Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ranma 1/2 characters, episodes, movies, manga etc. Ky is mine though.
New Challenges
By: Ky Hakubi
Prologue
It's a quiet autumn night in Nerima. A lone traveler walks the empty road as crickets chirp in the darkness. He steadily approaches his long sought destination. He holds his long black coat tighter around him to ward off a sudden chill. "The Tendo School of Indiscriminant Grappling. So here it is at last."
Chapter One
A typical morning passes in the Tendo household. After breakfast Kasumi walked into the sitting room with an envelope in her hand. "Father, I think this is for you," she said as she handed the patriarch of the Tendo household the letter.
"Hmm, what could this be?" Opening the letter he reads the contents. "It says 'To the best fighter of the Tendo School of Indiscriminant Grappling, I Ky Hakubi respectfully offer this challenge. If you accept, please meet me at Ukyo's Okonomiyaki at noon.' Well it's been a while since the dojo received a challenge not directed at Ranma." The pig-tailed martial artist merely huffed. "Aw who cares. I haven't passed down a challenge yet, and I don't plan to start." He stood and headed for the dojo for a light workout before he would meet this Ky.
"That's right m'boy. Defeat this Guy person and prove you're worth of carrying on the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts and take Akane as your bride!" "Um, Mr. Saotome? Ranma has already left the room." "Oh, um, yes right. I knew that." he took his foot off the table where he had place it for a dramatic pose.
"Ah it does my old heart proud to see him finally accept his duties to the art, eh Saotome?" Genma takes a swallow of his tea. "Indeed it does Tendo." Soun could no longer hold back his tears. "Maybe he's finally accepted his engagement to my little girl!" Kasumi walked over to console her weeping father.
-ooo-
Akane approached Ranma as he went through his warm-up katas. "So you're going to accept the challenge?" "Of course I am Akane, I haven't turned one down yet have I? It's a matter of pride. That's why I accepted all those lame challenges like the martial arts tea ceremony, or the martial arts take-out race. That's the name of the school after all, Anything Goes."
Akane clarified her inquiry. "I mean the challenge wasn't addressed to you this time, and you accepted it anyway. I mean, its not like you're responsible for the dojo or anything." Ranma finished his katas and faced Akane. "Well, until I can find a way to get us out of this stupid arranged marriage, I might as well do this. Besides, its not like I can leave it to an uncut tomboy like you can I?"
Akane glared daggers. "You don't have to be such a JERK about it!" "besides, I don't want you to get hurt." Akane's anger sputtered out instantly. "Y-you don't?" Her heart fluttered for an instant, then Ranma opened his mouth again. "Yeah, I have better things to do all day than listen to you cry." Open mouth, insert foot, get kicked to stratosphere.
-ooo-
Noon had finally arrived. Ranma stood outside U-chan's restaurant. "Well, time to see who I'm fightin this time." There was only one customer. 'Odd, usually it's pretty busy about now.' Ukyo gave him a smile as he walked in. "Hey Ran-chan, want the usual?" Ranma declined. "Not today U-chan, I'm here to see a guy about a challenge."
The patron at the counter stood up. He looked about Ranma's age with hair about the same length drawn pack in a ponytail, while his bangs hung free to just below his jaw-line. He wore black baggy pants and an aqua blue tank top, and had a long black coat draped over the seat next to his. He trained his blue eyes onto Ranma's own, a grim expression on his face.
"So you're defending the Tendo Dojo?" "Yeah I am. I'm Ranma Saotome. I accept the challenge." Ky's face dissolved into a friendly grin. "Excellent! I'm Ky Hakubi. Let me buy you lunch before our duel. Two more darling Ms. Kuonji. We can't fight on an empty stomach you know." Ukyo smiled and prepped two more. "Comin right up sugar, and don't call me Ms. Kuonji. I'm not that old. Ukyo will do just fine." Ky nodded in affirmation as Ranma stared incredulously. "Wait, you challenge me to a fight, and now you're gonna buy me lunch?" Ranma was dumbfounded. He half expected the newcomer to attack him as soon as he accepted.
