Gold Digger Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Grave's New Life ❯ Chapter 4

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

Chapter 4: 3Grave's New Life

Part Three

I don't own Ranma 1/2. I don't own Gold Digger. If I owned either of them, I'd be rich.

____________________________________________________________ ___________

Grave sighed a bit. "Ranma, do you really have to train all the time?"

Ranma grinned a little bit. "Yeah, sorry, but I kinda wanna keep up with my training a bit. 'Specially if there is guys that fight better than those bandits."

"It is kind of want to."

"Huh?"

Grave giggled a bit. "Your speech is terrible. You don't speak correctly."

Ranma groaned. "Gimme a break, I ain't never spent much time in school."

Grave giggled again. "I understand. But you should've said, 'I've never spent much time in school.' Anyway, you should put down that boulder, you look ridiculous."

Ranma looked at her. "What's wrong with the boulder?"

Grave rolled her eyes. "You're carrying a five hundred pound boulder on your back, and you look funny." Grave scratched her head. "What's it for anyway?"

Ranma grinned. "Weight and strength training."

Grave rolled her eyes. "There has got to be a better way to weight train, not to mention that there has to be a way for it to look good."

"So, uh, what do ya think would be better?" Ranma wasn't totally stupid; he knew that his knowledge outside of the Martial Arts was limited.

Grave shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe weighted clothing?"

Ranma blinked. "Weighted clothing?"

"It was something Gina read once in a comic book, these fighters used heavy clothing to get stronger and faster all the time."

Ranma nodded, he could actually see the benefits from that type of training. "I see, you're always working out even when you're not doing much."

Grave nodded. "Yeah."

The two continued to walk in silence for several minutes, each one lost in their own thoughts. Grave finally broke the silence when her stomach rumbled. "Ah, I guess I'm a little bit hungry."

Ranma chuckled a bit as his stomach growled, demanding food. "Same here. So, how about we find a lake or something and catch some fish?"

Grave licked her lips. "Sure, maybe there'll be tuna?"

Ranma shrugged. "Maybe."

"Yay!" The two continued to head east, looking for a pond, lake or river, so that they could catch some fish, preferably tuna fish.

What Ranma and Grave didn't realize was that they were heading right for a city.

********

In the port city of Temul, people were setting up for the annual Harvest Festival, one it had each year. This year's festival happened to be special as it took place shortly before the Tournament of Arms [1] did.

Sitting by a fountain was a short, around four-foot-three, light-brown furred fox-like creature with two tails. He was an Air Kitsune by the name of Yoten. Yoten was young, by Kitsune standards, as he was only 74 years old. He used his two tails to fly. He wore a light orange shirt with black pants, he always kept his eyes closed, though he could easily see what was going on around him at all times. His weapon of choice was the Wind Chakram, a Frisbee with a hole in the middle of it, while the outer edge was sharp. [2] With his Chakram, he could create typhoons like an adult Air Kitsune. Yoten was gifted with the power to create projectile force bubbles of kinetic energy. He was a member of the Eastern Edge Guard and did what he could to protect the citizens of Jade.

Yoten shook his head as he went over the latest report given to him. "A small Werecheetah with human facial features huh? Heh, there ain't no Werecheetah's left, that's for sure, must be a joke, oh well, I'll keep my eye open, never know what will show up."

He turned and walked away from the fountain, looking for something to eat.

Meanwhile Grave and Ranma had arrived at the edge of Temul, however, they ran into a bit of a snag. "Um, Grave, do you know what that sign says?"

Grave shook her head. "Nope. I can't read that. Though if you give me a few days I could probably learn to read those squiggly lines."

Ranma nodded. "I guess, though it's probably like Kanji."

"Oh? You mean the Japanese writing system?"

"I'm not sure what you said totally, but Kanji are just symbols which represent ideas and what-not."

Grave giggled. "You weren't kidding about having so little schooling Ranma."

"Ain't like I really need it to teach Martial Arts."

Grave winced. "Yes, yes you do." She sighed as Ranma looked at her questioningly. "Never mind that. I'll teach you about it later, can you please drop that rock now?"

Ranma shrugged. "Sure." Ranma just tossed the rock off of his shoulders; it landed a bit behind him. "So how's about we get something ta eat?"

"After we get some clothes, I want to get some underwear, and you need better clothing yourself."

"What's wrong with what I got? Clothes are just clothes. They keep you warm and dressed is all."

Grave giggled. "I guess you've got a point, but still, you should get clothes that look good on you."

"Why? I look good in anything."

"Yeah, but that's not the point, the point is that you should get clothes that are better than that Gi you're wearing. It is kind of dirty."

Ranma looked at his Gi. "I guess you have a point, it is a light gray instead of white."

"I'm guessing that's from the dirt on it."

"Ah, yeah. I got some Chinese clothes, but I am not wearing them for traveling and training all the time. Since they're silk, I'm not going to wear them while on the road, they rip easily and they were a gift from a store clerk."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he gave them to me because he saw that I didn't have much of anything else to wear." Ranma shrugged. "So, wanna go in?"

"Sure." The two proceeded to walk into Temul.

