The Swimmer
The Swimmer
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by June "KaraOhki" Geraci
December 17, 2000
Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi, and belongs to her. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and is not to be used commercially.
----------
News item heard on National Public Radio, November 2000.
"Our sources report that a fishing boat three miles off the coast of Portugal picked up a very unusual cargo. When they pulled up their nets, in among the fish was a wild boar. They had no idea how it had survived that far out at sea."
*****
"Ready? Pull!"
The men brought the fishing net up over the side of the boat, and dumped its contents into the sorting bin. It was a good catch--the bin was full.
The fish flopped around, trying to find their way back to the sea. Something else desperately tried to make its way to the surface of the mass of slippery fish, and one of the fisherman spotted a pink snout.
"Hey, what's that?" He reached in and grabbed, and felt a piece of cloth in one hand. He yanked on it, and his hand came up holding the cloth, which was wrapped around the neck of a small pig.
All of the fishermen crowded around, trying to get a look at it.
"He must be one hell of a swimmer. How did he get this far out?
"Kinda scrawny, isn't he? Not worth keeping."
The pig squealed indignantly, causing the man who was holding him to laugh so hard he nearly dropped him.
"I don't think he cared for your remark, Manuel."
*****
Ryoga looked from face to face. Had he been saved, or was he in a worse situation than before? He felt a little better when the man who'd pulled him out of the fish carried him into the cabin and heated up some milk.
"I don't know if pigs drink milk, but you look awfully cold. My name's Joe, and I won't let them throw you back." He poured the milk into a bowl and set it on the floor. "Listen to me introducing myself to a pig! I must be losing it."
The man sat there, watching Ryoga drink the milk. Ryoga wished he could speak. He would thank Joe for saving him. For a moment he considered knocking the warm milk onto himself, but he was afraid to. He'd found that many people reacted quite violently when faced with his transformation. The reason he was out at sea was that a bunch of superstitious people had called him "devil's spawn" and were chasing him with knives. Big knives. Faced between the sea and the mob, he'd chosen the sea.
Ryoga was brought back from his thoughts by the awareness that Joe was talking again. The man squatted down and patted him on the head.
"It's hard being out at sea for days on end. I miss my wife, and I miss my little girl. This last catch should fill us up, and we can head back home. You're falling asleep, aren't you?"
The last thing Ryoga remembered before giving in to sleep was being wrapped in something warm and put on a soft surface.
*****
"Scrawny? Manuel called you scrawny?" The ship's cook held Ryoga up by his bandanna, and poked his stomach. "You've got plenty of meat on you!"
Ryoga struggled as the cook climbed up to the deck. He didn't like the look in the man's eyes in the least.
"Hey fellas! I think we got a gift from God! He knew we were tired of eating fish every day, so he sent us a nice pork dinner!"
Ryoga finally wiggled free and landed on the deck. He dodged away from the cook and ran. Soon there was a free-for-all on deck, with men leaving their job of sorting the fish and joining in on the chase.
"Catch him! Catch our dinner!"
"KWEEEEE!!!"
"No, don't hurt him!"
"He's mine! Mine to cook!"
"Bu-ki!"
A pair of hands closed around Ryoga's body and lifted him up. He struggled violently until he heard the voice of the man holding him.
"Calm down, little pig! No one will hurt you while Joe has you."
The fishermen crowded around, shouting different opinions and suggestions.
"Throw him back in the sea!"
"Cook him!"
"Make him the ship's mascot!"
"I don't like any of those," said Joe. He scratched the pig between the ears and smiled. "I think he's rather cute. My daughter might like him for a pet."
"Cute? He's a PIG! How can pigs be cute?"
Ryoga twisted around and looked up at Joe, trying his best to be very, very cute. Joe smiled and patted his head.
"Well I think he's cute, and Connie will just love him. Any of you lay a finger on him and you'll regret it!"
The cook and his followers backed away. Joe was a big man, too big for them to even consider crossing.
*****
Joe spent the remainder of the trip back sorting fish and keeping an eye on his daughter's prospective pet. The pig sat near him, watching the sorting process as if he understood what was going on. He even seemed to sense when Joe was about to reject a fish and throw it overboard, for Joe would see him look at the fish and then look at the rail.
"You're a smart one, aren't you? Would you like this to eat? It's too small to keep."
Ryoga shook his head, and Joe jumped. "I didn't see that."
*****
The ship finally pulled into its home port, and the men unloaded the fish. Then they hurried to get their gear so they could go home to their wives and children.
Joe picked Ryoga up, slung his bag over his shoulder, and started down the street.
"You'll be happy in our home, little pig. Connie is very good to her pets. She's fifteen years old, and very affectionate. I'm sure the first thing she'll do is give you a bath. After all, we both stink of fish!"
The entire scenario played out in Ryoga's mind. A fifteen year old girl was going to put him into a hot bath. He was going to change in front of her, and her father was going to tear him into little tiny pieces.
He wrenched himself out of the man's grip and ran.
"Little pig! Come back!"
Ryoga just kept running.
--------------
The original news item concluded with the note that the fishermen brought the rescued animal ashore and freed it. Yes, I really DID hear this story on the radio.