Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Pasts and New Beginnings ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

<Action/Sound>

~Time Elapse~

Prologue The Silent Blade Emerges

The man absently flicked his blade, throwing blood off to his right. He pulled out a small cloth from the inside of his black shirt and wiped the blade clean. And in one swift motion his sword was resting in its sheath at his side. With an audible 'click' it locks itself securely into place.

The man's chest is heaving as the adrenaline slowly drains away. He looks around him, slowly panning from left to right. 'Blood,' he thinks to himself. 'Is this my destiny? Is the road I must travel paved in this cursed substance?' He slowly regains his breath as he makes his way out of the house.

His target was believed to be distributing weapons to the rebels. His financial support had helped extend this pointless war. So the emperor had sent his best to remove the traitor. That was why he was here tonight. The house was surprisingly well protected. Guards and sentries had been roaming the courtyard that surrounded the large house. No less then a dozen well trained ninja were hidden amongst the trees and shadows, and the house's interior contained a dozen more. But for the assassin, even the most skilled among them had not been able to detect him until he had delivered the killing blow. This was courtesy of his father's training in his family's secret arts. Only those most skilled in ki detection could even stand a chance of knowing that someone was near.

The man is now making his way out of the compound. Bodies littered the ground everywhere. None of the guards had had enough time to even scream before they were sent to their eternal slumber. The light of a lamp allows us to catch a glimpse of the assassin. But as we see him, it is obvious he is no man, but merely a child no older then thirteen summers. He wears his black hair back in a small pigtail, and is totally dressed in black. He is a handsome boy with a lean body, and confident stature. But his eyes…his eyes are a hard, steely blue. They show a tormented soul trapped in a boy's body. Someone who has seen more than any one man should have seen in a lifetime, much less thirteen years. He returns to the shadows and all but vanishes to the naked eye.

His business here…was done.

~Two Years Later~

We see the boy walking into the palace infirmary with a large scowl on his face. Blood is running down the front of his face from a four inch long gash that runs diagonally from his right eyebrow, down across the bridge of his nose, and ends below his left eye. He doesn't seem to take notice as he walks over to a table and waits for the doctor. 'That son of a bitch! That traitor! I can't believe he betrayed me!' He screams in his head. The doctor comes over.

"My goodness! What happened?" the doctor states as he rushes over to his supplies to get some alcohol and a needle and thread. The boy just scowls deeper.

"I was betrayed, Ono-sensei," he says in a low voice. "By my own partner."

Dr. Tofuu Ono's eyes widen at this. "Betrayed? By Ryoga! But he was your best friend. Why would he do that?" The doctor is now looking at the boys wound. He pours some alcohol on a rag and proceeds to clean the cut.

<SHHPHHHH> The boy sucks air in through his teeth in pain as the wound is disinfected, but he says nothing. He just has a mad, yet hurt look in his eyes as he thinks of his friend.

The doctor doesn't press him any longer and just continues to work on the wound. "This will scar you know." Ono shakes his head as he thinks of one so young gaining a scar like this. 'Why must we bring one's so young into these pointless battles.' He shakes his head and turns in time to see the boy's superior approaching the table.

"What happened Ranma?" The man asks as he looks towards the fifteen year old teenager.

The boy, Ranma, turns and regards the man. "Ryoga turned on us before we could proceed with the plan." He says in a low tone. "He killed off all the men before we could blink, then he confronted me."

The man looks closely at Ranma's cut. "Him?" He asks, pointing to the gash.

Ranma nods. "I gave him one across his throat. But he escaped before I could gain my bearing from this." Ranma points at the cut on his head. "The cut I gave him wasn't deep, but if he didn't receive help quickly he would have bled to death." Ranma dropped his hand and tries to ignore the pain the good doctor is dealing him with the needle.

The man nods. "Very well. Get some rest. You won't be going out until that," he points to the cut, "heals." He then walks off after saying good day.

"There, done." Ono says after finishing the stitching. "Be careful with it and don't stress the stitches. It will be hurting quite badly for awhile I'm afraid." The doctor regards Ranma's hurt look. Not physical, but emotional. "It will be alright Ranma, just don't think about it." He places his hand on the boys shoulder.

Ranma looks up into the doctor's eyes and gives a small smile. "Thanks doc. It seems you're the only true friend I've got around here." He gets up and starts off towards his room to get some rest.

Tofuu watches as he walks off. "Poor kid…" He whispers. He shakes his head and returns to another patient.

~6 months later~

The war has ended. Finally after so many years of bloodshed, the Rebel leader, Fu Yung Lou, had been killed. Intelligence had intercepted a rebel message concerning a secret meeting of Lou and his generals. The emperor sent Ranma to confirm the information, and to kill the men if it were true. When Ranma had arrived, he witnessed the arrival of the 6 main leaders of the rebel army. 10 minutes later their corpses were lying among the bodies of 30 or so personal guards. The mission was a success and now Japan could be at peace.

We see Ranma standing in front a tall man with brown hair and glasses. They are standing on the outskirts of town, up on a hill. The sun is beginning its decent to the west.

"Are you sure that you must go?" The other man, which turns out to be Dr. Tofuu, asks as he watches the boy in front of him.

Ranma nods. "Yes, they have no more use of me here, and I have no home to return to." He puts his left hand on the butt of his katana, and pats it. "It is time that this was used for protecting people, instead of slaying them."

The good doctor nods his head and smiles at Ranma. "So, the legendary 'Damuru Ken' shall continue to fight, Hmm?"

"My battle is not quite over Tofuu. Many people are still suffering out there. And I plan to help them. Even if they are afraid of the name our enemies gave me." says Ranma. Damuru Ken, the silent blade. Ranma had received that title about a year after joining with the Ashikaga Shogunate. His flawless assassinations were legendary across Japan. Everyone that saw him, knew write off who he was. Ranma reaches up and traces the scar on his face. That little wound had given him a face to the public. He was no longer an assassin that could roam around in the market without the worry of recognition. Now everyone knew to look for a young man with hair as dark as night, eyes as blue as the ocean, and a scar upon his brow.

"Very well. Our paths are sure to cross again one day, Ranma. I believe that soon I am going to start my own clinic somewhere peaceful, and enjoy the rest of my life." Dr. Tofuu says as he grabs Ranma's right hand at the wrist in a firm shake.

"Good luck then Tofuu. We will meet again." Ranma releases the doctor's arm and turns to leave.

'Good luck' Tofuu thinks as he watches the retreating figure. 'You deserve a little peace in your life.'

And so Ranma, also known as the Dumuru Ken, leaves the life of the assassin behind, in search of those in need. And someday…someday he hopes that he might find peace.

Author's Notes:

Well there you have it. My first installment of my second fic. I'll be trying to put out one chapter for this story, and also "The Silent Warrior" every few days. Please leave any reviews you have about what you think.

What's to come:

The wandering swordsman comes into town one day. A woman is saved, and agreements are made. A new, more powerful enemy will show his face. And many new characters will come in to play.

Thx

Eternal Flame