Softer Side
Version 3-4.9.02
I do not own any of the Ranma ½ characters. However, I will if I ever strike it rich.
Ch 1: A Small Difference*****************************************************************
Author's Notes:
I have finally found a pre-reader. He is doing an excellent job on helping me refine my writing style and making my story more consistent. So I want to say, thank you Ghost in the Machine.
Every chapter of The Softer Side has been rewritten so please reread them.
The biggest design change that I made was to combine the old chapters two and three into the new chapter 2. I then cut a lot of the material in which there was no change from the manga.
There are major storyline changes in new chapters two and three. There are some minor storyline changes in new chapter one and four. And I have now posted a new chapter five.
I hope that this rewrite has made the story better and more enjoyable to read.
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What happened in the manga cannon universe.
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Genma and a young Ranma were walking down the streets of a town.
Genma was looking at a paper with directions on it, as he talked to himself, "Okay. Walk down 3rd Street until you come to Sakura Avenue. When you reach Sakura Avenue take a right and walk straight for one and a half miles."
"Hey Pop, there's Sakura Avenue ahead."
"Good. We'll be at that temple before nightfall for sure now."
When the pair reached the corner they stopped and checked the street signs to make sure it was the correct road. Then without looking around they turned right and walked on.
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What happened in this universe.
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Genma and a young Ranma were walking down the streets of a town.
Genma was looking at a paper with directions on it, as he talked to himself, "Okay. Walk down 3rd Street until you come to Sakura Avenue. When you reach Sakura Avenue take a right and walk straight for one and a half miles."
"Hey Pop, there's Sakura Avenue ahead."
"Good. We'll be at that temple before nightfall for sure now."
When the pair reached the corner they stopped and checked the street signs to make sure it was the correct road.
Then Genma looked to his left and saw a wad of money lying on the sidewalk next to an alley. With the promise of free money he, of course, went left. "Hoo! Hoo! Boy looky what I found," Genma crowed as he neared the money and leaned over to pick it up.
Ranma looked at the wad of bills as Genma counted them. "Wow, how much is there?"
Genma continued to count the money and nearly fell over. "There's nearly 100,000 yen here boy," he boggled as he hid away the money lest the rightful owner notice it missing and see him with it.
"Wooo! I ain't never seen that much money," Ranma exclaimed in excitement.
As Genma was looking around to make sure that no one saw him pick up the cash he noticed an odd shop down the alleyway. The sign outside of the shop read 'Exotic Martial Arts Supply Store.'
"Hey boy. Let's check out that shop. Maybe they have something that can help us train."
"Okay."
The pair walked down the alley and into the shop.
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A bell on the door rang when Genma entered the store.
Looking around he didn't see anyone and decided that it was his lucky day. Now he could get what he wanted and not have to give up any of his new money.
Just then a little wrinkly old man came rushing to the front to greet the customers. When he spied them he slowed down and eyed Genma carefully. "May I help you young man?"
Genma threw the idea of trying to steal anything right out the window. This old man frightened him. He reminded him in some ways of Happosai. "Yeah, I am looking for anything that I can use to study advanced martial arts."
"Ah. You've come to the right place then. We have the best selection of advanced martial arts materials in all of Japan. Are you looking for a particular item or manual?"
"Manuals would be good, but nothing in particular."
"Ah then, follow me."
"Hey boy, stay here and stay out of trouble."
"Okay Pop."
Genma followed the old man to the back of the store and into a side room. The walls were filled with old books and scrolls.
"So how advanced are you looking for?"
"Very advanced. As advanced and powerful as you have."
"Ah, I see. Then you will want to look in here," the old man said as he walked to a pair of small recessed metal doors set in the wall.
The old man touched his hand to the doors and said something that Genma didn't understand. When the old man was done the doors opened a little. He then pulled the doors the rest of the way open. There were about a dozen manuals in the case.
Genma picked up the first one and looked through it. It was nothing that he wanted. He then picked up the next and skimmed through it. Again, nothing that he wanted.
