Chimidoro no Ryuu
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Hino, Ron
Just a brief foreword:
1. Ranma and friends are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and a bunch of corporations.
Except for the new characters, everyone else belongs to her and them. I don't
own them. Please don't take ideas or (my) charactors from this
story without my permission.
2. "Chimidoro no Ryuu" means "Bloody Dragon". That would make the full name of
the School "Chimidoro no Ryuu Ryu" (the other Ryu meaning a school or style of
martial arts). To avoid the confusion, it will always be written as the
Chimidoro no Ryuu School, or the shorter Chimidoro school, though in the second
case it is a reference more to Reiko's family name then the school's title.
And with that out of the way, we begin.
[Tendo Dojo]
It was a pleasant morning in Nerima. The sun was just peeking over the
horizon, many of the earlier birds were chirping. Many of the Tendo's more
elderly neighbors were out in their gardens taking in the peace and quiet of a
beautiful Japanese morning...
...while they still could
*SPLASH*
"Dammit, Pop! You always gotta wake me up like that?" Came the angry
female voice.
"You're too lazy boy! A martial artist must be ready and alert at all
times, even while asleep."
Many of the neighbors sighed as the sounds of combat broke the serenity of
the morning. They went about their day, many of them dreaming of the day when
they could leave their jobs and enjoy a quiet retirement.
*SPLASH*
"Then I guess I'll have to surprise _you_ sometime. Anytime in the
afternoon should be easy, you lethargic furball!"
"GRAAOR!" A panda growled.
Quiet indeed.
Ranma-chan and her transformed father continued to battle until their
antics managed to raise the rest of the household. With the exception of
Kasumi, who rose even earlier than the Saotomes, no one bothered to use an alarm
clock anymore. Genma and son never let any of them sleep beyond 6:05 anyway.
And so it was that everyone was awake and dressed (and in their normal
forms) by the time the visitor arrived at precisely 7:00.
"Open the gate!" An angry voice bellowed. "I am Taiyama Chimidoro of the
Chimidoro no Ryuu school of martial arts. I've come for Ranma Saotome!"
"'Chimidoro no Ryuu'? As in 'Bloody Dragon'?" Akane asked, conveniently.
"Oh wonderful." Nabiki muttered. "Another challenger for Ranma, and I
didn't even have time to set up a betting pool."
Soun and Kasumi went to open the gate and greet the visitor, however bad
his manners.
"What did you do to THIS guy, Ranma?" Akane asked.
"Hmm..." Ranma scratched his head. "'Taiyama Chimidoro'... doesn't ring
a bell. How about you, Pop?" Ranma looked around. "Pop?"
Genma was found hiding amid the shrubbery as a panda. He munched on the
leaves of the first plant he reached, attempting to look the normal, innocent
panda.
"There you are Mr. Saotome." Nabiki said, attempting to pour hot water on
him.
Genma, dodging the brief stream, held up a sign. [I'm just an innocent
panda eating leaves]
"Uh huh" Nabiki deadpanned. "And poison leaves at that, at least to
pandas. Humans have a more advanced digestive system, fortunately."
Genma spit out the leaves rapidly, and grabbed the kettle and poured it on
himself.
"Nabiki..." Kasumi said, coming back from the front door. "Those leaves
aren't poisonous, even to pandas. They're very easy to digest. I use them
sometimes, to make herbal tea."
Genma whirled on Nabiki, glaring accusingly. He made a dash for the pond,
but Ranma jumped on his head.
"Oh no you don't. Whoever this guy is, I'm getting the impression that
this is your fault. You're staying put until I figure this out."
"Genma, old friend!" The booming voice called out. Everyone turned to
look.
The voice belonged to a man who could almost be considered a giant, by
Japanese standards (and damn big by anyone else's), which made the name 'great
mountain' all the more fitting. He was tall and broad-shouldered, more so then
either Genma or Soun. The gi he wore was black, trimmed with red at the collar,
hem and cuff. Powerful muscles bulged out of the gi at every opportunity. He
wore his hair cropped short in an army-style cut, which was just beginning to
grey at the temples, and his closely trimmed black gotee beard only added to his
overt and conscious aura of menace.
Everyone else sat down at the table.
"Genma, it's good to see you after all these years." He said, walking up
and clapping Genma on the shoulder. Genma was knocked forward a step.
"Ah... yes, it's good to see you again too, Taiyama-san. Um... how's the
family?" As soon as the casual question passed his lips, Genma regretted it.
Taiyama's brow furrowed in a scowl. "My weak wife died under me two years
after you left. The stupid, weak woman wasn't quite able to handle her wifely
duties in regards to my needs."
All three of the Tendo daughters sat up a little straighter. Ranma and
Soun's mouths dropped open. Ranma suddenly felt glad he was sitting between the
big man and Akane.
Genma was the only one not shocked, though Ranma noticed a wince cross his
father's features, before the nervous grin replaced it.
"I guess she just wasn't strong enough to handle a real man like you,
Taiyama-san." He said, laughing weakly.
"That's what I figured. Anyway, she tried her best, so she got her spot
in the family plot. I supposed she deserved that much anyway."
Akane slammed her hands down on the table. "Of course she deserved it!
How could you even think about dishonoring her like that? Especially after you
thoughtlessly killed her!"
The big man frowned at her.
"Akane, sit down." Soun said firmly.
"But-"
"Sit down now." Soun warned. From the look in his eyes, Akane knew he
was concerned only with her safety. It occurred to her, under her father's
cautioning gaze, that a man like their visitor might take poorly to being
reprimanded by a woman, no matter how correct she might be.
