Dragon Ranma

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½, nor do I own Dungeons and Dragons. Both are the rightful property of their respective owners, and I am "creatively acquiring" them for the purposes of this story. Any attempts to gain any monetary compensation for this will result in drastic punishments including, but not limited to, horrible acts of perversion involving chickens, rubber gloves, and a very, VERY, depraved badger. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Ranma Saotome was six years old, and had been on the road with his father for nearing two years. He had recently left his best friend Ukyo, though he still wasn't sure why he was chasing after them. Come to think of it, he still wasn't sure why they had Uc-chan's Okonomiyaki cart…

Ah, well, his Papa said it was okay, and Papa was never wrong.

It was not long after wards that Genma had left Ranma with some local monks to learn more Kanji and, so he said, to gather some "special equipment" for a new sort of training. Ranma was beside himself with excitement. New training meant new techniques, and new techniques meant he was closer to being a master martial artist and getting to go home!

Though he still wasn't sure where home was…

Or where his mother was, for that matter…

It took a week for Genma to come to retrieve Ranma and begin the new training.

"Ranma, today we begin training you in the Neko-Ken."

"What's that, Papa?"

"Well, Ranma," Genma began, "it's an unbeatable technique, guaranteed to make you the greatest martiaol artist in the world!"

"Really, Papa? It's that powerful?" Ranam asked, his eyes shining with childish enthusiasm.

In spite of himself, Genma was proud of him. Ranma had learned all the basic techniques quickly and only needed time to refine them. His learning curve for any and all things martial was astounding, and little Ranma only needed to be shown a move once or twice before he could execute it correctly. Sure, being that he was only six the techniques needed a lot of polish, but what do you want? He's SIX for crying out loud!

Shaking off his momentary bout of reverie, Genma proceeded to tie fish sticks to Ranma and explain to him what was going to happen.

"Ranma, when I open the door to that pit, you are going to jump into it. The cats there will teach you the Neko-Ken. Don't be afraid, they might hurt you a little, but as I always say;"

"The path of martial arts is fraught with peril, right Papa?"

Genma laughed a little bit. "That's right, son. Now, get to it."

Genma opened the lid to the pit, and the sounds of angry cats could be heard coming out of it. Ranma gulped nervously and looked to his father for reassurance. Genma's stern eyes told Ranma everything, there would be no room for failure here, and it was either learn the technique, or be punished.

Ranma closed his eyes and jumped in.

Glalihern was an older silver dragon who lived in a castle made of clouds. He was strong, wise beyond his years, and incredibly lonely.

AND BORED!

He had lived in his little castle, hidden from view by several enchantments, for almost 2,225 years, and he could feel that the Twilight1 was coming closer. Such thoughts didn't truly bother him, he had lived a long, long time and death was a natural part of life. However, he regretted that the last time he had even seen another dragon, of any sort, was almost a thousand years ago when that nasty red one was mucking about in England. He couldn't even recall the last time he'd seen another Silver, or a female.

Indeed, his main regret was that he doubted he live to see any offspring of his own, and that all his accumulated knowledge would die with him. That was when his scrying pool showed him a most curious sight. A small human child was running on all fours and acting like a wild animal. That alone wouldn't have caught his attention, save that there was an adult human running after the child.

Curiosity could be a mean mother, and it often makes us do things we normally wouldn't. Like get involved with a madman and his obviously deranged offspring.

However, Glalihern was intrigued by what exactly was going on, and scryed a little closer.

"Ranma! Get back here and finish learning the Neko-Ken!" the older one shouted.

[Neko-Ken? Where have I heard that before…]

It took a moment of concentration to dredge up the relevant memory, but once he did, Glalihern was shocked.

[This human would do that? And to his own offspring, no less?]

That was when Glalihern decided to act.

A brief teleportation spell and both of them were in front of him.

Genma, not looking to where he was going, plowed headlong into a wall of the castle and fell neatly on his butt, knocked out cold.

Neko-Ranma, however, was a sight more nimble and managed to skid into a turn before that and stopped inches away from the very, very, VERY big reptile lounging in front of him.

Neko-Ranma wasn't scared, however. Oh, no.

He was flat-out TERRIFIED!

Glalihern was equally amused, intrigued, furious, and disgusted. Here was a prime example of the best humanity had to offer, and it was being wasted by its no-account parent. He would put a stop to this, be sure of it!

Genma Saotme was, at his heart, a coward. No, that doesn't quite sum it up… He was a chicken-hearted, spineless, lily-livered, gutless, craven, mewling fiegling that would sell his own child out for a free ride. That trait came straight to the front when Glalihern focused an eye on him.

