This is a dark fic, so if you are of weak heart or if your offended by 
violence and bad language (or if you just don't like Ranma 1/2 in 
general) I would not recommend reading this. For those who don't fit in 
those categories... I suggest that you let your emotions run wild while 
reading.

Most of the characters within the story are from the Anime Series, Ranma 
1/2 and are property of Rumiko Takahashi, and whoever else may own the 
rights. I write this without permission and do so with no attempt to 
profit off of the marvelous works, rather I do so for everyone's 
benefit. Please enjoy and tell me what you think.

Notes:  <Chinese>
	"Japanese"
	'Thoughts'


A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction: Vengeance
	Prelude: Ryouga Plots Revenge
		by Ryan Erik


        The rain poured endlessly over the near flooding streets of 
Nerima on that Monday morning. Merchants along Nerima's streets closed 
shop early due to the storm and the people's unwillingness to leave the 
safety of indoors. Hitoshi Yoshida is one such merchant, owning a
flower shop which did oddly well in all seasons.
	  Hitoshi gazed outside through his glass door watching the rain wash 
the street clean of anything and anyone who stupidly attempted to brave 
it. He didn't care much for the very odd weather patterns that Nerima 
had picked up in the last couple years, but business certainly
has never been better. Strangely enough, his best customer hasn't been 
seen for days though. "I wonder what happened to that poor fool Kuno?"
        He didn't think that he would see anyone else today, so he went 
to flip the 'Closed' sign, but the door gave way to allow a young man 
enter. Hitoshi looked at this customer closely not recognizing him to be 
one of his regulars. 'Only Kuno would be foolish enough to actually buy 
flowers on a day like this... but maybe not.' He smiled and moved out of 
the way allowing his customer to enter. The young man closed his red 
umbrella vary warily and attached it to the back of his backpack, which 
gave Hitoshi a good view of the stranger.
        Standing quite tall, the man loomed over the short merchant, by 
a good foot or more. His hair is pretty short, but somewhat shaggy. His 
black hair hides a yellow and black spotted bandanna which only visible 
on the back of his head. He wore a look of confusion on his face that 
pointed that he knew not where he was. He looked like a boy who lost his 
way from home, but this is no child. The young man looked Hitoshi's way 
giving him a good view of his face even though it was somewhat dark in 
the shop. His young but roughened features, look as if he has been 
through much weathering. Many girls would find him quite attractive, or 
so Hitoshi thought. His eyes are what made the man seem unordinary. They 
seemed to carry a great burden and hopelessness that were probably 
fueled by some inner self-loathing. Hitoshi considered himself a good 
judge of people who he just met, and this young man seemed undyingly 
troubled.
        "Can I help you, young man?" Hitoshi asked a few moments, after 
the young man had entered his shop and settled himself. "Are you looking 
for something or just trying to get out of the rain?" The man looked at 
him with a definite internal struggle going on within. The youth seemed 
very unsure of himself at that moment.
        "Umm... well, I'm looking for Nerima. You wouldn't happen to 
know where that is?" At least the boy knew Japanese. He looked at the 
merchant who beamed a warm smile at the him. "You do not have to look 
far, young one. You are standing in my flower shop that lies in the 
center of Nerima." The shock on the youth's face turned to ecstasy after 
a few moments. Hitoshi thought he heard the youth mumble something about 
thanking fate. "Well, you might as well make yourself comfortable. No 
one with any common sense would walk out in that downpour." The youth 
smiled at him showing a fang-like tooth.
        He found some chairs in his storage room and set them down, 
motioning for the youth to sit, as he took a seat himself. "Now why 
don't you tell me why you are so troubled while we wait for this storm 
to pass us by?" The youth took a seat and set his large pack on the 
floor. "Oh, I forgot my manners. I am Hitoshi Yoshida, owner of this 
fine establishment, the Flower Emporium." He stood up briefly and bowed 
to the youth before returning to his seat.
        The young man stood up bowed and said, "I'm Ryouga Hibiki." He 
sat down once more and appeared to be thinking deeply. The merchant 
