Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Ranma ½.
It was a rather surprisingly calm evening at the Tendo Dojo. It was nearly a week after the failed wedding and the Saotomes were once again staying at the Tendos. The fiancés were keeping their distance, the fathers were for once not harping Ranma to marry Akane, the rivals had not come challenging Ranma including Kuno, and even Nabiki was not up to her usual schemes. All in all it was a rather pleasant evening meal that is until there was a knock at the front gate, for some reason a chill passed up Genma's spine. It was the same chill he got when he knew it was time to run from an area, as he was about to get in trouble. The only thing that actually kept him from running was because Nodoka made it quite clear that if he ran away for any reason she would make him pay.
Kasumi stood to answer the knock and went to the front gate. She was surprised to see a man wearing black business suit standing there waiting. "Hello may I help you?" Kasumi asked.
"Good evening Miss," the man bowed as he greeted. "My name is Yamada Hajime I was told that the Saotomes are staying here is that correct?"
"Oh my yes," Kasumi answered. "Are you here because of a marriage agreement?" It had become a standard greeting for anyone that asked for the Saotomes regardless of gender. Ever since a young man came seeking Genma's daughter that is, needless to say everyone, even Soun, beat on Genma that night.
"No," Hajime answered. "How ever my business with them does involve all the members of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, but the main reason for my visit directly involves Saotome Genma and his son. May I please come in?"
"Yes please follow me," Kasumi answered. She then paused for a moment remembering she forgot to introduce herself, "Oh my I'm terribly sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Kasumi Tendo."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Kasumi Tendo," Hajime smiled. Kasumi led the young man to the dinning room where everybody was waiting for to see whom the next fiancé looked like, Akane even had her mallet out and ready to bash Ranma.
"Everyone this is Yamada Hajime he is here to speak with Uncle Saotome," Kasumi announced.
"Husband how could you engage our son to another man?" Nodoka asked immediately pulling out her sword.
"I've never met this man before in my life!" Genma said in a panic.
"Excuse me," Hajime spoke up before the others could join in. "My visit here does not involve any kind of marriage proposals to anyone. My business is with all practitioners of the Anything Goes Style of Martial Arts."
"Well we are all here," Soun said. "What business do you have with us. Challengers are usually met at the side entrance."
"I am not a Challenger," Hajime responded. "And not all of the members are here. Grand Master Happosai is not present."
No sooner had the words left his mouth did Genma and Soun jump up and cover it. "Don't say his name," they chorused, "He might come." As if they predicted the event Happosai came bonding into the house.
The three things that happened afterwards surprised everyone present. The first was that Happosai did not put down any stolen panties, because he did not have any. Second Cologne soon followed after Happosai. Finally both of the ancient Martial Artists bowed to the guest. One thing went through everyone's mind at the same time, "What kind of man gets these two to bow before him?"
"Grand Master Happosai, you were informed that I would be arriving this evening. I am curious as to why you were not here to greet me," Hajime said. That statement had no malice only simple curiosity.
"I did not mean any disrespect Master Yamada," Happosai answered. "I was merrily getting Cologne here as she too has take him as a student."
"Of course," Hajime nodded. "Now shall we get down to business?"
"And what business is that?" Nabiki asked. "And just do you know them?"
"This Master Yamada Hajime, Master of the Sky Dragon School of Martial Arts," Happosai answered. "He is also a representative of the Grand Masters Council."
"And what is the Grand Masters Council?" Nodoka asked.
"The Grand Masters Council is just that a group of Grand Masters of the Martial Arts," Hajime answered. "We are the ones that decide which techniques and in some cases entire styles of Martial Arts are to banned and forbidden." He then directed his gaze at Genma, "We also carry out punishments to those who try and teach banned techniques to their students. Which brings me to why I am here." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a scroll that appeared to be too large to fit. Opening the scroll he began to read it out loud, "Saotome Genma is here by charged with teaching two banned techniques and one forbidden style to his sole student Saotome Ranma. With eye witness accounts of the techniques in action it is the decision by the Grand Masters Council that Saotome Genma will be punished for his crimes."