"Human!" he began, "I have seen your treatment of this child and it not only sickens me, it saddens me! You will cease this nonsense you call training at once! Offspring are to be cherished, not cast aside! Be warned, Genma Saotome, I am watching you very, very closely!"

Genma, in the midst of his panicked groveling, didn't hear what the dragon had said, and began babbling nonsense.

"Please, oh great Kami! I am just a humble martial artist, training my son! We mean nobody any harm! Please, spare my life! I beg you, O Great Spirit! Take the boy, he has filed to learn anything and cannot possibly harm you or anyone else! Please, take him and let me go, that I might appease your great wrath!"

This, admittedly, took Glalihern by surprise. This human was offering up its son? As a bargaining chip? Glalihern felt his rage beginning to rise. It was only with a huge effort that he didn't reduce Genma to an interesting ice sculpture right then and there. Instead, Glalihern turned his attention to the boy. In spite of the altitude and cold, the child was looking around curiously, still quite out of his mind. Using a few tricks learned from his cousin Ameryi, Glalihern psionicly probed Ranma's mind. At first, there was only the cat, but deeper past that was the boy, and the purity and strength of his psyche was astounding. This boy, Glalihern learned, would give his all to fulfill any oath, would act in what he felt was in the best interest of everyone, ad would smite any who would act without regard to innocents around them. This boy would be kind to friends, merciful to foes, and would destroy only those who gave him no choice.

[A paladin! In this day and age, a true paladin! Amazing! I must not let this human corrupt the child, I must take him and show him the ways of the paladin!]

"Your offer intrigues me, human. Give me a moment to think on it."

Genma sagged in relief, he would do exactly as he said, and steal Ranma back once the Kami wasn't looking. Just like always.

Glalihern, however, was no fool, and knew exactly what Genma was up to.

"Done. The child, in exchange for your life. Begone, Human, and don't think to look for him after this. He is no longer your concern."

With a semi-councious wave, Glalihern teleported Genma directly into the pit Ranma had just escaped from. Genma barely made it out of there alive.

Ranma awoke some time later to two sensations, one being a bitter, bone-chilling cold, the other being an intense hunger.

He looked around and found that he was in a castle, of all places, and it must have really been high up in the mountains for it to be this cold!

An amused chuckle startled him out of his amazement.

"Mountains? Not quite, child. More like clouds."

Ranma turned his head and saw the biggest lizard he had ever seen, ever! It was huge and colored like the 500 yen piece his daddy let him see once. It had big wings, a long tail, and little horns on its really, really big head!

Glalihern was amused at the child's awestruck expression.

"Ranma," he began, "My name is Glalihern, and I'll be taking over your training. I won't take it easy on you, and I expect you to do everything I say. Understand?"

Ranma nodded, this was nothing new, it had happened several times before with his daddy.

"Now, I'll give you a place to sleep and food to eat, and some free time every day to play during. I'll even help you make a friend when you're ready, okay?"

Ranma began bouncing with excitement. A real friend! He hadn't had one since Uc-chan!

"Yes! Yes, please, Mr. Glalihern! I'd like that a lot!"

Glalihern laughed, in spite of himself.

"Alright, little one. First, let's get you some food and warm clothing, okay?"

And with that, Ranma began his training with Glalihern, the Silver Dragon.

Two years had passed, and Ranma was learing Japanese, English, and Draconic. He learned mathematics, history(from a dragons point of view), and astrology. He was even learning the basics of magic.

On his eighth birthday, Glalihern decided he was ready to cast his first spell.

"Now, little one, as I promised it's time for you to make a friend. This friend will always be with you, and will never leave you. This friend will help you with your magic, and help you when you need someone to talk to. Are you ready?"

"Yes, master. Honestly, I was beginning to feel like you had forgotten that promise…"

"Ranma," Ranma looked up at the dragon and saw a very serious expression on its face. "A dragon never forgets a promise. It may take time for us to fulfill it, but we never forget one once it's made. Do you understand?"

Ranma nodded, it was one of the things he admired and tried to emulate about his wise and enigmatic teacher.

"Good, now take that scroll from the table and follow it's directions, to the letter."

Ranma nodded and began doing so.

Once the work was finished, Ranma stood within a magic circle and began reading the scroll out loud. He finished with a cry of "Familiar, Summon!" and waited.

He didn't have to wait long, as no sooner had the echo died than a long, silvery shape was seen winging through the air twords him at an incredible pace.

"MASTER!" it cried, in a high-pitched, feminine voice.

Ranma laughed with delight, his first friend in years was Myscale, the cloud serpent.

Four more years passed, and Ranma became more proficient at his studies. He could cast several mid-level spells and speak with no accent in every language he knew. He was a little upset that he hadn't learned anything new martially, but Glalihern told him once that a strong body needed a strong mind to guide it, and a stronger heart to keep it true.