relaxed in his chair and gave Ryouga his time to answer his first 
question. The youth looked eager to pour out his woes just as the 
heavens poured rain upon them this very day.
        "I don't know where to began," Ryouga said honestly throwing up 
his hands. The merchant reassured them that the rain would take a while 
to pass, so the youth began his story. "I guess it all began years ago 
when I first met him..." He put his hand through his hair pushing it 
aside and away from his eyes. He then told the merchant briefly about 
his first encounter with another youth named Ranma Saotome, of whom the 
Hitoshi was familiar. He described how they first
met. Ranma kept stealing bread from him in the lunch line in junior high 
school, and then he 'skipped out' on their duel. "...but the coward 
didn't have courage to show himself on the fourth day!" Ryouga then told 
him how he pursued Ranma across the ocean into China, and he described 
for Hitoshi, the many hardships that he encountered. "So I followed him 
to this place called Jusenkyo, but..."
	  "You went to Jusenkyo??!" Hitoshi was shocked. He was familiar with 
the accursed place. More then ten years ago, his wife and he were 
visiting China. After their visit to an exotic Amazon village, they 
found their way to Jusenkyo, where his wife fell into a spring and come 
out in the form of a dog. Even the best psychologist couldn't help his 
wife, who, after a few years of dealing with the curse, commited 
seppuko. "Did you get cursed?" Ryouga nodded sadly with his eyes upon 
the floor. Ryouga explained how the young girl knocked him into the 
spring of the drowned black piglet. Now when the poor youth comes into 
contact with cold water, he turns into a small black pig, while hot 
water reverses the transition back into a human. After that he told him 
of his hardships and how he once again had found Ranma Saotome. This is 
when he met his love Akane Tendo, who is the fiancee to Ranma, he went 
into detail about how Ranma teases him to no end. "So this Ranma, who is 
at fault for turning you into a pig in the first place, not only isn't 
sorry, but he also pokes fun at you?" Ryouga nodded causing Hitoshi to 
scowl.
        "So, what has happened since then?" Ryouga told him of his 
wanderings and how they always took him back to Nerima. He also 
explained the situation with Ranma, and how he leads on four women at 
their, and their other possible suitor's, expense. Of this he was very 
certain, for Ryouga made it very clear that he hated the young Saotome 
and wanted revenge on him desperately. "I see. You want revenge but 
hurting him would also in turn hurt Akane, and your chances with her." 
He pondered on this young man's poor luck, and wondered if anyone could 
have any worse?
        "Hmm, so does this Akane Tendo return your love at all?"
        "I don't know," was all Ryouga could say. "I know her love for 
Ranma, if she has any, is misplaced. He is a horrible person and can 
only insult her. Why can't she see that?" Hitoshi had been in the same 
situation years ago when he was a youth, and felt for this young man. 
"The only one who likes... well liked me, was a girl named Akari, but 
our last meeting was our last." The young man that told him of the girl 
named Akari whom loved him, but they were not fated to be. "She wanted 
me to love her, but I couldn't for another holds my heart. Akane will 
always posses my heart and I will do anything for her." He described 
their last meeting, which was a very bitter one. He told her of his love 
for Akane, and she expressed her undying love. He said that he could 
never love her back, and she left heart broken.
        "You should tell this Akane of your love for her. That is the 
only way you'll ever know if she loves you, or could love you back." 
Ryouga looked like he was about to cry but he didn't. "You are having 
problems working up the nerve, no?" Ryouga nodded and Hitoshi spoke 
again. "Remember what you said. You said that you would do anything for 
her? Well, you have to tell her now, or never."

                *               *               *

        The rain stopped and Ryouga Hibiki bid the very generous flower 
shop owner farewell. He looked at the beautiful bouquet of roses that he 
held in his hands, of which Hitoshi-san had been very generous and 
offered them for half of the cost. He would win Akane's heart tonight... 
	He neared the Tendo dojo at dawn the next day and was exhausted from 
lack of sleep. He day dreamed as he walked in the doors...