Soun was becoming increasingly worried at having a man like this in the
house with his daughters. He wanted the man to leave, and waited for a polite
opportunity to excuse him to present itself. He was relieved when Akane sat
down.
"Y-yes father."
"Ah, at least you have some control over the women in your house."
Taiyama snickered. "I was beginning to worry, Tendo-san."
"Yes, well... as their only parent, it is my responsibility to teach my
daughters good manners." Soun said neutrally.
"Of course it is. And you seem to be doing better at it than I. All it
takes from you is a word. I've had rather poor luck in raising my daughter
alone."
"A daughter, you say?" Tendo said "And where might the girl be now?
Tending to your home?" He reasoned that such would be the only place a man like
this would allow his daughter to be.
"No, I brought her along. Where the hell is she anyway, still lagging
behind I suppose? Weak, lazy bitch!"
Soun cleared his throat. "So you... came ahead of her then?"
"Certainly. We walked here; no train for the likes of us. I've been
training her, ever since her mother died, in the Chimidoro no Ryuu style of
Bujutsu. Since that failure of a woman couldn't give me a son, I had little
choice if I wanted to continue the school. I've had to train her myself and
then marry her to another school."
Akane clutched her hands tightly under table. A failure? Because the
poor woman didn't bear him a son? And what about his daughter? Leaving her
behind on foot! And to top it all off, he's going to marry her off to another
martial arts school. Not to 'the son of my old friend', but a school! He
probably didn't even care who the guy would be. He was even worse then their
fathers!
Ranma was shaking his head in disgust, which the man hadn't noticed. At
any rate, when he spun towards Ranma the head shaking stopped.
"Speaking of which, you must be Ranma, right?"
"Um... yeah. So?"
Nabiki decided to risk speaking out of turn. "Hold on, are you saying
that Ranma is the guy from another school that you plan to marry your daughter
to?"
"That's exactly what I mean. You're pretty clever for a girl."
"Coming from a man as obviously brilliant as yourself, that's quite a
compliment."
"Ah, right. You're welcome."
Akane silently applauded her sister. The man had been making verbal
slights at their gender since he walked in. Trust her clever sister to find
retribution without alerting him, thus making him appear doubly stupid.
"Hold it!" Ranma yelled, glaring at his father, but speaking to Taiyama. "I already got-"
"To go to school! That's it. Yes Ranma, you're already late. Maybe you
and the girls should get going." Genma said quickly, cutting his son off. Ranma
looked at him questioningly.
"Um... right, but I think that, this being so important and all, I think I should stay and hear it all."
"Well said my boy, well said." Taiyama smiled, slapping Ranma on the back
(nearly knocking him face-first onto the table). "Education's all well and
good, but real life is more important than a math class."
"Sounds as though you've lived your life by that wisdom, Mr. Chimodoro."
Nabiki smiled.
"Thank you girl, I have indeed."
Nabiki 2, Sexist Asshole 0. Akane tried not to grin.
"So what are you doing here anyway, Genma? I thought you'd be at a dojo
of your own." Taiyama asked.
"Um... well... we don't have a dojo of our own just yet. We're still on
our training journey, but we've settled down for a while here at the home of my
good friend Soun, to help him with his classes. He has no sons to assist with
the teaching you know."
"Ah... I see." Taiyama nodded.
Akane almost rose from her seat to accost Genma, but a tiny headshake
convinced her to save it for later. Soun also glared at his friend, wondering
why he hadn't mentioned the engagement to Akane. The joining of the Tendo and
Saotome schools was something in which he knew Genma took great pride. He must
have a good reason for denying it. Soun was patient enough to wait.
Further conversation was halted as the four martial artists in the room
heard the sound of a heavy pack thumping quietly to the floor in the front hall.
No one had heard the shoji doors slide open and closed, which meant that whoever
was in the hall had manipulated them silently, for a devious purpose. Ranma
rose to challenge the intruder, but Taiyama put a hand on his shoulder to stop
him. When Ranma sat down and looked at him quizzically, the big man just put a
finger in front of his lips for silence. Taiyama took a sip of his tea.
A blur of red death shot through the doorway. Taiyama rolled to the side
as the katana sliced through the air he had occupied less then a second ago.
The blade struck the table and the wood split. The strike was so fast that no
one, even the experienced Tendos and Genma, were able to save the dishes as they
crashed together. The teacups and pot were fairly sturdy, but two cups hit
together a little too fast and broke.
The girl in the red gi whirled on her father. Her gi was the opposite of
her fathers, blood red trimmed in black. Her long black hair was tied
efficiently behind her with an inelegant leather thong. The reflection of her
red gi off the katana's blade matched the hate in her eyes.
"Die motherfucker!" She growled, spinning the blade in an expert arc,
which should have ended just past her father's rib cage.
Taiyama pulled a sai from the inside of his gi and blocked the deadly
strike. He quickly twisted the sai and wrenched the blade from her hands. The
blade landed point-first in the remnants of the table, missing Ranma's arm by
less then a centimetre. Taiyama smashed a powerful kick into the girl's stomach
that sent her flying into the wall. She slumped to the ground, clutching her
stomach.
"You stupid little bitch! You know you are never to draw our family's
katana. That blade is for your husband and no other. Until then it is mine! I
should never have let you carry it."
"Keep it then, I hope you trip and fall on it!" She choked out.