After a bit, Ranma noticed something. "Say, Grave, why is everyone looking at us? Not that I really care what most people think, but still, it gets on my nerves." There were few people out, most were doing something at the time, but they when they saw Grave they stopped to look for a bit before shrugging and going back to what they were doing.

Grave looked around and moved a bit closer to Ranma. "I think they're looking at me."

Ranma frowned. "Why?"

"Werecheetahs aren't common, in fact they're all dead save for Britanny."

Ranma nodded. "I see, but what does that have to do with you?"

"I look like a Werecheetah. Just short with human facial features."

"So you're a Werecheetah? Um, what's a Cheetah?"

Grave had to resist the urge to face fault. "A Cheetah is a cat. A very large cat."

Ranma shuddered a bit. "So you're a type of Werec-c-c-cat then huh?"

Grave nodded. "Yeah, but I'm only half Werecat."

Ranma nodded. "I guess. I wouldn't know."

Grave looked around as she tried to ignore what the people around her were doing. She blinked when she saw a shop with clothes on display; most of them were exotic looking, to her at least. "Say Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

Grave pointed to the store. "How about we shop there?"

Ranma shrugged. "Sure, why not?" As they walked in, Ranma asked, "Say Grave?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought you didn't want to go to town, why the change?"

Grave turned away from Ranma. "It's nothing."

Ranma blinked. "I see." He wasn't going to pry.

Inside the store was an old man named Bill. He was a human getting on with age and around seventy or so, wearing a plaid shirt with black pants, heavy- duty shoes adorned his feet. He had a full head of hair, but it was a white-grayish color. He was someone who could've retired, but didn't because he loved doing what he did for a living. His store, called Bill's Clothes Shop, sold practically everything and anything that dealt with clothes, from children's clothing to adult clothing, wedding apparel, Mage Suits, etc.

"Sure is slow today, oh well, with everyone preparing for the fair, I don't think that I'll be getting too much business today." Suddenly the door opened and two youths walked in, the first one, a human male was nothing special, but the second one. "Hmm, a type of Werecat that I've never seen before."

Bill shook his head, it didn't matter to him whom he served, he just did his job and didn't ask too many questions, as long as he got paid. He walked over to the youths. "May I help you?"

Grave jumped a bit, but Ranma turned around calmly, he had seen the man when they first entered, plus he felt the guy walk up behind him. Ranma looked at Grave. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Sure, um, sir?"

"Bill, call me Bill, so what is that you two youngsters want?"

"Well, we need some clothing, and I was wondering if you had any changing rooms?"

"Changing rooms? Ah, yes, they're in the back there." Bill pointed to the back of the store. "Just down those isles and there will be a couple of rooms for changing."

"Thank you."

Bill nodded. "Think nothing of it."

Bill turned and walked back to the counter, he sat down on a chair that was behind it and relaxed as he watched the two go around getting what they needed. Bill smiled as the two grabbed clothing and asked each other what they thought, well, the girl was asking the boy what he thought was good- looking, while the boy seemed to go for practicality. He blinked as he saw the girl levitate some clothes with a gesture.

"Excuse me?"

Grave and Ranma looked over to Bill. "Yes?"

"May I ask a question here?"

Ranma shrugged. "I don't see why not?"

"Well, I was wondering if the young lady is a magic user?"

Ranma looked at Grave, he had never asked that question, he didn't know what she was using to fight with before. Grave nodded. "Yes I am. Why do you ask?"

"You see, I happen to have an assortment of Mage Suits in many different colors. Even some with tail holes in them. They're in the back by the changing rooms."

Ranma scratched his forehead. "Um, what good are Mage Suits?"

"Well, I'm not really sure myself as I don't wear them, but I hear they regulate body temperatures and are fairly tough to destroy. Even if damaged, an Aura Mage, such as the young lass here, can easily repair the damages to the suit."

Grave nodded. "Thanks Bill," and she ran to the back of the store.

Ranma shrugged and walked to the back as well, on the way to the back, he spotted some clothing that looked very interesting. Black and brown boots that went halfway up the shins, black fighting pants with a dark red belt that had a Phoenix in the middle of the buckle, two black arm bracers and a white shirt. But all that wasn't too interesting, it was the coat that was with it. A short-sleeved red coat that was long, Ranma thought that the coat would reach almost to his ankles, however, there was a design on the back that was really interesting, a golden Eastern Imperial Dragon, with the whiskers on its nose, the Dragon was coiled in circles, two green eyes looked to be staring out at him.

"Ah, you like that huh?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, it looks neat."

Bill smiled. "Yes it is rather neat, my son, who was a guardsman at Seer's Hamlet, had his wife make that for him when he went traveling and adventuring."

"What happened?"

Bill sighed. "He was guarding Seer's Hamlet, when six years ago he spotted a bandit gang causing trouble. He sought to take care of it, but the bandits ended up injuring him badly, he nearly died from that. He got better however and is now retired from adventuring; he's one of the head guardsmen at Seer's Hamlet. So, he gave the coat to me so that I could sell it to whomever wanted to buy it, but no one's wanted it."

"How much?"

"Ten silver pieces."

"Is that a lot?"

