A quick warning : This story begins very darkly.  It is my intention 

for it

to have a happy ending, but sometimes these stories write themselves, 

so no

guarantees.  I do, however, think I know where it's going this time.

Stormy : Shut up and send it!

Me : All right, already!  Here goes.

Ah, you have an annoying co-authour too...

Epsilon: Yes, i quite know the feeling...

Blade: And what's THAT supposed to mean!?

Epsilon: If you have to ask, you ARE more stupid then I thought.

(Violence ensues...)

    As always, it was at this point that Ranma awoke.  The

Ryouga, you mean?

depression was overwhelming, and he had to have a release.  The
agonized cry was seemingly torn from his chest; "Shishi Houkoudan!"
    The devastating column of ki, in its most perfect form,
shattered the night; the thunderous shockwave drowned out Ryouga's
own cry of suffering.  Then it was subsided, and he fell to the
ground as if dead himself.

Whoo.  Easy to follow his trail by the craters every morning.  ^_^

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

                        Tainted Honor

No!  The Dark One has tainted honour along with saidin now?  Oh, 
wait...wrong work of fiction.  Sorry...

     A Ranma Nibbunoichi Fanfiction by Douglas A. Reeves
*********************************************************************
                          
                               
Chapter One - Ill Tidings

    With an effort, as if his feet were formed of lead rather than
flesh, Ryouga slowly climbed the few steps.  He had somehow made it
this far without getting lost; the irony was not lost on him.  He had
never been able to find this place when he had wanted to, but right
now he would rather be ANYWHERE but here.  Yet here he was, against
all his instincts.  For the first time in his memory, he wanted to
run.
    He could not.  Honor demanded that he deliver this message, that
he face the young woman he was now sworn to protect.  She would not
take it well, but she must know.  Summoning all of his courage, he
knocked softly on the door.
    After a moment it opened, and Kasumi stood before him.  She
opened her mouth to deliver her usual cheery gretting, then snapped
it shut again at the sight of him.  For a moment there was silence as
worry overcame her, and finally she spoke.  'Ryouga . . . ."
    She stopped again, horrified by the sight of him.  His clothes
were tattered and soaked through by the driving storm.  His hair was
unkempt and ragged, the bandana which kept it out of his face now
missing.  He stood rigidly still, his bearing that of a man haunted,
and the fear and agony were written on his features as if carved in
stone.  Most frightening of all were his eyes, cold and lifeless.  It
seemed to her that she was looking at a ghost.

Nice descriptive prose.

    Still more terrifying was the fact that he was alone.

VERY nice.  ^_^

    Ryouga hung his head.  "He . . . his last words . . . he told me
to tell you he loved you."
    "NO!" the last scream tore itself from Akane, and she threw
herself at Ryouga, sobbing violently.  Ryouga just put his arms
around her, holding her tightly.  It rent his heart to see her in
such pain, and he stayed there with her long into the night.

Now THAT could be taken more than one way... ;p

    "The guardian was," he continued, his voice devoid of emotion,
"well, I guess it would be best described as a dragon.  It was
terribly powerful, and it shrugged off every attack we threw at it. 
It ignored techniques, ki-blasts, everything.  We couldn't touch it."
    "Ranma . . . he screamed at me to get clear, then leaped in with
the most powerful ki-blast I've ever seen.  I think he made it up
right there."  He paused again, his mouth suddenly very dry.  He

Ah, yes.  Anything Goes Martial Arts make up plot-enhancing attack. Very 
ancient technique!

    Genma nodded solemnly, pangs of grief barely tangible through
the numbness.  "A warrior's death.  It . . . it honors him."
    "He died a whole man," Ryouga responded quietly.
    "And bought wholeness for many others as well."  Glancing down
at the relic darkly, he added, "I would gladly trade mine, though, to
have him back."

I'd love to see what would happen if somebody tried to take Genma up on 
that.

    Ryouga nodded silently.  Slowly he rose and made his way out
into the rain.  The sensation of the droplets on the skin of his face
was one he was still not accustomed to, and there were times when he
did not appreciate it.  Right now, he would almost have liked to have
the curse back.  P-Chan could have hidden from the pain.
    That line of thought led to Akane, and Ryouga felt tears welling
up in his own eyes. <Oh, that I could ease her suffering.  Why,
Ranma, did you have to die?>

Where does Akari fit in?  Where will Ryouga's priorities lie now?  Very 
interesting questions for future chapters...

                      * * * * * * * * *
                               
    The cemetary was oddly quiet, considering those present.  Ukyou,
Shampoo, Kodachi, Akane . . . it was a battle waiting to happen,
except that nothing remained to fight for.  Others were there, as
well.  Kunou was present, though he himself was not sure why.  The
Saotome and Tendou families were, of course, there as well.  A few
friends, and even some old enemies, had arrived also.  Some were

Somewhere in China...