He yanked her to her feet and backhanded her viciously across the face.
Blood flew from her mouth and splattered against the wall. The girl fell to her
knees, clutching her bleeding lip. Glaring hatefully up at him.
Taiyama sighed. "This isn't really introduction I was hoping for my boy,
but thanks to this little slut, this is how it comes to be. Ranma, allow me to
introduce your fiancée, Reiko."
Ranma blinked, and his mouth worked with no sound. The girl's hateful
glare shifted from her father to him. Ranma found that he didn't like being on
the receiving end of those angry eyes.
Akane clasped her hands, rubbing them together, not quite knowing what to
do with them. She was torn between jealousy and pity for this girl. She did
her best to keep her feelings from her face.
Reiko nodded her head toward the sword sticking in the table beside the
stunned Ranma.
"I guess it's yours then. May it never find you in the night." She
smirked grimly.
The veiled threat seemed to escape Taiyama. "No, girl. The sword is not
his yet. Not until you marry. It's your dowry, as is the school."
"Lucky me."
"Greet your future husband appropriately, girl." Taiyama growled.
"I just met him. Can't I castrate him later?"
Taiyama growled and slammed a roundhouse kick into her floating ribs as
she sat nursing her injuries. She grunted, not daring to scream. "Do it now,
you disrespectful little whore!"
Fighting down the urge to vomit, Reiko kneeled and placed her forehead to
the floor in front of Ranma. "It is an... honor to meet you... future husband.
She gasped, between sucking breaths.
"I... ah... Thank you." Ranma stammered.
"Well, I know she isn't much boy --not strong enough to be a boy, and not
feminine enough to be a woman. Not that good-looking either-- but she'll serve
you well."
Akane thought Reiko was very attractive, she just wasn't certain how she
felt about that. It was difficult to stay angry with a person be savagely
beaten right in front of your eyes.
Ranma saw Reiko begin to shake. Was it the pain? No, it was probably
rage. She kept her head on her hands, maintaining the proper position of
supplication.
"Um... I don't really need a... a servant. I basically take care of
myself."
"That's alright. She'll take good care of you in bed too, isn't that
right dear?"
Reiko's shaking hands curled into tight fists.
"I'd rather fuck a goat." Reiko growled quietly. Taiyama bent down and
smashed a fist into her kidney. Reiko began to vomit.
"What was that?" Taiyama growled.
She needed a moment to stop the convulsions of her stomach. Her voice
rasped when she replied.
"I will serve my husband's wishes, even in the bedroom." The last part
held more venom then Ranma had ever heard from a woman, or any man for that
matter. He could almost feel 'little Ranma' trying to hide like a frightened
turtle.
"Good girl. Now get up and clean up that puke."
"Yes father." She muttered
"You're going to work in the Tendo dojo too, teaching classes until you
earn enough at half minimum wage to pay them back for the table you broke.
Maybe you can teach the kid's classes or something."
Reiko rose. She didn't look at all happy with the idea of teaching at the
beginning level.
"Yes father." She said, leaving to search for a cloth to clean up her
vomit. Under her breath, she muttered "Asshole."
"What was that?" her father roared. He grabbed her retreating gi and
slammed her against the wall. He pulled back a fist to strike her when Ranma
caught it.
"That's enough!" Ranma cried.
Taiyama blinked at him, more surprised than angry. "Of course, you're
right." He said.
Ranma sighed in relief, he had hoped this wouldn't escalate into a fight.
"She's your fiancée now, it's your place to discipline her when she is
disrespectful."
"WHAT?"
"You hit her then."
"NO!"
"Look boy, if I'm going to leave her here, I've got to know that you've
got what it takes to keep you wife in line. If she's going to be kicking YOUR
ass, then you're only encouraging her bad behavior. I'll have to look for
another husband for her if you're too weak."
"Maybe that would be the be- ah? Akane?" Akane had grabbed Ranma and
pulled him to the side, whispering in his ear.
"Ranma! If he's looking for a husband who will treat her like he does,
then he's not going to stop until he finds one. What if the next one he finds
is just like him? Or worse, what if he never finds one. Then she'll stay with
him, and he'll beat her even worse for making herself hard to be rid of."
Ranma considered this for a minute. "Are you saying you want me to beat
her?"
Akane hesitated. "No. Not exactly. All you have to do is look like you
can keep her in line. Just make sure you don't go over the top."
Ranma nodded. He turned back to Taiyama, who was looking at him with a
raised eyebrow, still holding his daughter against the wall.
"Alright then, I'm up for a challenge match. I'll fight her and win." He
looked the bloody girl up and down. "But I want a fair match. How about this;
we'll set the match for tomorrow morning. That should give her some time to
rest up and heal."
"Good plan boy." Taiyama nodded. "She has been more insolent than usual
today. We'll do as you say." He turned and shoved his scowling daughter higher
up the wall. "And when you lose, girl, I expect you do be a dutiful wife to
him." He pressed forward, squeezing her into the wall.
"Ahem." Ranma interrupted. "And in order to make sure she's in top
condition for the fight, I'd like you to not lay a hand on her, no matter what
she says or does. Do we have a deal?"
Taiyama looked at him, then reluctantly dropped his daughter to the floor.
"Fair enough boy, she's yours now." He turned back to where she had crumpled to
the floor. "But get on with cleaning up your mess!"
Saying nothing, Reiko painfully forced herself to her feet and once again
began looking for the kitchen.
