Since everyone is asking, here is what I have. It's already gone
through three revisions, and the scene with Nodoka is all thanks to
Hitomi.
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Ranma's Father
The Start of the Knightmare...
Part 2
>From the series, The Bet, initiated by Gregg Sharp, Metroanime@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/greggsharp/index.html
Original concept by Gregg Sharp under the name RANdom.
Revised concept by Gregg Sharp by request
Grey is copyright by ?
A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga and Video series, Ranma
1/2
Saotome Ranma, Saotome Genma, Saotome Nodoka, Tendo Akane, Tendo Soun,
Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki, Kuonji Ukyou, Hibiki Ryouga, P-chan,
Shampoo, Mousse, Kuno Tatewaki, Kuno Kodachi, are copyright 1987, 1998
by Takahashi Rumiko.
Publishing rights:
Japan: Shogakukan Inc. Tokyo
Hong Kong: Jademan (Holdings) Ltd.
North America: Viz Inc.
Also based upon the Batman series created by Gil Kane
Bruce Wayne, Batman, Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, Richard Grayson, Alfred
Pennyworth, Commissioner James Gordon, Barbara Gordon, Catwoman, Selina
Kyle, Joker, Two-face, and Timothy Drake are copyright 1936, 1998 by DC
Comics, and Time-Warner Entertainment.
Publishing rights:
North America: Direct Current Comics
By Jessica Samolson and Ichinohei Hitomi
***
Tokyo, Japan
There were many words that could be used to describe the weather
that covered the vast city on this day. Overcast, cloudy, or dulled
would have been generous given the underlying feel of heaviness due to
the moisture. Gloomy, dark, heavily weighing, or perhaps even
frightening would have better described what people felt that day.
However, none of that mattered to the foreigner that had just come
off of a private plane only a few minutes before.
Bruce Wayne, billionaire American industialist whose various
interest spanned the globe, looked at the very modern city that sprawled
out before him. One place in a country that was as much his home as
Gotham City was. It was here that he learned patience, calm, and gained
an inkling of the true abilities the human mind and body had, if put to
the test. Nihon had given him a sense of peace that he had been missing
until he came here at Alfred's insistance.
Bruce never found out what Alfred's reasons for sending here were,
or how he was able to arrange so many things. He supposed it had to do
with his past in the British Secret Service, but it would not explain
how many contacts his butler/mentor had. There were times when he
wondered how much of his life was dictated by the oportunities that
Alfred had provided.
Very few people would have indulged his varied interests as Alfred
had, or given him the oportunity to come to Japan. Bruce was drawn to
his chosen life like a moth to the flame despite being presented with
his greatest challenge. A life as an ordinary person, without money,
without special favours, and without everything that life could offer.
He had grown into a strong, independant person here, and gained an
appreciation for life once again. It was not from being in this city,
or even from the others he had met in school. Instead it was in a place
that seemed more ancient than could be acounted for. A place that
seemed removed from time and ageless. There, in that small dojo, Bruce
had come to appreciate all the small things living had to offer. During
that time, Bruce also earned the respect, and love, of the third man he
had ever considered a father to him.
Those idilic days were not to last however.
The mission that he had taken upon himself as a youth, to become
the greatest of all crimefighters, caused him to eventually turn his
back on the peace and solace that he had discovered. It was one of the
saddest days in his life when Bruce had informed the Sensei that he had
to leave. It pained him that the old man had never said a word against
his leaving. If he had given even the slightest sign that he had wanted
Bruce to stay with him history would have been much different. Bruce
had cried privately that day, much like he had cried when his parents
were killed so many years before. On that day, he died a second time.
But even that paled in comparison with what had happened a few
days later, when he met with the one woman in the world that he had
fallen in love with. The one woman that he stilled loved with his
entire soul.
Masaki Nodoka.
She was the daughter of his Sensei whom Bruce had met after one of
his private practice sessions. At the time, he had just joined the
Dojo, and was working extremely hard to learn all he would need in the
shortest period of time possible. Bruce felt that if he failed to learn
as fast as possible, another would suffer as he had, and his vow, and
all of the honour that he had staked upon that vow, would be as naught.
Nodoka started practicing with her bokken, moving clearly,
precisely, and practically, and using techniques that he had thought
were the realm of fiction. This woman was not only a skilled martial
artist, but she had a lot to teach him, if not the world. Then again,
not many people still used swords, and no one that he knew of had her
facility with them. He had asked her for lessons, and his facination
with her grew until they began to date.
Few people outside of the Dojo knew who he was or where he was
from, but they had accepted the foreign looking sixteen year old because
of Nodoka, and the reputation he had. Of course, his life wasn't
completely smooth. Although he had gained many friends, Bruce also
succeeded in attracting a few rivals as well. Nodoka was highly sought
after, not only because of her beauty, but that of her own line of
descent from a family of the nobility. Having to fight almost every day
on the way to and from school was not one of his most pleasant memories.