        "Oh Ryouga!" Akane fell into his arms and embraced her. His 
fantasy was short lived though, for he failed to watch where he was 
going and walked right into the koi pond. **SPLASH**!

        "Bwee!!" A small black piglet, wearing a familiar yellow 
bandanna with black spots, emerged from the pool instead of the young 
man. The small pig squealed and barely stayed afloat until he felt 
someone pick him up by his bandanna.
        "So Ryouga, you decided to show up after all." The black pig 
glared at the young red head, who held him, and tried to bite her. "Hey 
now! No need to be rude, sheesh." She dropped him away from her and the 
pig fell to the floor squarely on his behind, causing pain to spread 
throughout his entire being.
        The young woman collect Ryouga's gear from the koi pond and also 
managed to grab the flowers before they were ruined. "Are these for me 
Ryouga?" she teased. "You shouldn't have." Anger flooded the mind of the 
small black pig. The flowers that he got for Akane would now be stolen 
by Ranma, the bastard. 'You are so dead!' the small black pig thought.
        The girl, named Ranma, managed to pick up Ryouga by the bandanna 
and carry him into the dojo. "You stay right her now, I'll get us some 
hot water." She left him alone in the gigantic dojo. He thought of all 
the horrible things he wanted to do to Ranma.
        A handsome young man returned in her place, his hair soaking 
wet. "So, did you get our invitation? We knew we'd have to send one out 
to you earlier then everyone else's so that you'd arrive on time." 
Ryouga looked at him in confusion as he changed back into a human when 
the young man poured hot water over him.
        Ryouga quickly dressed himself and picked up the flowers. "I 
don't know what your talking about Ranma, but I won't fall for any of 
your tricks today!" He passed Ranma, brushing by him angrily. Ryouga 
turned to look at him and glared. "Invitations for what?" His face 
wrought with confusion and anger.
        "Well, the wedding of course! So you didn't get it?"
        "Who's getting married? Did Dr. Tofu finally ask Kasumi to marry 
him?" Ranma laughed out loud. 'He will pay for mocking me.' Ryouga 
attacked him with a fierce punch to the face, which Ranma dodged with 
ease.
        "Cool down man!" Ranma tripped Ryouga and sent him sprawling 
onto the floor. "Akane and my wedding, you dolt!"
        Ryouga stopped dead. He started to pull himself off of the floor 
but his legs were unwilling. His whole world seemed to be crashing down 
on top of him at that moment, and he hoped it would crush him. There was 
nothing left. Nothing. He felt nauseous and fell back to the floor 
unconscious.

                *               *               *

        Ryouga opened eyes and stared into the eyes of his goddess. He 
gazed into those brown orbs and drowned himself in them. His head 
flooded with pain and he moaned softly. "Oh I think he's awake!" came a 
soft voice, the soft voice that he loved so much. It was the voice that 
cared for him so many times when he was down or injured. "Are you okay, 
Ryouga?"
        Ryouga came to and looked around. He was in the Tendo's living 
room, and above him was his one and only love. Akane. "Yeah," he 
muttered faintly. He sat up and looked Akane smiling at him. 'Can this 
be a dream? I'm with her and I'm not a pig! She seems happy to see me!' 
He then noticed Ranma a few feet back and realized the gravity of the 
situation. "Is it true Akane? Your getting married?"
        Akane's eyes dazzled and she beamed a beautiful smile at him. 
"Yes! We're getting married in the spring!" That was like a dagger in 
the heart to poor Ryouga who lay back. Ranma had won. Ranma had won a 
battle so final that there was no surviving, no second chances. His 
mouth ran dry and his thoughts simply vanished. She was marrying his 
most hated enemy.       	Ranma also came over and smiled at him but 
Ryouga's icy return cause him to back off. "I'm going to head out. I'll 
be back soon Akane." Ranma's departure enabled Ryouga to breath once 
more. How could this be happening?
        A few moments passed and Akane stood up. "Can I get you some tea 
or water Ryouga? You've been out for most of the day." He knew what he 
had to do. "Ryouga?" Akane pressed her hand against his forehead trying 
to feel for a temperature. "You don't have a fever." He stood up next to 
her and grabbed her hands gently.
        "Akane... I... I... I'm sorry. I have to go for good this time." 
She looked at him with a compassion that only she could show to him, the 
lost boy. She tried to stop him as he turned and fled.
        "Ryouga wait! Please don't go!" Her pleas turned his heart to 
mush as he ran from the accursed house. "Ryouga! Please stop..." He ran 
as fast as he could, putting as much distance as he could between him 
and her. Tears flooded his eyes and he had no idea where he was going,
but he didn't care anymore. His heart of glass shattered, and he had 
only himself to blame. He never had the nerve to tell Akane his true 
feelings, and Ranma beat him to the punch. Ranma. The name was the only 
thing in his head right now. The name that brought him so much pain in 
the past was the name of the person who delivered the fatal blow. 'How 
could Akane love such a worthless piece of shit??!!'
	Wandering sounded pretty good at the present time.