"Mr. Chimidoro?" Akane asked carefully. "I'm a girl, so I understand the
way Reiko thinks, perhaps a little better than a very... masculine sort of man
like yourself."
Taiyama cocked his head, listening. Akane moved closer, speaking quieter.
"I was thinking that it might create a better impression on her future husband
and father-in-law if she were to insult you less. Perhaps she would feel less
inclined to do so with you not present. Ranma might be more likely to accept
her, therefore, if you were to wisely spend the night in a hotel or something of
that nature?"
"What are you saying?" Taiyama frowned. Apparently he wasn't quite as
dumb as Akane thought. His glare made Akane take a step back.
"My daughter is trying to find a polite and face-saving way to tell you
what I should have told you even before your daughter arrived." Soun Tendo
said, rising to his full height, pulling Akane gently behind him.
"Father!" Kasumi said, slightly alarmed.
"I am Soun Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, owner
of this house and dojo, and father to the girl you are attempting to frighten.
I want you to leave." Soun said firmly. "Now."
Taiyama folded his arms and stared at the smaller man with condescending
amusement. "And why might that be? Am I not welcome in your home?"
"No." Soun said with finality. "You may be Genma's friend, but you are
not mine. You barely bothered to introduce yourself when we met at my door;
making demands before even saying hello. You come into my home and frighten my
daughters, you ignore your host, and you behave in a manner that is an insult to
the very concept of Bushido. That such as you are the head of your school is a
shame on that name. I will not have you remain any longer to associate your
dishonourable mannerisms with the name of my dojo.
"Your daughter is welcome here, so long as she behaves better than you.
You may, of course, return tomorrow to view the match, but regardless of the
outcome, you will be gone from my property before that morning has passed into
afternoon. I insist the same of you today. By noon tomorrow, I never wish to
see your face at my dojo, ever again."
Taiyama frowned threateningly at Soun. "Big words. And if I refuse to
leave?"
Soun didn't falter. "It is quite possible that you could defeat me in
hand-to-hand combat, but such a battle would only increase your disgrace, and
would bring no shame to myself. I would only be defending the honour of my
dojo, and family."
Taiyama remained silent for a long time. Then he slowly nodded, speaking
through tight lips. "If it is your wish, I will leave your dojo, to return
tomorrow to see whether or not my daughter has a husband to suit her. Then as
per your wishes, I will leave and never again burden your hospitality with my
presence. If young Ranma wins and becomes my son-in-law, I can visit him and my
daughter, and perhaps later my grandson, when Genma establishes his own dojo.
Is this satisfactory?" He snarled with slight sarcasm.
"Quite." Soun said curtly.
"In that case I will say my good-byes to the lot of you, I'll see you all
tomorrow at 7:00 sharp." He turned to leave. Soun did not move from his
position between the man and his daughters until Taiyama had left the grounds.
At the doorway, Taiyama stopped and smiled over his shoulder. "It's a
good thing you have a strong backbone, Tendo-san. Otherwise I might have broken
it in half."
Soun, recognizing the man's need to have the last word in order to save
face after such a dressing down, simply nodded to acknowledge the
compliment/threat.
Then Taiyama left. The entire room breathed a sigh of relief.
"I have to admit, you certainly are a brave and honorable man." Reiko
said. She was leaning in the other doorway, washcloth in hand. She had
listened to the entire thing.
"You were amazing Dad!" Akane smiled.
Soun suddenly looked embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head and
grinning like a fool. "Yes... well..."
"I agree." Nabiki smirked. "I almost didn't recognize the man who
regularly cowers before Happosai's frown."
"Nabiki!" Kasumi said disapprovingly. "That wasn't very nice."
"Oh all right. Well done Daddy."
Soun laughed magnanimously. "Yes well, Reiko my dear, welcome to our
little home. You're safe here."
"Hmm." Reiko said noncommittally, glancing at Ranma. "I don't know if
I'd agree with that, but I'll take it in the spirit it was offered." She pushed
herself off the wall and made to clean her mess on the floor.
"Hey! Look, you've got the wrong idea. I'm not going to make you..."
Ranma trailed of when she grunted in pain as she bent down. "Um.. here, let me
help you with that."
Reiko slapped his hand away. "Wait for it." She said with a small smile.
"Huh?"
Taiyama reentered the living room, looking flushed. He snatched his
family sword from the table and slid it into the scabbard he'd retrieved from
his daughter's pack. He nodded approvingly at the sight of his daughter
scrubbing the spot on the floor, then left without a word.
"He forgot his sword?" Nabiki smirked.
"Didn't even say goodbye to his daughter." Akane muttered, disgusted.
"I'm certainly not going to cry about it." Reiko said, groaning her way
to her feet. She turned to Soun. "My father is right about one thing, I owe
you for the table. I could be of help teaching classes, or if you prefer, by
some other means."
"Oh don't worry about the table." Kasumi insisted. "It's been broken 4
times before just this year." She took the cloth from Reiko's hand, and used a
clean part of it to wipe the blood spurt from the wall. Reiko stepped forward
to stop her, but just paused and smiled.
"Sounds like dinner can become quite interesting around here."
"You don't know the half of it." Nabiki smirked.
"Hmm. That reminds me, we haven't been properly introduced. My name, of
course, is Reiko Chimidoro. It is an honour to meet you, Mr. Tendo." She said
politely.
"The honour is ours. These are my three daughters, Kasumi, Nabiki and
Akane." Each smiled and gave a slight bow to the bleeding girl in front of
them. Reiko smiled and bowed in return.
