Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Knight of Shadow ❯ The Divine Comedy of Genma Saotome ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma½... or whatever else might end up in this fanfic that's simple enough, isn't it... ^_^; ...and if it isn't? Well, I could mention that I bought a new set of bear traps and a shotgun for lawyer hunting; the game's a foot... X_X

Dialog:"…"

Thoughts: are like this.

Warnings: Genma and some adult themes, nothing graphic but... An entire chapter mainly from Genma's POW, not a pretty picture I think... ^_^

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The Knight of Shadow

Prologue - The Divine Comedy of Genma Saotome

By: Azrael's Wing

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There are those that seek to live by the virtues of whatever they believe in, those that live their lives as well as they can... and then there are those whose lives seem to be the very epitome of the sins. Some of them may openly seek it, others may be driven to it... and there are those wouldn't care less.

Name of one such individual was Genma Saotome, Master of the Saotome Anything-Goes martial arts. His life had always been constant avoidance of any responsibility, regardless of the consequences to others. Those few times when he had to face them were rare indeed, for a life in vice does not always equal stupidity, and more often it's the opposite.

Make no mistake, Genma was no genius, but there was enough intelligence and animal cunning in him to make through his life mostly unscathed. On the other hand, those few times when he was caught would then have more consequences than anticipated... for good or evil.

Some say that there are seven cardinal sins, deeds and thoughts more abhorrent to the morality than any others. If so, one could image Genma having gone through all of them, in one order or another...

Through his life, Genma's actions had not indeed been without consequences, and so our story begins with a beginning for without it there wouldn't have been anything to write of. Our story begins with a tale of...

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--- Lust ---

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Damn it, for all the rotten luck in the world! Genma Saotome muttered angrily in his mind, his eyes shifting from left to right, trying to find some way out of the mess he had gotten himself into.

He was sitting in a western style chapel, guarded by numerous stone faced soon-to-be relatives and waiting to be shackled... no *married* to his wife to be. As much as he had tried to weasel himself out of it, it'd been of no use, for there was one thing even he couldn't lie himself out of; the growing stomach of Nodoka Kamiya that was enough proof for those surrounding him.

It really was terribly unfair... After all, it wasn't his fault that the damn woman was foolish enough to let herself get pregnant. It was just for fun, she couldn't deny enjoying it herself now could she. Sure, he had told her all about undying love and all that crap, just like he had told to countless other women before her.

Now, just because her family was too observant for his liking, I'm forced to this... what do gaijins call it? Oh yes, 'shotgun wedding'.

As the time passed, his mood sunk lover and lover, mentally preparing him for the upcoming travesty. Finally after the long wait, the door opening and his keepers `guided' him inside, making sure that he wouldn't have a chance to run away.

He pulled at the collar of his tux as he stepped in, the feeling hangman's noose lessening slightly because of it, or so he thought at least. Walking down the aisle, he briefly wondered why the family had chosen a western ceremony instead of a traditional one, but then he figured they'd probably put him trough all the different ceremonies that there were, just to make sure...

Finally he reached the altar, his wife to be already waiting at there. At that point his mind blocked the priest's droning, his mind still in active emergency mode. For a brief moment he considered trying to make for it but then reconsidered, seeing some of the Kamiya family members grasping handles of their katana's.

Why *do* they have so many of them anyway? ...Not that he couldn't handle them. Weapon users are weak after all… he thought. Lying to himself had become a second nature for him by now after all. None the less, he chose not to run, his instincts once again saving his skin... if not his life.

When time finally came, he said 'yes' after few moments of uneasy silence. There were some positive points in this after all. His new wife was a beautiful woman, why else would he have gone after her, and even now he felt stirring in his groin when he thought of the night this trouble had began. He'd also have stable roof over his head, something he had missed ever since his father had kicked him out the Saotome lands because of being student of Happosai.

All in all, perhaps this wouldn't be that bad thing after all. One thing bugged his mind though... What the hell do I know of being a father or raising a kid?

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--- Pride ---

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As the five year old Ranma mimicked Genma's Anything-Goes stance in the dojo, the afore mentioned elder Saotome looked at his son beaming at pride for his progress. It was pride that was more directed himself though, than to the child practicing beside him, as strange as it might have been.

