Disclaimer: I don't Own Ranma ½ or One Piece
"Ranma!" – Speaking
'Ranma!' – Thoughts
Ranma! – Flashback
Ranma! – Techniques
Half Ranma, Half Assassin
Discovery of a Bloody Lifetime
Ten years ago,
"Stupid papa!" A little boy, by the age of six, ranted on and on. Luckily he was where no one but him can be bothered, since only he can hear himself. "Saying that throwing me at those mean people was going to get me stronger! I was glad that he was taking a nap now!"
This boy's name is Ranma Saotome and he was the unfortunate son of Genma Saotome, a good martial artist and thief but bad teacher and father. And since he lost his father, he can finally let loose some of his stress and other negative feelings in peace. "Excuse me…" Ranma halted to hear the voice of an elderly man.
Looking around, Ranma had found a man dressed in rags and had to use a moldy blanket for warmth. "Who are you?"
"I don't know. I have lived for so long and alone, that I have forgotten my name." The old man said and Ranma didn't know what to make of it. And he was about to get on his way when, "Not so fast young man. I could have ignored you but you scream of martial arts and yet anger and stress. You are like a boiling cauldron of rage mixed in displeasure and pain."
"I don't know what you just said but yeah, that is me! Ranma Saotome! And I hate martial arts!" Ranma said honestly. The phrase always gave him bad memories of his abusive father and the suffering that he was thrown in like a chunk of meat to a den of wolves.
"No. You only hate your father. And you can be better than your old man at martial arts. It is in your blood. That is why I am going to give you my remaining legacy." The old man responded, reaching for a box behind him. And he took out a large scroll and some kind of bracelets. "Here. I want to give these to you."
Ranma was like any six year old, he was trusting of this old man without a name but he was suspicious of him as well. "And what is this?"
"I was a martial artist, just like your father but I wanted to be the best I could. And that scroll contains forbidden techniques and powers that most will die instead of mastering." man said and Ranma felt a little pale. "That is why I am giving the scroll and those weights to you. I know that you will not give up on martial arts, no matter what you say. And with many years awaiting you ahead, I know you will master them."
"And these bracelets?" Ranma wanted to learn more.
"They are to help your body grow even outside of training. Those weights are usually bought by martial artists so you can find a shop in pretty much any district in Tokyo." The old man said. "If you will like to learn these powerful moves, then you will have to become super human."
"Superhuman!?" Ranma couldn't believe his ears. This scroll can make him superhuman, stronger than most people and possibly other martial artists as well! "Cool! How do I do it!?"
The old man smiled under his hood, "Everything is in that scroll. Everything that you will need to do to learn them. Can you read?"
Ranma wanted to see if he could, as he was only six years old. But then again, he learned how to write and read behind his father's back; probably because Ranma didn't want to be a martial artist that didn't know how to read or write. And when he opened the scroll, he was shocked to say this, "I can read this!"
"Then please begin. My old eyes can't allow me to read them anymore." Ranma nodded, he wanted to feel like he was helping the old and disabled.
"Let's see." Ranma got a good look at the scroll and spoke out loud. "Greetings to whoever is reading this scroll. If you are then you are going to throw away your life or at least a large number of years because once you see the power, you cannot resist it. It can be powerful and effective if used right. But it is also difficult to learn and if the exercise is done wrong then you surely get yourself killed. If you still want to try it then read all the way to list of the Rokushiki, the Six Powers Style.
Shigan (Finger Pistol). "A bullet isn't needed to pierce the human body."- Kaku, of CP9.
Kami-e (Paper Art). "But there's no art to being hit." - Blueno, of CP9.
Geppo (Moon Step). "One can also kick the air to float." - Blueno, of CP9.
Tekkai (Iron Body). "We've trained our bodies such that we can turn them into "iron carapaces" if we so choose..." – Blueno, of CP9
Rankyaku (Storm Leg). "It is possible to be fast enough to cause slicing winds..." – Kalifa, of CP9
Soru (Shave). "With leg strength explosive enough to seemingly cause one's body to "disappear"..." – Blueno, of CP9
Ranma couldn't believe it. These powers allowed him to take almost any hit, can move at blinding speeds, avoid nearly any attack and even fly! Ranma was not sure about the Shigan and the Rankyaku since they both involve harm but he shoved those thoughts aside. "All these are so cool!"
"I am sure. But I was much older than you so I couldn't master more than one. And it happened to be the easiest one of them all, how insulting!" The old man said in a wail which made Ranma to feel bad about him.