"And this," Soun continued, "Is my old friend Genma Saotome, and of course
his son Ranma."
Reiko gave Genma only the briefest of nods, and ignored Ranma completely.
Genma and Ranma looked at each other. They wisely said nothing.
Kasumi broke the awkward silence. "Could I get you the First Aid kit?
You seem to be bleeding a fair bit."
"Oh yes. That was going to be my first request. Thank you very much."
Ranma set himself to appraising this girl's personality. She was very
polite to the Tendos, but her manner wasn't subservient; it was calm, confident.
The girl had plenty of backbone too. She could have done everything her father
had said right from the beginning, but that would have let him think he had
complete control over her. She was willing to trade severe physical punishment
for her pride. He had to admire that. She was less polite to him and his
father, him especially, but before he decided to explain it all to her, he
wanted his father to explain it all to him. He wanted to know exactly how the
old man had gotten mixed up with a monster like Taiyama Chimidoro, to say
nothing of getting Ranma engaged to his daughter!
Then there was the look in her eyes when Reiko had come through the door,
katana in hand. Her eyes showed a woman completely committed to the blow, ready
to kill, bloodthirsty even. The hate in that look caused Ranma to shiver.
Kasumi had returned with the First Aid kit. Reiko took it from her hands.
"Thank you. I'll tend to myself. Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"Certainly." Kasumi said. "Are you sure you don't need help?"
"No thank you. I've had plenty of practice at this."
No one disbelieved her.
"Oh," Reiko paused as she went in search of the bathroom, "do you mind if
I take a shower and bath as well?"
"Go right ahead my dear." Soun said. "Our home is yours."
Reiko smiled. "Thank you, Tendo-san."
As soon as she left, Ranma had his father by the collar.
"All right old man! What the hell's going on?"
Genma looked left and right for an escape route. Not finding one, he
sighed and began his tale...
"It was a long time ago, back when you were only four. I came across an
ancient dojo hidden in the mountains. The sign on the gate told me I had at
last found the fabled Chimidoro no Ryuu School, or 'Bloody Dragon school of
martial arts'."
"I ain't never heard of them before today." Ranma said.
"You aren't old enough to have heard of them." Soun said. "They began
well over 200 years ago; a group of Samurai with similar beliefs banded together
and built their own dojo, far from the 'corrupting' influence of other schools
of martial philosophy. Their motto was, 'Our enemies deserve nothing but a
bloody death.' They trained themselves in the most violent and destructive
techniques known, and are said to have created several more on their own. They
were so brutal and effective, several daimyo frequently hired them to eliminate
entire families of ninja. Their brutal 'no mercy' philosophy stretches even the
most generous limits of Bushido."
"Indeed, my old friend." Genma said sadly. "But the lure of those
powerful techniques, unknown anywhere else in the world, led me to beg them for
training. Of course, in modern times, their group has grown smaller. In fact,
there was only one family still practicing their brutal art when I found the
dojo. The descendent of the original founder of the Bloody Dragon school:
Taiyama Chimidoro.
"I begged him for training, but he refused. He said it was not the
business of his school to train the weak. Naturally, I challenged him to show
him just how strong I was. He beat me easily, and I was so badly hurt I was
bedridden for many days. Fortunately he and his family took care of me while I
recovered. His wife was very kind to little Ranma, and let him play with their
5-year-old daughter, Reiko.
"When I recovered, Taiyama said he was impressed with my determination, if
not my skills. He offered me a bargin: He would teach me _one_ of his school's
special techniques, if I would agree to marry Ranma to his daughter when they
came of age. He wanted a male heir to his school, and it seemed his wife was no
longer able to bear children. The way he treated her, I figured out why pretty
quickly. In any case, I was so desperate to learn the technique, to not leave
empty-handed as it were, that I agreed. I figured that I would learn it, and
then disappear, so he'd never be able to collect on our bargain. I told him
nothing of my friend Tendo, or of the engagement to his daughters. I have no
idea how he found me."
"So what was the technique?" Akane asked.
"You know how that one time, the Master was able to use his ki to grow two
stories high, and I challenged him and did the same?"
"Yeah, Pop. That was pretty impressive... right until you both shrunk and
pitched forward on your faces." Ranma said.
"Anyway, that was the technique. How ironic that I could have just as
easily learned it from the Master."
Everyone fell over.
Soun shook his head. "Saotome... I don't know what to say to you."
Ranma threw Genma outside. "Well I do! What the hell were you thinking
you stupid old man?"
Genma landed in the pond, turning into a panda. A moment later, a red-
headed girl was in the pond with him, beating the living crap out of the
frightened animal.
Reiko studied her handiwork in the bathroom mirror. There hadn't really
been much to be done. Her cut lip couldn't really be bandaged, and had stopped
bleeding anyway. There was a small cut on her temple, which she couldn't really
explain. Perhaps the backhand blow, or maybe something had nicked her as she
had been knocked around the room. She didn't know and it didn't make much
difference. The large bruises were already too far developed for ice to help
much, and besides, she couldn't very well be walking around with an icepack over
her face, or on the really ugly ones on her abdomen and around her left side.
She supposed she could lie down and put a bag of ice over her face, but she
couldn't afford to appear weak...
Especially in front of her would-be husband.
As she sat down on the stool to shower, the outer door slid open. Reiko
looked up to see a silhouette through the screen. Perhaps her "husband" had
decided to get a free peak before he committed to buying the goods. Maybe he
even wanted a free sample. Reiko heard the sound of clothes being pulled off.
