounded him as he put his wrists together and his palms facing Friezor as he pulled them to his right side and began to utter several words. "Ka... Me... Ha... Me..."

Friezor realized what he was doing and began to laugh. "What can you do? You're just a human. A brave human, but just a human none the less."

This would be a mistake Friezor would never let himself forget. Ranma thrust his hands forward as he shouted in rage "HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" A white beam of pure energy shot out from his hands and collided with Friezor, catching him off guard and tearing him apart. He felt his left arm and both legs begin to burn away to nothing as he shouted in horror and pain. His shouts were drowned out as Ranma kept screaming in rage.

Finally, the attack ceased and Friezor fell to the ground. His left arm was mostly gone, as was everything from the waste down. Even some of the right of his head, and his right eye, was gone. Yet he still breathed, for now.

Cell looked at the battered villain and leaped for joy. "Wahoo! You did it, Ranma! You got him!" He turned to face Ranma and congratulate his friend, but what he saw made him pale. "Oh my god..."

Ranma was lying face down on the floor, blood gushing from his wound. TK and Cell rushed over to him just as Sailor Mercury and Blue Goblin arrived. They gasped when they saw the injured. Rusty was still alive, but he needed medical attention badly.

Ranma, however, would not be so lucky. They turned him over to his back as Mercury examined the wound. She sadly looked at the group and said, "There's nothing anyone can do now."

Ranma looked at TK with tears in his eyes. "Forgive me... Takeru... I guess now... I cannot train you..."

TK felt his heart would burst. His only chance to save his cousin was now gone, and it was all his fault. "It's my fault! I shouldn't have provoked that guy!"

Ranma slowly placed his hand on the boy's cheek. "Don't say that... It was my time... after all... T-Takeru... Promise me something..."

TK nodded as Ranma spoke. "Do not hate... nor seek revenge... against my rivals and fiancees... especially A-Akane and Ryoga... I'm not asking... you to forgive them... but to do them no harm... for I have already... hurt them... so much... p-promise me..."

"I... I promise, Ranma..."

Then Ranma said, "Please tell Akane... I... I love... her..." He then closed his eyes and drew his final breath as his hand fell from TK's face. He was dead.

Sailor Mercury pulled TK to her and hugged him as the boy began to cry. She cried, too, as did the others except for Cell. He looked at the body in utter shock, as if a large part of him had died with this teen he had secretly called his son. He remembered the times he spent at the Tendo home with him, both the good times and the bad.

Looking away, Cell said, "Blue, take care of Rusty and the kid. I'm going to the Tendo Dojo."

Blue looked at him as he was walking away. "What happened, Cell?"

Cell stopped for a moment, but never turned around. "Akane left him for Ryoga... and he chose death..." With that, he resumed his exit, though his thoughts were light-years away. <I'm going to miss you, Ranma... Akane has no idea what she's done.>

Puppetmon looked at the crying TK in Mercury's arms, then at Ranma's lifeless body. <Good-bye, Ranma Saotome. May you be as brave and honorable in death as you were in life.>


*************************************************** *****************************


A tear escaped Kari's eye as Puppetmon finished his story. Now at last she knew how Ranma had died, and how TK had become what he was now. "That's... That's so awful."

Genma shook his head slightly. "I never knew the whole story. I always thought it was a way to cover up his suicide."

Puppetmon looked at his hands. "The only consolation is that Friezor has to rely on life support and a wheelchair for the rest of his days... but that means nothing! Ranma's still dead, Rusty's now partially robotic, and TK... TK's just not the fun-loving, innocent boy he once was. Since that day, he's been training hard under several of the most powerful fighters, even with Leomon to learn how to use a sword."

He then looked at Kari. "My advice is to give TK his space. He's not the friend you knew anymore, and there's no need for you to get yourself hurt by all this."

Kari suddenly got angry with this. She got up and said, "You're wrong about that! He may have changed his last name, but he's still my best friend! His old self is still in there, I can feel it. I can't let him face this all alone."

Not waiting for a reply, she walked out into the streets. She was going to see TK.

Puppetmon sighed heavily. "If TK finds out I told her, I'll be firewood by breakfast."

Genma stood up and said, "She trusts TK with her life, and despite what TK may have become, he'll make sure she doesn't get hurt. Now, how about some okonomiyaki?"

"Ah, what the hell? I'll have the Ranma special, and a James Bond."

"Right! A double sushi okonomiyaki and a vodka martini, shaken, not stirred."


*************************************************** *****************************


He's gotten better! Burter thought as he barely dodged several flying fists from TK. They had been training for two hours, with one hour between reserved for studying, and TK was leading slightly.

