Thanks to all who have replied with comments and criticisms alike. I really
do appreaciate them.
A lot of people have requested earlier episodes to Dragon's Dawning, so I
will give you the URL for the main page where you can get them each
episode. It also contains future episodes in which I haven't posted, and a
rough timeline of episodes.
That URL is http://members.xoom.com/Souldrake/ranmadrag.htm
(case sensitive)
It will be posted under the by lines.
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Ranma 1/2: The Dragon's Dawning Series
by Wesley Bridges
Based on the Charactors by Rumiko Takahashi
Homepage: http://members.xoom.com/Souldrake/ranmadrag.htm
(server is case sensitive)
Episode 4: My Dear Ryoga! The Key to Anani's Heart
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A blurry world spun rapidly around as Ryoga's world slowly
returned to him. After a while, the blurry visions became a
room, and the spinning ceased. Ryoga's head throbbed with pain,
but it was tolerable.
Ryoga: (rubbing his head gingerly) Where... am I?
He sat up in the bed and looked around the room. Just then, the
door opened and Anani's mother walked into the room with a
fresh cloth and water.
A'sMom: Oh, you're awake!
Ryoga: Huh? Uh... where am I?
A'sMom: You're in the farming town of Yanin, in southern Japan.
Ryoga: How did I get here?
A'sMom: Our daughter found you in a pile of rocks where a landslide
came down. She brought you back here and we've been taking care
of you since then.
Ryoga: How long...
A'sMom: How long have you been unconscious? Oh, about a week and a half.
You must have taken quite a pounding. Anani will be home in a
couple of minutes, I'm sure she'll be happy you're back with us.
Ryoga: Who is...?
A'sMom: Anani? She's our only daughter. I hope you two will get along
well, you're the first boy around here she's taken a liking
too... (realizing she forgot something) Oh! I forgot to take
the noodles off. I'd better go do that. You stay here and lie
down.
Ryoga attempted a protest, but Anani's mom rushed quickly out
of the room. He lied back down in the bed thinking about what
the woman said. Just then Ryoga heard the sound of a door opening
in the distance and a girl's voice.
Anani: I'm home!
A'sMom: Hello, dear. You're friend woke up!
Ryoga heard footsteps racing closer to the door to his room.
Then the door opened and Anani appeared her light brown hair
curled slightly at the ends.
Anani: (excitedly) Oh! It's true you are awake!
Before Ryoga could respond, Anani rushed up and hugged him.
Ryoga's eyes widened.
Ryoga: Wha... Wha... what do you think you're doing?!
Anani: (giggling) Oh, silly me! I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Anani
Koichikara, your new fiancee!
Ryoga: Fianc...FIANCEE?!? What are you talking about! You don't even
know who I am!
Anani: Well, why don't you tell me then!
Ryoga: (a bit surprised) Ryoga. Ryoga Hibiki, but you still haven't
told me about this fiancee thing!
Anani: (fantasizing) Anani Hibiki... It has a nice ring to it!
Ryoga: Well?
GrnDad: (entering the room) Perhaps it is best if I explain this.
Ryoga: Hey... you're the guy who...
GrnDad: Yes. You may call me Tsurin. The mission I sent you on was just
a mere test to prove your skill. You did that before you even
went on the mission. Anani has accepted you as her fiancee, and
you are the only one who has passed the test of our school.
Ryoga: What test?
Tsurin: The women of my ancestry are cursed to never love a man other
than the one who can "unlock" their heart. It is believed that
there are people created for each other, and when they meet, the
curse upon the woman is lifted, and she can follow her true
feelings.
Anani hugged Ryoga again after her Grandfather spoke.
Ryoga: (thinking) If what the old man said is true... could this mean
she truly l...l...loves me?! No, once she finds out I turn into
a pig... it will all end! How can I let this go on?!
Tsurin: I see you need some time to sort out your thoughts. Very well.
