Ranma Saotome was a noteworthy individual - not because of any particular attribute he possessed, but because he was one of those that came along every once in a while about whom events seemed to swirl, as if caught in a whirlpool; he was someone who, no matter what path he chose, would undoubtedly lead an interesting life. Like many of his ilk, chaos dogged his footsteps like an unwanted but determined puppy.
With him gone, Nerima would undoubtedly be quieter. That being said, however, the ward had its own brand of chaos - Furinkan had been infamous long before the arrival of the pigtailed martial artist, after all.
Moments after the perpetually lost youth made his appearance, said chaos reared its head - in the form of one deranged kendoist, who had just spotted Ami on her perch and was rapidly approaching from behind.
"Dear Akane!"
Newly acquired reflexes came into play as Ami deftly caught her attacker - none too gently - before launching him towards the street. As her conscious brain caught up, she scowled. The residents had warned her about Tatewaki Kuno, and his obsession with a girl named Akane Tendo, to whom she bore a startlingly close resemblance - from the shoulders up, anyway. While Ami was normally a pacifistic person, she held a strong dislike of males who forced unwanted attention upon members of the opposite sex.
Between that and her present frustration, it was with uncharacteristic enthusiasm that she proceeded to beat the tar out of the would-be samurai.
After several minutes of cathartic violence, Ami stepped back, regarding the unconscious mound of flesh with a kind of detached bewilderment and growing unease. Before, she had always regarded conflict as a distasteful necessity, but there was no doubt she had very much enjoyed handing out a severe beating. By all accounts the victim in question was hardly a model citizen and was probably in dire need of professional help, but still...
She was pulled from her musings by the lone observer who hadn't immediately fled when one of Nerima's infamous conflicts broke out. "A-akane? What happened to you?"
Ami turned to regard the speaker. He was the one she'd noted just before being attacked; rugged looking and wearing black pants, yellow shirt and a distinct spotted bandanna. On his back he carried a large backpack and umbrella. From some of the warnings she'd recieved, she realized this was probably Ryoga Hibiki, one of the martial artists who frequently tore up the district. He was currently staring at her like she'd grown a second head.
The senshi sighed and fought the urge to rub her forehead. She was a patient person, but the day had been trying - even for someone used to putting up with Usagi and the rest of the Inners. "Listen, Ryoga, right?" The Lost Boy nodded, clearly confused. "I realize I look like her, but I am not Akane Tendo. My name is Ami Mizuno, and I would really like to know what the hell happened to me."
Khu Lon looked up from the scrolls she was studying as her heir made an uncharacteristically quiet entrance into the room. The purple-haired had been rather quiet of late, ever since Khu Lon had forbidden her to track down her 'husband' in the aftermath of her confrontation with him at the Nekohanten. Not that the matriarch thought she'd be successful, but it was best not to take unnessecary chances.
Especially not with this new Ranma. A wry smile edged its way onto the elder's face as she thought of the elusive and oh so interesting young man. For someone who had seen and done as much as her, the chaos that he brought was like a breath of fresh air - and most entertaining. With this latest twist though, the rules had changed. Khu Lon was no fool; people did not change like that overnight, not naturally. He had become a most wondefully intriguing puzzle - and a dangerous one.
One her granddaughter was not ready to handle.
"Great-grandmother?"
"Hmm?" The aged woman raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her heir.
"Great-grandmother, I- please tell me, what took place between you and my husband?" The formal phrase sounded awkward coming from the usually energetic girl, and the elder frowned.
"Child, I do not think you can call young Ranma husband any longer-"
Xian Pu's eyes widened and she immediately protested. "But great-grandmother!"
Khu Lon cut her off with a sharp rap to the head. "Hush child, do not interrupt! Do you wish to know the answer to your question or not?"
The younger warrior nodded quietly. "Yes, great-grandmother."
The matriarch sighed. "Phantasmagoria. A false world, where the fancies of the mind are made real by magic and will. It's an exceeding rare thing to find someone who nows it these days, but once upon a time it was a very popular way to conduct duels between magic users, since even death can be overcome with force of will inside that technique." She paused before adding wryly, "that, and it kept the repair costs down. Collateral from a duel between powerful mages was considerable."
"That morning, when Ranma came to the Nekohanten, he drew us into a Phantasmagoria. He challenged me; a battle to the 'death'. We fought..." the matriarch shook her head ruefully. "I was too arrogrant. I have little talent in the arcane arts, but I know a master when I see one. Whatever happened to him, Ranma is beyond our reach for now."
Xian Pu let out a soft sound of dismay. "But the law-"
"Great-granddaughter, if I could not best him, then you could hardly be blamed for failing yourself. Besides, the magi have always been infamous for their refusal to submit to the laws of others. Now, shoo. Leave me to my scrolls; that last comment he made intrigues me, and it may be the key to the answer we seek."
The aged martial arts grandmaster shook her head as her granddaughter left the room. Ah, if only she'd been young again...
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(Posted Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:46)
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