                *               *               *

        Ranma Saotome left the dojo in low spirits. He didn't want to be 
on bad terms with any of his old friends, especially not so near to his 
wedding. Ryouga showed up on que and he expected the pig-boy to listen 
to reason and just live on. 'I expected that? from Ryouga?' He
laughed inwardly, but he found little humor in it. He set his mind up 
for what he was doing next.
        Ukyou Kounji, his best friend, was leaving town today and he was 
going to her restaurant to wish her farewell. Another friend was leaving 
his life today. She had refused his invitation to the wedding stating 
that it would be too painful, and that she needed to move on into the 
next chapter of her life. Life without her wouldn't be as pleasant but 
life always goes on.
        He neared Ucchan's, Ukyou's restaurant and his pet name for her. 
There were no customers today, for she was packing up and moving out. He 
walked in he receiving a familiar greeting, "You came, Ranchan." She 
seemed to say that to reassure herself more then anything. She smiled 
and greeted him with a hug.
        "Of course I did Ukyou! What are best friends for?" His last 
words seemed to make the mood a little more dim, but she brightened up 
quickly. "I'm sad that you have to leave Nerima... I'll miss ya." He 
smiled faintly at her, and she beamed one back.
        "You'll have very little time on your hands, especially with 
Akane becoming your wife and running the dojo." He nodded but it was 
only half sincere. "Since your here, why don't you help me pack?" He 
nodded and they went about most of the day packing her stores equipment, 
and other items.
        Day turned to night and their job was finished. "Thanks, Ranma." 
She walked over to him from her seat at the grill. "I'm going to miss 
you so much." Tears started to flow from her eyes and she reached out 
for him.
        "Don't cry Ucchan... I'll always be there for you when you need 
me." He always hated when girls cried, especially when he was to blame. 
He held her tightly, and then she tilted her head and kissed him fully 
on the lips causing him to look back in shock.
        "You have my promise that I will never interfere with yours and 
Akane's lives again." He nodded sorrowfully as she walked him out of her 
shop and closed the doors behind him. Tomorrow would be a day of new 
beginnings for her, and he only could hope and pray that she would be 
okay.
        He headed back to the dojo not noticing the figure whom stood 
across the street, witnessing the whole scene.

