THE PATH TO A COLD HEART: RANMA VS KENICHI

Warning: This takes place straight after the D and D tournament saga from the kenichi manga, and takes place after the end of the Ranma Manga. It contains heavy spoilers and will not make much sense if you are not up to date on both mangas. If you like it please leave a review. Thanks.

CHAPTER 4: SEED OF DESPAIR

The forest was tranquil and quiet, but the events that were about to transpire were anything but.

Ryoga glared at Kokin as he took to an attack stance. From his stance, Ryoga noticed that Kokin was an experienced muay thay fighter.

He also noticed that although covering his weak spots, Kokin was in a very offensive position. Ryoga decided that the best move would be to let Kokin have the first move.

Kokin charged toward Ryoga and punched him square in the gut. Ryoga recoiled in mild pain. 'He's strong. Stronger than most opponents I've faced.' He thought.

Kokin was also in thought. 'He took a powerful blow to the stomach and isn't even affected. I better nip this fight in the bud, at this rate I'll wear myself out before he does'

This time Ryoga was on the offensive. Kokin blocked Ryoga's powerful punches, and began to realise he was being pushed back. His arms were starting to ache and Ryoga showed no signs of fatigue.

Kokin leapt back and the fight was taken deeper into the forest.

Kokin slipped into the darkness and Ryoga ran right past him.

'Perfect' Thought Kokin, 'now I rest a while and think of a better strategy.'

Kokin was not in a good mood, he was being forced to hide by someone who was undoubtedly stronger than him.

Ryoga had lost track of Kokin, and wasn't happy about it.

"Kokin!" he shouted. "Come out and fight me!"

No response.

Ryoga decided to use the Bakusai Tenketsu to try to flush Kokin out. He stuck his finger into the earth below him, and heard an unusual noise, like a hiss.

"Oh God No!"

Kokin looked toward the source of the shout and found a large fountain of water, presumably from a burst water main. He walked over to investigate.

Ryoga was in pig form, buried underneath lots of rock and dirt.

'What were the odds? I don't see how this could get any worse.'

At that point 'P-Chan' was picked up by Kokin, who was studying the little piglet in awe.

"How did you….?"

Kokin stopped mid-sentence. He knew that somehow that this pig and that boy were the same person. He could figure out the details later, right now he had to finish the fight.

.

It was dark. An hour had passed since the bell went for the end of the school day.

Nijima was running, torch in hand, through the forest.

He came across a badly beaten piglet. He was about to ignore it when he sensed something familiar in it. It was the same piglet that Akari was carrying this morning.

He decided to take it to Shinpaku HQ and nurse it back to health, for purely professional reasons of course.

.

Kisara studied the pig.

"Okay someone fetch a basin of hot water. Ukita."

"Yes, Kisara," he replied.

Ukita brought the bowl into the main hall and placed it rear P-Chan.

Kisara placed the piglet into the warm water.

Nijima was sitting on his throne in the meeting room, when he heard a scream.

.

Ryoga was standing, fully clothed, in front of the entire Shinpaku alliance.

"…And that's the whole story. Thanks to the Jusenkyo springs in china, I turn into a little black piglet when I come into contact with cold water. Hot water turns me back."

Takeda raised an eyebrow. "You still haven't told us what you were doing fighting with a member of YOMI."

The other members of shinpaku nodded in agreement.

"YOMI? What that?" Ryoga asked.

Nijima took a step forward. "YOMI are the disciples of Yami, a group of martial artists who believe that the purpose of martial arts is to kill efficiently."

"That's monstrous!" exclaimed Ryoga. "Martial arts is for defending the weak."

"That's why we, the Shinpaku alliance, exist. We fight against YOMI and all that they stand for. We think you have what it takes to join our group."

Kisara pulled Nijima away. "Do think that was a wise idea?"

Ryoga though for a moment.

"I have to decline your offer. I made a promise to Akari that I wouldn't join the karate club or any other martial arts group, especially not a gang."

As Ryoga left, Nijima whispered under his breath. 'You will be mine, Ryoga Hibiki'

.

As Ryoga was walking home, a member of the karate club approached him.

"You're that guy from before, aincha?"

"Uhh, yes" he replied nervously.

The karate member threw a punch at Ryoga, who flinched, and was hit square in the face.

'That shouldn't have happened,' he thought. 'I must've let my guard down'

Ryoga landed a blow to the thug's chest that winded him. He used this chance to flee.

"What's happening to me? I can't fight! It feels like my spirit has died."

Ryoga looked around. He was already quite stressed, but as he was looking around he realised he was lost.

That was the spark that sent him over the edge.

"SHI SHI HOKODAN!"

.

Ukita ran to the window where everyone was standing. As he looked out, he saw a giant red pillar crash into the ground. He had never seen anything quite like it.

Nijima, from looking at this awesome spectacle, knew that Ryoga was somehow responsible.

He smiled.

.

Rachel spotted it first. A huge meteor falling from the sky.

A young girl stepped in front of Rachel. She turned to the other YOMI members and said "This is no meteor; this is the Shi Shi Hokodan, a technique that utilises despair. There must be an extremely depressed martial artist somewhere out there."

"Not to mention powerful," Rachel added.

Kokin smirked. He knew who it could be.

TBC…