Tomorrow we will begin the training as I promised. I will teach
you more once you agree to wed Anani, but for now, it is time
to eat.
Anani and Tsurin helped the slightly weakened Ryoga to the
dining area where they ate and listened to Ryoga's story of his
life before meeting Tsurin... minus the whole bit about P-chan.
Anani: (soothingly) Aww.. you poor dear! I'll bet you're heart's just
torn to pieces. With that Ranma keeping you from your first love,
it's no wonder you're hesitant to begin again!
Ryoga: Uh... yeah... something like that.
Anani: But I'm sure grandpa will help you beat that big bully! Then you
and I can start a whole new life together! Right grandpa?
Tsurin: Of course, dear.
Ryoga: (Rising) May I be excused? I... I need to get some air.
A'sDad: Sure.
Anani: I'll go with you!
Ryoga: No, I need to be alone for a little bit, that's all.
Ryoga ran out of the dining and through a door to the outside.
Ryoga: I found the door... on my first try? This must be my lucky day!
Just then the skies opened up and the thunder rolled as the clouds
burst sending a cold, drenching rain down upon everything below them
Anani: Oh, dear. I'd better see if Ryoga's ok. These rains we've been
having are really bad.
Anani walked to the door only to see a soaked, wet, muddy black
piglet sitting in a pile of Ryoga's clothing.
Anani: That's odd... did Ryoga leave? And without saying goodbye...
maybe it was something I did... (seeing the pig) What's this?
(picking up the struggling pig) A pig... wearing Ryoga's headband.
maybe he left it as a gift to keep my company! How sweet!
Anani went back into the house.
Anani: (to P-Chan) Awww... you poor thing, all wet and muddy! How 'bout
we take a nice bath and get you cleaned up huh?!
P-chan wiggled and squirmed as Anani carried him into the bathroom,
closed the door, and locked it.
Anani: There. Now, don't worry we'll get you cleaned up in no time!
Anani turned the water on and heated the water until she deemed it
warm enough. She plugged the drain and allowed the tub to be filled.
She then removed her clothing, skirt, blouse, bra and panties while
P-chan attempted to get out of the room by jumping on the door.
Anani: What do you think you're doing, huh?
P-chan turned around to see the naked Anani reaching for him. Still
stuggling to get away, the now blushing P-chan was carried by Anani
and with one swift motion, was dunked into the bath water by Anani
who then stepped into the tub.
As Anani kneeled into the bath, her eyes widened as Ryoga surfaced
for air. Ryoga quickly turned around as he tokk in his breath.
Anani: Ryoga!
Ryoga: (averting his eyes)I suppose you're going to laugh and make fun of
me now, huh?
Anani: Of course not! Why would I do a thing like that?
Ryoga: (still averting his eyes) It's...a long story.
Anani: Well, you'll have to tell it to Grandpa and I. Hey.. why aren't you
looking at me when I'm talking to you?!
Ryoga: I..uh..you're..uh....
Anani: (realizing the situation) Oh... how silly of me!
Anani gets out of the bath, towels off and dresses.
Anani: A true gentleman... I hope you're not like this when we're married,
though.
Ryoga: What? You mean even though you know I turn into a pig...?
Anani: Of course! Why should that change my mind, true I prefer you as
a man, but I'm sure Grandpa might be able to help us get you back
to normal.
Ryoga: You... you really think so?!
Anani: Sure I do! Let's go talk to him.
Ryoga: Alright.
Anani fetched Ryoga some fresh clothes and allowed him privacy to
dress. They walked over to Tsurin's room where he sat reading a
book on the floor.
Anani: Hello, grandfather.
Tsurin: Anani, Ryoga, do come in. What can I do for you?
Ryoga explained his curse and the events that led him onward through
his life. After explaining his predicament, the room was silent
for a moment.
Anani: That Ranma guy has really made it hard on you hasn't he? Don't
worry, grandfather can probably think of a cure, right Grandpa?
