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"Ranma" - Japanese speech

'Akane' - Thoughts

{Grandmother} - Chinese

Attack -Martial Arts Technique

Chapter 21: Cologne, the Elder of the Amazons

{Where to begin indeed?} Parvati mused before taking a dainty sip of tea.

{The beginning is usually a good place to start.} Cu Long said waspishly.

The Indo-Chinese Martial Artist inclined her head in acknowledgement.

{Very well. I came across young Ranma after his father foolishly tried to steal the watch of the Mountain Master of the Jade Fist Tong's son.} The Revenant of Kowloon said, {He was pursued by two of the boy's bodyguards, both of them master-class fighters. He did rather well against them, perhaps better than I would have done at his age. I intervened when the tide turned against Ranma and took him back here to recuperate.}

{What became of the boy's father?} The Elder asked.

Parvati snorted. {The fool was made into a gladiator at the underground fighting arena for a year before I helped Ranma break him out. The man is arrogant, venal, sexist, greedy, lazy and has little in the way of paternal affection for his son…but he is a somewhat decent martial artist.}

{If he survived the same underground arena I'm thinking of, he must be.} Cu Long commented. Few survived more than a couple of weeks at the arena due to its brutality.

{As I say, his skill in the Art is one of his only redeeming qualities.} The Revenant shuddered, {Just remembering his chi makes me want to take a shower. It wasn't malignant or maleficent; it was just so full of petty greed, wants and desires that it was sickening. Anyway this talk is about Ranma, not Genma.}

She sipped her tea again before continuing, {When he came to me, Ranma was superficially a lesser version of his father, but with a far, far greater sense of honour than Genma possessed, as well as the highest potential for martial arts that I have ever seen. I cleansed his chakras, with his permission of course, and he was a far better person for it. I educated him, not only in the Art, but in the ways of the world as well. His education in that department was abysmal.}

Cu Long frowned. The mysteries surrounding young Saotome were getting thicker rather than clearer.

{After a year, I judged him ready to return to his father without any chance of him backsliding.} Parvati continued, {We raided the arena, defeated the members of the Order of the Harmonious Fist that were guarding it and set his father free. He of course grabbed Ranma at the first opportunity and fled Hong Kong.}

{And how long ago was that?} Cu Long asked.

{Just over a year ago now, I would say, mother.} Parvati replied after a moment, {I take it that he visited your village?}

{Aye. His fool of a father took them to Jusenkyō; I don't suppose you mentioned it to him?} Cu Long said with another frown.

{No, sadly not.} The other woman looked annoyed, {Someone should really go to Jusendo and cut those springs off at the source. Every decade, at least ten people come through Hong Kong turning into sheep, goats, horses and what have you. What did the fool get turned into and what did my apprentice get turned into?}

{The father fell into the Xióngmāonìquán and Ranma Saotome fell into the Niángnìquán.} The Elder of the Joketsuzoku informed a shocked Parvati, {When the Guide brought them to our village, we did not know that. The panda ate the victory feast for the yearly tournament and that ticked off our granddaughter, who had won the title.}

{Aiyah…Xian Pu is much like I was in my younger years.} Parvati winced, {Don't tell me…she challenged Ranma and lost?}

{And gave Ranma the Kiss of Death.} Cu Long said grimly, {I am surprised that you did not sense this.}

{My sensory abilities are great, but they do not extend over all of China, mother.} Parvati retorted, {Besides, the interference of the natural chaotic chi from Jusenkyō hides your village from my chi detection abilities even when I am close enough to sense it. I did sense some irregularities in Ranma's chi when he left the umbrella of that interference, but pinpoint and detailed detection at that range isn't possible. I also sensed a wave of chi coming from the direction of Japan, however, not a few days ago.}

{Humph. At any rate, the old High Matriarch is on the final descent into senility and forbade Xian Pu from taking her Shield Sisters with her. Ah Sprin was quite angry.} The old woman said.

