The Seven Martial Artist
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

by Florencio B. de la Merced, Jr.

A Fanfic inspired by the anime Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi, and by
the movie, Seven Samurais, a film by Akira Kurosawa.

[Warning: This is a Chain Fanfic - Authors Beware]
=-=-=-=

Part One

=-=-=-=

A hillside, the beautiful landscape of early Japan.  The clearing, a farm, a
village.  The slopes were filled with flowers, the valley riddled with rice
paddies.  A dirt road, north, leading into a quiet and peaceful forest.  The
south, a lonely stream beckons, a rice mill in the distance, it's water
wheel moved with the wind.  East was the Sun, West was the mountain, all
was right in the world.

A distant thunder, the ground shook in fear.  Horses, a heard of them
rumbled and charged their way up the hillside.  An army of brigands, armed
and ready to do battle. A massacre awaits.  Down below the farming village
had turned into remorseful chaos, the streets abandoned in despair.

"Didn't we come by here last fall?"  A man atop of his horse asked his
comrades.

"Yes, they may still have no harvest yet,"  A brigand answered back.  Their
leader struggled with his horse, it stopped recklessly at the crest.
He looked fervidly at the scene before him, gathering the wits and
intelligence that his troop so desperately depended on.  "We'll come back,"
he swung his mightily stick, " after the harvest."  He whipped his bokken
fiercely at the imaginary enemy in front of him, his anticipation rising.
"Yes, this I decree."

The horsemen, an army of marauders and slayers, left in quick haste.  Their
chant echoed all around the hillside, like the crack of thunder, a rampage
of danger soon to come.  As the blues and chuckles of the enemy died down
into the distance, a lone farmer, hiding among the fig thorns finally
appeared in view.  Without hesitation he quickly ran down towards his fellow
men, the crier or wolves that he is, this time they had to listen with fear
for he brings the word of death to all.

=-=-=-=

A meeting of the villagers, the well in the middle of the village was
crowded with people, young and old.  Their faces though were not of the
festive type, for they had heard the news.  A pillage soon to come, the
imminent doom to them all was the cry that morning.  No one did stop crying,
all men, women and children were in hopeless solitude.

"Why don't we just kill ourselves?!"  A lunatic cried in pain.  "They won't
stop pillaging, raping our wives and children if we don't do something."

"But what can we do?"  A woman asked, clutching her children in her arms.

"We'll talk to the old man,"  One of the elders spoke.  "He'll tell us what
to do."  The crowd turn to look south, the rice mill still turning as if
nothing had changed in the life of the village.  "Come on."

=-=-=-=

"Eh?  What do you want me to do?"  The miller, a tall man fashioned in robes
met with the riotous people.  "You know that he can't be disturbed."

"But, the brigands."  An old woman pleaded, and so did the rest.

"Very well.  But don't be hopeful, he's never helped anyone in his entire
life."  Soun let opened the gates to let the people in.  Soon the Tendo
household was overbearing with mournful farmers, wives and innocent
children.

"Daddy?  What's going on?"  Akane's question was hardly heard over the
ruckus inside their home.  She was busy handing out the tea her dear older
sister had prepared for their guest.  Her father was too busy, though, to
notice her so she went to her other sister for the answer.

"Looks like there's another problem in the village," Nabiki answered as she
too was busy handing out some rice cakes to their unexpected guest.  "And
looks like these poor folks are really scared to death about these," she
paused to remember, "brigands, yeah...that's it."

"Oh, my is that true?"  Kasumi joined her sisters.  "Brigands are such
trouble in these parts.  I hope nothing like that happens here."

Akane looked puzzled, for her knowledge on the subject matter was somewhat
outdated or incomplete.  "Really?  What are brigands anyway?"  A roar came
from their father's direction.

=-=-=-=

"Really?  These brigands did all those things to you and to the village last
fall?!"  A face of horror fell on Soun's face.  Had he known he wouldn't
have chosen this quiet village to set up his trade.  "My god, I can't
believe that."

"It's true.  You folks just arrived here, so you may have no idea what had
happened here last fall,"  A weary spokesperson of the villager replied.

Kimiko Tendo looked troubled, "Is it true, people were sacrificed just so
they would leave?"

"Yes, Kuizo's wife was taken, I'm afraid."  A man said, while another man at
the back fell down on his knees crying.   Soun looked immediately at his
wife, with Kimiko staring at him as well.  "I'm so sorry that we never told
you anything about these."

"You should have!"  Soun shouted, but he himself knew that was for no good
reason.

"Oh, Soun.  What shall we do?" Kimiko held on to her husband, "What about
our kids?  My God...I don't think..." She started crying, the news had hurt
her as well.

"Don't worry, Kimiko," Soun embraced his wife, comforting her with his
words.  "We'll just leave this place."

A roar erupted among the unruly crowd, fiercely asking for Soun for his
help.

