As morning came to the small town or Roan with the sun slowy rising up in the sky in a little house on the edge of town a girl with short black hair was peacefully sleeping in her bed she groaned a bit and turned over and hugged her pillow to her head "Ran! Time to get up!" called an older womens voice from downstairs the girl didn't move "Ran!" called the voice a second time this time a bit louder the girl stirred a bit in her bed "Ran, listen to your mother it's time to get up!" called a male voice this time this made the girl squirm a bit tossing the covers off her body. She sighed as she layed in the bed with her eyes still closed "Ran-neechan!' called a younger male voice instantly the girl shot up from her bed upon hearing the young boys voice "Ran-neechan! It's morining!" called the young boy the girls eye shot open revealing dark brown eye she rubbed them for a second "Ran!" called the young boy "I'm coming!" she yelled sleepily. The girl slowly etched off her bed she stood up and stretched she was a bit on the short side but only because she was thirteen years old her name was Ran Ashbell she lived in the city of Roan with her mother and father and her younger brother Lan who she had a deep bond with like all siblings should Ran reached for the hem of her pajama shirt and sluggishly pulled it over her head which she then threw to the floor. She then so easily stepped out of her pajama pants and it joined the shirt that was in a crumpled mess on the floor in fornt of her bed she thenmade her way over to her clothes drawer yanwed and looked at herelf in the mirrior that was placed ontop of it "Huu.." She sighed looking at her chest "Still small.." she groaned it's not like Ran wanted big boobs she just wanted at least something that would stop people from mistaking her as a boy. Ran groaned at the thought and opened the top drawer inside was a white and grey collared zipper jacket with no sleeves she pulled it out and placed it on the drawer she closed it and opened the second one which contained a black short where the legs would stop at her knees she put it with the jacket she had just pulled out and closed the drawer she then unzipped the jacket and passed her arms through the holes for her arms and she zipped it back up all the way she then slipped into the pair of black shorts she buttoned the front and she took a belt out form the thrid drawer and looped it around after that she pulled out a dark grey arm band and she slid it onto her right arm and then a pair of soft black leather gloves which she quickly slid over her hands.

Ran was starting to wake up she looked at her hair and groaned in annoyance her hair was spiking all over she took a brush that was on he drawer and proceeded to bursh her hair "Huu.. when will you start to get longer.." she grumbled again it's not like she wanted long hair just for it to be long enough so she can be seen as a girl if there was one word to describe Ran it was that she was a tomboy at first she wasn't worried about breast size of the length of her hair but after so many of her brothers friends called her Lan's older brother she decided that they were important. "Ran-neechan?You up?" came the young boys voice "Yeah, I'm up" Ran called as she put her brush down and looked herself over in the mirrior she struck a few stupid posses and smiled "Alright lets start the day shall we!" she said and she walked over the the door of her room she pulled open the door and she was greeted by a boy who was a bit shorter and younger then her "Morining onee-chan" the boy said with a smile "Morning!" she replied rubbing the boys head which made him laugh the boy was her younger brother Lan Ashbell he was five years old like her he had short black hair and dark brown eyes which made people think the two were twins even though Ran clarifyed they were born on different days. "So,what do you think?" she asked presenting herself "Hmm, you look good onee-chan" Lan said with a smile "Honestly, tell me what you really think Lan!" Ran said "Okay, you look cute onee-chan" Lan said "Really!?" Ran said excited Lan nodded "Thank you Lan! You know how to make you sister happy!" Ran said Lan smiled "Oh yeah Dad told me to tell you he'll be waiting" Lan said "Waiting...?"Ran said she then quickly realized what her brother ment "Oh crap! He'll be much harder on me if I'm late!" Ran exclamied as she bolted to the stairs "Be careful onee-chan you could-" Lan's words were cut off when he heard a loud crash down the stairs "Ow!" Ran groaned "Trip and fall..." Lan sighed "You okay?" Lan called "Yeah, I'm okay" Ran called with a groan of pain at the bottom of the stairs Ran was on the floor rubbing her head she had slipped on the third to last step as she was running down "Honsetly Ran, how many times have I told you not to run down the stairs like that?" came the older womens voice Ran looked up and saw her mother standing infront of her with her arms crossed "Sorry Mom"Ran apologized "Alright, just don't do it again you know what happened last time" her mother said Ran remebered clearly she was also late to meet her father and she foolishly raced down the stairs which she fell down and knocked her self out for the rest of the day "Yeah, I remeber.." she said shuddering "Dad made training harder even though I had been knocked out a whole day" she added.

