If you are reading this story, please tell me.  I know I have
problems in my stories, and I desperately need the C&C.

Things happen how they happen.  This story is a product of my imagination,
and the pain I feel.

<disclaimer>
Okay, before I let you into the story, I have to state that THIS IS A VERY
DARK STORY! If you don't like that theme of story, turn back now.  Also
included in this story are scenes of rape and murder, so you would be well
advised to turn away if you hate that kind of stuff as well. </disclaimer>



Happi's Legacy,
A Ranma 1/2 Alternate world
By Liath Corrine Shadow
Episode 2


Darkness surrounds me.

Well, my eyes are closed, so of course I should only see darkness.

But darkness isn't just in the sight...it's in the feel.

I open my eyes slowly, and glance around me.  something feels
wrong, something feels...not right.

I'm in a room, not surprising.  It's dark outside, I probably slept a
long time.

Someone is in the room with me.  Someone small, shrivelled.

Whoever it is is standing, or is it sitting?, in the far corner of the
room.  Whoever it is looks up at me, and I can see into his eyes.

Deep into his eyes.

"I'm sorry.  I'm so, so sorry," My father whispers before vanishing
from my sight, leaving only a seeming of shimmering air.

Amazement strikes my heart.  My father?  Saying he's sorry?  Couldn't happen...

Unless...

Could he have changed?

Could death really have changed him that much?

The shimmering air is still hanging in front of me.  Why hasn't it disappeared?

A foot slowly steps down, from no-where.  A foot, then a leg, firmly muscled.

Slowly, as if whoever it was was fighting what was happening, a large bald
man appears.

The man from my dreams.

"Ranma,"  He whispers.  I can see tears in his eyes.  He holds his hands
out to me, still whispering, "Ranma, my son.  If, if only I could protect
you..."

"My son,"  his final whisper is carried on the wind, as he is dragged back
into the air by some unseen force.

Shivering, I watch as the air slowly stops shimmering.  I feel as though
something that should have happened didn't.

And won't, ever again.

*****

Morning comes with it's usual regularity.  Sun comes up, check.  Roll over,
check.  Father glomps me...

I wait.

Five minutes pass by.

Still waiting.

I peek open my eyes, sure that I'll see him sneaking up on me.

He's not there.

What happened?  He should be...here...

Memories rush back to me.  Yesterday, everything...

Men don't cry.

But, am I a man now?  Have I ever really been a man?

Tears flow down my cheeks as I give in.  A knock on my door,
someone...no...Kasumi asking, "Are you okay, Ranma-chan?  Imouto?"

I try to call out, but it only comes as a whisper, "I....I don't know..."

I think it was loud enough, because Kasumi opens the door quietly, slips
in, and closes the door behind her.  She walks over to me and kneels down,
lifting me carefully, and embracing me in a gentle hug.

"Ranma-chan, I know things are bad for you,"  She whispers in my ear, "They
are bad for everyone here,"  her hand strokes through my hair...just like I
remember my mother doing.

I hold onto her tightly, hoping that her gentleness isn't a dream, that I'm
not dreaming this kindness.

"Ranma, let me tell you a story..."

*****

A little girl stands just outside of her mothers kitchen.  She can smell
all the delicious foods coming from there, but she's not allowed in there.

The kitchen is Mothers Place.

Mother is kind and gentle in the Outside World, but in Mothers Place, it's
as if she's a different person entirely.

Screams of rage come from the kitchen as something goes wrong, yet again.
Things fly around, a few even hitting the walls.  Bursts of light and
crashes of thunder are heard in the kitchen.

Mothers Place is sacred.  None may go there.

"I want to be like her," the little girl whispers, "like Mother is in the
Outside World.  I don't want to be like her in Mothers Place,"  the girl
jumps back as a flying frying pan hits the wall right next to the door.  A
deep sadness is seen in her Mother's eyes as she looks at her daughter,
just outside of the room, "I love you, Mother.  I want to be a mother, like
you, but not like you."

That same day, her Mother brought her into the kitchen, and taught the
little girl.  She taught her how to be a Mother, how to hold everything
inside.  Her teachings also included how to cook, and the little girl loved
that.

Her mother also taught her many things that would startle and amaze.  The
girl has never shown anyone these teachings.  Ever.

*****

"The little girl,"  I whisper, "Is...is she you?"  I look up at Kasumi's
face, and feel the warmth of love.

