Chapter Nine

"Having good neighbors is such a wonderful thing, don't you agree Ryoga?" Oro Hiroshi said, and Ryoga agreed and smiled in his ever so innocent and friendly way. "Sometimes the friendships you strike up can last a lifetime…and I believe this is the start of a great friendship."

"I couldn't agree more," Soun Tendo said back. "Having friends is essential. Without friends there wouldn't be much to live for." He smiled, and then continued. "I remember when I met up with Genma. It was when we began training under our master. We made a pact that if we had children they will marry and carry on the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts, a long standing tradition with both our families. We both had children. I had three daughters and Genma had a son."

"So you're the lucky father of that bright, young girl who's engaged to be married to that hot-tempered boy…Ranma, is it? To be perfectly honest, I admire you for sticking with your convictions in bringing those two together. They seem like a great couple. Are they in love?"

Soun Tendo produced a thin smile. "I'm not sure," he said. "They certainly don't act like it with them arguing all the time."

"Oh…well, kids disagree all the time, they're get over it. I like prearranged marriages. You introduce the kids at a young age, they get to know each other, and after a while, they become more than just friends… Know what I mean?" Oro Hiroshi winked at Soun Tendo, and Soun blushed slightly from the thought. He knew exactly what that meant. "But I'm not telling you anything you haven't considered, right?"

Ryoga was sweeping the ground near-by and he started to generate an angry aura, and Oro Hiroshi noticed this, but he had a inkling why. The kid was in love with Akane Tendo, it was written all over his face. And the way he talked about her earlier--he was jealous of Ranma's relationship with her. The raging hormones of teenagers these days.

Soun Tendo smiled, nodded. "I hope Akane and Ranma start to mend their differences and start to realize this coupling. I really want the Tendo legacy and the Anything-Goes teachings of martial arts to be passed down to another generation. Without them, I fear there's no hope left."

"There's always hope, Soun," Oro Hiroshi said. "Even in the darkest of times there's a beacon of hope just waiting to shine bright."

"Again, I hope so," Soun Tendo said. "But all they seem to do is fight with each other and quarrel over the smallest things. And it doesn't help when Akane is a little, well, to be honest, hot-tempered. It stems from her mother's side--God rest her soul."

"I'm sorry," he said. "How long ago did your wife pass on?"

"Several years ago, but sometimes it seems only yesterday."

"What did she die of, if I might ask?"

"Cancer," Soun Tendo said. "It ravished her body until she--" Soun Tendo began to cry, but he stopped himself in front of Oro Hiroshi. He sniffed and wiped a tear from his face. "We had a quick funeral. But even now I sometimes feel her spirit in my house, watching over the kids, keeping them safe from harm."

"Those are nice sentiments. I never had a wife, but I did have my best friend die, and it wasn't easy. I was a friend of Ryoga's father." Ryoga perked up to listen. "I was devastated to the point of taking my own life because the pain hurt so bad. Taiotasha Hibiki and I had known each other since we were mere babes and we grew up together like brothers. But one day I took a hard long look at myself and told myself that suicide wasn't the answer--it was the coward's way out. A true warrior faces his problems head on and he either triumphants or he fails trying. But he always tries no matter what--the journey is always more rewarding than the result. So I picked up my life and later moved--and here I am--with a new house, a thriving martial arts practice, and a popular dojo."

"That's very inspirational, you should write a book."

Oro Hiroshi chuckled at the thought. "Yeah, maybe," he said.

"When my wife died I would cry myself to sleep. But when my daughters came of age I had a new purpose in life--them! And when my best friend Genma Saotome came to town with his son, things started to look up."

Oro Hiroshi was thunderstruck. It was as if all his internal organs ceased to function and suddenly became induced in a hibernated state. As if a huge gust of Artic wind had blown on him inhabiting all function. He stopped breathing and held a breath. He was shocked, bedazzled, speechless. That name. That was the name of his enemy. Saotome!

Soun Tendo noticed the look on Oro Hiroshi's face and asked, "Are you alright, Oro? Is there something wrong?"

"Did you say Saotome?"

"Yes. Genma and his son Ranma. They're residing at my home. They've been staying there for nearly a year. Until things get worked out between Akane and Ranma and their marriage is finalized, we think it's best that the two kids be together so they can get a feel for one another."

The demonic spirit inside Oro Hiroshi screamed with unbridled anger, and then laughed with joyous elation. "At last, I found you!" it said, but not out loud so Soun Tendo could hear. Oro Hiroshi said, "How many family members do you have and how many in the Saotome family?"

"There's Genma and his son Ranma. Oh! And his wife Nodoka, but she doesn't live with us. She lives somewhere in the outskirts of Japan. Then there's me and my three daughters, Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi. We have relatives scattered throughout Japan, but not sure how many. I'll have to check my family registry. I don't think there are too many."

"What about your family history? What about the Saotome family?"

"I'm not sure about my family off-hand, but from what Genma has told me, or so he claims, the Saotome family come from a long line of powerful and distinct warriors. Several centuries ago, one of his ancestors helped stop an invasion force lead by a ruthless warlord. The warlord was attempting to overthrow the Emperor of the time. Genma says his ancestor killed the warlord and banished the survivors to the barren desert to die. Japan's Feudal Era was so filled with wars so it's difficult to recall which war or battle this was. Few were written down, and others were vaguely recalled but past down from word-of-mouth."