A sample.
Reiko was quite willing to give him a taste of their future marriage, if
one occurred. She picked up the cloth and dipped it in the water, twisting it
into a tight, thin strip. She tested its strength in her hands by pulling it
tight. Yes, this would make a fine garrote.
"Rei-chan, do you mind if I join you?" A kind feminine voice drifted
through the door. Reiko recognized it as Akane's. She quickly tossed the cloth
away.
"Come in if you like, but only if you want to see how badly bruised the
rest of my body is." Reiko said.
Akane's hand hesitated on the screen handle, then she steeled herself,
forced a friendly smile on her face and pushed it open. She stopped short as
Reiko's full body came into view.
The girl's stomach was almost entirely black and blue, in varying shades
from today's and less recent blows. Around her left side, which faced Akane,
she could see the recent bruising over Reiko's ribs and kidney. There were
other bruises on her forearms and legs, which were likely from training. All
the same, that she even had them told Akane that her father hadn't pulled any
punches, ever.
Reiko smiled sadly. "I warned you."
Akane realized she was staring. She blushed. "I-I'm sorry."
Reiko waved it off. "Normal enough reaction."
She turned on the shower. Akane saw her wince as the jets of hot water
stabbed into her bruised flesh. Other than that, she made no sound as she
thoroughly cleaned herself. The obvious familiarity of the routine made it even
sadder for Akane to watch.
Akane pulled up the spare stool and sat beside Reiko. When Reiko was done
rinsing, Akane took the showerhead and rinsed, while Reiko used the soap. Reiko
refrained from using the abrasive cloth on her damaged areas, choosing to rub
the smooth bar of soap directly against her skin as opposed to the coarse cloth.
It was slightly less hygienic, since the whole household used the same bar, but
Akane wasn't about to say anything. Besides, how exactly can you get soap
dirty?
Eventually Reiko rinsed the soap free with a bucket of warm water
(normally cold was used, but Reiko didn't want to feel the temperature
difference on her sensitive bruises more than she had to). To keep her from
being embarrassed, Akane used a warm bucket herself a few minutes later.
Reiko took a long time to sink herself into the hot water, the expression
of silent pain never left her features until she'd been under almost a full
minute. Then her body relaxed, and her head slumped back against the edge, her
eyes closed in relaxation.
Of course, most other people smile when they're comfortably relaxed.
Akane thought about Reiko's battered body as she slipped in silently.
Reiko shifted up to make room, leaning her head against the wall instead. Akane
thought Reiko was quite attractive, both in face and figure, and that only made
what her father did to her seem even worse. She wondered idly if that were part
of the cause.
"Rei-chan?"
Reiko opened her eyes and smiled politely, showing that she wasn't asleep.
"I need to tell you something about Ranma." Reiko's smile faded a bit.
"So go ahead."
"Um... Ranma and I... are engaged."
Reiko's eyebrows went up. "Really? Well then, I guess our challenge
match is nothing more than that. I don't have to marry him then?"
Akane nodded. "That's more or less it."
"Hmm. It occurs to me now, that he didn't say anything about marrying me
after the match, just about it being a fair fight and all. He worded it
carefully. Okay then, I guess I don't need to hurt him too bad tomorrow, if the
stakes are lower. Relax, your fiancée will be fine. And I'll be back on the
road with Pop before noon tomorrow." She closed her eyes again.
"No no. You don't understand. I asked Ranma to go ahead and convince
your father to engage the two of you."
That brought Reiko sitting up straight (a movement which she briefly
regretted).
"Why the hell would you do a thing like that?"
Akane, who had been expecting thanks, stuttered a minute before answering.
"I... well... We figured that if you fought Ranma and lost, your father would
consider you engaged and leave, and you could stay here with us (with the
understanding that you're not seriously one of Ranma's fiancées)."
Reiko looked at her warily. "Not to sound ungrateful, but what if I don't
wish to stay?"
"Well, then you could leave, of course. You wouldn't be a prisoner; you
could come and go as you pleased. Well there is... How old are you?"
"17." Reiko said cautiously, sensing a catch.
"Well then, if you choose to stay, our father would probably insist you go
to school. Beyond that, your life is yours." Akane leaned forward, taking
Reiko's hand and looking meaningfully into Reiko's hard, distrustful eyes. "And
no one would ever hit you again."
Reiko was quiet for a time. "And what would you want from me in return?"
Akane was confused. "What do you mean?"
"What do I need to do for you, for you to do this for me? Sex slave to
Ranma perhaps? Or maybe your father?"
"WHAT? How could you even think such a thing?"
The tension in Reiko's shoulders relaxed. "Sorry, just testing.
Incidentally, you passed: I believe you."
Akane looked at her strangely. She had to remind herself that this girl
probably wasn't used to trusting anybody, much less someone she had only met an
hour ago.
Reiko broke the silence. "So tell me how you intend to fool my father."
"Well... you just fight Ranma and lose. What's so complicated about
that?"
"Plenty. For one thing, my father's quite familiar with my skills. If
he thinks I'm pulling punches, he'll call the whole thing. For this to work,
I'd have to fight Ranma with everything I've got."
"Well, I don't _think_ that should be a problem."
Reiko raised an eyebrow. "I think it will be. Tell me about his
training."
***
Ranma came home from school (having gone to his afternoon classes, as did
Nabiki and Akane) to find Reiko waiting for him in the living room. Her
expression was blank.