Ran got up and dusted herself off she then went to the front door where a wooden sword sheated into a wooden sheath was waiting for her as well as her boots she sat down and pushed them on her feet and she grabbed the wooden sword and hopped back up "I'm heading out!" she called "Alright, you two take it easy!" her mother called "I don't want you two coming home covered in bruises and welts again" she said "Bye onee-chan!" Lan called as he passed into the kitchen "See ya!" she waved and she headed out sword in hand. Ran ran through the streets or Roan panting some people casually waved to her which she just smiled and nodded to "Dads going to kill me!" she said and she picked up her pace she rounded a croner and then a open grassless field came into view and a man with medium length black hair stood in the center of the field holding a wooden sword in his hands "Dad! I'm here!" Ran called with a wave the man looked up and put up his hand as Ran grew closer "Huh..Sorry I'm late Dad.." Ran huffed as she stopped in front of him catching her breath she then straightened up and looked at her father who was a very tall man "Oh don't worry about it" her father said turning his back "Really!?" Ran said excited she wouldn't be punished for being late but then her father then turned around with a sadistic smirk on his face "I'll just work you harder then" her father said Ran sighed she hadn't gotten out of it "Now, that you were so kind as to join me lets begin shall we" her father said raising the wooden sword in his hand "Yes sir" Ran said bowing she then unsheated her wooden sword and threw the empty sheath to the ground. Ran stood still watching her father who wasn't moving either Ran had to be careful her father was a very skilled swordsman back in his prime she watched for the slightest hint of movement then in a split second she saw her father's foot move slightly Ran immediatley jumped into action she rushed at her father she raised the wooden sword above her head and she quickly brought it down her father smirked and held up his sword and blocked her strike "Going for the first move this time eh?" her father said and pushed her back Ran struggled to keep her balance she was able to keep herself from falling then she gripped the handel of her sword tightly with both hands she then circled around her father who smiled as he fallowed her with his eyes not turning his body she then rushed his back swinging her sword to the right but again she was blocked and almost thrown off balance "All most had me" her father jostled. Ran gritted her teeth she jumped back a few feet then she started running around her father in a circle her father tracked her movements she then started swinging her sword as she continued to run around her father he blocked each an every attempt to land a hit then she twisted around the sixth time she circled around her father who held up his sword "Gotcha!" Ran said smiling as she quickly changed her sword from her right hand to her left and she quickly spun around again this was it she would finally land a hit but she was disappointed as she her the wood on wood contact she looked and saw her father had blocked her "Close one you almost got me" he said and he shoved her back causing Ran to fall on her butt "Ow.." Ran groaned as she rubbed her butt she was also dizzy from the running in circles and spinning so quickly "Why do we have to do this again?" Ran asked rubbing her spinning head "Because you choose to use a sword" her father said "Oh yeah, can I change my mind?" Ran asked jokingly "Ran" her father said in his serious tone "I'm kidding, it's to late anyway I already got the materials to make a sword" Ran said with a sorryful smile.