Pantyhose Tarou: CELLLLLEBRATION TIME COME ON!!!

^_^

Tarou: I think not.  I don't sing.  But throwing a party sounds good...

    Looking at Akane, he realized for the first time just how much
she had loved Ranma.  She wore the look of one shattered;
hopelessness and depression were engraved on her face--a look Ryouga
knew very well, as he'd seen it in the mirror a thousand times. 

He must carry around a mirror.  I doubt he's been to his place enough 
times.  ^_^  More nice descriptive, tho.

    She was followed by Ukyou, who spoke at more length.  "Ranchan
was as much a friend as anyone could ask.  He was loyal, and
trustworthy, and kind.  He would have done anything for any of his
friends, and often did.  He feared nothing, save the occasional cat,"
she smiled for a moment, then the levity dissolved into tears.  "I am
glad to have been his friend, even if I was nothing more."

I take it they've admitted their love by now?  Why is Shampoo still
here, then?

    Akane looked up, recognizing the implication and knowing that it
was her turn to speak.  "Oh, Ranma . . . how can I live without you? 
We fought, and argued, and said things we would both come to regret .
. . but deep inside I loved you.  I only hope that you knew, since I
never told you . . . ." her voice cracked and faded, and she burst
into a violent sobbing.  "Oh, Ranma."
    For several moments, that was the only sound to be heard. 
Ryouga had not intended to speak, but somehow he was compelled. 
There was a side of Ranma yet to be addressed.  Stepping forward, he
summoned voice to his thoughts.  "If Ranma was anything, he was
honorable, even if I have accused him of being otherwise in the past. 
He always kept his promises, and he always stood up for his friends. 
He fought as fairly as he did skillfully, and he never quit.  If he

Oh, yuck.  Isn't this laying it on a little thick even for Ryouga?  
Or is he trying to say Ranma had no skill?  ^_^

wronged someone, he sought to make it right, even when they would not
allow it.

Like I said...even for Ryouga, that may be a little much.

    "I wish I could claim to be as honorable as he."

No comment.

    As he finished, he could feel a tear forming in his eye, and he
tried to prevent it from falling.  Not wanting to be seen as weak, he
stepped aside, and moved to stand by Akane.  Depression overwhelmed
him as the memories returned.

Well, noone will accuse you of false advertising.  This certainly isn't 
the most cheerful beginning you could have.  

Tarou: I beg to differ.

Well, yes, but not all people consider fem-boy getting knocked off to
be a GOOD thing... ;p

    Again alone, he faced the disturbing memories.  The elation of
seeing Ranma dump a canteen of water over his head without changing,
the momentary celebration, and the interruption that was a dragon's
roar.  He remembered the battle that raged then, with all his attacks
ineffective; he couldn't even throw a decent Shishi Houkoudan, as the
thought of being cured had robbed him of his depression.  Then came
Ranma's final attack, a devastating explosion of ki-energy that had
shattered the cliff face, and Ryouga's desperate dive to catch him
before he fell.  He had missed him by less than a second, even a
half-second--and he knew well where that precious time had gone.  He
knew . . . and the knowledge broke him.
    Tears began to fall as he walked away.

Ooh, what happened?

***********
End Part One

Author's notes : I must first state that the background story here
was inspired by Nicholas Leifker's "Journeys" (though obviously with
a different ending), and I owe him thanks for that.  My debt to him
does not end there, though . . . his friendship and encouragement are
greater gifts for which there are not adequate words to express my
appreciation.  I would also like to extend special thanks to those on
my prereader list.  Thanks.

This story is my first Ranma work of any length (the only other being
19 lines or so), so I would really appreciate C&C on this.   The
comments I've received so far have been wonderful, but if someone
could find the time to really pick it apart I'd be most appreciative. 
As I've said before, I prefer brutal C&C (so long as it's
constructive) to polite.

Well, there you go.  If I didn't tear you apart, it's more the fact that 
it's quite good so far then any niceness on my part.  ^_^

Again, special thanks for Nicholas Leifker.  As is often the case,

Didn't we do this already?  ;p

this work has had nagging flaws that I can't quite pinpoint but that
mar the work sufficiently to make me not feel good about it.  As
ususal, he found them for me.

In this gamma version, I tried to add more detail throughout,
especially in the second and fourth scenes (telling Akane and the
funeral), as well as more foreshadow.  Tell me what you think. 
Thanks!

Looks nice so far.  I'll be looking forward to future installments.


Blade
*********
High Priest of the Goddess Ukyou 
Official Fanboy of Pantyhose Tarou
Founding member of the Viz-basher-bashing Club
Author of unbelieveable talent
Debater beyond compare
Really humble guy  

"Reality is for those who cannot handle fantasy."







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