"Is that so? And did this ancestor of the family Saotome banish the surviving son of this warlord to the breaches of infinity to die in a hellish limbo in the springs known as Jusenkyo!" Oro said--anger and resentment echoed in his voice as if it had been penned up for years.

Soun Tendo was taken back by Oro Hiroshi's reaction. "I-I don't know," he said, and suddenly began to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Well I do!" Oro Hiroshi said with an anger centuries old, and suddenly his eyes turned blood red, as if he had suddenly become possessed by a demonic spirit. But what Soun Tendo didn't know about Oro Hiroshi was he had inside him the spirit of the son of this dead insurgent leader. "By sheer luck, you have told me where to find my enemy."

Oro Hiroshi waved a hand and erected an powerful energy barrier around the property, encasing them inside a purple dome. Sparks of electricity danced in and out of the energy barrier like tiny imps that lived in the bowels of Hell and only came out when their master called, as if responding to the spirit residing in Oro Hiroshi. A lightning strike struck in front of Soun Tendo and Soun Tendo jumped three steps back. "Oro Hiroshi, what is the meaning of this?" he asked fretful.

"I have finally found what I have long sought!" the voice of Oro Hiroshi echoed with demonic reverberation, his hands raised into the air, controlling the energy barrier and the imps that lived inside with his power. "And you have brought me the information I needed to find the last remaining survivors of the Saotome clan. I am in your debt."

"You're not Oro Hiroshi," Soun Tendo finally said. "And all this damage done to your property and dojo, it was not done by Ryoga alone, was it?" He then looked at Ryoga and his eyes glowed red too! It was obvious Ryoga had lost. "What did you do to him you sadistic fiend!"

"I haven't done anything, have I, Ryoga?" Oro Hiroshi said. "You're a willing participate, aren't you?" Ryoga nodded in agreement. "Allow me to introduce my newest disciple." Ryoga came to his side, and Oro Hiroshi put an arm around him like a father would a dear and loving son. "You presume the facts correctly, Soun Tendo. Ryoga and I did have a fight last night and it resulted in the destruction of my dojo, but in light of this, I know now it was all for the best. You see, Ryoga here has agreed to join me in my army of super warriors."

"What do you mean?"

And Oro Hiroshi told him his plan.

"You're mad, Oro," Soun Tendo said.

"My name is not Oro Hiroshi--it's Xi'an! And I'm the son of that warlord of whom you spoke of earlier, for which the Saotome ancestor killed!"

"You're the son of that warlord? How is that possible?"

"I was reborn--given new life when a lightning strike hit the springs of Jusenkyo! The springs were merged by a flood in a storm--and I emerged from the chaos. My spirit rising from the ashes of defeat and dismay, imprisoned for countless centuries. Now I shall have my revenge against those who killed me. And you have given me the instrument of their destruction!"

"You will not spread your evil in Nerima, not while I stand here!" Soun Tendo said with vigilance, and he ran to attack Oro Hiroshi. But Oro Hiroshi merely lifted his hand and pointed a finger at him and electrocuted Soun Tendo. Soun Tendo screamed in agony and then collapsed to the ground. He didn't move.

Oro Hiroshi went over to him and turned him over on his back with his foot and looked down at the fallen martial artist. "You are the most pathetic martial artist I have ever encountered," he said. "You don't deserve to call yourself a viable sensei to the field of martial arts."

"Well, you never really gave him much of a chance to counteract your attack, Master," one of Oro Hiroshi's pupils emerged from the house. It was a boy the same age as Ryoga, he too wore a bandanna around his head. "You zapped him before he could offer up much of a challenge. But knowing Soun Tendo as I do, he was no match for you. Not very sporting of you in my opinion, but you were never the patient one." He smirked.

"Ken," Oro Hiroshi said, "So glad you could join us." Normally if one of his pupils spoke to him like that it would be cause for punishment, but as if was his star pupil, he let it go. "You're so right, my boy, and I too sensed his low fighting potential. I have no time for weak fighters. There's work to be done and so little time to do it. In the centuries I spent in that hellish limbo my hatred grew with each passing moment. I died young, but I have matured in my death. I don't want to just kill Genma Saotome and his son, I want them to suffer as I have." He turned to Ryoga who knelt down beside Soun Tendo, he was seeing if he was still alive. "Ryoga, don't be concerned--he's still alive," he said. "I have merely stolen his sole and added it to all the others I have collected. Take him down to the basement and then return here. I have a job for the both of you, and each is as important as the other."

Ryoga picked up Soun Tendo and took him inside the house and down to the basement. He laid Soun Tendo down, leaning him against the wall.

And then something happened and he grabbed his head. "No, I don't wanna hurt anyone--get outta my body! Get outta my mind!" Ryoga dropped to his knees. "I don't wanna to hurt anyone. Please…"

Oro Hiroshi sensed Ryoga's conflict and strengthen his hold on him. "It appears Ryoga has a stronger will than I originally thought," he said.

"We don't need him," Ken said. "Get rid of him!"

"We do," Oro Hiroshi said. "His abilities will be very useful to us, but I must keep an eye on him. He could be very dangerous if uncontrolled."

In the basement, Ryoga got to his feet. Clear-headed, he returned to the courtyard to join Oro Hiroshi and Ken. Oro Hiroshi smiled when he saw Ryoga return. "Welcome back, Ryoga," Oro Hiroshi said. "I'm so pleased you have decided to join with us."

"It's my pleasure, Master," Ryoga said. "You had a task for me to complete?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," he said.

And he told each of them their respected tasks.

To be continued...