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

Chapter 1 Mysterious Warrior

She was running, running as fast as she could go. She couldn't let them catch her again. She would rather die then go back to that horrible place. She had to find her family. She had to get away.

Its pitch black outside and all the residents were sounds asleep in their beds, clueless of what was going on outside. A figure was dashing through the rain as fast as it could go without falling. It is wearing a full body cloak with the hood over their head in a vain attempt to block out the rain. The person takes a left at a turn and nearly barrels into a cart on the side of the street. After it regains its bearings it takes off down the road again. Again and again it looks over its shoulder as if expecting someone to run up from behind. No one is in sight as she approaches the edge of town. Then it reaches the path that traverses through the woods, and dashes down it.

Ten minutes later the figure comes to a stop at a cross-road. It looks back and forth as if checking if anyone was around, before collapsing against a tree. It reaches up to remove the hood…revealing a beautiful dark haired woman. Her chest is heaving and her legs ache from over use. She fights to retain consciousness as her adrenaline drains. She leans her head back against the tree and lets the drizzle of rain that dripped off the canopy of trees run down her face.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Says a dark figure stepping from the shadows in the direction she had come from. A dozen more step out behind the figure. Each is garbed in the blackest of clothing that covers every inch of their body. Only the top halves of their faces are visible.

The girl jerks her head around towards the figures. She sees the small emblem of a rose on the front of their uniforms and her eyes widen. 'NO!' she mentally screams, too weak from running to even talk. She vainly tries to rise, but only results in falling back against the trunk. She leans off to the left as they begin approaching. 'nonononNONONO' again she mentally screams, slowly inching her way backwards, using her hands and feet to slide along the wet ground.

"Hmph, I no use girl, we're here to take you back. No point trying to get away now, you can't even stand." The apparent leader of the group says. He raises his right arm into the air with his forefinger and middle finger extended heavenward. Two quick gestures of his hand and half the garbed fighters begin approaching faster.

The girl is about to pass out from exhaustion when she sees the six figures begin running toward her. 'Please…I don't want to go back. Just leave me be…' her head begins to droop as she vainly fights the blackness of unconsciousness. 'I just want to go home…'

"Interesting…a dozen well trained ninjas picking on one defenseless girl? Come now, that's not fair." says a voice from behind the girl. She vainly tries to turn her head to look down the left leg of the cross-road. She catches a glimpse of a dark figure, his face hidden by a straw hat…then all went black.

Ranma had been making his way towards Ogasaka, when the rain hit. It was a minor annoyance, but made the trek miserable all the same. He's wearing a long black cloak the covers all of his body, his arms holding the inside of it closed around him. Protecting his head was a stiff straw hat that came to a point at the top and was held secure by thread that he had tied around his chin. He wore this most of the time to hide his face, but more importantly his scar. It has turned red over the years and has shrunk in size, but it is still quite visible. The good doctor Tofuu had done an exceptional job with the stitches all those years back, it had healed quite nicely.

He looks up as he passes a small wooden sign with writing on it:

| Ogasaka 2½ miles |

| Kyoto 36 miles |

He nods to himself. 'Almost there, then I can get out of this cursed rain,' he thinks to himself as he begins walking again.

A few minutes later he stops dead in his tracks as he senses quite a few people up ahead. He slowly hides his presence using the Umi-sa-ken, and makes his way to the crossroads up ahead. Once he reaches it he sees a dozen men in black approaching a woman on her back. 'Ninjas?' he thinks. His eyes narrow as the leader speaks and motions the others to attack. He drops his technique and appears a few feet behind the girl.

"Interesting…a dozen well trained ninjas picking on one defenseless girl? Come now, that's not fair." He watches as the shock of his appearance freezes the six approaching men in their tracks. He looks down as he sees the girl turning toward him and he gets a glimpse at her big brown eyes before they close and she collapses. He then turns back towards the leader as he speaks.

"Who the hell are you? We have no business with some traveling trash, so be off!!" the leader barks at Ranma. Ranma just stands there and peers at the men for under his hat. "Are you deaf, beggar? I said be off with you!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you boys, but seeing this pretty lady lying here helpless with all you brutes, to leave her just wouldn't be my style. I gonna have to kindly ask you all to leave her with me. If you do, then no one will get hurt." Ranma rotates his left hand in a small circle around his body, cloak still in its fist. A sheathed katana is now visible at his left hip.

The leader barks out in laughter. "And what pray tell are you going to do to all of us?" asks the leader, waving his hand to his comrades. "I believe you are at a slight disadvantage, traveler."

"Leave. Now." All humor has left Ranma's voice as he raises head up to peer into the eyes of the leader. The six ninjas closest to Ranma take a step back, eyes widening in surprise.

"That…that scar!! It…it can't be…" the begin backing up faster. "Da…Damuru Ken!" they are now back behind their leader.

"Shut up you cowards! That's only a legend. Now get your asses back over there or I'll kill you personally!" The leader yells at his men. "Get him!"

