Hey all~ Sorry it's taking so long between updates, but my autosave feature
has not been working and most of the story has been deleted or otherwise,
NO!!!! O well, I just have to find the backup disks I made. But for now,
here's a newly written chapter 1, with no title as of yet. Note, I am NOT
happy with this chapter, I am trying to get more inter-series interaction in
the story but it's not clicking! After reading this chapter please feel free
to lob a piece of fruit or two my way ^_^
Thanks!
James
C&C ME!! Rurouni143@aol.com
PS: Thanks for everyione who responded to my announcement about characters. I
now have enough suggestions, thanks you!
Disclaimer: Noen of these characters are mine, I hold no right to them and
they belong to their respective owners and creators. I am merely borrowing
them to write this story.
Chapter 1 (Well, part of it anyways)
It was early morning in Tokyo. Warm, golden sunlight slowly filtered in
through the open window, the thick navy curtains catching most of the light.
The rest of the tiny space was otherwise dim, the newly purchased furniture
hiding in the shadows. Atop the bottom layer of the bunk bed lay Ranma,
mumbling softly in his sleep as visions of Naanichauun filled his dreams. The
sunlight gradually fell across his face, causing him to wrinkle his nose as
he flopped over. Eventually the sun was clear of the horizon, shining in it's
full glory, not even the curtains could contain the bountiful energy.
Ranma slowly sat up and immediately banged his head against the bottom of
the top bunk.
"Ow..." Ranma muttered as he rubbed his sore forehead. "Either I grew ten
feet overnight or the ceiling collapsed..." opening his eyes, he discovered
that both options were wrong. Realizing where he was, he swung his feet over
the side of the bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
This was going to take some getting used to.
It was a relatively spacious room, or it would have been despite the fact
that various pieces of furniture had been crammed into the small space. The
room was roughly ten by ten feet, designed to be the living quarters for two
people. There was a chest of drawers on one wall with a closet immediately to
the left of it. Against the opposite wall were two desks, separated by a
short bookcase. On the other wall was the double bunk bed, facing opposite
the wide Victorian style windows that opened onto a balcony high up on the
third floor. Everything was brand new. Even the sheets were more comfortable
than the futon blankets he had used at home. After four years at the Tendo
Dojo surrounded by people, Ranma enjoyed the thrill of living alone.
He looked into the mirror hanging above the drawers.
Damn, I gotta shower... he thought critically as he tousled his hair.
Grabbing his basin and toiletries from one of the three still packed
cardboard boxes, he headed out the door to the public bathroom at the end of
the long hall.
_________________
"Seta Soujirou, I presume?"
"That's correct, Mr.... um... Sir." Seta replied upon remembering he did
not know the principal's name. His office was lavishly decorated, with wooden
walls graced with renowned paintings and thick crimson carpets adorning the
floors. The principal sat opposite from him, the giant ebony table separating
them.
The principal smiled warmly, his sparkling blue eyes twinkling in the
sunlight.
"Please forgive me for not introducing myself." he laughed. "My name is
Treize Kushreinada, and as you probably know I am the principal of Sanuma
Academy." he replied. From the head commander of Oz to the principal of a
prestigious private academy. It had been quite a leap, but the two separate
occupations were not that much different from each other.
"Pleased to meet you sir." Seta replied.
"Now, as to why you're here, it is a matter of registration and tuition
payment, correct?" he assumed.
"Excuse me, but what is that?" Seta asked. "I merely want to receive and
education and to make friends, things that I hadn't been able to do in my
childhood. We have to pay for that?"
If Treize Kushreinada had not spent four hours getting dressed that
morning, getting his cape to crease at just the right angle, if he had not
been in a high authority position, he would have facefaulted onto the thick
shag carpet.
Treize sweatdropped. "I see..." he remarked. "Well, we'll see what we can
do. Do you have any family?"
"I once had family. But no longer." Seta replied. "And my master died at
the hands of a rurouni."
"Hmmm..." Treize thought. It was obvious that the young man before him
had no way to pay for tuition for this prestigious school. A scholarship was
not all that likely either. He couldn't just turn this young lad away,
however. He had once done so, and the results were terrifying. Then something
caught Treize's eye as he leaned over the desk to get a better glimpse.