Several people gasped at the statement, especially Nodoka, she had not heard anything like this before. Cologne and Happosai also gasped as well, "What do you mean two banned techniques and one forbidden style?" Cologne asked, "We were only aware of the Neko-ken."
Continuing Hajime ignored the question and began to recite more from the scroll, "Technique one, the Neko-ken: Witnesses to its use Ku Lon Matriarch of the Jukesuzoku Grand Master of Amazon Wu Shu and Happosai Grand Master and Founder of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Technique two, the Phoenix Air Style: Witness Marcus Strohime, Grand Master of the Strohime School of Knight Combat," Cologne and Happosai gasped and sent a glare that promised certain death at Genma. "Technique three, the Battle Transformation Technique: Witness to its use Marcus Dedlas of the Aries School of Martial Arts." He rolled up the scroll and was now joined in the glare of certain death, "The only reason you are still alive is because the Council wants to know where you learned of these techniques."
"Excuse me," Nodoka spoke up. "But what are these banned techniques?"
Cologne turned away from the cowering moron to answer Nodoka. "The first is the Neko-ken. It was banned because it either kills the trainee or makes them insane. It is taught by wrapping a child no older than ten years old in fish products and throwing them into a pit of starving cats, repeat until the student learns or is dead." Nodoka paled at first then started to boil with rage. "The second is the Phoenix Air Style, it is a style that can only be used by the Phoenix Tribe because they are the only one's that can fly. And finally the last is the by far the most dangerous technique ever created. The technique removes all blocks on a person to allow them to use 100 hundred percent of their Ki all at once. The only result is the user dies because literally all their energy is used up."
"That was the first technique the Council ever banned," Hajime explained. "That was over 2500 years ago. The person who came up with the technique used it to destroy an army single handedly. The Masters of that time sensed the power and found the scroll that taught how to use the technique. They saw the destruction the technique brought and decided to destroy the scroll. The actual method is not known but the results of the technique has been passed down to every Grand Master in world so that they can prevent someone else from trying to relearn the technique. The Council wishes to know how a moron like Genma who never developed his own techniques could possibly come up with something so dangerous."
"I'll have you know I invented my own forbidden techniques, the Yame-sen-ken and Umi-sen-ken," Genma said indignantly.
"You mean the techniques you made off of the ninja techniques you stole from the Kuramitsu Clan?" Hajime asked. "The ones that you couldn't figure out how to do properly and thus made flawed techniques that can kill the user as well as the target." Hajime then laughed, "You should feel lucky that Kuramitsu Clan has not hunted you down after they found your location from Kumon Ryuu. The Council persuaded them that you would face punishment for your crimes. Believe me what we have planned is much better for you than their punishments."
"Not to change the subject or nothing but what happened to Kumon?" Ranma asked.
"After the Kuramitsu Clan judged that he did not know the true origins of the technique they taught him the proper techniques so he would not accidentally kill himself or another person," Hajime answered. "The scrolls that Genma stole from them were their strongest techniques that were designed for assassination that left no evidence behind. The lesser techniques of the clan are no where near as deadly."
"Oh ok," Ranma said. "Um do you think they could help me?"
"After this task is completed, yes," Hajime answered. "Now back to you," Hajime looked at Genma who was trying to sneak away. "If you try to run I will kill you." Genma froze and them launched into the Crouch of the White Tiger begging for forgiveness. "Not only are you stupid but you are completely pathetic as a Martial Artist."
"Genma I am giving this one chance," Happosai spoke up. "How did you teach Ranma the Battle Transformation and how did he survive?"
"I found this old scroll in an abandoned temple in Korea," Genma explained. "It said with it a person could defeat an Army. I didn't read the part about it killing the user until Ranma performed the first stage and passed out. The boy doesn't ever remembering learning the technique because he was passed out for a week."
