Well, here it is. The beginning of that damn Ramna fic everyone has been bugging me about. About one of the tags, [Dawn]. Not dark, but not too light, either. Trying for a nice blend. Also, does anyone else know what animals were held sacred by the Japanese? I know Tiger, Dragon and Phoenix. What others were there? On with the show.... *************************************** There are infinite worlds and realms, and on those worlds, an infinite amount of fighters. Some fight for power, others for greed, yet others for money. But there are still a lone few that fight for the challenge. That fight for the honor. That fight for love. This is the story of three fighters, chosen by destiny to participate in a battle that would determine the best fighters of all the worlds. But they have more at stake then just their reputations. Much more. They have entered.... Mortal Combat. ******** "Ranma! Prepare to die!" Ryoga shouted as he flew at Ranma, his umbrella leveled at his most hated rival's head. Ranma ducked with ease, and returned with two quick kidney punches that had no effect on the Lost Boy. As Ranma was ducking, Kuno took the moment to attack. "Ranma Saotome, for your crimes against the beautious Akane Tendo, and the vibrant Pig-Tailed One, I, Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High School and Rising Star in the High School Kendo World, will punish you!" Kuno lost the perfect opportuninty to strike, as he was too busy waving his Pointy Stick around, and posing. Ranma pivoted from his squatting posistion, and launched a rising crescent kick, that he followed with a falling heel strike to Kuno's collarbone. A clatter was heard as a bokken fell to the ground, the pressure point paralyzing Tatewaki's arm. Ranma thought to himself. He closed in for a long battle with Ryoga. Just then, Ranma felt a presence. A powerful presence. It could only be one of two people, and because Ranma was still male, he figured it had to be... "Old Ghoul. What do-*dodge*-you-*punchpunch*-want?" Ranma asked, not missing a beat in his and Ryoga's beautiful dance. "It is time, Ranma Saotome, heir of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling." Khu Lon intoned. Ranma stopped. She didn't call him son-in-law. That could only mean one thing. And he didn't like to think of that one thing. Ranma turned to Kuno, touched a spot on his arm, and handed him back his bokken. He looked the kendoist in the eye with a solemn glare, and bowed formally to him. "It has been an experience knowing you, Tatewaki Kuno-sempai. I would be honored if you would not forget me should I fail." Surprisingly, Kuno returned the bow just as deeply. "Truly, the honor is mine, Saotome-kohai. The world would be a sadder place, should we lose you. You must endeavor to come back." With that, Kuno turned, bowed to Khu Lon and Ryoga in turn, and left. Ranma turned to Ryoga. "You know what this means." Ranma stated. "Yeah. A victory party when you get back. They won't have anything on you, Ranma. I've been fighting with you for a year now, and I know that you are better then Aiji ever was." Ryoga took a few steps toward Ranma, and looked him in the eyes, with a sad yet hopeful expression. Ryoga knew that this was going to be difficult, but he didn't want to lose Ranma. Ranma felt the same way. The pair threw their arms around each other, and embraced like brothers that knew it would be a long time until they saw each other again. For that is what they were. Brothers. Ranma broke the hug, and bowed deeply to his Brother. "Ryoga Hibiki, I name you my Art Childe. Should I fail, all that I know... all that I am, shall be passed unto you. As it is written..." Ranma stated, speaking the ancient words to the ritual, to ensure that what he knew would never be lost. "So shall it be." Ryoga intoned, accepting this honor. With that, the pair strode towards the Amazon Matriarch. As he walked, Ranma spoke to the night. "I have been chosen. I have named Ryoga my Art Childe. I name Akane Tendo as my Soul Bearer. For the sake of us all, I go." Ranma and Ryoga followed Khu Lon, and vanished. ******* Shampoo and Ukyo held each other as they sobbed. Even though they knew how good Ranma was, they were afraid. There were penalties for this, if he lost. Being killed was the least of it. What was worse, all memory of his ever existing would be wiped out. Only two people would ever remember him, his Art Childe, and his Soul Bearer. They were neither. If he lost, they would forget that they ever knew him. They didn't want that. Ukyo and Shampoo looked at each other, and cried harder. ******* Mousse sat in quiet contemplation on the rooftop of the Nekohanten. He didn't understand why he was feeling this way. He should be happy that Ranma was going to fight this impossible fight. He should be happy that all knowledge that Ranma ever existed was going to be stricken from the minds of everyone on the planet. He should be happy that Shampoo would forget all about that wretch, and be his. He should be ecstatic that Ranma would soon be out of his way completly, but he wasn't. Mousse couldn't put a finger on it, but something inside him made him say "Hurry back, Saotome. You definitly are... an interesting time." ******* Deep in the forests of China, a minotaur raised his head, and gave honor to one that he would never honor otherwise. But Taro knew the legends, and any chosen should be honored for their bravery. ******* Elsewhere in China, Herb sat on his throne lost in thought when the sending hit him. He, Lime, and Mint all looked at each other, then murmured their best wishes to Ranma. Herb, Soul Bearer of Spice, muttered "You're going to need it, Saotome." ******* The Tendo Dojo was hit hardest by the sending. Four Martial Artists sat, staring at each other, lost deep in thought. Akane was the only one that could speak. "Ranma. Come back to us. Please." Soun, Genma, and Happosai could only nod as Akane broke into tears. Her words summed it up for them, as well. ******* Ranma, Ryoga, and Khu Lon entered a black stone hallway, lit by torches in