He had gotten the idea soon after Ranma had learned to walk, an idea that would raise his name to the annals of the martial-arts history. He was one of the two masters of the Anything-Goes, an art far superior to any other. Were he train his son in the art, make him the strongest martial artist in the world, all the world would then know his name as the greatest sensei of all time... and his son's name of course as well as his student.

The question was how to do it, for Nodoka's family wanted Ranma to be taught in their family art. If you would call weapon use an art that is. He had always believed that weapons were for weaklings, that they were useless for they could be taken away. The main reason he couldn't go openly against their wishes was just that he had a healthy respect for his wife... and her katana, nothing more. It wasn't as if he feared them or anything, not at all, but she was his wife so he wouldn't say something that'd upset her or something. That's all he told himself.

But how to get the boy away from here so that he could teach him true art instead of this rubbish Nodoka was thinking. It wouldn't be easy, for she had an unhealthy obsession with family honor, the main reason she wanted him to be tutored in their family 'art'.

If he only could use this against her in some way, use her honor to his advantage. Perhaps if he'd tell her that being coddled here in the mansion would harm the boy. Nodoka did have an obsession with manliness as well, in the way she saw it at least, and boy did he know that. It was definitely a bonus in his marriage, no doubt about that.

That might work but he'd need time to think it through. Meantime, he'd instruct his son here for their training wouldn't start until next year. The gears began turning in his head, and as he gave Ranma a particularly scathing comment about acting like a little girl when he fell down badly from a jump, his thoughts were trying to figure out how he could talk his wife over.

If he could do that, he could then make Ranma what he was supposed to be... his crowning achievement as the master of Anything-Goes martial-arts and live his days in luxury. With his promise for Soun, it was a dream he would achieve...

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--- Anger ---

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"Thrice damned boy! Putting me through all this effort just because he couldn't learn one measly art," Genma complained while bending over the form of his unconscious son.

He was in an abandoned building in the outskirts of Tokyo, a place that most would any way they could... especially in the middle of the night. His troublesome son was lying on the floor, surrounded by a circle made of chalk. Nearby was a collection of numerous esoteric... things, a collection that he was now looking through, searching for the right components.

It was really annoying to have a son as incompetent as Ranma was. For all that he had done to teach and train him; he couldn't learn the Neko-ken properly. He had tried numerous times with different foodstuffs but with no avail, in the end the ungrateful brat had just snapped and gone berserk. It had taken him days to track him down and get him back from that old woman, only to find out that he was still half crazy... snapping at anything that even reminded him of a cat.

In the end, he was forced to search for someone that would help him without too many inconvenient questions. Happily he still had some of the stuff they had stolen from the old master, and from his papers he had found name and location of an old and somewhat amoral sorcerer.

It had been surprising to find out that such a man would live in a modern city, even more surprising however had been the man himself when he had finally met him in his shady shop. The man had called himself 'The Nameless One', looking more like a corpse than a living man, and his attitude matched his appearance.

It had taken him hours of begging and pleading to make the man hear him, and even after that it had been an uphill battle. Finally, in exchange for a healthy amount of yen, the sorcerer had finally thrown him a spell book and a handful of strange objects. Saying that necessary spell would be in the book, the sorcerer had then basically thrown him out of his place, teleporting him to an abandoned house. And that brought him back to this moment...

The book indeed contained the necessary spell, called 'Curing the Diseased Mind' it seemed, but it also had other quite interesting spells as well. There were spells for bindings and mind control in it, something that sounded good a good way to contain his somewhat wayward son. The book warned that subject's overall will would be weakened as well by the effects of the spell but that fit fine with him. It would make controlling his future... err, son much easier wouldn't it?

These happy thoughts in mind he began the first chant, meant to clear his son's mind from the insanity. Unfortunately, the insanity hadn't been the only effect of the Neko-ken treatment. It was a fact that would become painfully clear to him in the future.

