Fallen Soul

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and its characters and settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, and Viz Video.

My father changed a lot in the past few years.

Once, he was respected, honorable. Then he lost his job, due to an overseas merger. He couldn't find work, until he met Goshi. Goshi always had some work for him to do, and while dad was never eager to do the work, he did it. Eventually, he began to get more and more distant from us. His work took up all his time, and he wouldn't appear home until late at night. Not once did he say what he did.

Then I followed him. He went to a warehouse, and opened a crate revealing what looked like sacks of flour… but they weren't flour. He was with Goshi, and to this day, I still remember what they said.

"So this is what you want me to deliver?"

"Yes. You will be well paid of course."

"I had better be. My family is getting suspicious."

"Then deal with them."

"But…"

"Do you have a problem?"

"No sir."

"Then get to work."

My father then loaded the sacks onto a truck, and drove off. I managed to get home without catching any attention, and told my mother shortly afterward about what I found.

I still regret that decision.

When dad got home, my mother immediately confronted him. He began raving on about how this was his way of getting back at those shit-eating culture vultures. I didn't have to guess that he was referring to the Americans. He never did get over losing his job.

My mother walked over to a phone. She said that if the father of the family would ignore their honor, then the mother would carry out his duties.

Dad went nuts. He drew a gun from somewhere on him, and began screaming at her, "You're in league with them aren't you? You and all those fuck-ups in the government! Bitch!"

He hit her.

My father was a big man, lots of muscle and tall. My mother was tall too, but only 150 lbs. She went down from the first blow. But she looked up at him with such an intense gaze he stepped back. Then he aimed the gun.

To this day, I don't know where I got that knife. I may have picked it up in the kitchen, or on my way back, but I do remember that I stopped him from killing my mother. He was about to shoot, and I stabbed him… straight through the heart. He turned and looked at me, a shocked, terrified and empty gaze locked on me.

Then he crumpled and fell.

I was shocked. The blade was still in my hand, it's new crimson coloring gleaming brightly. I ran. I was terrified at what I had done, at the fact that I had just killed my own father. And some part of me… had enjoyed it.

I took pleasure in his death.

It was at that point that I began to believe that I was a monster. People don't enjoy killing. Yet I did… so I was not human.

I needed some way to make sure… some test.

The high school.

If I attempted to kill someone there, and was unable to, then I was a human. If they died… then so would I.

I took the guns from that same warehouse I found my father at. I found the other two. Mishka, a girl desperate for a way to be seen, to escape the trap fate had placed upon her, and Hikaru. He was so easily brought into the circle. He hated everyone there, disgusted by the 'heroes', despised the average guys who took so much pleasure in hurting him…

We came to an agreement. At some point, I would give a signal. If I did, that would start the rampage. I knew that we would all die, but the other two never seemed to acknowledge that point.

It's interesting how some things can lead to others. My father's job died, and with it went his soul. My father died, and with him went mine. I wonder whose I will take with me…

— Gendo

Author's Notes: I don't really know if the impression was given or not, but this was supposed to be a note left by Gendo explaining why they attacked the high school.

Lone Wolf

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007