{How is my grandson?} Parvati asked with a smile on her face. Xian Pu's grandfather was her many-times grandson and she doted over him. She hadn't visited since he had been a boy, fifty years previously.

{He is well. He misses you and sends his best regards.} Cu Long chuckled before becoming serious again, {Parvati, our granddaughter fought Ranma in his cursed form and was unable to do more than match him. This was before Qiáng Wang showed up.}

Parvati's eyes widened at that. {Him!} She hissed, {That cowardly little troll! What has he done?!}

{Fear not, your apprentice saw him off thanks to you teaching him the Jade Reincarnation technique.} Cu Long appeased the angry woman. Despite the fact that she was older and more powerful than Parvati, the Amazon Elder did not want to have to contain the younger woman; she had scavenged and learned more ancient techniques than any other person outside of the Joketsuzoku Elder Council and Cu Long was honestly unsure about her own ability to contain someone of her daughter-in-law's strength without either of them suffering harm.

{He did? Ranma was having trouble with it before he left.} Parvati said, relaxing again, {He remembered to practice what I taught him…good. As expected of my apprentice. So what has Xian Pu asked of you?}

{You know as well as I that Joketsuzoku Tribal Law is very clear on this matter.} Cu Long said firmly, {He defeated an Amazon in honourable one-on-one combat, despite the fact that Xian Pu severely underestimated him in his cursed form, and even held his own when in his female form when he hasn't, to the best of my knowledge, had any training to adapt to it. He might have even defeated Xian Pu had the Dark One not interfered. The Joketsuzoku would be foolish to let such talent go.}

{And yet…?} Parvati said leadingly.

{And yet, he is too strong for anyone short of an Elder to defeat.} The short elderly woman admitted, {Even the Captain of the Village Guard would have a great deal of trouble against him, with victory uncertain. He has two fiancée candidates and states he has no wish for another. I do not wish to go into this blind, child. I wish for my granddaughter to find a good husband and for our tribe, your tribe by adoption, to thrive. I do not want to provoke a potentially dangerous enemy into action.}

{Elder, something Ranma despises is being treated as a prize, as something with no say over his life.} Parvati said quietly, {Do not treat him as a child. I doubt you would anyway, but allow me to make it clear; he has little tolerance of his father's meddling in his life before that point, due to it gaining him Ailurophobia during the training to learn the legendary Cat Fist technique.}

Cu Long's eyes bulged out of their sockets at this. {And he still has his sanity?!}

The training for the Cat Fist technique dealt such a mental toll on those who attempted to learn it that no-one in the last century had successfully learned it. Those who had tried had come away with, at best, scratches, an abiding dislike of cats and an aversion to whatever fish-based product they had tried to use to entice the starving cats in the pit to attack them.

{In a manner of speaking.} Parvati replied judiciously, {His father forced him to undergo the training at least ten times, each time a failure. When I attempted to clear his chakras, he became as a feral cat when I tried to clear his Earth Chakra. His agility was increased and he possessed chi claws that could shear through solid concrete as if it was cheese. He was…obdurate when I tried to subdue him and fled. I had to chase him all over Hong Kong before bringing him down. Now he merely dislikes cats and prefers to eat red meat rather than fish if at all possible. Did I mention he underwent this training at the tender age of seven?}

The Joketsuzoku Elder stared at her daughter-in-law for a moment before asking, {Do you have anything stronger than tea? I find myself in need of it.}

Parvati stood and grabbed a bottle from her drinks cabinet. {Some Sake from Japan? I ordered it after Ranma left. It has quite the taste.}

She poured a sake cup full and gave it to the Elder, who sipped it and hummed appreciatively. {Very nice.}

{I thought so.} The Indo-Chinese woman said demurely.