"I am sure it isn't all bad. All these were the hardest to master so doing just one is proof that you are above the other artists!" Ranma tried to get his point across and figuratively 'looking to the bright side of things'.
"I suppose. But that scrolls and those weights are yours now. I had to carry them around for twenty years, never using them. Good luck Ranma the Marital Artist!" The old man vanished from under this hood with speeds that he didn't even leave any footprints behind. It was like he puffed out of existence.
"Thank you mister!" Ranma felt extra happy and placed the bracelets on his legs and arms, only to feel the extra weight already. "Now let's see how I am going to learn them." The little martial artist said and for the next couple of months, Ranma had been avoiding his father and learning the 'easiest' one of the Rokushiki; the Soru style.
"Boy!" And for the last couple of months, every single day, Ranma had to try and lose his father that keeps on finding him. But Ranma was getting faster every day until he could disappear early in the morning and lose his father for the rest of the day; and Genma used to be able to do it for more than once a day when Ranma started. "You are to stop this foolishness and take your training like a man! I am not going to raise you like a girl!"
"I am not going!" Ranma shouted all his might, which didn't get through his father's ears. But fate wasn't going to be in Ranma's favor as Genma resorted to his specialty; cheating, stealing and hitting below the belt. And Ranma was never proud of himself for letting his guard down while taking a nap.
XXXXX
Present Time.
"I am not going!" It was a raining day in the Nerima Ward of Tokyo and everyone were outside with their umbrellas open but also their mouths. It was a strange sight to behold and anyone will be that shocked. It was some kind of pigtailed girl that was wearing a large backpack while avoiding a giant panda that was trying to grasp her. "You can't make me!"
The panda said nothing and tried to hit the girl with a large sign that was kicked aside by the same girl. A curious bystander tried to read the sign, thankfully it was in Japanese. "You are going to get married and that is that…my son?" The bystander read the sigh that barely made any sense.
At the Tendo Family Dojo down the road from where this was all happening, a man wearing a simple yellow robe was looking and crying at the words on a postcard from China.
of a dear friend bringing his son to marry one of his daughters. "Finally!" He spoke in a dramatic tone. "Finally! The schools can become one like they were destined and told by the gods!" He was Soun Tendo, head of the Tendo Family and owner of the family dojo.
"Daddy? What is with that letter that you are crying?" Soun turned to see a woman who looked like in her early twenties. She was Kasumi Tendo, the eldest daughter and pretty, single housewife.
"Yeah! I can't concentrate on the money I earned through that scam…sale!" Another woman, more like a high school senior came and nearly skipped her breath at that last two words. She was Nabiki Tendo, the middle daughter, and pretty much the scammer that specializes in spying and blackmail. But not for her own gain, but to pay to keep the dojo; that which is because barely anyone comes to train at the Tendo Dojo nowadays.
"Hey I want in on it! Are there more students at last!?" This one was the youngest daughter, around the age of a high school sophomore. She was Akane Tendo and the only one that actually practices the style used by the dojo with the exception of her father. But it seems that the family head has been postponing lessons for several months of training compared to how active the dojo seems to be.
"No, even better. You are going to get married to the son of my dear and close friend! Then our family will be complete and the dojo will be back to its glory days!" Soun said and his daughters didn't seem to be excited about it as he was.
"How much do you know about this boy Daddy?" Kasumi said softly and the three sisters all rolled their eyes to see their father freezing up.
"I…I do know that he is around your age, Akane." Soun tried to get some credit and only saw that Kasumi was a little disappointed that this boy is below her age group, Nabiki hid her scowl while Akane was fuming. "That's all I know because I never actually met Ranma-kun."
"That is why I have to marry him!? I don't even know if this boy is like those at my school! How do I know you are not in cahoots with that big jerk and this is just another joke
Akane, unfortunately, was a girl with a fierce temper. Well fierce by her standards but everyone saw it like an infant throwing a temper tantrum; they just are too afraid to say so.
But that awkward silence was broken when the porch, where Soun was sitting on, had been breached by a large black and white projectile that landed the Tendo Family head into the pond on the other side of the dojo. "Okay! We are here so let's get this over with!" The Tendo Sisters then saw that same girl from the middle of town right in front of the open, drenched from head to toe.
"Excuse me?" Kasumi was always the one that tried to make guests feel welcome to her dojo. Soun's past actions after getting drunk had hurt their home and made their family very poor.
"Well you like to come in and out of the rain? I can't have you catch a cold."