                *               *               *

        Night fell upon the lost boy, and he once again he was somewhere 
unfamiliar. His eyes still red from a recent cry, scanned his 
surroundings, which were still within a city. He noticed the signs were 
still in Japanese, so he couldn't have wandered too far from Nerima, 
even though that was his intent.
        As he chose to lose himself in the vastness of the world, fate 
took over and guided him to where he was meant to be at the right 
moment. Ryouga supposed that he went places without purpose but that 
simply wasn't true, for he had saved more people without trying then 
Jackie Chan had in all of his movies put together. Ryouga never thought 
twice about this and, therefore, was given renewed hope of life with 
meaning.
        Why he ended up at Ucchan's, he did not know but he decided to 
approach it and maybe get a few bites to eat. Ukyou was always a good 
friend to him when it came to feeding him.
        He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the young man in the 
red Chinese shirt, and baggy black pants that he knew too well for his 
own liking. "Rannnnma," he growled under his breath in an attempt to not 
catch anyone's attention. He watched intently on the scene before him. 
Ranma and Ukyou were talking when suddenly they embraced and he saw them 
began to kiss deeply. His thoughts burned with hatred and renewed anger 
for Ranma Saotome. He would kill him right now if he were able but that 
would only bring more trouble then good it could possibly do. Now 
anyway. 'Ranma will pay for his unfaithfulness to Akane!'
        He concealed himself in the shadows, as Ranma exited Ucchan's 
and walked down the street. He thought about following for a moment, but 
it was already too late as Ranma had disappeared out of sight.
	Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to visit Ukyou after all.

                *               *               *

Four days later.

        It was another one of those long days for young Ranma Saotome. 
He was woken up early, like always, for practice with his father. As if 
on que, he fell into the koi pond requiring hot water to reverse his 
curse. Unfortunately, he never got to use it for Akane punted him far 
away for commenting on her horrible cooking. He landed squarely on Kuno, 
who chased him around Nerima for a good half an hour before he could get 
back to the dojo and change back with the hot water that he had prepared 
earlier. Now, he was off to try and convince Cologne and Shampoo, for 
the thousandth time, to back off and let him marry Akane.
        "Airen!" The expected cry came from the restaurant that he was 
approaching and a familiar purple-haired girl came rushing at him. He 
sighed an prepared for the upcoming glomp, but it never came. "You get 
rid of Violent Tomboy and marry Shampoo now, yes?"
        Ranma sighed. He knew this wasn't going to be an easy task, but 
it had to be done. "Shampoo, please listen to me for a minute." She 
nodded in consent and he continued. 'Shampoo, I can't marry you. I love 
Akane, and nothing is going to break the bond that we share. Great, now 
all I have to do is say it!' "Umm... Shampoo?"
        "Hai?" She smiled at him affectionately.
        "I don't love you." He regretted his words right after he said 
them. 'Good going slick,' he thought to himself. She only stared at him 
in disbelief. She was about to say something but he cut her off. "I-I... 
love Akane, and nothing anyone can do will ever make me change my mind." 
His heart beat quickly as he held his breath, waiting for a reaction.
        She sighed aloud and spoke, "Great-grandma prepare Shampoo for 
while now. Shampoo no cry." He finally took in a breath. He hated seeing 
women cry. "Come here, Ranma." She pulled him by the collar of his blue 
Chinese shirt and into a side alley that was currently unoccupied by 
anything. She looked at him long and hard and drew him close into an 
embrace and kissed him for a moment and then released.
        "Uhh... Sh-sh-shampoo?? What was that for?" he wondered how the 
old Ghoul had prepared her for him and he started to panic even more. 
Shampoo let him take a few steps back then she sighed.
        "That how Shampoo say good bye, Air... Ranma."

                *               *               *

        From across the street, once more Ryouga watched Ranma take 
advantage of another girl! His day of death is now!!