"Um... look about this morning..."
"Akane told me everything, Ranma. I'm sorry I misjudged you." She
gestured to the second cup of hot tea set at the table. "Have a seat." Her
words were polite, but had no inflection. Ranma sat down.
"Yeah... well, I just couldn't stand to watch that jerk hit you anymore.
I mean, not right in front of us!" Reiko raised an eyebrow.
"Are you saying it would have been okay if he only hit me in private?"
"N-No! Of course not. It's just that... I had no excuse not to act, is
all." He looked into her calm eyes and couldn't seem to figure out what to do
with his hands. The flat, emotionless, unblinking stare was unnerving. "Not
that I was looking for one. Y'know, at first I thought it was training. Pop
and me get kind of physical in our arguments, but your father takes it too far.
And the reasons are different too. If me and Pop weren't in training, I know we
wouldn't argue half as much."
"You're babbling, Ranma." Reiko said calmly.
"Um... right. So what did you want to talk about?"
"The fight."
"Right. Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you."
"You damn well better not!"
"Huh?"
"In order to trick my father, I'm going to have to give it my all. In
order to _survive_, you're going to have to give it your all too."
"I... everything I've got?"
Reiko nodded. "Everything. Even your special techniques: the Kachu
Tenshin Amaguriken, the Hiryuushyoten ha, the Mouko Takabisha, and any anything
else you feel the need to pull out of the air. You're not fighting an amateur
you know. You're fighting someone a lot like yourself. Someone who's spent her
entire life training in Martial arts. Someone who's got special techniques of
her own. Got it?"
"I... think so."
"You better _know_ so. I'm going in there and giving it my all. If you
don't do the same..." Reiko leaned forward, her nose inches from his. "I'll
kill you."
Ranma gulped. "Don't you think that's a bit excessive?"
Reiko nodded. "I have no choice. My father would be able to tell if I
wasn't trying my hardest. He has to think that I sincerely don't want to marry
you, and he has to think that you will keep me 'under control' and 'in my place'
after he leaves."
Ranma looked at the ground for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."
"Just don't kill me, and I'll be fine. You know I can take a beating."
"Yeah... I know."
***
The fighters stood facing each other at a respectable distance in the
dojo. The Tendos, Genma and Taiyama sat off to the side. Tendo and Genma made
a point of sitting between the big man and the girls. Reiko looked a little
better, though her face was still swollen. Akane knew the deep bruises on her
abdomen couldn't have healed much either. Reiko gave no sign of discomfort.
Ranma wore his white, Karate gi, and Reiko her blood-red, trimmed in
black. They stretched casually, keeping their eyes on one another. Reiko
finished stretching and cracked her knuckles. Kasumi blinked and whispered
something about it not being very feminine. Ranma seemed slightly surprised by
the action as well. Both fighters stood at the ready.
Nabiki rose, it usually being her duty in official matches like this one.
"Nothing short of a complete knockout, all strikes, chokes, and bone-
breaks and other techniques are legal. Just don't kill each other." She
muttered the last to herself. "Fighters ready?" She raised her hand in the
air.
Ranma and Reiko took fighting stances.
"Prepare to bleed, little boy." Reiko growled, keeping up the act.
"Keep shooting off your mouth," Ranma grinned, "It'll be that much more
satisfying when I close it." Behind her, Reiko heard her father chuckle
approvingly at Ranma's response.
"Hajime!" Nabiki dropped her hand and quickly got out of the way.
Reiko grabbed her and spun, sending Nabiki sprawling in Ranma's direction.
"H-hey!" Nabiki shrieked.
"What the..." Ranma caught her. Reiko was in the air, sailing down with a
vicious kick that landed on Ranma's open sternum. He fell with a grunt. Nabiki
scrambled away, not wanting to become part of another tactic.
"That's cheating!" Akane yelled.
"No rules, remember girl?" Taiyama smirked. "Ranma! Don't let her
distract you like that again!"
"Shouldn't you be cheering your daughter?"
"What the hell for? I want her to lose. Otherwise I'm stuck supporting
her until I can find a husband tougher than her."
Akane gave him a glance of utter disgust, which he missed as he was
intently watching the fight.
Ranma recovered quickly, not wasting breath by crying "cheater!' He
rolled into a dragon-tail sweep, which Reiko easily avoided.
They parried back and forth, neither able to gain an advantage. Then
Reiko landed a blow to his solar plexus. Ranma doubled over in pain. Reiko hit
harder than any girl he'd ever known, even Akane.
Reiko took advantage of his hesitation and slammed her heel into his
lowered chin. Ranma fell on his back, dizzy. Reiko waited calmly, to see if he
would pass out, taking her freedom with him into darkness. Ranma pulled himself
back to his feet, shaking his head to clear it. The two squared off again.
Ranma waggled a finger, and Reiko attacked. He defended against her every
attack, backing away and dancing around the room... No! He was dancing around
and around and around the room, in a spiral! He was planning to use the
Hiryuushoten ha.
Akane had described the technique to Reiko yesterday in the bath, so the
girl began to suspect something when she realized she was being led around in
circles. She wondered what a counter to such a move might be, and if she even
wanted to use it.
Ranma gave the final blow (yelling the technique name for some stupid
reason) and a small tornado was created around him, sending Reiko up into the
ceiling. Knowing it was coming, Reiko managed to brace her feet against the
ceiling, but the winds still sapped at her strength. She quickly crawled along
the ceiling, out of the tornado's scope, and flipped back down to the ground.