"Do you need anything, sir?" asked Seta as he slowly inched away from the
ever approaching principal.
"That sword..." he pointed. "How adept are you in the art of kenjutsu?"
he asked. "It's possible that I can admit you to this Academy if you are
extremely skilled in the way of the sword, very much like an impromptu
scholarship if you will."
For the first time in his short yet experienced life, Seta Soujirou
smiled out of pure joy.
_________________
"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin called at the door. "Sano and I will meet you at the
field. We are not permitted to be within here, this is the ladies dorm!"
Sano lightly punched Kenshin, which nearly threw Kenshin down the length
of the entire hallway.
"Aw, quit yer bitchin' Kenshin" he laughed. "This isn't the first time
we've broken some rules, besides," Sanosuke added, "All three of us are
teachers here!"
"Ororo..." Kenshin murmured, swirls filling his vision.
Kaoru opened the door as she stepped out. She was dressed in a navy
kimono with a water crane adorning the back of it. Her ebon hair was tied up
with an azure silk ribbon and a bokken was gripped in her hand.
"Well, what are you lying on the ground for?" she asked exasperatedly.
"You tell me to hurry and you're sleeping..."
"Yeah, Kenshin." agreed Sanosuke, a fishbone clamped tightly between his
teeth, "What the hell were you thinking."
"Ororo..."
"Actually, you two go on ahead." said Kaoru as she began to walk down the
hall in the opposite direction.
"Where're you goin' Jo-chan?" called Sano.
"I called my cousin this morning and she told me that her sister just
began attending Sanuma and that she arrived last night!" she replied. "I'm
going to see how she's doing, I'll meet you at the armory sixth hour!"
Before Sano or Kenshin could object, Kaoru disappeared around the corner.
"Well, shall we get going?" asked Kenshin.
"Man, you are way too oblivious." muttered Sano as he followed Kenshin
into the elevator.
________________
Manji watched the two people approach him, wreathed in the dawn mists on
the kenjutsu outdoor practice field.
The tall one, with the rooster head, he must be Sagara Sanosuke,
offensive hand to hand combat instructor. He's not wearing a weapon, hands
and arms are wrapped. observed Manji. Years of fighting as a kenshi and a
ronin had taught him to evaluate his opponent's possible abilities before
even engaging in battle, but that wasn't his opponent, and this wasn't battle.
The girl isn't among them, just friggin' great. he thought as he puffed
on his pipe, leaning casually on his katana. Oh well, we'll see her at sixth
period. And the last one, short, red hair, cross shaped scar...
...Hitokiri Battousai... now known as Himura Kenshin. I wonder why the
hell the girl's the head director of the kenjutsu department and me or him
isn't. We could probably filet her...
"Oi! Smelly!" yelled Sano as soon as Manji was in earshot. Manji turned
around, the crux grammata stitched into the back of his hakama creasing in
folds. The white and black halves of his hakama contrasted sharply in the
early morning sun as he squinted out of his one good eye.
"Yer late..." he muttered. "Besides, I don't smell bad..."
"We're sorry that we couldn't arrive sooner, Manji-san." apologized
Kenshin. "We had difficulty finding this area, that we did.
"S'all right, not like I've never been late before." replied Manji.
"Name's Manji."
"Himura Kenshin, pleased to make your acquaintance, Manji-san."
"Sagara Sanosuke."
Manji smiled. "Well, now that we got the introductions outta the way,
let's fight!"
And with one swift motion, his double bladed long sword flew out from
under the folds of his hakama and he launched himself at Kenshin, brandishing
the sword in front of him.
"We'll see how good you are!!"
______________
In my mind, I've hit an all new personal LOW of quality writing. TO me,
this chapter was junk. This is when you're C&C really comes in handy guys, it
lets me know what you guys thought of my story, so please write, flame, C&C,
whatever. For those of you who had rasied hopes and saw promise in my story,
I apologize from the deepest depths of my heart to you for only being able to
produce this writing of such horrible quality.
Gomen.
James
C&C ME!! Rurouni143@aol.com