No one noticed that the old man was awake already, apparently he was
awakened by the noise.  "What the hell are you people doing here?!"
Happosai jumped on top of Soun, glaring at the townspeople.  "You people are
such a bunch of sissies.  Why don't you fight these brigands?"

"What? Us fight?"  The murmur was deafening. "But we are farmers."

Happosai jumped down off Soun's head, much to Soun's relief.  "So?  You can
fight, right?  You can carry a stick, can't ya?"  Happy jumped on someone
else's head.  "I'd do it myself if I wasn't ... I mean...Soun would do it,
since he's a training martial artist."  Every now had their eyes on Soun.

"What?  But master, there are over forty of these brigands.  And I'm only
one?"  Soun rattled in fear.

"I'll help!"  Akane's voice rocked the whole household.  "I'm a martial
artist too, ya know."  Somehow her enthusiasm didn't help the situation
though.  Happy just sighed.

"That's very nice of you Akane, but..." Kimiko was already dragging her
little child out of the room.  "This is a man's problem, so let's leave it
to the men to handle this, ok?"  Kimiko excused Akane and herself as she was
about to leave the room.  "Um, Kasumi...Nabiki, will you help me with your
sister here."  They all disappeared a few moments later.

"I see your point, Tendo."  Happosai had managed to jump on Soun's head
again.  Soun was relieved.  "I guess we'll just have to hire someone to help
us."

"Hire?!"  The question was on everyone's lips.  "Who can we hire?

Soun had a few minutes to think, "Why don't we hire some Martial Artist, or
Samurais?

"We can't afford to hire anyone...unless they would work for food and
shelter alone."  Everyone was depressed, their backs on the wall, with no
hope in sight.

Happosai suddenly had an idea, "Then let's hire some hungry and desperate
martial artist.  There must be some out there."  Everyone looked and stared
at each other, not really fathoming the old man's idea.

=-=-=-=

A provincial town, a large town filled with people coming through and from
the nearby shanties.  A mixture of the normal and unique, the blend of what
makes suburban Japan most enthralling.  The market place was crowded, the
streets rivaling it's activity.  These scenes would make any promdi gawk in
awe.  And so it was, Soun, Kuizo and Kimiko found themselves on a foreign
land looking for the deliverer, their hope against hope.  They looked all
morning, but had only managed to get a few ire and laughs from the local
samurai's.  Then there was a commotion down the street.

"Hey, give that back old man?!"  A pig-tailed boy was running after an older
man down the street, running just behind the two was a katana wielding
beautiful woman, who could have easily been mistaken for a Samurai.  But a
woman?  "I'm warning you, Pops.  Don't you dare drink my milk!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha!  Ranma, my boy, you are getting slower by the day." Genma had
opened the bottle he was running away with.

"Come back here, you two!"  Nodoka was now really far behind her family, but
many people around her were amazed that she could at least somehow keep up
with the two ahead of her.  "We have got to ...to..." Nodoka had enough, she
slowed down to a walking pace, then suddenly stopped.

Kimiko, Soun and Kuizo stared at the woman, as she had stopped just in front
of them.  Nodoka unwrapped the cloth off her katana and finally drew it.
The crowd stepped back.  Nodoka raised in high, the sun's light brightening
and glistening the blade.

"Genma and Ranma Saotome!  Stop at once!"  Her cry was more for battle than
for pleading.  She was the personae of utmost seriousness.

"Huh?" Ranma looked behind him, seeing her mother with her katana out and
about made him cringe.   "Yo, Pops.  Looks like Mom's angry."  Genma ran
back, fixing his glasses to get a better view.  When he did see the
reflection of the blade, he immediately fell on his knees...dragging his son
with him. "Hey!  What the..."

"Foolish boy!  Get down on your knees if you know what's good for you!"
Genma muttered, the approaching footsteps told him Nodoka was approaching.

"But why do I have to kneel down, when it's your fault?"  Ranma answered
back.

Nodoka returned her katana back in it's place, and slowly tapped Genma's
shoulder.  "Get up, Genma."  So he did, with Ranma still glaring at him.
"You two, will you stop doing this...this running off to God knows where.
You know that I can't keep up, especially if I have to carry this katana
with me." Nodoka playfully pleaded.

"Sure thing, Mom." Ranma smiled.  "So where do we go next?"

"Why don't we eat first?"  Nodoka lead, Genma and Ranma followed.  Soun,
Kimiko and Kuizo were following as well.

"I heard it's lovely this time of year in Kyoto,"  Genma answered.

"Kyoto?  What the heck are we going to Kyoto again?  We had seen enough of
that place to last me a lifetime, Pops,"  Ranma replied.

"Why are you scared, Ranma?  Did those samurai's scare you?" Genma laughed.

"Don't try to be funny, Pops.  It's ... unbecoming...besides, no Samurai, no
brigand stands a chance against me,"  Ranma boasted.

