In a city made of crystal with it’s structures half melted and collapsed, giant fissures and cracks running along almost ever wall while ash and dust fell from the sky, in the streets ran a child. This child singularly insignificant, and unimportant, as demonstrated by none of the vendors, street merchants, or their respective patrons paying him any mind, ran for his life. On his heels and gaining with every strive was a pack beasts.

The citizens knew these events existed but did nothing. As they were the sport for the guard, and to report it would be to find oneself as their next playmate.

The child ran and ran. The ‘dogs’ chased. People turn away, doors shut, and curtains closed. The child was alone, so utterly alone, and the monsters were hot on his heels.

The child was cornered, chased down one street, he stood in front of a grand set stairs, only those of nobility or with purpose dared set foot on them, to either side the child saw the monsters approach. The ones in uniform far worse than the beasts they led.

Panicked, exhausted, and scared the child kept turn back and forth trying to keep an eye on threats as they approached. Franticly seeking any chance for escape the child missed a step and fell back on the steps.

It was too much, the chasing, the hunger, the stalking shadow of death, and now the greatest grievance of all trespass and defiling of sacred land. It was too much, the child passed out.

Laughing, horrible, distorted laughing. Growls, hungry half starved, half mad growls. “So how long did this runt make it?” That’s it they’ve caught him. And worse, “oh, look! He’s stepped in a restricted area to boot,” purred a voice with a little too much glee. “Can I please be the one to pure his mind, body, and soul?” His mind raced, everyone knew the horrors they employed in their cleansings. “Sure, why not? He has no one to blame, but himself. By the way, it’s purge not pure.” If it wasn’t for him still being dazed, he’d be in full panic. “Purging pures, so it’s pure.”

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” rang a voice.

“Great a librarian. Just what we need,” said the first voice. “Listen pops, we were mere removing this here criminal from store of books and knowledge.”

“Criminal, what criminal? All I see is an innocent, and a defenseless child chased mercilessly by a pack of bullies.”

This statement only earned the speaker snickering, “innocent, or defenseless doesn’t matter, the law is the law. Since he was neither sent here nor of noble birth, even from a minor noble family, we have no choice but to purify him.” The leader’s voice said with too much satisfaction.

With aspiration the voice of his would be savoir resigned, “be done with your cruel joke of justice.”

“This is why I don’t like Librarians, no sense of Law and Order,” the voice that mistook pure for purge. They roughly picked up the child, not caring if they caused further injured him. “Guess you screwed up kid, play time is over.”

“WAIT!” called the his attempted savior once more. “There is one way I may save this child. There is the test.”

“And you thought we were harsh?” Chided the Leader.

“At least, if he fails, his death will swift,” replied the savior softly.

“Fine!”

The years passed in study with his master often pestering him to spend time with those his own age and not the books that filled the Library.

“But I owe my live to this library,” answered the boy.

“And you can’t add to it by staying in it,” rebutted the old librarian.

Then one day the truth was told to the young man…

“I can’t just betray master,” declared the young man.

“It won’t be a betrayal think about all the people you will help. Think about all the children who weren’t as fortunate as you. What about Kimiko, Chao, or Edymion?”

“Edymion was the son of noble man. I highly doubt he’d be considered unfortunate by anyone’s standards,” he answered defiantly.

“Don’t lie to me he was a kind kid and a friend. Do you honestly believe he deserved that?”

“No, but…” the librarian in training hesitantly started.

“No buts his own father…” the rest was left unfinished, and they both knew why.

He was devastated by the death of his wife, and the child, his first born son, who took her. One day said son disappeared never to be seen again. Sometime later a woman bearing his previous wife’s name and a vacant expression.

His master had become furious, but would not say why. His master had forbade him from going anywhere near that family ever again. But, one day he had found himself only a few feet away.

To his horror she approached and asked a single question. A question that for the briefest of moments her face lit up with joy, “how have you, Kimi, and Chao been?”

In the few moments it took for him to realize what had transpired, the father had called out to her and the face return to its vacancy, looking all the more dark.

A year or so later, both her and the father were killed when their family estate burned to the ground. It had been believed to be arson, but the criminal was never found. The only part that was peculiar was that the second born son had been left beyond the reach of the flames.

As a single tear ran down his face, he whispered, “he truly was to kind for his own good.”

“And do you think he is the only one to suffer like that. How many nobles do you think would do something similarly to their own children? Or, already have?”

Heavy a sigh he said, “you’re right but must I kill him?”

“The longer you wait the more who will suffer.”

The events of the next three weeks were a blur. A day or so afterward he found his mentor had died in his sleep. After a day of mourning, he took everything of value from that corrupted and diseased city. While fleeing, he stole the treasures his master had spent a life time safeguarding. And, as he wondered the mountains and valley looking for that which he truly needed he happened upon a fortunate boon.

“Hello young dragon, my name is Saffron. May I be of some help?” A toothy grin on his face.

Author's Note

A. n. now I know I could have delved deeper into his rise and fall, but that could become a story all its own. If anyone wants they’re free to it. Just if it’s part of this continuity please keep with the general plot.

A n. I’d like to apologize. I don’t know if it’s what happened, but when I first posted this story on fimfiction I included a joking intermission after chapter 4. I will be adding it to the end of this author’s note. It mainly featured Discord being the immature 4th wall breaker we all know and love. I think some of the people who first read this fic thought I was giving them a big fu for an ending. For this I apologize for any who misunderstood me. It was merely a joke of an intermission when I had a massive writer’s block. So much so that I literally had to force the last two plot points of chapter 4. Those being, Ranko being betrayed, and Ranma suffering/defeating Saffron.

The former intermission:

Chapter 4.5: Gotcha…

Sex, sex, sex, that is how a baby is made.

The end.

This message was brought to you by the Discord Did It corp. “I’m Discord and I approve this message.”

“Discord, what are you doing here?”

“Your muse sent me to help you with the fifth chapter.”

“okay just be careful, there are quite a few plot holes that need to be filled in that one. I‘m going to go to bed now.”

“Right on top of that, Rose…”

… “we return you to your regularly schedule program already in progress.” stated the announcer.

“… a wild draconequus has been seen causing chaos around fan section Fictopia, home of the fanfictions.” explained the news caster.

To be continued…

A. n. was going to wait for the fifth chapter before posting these but writer's block bit me in the butt.

You can see how that could be misinterpreted as an insult of an ending if they didn't read it to the end.