A New Challenge
-Chiba Hiro
*Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or any of its content, it all belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.*
Prologue:
In Jusenkyo, a thousand or so miles away from Japan, a council meeting takes place between the chairmen and the leaders from Joketsuzoku in the council's meeting tent. They were talking amongst themselves, and the meeting was about to start, and the Officiator of the meeting appeared to be anxious to get the meeting over with. In an attempt to bring order to the loud conversation, he raised his voice above the others.
"Silence!" he shouted (in mandarin) above the talking, and they stopped immediately. "This meeting is about to start. Where is Elder Cologne?" The officiator of the meeting asked.
"I thought she was still in Japan. I'm afraid she won't be able to make it today." One of the leaders of Joketsuzoku explained.
"In that case, we'll have to go on without her..." the officiator said, but he was interrupted by the sound of Cologne hopping in on a walking stick like a pogo stick.
"Sorry I'm late, everyone. It takes me a while to get off the plane, and... you might know the rest." She said. "Now where did you leave off again? I don't think I heard it."
"Uh, well, technically, you are late according to schedule, but since we have not yet started, I think it would be safe to say that you have not missed anything yet. Welcome, Elder Cologne." The officiator said, and gestured for the matriarch to take a seat across from him.
"Now, let this meeting come to pass. First Chairman, please explain the reason why I called you all here today on such short notice." He told the man to his far right, and he stood up and read from the paper he had in his hands.
"Ahem, well, the number of Jusenkyo victims has increased over the last three years, as you may have noticed it. Before then, there used to be at least three victims a month, now it has increased to over six victims a day, and in the course of three years alone, we have estimated the amout to be over sixty thousand victims with curses. We have yet to know how to prevent that large sum of casualties from happening on these grounds again, and it brings us back to why we are here." He explained.
"Can you take over for me, Second Chairman?" he said, turning to the man to his left.
The First Chairman took his seat, and the Second Chairman stood up and presented himself in front of the people.
"Why are we here? We are here to discuss how to prevent sixty thousand or so Jusenkyo curses from being inflicted upon more people. Our lands are to remain secretive, and no one is to know about its existence, or its capabilities except for Joketsuzoku, and Jusenkyo villagers."
"I have a question." Cologne interrupted. "How are you going to keep this secret from getting out to the public? Your friend over there already said that Jusenkyo has acquired over sixty thousand victims in the course of three years. How is it possible that it will not get into the public hands before those sixty thousand victims decide to expose its existence to the rest of the world? You know it is impossible." Cologne said.
"That may be true. Third Chairman, can you take over?" he asked, looking at the man to the left of the officiator.
The Second Chair man took his seat as the Third Chairman presented his ideas.
"First of all, we know we cannot do anything to stop this secret from spreading, and we need to do something to prevent more Jusenkyo victims from falling prey to these curses, and sooner of later they will become a threat to the world if they are not dealt with right at this moment."
"How?" Cologne asked.
"We need someone from the outside to help us prevent more people from falling into the springs, and he needs to be a strong fighter." The Third Chairman said.
"Why do to you need a fighter to help to prevent more victims from acquiring Jusenkyo curses?" One of the elders asked.
"We need someone to be more forceful on people who are stubborn enough to take these curses so lightly. Didn't you know that more than seventy percent of the victims that have acquired the curses have either been martial artists, or Amazons." He emphasized, and the Joketsuzoku elders held their heads in shame that most of their people have curses, but Cologne remained calm.
"If you need a fighter," Cologne started. "Who might you suggest is needed to take this job?" Cologne asked.
"We need someone who has acquired one of the curses, is able to fight well enough, and he needs to be insistent and secretive at the same time." Third Chairman said.
"Well, in that case, I may have one suggestion for you." Cologne said.
"Go on." Third Chairman said.
"I know a young man that would gladly take on this job." Cologne said.
"Who then?" Third Chairman asked.
"His name is Ranma Saotome." She said, and everyone in the room gasped.
"The same Ranma Saotome who defeated Shampoo?" one of the elders asked, Cologne nodded.
"The same Ranma Saotome who defeated the Musk dynasty and the Phoenix?" First Chairman asked.
"Yes. The same Ranma Saotome." Cologne answered them.
"Well then." The officiator started. "Elder Cologne, can we trust you to relay a message to the boy?" he asked.
"Can we even trust the boy?" the elder next to Cologne asked.
"Certainly." Cologne answered them both.
"Tell him what we have said, and that he needs to read this." The officiator handed Cologne a letter, and it was addressed to whoever was concerned. "It states everything that we have said up to this point. Can you do it?"
"I will." Cologne said, and hopped out of the council's tent, ending the council meeting.