"Thanks. I hate the rain and I rarely get a cold thank you." The girl said and got into the porch with the sisters getting a good glimpse at her. "Can you please make sure that your father and mine aren't looking? I need to change and I don't know where the bathroom is." The girl said before getting out of her wet clothes right in front of her hosts. "What? I am soaked and still have room to grow until I get to your rank."
"O-okay. We will make sure that only we girls are looking." Akane said, feeling a little good about herself. This girl sure is shameless around women but at least she knows when to keep her body to herself and how to use it to compliment her hosts. And thankfully, this girl had a spare change of clothes in her large pack that she brought in along.
"Thank you. Now may name is Ranma Saotome and I hear that I am arranged to marry one of you. And that one of your is an active martial artist right?" The girl introduced herself as 'Ranma' even though this confused her hosts. They were expecting a boy to marry into their family instead of another girl. Kasumi and Nabiki didn't say anything in their shock and directed Ranma's attention to Akane.
Akane gasped sharply on how fast she was the center of attention by both her sisters and this 'attractive girl'. "Well yes, I am a martial artist but I am still not like my father." Akane tried to say in order to stop the stares until she saw Ranma's face only inches from her own.
"Good! I don't get many challenges fighting women because men don't let them or they don't train as hard as you!" Ranma said in an excited tone. "Come one! Show me where we can have a spar! I want to see the only sister that can be the family heir can do!"
Despite all this, Akane only felt happy to see the fire in Ranma's eyes. She could tell that Ranma truly wanted to fight her in a spar, to have fun, to have some quality time as female martial artists and fellow women. It was like Akane had finally found a person that she can truly be friends with; but she had no idea of the secrets that Ranma is keeping away, the ones that can possibly ruin any hopes that Akane might have.
XXXXX
That very evening,
'I still don't see how daddy is expecting me to be married when the one promised to me is a girl!' Akane was feeling like a shower after yet another day of training and this was because of her friendly battle with Ranma. "Oh well. At least this girl made me remember what it was like to really let go the whole way. I am actually covered in sweat. Not even the mobs can do that."
Akane was walking towards the bathroom, even though Kasumi told her that Ranma was using it first. She decided that since it is just girls, there is no problem. When she got there was a steady supply of steam coming out through the doors, proof that it was still being used. And when Akane moved the bathroom door an inch, "Close it!" Akane flinched and looked around for the source of the voice. "I am still using the baths! Close the door!"
"Ranma-chan?" Akane could have sworn that the voice was familiar. Like a male version of the daughter to the best friend of her father.
"Whatever. Just close the door!" Akane did just that but couldn't move from the door until someone opened it for her a little while later. "Thank you and sorry about that. I don't like to have anyone coming in during a bath, not even Pops." Finally, Akane got a good look at who was in the bathroom.
"Who are you?" Akane said bluntly. This was no scarlet girl with pigtails but a man with untamed black hair that was wearing the same clothes.
"My name is Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo. And I am the unluckiest man in the world for future reference." Akane was shocked, just what was about her new 'friend'?! Then she felt Ranma taking her hand crushing it a little. "And I see that you are a martial artist like your dad. Otherwise your hand would have been crushed for good. And your grip, your legs and your complexion give you away as a good fighter."
Akane couldn't believe that this man was talking about such things that plenty of people had gotten bad bruising for less. She had nothing to say and Akane pretty much couldn't get herself to move. "T-thanks."
"No problem but can you keep a secret while I promise to take this shitty fiance business as slow as you will like?" Ranma then asked and Akane actually liked the sound of it. She playfully 'zipped' her lip and peered in to listen. "I am working on a new set of techniques and exercises for a superhuman martial arts. I haven't told my Pops, to keep it out of his slippery hands. I will like to teach to you."
"Is that the secret?" Akane said and Ranma nodded. "So I can learn this if I promise not to tell?"
"That's how fair it can be so sure." Ranma said and then took out his hand. "Do we have a deal? I will stab myself to prove I can be trusted if you will like…" Akane furiously shook head and then grasped Ranma's hand to shake it.
End of Chapter 1.
*I guess that Inuyasha fics just weren't for me. That is why I am trying out another manga series that I am familiar with. I hope that this one will be better. And I had to delete a second story in two years; and the stories that don't do well are mostly one-shots too! That is why I have found my talent for multi-chapter stories instead of trying to pack it all into a single chapter.
So tell me what you think because I wanted to establish a connection to the martial artist Ranma with the deadly martial arts of the One Piece universe.
On another note, i was surprised that this chapter wasn't in my files. I guess that it was erased when i got my previous laptop in shop for a new hard drive. But now i am giving it another go. Wish me luck!*