But Ritsuko, being the inquisitive child that she was had gone off examining all the life around her and had wound up getting herself lost. By the time that she realised that she couldn't hear her mother's calls anymore. Looking around, she found herself in a dark and spooky looking part of the forest where the trees let only enough light in to see by.
Seeing what had looked like a dog, she approached it in the hopes of making a freind. However, it had looked at her, then howled which brought about ten more of his kind. Now realising that she had been facing wolves, she ran, trying to get away before they could eat her. Unfortunately, they were faster than a little girl, and even with her headstart and lead, she couldn't get away from them. When she had tripped, it turned out to be what they were waiting for and one leapt at her.
Only to be hit by a tossed heavy tree limb. That strike sent the animal flying to the ground and confused the rest long enough for a little boy to grab Ritsuko's hand and tug her along in a run that she never thought that she would keep up with. The pigtailed boy seemed to be fine with it, and even managed some quick strikes at the wolves snapping at them in midstride.
Finally, when she had thought that her chest would burst and her legs would fall off, he bounded with her up a tree, high enough so that no matter how much the wolves jumped, they would never reach the pair. Add in the odds and ends that he had found and was tossing down at them, and it eventually became too much trouble for them to be bothered with.
Which was why when their parents had caught up them, they were found sleeping up in the branches. Her mother and father were greatful to him for saving her once they heard the story, and his father shut up about 'not doing it right' when the boy said something about 'improvising'. Still, the group stayed together, even going so far as to have a pair of dinners together.
That was when she showed what she thought of her 'hero'. No matter where Ranma went, she was sure to follow. She told everyone that he was her 'protector' and that they 'had to be together'. It hadn't mattered that he was a few years younger than her, nor was his saying that 'she was too weak to fight' going to sway her. Rather, she had adopted him as her 'Prince' and she wasn't about to let him go.
Seeing as how they were getting along so well, and how Ritsuko was so attatched to him, her parents had brought up the idea of engaging the pair. She had been all for it, and Ranma hadn't realised what was going on, but he had agreed to the concept of protecting her always. But it had taken a paid night at the resort for the agreement to be met, and with that 'guarantee', Ritsuko had allowed him to go to 'become a better protector'.
Looking at it now, she laughed quietly. The whole idea was absurd in her book, though she was happy that it was there. Even if it was made for her, it gave her the chance to escape becoming something other than the consistancy of slightly melted orange jello. All she had to do was to get a teenaged boy interested in her, and she would be set for life.
Of course, she didn't realise that she was already set up for an interesting reaction when she met up with him. That was something that she would find out soon enough.
At the moment, she was unaware of that little tidbit, and drinking her tea while:
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(Posted Tue, 19 Aug 2003 02:43)
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