"That is the same account Dedlas told the Council when he reported it three years ago," Hajime said. "So at least he's telling us the truth." Then Hajime asked, "What kind of a moron doesn't read an entire technique scroll before using it?"
"That's how he taught Son-in-Law the Neko-ken," Cologne answered. "He did not read the entire manual he found. And how did you learn about the Phoenix Air Style and when did you try and teach it too him?"
"I 'found' the manual on some woman before I took Ranma on the training trip," Genma answered. "I taught him as I was teaching how to fall properly." As habit Genma added "The boy was took weak to learn it ri…" WHAM Genma was silenced by his wife hitting him on the head with the sheath of the blade.
"HOW COULD DO ALL THAT TOO OUR SON?" Nodoka yelled.
"Says the woman that allowed a five year old sign a seppuku pledge," Hajime said silencing Nodoka. She was about to retort but Hajime held up his hand stopping her, "I am not here to judge you on that. I was just merely stating that to remind you of the old saying, 'judge not least ye be judged.'"
Calming herself Nodoka asked, "How do you plan of punishing Genma? If his death is required then…"
"His death will not be required," Hajime answered. Genma hearing this visibly relaxed. "What we have in mind is much more severe. You see we have done extensive research on your husband and we have decided that death is too easy for him. The punishment we have in store for him is similar to the Moxibustion Point, only much stronger in its use. The technique not only removes a person's strength, but also their speed, stamina, and the person's ability to manipulate Ki and Chi. In essence we will be removing his ability to use Martial Arts completely." He turns to Genma smirking, "Even with a life time of training he will be nothing more than a person a First Dan Level. He will actually have to work for a living instead of thieving." Genma started to shake at the prospect of actually having to work. He was quickly thinking of a way to leave but noticed that all the exits were covered cutting off his escape.
"And will anything happen to Ranma?" Nodoka asked.
"Nothing harmful," Hajime answered. "First the Neko-ken will be sealed. Ranma, you will still be afraid of cats, though not to the extreme, but you will not have ever worry about going into the Neko-ken mindset ever again. Then you will be trained by the Kuramitsu Clan in the proper control of their stolen techniques." Ranma nodded at this. He hated being so terrified of cats and learning non-lethal forms of the most powerful techniques Genma taught him were quite appealing.
"When will Genma's punishment take place?" Happosai asked.
"Right away," Hajime answered. "As you are his Master you will over see the procedure. And another thing this technique is meant to punish Martial Artists who have taught forbidden techniques. It in itself is forbidden because there is no counter to it. If you are caught using it, as I have no doubt you will learn it Happosai, you will be punished by the Council. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," Happosai said. The Tendos and Ranma gave him suspicious look thinking he was lying. "I'm not stupid enough to go against the Grand Masters Council. Their members could easily defeat me. You don't become a member of the actual Council with out being the absolute best there is."
"What about the Schools they must be united," Soun finally finding a chance to speak. In his mind all this talk was an assault against his dream of uniting the School, consequences of a one-track mind.
"That has nothing to do with me or the Grand Masters Council," Hajime replied. "It is none of my business what you do in that regard."
"Come let us get Genma's punishment over with," Happosai said grabbing his fat student and dragging him out to the Dojo.
"All of you please remain here," Hajime instructed. "What I am about to do will not be something you want to watch."
"He's right," Cologne agreed. "I have seen this technique in action, and I do not wish to see it again."
"Thank you Cologne," Hajime bowed. "This will take about an hour to complete."
After Hajime left Cologne addressed Nodoka. "Your Husband has committed crimes that are deplorable to your son. One banned technique is bad enough but three is unforgivable. Even in terms of pure Martial Arts he has no honor. What do you plan to do?"
"I do not know," Nodoka answered honestly. "This news is quite disturbing. I must think on this before I decide. Ranma will you please come with me, we have much to talk about in private."
"Um yeah Mom," Ranma agreed and followed his mother up to his room for some privacy.