The first chant done, Genma soon began the second 'optional' one... soon followed by third and fourth. Thus the arcane forces began their not-so benevolent work, binding Ranma's will to his father's. Finally after nearly an hour of work, his job was finally finished and his son would be as obedient as he should. It was for his own good after all, he wouldn't wish to make his father angry... or to be a poor student.

These happy thoughts in mind, Genma opened his bedroll next to Ranma and went to sleep, eagerly waiting for his new and improved son to wake up...

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--- Greed ---

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Genma was standing in the shadows of a building when he heard the angry voices of a mob coming from behind corner. Just on time... he thought and grinned.

His training Ranma in the art of thievery was progressing on schedule, the fact pleasing him almost as much as the loot Ranma would bring to him. It was an integral part of the Anything-Goes after tell. Even though he didn't go after lingerie and panties like his old master had, he still acknowledged its training... and practical values.

As it was, Ranma should be able to leave that mob behind soon enough, enabling him go to collect whatever Ranma had managed to steal. By the size of the mob it should valuable at least.

Genma really congratulated himself of using those spells on Ranma eight years ago, for they had really brought the money back later on. After them, Ranma had been eager to please him, happily taking into whatever task he might give to him. Whatever side-effects there might have been, they really hadn't bothered him, as it was him that dealt with people most of the time instead of Ranma.

Perhaps after he got the loot from Ranma, he'd find himself a whore in some other village. It had been some while since he'd last been with a woman, Ranma's training having taken much of his time recently. For that matter, perhaps it would time give his son that kind of education as well... he himself hadn't been any older at his first time. No doubt Nodoka would appreciate it as well; she'd wish her son to be manly now wouldn't she?

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed for him. Lately they'd become too well known in towns and villages, and it seemed that shopkeepers were naturally suspicious of them these days. With their need to travel, they'd need to leave the country at this rate.

It also occurred to him that Ranma's birthday would be sometime this month, a reason for little celebration. It'd be perfect chance to give his son his gift, introducing him to certain new 'things'. After that, they would leave the country... perhaps to China. He had heard that there were some famous training grounds out there; a little change of scenery would do good for both of them.

But how would they travel? He didn't want to waste any good yen to some boat or plane tickets. Hmm might as well swim there... It's only water after all, and it'll be good training for Ranma, he thought, leaving for their meeting place in the woods, money and pleasures of flesh foremost in his mind...

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--- Gluttony ---

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Genma Saotome was once again in trouble, and this he had no one else but himself to blame for it, as much as it galled him to admit it. Of course he wouldn't admit it to anyone else, as much as he might have screwed up.

This fuck up was well presented by their current form as they were lead by the guide to the so-called 'Amazon Village'. And what were those signs? A pair good sized breasts and red hair decorating his 'son' and a quite warm fur coat on his body... It was as they said in the famous Chinese curse; 'May you live interesting times', and the times ahead seemed to be indeed interesting.

Unfortunately, he couldn't see much of a fix to the situation in the future, aside from a fresh dose of warm water that is. Sadly, in the wilderness such thing isn't common, especially in the misty and cold mountain air such as they were traveling in.

Finally, after a long travel in foot, they finally reached this village of female warriors, as ridiculous idea as it may have been. It also seemed that they were in luck, for there was a festival going on and there were tables filled with all kinds of foodstuffs.

Their guide said something about them being a prize or something, but he really wouldn't care that much. He was hungry and depressed, not a nice combination, and right there in from of him was the cure for one of them... maybe both. Eating had always made him happier for some reason, he didn't know why it seemed to work that way for him... nor did it matter right now.

And besides, there was so much of it anyway... he was sure they wouldn't mind if he took a bit of... everything. But if they did mind? Well, his son... or daughter as he was right now should be able to handle things if there came any trouble.

How much of a threat some wannabe warrior women could be after all? Genma-panda thought and began filling his stomach, in his bliss uncaring of what happened in the world beyond 'his' buffet.

In fact, he was so busy filling his bottomless pit that he failed to notice the conflict his hunger had created, eventually causing even further troubles to their already complicated life. Then again, he had never before cared what damage his actions had caused, why should he start by now?

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--- Envy ---

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How could my ungrateful son hold back on me! was the outraged thought running through Genma's mind as he looked at Ranma's fight against Saffron.