It was also fortunate that he had gone under an adopted name while
he was in Japan. After all, Bruce Wayne was a rich foreign idler who
dabbled in the arts now and then while Tsukino Ran was considered the
future heir of the Masaki Dojo. It wouldn't have been prudent to have
Bruce Wayne winning fights, or the information being recorded somewhere,
unless he wanted to be open about all of his abilities. As Ran, he had
a reputation to keep as the best martial artist in the area.
He still remembered that day from so long ago....
Twenty years earlier...
He was ready to leave, to continue training in order to start his
chosen mission in life...
...and he was so nervous about meeting with Nodoka that his palms
were sweating.
Bruce sighed, looking over all of the equipment and belongings
that were here, from the case containing the swords that he had earned,
to the small cabinent that contained mementos of the life he had led.
Given how little he had come here with, it amazed him that he could
collect so much in such a short time. It had only been five years, and
he had been training for most of it, so how HAD he managed to buy so
much?
Shrugging his shoulders, he went to the main hall of the house.
Tonight would be the last time he saw Nodoka for a long time, perhaps
even the rest of his life, and he dread telling her that. She wasn't
the sort to be willing to disappear in the background, nor was she the
type to let him face danger by himself. He had learned that the hard
way.
Of course, when it came to Nodoka, he had learned a lot of things
the hard way, including to avoid her when she was angry for any reason.
It really didn't do his reputation any good when he was forced to run
from her practice swords. Few people outside of the Dojo knew how
accurate she could be with them.
Gulping a bit, he decided to check his wallet, knowing he'd need
every yen he had. /If I wined and dined her, as people say, perhaps I
can come out of this without any bruises. Fortunately, uncle Alfred
makes sure that I have a good allowance./
"Ran-kun, is something the matter?" a slightly musical voice
called out to him.
Bruce quickly put his wallet away, and looked towards the voice,
and then took a few seconds to gape openly at his girlfriend. For some
reason that he was unaware of, Nodoka had gone all out. Absolutely
everything about her spoke of beauty, grace, and elegance. The dress
she wore, the way her hair was styled, even the sparkle in her eyes.
He looked down at himself, in his usual loose black pants and pull
on top, and then back up. "Ahhh...Nodoka-chan, can you give me a few
minutes?"
Nodoka smirked quietly to herslf as Ran walked quickly back
towards his room. *You would think that he would get dressed up for
once, especially given how nervous he's been for the past week. I know
he's going to ask me tonight, and after the two of us get married, daddy
can retire and Ran and I will take over the Dojo.*
Her eyes glittered even more as she thought of how lucky she was
to find such a handsome young man. While others would have rejected him
due to his mixed blood, it only made him seem more exotic to her. Ran
was the perfect man for her. Skilled in the Art, strong, willing to
fight and learn from her, and best yet, dedicated to protecting the
reputation of her fathers dojo. It was no wonder her father looked at
Ran as his heir.
She knew about the private meeting that the two of them had a few
days before, and had guessed that it would be about Ran asking her
fathers permission to marry her. At least that was what it had _better_
have been about. If Ran didn't ask her to marry him tonight, there
would be hell for him to pay until he did.
It was at that moment that Ran came back into the room, his body
well defined by the well cut tuxedo that he wore. While you couldn't
usually tell where the muscles were on a person, Nodoka could see the
muscle definition on him, and his light walk was a clear indication of
his fighting prowess. A fine catch indeed.
Bruce gulped as he observed Nodoka smile in that way of hers that
made him nervous. He _KNEW_ that smile meant trouble, especially since
he had seen it several times before. Usually before she followed him on
his little training sessions, or when she wanted something.
Unconsiously he felt for his wallet and checkbook. It was either
going to be a very expensive, or very long night. Probably both.
***
Bruce looked at Nodoka nervously, wondering what was going on in
her mind. Up to now, the whole evening had been very strange and
somewhat surreal. First the two of them being dressed up, then her not
making a fuss when they went to the only fancy restaurant that he could
easily afford, and finally no one bothering them, or coming at them and
shouting for him to defend himself. No, he was dreaming. That had to
be it.
"Ran-kun, what's wrong?" Nodoka asked as she noted his
nervousness, and him keep putting him hands into his lap. There had
been so many opportunities for him to ask her, and he kept putting it
off. To think that the best fighter of their generation was that scared
of marriage was a little funny.
Bruce gulped. This was it. He had to keep his voice steady, keep
himself centered and calm, and most of all, watch out for her bokken.
Although he had never seen how she did it, Nodoka had a habit of pulling
that thing out, even when he was sure that it wasn't on her. "Nodoka-
chan, I..I've got to tell you something very important. I've already
discussed it with your father, and you should here this from me."