"Not especially."

"I'll take it."

Bill looked at Ranma; the kid didn't seem to have a lot of money, but then again, who was he to judge? "Alright. Just get your girlfriend and all her clothing up to the counter and I'll get your totals."

Ranma nodded. "Sure." He totally missed the meaning of the girlfriend comment, sure, Grave was a girl, and she was a friend, but that was it, to him at least.

He walked back to the changing rooms and knocked on the doors. "Grave?"

"Yeah? Hold on." She walked out of the room and Ranma's breath caught in his throat, Grave was wearing a purple Mage Suit, thought the feet was a light yellow, but that wasn't what made his breath catch, it was the fact that the suit was skin tight, only holes for her head, hands, and tail. "So, what do you think?"

"Wow!"

Grave smiled and kissed Ranma on the cheek as she gathered the clothes that she wanted to buy and took them up to the front.

Ranma, for his part was shocked, 'She kissed me?' He shook his head, and walked into the changing room, he quickly changed from his Gi to the black and brown boots and black pants. He then put on the white shirt and the arm bracers, but he didn't put the coat on just yet, he'd put it on later. He got his remaining clothes that he was going to buy and took them up to the front.

Bill raised an eyebrow at the fact that Ranma and Grave were wearing what some of what they were going to buy, but he shrugged and looked over what they wanted to buy and started to tally it up by writing down the prices and adding them together. Ranma wondered why the guy wasn't using one of those teller machines that he had seen from time-to-time, but figured it was broke or something. What Ranma didn't know was that on Jade, technology was outlawed. [3] "Okay, all together, that's two hundred and ten silver pieces."

Ranma blinked and took out the pouch of money that those bandits had 'given' him; he knew what silver was. "Hmm, here you go." With that Ranma dumped all his silver pieces out for Bill.

Bill nodded and started counting them up, after a minute, he frowned lightly. "You are short."

Ranma blinked, he and Grave were putting the clothes into bags. "Oh?"

"Yes, this is only one hundred silver pieces, so I hope that you have one hundred and ten more pieces or you'll have to give back some of those clothes."

Ranma frowned and looked at Grave, seeing how she looked dejected that she couldn't have all that she wanted Ranma pulled out a platinum piece and showed it to Bill. "What about this? How much is this?"

Bill blinked. "That's equivalent to one hundred silver pieces, if you have ten more silver pieces, then we can have everything."

Blinking Ranma looked back into the bag. "Well, I've got some more of those coins, plus some gold coins."

"One gold coin will cover the extra cost."

Ranma nodded and handed Bill the coins to cover the cost. He tied up the coin bag and helped get the rest of the clothes into the bag that he had. "So now what?"

Grave shrugged as the two walked out. "Thank you Bill."

"Sure."

When the two left, Bill smiled. "What a cute couple."

Outside Ranma winced when he saw that the amount of people had increased during the time when they were in the store. "Say Grave?"

"Yeah?"

"How about we just buy a little bit of food and then leave town? You said you didn't want um, what's-her-name to find you."

"Brianna, Brianna Diggers, and yeah, I can see that we should hurry." Grave then blinked. "I've got an idea, I'll meet you outside of town, I'll just teleport outside of town and you can meet me close to where we entered."

Ranma nodded and then Grave teleported away. He then walked to go and get some food to eat. _______________________________________________________________________

[1] Tournament of Arms, it's a tournament that's held once every ten years to determine the best fighters on Jade. The winner of the Tournament is called the Armsmaster while the ten runners-up are called Weaponsmasters. These are the 11 best fighters on Jade.

[2] Think Xena's weapon from Xena Warrior Princess, it is in the shape of a donut and Yoten uses this to fight. Oh, as for Yoten, he's a member of the Eastern Edge Guard and a fairly good fighter as he was able to fight Thropan fairly evenly, even though he was fighting at partial power. Oh, as for his eyes being closed all the time, think of Xellos's eyes, they look like they're closed all the time, but he actually has them open and is able to look around.

[3] As for technology being outlawed on Jade, well, you see, many years ago, there were these creatures called Beta Phantoms, though to the people of Jade and the Retreat they were known as Shades or Shadows. They enslaved the entire populous using technology to limit magic user's abilities. When the first Armsmaster of Jade drove the Beta Phantoms away, the people of Jade and the Retreat agreed to outlaw technology in its entirety, as of late minor technologies have been allowed on Jade. Those from Earth, or the Earth Realm as the people of Jade call it, get more leeway when it comes to technology.

[4] Oh, as for the monetary value, well, I don't know what each coin value is, so I decided to go by values of ten.

1 Platinum Piece equals: 10 Gold Pieces 100 Silver Pieces 1000 Bronze Pieces 10,000 Brass Pieces 100,000 Copper Pieces

1 Gold Piece equals: 10 Silver Pieces 100 Bronze Pieces 1000 Brass Pieces 10,000 Copper Pieces

1 Silver Piece equals: 10 Bronze Pieces 100 Brass Pieces 1000 Copper Pieces

1 Bronze Piece equals: 10 Brass Pieces 100 Copper Pieces

1 Brass Piece equals: 10 Copper Pieces