"So do you have any idea what your going to make?" her father asked "Ugh..I have no idea..." Ran said getting off the ground what she and her father were referring to was the Vale Academy enterance exam, Vale Academy was a school in Roan that trained boys and girls to be warriors and adventurers plus the school would send them on missions that if they'd be sucessful they'd be paid for it which is why most kids went to Vale plus it was the place Ran was applying to get into and why she was out training with her father each and every day "Well you only have a few more days to make your weapon" her father said the enterance exam for Vale was to make your own weapon "I know dad its just I've never made a weapon before" Ran said "You want me to help you then?" her father asked "You know you can't dad I have to make it myself!" Ran shouted "I know, I know it's just I don't see how a thirteen year old girl like you can make your own weapon" her father said "I'll just have to try my best dad" Ran said "Alright then" he said "Now, who said training was over?" her father said "Hugh.." Ran groaned and she picked up her sword and rushed at her father. It was later in the evening when Ran and her father got home her mother came walking out the kicthen hearing the front door open "Welcome back how was.." she stopped seeing her daughter covered with black and purple bruises and her husband with a red mark on his face "Training.." she finshed with a sigh "I said not to get covered in brusies" she said looking at Ran "Sorry honey I took it a little to far" her father said scratching the back of his head "Oh, whats that?" she asked seeing the red mark on her husbands face "I finally got a hit in mom!" Ran said with a grin "It wasn't a hit it was a graze it didn't count" her father said "Yeah right! That was clearly a clean hit!" Ran argued "Yeah right, it'll be at least 10 years until you land a clean hit on me" her father argued back Ran gritted her teeth and glared at her father. "Okay you two break it up" her mother said "Okay mom" Ran said as she walked off leaving her sword and boots at the door "You should start working on your weapon Ran" her father said "Alright dad I will" Ran said as she made her way to the backyard as she stepped out she heard her brothers voice "Welcome home nee-chan" Lan said upon seeing her "Looks like dad was hard on you for being late" Lan said seeing the fading brusies on his sister "Yeah, he kinda did" Ran laughed rubbing the painful brusies "So,what are you doing now?" Lan asked "Well, I was going to start making my weapon for the academy" Ran said "Oh, have any idea what your going to make?" Lan asked "Well,I know it has to be a sword" Ran said thinking to herself "What about a curved sword?" Lan said "Curved?" Ran asked confused "Yeah, a curved sword would suit your fighting style best" Lan said "Really?" Ran said astounded at her younger brothers words "Well then a curved sword it is" Ran said "Hey, thanks bro you really cut down my work" Ran said patting Lan on the held "Anything for you onee-chan" Lan said "I'll go inside now and let you get to work" Lan said as he ran inside the house "Okay then, curved sword, lets get this started" Ran said psyking herself up.

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It was later in the evening Ran was still in the backyard she was standing up with her arms on her side looking down with a dissatified look on her face "Ah, man.." she said looking down at the poor excuse for a curved sword "It isn't curved at all.." Ran sighed "Maybe I should give up for now.." she said looking up at the sky she saw the sun had started to go down "I'll try again tommrow.." she said and she turned and walked back inside the house when she walked in her dad was sitting in the kitchen at the table while her mother was hard at work cooking she walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table and groaned "So,I take it you had a hard time?" her dad asked Ran nodded "Well, just try your best dear you'll get it" her dad said trying to incourage her "I don't think I can do it dad.." Ran said "Oh come on now Ran this was just your first try not all first tries are sucessful" her mother piped in "I know mom.." Ran said "You can try again tommorow, now go upstairs and take your bath and get changed for dinner" her mother said "Alright mom" Ran said and she got up from the table and walked upstairs. Ran walked up the stairs and started towards her room as she passed Lans room she could here Lan running around his room "What is he doing in there?" she asked herself as she slowly got closer to the door she could hear her brother shouting and yelling Ran was curious what was her brother doing "I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a peak.." she giggled to herself she slowly creaked the door open a smige to where she could see inside what she saw left her without words what she saw was her five year old brother running around swinging a wooden sword sweating fiercly she watched as he grunted and shouted as he swung the wooden sword in his hands "How long has he been doing this?" she whispered to herself as she continued to watch Lan she then got a good look at the sword he had in his hands the wooden sword was curved "A curved sword.." Ran gasped "So that's were he got the idea for me to make a curved sword" Ran said "When did he make that?" she wondered her father had only made a wooden sword for her and himself when Lan asked for one his father had said he was still to young to train with a sword so how was it he had one in his hands Ran was deep in thought and she didn't notice Lan had stopped swinging his sword he panted as he caught his breath "I think that should be enough for today.." Lan said Ran immediatly snapped back to reality as she watched Lan put away the wooden sword Lan then withdrew a wooden chest from under his bed and put the wooden sword in and slipped it back under the bed "You sneaky little" Ran said as she cracked a smile Lan wiped his forehead as he then made his way out of his room Ran had no time to run off and when Lan pulled his door open he shouted and fell back at the sight of his sister standing in the doorway "You okay?" Ran asked "Oh, nee-chan hey, yeah I'm fine" Lan said quickly hoping to his feet "Uhm, you didn't see or hear anything did you?" Lan asked "Ah, well" Ran scracthed her cheek nervously "You did didn't you?" Lan asked seeing through his sister.