{To have only been partially scarred by the Cat Fist training as he had…at SEVEN…} Cu Long muttered incredulously, {You are only supposed to attempt it if the trainee is over twenty! What manner of fool is this Genma Saotome?}

{To be fair, despite my dislike of the man, the training manual was missing several pages.} Parvati said reluctantly, {From what I gather, the first and last pages were missing of that section of the text.}

{In which case he should never have tried it in the first place!} Cu Long snapped, {Any rank amateur knows that you have to know the entirety of the training method before having someone undertake it!}

{This isn't the only questionable decision that Genma Saotome has made for Ranma.} Ranma's Guru observed, {He and his son have been on a journey of training for as long as Ranma could remember. He cannot even remember his own mother's face, doesn't even know if she is alive. I ask you, what sort of mother lets her husband, especially one like Genma, take her child away on a martial arts training journey when he should be getting ready for preschool? That's how young I figure Ranma had to be when he was taken.}

The old Matriarch growled slightly. The answer was none, as long as they weren't screwed up in the head. {That will have to be looked into. Honestly, it appears as though the other curse of Jusenkyō has descended upon the boy!}

Parvati nodded. The Springs of Jusenkyō, fed by the water source of Jusendo at Mount. Phoenix, were full to the brim with naturally occurring chi that had been twisted by a Dark Chi User untold millennia ago, causing the cursed springs at Jusenkyō and adding one universal effect to the curses; the cursed were all maelstroms of chaos, attracting happenstances and luck on both sides of the spectrum like honey attracted flies.

{Still, the chaos curse is usually limited to attracting water at inopportune moments, not events on this scale!} Cu Long growled, {Parvati, I need your advice on how to best approach Ranma Saotome. Are you willing to aid me here?}

{In a few years' time, the Hong Kong government is going to evacuate Kowloon and level the place.} The younger woman said slowly, {IF I help you, can you guarantee me a place at the village at that time?}

{You are my daughter-in-law!} Cu Long spluttered indignantly, {You ALWAYS have a place in the village! Ah Sprin and the other members of your bloodline tidy your home frequently! Who told you that you were not welcome in the village?!}

{Head Matriarch Moi Cho Ise} Parvati spat out, {Why else do you think I did not attend Xian Pu's birth?}

"Moisturiser…!" the Amazon growled angrily in Japanese, mangling the name of the Head Matriarch as she did so.

{Quite. She was starting her descent into senility fifty years ago, but she took the pains to hide her symptoms rather than stepping down as tradition demanded.} The Guru shook her head in contempt, {She loves the office of High Matriarch, loves the power it gives her. You should not have elevated her to that position. When I discovered, by happenstance, about her condition, she threatened the life of my children and grandchildren if I stayed or told others of what I had discovered. So I left, trusting in the rest of the Council to protect my children.}

Cu Long was practically spitting with fury at this. {Moi will not be an issue much longer. In the next month or so, she will be removed from her position and that will be that. She cannot live for much longer; she's over twice my age, after all.}

{A cornered mouse will turn and attack the cat.} Parvati countered, {If she sees that she is about to be ousted, whatever is left of her mind will lash out to harm those she perceives as being responsible. I'm safe here, but the rest of our family…}

A chill went up Cu Long's spine at that. {I left one of the communication mirrors with one of my allies on the council. Xian Pu has the counterpart. Once I get to Japan, I shall alert my allies to take steps to guard against her. I swear that you will be welcome in the village as you should have been for the last five decades, daughter-in-law.}

{In which case, I shall aid you.} Parvati said with a nod, {Ranma has a great thirst for learning the Art. His Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling makes use of a multitude of martial arts in addition to the basic style. He has doubtlessly integrated what he saw of Amazon Wushu into his style by this point also. Make use of that. Offer him training to adjust to his Cursed Form, since he clearly needs it. Show him a few of the lesser techniques that the Joketsuzoku have accumulated over the last few millennia. That will be as enticing as anything else you might offer him.}

{That sorts out the carrot. What about the stick?} Cu Long asked shrewdly.

{He respects me a great deal. Informing him of Xian Pu's relation to me will make him wary of offending me.} The Guru said with a smirk, {Ranma also has a great respect for the honour of others. Should Xian Pu return in defeat, without a new Shield-Sister or Husband in tow…well, you know the punishment for dishonouring the tribe as well as I do, honoured mother-in-law?}

{Cursed in the Jusenkyō Springs.} Cu Long said grimly.