"What is it that you are looking for? Maybe I can be of assistance in finding it," offered the old man.
"I'm looking for an ultimate technique. A technique that is so powerful that it is nigh, unstoppable," replied Genma.
"Those techniques are generally very dangerous youngster. Are you sure that it is worth it?"
"Yes."
The old man reached in and pulled out a book about the third from the left and handed it to Genma. "Okay then. How about this one?"
Genma looked at the book and read the title. "Nekoken. Nah, the boy already knows this," Genma said as he handed the book back.
The old man nearly dropped the book. He couldn't believe that the manual was for the man's son, and he had already trained the boy in the Nekoken. The old man realized then that the man was a fool and maybe his family's salvation. Perhaps, the boy would even be strong enough to survive the training. "Oh, I see," the old man said as he reached in the bottom shelf. "What you need is a truly advanced and powerful technique then. I might have just the thing for you." He pulled a scroll out of the seemingly empty bottom shelf. "This scroll contains the techniques for a training regimen called the Soul of Shiva. The Soul of Shiva was a regimen designed to make a warrior who could counter the Nekoken. Some say it is even more powerful then the Nekoken. It was sealed away thousands of years ago. In fact, since my family came into possession of this scroll over four hundred years ago we have never found another. It is rumored that none of the manuscripts survived. But, that is obviously incorrect," the man explained to Genma who was now drooling.
"Wow," Genma looked in awe, "more powerful than the Nekoken."
"However, it is a very, very dangerous regimen. When my ancestors were traveling to find the translation for the scroll they heard many stories. All agreed that nearly everyone who tried the regimen did not survive it, but those that did were unbeatable by almost anything. Are you sure that this is what you want? Is it truly worth risking your boy's life?"
"My boy is prepared to give his life for the art. I will make sure that he becomes the strongest martial artist ever," Genma stated proudly.
"Great strength can sometimes be a curse youngster. There are some things best left alone," the old man warned.
"I know. I know. Now how much?"
"Since we came into possession of the scroll over four hundred years ago and have never had a serious purchaser in all of that time I will accept 60,000 yen for the manual and 20,000 yen for the translation."
"You can keep the translation. I can get that myself."
"It took my family twelve generations and hundreds of years to complete and verify the translation. Do you have that much time?"
Genma paused in thought. "No. I guess I'll take the translation also," Genma said as he handed over the money and took the scroll.
"It was good doing business with you and I wish your son the best of luck," replied the old man. *May the gods have mercy on my soul for what I have done, but maybe the boy can survive and destroy the scroll. If not, my family has suffered long enough from its curse. Let that fool's family suffer for his ignorance for a few generations,*the old man thought as the pair left.
As soon as the pair was out the door the old man locked the door and flipped the closed sign. He then went to the phone and dialed a number. After a bit of waiting he spoke. "Hello. It's me. I finally got rid of the scroll."
"Yes. I warned him repeatedly, and told him what it did and the risk involved."
"I know. I feel bad too. He's going to train his son in it. The poor boy is only about 12."
"Yes, but he has mastered the Nekoken already. So, I think that he is the best candidate in nearly three thousand years to destroy it."
"Yep, it is time to move again. Have the boys come over here as soon as possible. I'm going to start packing. Whatever happens, this is not a good place to be anymore."
With that the old man hung up the phone and started to pack away his things. He silently wished the boy good luck. He hoped that he had done the right thing and that the boy could succeed where none of his ancestors ever could.
A single tear ran down his cheek.
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When Genma and Ranma left the store they headed towards the temple as they originally planned.
"Hey Pop, what'd you buy in there?"
"A very powerful technique that I will train you in as soon as you're ready. It'll make you the best martial artist in the world," Genma smiled at his son. Noticing his son's lack of extreme enthusiasm Genma became a little upset. "Don't you want to be the best Ranma?"
"Yeah, I guess," Ranma replied half-heartedly. He still remembered the last ultimate technique that Genma had found.
"Good," replied Genma missing his son's reservations completely.
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