The other ninja look at each other, and then they turn back towards Ranma. Slowly, they begin moving towards his position. Ranma raises an eyebrow and places his left hand on the hilt of his blade. The men pause a moment, then continue. As if an unheard signal is given, they all charge at once.

Ranma's right foot shifts slightly backwards and his knees bend ever so slightly. Then he leaps into action. The closest man has his sword held high getting ready to attempt a vertical slash. Ranma brings his left hand forward, sheath held tightly, and slams the butt of his katana against the man's nose. All that is heard is a slight girgle as the man drops his katana and falls back. Ranma doesn't stop there though. A slight shift of his weight to his back leg and he pivots, turning his back to the next man. The front end of his katana's sheath slams into the next man's gut with such force, he goes flying back towards a tree. He sees out of the corner of his eye two men that dodge the flying body and try to rush him.

He raises his sheath above his head to block the first's overhead slash and grabs the second man's wrist before his back is cut open from shoulder to hip in a diagonal strike. Still facing away from them, he lets loose with a massive kick into the second's gut, while knocking the first's sword upwards. With his right hand free of the second man's wrist, he lets loose a powerful backhand to the first man's jaw. The ninja spins in place and collapses in a heap. 'Hmm. Three down.' Ranma thinks as he sees the others hesitate in thier attack.

Two more men rush at him at the same time, one with their sword held low and away from his body, while the other wields two kodachis. As the three merge, the first man's sword comes up in a fast, diagonal slash. Ranma is too quick though and steps to his right, letting the slash pass by his left. Before them man can bring his sword back down, Ranma slams his palm into his wrist in a disarming move. Tendons freeze and the man's hand involuntarily releases the sword. The force from the blow sends the sword flying at the second attacker. The second man brings up his twin small swords in an attempt to keep the hilt from crashing into his face. As he raises his arms, he receives a powerful, yet swift kick in the ribs, sending him flying. As Ranma kicked the second, the first received an elbow in the bottom of his sternum, winding him. Ranma reaches over his shoulder and grabs the man by his outfit and flings him in a judo throw into a nearby tree, knocking him unconscious. Ranma straightens out from his bent position and faces the rest of his foes.

He peers left and right at the seven remaining ninja. The men in question look at each other and nod, readying their weapons. Ranma places his right hand to his left hip as he replaces his swords sheath into his belt. He grips his sword and slightly turns his body to the side, with his right shoulder pointing towards the group. Knees bent, and body relaxed, an audible 'click' is heard as he clears the blade from its resting place. He then waits.

They charge all at once, blades held at all angles. As they approach Ranma, they see his body tense for a split second. Then all went black for them…

The leader watched with trepidation as the stranger took out his men in mere moments. He sees what the remaining men plan to do and he waits to see the outcome. He almost gasps as all he sees in a flash of light as they meet the man. He looks slightly behind the group to see the warrior casually sheathing his katana. He looks back in time to see blood explode from his comrade's bodies as if black powder had been placed within their chests. All the bodies fall into a pile, lifeless. The leader considers his options and decides on the smart move. With a quick look back at the traveler and a promise of revenge, he takes off down the road he came from. 'Master Kuno must know of this.' He thinks as he is sprinting towards the town. 'The Damuru Ken huh…'

Ranma watched as the coward fled. He then turned towards the bodies of the fallen men and says a silent prayer. Moments later he is making his way over to the girl. He checks her pulse and sighs in relief as he sees she's merely unconscious. He stands once again and looks around. 'Damn. Can't go to Ogasaka now, they'll have people looking for me…' He looks towards the sign that rests in between the fork in the road.

| <~~~ Osaka 26 miles |

| Tokyo 30 miles ~~~> |

He looks back down towards the girl and makes a decision. He picks her up and cradles her in his arms. 'So light…' He thinks peering down into the face of the girl. He looks back up and takes one more look around, then heads down the right hand path. 'Gotta camp soon and get her warm before she gets sick…'

And with that he proceeds on his way to his new destination, Tokyo…

Author's Note's

Please excuse my geography; I was just making up names and locations for this fic, so no one take it personally.

If any of you are wandering about the hat Ranma is wearing, just think about the hat the main character of "Ninja Scroll" wears. I'm not sure what their called but if anyone knows, please let me know.

Ahh, saving the damsel in distress, <sigh> so cliché. Heh, sorry guys but I thought it went well with what I have planned out as the story line.

Before anyone asks, no Ranma does not have his curse. As far as his father and mother, well that will be explained later.

Also don't worry; this is NOT a 'Kenshin' knockoff. I happen to enjoy medieval Japan and good old Kenshin just happens to fall under that category. This story plot will not be anywhere near our favorite Rounini's plot.

A new chapter is on its way so keep checking back. Next up, Ranma meets the girl he saves and discovers the reason the men were after her.

Thx for reading

Eternal Flame