Legend of the Crimson Bridge

Chapter 5

AN: I posted the last chapter at sometime after 11pm EST. I had a review within half an hour. That means a lot to me that someone liked my work enough to catch the first update in years. I had really hoped I could keep this going for people like Dumbledork. However, my muse has not only abandoned me, she filed a restraining order. Several people have asked for the notes. So here is the last written bit and the notes for the rest of the fic.

"That was awesome!" Kimi breathed excitedly as the trio arrived back at the bridge. Yuri grinned and nodded while rubbing her right hand. "We were like heroes, swooping in just in time and saving the day."

"They were just some punks, Kimi," Ranma sighed as she ducked under the concrete roof. "No training or ability. Other than the one with the knife you shouldn't have had any problems." The short redhead set her bags down and brushed off her hands. "Got to teach you how to deal with knives," she muttered. Kimi glanced at Yuri who returned her confused look.

"Ranma-sensei, are you saying that we could have taken out those guys ourselves?" Ranma turned to face her students.

"Well not as quickly, and you would have got some bruises. But yeah, you would have won. What the hell you think I've been teaching you for?"

"Well, I just…" Kimi trailed off.

"Look. I told you when we started I wasn't teaching you to compete. Against a martial artist, even a basic newbie, you would lose." Ranma began pacing back and forth in front of the other two. "But most of the people here don't practice the Art. Not even some weird bastardized version. They rely on fear, numbers, and intimidation to do the work. Some of them might be decent brawlers, but nothing more than that."

"What about you, sensei? Why did you go into that alley?"

"Unlike them, and you, I am a martial artist. The first rule of a martial artist is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. This gets me in some trouble now and then, but it is the code that I live by. About the only thing my fat bastard of a father got right."

(And here are the notes I had)

Others come to Ranma for protection on the streets

Together they form a gang known as the crimson bridge

"I don't get it. Why Crimson Bridge?"

"Well the bridge is where we live right. The crimson is from our fearless leader," Mari grinned at the others.

"I don't get it," Ranma put in, "Who's our leader?"

Happosai shows up and challenges Ranma to a fight

Afterward he names Ranma a master of the art

Nabiki eventually shows up

she has sworn off her family name until she finds Ranma and is forgiven

Nabiki leaves and returns w/ Akane

Akane tells Ranma she isn't leaving without him

Ranma refuses

Akane sets up a tent, so does Nabiki

Kasumi is cluelessly following her fathers lead

Eventually the Crimson Bridge sets up an almost respectable business (security and such). Nabiki helps a lot with that. Akane and Ranma have some rough spots but eventually work it out together. The CB goes on to support others running from bad situations.

CB Notes

Ranma: Locked as a girl then exiled from her clan by her father for her inability to fulfill her 'duties'.

Genma: Throws out Ranma for being weak and unfit. Now stuck with all the problems he had dumped on Ranma before

Nodoka: Either unable or unwilling to go against Genma. Stood by and watched the whole thing happen

Akane: Stuck in horrified shock as the events occur

Nabiki: Same

Kasumi: Follows her father's lead

Soun: Did not necessarily agree with Genma's decision, but did nothing to stop it

Ukyo:

Cologne: Since Ranma is stuck, she casts her aside to save her life from the kiss of Death

Shampoo: Returns to China with Cologne

Mousse: Returns to China with Cologne

Kuno:

Kodachi:

Ryoga: Happy about Ranma's curse being locked. Trys to move on Akane immediately.

Haposaii:

Herb

Kimi

Yuri: Yuri was always quiet. Her parents expected perfection, and punished her for anything less. When some of her fellow classmates found out she was a lesbian, a fact which even her parents were unaware of, they betrayed her several girls tricked her into coming with them to a party, there the girls held her down while their boyfriends took turns raping her. When her parents found out what had happened and why, they threw her out of the house and family. Had Kimi not found her and taken care of her, she would have starved to death in a week. She has not spoken since.

That's all I had folks. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Jolly Wolfe