"Yes, imouto, I was that little girl,"  She kisses me on the forehead and
hugs me gently, "Please, Ranma-chan, you need to get ready for school.
Maybe a routine will help you settle down, ne?"  Her smile seems to be
infectuous, and I in turn smile a little.

"Hai...maybe it will,"  I whisper, as Kasumi slowly stands up and walks out
the door.  It might be my imagination, but I think I see little stars
floating around her as she quietly closes the door.

*****

As I come down the stairs, Akane meets me.

"Are you okay?" She asks me, carefully looking me over, "we were so worried
last night when you collapsed like that..."

I whisper, "I'm sorry.  I....everything just surprised me and...I don't
know,"  I hang my head down.  I must have messed up so bad.  Now I won't
have any family...

Akane steps closer to me, and then holds me gently against her.  She
whispers in my ear, "When were you born, Ranma?  I'd...like to know please?"

I'm confused, why does she want to know that?  I whisper, "February 17'th,"
Akane's big smile seems out of place, "Why are you smiling like that?" I
nervously ask.

"Because, imouto, I wanted to see who was older,"  she smiles mysteriously,
"You are sixteen, yes?"

I blush, and nod.  Akane smiles happily again and whispers in my ear, "I'm
two days older,"  before picking me up (I didn't know I was THAT light...)
and taking me into the family room.

"What are you doing, Akane?"  a terrified Kasumi cries out.

Akane waves to her older sister, "Just carrying my imouto to the table,
like I always wanted to,"  She calmly replies.  I can tell she's having fun.

Wait.

_My_ imouto?

So...they...were...asking...for...real?

A scared Akane looks into my face, "Are you okay, Ranma?  You're as stiff
as a board..."  I'm still startled at what has finally occurred to me.
Slowly, hesitantly, I raise my arms, and wrap them around Akane.

"Thank you," I whisper.

Some strange feeling overcomes me.  I think it might be love.

Why is the room sparkling like that?

*****

Akane and I are running to school, late, I think.

Well, it's more like Akane is running, and I'm being dragged.  But it's
still fun.  She tells me all these horror stories about some wierd pervert
named Kuno who made some wierd challenge to her, and another pervert named
Kinuko who has also been challenging Akane in her own way.

She says, with some mirth in her voice, that occasionally the two will
fight each other, rather than her.

Just as the school comes into view, she starts chanting some kind of
mantra.  Something doesn't bode well for the mass of males crowding in
front of the gate, "I hate boys I hate boys I really really hate boys"

I almost think that I'm going to be used as a battering ram, before Akane
throws me up in the air.  I didn't think I weighed this little.  I watch in
amazement as Akane finishes off beating up the boys, making a complete mess
of unconscious bodies, just in time to catch me on my way down.  *boy is
she good...* I think as she sets me down carefully.

"Listen, imouto, some of these people are really good, and I don't want you
getting hurt, okay?"  I look up into her eyes and nod.  She's grown quite a
bit, hasn't she?  I didn't have to look up this much so long ago...

We start to walk towards the front doors, when Akane catches two things
that were thrown to, or is it at?, her.

One red rose, and one white rose.

"The flower of beauty is such," a male voice starts saying.

"Oh go put a sock in it," another voice snaps out. A definitely female voice.

"Who dare challenges Tatewaki Kuno this way?"  the boy cries out.  He
appears from behind a tree, and I can see him fairly clearly.  A male half
japanese teenager, almost seventeen years old, decent build, smooth moving,
but not too intelligent.  He's also carrying a wooden sword of some kind.
I guess my fathers quick appraisal classes came in handy, after all.

"I do, same as I do every day," the girl replies, fairly miffed.  She steps
out from behind another tree, closer to the school, and on the other side
of the sidewalk.  She appears to be half japanese also, sixteen and a half
years old, graceful, gentle, and fairly smart, for a blonde.  She's also
carrying one really big scary naginata.

Akane sighs, which makes both people look our way.  The boy glances at me
for a second, and then stares at Akane.

The girl, however, looks at me.

and stares at me.

How interesting...water seems to be dribbling out of her mouth...

No, that's drool.

Oh.

Dear.

God.

*****

I hate to stop it here, aren't I a stinker? =^_^=

thank you for reading.

I await the flames!!!

Liath Corrine Shadow
Shadow Dancer
Shadow-Chan

<tied to the grim line of hopelessness, holding tight to the bright
line of hope, which shall win in the end?>