Worried as he may have seemed, Genma had no doubt that his son could easily defeat some self-proclaimed god of the bird people. What really bothered him was that how strong Ranma had apparently become.

As much as he had dreamed of making Ranma the most powerful martial artist in world, he never had really expected his son to surpass him... the very thought was unthinkable. None the less, there he was fighting with skills and attacks that would probably force him to use the sen-ken arts if he'd end up in a real fight against him. Even worse, Ranma already knew the other half of them as well. Maybe not as well he, but he knew it none the less.

Thankfully the geas' he had cast on his son still seemed to hold, making him easy to control. He hadn't used them much lately, letting the things go on as they had in hopes of it pushing his son and Akane closer. Sometimes it seemed to work, sometimes it didn't... which was a shame really since once they'd finally get married he could relax concerning Nodoka oddities.

It should be enough even for Nodoka's demands of manliness to have boy married, hopefully even a grandchild on the way. Then he could finally relax in the luxury of her family's mansion and let Ranma handle the things...

But first he would question his son for all the techniques he knew, those Amazon ones included. It wouldn't do for a son to hold back on the father, now would it?

Then suddenly his attention was brought back to the present by a scream of death and a flash of power. He saw the crimson pieces of the so-called god fall down to as a sparkling red shower, the being now broken by whatever powers his son might have wielded.

For a moment only he felt the killing-chi in Ranma to react to him, feeling almost eager for his death. Then the feeling was suddenly gone and he saw his son go to his fiancé, fearing for the worst.

The warring emotions in Ranma face were for everyone to see, but everyone sees only what they expect or fear to see. It is the same for Genma as well, seeing his son finally admitting his love to Akane and finishing quite a few problems for himself as well.

The thought of interrogating his son was soon forgotten, buried under the apparent good news he sew now in front of him, and the momentary feeling of terror while sensing his son's chi...

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--- Sloth ---

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After all the troubles in China, the things are finally back to normal... or at least as normal they ever are in Nerima. Finally a chance for him to relax, enjoy Kasumi's delicious food and a game shogi, sake and cheating with his friend Soun.

Ranma and Akane seemed to be getting along better than ever, almost never fighting it seemed. In his happiness, it didn't cross in his mind that they were rarely seen together at all. As for his son's silent meditations? A phase no doubt, he *had* killed for the first time after all back them... It might have had some effect on him. Perhaps he'd ask him tomorrow... or perhaps the day after, there was no real hurry now was there?

Puzzlingly though, he sometimes seemed to feel his son staring at him... the feeling bit like the one he felt at the Pheonix mountain, only much weaker. It was only that when he looked back, the feeling disappeared, almost as if it never had been there at all.

Maybe he should check some of the spells he'd cast on him, perhaps they were weakening or something. The last time I did that was... just after we had arrived here, was it? Yes, I think it was. I told Ranma to be as blunt as possible when talking to women, in hopes of driving away all those fiancés' that might follow us behind... too bad it worked for Akane as well... Oh well, the things are working fine now so there's no need to worry, he though, setting the spell book he had been leafing through absently to the nearby table as he walked to the furo.

Because of that, he failed notice Ranma coming down the stairs and passing by the table, his curious eyes noticing the strange looking book on the table and then picking it up...

Author notes: Well, since some people wanted a prologue/an explanation about Genma, here it is. A little odder than I first thought maybe... I did get the fancy idea about seven deadly sins from somewhere and the text just started coming. Hope you like it ^_^. For those wondering about the name, it a tip of the (if I wore one) for Dante Alighieri who wrote The Divine Comedy and was the/one of the first to use them in fiction...

Oh yeah, The Nameless One made just one brief cameo visit here... he's far too busy in Sigil to appear much more my fics(...since I do happen play Torment while I have time ^_^;), so this isn't going to become a Planescape: Torment crossover.

It does seem that I'm on the roll with this one as well, since this prologue came out in day and I have about three pages of Ch2 ready...

- Azrael's Wing

"I know the human being and fish can co-exist peacefully."- George W. Bush

"Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter, I'm amphibious." - Charles Shackleford, basketball player