=-=-=-=

"Did you hear that?"  Soun whispered to Kimiko.  "These people may be able
to help us."  Kimiko, though was thinking of something else.  Kuizo was
doubtful though.

"They were fast, " Kuizo paused, "and that woman looked like a Samurai and
was very good wielding that sword."

"That's it!"  Kimiko shouted, startling everyone, including Ranma's family
who was just ahead of them.

"Kimiko?"  Soun muttered, recovering from a mild heart attack.  His wife,
though was unfazed.

"Nodoka!  Remember me?!"  Kimiko said excitingly as she ran ahead towards
Nodoka.

"Kimiko? Is that you?!"  Both women recognized each other and hugged each
other.  " I can't believe that's you?  How long has it been?"  The rest of
the party were amazed at the sight of the two friends reunited at last.

"You've got to tell me what you've been doing all these years." Kimiko asked
as they all entered a restaurant, the men following hesitantly.  "I heard
you married a martial artist."

"And I heard that you married one too." Nodoka replied, and she and Kimiko
just laughed at the news.  Genma looked at Soun, without uttering anything.
Soun did the same.  Ranma looked at Kuizo, but realized that he was almost
as old as his father.  Kuizo, just cringed at Ranma's stare, fearing for his
life he must have felt.

"So, Kimiko.  What brings you to the city?" Nodoka asked as they all sat
down to eat.  "I always thought you'd settle down in the countryside,
raising kids."

"Well, we have trouble back home.  Brigands are terrorizing our village, I'm
afraid."  Kimiko looked at her husband, waiting for him to talk for the
group, but Soun was busy playing a mental game with Nodoka's husband.

"Did you say, Brigands?"  Nodoka looked over at Ranma, who at the moment was
roaming his eyes around to see some beautiful lady around.  "Ranma?!  Did
you hear that?  Brigands."

"Huh?" Ranma was obviously inattentive.

"Say no more, Kimiko.  Your problems are solved."  Everyone at the table had
one question.

"They are?"  Kimiko was relieved.

"Wait, what  are you saying, Nodoka?"  Genma finally paid attention.

"I'm saying that we'll be helping Kimiko and their village get rid of some
troublesome brigands."

"Oh." Ranma sighed "Well, One or two brigands is no problem with me."

Soun cleared his throat, "Well, actually they are forty in all."

"Forty!"  Genma, Ranma and Nodoka was dumbstruck.

"How the hell..." Ranma was thinking...

"Nodoka, what have you put us is?"  Genma was angry, a bit scared himself
too.

"I ... Are you sure about that?" Nodoka asked her friend, apparent she heard
correctly.  "Well...um..."

"I guess we just have to find some help then."  Ranma stood up and had his
hand rolled into a fist.  "Yeah, I'm sure there are guys out there that we
can hire to help us."  His words made him think again.  "How much are we
getting from this endeavor anyway?"

Kimiko and Nodoka looked at each other.  "Well, I was hoping our home and
the meals would suffice."  Kimiko crossed her fingers.

"What?!"  Genma and Ranma where in unison.  "You want us to fight forty
brigands for board and lodging?"

"Uh, ugh.  No way!"  Ranma fell back to his chair, crossed his arms in
protest.

"Ranma!" Nodoka demanded, but Ranma wasn't listening.  So was Genma, but he
was content with the food part.  "Um, Come on Ranma.  Do this for your
mother?"

"No, Mom.  I'm not that stupid!"

"Ranma, my boy.  What would it take for you to reconsider?"  Soun may have
just had an idea.

"Huh?  Mister Tendo, if you were me...and you were asked to go fight forty
people just for food, what would you say?"  Ranma sarcastically asked.

"I would say yes!"

"Oh, brother!"  Ranma slapped himself silly.

"It would be a tremendous honor for any martial artist to fight for the
weak, those kind people of our village..." Soun heard Ranma's muttering
every word he was saying, " and of course to fight for our three beautiful
daughters."  Ranma's head shot up.

"Daughters?"  Ranma held the word beautiful to himself.

"Soun?"  Kimiko asked.

"What do you say, Ranma?"  Soun crossed his arms as well. "You seem to be
old enough, and it seems you are a strong young man, what if I would let you
chose to have one of my daughters for a wife?"

Genma couldn't resist, "Hey, Ranma this may be your chance."

"Butt out!  You pervert!"  Ranma berated.  "I'm not that kind of a person."

"Then it's settled then."  Soun shook Ranma's hand, and the die had been
cast.

"Hey, wait..."

=-=-=-=

And so, the two families will become one...only after the trial that may
take their lives and as well as those of others foolish enough to be willing
to be defenders of truth, justice, and a plate full of Kasumi's
cooking....Not bad, not bad at all.

THE END

=-=-=-=

C & C appreciated

- Chain Fanfic -

Much oblige if you want to continue this, coz I won't.
To the next author that continues this, send me a copy will ya? ^_^

Finished:  June 26, 1998