"Ye..yeah..." Ran admitted "Please don't tell mom and dad" Lan pleaded "I won't if you tell me where you got that wooden sword" Ran said "Oh, you saw that.." Lan said rubbing the back of his head "Uhm..I kinda made it.." Lan said "You made it?" Ran said not believing him "Yeah, I secretly watched dad as he made the two for him and you" Lan said "And I just studied the steps over and over until I decided to make my own" Lan added Ran stood still she couldn't believe what she was hearing her brother who was 8 years younger then her had made his own weapon "Your not mad at me onee-chan?" Lan asked "Are you?" Lan said with a sad face "No, I'm not mad I'm actually astounded you were able to make your own sword" Ran said "Really nee-chan!" Lan said with a big smile "Yep, and I guess thats why you got the idea for me making a curved sword" Ran said "Yeah, how did making it go?" Lan asked Ran groaned in disgust "I failed.." Ran said "I couldn't make it the right way" Ran sulked "Oh, sorry onee-chan it must be difficult to make a curved sword for the first time.." Lan said "You don't have to go with my idea you can make what's easier for you" Lan said "No, no! I'm going to stick with your idea! Not all first attempts come out right!" Ran said trying to cheer her brother up "Really nee-chan?" he asked "You bet! Just watch I'll make my sword that came from your idea!" Ran said. "Good luck nee-chan! I have a feeling you'll do it!" Lan said "Ran! did you take your bath yet?" her mother called "Crap, I forgot about that!" Ran said "I'm on my way there mom!" Ran called down "Alright!" her mother replied "I'm going to go take my bath and change clothes you should head downstairs mom's making dinner" Ran said as she started walking off "Alright nee-chan" Lan said and he stepped out his room and closed the door behind him and headed down the stairs while Ran made her way to her room she got inside and she went to the clothes drawer and she pulled the top drawer open she slipped the arm band off and dropped it in and she quickly threw the cloves on her hands in with it she closed the drawer and opened the second drawer and she pulled out a clean white sleeved shirt and a cotton black pants and a fresh pair if underware then she made her way to the bathroom she placed her change of clothes on the sink and she turned on the water on and let it fill the tub she then started to strip she unzipped her jacket and threw it in a basket that was under the sink she then slid out of her shorts and they joined the jacket she had thrown off she slipped off her underwear she looked at the tub and saw it was filled u enough she got in and layed down into the water.

Ran let out a sigh of relief as she layed in the water she streched and a twinge of pain came from her side "Ow.." she groaned she looked over her body at each blue bruise that had formed on her from the many hits she took from her father "Why can't father ever hold himself back.." Ran said her mind then wander to Lan and watching him run around his room "I can't believe what I saw" Ran said "He was really into it" she went on "I wonder how long he's been practicing in secret like that?" Ran wondered "He's going to be a really good warrior" Ran said she soaked in the water for a while letting it ease her pain "Ah, this feels so nice" Ran sighed after a lon day of traning it was good to just soak in a bathtub full of water "I can't believe I actually got a hit in on dad" Ran laughed remebering what happened her father didn't see it coming Ran had rushed at him and started spinning he went to block thinking thats all she was going to do but she surprised him with a quick up-cut he reacted and stepped back and the wooden point grazed his cheek and left a red mark on his face Ran was so excited she had finally gotten a hit in after so many traning sessions she couldn't belive she had progressed so far "Can't beleive dad dosn't want to count that as a hit" Ran pouted "Although I think a saw a smile on his face when I caught him off gaurd like that" Ran smiled "I hope I can make my weapon and put all his traning to use" Ran said. "And get into Vale Academy" Ran said Vale Academy was her goal she wanted to get into the school that trained so many amazing warriors she was going to work hard and make sure she's get in Ran soaked a while longer in the tub then she got out she let herself dry off she then got dressed and headed downstairs as she entered the kitchen she saw he mom and dad sitting at the table along with Lan "Ah, your finally down" her mom said noticing her "Sit down I'll serve dinner" she said "Alright mom" Ran said and she took her seat next to Lan and her mother took no time in putting plates of food in front of each of them "Eat up" she said and Ran started eating minuets passed and everyone had finished eating her mother had taken each of their plates and started cleaning them "I think you two should get to bed" her mother said Ran nodded Lan just yawned "Come on Lan, it's bed time" Ran said "Hm..Alright nee-chan" Lan said he got up from his chair and startes walking towards the stairs Ran fallowed suit and walked to the stairs "Goodnight nee-chan" Lan said as he entered his room as Ran got to the top of the stairs "Night." Ran said as she passed Lan's room watching the door close she made her way to her room and stepped in she closed the door behind her and went over to her bed she got in and layed there for a bit "I just have to make this weapon..I just have to" she said Vale Academy was her dream and she wanted to fufill that dream. [END OF PART 1]