""Of course. This is a friendly competition. I'm showing my respect to you and your dojo by treating you to lunch before we clash. Besides, this angelic beauty makes the best okonomiyaki I've ever had the distinct pleasure of tasting. If I die for some reason, I couldn't think of a better last meal."
This whole situation was decidedly foreign to Ranma. He was accustomed to surprise shouts of 'Die Ranma!' being the only warning he got before he was defending himself. He had challenges before, but the fighting commenced almost immediately after he met the challenger. This one was buying him lunch! Man some strange stuff happens in his life.
A snap of fingers in his vision snapped him out of his introspection. "Uh, dude, your 'yaki is getting cold." He looked down and sure enough, there was a rapidly cooling okonomiyaki sitting before him. He wolfed it down quickly before it got too cold. "So, ready for the fight?" Ranma stood. "You bet I am!"
-ooo-
"O HO HO HO HO HO!" Ranma stopped in his tracks, his blood gone cold. That laugh triggered some primal fear in Ky, and he too stopped moving. "What the hell was that?" He asked Ranma slowly. "Kodachi…" Ranma looked like he was about to vomit. The two martial artists were suddenly trapped in a vortex of swirling rose petals. Black rose petals Ky noted. His vision swirled.
"What the?" He grabbed his head, suddenly very dizzy. He fell backwards a moment later. Ranma followed behind shortly. Ranma groaned. He knew what was coming. Ky on the other hand had no idea what was going on. All he knew was he couldn't move, and for someone who had trained in martial arts for the better part of his life, that was a Bad, Bad thing.
"Ranma?" Well, he could talk and see. Not that it was any help. "Yeah?" "Care to explain?" "Well, ya see-" His explanation was cut short as none other than Kodachi Kuno, the Black Rose, walked into his field of view, black rose in her lips, gymnast ribbon stretched between her hands, green leotard on her body. Ky was instinctively repulsed.
"Oh my dear sweet Ranma. Fate has delivered you to me yet again." "Yeah right Kodachi!" the pig-tailed boy fumed. "More like an ambush and paralysis powder!" Ky agreed. "He has a point there." Kodachi looked at Ky as if seeing him there for the first time. This probably wasn't to far from the truth.
"And who are you to be traveling with my sweet Ranma?" Ky cave his introduction as best he could lying on the ground. "Ky Hakubi, of the Hakubi-Ryu School of Martial Arts." Ranma looked at him. "Hakubi-Ryu? Thats a new one." Ky shrugged, "My old man taught me karate, but I've incorperated other styles over the years."
Their conversation was cut short by an angry and ignored madwoman. "It matters not. I will take a kiss from you my sweet Ranma, and claim you as mine!" Ranma visibly blanched. Kodachi got down and started to lean into Ranma. He shuffled his head away as much as the poison would let him.
Kodachi was inches away when a foot crushed her head into the ground. Ranma looked up to see Mousse putting on his glasses. "Oh my! I didn't mean to step on anybody! I thought it was a speed bump or something!" Ranma made a quick look to Kodachi. She was out like a light. Ranma sighed in relief.
Ranma realized he had another problem on his hands. He was helpless and Mousse was standing right over him. He was 99 certain the blind hidden weapons specialist would have no qualms about taking advantage of the situation.
"Ranma, why are you lying on the ground with her? Are you sneaking around on my Shampoo! How dare you do that to her! She'll be devestated! Shampoo is too good for you. Ranma, Prepare To Die!" Just as Mousse was about to strike, a splash of cold water hit the both of them.
Ky looked up on reflex to see where it had come from. A little old lady was standing on the sidewalk ladling water out of a bucket. He looked back to see a duck wearing Mousse's glasses thwacking a cute redheaded girl with it's wings. "Did I miss something?" he asked in bewilderment.
End Chapter One
A/N: Well, here is the revised first chapter. The only changes I've made to this one was Ky's connection to Anything Goes. That was never really intended when I first started writing this fic, so posting it like that was a grave misjudgement on my part. To those of you who were interested in that aspect of the story I apologise, but it wasn't where I was wanting to take it. I hope you do enjoy this story as I intened to write it though.