But, Burter was still stronger. He quickly countered with several kicks and a punch that caught TK off guard. "You're holding back too much!"

TK stopped and said, "You wanna go all out?"

"I'll go all out, but you up it just a bit to meet my level. You'll train better this way, and I want you to save your secret for when it's really needed." The giant then chuckled. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see what you can do. It'll be a lot better than how I first reacted."


*************************************************** *****************************


TK had just mastered flying using his ki, and now he was using it to outmaneuver Burter's attacks as he made some of his own. He was enjoying himself, until Burter slapped him away.

"Take this seriously!" he shouted. "You think this is a game? Your enemies will mop the floor with you with that attitude!"

TK got mad and re-launched himself into serious combat. But Burter was still winning. "Is that all you got?! Friezor's much stronger than me, and Ranma tore him up like paper!"

TK kept building up his anger, remembering not just Ranma's death, but his friends in the Digital World: Wizardmon, Pumpkinmon, Chuumon, Piximon, and Whaemon. Then he focused on Kari. He remembered how she and him nearly died against Piedmon. Then he imagined Piedmon killing Kari, felt the pain of losing his best friend to death.

This set off a spark that unleashed a hidden power from deep within TK. He felt his muscles expand slightly, his hair stand straight up, and a power rush throughout his body. His eyes turned ice blue and his hair pure gold to match the golden aura surrounding him.

Burter's jaw promptly dropped at the sight. "Holy smoke! He's transformed into a real Super Human!" As he was hit by the Super Human's punch, he thought, <Perhaps I took this a bit too far.>

Super TK looked at him and said, "So, teach, how do you like this?"

Burter was speechless. TK could rival the Blue Goblin for the title of the strongest in the universe. "You're definitely something, kid! But let's not get a swelled head here. You should never rely on that for fights. Remember, Ryoga relied on brute force, but always fell for Ranma's cunning and strategy. It's a combo of brains and brawn that win in the end, but having extra power in reserve doesn't hurt."

TK then powered down back to normal as Burter said, "Let's keep this quiet for now. I don't want your parents to flip if they see you do that. Above all else, you must control your temper until you learn how to control your power. I think I'd better turn you over to someone like Goku or Piccolo. They can help you in that department. Now go home and rest... and you walk!"


****************************************************** **************************


TK sat on the couch after he got home and had his dinner. He was a little sore from his training, but he still felt satisfied, especially since Rusty had helped him with all his homework as well. <This arrangement will work out better than I thought! I wonder if Rusty'll still help some after-?>

His train of thought was cut short when his older brother Matt entered the room. "Matt!" TK shouted as he got up and hugged his older brother.

"Hey, squirt!" Matt replied. Even though TK was as tall as he was, Matt enjoyed calling him names that made him seem smaller to him.

TK released his brother and said, "I thought you and Tai were still in college?"

"The campus isn't that far from here and I had nothing to do tonight, so I came to see how my kid brother was enjoying the new town."

They went out onto the balcony and gazed at the night sky. TK said, "I saw Kari at school, Matt. She's change a lot over the years. The only thing I don't like is the fact that she's dating-."

"Davis Hibiki, Ryoga's cousin." Matt cut him off. "I know. Tai mentioned him, and he can't stand the jerk, either. Other than that, how's school?"

"Okay, I guess. The principal's assured me that he'll help me if I have any problems with Davis. Also, Rusty's offered to help me in some classes. I was over at the Mansion today and I got to see Burter as well."

Matt looked down below and sighed. "Have you seen Uncle Genma or Aunt Nodoka yet?"

"No. Principal Kuno told me they work at Ukyo's, but I haven't gone there yet. I plan to do so soon. How's Tai, by the way?"

"Believe it or not, he's engaged to Sora. They're gonna marry after they graduate from the university. They ask about you a lot, you know. Say, was Cell at the Mansion, too?"

TK shook his head. "He vanished after the funeral. He probably blames himself for what happened, just like I did. You know, Kari asked me after school today if I could have dinner at her place. And right in front of Davis, too."

Matt looked at his brother in shock. "And you said..."

TK looked away. "I said no."

Matt immediately facefaulted. "You dumbbell! Why'd you go and do that?"

TK grabbed Matt by the collar and said, "Bro, if I tell you why, you have to swear on your life that you'll tell absolutely no one about it!"

Matt said, "If it's that important, then you have my word of honor."

TK muttered something, but Matt didn't hear it. "Speak up!"

TK pulled Matt closer and whispered in his ear. "Friezor's coming! And I intend to kill him."



To be continued...