Nodoka's eyes lit up as she learned forward. This was it, the
question that she had been waiting for him to ask for almost three years
now. "Go on, Ran-chan."
Bruce suddenly got a lot more nervous as she leaned forward. Her
cleavage was now very noticable, and that look of possessiveness in her
eyes scared him. Whatever was going on in her head, it definately
wasn't about him leaving. "I...I...I...I was wondering if you wanted to
go to a movie after dinner."
Nodoka closed her eyes and leaned back into her chair. Ran
chickened out again, and it was going to take forever to get him to ask.
If he didn't ask her durring or after the movie, then she wasn't going
to wait any longer. /I'll ask him myself, and if he doesn't reply right
away, I'll drag him down to the records building myself. One way or
another, Ran is going to marry _me_!/
***
It had been a great movie. Bruce wasn't sure where they had found
it, but seeing the one feature length adventure of his favourite hero,
'The Grey Ghost' was great. The perfect way to top off an evening.
Nodoka, on the other hand, was bored. She would have prefered to
go to the romance film playing in the next theatre, but Ran took one
look at the movie poster and bought the tickets before she could say a
word. And from the looks of it, he had forgotten what he was going to
ask her! "Ran-chan..."
Bruce stopped, gulped, and looked at his girlfriend. She was
annoyed, and he had forgotten to tell her about what he was going to do.
"Nodoka-chan, I...I.."
Nodoka huffed, "Tsukino Ran, I've been waiting all evening, and
I've had it. Answer one question. Are. You. Going. To. Marry.
Me?"
Bruce continued on, not even realizing the question, except on the
periphery of his awareness. "Well...You see...My training....I've got
to...WHAT DID YOU SAY!!!"
Nodoka grabbed the shoulders of her boyfriend who's eyes had
widened to an almost unimaginable degree. "I said, 'Will you marry me?'
It's a simple question with a simple answer. Yes or no."
"I..I...I..."
She grabbed him, and started pulling him towards home. In the
morning she'd take him to the government offices and make sure that they
were married. Besides, it was the best thing for both of them.
Being forced to walk caused Bruce to stop stuttering. "Nodoka-
chan. I can't marry you."
Nodoka stopped, turned around, and glared at him. "WHAT!"
Bruce gulped. "I'm going training. In China. And I'm not sure
when, or if I'll be back. I'll try to come back as soon as possible,
but..."
He never got to finish the sentence since he ended up unconcious
thanks to a bokken that came out of nowhere.
Present Day...
Nodoka frowned to herself as she remembered what Bruce-kun had
said. If she hadn't been so quick to anger, so quick to try to forget,
then she would never have married Genma. Too late, she realized that
all he wanted from her was to
***
They go to the Wayne Enterprises building where Bruce meets with Nodoka.
Long heart to heart, with Bruce trying to convince Nodoka not to kill
herself.
Next day.
Bruce and company leave for the Tendo Dojo.
Bruce is surprised to learn that everyone except for the Kuno's, Genma,
and Soun know who
Bruce is and his relationship to Ranma.
Does not expect Bruce and Nodoka to know who Ranko really is.
Tim is surprised and utters the words cool' and asked how he can gain
shape shifting powers
like that.
Everyone gets to know one another, with Akane being very cool and calm
towards Ranma, and
Tim asking all sorts of embarassing questions of Ranma which Barbara
attempts to stop as only
Barbara, Nodoka, Bruce, and Nabiki can fully understand him.
Ranma is ready to pack up, and an appropriate punishment is met out to
Genma, with Soun being
told not to help Genma out.
Nabiki inquires about job oportunities at Wayne Enterprises and if he
allows the glass ceilling'
to exist in the Japanese subsiduaries.
Bruce and Nabiki have a long talk which impresses Bruce.
Akane walks out on this to the disappointment of Ranma.
They do not see each other again.
Nodoka's sepuku intent is stopped by Ranma saying that he needs her,
especially since he
doesn't even know her. He realizes the promise of being a man among men
is void with the
curse.
Nodoka shakes her head a bit, and then tells Ranma that if she comes
with them, many changes,
some pleasant, some not, will be in store for him.
Next day
Nodoka puts in papers to the government, supported by Bruce, for a
divorce from Genma
Nodoka and Bruce talk with each other, and Nodoka tells him that she is
proud of him, and the
way he is carrying out her fathers legacy to him.
Bruce replies and tells her he still loves her.
Nodoka smiles, and says the same.
They go to see Nodoka's father and receive his blessing.
Ranma says his goodbyes to everyone.
Old enemy of batman appears, and knows who Bruce Wayne really is.
Involves Ranma and Barbara and Barbara ends up breaking her leg.
To be continued.