wall sconces. As they walked, Ranma looked at the walls. Written in various languages, was the same passage, over and over again. As it was written wherever Martial Arts was taught. It was the first thing taught to a student, when they passed the threshold from martial arts, to the pure Martial Arts. It was a simple phrase that meant more then anything else that they were ever taught. One Shall Fight For All To Live And now, it was Ranma's turn. ************** Ranma looked around, trying to catch a last glimpse of the door he had just stepped through. He couldn't see anything. Just a blinding whitness that didn't seem to eminate from anywhere. No sounds beyond his own. No scents, and no tactile sensation. Just a blinding white light. A moment later, a figure emerged. As the figure walked towards Ranma, it became more distinct. It was a man, wearing a white dogi, his shoulder length black hair not moving, his eyes glinting like metal. He walked toward Ranma, stopping ten feet away. He stood there for a moment, then shifted his left leg back a bit, and brought his fists up in a defensive posture. "Ranma Saotome, of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling, I challenge you to The Duel!" the figure shouted. Ranma stared at his opponent's face, gazing into his steel eyes, and started to smirk. "Great. I thought you would never stop posing. I thought for a moment I was in Fist of the Northstar." he quipped as he slid into an easy stance, all his weight on the balls of his feet to allow for quick movement. Although Ranma maintained the arrogant smile, he was quaking on the inside. This was the person that gave Martial Arts to the people of Earth in the first place. No one knew why, and he wasn't talking. The two stared at each other for an eternal second, then the man shot into a fury of motion. Twelve punches flew at Ranma's head in the blink of an eye. And in the same blink, Ranma fell to the ground on his back, and launched himself into a forward rising kick, intended to hit the Master's stomache. The Master took the blow and braced himself against Ranma's shin, vaulting over the boy. Ten feet away, the Master righted himself. Five more times did Ranma and the Master pass each other. Five times did each's defenses prove impenetrable. The Master looked at the boy, and cupped his hands together at his side. A yellow glow started to eminate from them, as the master gathered his ki into a ball. The master's eyes never left Ranma, nor did he speak or sweat. Ranma glared back and began to gather his ki. A red aura flared around him as he closed his eyes. With a sepulchral voice, Ranma began to speak. "A mountain gains in strength as it crumbles. The inevitable downward progression builds power, and destroies all in its path." Ranma's eyes flew open, and he locked his gaze on the man before him. "Master, I present to you, Ranma Saotome Secret Technique. AVALANCHE BLAST!" The red aura condensed into a ball in Ranma's hands. Then more ki started flowing into the ball, and it grew larger. Ki flowed from the very room they were standing in, and the ball grew still larger. Ki flowed from the Master's own hands, and ball stopped growing. Ranma stood there, eyes glazed in concentration, holding a six foot radius sphere of ki. Blood began to trickle from his lips as his teeth bit into, then through the tender flesh. Sweat cascaded down the Martial Artist's brow as he poured every inch of his self into containing the energy until... The release was orgasmic as Ranma unleashed all the ki he had stored between his hands in one destructive blast of energy. Every nerve in his body was on fire as the attack tore out of his grasp and pulsed towards his opponent. The man said nothing as he thrust his arms forward, releasing a ball of ki the size of a pool ball, streaking yellow light behind it as it made it's way to Ranma. The blasts collided in a spectacular explosion. The master's, weakened by Ranma's ki drain, dissappated upon contact. Ranma's blast was considerably weakened by the master's,but pushed on, and overtook the man, slamming him into a wall that was not there. Ranma stood there, gasping for air as he watched the man slowly slump to the wall. A disc of light opened behind him, and Ranma took one more look at the man that lay crumpled there, before stepping through. ************ "Ranma! You made it back!", Ryoga shouted as he pulled Ranma into a tight hug that Ranma returned. "Man, I just want to go home.... Let's go..." Ranma put his arm around Ryoga's shoulder to try and balance himself as they made their way back to the Tendo Dojo. ************ Ranma knocked on the front door of the Tendo Dojo, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Ryoga was still at the gate. "Yes, may I help you?" a rather pleasent voice answered when the door opened. "Oh, I'm sorry. I could have sworn this was the Tendo Dojo. I'm very sorry to have bothered you. Please forgive me." Ranma said as he began to walk away. "But sir. This is the Tendo Dojo. Let me go get my husband, Soun." The woman walked off, leaving a dumbfounded Ranma. Ranma, not knowing what else to do, got Ryoga, and waited for Soun to show. "Minami said that you were looking for the Tendo Dojo. I run the Dojo. Is there anything I can do for you?" Soun said. Ranma was shocked. Soun didn't remember him. "Ummmm..... Yes, Te.... I mean... sir.... My friend and I are wandering Martial Artists, and we ran out of money, and were wondering if you could let us stay at the Dojo for a while until we figure out where we are going to go next." "I don't see why not. Let me bring you in to meet the rest of my family. You will be expected to help out in return for the food and lodging. Come in, please." Soun opened the door a bit wider, and moved aside to let Ranma and Ryoga in. ************ Back in the Room of Testing, Shiaaku, Master of Martial Arts, stood up and smiled. "Ranma Saotome, the test has now begun." End for now....... -- JD Farber email: sabreb@erols.com ICQ: 3378089 Lover of Shonen Girls, and Shojo Men. ESPECIALLY RYEN!!!!