Genma Saotome cursed quietly as he stared at the no-longer dark and silent temple. It had been such a simple plan, one that worked plenty of times before. When he ran into rumors of powerful magical artifacts, he'd send the boy in to check the place out. If there wasn't anything to the rumors, there usually wasn't much in the way of defenses and he'd come back with some gold or silver. If there were defenses, Genma could use the distraction Ranma made to get the item himself.
So, how had things gone so horribly wrong this time? He'd been lurking in the shadows near the temple, and had just about resigned himself to this being another false rumor. He'd been more than disappointed with that - it had been the strongest rumor of a Rainbow Crystal he'd heard in years. So, he'd been waiting for the boy to come out with whatever he could find... and then he'd noticed that he wasn't alone.
There had been another person watching the temple. Fortunately, she hadn't been looking for anyone else, so he was able to sneak up on her easily enough. Somehow, he almost wished he hadn't been able to.
She had had an aura of power, the likes of which he hadn't seen in ten years. Not since that horrible day...
He'd been bringing Ranma to meet Soun's girls. After all, if they wanted the engagement to work out, it was best that the children had a chance to meet. What he had seen when he'd arrived had pushed all thought of that from his mind. Soun's training hall, of which Genma's friend had been so proud, had been aflame. And... standing in the center of the fire, laughing, had been a small, elderly man, one who Genma had hoped never to see again. Happosai.
Genma had risked sending one short, cryptically worded message of warning to Nodoka. Then, he had taken Ranma and run, and for the past ten years, neither of them had stayed in the same place for more than a month.
Genma shook his head, clearing it of the stray thoughts. When he had felt that woman's aura, it had not been hard to guess who she worked for. He had frozen, afraid that it was him she had come for. He was ashamed to admit that he had been almost too petrified to put up a fight. It was lucky that the woman hadn't noticed him, instead going into the temple.
Genma cursed again. Lucky in one sense, but Ranma had been in there. He might not show it all the time, but that boy was his son! He had tried - oh, he had tried - to work up the courage to follow the woman into the temple. He had been just about managed it when the sound of fighting had suddenly stopped.
The temple was awake now, and he was by no means foolish enough to try to sneak into a temple that no doubt was alert for any further attacks. It had been almost an hour now, and there had been no sign of Ranma.
Genma didn't even want to consider the possibility that he was dead. He had to have just been captured by the priestesses. Best to wait till the morning or the next night, when things would be calmer there. Then he'd get Ranma out, just like that time with those cat-priests. A day or so in prison would do the boy good anyway, remind him not to get sloppy.
Genma Saotome cursed at the temple one last time, and vanished into the night.
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(Posted Tue, 17 Feb 2004 01:57)
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