{Exactly. If anything, this will force Ranma to put Xian on an equal playing field with is other two fiancée candidates due to the fate she will suffer in addition to her personal dishonour.} Parvati said with a knowing look on her face, {I know my apprentice rather well, Elder. There is nothing that will give you an immediate advantage, but follow my advice and you will put Xian Pu on a level playing field with the other two.}

{He is a man. Surely he is attracted to the female form?} The Elder pointed out.

{True enough; he is indeed attracted to the female form.} The other woman acknowledged, {And if the woodcuts of your youth are accurate, and if Xian looks anything like you did at her age, she is a beauty, no?}

{Just so.} Cu Long said smugly.

{Then she will hold an advantage there.} Parvati said, {It will not be a significant lead, however. Ranma has enough self-discipline to not judge things by a pretty face alone. I will empathise this once more; do not treat him like a child. He has fought in battle by my side and is my apprentice. He has a lot of pride and, while forgiving of most things, he will not tolerate someone stamping down upon his pride for whatever reason.}

{I know of pride.} Cu Long said dryly, {I seem to recall a rather young girl beating one of our finest warriors senseless a couple of hundred years ago over an insult to her breast size. Sound familiar?}

The Revenant of Kowloon blushed fiercely. {Yes…that was me. You've made your point, mother.}

{Hehehhe…still got it.} The Elder cackled, {Now then, is there anything you'd like me to pass on to Ranma while I am headed that way?}

Parvati thought for a moment. {One second.}

She stood and left the room for a moment before returning with two long objects, one wrapped in red silk and the other wrapped in lavender silk.

{The red package is for Ranma, while the lavender one is for Xian Pu.} She explained as she passed them to the Elder, {I meant to give this to Ranma before he left, but his father messed that plan up. This is a gift for Xian Pu, as fifteen years' worth of presents at once. There are letters inside them also.}

{I shall make sure to deliver them to their intended recipients post-haste.} Cu Long promised as she used the Hidden Weapons Style to conceal the packages, {Now then, as we have passed the unpleasant side of things…tell me what you have been up to the last fifty years. It has been far too long since we have had a chat.}

Laughing, Parvati nodded happily. {As you wish, mother.}

The two women settled down and started to gossip, the weighty topics of a few moments ago left at the wayside.

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Several Days Later

Tendo Dojo, Nerima

Akane dodged a kick from Ranma before trying to counterattack with a punch. Ranma calmly caught it and used a Judo throw to send her flying over his shoulder. She flipped in mid-air and landed on her feet, coming back in with an elbow strike to his back.

"Not bad." Ranma remarked as he flipped over Akane as she charged and tapped her on the back of her head, "You need to build up your speed though."

"How much faster am I than when you started training me?" the Tendo Heiress asked.

"Half again as fast, which is really very good." Her fiancé replied, "Right about now, you could probably punch faster than most people in Japan. How's your training been going with Sōun?"

Akane pulled a face. "It's…well, Daddy still sees me as a little girl. He doesn't want to harm me or push me too hard."

"Translation: he's doing bugger all." Ranma said flatly. Looks like he'd have to have another word with Sōun about this subject.

"Waterfall Man needs to man up." Shampoo opined from her now normal place atop Ranma's fence.

The Saotome Heir had to restrain a grin at Shampoo's name for Sōun. It was rather apt given the man's propensity for crying like a waterfall half the time.

Before he could say anything else, an immense source of chi revealed itself on the outskirts of Nerima. More powerful than Qiáng Wang, it was also very much free of the malevolent aura that the Triad Boss' chi.

"Is Grandmother!" Shampoo gasped before vanishing in the direction of the chi.

"Aw hell." Ranma paled, "An Amazon Elder is here! This is going to be a pain in the ass!"

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Next Chapter: Repercussions and Rewards

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