So, Ranma didn't mind too much.

It was on his twelfth birthday that Glalihern called Ranma into his private lab.

"Ranma," he began, "I want to offer you something. But before that I want you to know something. For six years I have cared for you, and I have come to see you as my own hatchling." High honors for a dragon, "What I want to offer you is a potion that will make you my child in body as well as spirit. BUT! Mark this well, young one; this is your choice and yours alone. I will love and care for you no matter what you decide."

Ranma was floored with surprise. Be Master Glalihern's son in body and spirit? What did that mean?

"What does that mean, master?"

"Well, for starters, it means that you can't call me master anymore, you're supposed to call me father!" he said with a mock-growl. "Beyond that, it means that you'll become a half-dragon, you'll have a portion of my powers and strengths, but all your own knowledge and abilities. You will be as if you had been born of myself and your mother, rather than that pathetic excuse for a gene-donor."

Ranma was a little uncomfortable with being reminded of the man who helped produce him. Glalihern had shown him what Genma was up to through his scrying pool. Needless to say, Ranma was less that pleased about it, especially after being taught right and wrong.

"Ranma, please think about this carefully. I can't guarantee what will happen to you, but I know you'll overcome it. I have absolute faith in you, my son."

That clinched it, Ranma was going to take that potion, no matter what.

"Ranma, are you sure?" Myscale asked, "It might hurt a lot! And goodness only knows what will happen afterwards! He said so himself!"

"I know, Myscale. But I'm going to. I'd rather be Glalihern's son than Genma's any day."

With that, Ranma popped the cork and drank the potion.

The pain was incredible. His entire body was being re-written and rebuilt. Dragon blood replace his human blood and scales began forming along his arms and legs. His normally black hair turned pure silver and his pupils became elliptical. Fangs replaced some of his teeth and small horns grew from the back of his head. Most stunning of all, wings sprouted from his back and flared out around him. All in all, when the changes were done, Ranma looked like an agent of the heavens sent to wreak havoc on the unworthy.

"Welcome to the family, my son." Was all Glalihern had to say.

Six more years passed, and Ranma filled out to the point where he was quite the looker. Glalihern taught Ranma how to use the long sword and shield, how to ride a horse, a gryphon, and most importantly, a dragon. Ranma learned how to fight from midair, mounted on the ground, and mounted in flight. Ranma learned chivalry and how chivalry might not apply in certain circumstances, and what to do when that happened. He learned to dance, to sing, and to play an instrument.

He also learned that his emotions were not the enemy, and that understanding them was more important than controlling them. Controlling his reactions to them, that was the important thing!

Letting rage blind you, or desire distract you was a sure path to destruction, and Ranma wasn't having any of that. Glalihern allowed Ranma free run of the library, and happily taught Ranma anything he wanted to learn, whether mystical or mundane. He also taught Ranma how to use the powers he had inherited, including how to change his shape and outer appearance. Blending in, he had said, was almost as important as being able to take charge. Ranma hadn't quite understood what he meant, not until he was shown what some did to those who were different.

On Ranma's 18th birthday Glalihern took Ranma aside and gave him three gifts. One was a pendant that would allow him to instantly teleport back to the castle whenever he desired. Another was a longsword made of holy light. Ranma wasn't sure how that worked until Glalihern explained exactly what he meant. The holy and radiant energies were magically channeled into a metallic form and then forged into a sword. That made a lot more sense to Ranma than a sword made of light. Finally, Glalihern gave Ranma a map of the planes and where the portals to the various other dimensions were located.

Ranma accepted all three of the gifts and hugged his father around his huge and scaly neck.

"Ranma." Glalihern's serious tone immediately caught Ranma's attention.

"I need to tell you something. For twelve years I have raised you, my son, but now it is time for you to leave the lair and make your own way in the world. You are always welcome here, our home, my son. BUT! You also need to go and make your own home."

Ranma was near to tears, he loved Glaliehrn dearly and didn't want to leave, but understood that he had to make his way in the world. It was, after all, only natural.

"Okay, Dad. I'm not happy about it, but I understand what you mean. I'll go and seek my fortune in the world,"

"That's my boy." Glalihern said with a soft smile. "Maybe you'll meet a nice female and bring her home to your old Dad, hmm?" he said with a smirk.

"DAAAAAAAD!" Ranma cried out with emberresment.

Myscale was laughing her tail off behind him

"Oh, get off it, Myscale." Ranma grumbled.

End of Prologue.

1 Dragon's Twilight is an event in the life cycle of adult dragons where mortality approaches them, and they must make preperations for their death. Which is never far behind, it normally takes less than 500 years.