Tsurin: The Legendary Ground of Accursed Springs... as you probably know
there is one cure for you, but it is not an easy task. That is to
find water from Nanichuan.
Ryoga: But Ranma and I have looked everywhere for the Japanese Nanichuan,
but it didn't work. We wouldn't know where the Chinese one was
even if we found Jusenkyo again!
Tsurin: Did I say that was the only cure?
Ryoga: You mean... there's another way to reverse the effect?!
Tsurin: (chuckling to himself) Of course there is.
Ryoga: You must tell me!
Tsurin: I will... after you have trained with me. If you learn them I will
tell you how to reverse your curse.
Ryoga: I will not fail you!
Tsurin: (smiling) I'm gald you are so determined. You will need all the
courage and confidence you can get.
The next morning Tsurin and Ryoga packed their equipment to
prepare for their training mission into the mountians where
Ryoga was training before.
Anani: Can I come too, Grandfather?
Tsurin: Not this time, Anani. Ryoga will need to be able to concentrate.
Anani: Awww... But I'll help!
Tsurin: (Smiling) I'm sure your intentions are true, but we must be
alone.
Anani ran up, hugged and kissed Ryoga then disappeared upstairs
toward the bedrooms. Ryoga and Tsurin left and began their
journey to the mountians.
A few hours later, they climbed the pass Ryoga came down upon
on his "mission" for Tsurin. The pass was clear with no signs
of the bandits that Ryoga delt with trying to get down. It is
here where Tsurin began to tell Ryoga a little bit about his
school.
Tsurin was part of a secretive and selective school of martial
arts. He learned a great deal from his teachers there. He quit
the school, because he discovered that the leaders were trying
to create an unstoppable army in which to take over all of Japan,
China and eventually the rest of Asia and the world if they
could.
After his parting from the school, he was hunted and was the
target of several attempts to keep him silent about the school.
He foiled each of the attempts, and moved to Yanin with his
family to hide. There has been no attempt on his life in all
of the ten years he has stayed with Anani and her parents.
The two found an acceptable training area and set up camp.
Tsurin then took Ryoga to an open area with scattered rocks and
the training begun.
Tsurin: Now. I shall demonstrate to you the first technique I will teach
you. It is called the Idochikyo Bakuken, or Trans-Ground
Explosion Technique.
Tsurin tapped the ground with his walking stick. A few moments
later a rock several feet away exploded leaving a crater in its
wake.
Ryoga: (thinking) This should be easy. It looks similar to the Bakusai
Tenketsu.
Tsurin: Shall we begin?
Ryoga: I'm ready!
Several hours of training passed as Ryoga found himself at the
bottom of a hill trying to use the technique as rocks were
rolling down the hill. All of his attempts ended in failure, or
using the Breaking Point instead. Finally they broke for the
night.
Tsurin: You must concentrate harder! Focus your thoughts through the
ground, let them be carried. The earth can only carry one of
your wills, not all of them. You must clear your mind of every-
thing else when you make the contact.
Ryoga: My mind is clear! As soon as I learn this technique I can defeat
Ranma!
Tsurin whacked Ryoga on the head with his stick.
Ryoga: Hey! That hurt!
Tsurin: Is that so, and what are you expecting the prize of your victory
to be? Tasteful revenge or that young maiden you had your eyes
on?
Ryoga opened his mouth to protest, but realized Tsurin was right
and shut it again.
Tsurin: Why not give up on her? Has she confessed her love to you? Is
she concerned when you leave? Anani has done all of that. You'd
be better off with her, but now... let us sleep. We have a much
more vigorous day tomorrow.
Ryoga went to his tent and opened his bag to get his sleeping
roll and pillow out. Below them he found a small package with
his name on it. Curious, he opened the package and found heart
shaped cookies all with the words "Love Anani" written on them
in icing. A warm surge flowed through Ryoga as he nibbled on the
cookies. After finishing a few he lied down and drifted into
sleep. Tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow he would succeed.