And underneath it all, was the corpse of Genma Saotome, crushed flatter than a pancake.
Now at this point, Ranma had no clue of what he his father has done to screw his life over, so naturally Ranma wept over the loss of the only parental figure he's ever known. With his father gone, what would he do now?
It was then Ranma heard a voice behind him. "Are you all right, little one?"
Turning around, Ranma saw the woman. She was lithe, and stood at 5'6". Her dark skin was accentuated by her platinum hair and white clothing. Her violet-colored eyes sparkled like the bullion which had just crushed his father. What Ranma found truly surprising was that the woman was that she had long, pointed ears.
After a few moments of silence, Ranma found his voice. "Who are you?" The young Ranma asked, unsure of what this woman wanted.
Looking down at the scrawny boy, Pirotess wondered how this child would become the Hero of a new age. However, she knew he would be, for her departed lord Ashram had commanded her to watch over and raise the child.
Getting down on one knee so she was close to eye level with Ranma, Pirotess placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't worry child. I'll take care of you. I'll raise you, and make you into a strong, noble warrior." Pirotess spoke softly.
Ranma was surprised. The woman before him was saying she'd take care of him. He didn't know why someone would offer to take care of him out of the blue, as the thought of someone wanting the gold didn't even cross his mind.
However, another thought had entered Ranma's young mind, a possible answer to his own thoughts on why the woman would offer to raise him, combined with teh fact that, for the life of him, he couldn't remember the woman's face...
"A, are you my mother?" Ranma asked innocently, and with a bit of hope.
To say Pirotess was a surprise, would be an understatement. The Drow had not expected the child to ask her if she was his mother. Didn't the child realize she was a Dark Elf while he was human!?
Yet for some reason, as she looked into his sad face, Pirotess couldn't help but feel some cold place inside her heart melt. His raven-black hair and sapphire-blue eyes reminded her of Ashram... As if the boy were her late lord Ashram's own son... Like one she had secretly hoped, secretly longed to have with her late beloved... Perhaps, that is what made Pirotess decide to respond as she did...
"Yes, my son... It's mommy..." Pirotess answered, albeit hesitantly. She was surprised when Ranma wrapped his small arms around her neck, yet found herself hugging him back.
"Mommy! I missed you mommy! I missed you so much!" Ranma cried into her shoulder as he hugged her as tightly as his little arms could.
Pirotess didn't say anything as she continued to hug the small boy, letting him get out his anguish.
(------)
Some time later, Pirotess had calmed down Ranma. Playing him on a nearby rock to sit, Pirotess decided to take care of the obscene amount of gold just laying there. A Bag of Holding took care of that problem, and she made a mental note to give the gold back to Ranma when he was old enough to understand how to deal with finances and currency wisely.
Pirotess was kind to Ranma as she had him turned away at the time when she unearthed Genma's remains from underneath the gold. The man was crushed, and while death didn't disturb Pirotess, (as she had become accustomed to it) it slightly unnerved her that the corpse seemed to be... Smiling... She disposed of the body quickly, hefting up the somewhat-heavy corpse and tossing it into a river, to let nature take care of it.
Once that was done, Pirotess had gone through some of Genma's things, which hadn't been crushed, as she needed information. While she knew lying would be wrong in this case, she somehow, couldn't help but WANT to be the boy's mother, and she would at least need to now his name!
So, searching through the late Genma Saotome's backpack, she found a journal and in it were the tellings of Genma's more underhanded deeds, and a few contracts... One contact in particular, with the Daijkoku, stated Genma had sold his, no, HER son for a fish, a bowl of rice, and two pickles! HE SOLD HER SON FOR MANGY SCRAPS OF FOOD!
It was then Pirotess decided the fat bastard that Genma was, was lucky to have died the way he did. She would have done a lot worse, had she gotten to him first.
Putting down the journal, Pirotess had gotten her answers. She knew her son was engaged to at least six families through this man's underhanded promises and contracts. Pirotess would have to find some way to anull these agreements, as she did not want HER son being hitched to some girl she didn't know because of the actions of some DEAD, FAT FOOL!
Boy, is she in for a surprise...
See other episodes by Red Priest of the 17th Order
(Posted Tue, 12 Nov 2002 20:31)
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