Second Promise

Part the First:
Pity Party

Kuonji Ranma

A Ranma 1/2 crossover

Disclaimer: I own not these characters...merely
	    the situations and circumstances I 
	    thrust upon them unwittingly.


***************

"Ranma, prepare to die!"

Upon hearing these words, Ranma Saotome couldn't help but sigh.
If he were to be asked to sum up his life experiences in a
single phrase, that would be it. Those simple words were his
life for the past 4 years. It had been uttered so often in that span
of time that he couldn't even get too concerned that one of his many
enemies, rivals, hell, even fiancees, were after his head once again.
With another sigh, he turned around to face this new 'threat'. And 
facefaulted.


'Oh C'mon Mousse! I couldn't have possibly have done anything
to your precious Shampoo, I haven't been near the Nekohanten
all week!' Ranma stated, picking himself up off the ground.

'I know! and because of your abandonment, my Shan Pu is miserable!
You shall pay for every tear you've caused her! NOW DIE!'

With that, the myopic amazon charged at Ranma, producing a curved
blade seemingly from out of nowhere. He very nearly connected too,
Ranma was barely able to duck *he he* out of the way of Mousse's
first swipe, frantically dodging for a few moves before finally
finding his rhythm and closing his mouth.

You see, Ranma didn't almost get hit because Mousse had gotten
better, or faster, or trickier. No, Ranma almost got skewered 
because he had spent too much time gaping at his obviously mentally
challenged foe. Of course, Ranma wasn't one for much internal
thinking, so his mouth had to have it's say.

'Wait a sec...you're telling me you're actually mad because I'm
NOT hanging all over Shampoo?' Ranma asked incredulously, jumping
over the obligatory chains Mousse felt he had to throw in every 
match.

'SHUT UP! Do you think I like this Ranma? You think I enjoy having
to punish you for staying away from Shan Pu? But the woman that I
love is suffering, and all because you're too spineless to make
a decision! Now hold still so I can kill you, you enemy of all
womeeeeeeeeennnnnn...!'

This last bit was said as Mousse, who had just been punched into
LEO, flew towards the horizon, leaving behind a rather angry
martial artist, angry because Mousse's words held truth, truth
he wasn't ready to deal with yet.

'Mousse, you jerk! It's not I like the way my life is...' Ranma
growled to the empty air, 'I just can't see a way out without
...without damaging my honor. Honor, or rather, my father demands 
that I marry too many people, but...'

Ranma breathes in deeply, before saying the next few words...
it hurts even to say it to himself,

'...I also can't, or won't, marry any of them for honor, nor
for any other reason other than love. And...I can't marry them
for that. So the best I can hope for is to stall
them and hope for a miracle someday.' 

Ranma chuckles at his imaginary listener...you know, someone who 
actually does that, listens.

'Besides, why do you think it's taking me this long to get into
Tokyo U? 2 years? If I wanted to I would have been in by now, but
right now my graduating is the only thing standing between me and 
a lifetime with Akane *shudder* and that's a fate worse than death.'

Ranma spoke these last words in a whisper, his anger spent as he 
looked morosely up at the sky, once again wishing for a way out,
a way to live his own life without destroying anyone else's, hoping
against hope, that this time his wishes would be granted, his 
perserverance. Instead all he noticed was a distant rumbling of 
thunder, and the feel of water soaking him to the bone. Looking 
to her left, she saw a familiar old woman with a now empty ladle, 
walking inside her house, leaving Ranma-chan to sigh for the 3rd
time in less than 10 minutes,

'Great...'

************

Elsewhere:

We see a young woman soaking in a hot spring as she gazes up at the 
stars. The woman's dark tresses float peacefully behind her and seems
to reflect the light. She raises her arms before her face and looks at
her hands, they are callused and darkened, a direct opposite to the
rest of her pale, smooth, unblemished skin. 

A sigh escapes her lips and she bows her head and contemplates her 
reflection in the water as she considers her future. She had been 
sent to this place in the hopes that in a new environment, her studies 
would approve, but she knew that it would not matter where she was. 
She hadn't cared about her studies for the past two years, she had 
already discovered her passion, The Art,

"But I still have such a long way to go, just to compare to my elders.
 Why do they insist on wasting my time like this? Sticking me here 
 with these...these people! A drunkard, a chain smoker, and a brainy
 know it all. *sigh* How long? How long must I suffer this indignity?"

She raises her eyes to the sky once more, no longer in quiet sadness
but with a kind of tragic hope, a desire for a way out. Some miracle
that would make it possible for her to devote her all to The Art. 

She had already promised herself that she would never end up like 
her onee-san, but she needed to train, not just for peace of mind, 
but to be a better woman. With all this in her heart she implored the 
night, not for the first time, hoping that maybe this time, she would 
be heard. Instead, she heard a loud rustling as the air around suddenly
sped up, sending her hair sprawling about. 

After the wind had quieted down, and trying to convince herself that 
the wind was not a bad omen, she glanced down and caught her reflection. 
Bits of leaves and twigs  were intertwined her hair, which would take 
quite some time to get out. Sighing for the third time in less than 
ten minutes, she proceeded to work her hair free from accumulated debris.

'Great...'

*************

Elsewhere again:


A mysterious figure stands here, gazing into a pool at our two wishers.
He seems to think for a bit, before he seems to toss something round 
into the water. Obviously pleased with himself, he steps away from the 
pool.
 
'Heh, be careful what you ask for...I just might decide to give it to
 you.' he says with a very feline grin.

'Toltier! what are you doing over there?'

'Umm...nothing much Urd! No matchups going on over here, nope he he.'

'Well okay...you just remember, couples are my territory. As is befitting
of a goddess of LOVE! HA HA HA'

'Yeah sure!' Toltier waits until Urd turns and walks away before a sigh
escapes him. Looking until the pool one more time, he allows a smile
to settle on his face, 'Well now, let's see how this turns ou...t?

This said as he notices Urd coming up behind him.

'Oh yeah, I forgot what I came by to tell you, It's about Skuld, you'll
never guess what...ano? Why do you seem so jumpy? What were you looking
at? *takes a quick peek over Toltier's shoulder, not at all deterred
by his panicked attempts to block her* Oh, that looks interesting...'

*Pauses*

'WHAT THE HELL?'

**************
Author's notes:

Whoot! Another story, another
chapter. What a wild and crazy
roller coaster inspiration is!
Yes, this is another crossover,
seems like that's all I know
how to do. Maybe I just like 
having more characters than I 
know what to do with, or maybe 
I'm just an unthinking idiot, 
who knows? certainly not me!!!
Also, I am sereiously considering
a battle royale crossover, but I'm
not sure if we're read for that yet.
For those of you that don't know,
a b.r. fanfic would be DARK. let me
know whether ot not I should do it.  
Btw, I'm at an impasse right now, 
I have no idea which story to
work on next, please e-mail with
your picks cause i'm clueless.
As usual critiques are welcome
as long as they're constructive.
Flames will be used to stuff
Rizel-chan's stuffed husband.

-Kuonji Ranma

kuonji_ranma@hotmail.com

www.geocities.com/kuonji_ranma