                *               *               *

	  Ranma started to make his way away from Shampoo and back to the Tendo 
Dojo when he heard a familiar battle cry. "Die Saotome!" He rolled his 
eyes and took a defensive stance as Ryouga charged him. "You'll pay for 
what you've done to Akane!" Ryouga closed the ground between them 
quickly and Ranma prepared for Ryouga's very anticipated attack. 
"Bakusai Tenketsu!" The ground exploded, spraying pieces of concrete 
everywhere but Ranma was well aware of the range that Ryouga's over used 
move gave him. "Die for Akane!" He rushed Ranma like the fool he was and 
jumped into the air bringing his foot down to crush the life from his 
victim.
        Ranma dodge this attack, moving just far enough not to get hit 
then closed in on Ryouga. "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Ryouga managed to 
block a few of the punches, but nearly one hundred slipped through his 
defense.
        "Gah!" Ryouga, taking the beating, then attacked Ranma with a 
few swipes of his umbrella but Ranma again dodged his strikes and then 
countered with several punches that struck Ryouga. Unexpectedly, Ryouga 
jumped back instead of his normal go for the kill move and unleashed a 
storm of bandannas. Ranma dodged the missiles and made his way towards 
Ryouga cautiously. Ryouga's battle aura was flaring now, and he jumped 
high into the air in preparation for another jump kick.
	  'What a fool.' Ranma, as a near master of the Anything-Goes Martial 
arts system, was a aerial combat expert. Ranma threw himself up into the 
air and engaged the lost boy like he does his father every morning of 
every day. Ryouga was quick to fall, realizing his mistake.
	  "You are going to die!!!! Bakasai Tenketsu!" The blast caught Ranma, 
near full on this time, as he landed from their aerial brawl. He had 
barely enough time to bring up his arms and protect his face from the 
blast.
	  Ranma, bruised and bleeding if a few areas, angrily lunged at Ryouga, 
kicking him in the face hard. Ryouga tumbled backwards with the blow, 
but still got up. 'Man, he just won't quit!' Ryouga, once again, charged 
with a barrage of punches, kicks, and umbrella slashes. Ranma used his 
Amaguriken to block every single attack.
	  Angered at his failure Ryouga jumped back.
	  "Come on man, lets talk about this?" Ranma offered which Ryouga 
answered with a rising battle aura. 'Damn it! He's going to use the 
Shishi Houkou Dan! He'll level the whole area for sure!' Unwantingly, 
Ranma charged Ryouga and leveled him with a kick that could've destroyed 
a brick wall.
        Ryouga fell to the the floor, obviously unconscious and beaten. 
"Stupid P-chan! Why do you gotta always go pickin' fights with me?" He 
looked at Ryouga's limp form and decided he'd had enough of him and left 
him on the street. He examined his favorite red shirt, which would now 
need Kasumi's sewing skill. 'I'm getting careless. He shouldn't have hit 
me.' He took one last look to see a small crowd looking over the 
unconsicous fool. 'He'll be okay enough to attack another day...'

                *               *               *

        "Ryouga, you took some nasty concussions but you'll be fine." 
The voice seemed confident, and concerned for him. He managed to shift 
one eyes open, but his vision was blurred and the bright light hurt his 
adjusting eyes.
        'How many times this week will I need to be revived?' he 
wondered. He shifted his other eye open and tried to focus on what was 
in front of him. White. He is staring at a white ceiling.
	"Your going to be okay, Ryouga." A familiar voice reassured him. "You 
just had a nasty concussion, but you should heal pretty quickly and be 
ready to leave tomorrow." He returned Dr. Tofu's stare.
        Ryouga tried to pull himself into a sitting position but Tofu 
held him down. "Try not to strain yourself. You'll recover quicker that 
way." Yes. He must recover to exact revenge on Ranma somehow. All of a 
sudden he felt very drowsy.  'I... can't stay... awake.'


        Ryouga's eyes shot open and he sat up immediately. He felt 
strangely refreshed, and his head barely hurt at all. He remembered the 
day before's events and he tried to hold back his anger. 'No reason to 
get upset now... I must concentrate and get revenge on that filthy 
cheating bastard.'
        "I'm glad your awake. You can go whenever you want now for I 
held you back a couple more days so you could at least be in good shape 
before you go out charging into a fray once again."
Dr. Tofu knew him too well. Ryouga gathered his gear, after thanking the 
good doctor, and made his away towards the Tendo Dojo which, because of 
fate, he would not see for a good deal of time.


______________________________________________________________________

In the next part Ryouga wanders and finds himself
in China, with a cure to all of his problems.
Ranma and Akane's relationship just seems to get
better and better, but how long can it last before
something bad happens? Find out in the first part
of Vengeance.


Ryan Erik
ryanerik59@hotmail.com or
magusbloodstone@hotmail.com

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