The Hiryuushoten ha dissipated. Ranma turned to face her, panting slightly.
Reiko chuckled. "So, time for special techniques is it? Good. Then feel
my Ryuunotsume!"
"'Ryuunotsume'?" Nabiki asked. "'Talons of the Dragon?'"
"Shit." Taiyama growled. "Oh well, I guess now we see what the boy's
really made of."
Reiko focused her mind, dropping into a low stance and moving her hands
meditatively. It almost looked like Tai chi. Ranma watched carefully.
"Your son's not to bright, Genma old friend." Taiyama muttered. "If he
were smart, he'd attack her while she's still forming the technique."
Reiko let out a powerful kiai, flexing her fingers in front of her.
"Too late." Taiyama muttered.
Reiko dashed forward, striking out with her open hand. Her little finger
was curled, the rest extended. Ranma blocked. He screamed as blood fountained
from three deep cuts in his forearm. He jumped back and clutched his injured
arm protectively.
"What?" Akane cried. "Did she claw him with her fingernails?"
"Hah!" Taiyama barked. "Fingernails can't do that much damage. The
Ryuunotsume uses the bodies own ki and extends it beyond the body through the
pads of the finders, at right angles to the finger bone. Reiko can only create
invisible ki 'talons' about an inch long, but that's usually more than enough."
Reiko charged again, but Ranma was keeping his distance. He had to think.
Her hands were too fast to risk getting closer, he wondered if the Mouko
Takabisha would help. On the other hand, Reiko seemed to know about it, so it
might not turn the tables as much as wanted.
"Oh my!" Kasumi said, bringing a hand to her face in concern. "It
doesn't look like Ranma's going to win."
Akane stomach knotted, if Ranma lost, then Reiko would have to go back to
that monster of a father. And Ranma could be seriously hurt here, maybe even
killed. Guilt tormented her as she lifted her hands to her mouth.
"Ranma! Hit her in the stomach! She's still sore there!"
Taiyama looked at her, raising an impressed eyebrow.
Reiko's mouth dropped open in shock. Akane's heart almost broke at that
expression of betrayal.
Ranma had hesitated enough. Now he rolled under Reiko's frozen guard.
"KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" A hundred punches slammed into Reiko's tender
middle in five seconds.
Reiko's eyes filled with tears of pain, though she made no sound as she
fell to her knees, clutching her middle. Blackness swarmed in front of her
eyes, but her hard-won toughness kept her from passing out completely. She
remained upright.
"Ranma!" Nabiki called. "Remember, you need a complete knockout to win."
Ranma inwardly cursed. This fight was over, and everyone knew it.
"I'm sorry Reiko." He whispered, drawing back a fist.
Reiko barely felt it connect. There was only a brief flash of new pain, then darkness.
***
The darkness became less so. Blending into a kind of red-black mix that
she eventually recognized as light seen through her eyelids. She heard voices.
"How much longer will she be unconscious Doctor?" She knew that voice;
female, worried.
"I'm not sure. Shouldn't be too much longer. She'll wake when her body's
ready." No idea who that guy was. He sounded older. Didn't the other person
call him doctor?
"Hmm." A third voice, male, familiar. There was a name she could attach
to it. What was it?
"I'm more concerned about her more permanent injuries." Doctor's voice.
"Permanent injuries?" The younger male voice again. He sounded worried.
"There's a lot of serious bruising on her abdomen. It looks like a lot of
repeated blows."
"Well... I had to hit her a lot... I... ah..."
"No, you don't understand. I mean she's been hit there, again and again,
over a long period of time, without time to heal in between. It's caused
gradual damage to occur to her internal reproductive organs."
"You mean..." The female voice.
"I'd need to do more tests, but I don't think she will ever be able to
have children."
"Oh my God..." The girl gasped, horrified. The younger male voice
growled a curse. She couldn't understand what they were talking about. She
knew his name. Dammit! What was it? Ra-something. Ra- Ran-
"Ranma?" That was her own voice. The guy's name was Ranma.
"Oh! She's waking up!" The first voice again. It's Akane.
Reiko opened her eyes. Blinding light hurt them.
Akane leaned over her. "Rei-chan, are you alright?"
"Where am I?"
"This is the local clinic." Ranma said. He pointed to an older man (not
much older, about 25, Reiko thought) with a ponytail and glasses. "This is
Doctor Tofu. He took care of you."
The Doctor smiled. "Not a whole lot to take care of. Just ointment for
the bruises, and some tests that all came back fine (more or less). Bandaging
Ranma's arm was more complicated. As I hear, you were responsible for that,
eh?"
Reiko smiled grimly as she sat up slowly. She saw Ranma's arm now,
wrapped up in white cloth. "Don't complain, Doctor, I'm keeping you in
business."
Dr. Tofu cocked his head to the side. "To be honest, I'd be happier being
a beggar on the streets and having everyone healthy and sound."
Akane came to the side of the bed. "Rei-chan, I'm so sorry. I should
have kept my mouth shut."
"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you the same thing I told Ranma
yesterday. If I'm alive, I'm fine with it."
"Hmm." Dr. Tofu rubbed his chin. "Maybe so, but I'd really prefer you
not cut it any closer. I want you to stay in bed, here, for another few days."
"Nonsense." Reiko snapped. "I'm fine. I'll just be a little slower for
a bit." She swung her legs around to the side of the bed, an action which
brought immense pain. Dr. Tofu and the others watched as her pupils dilated
with pain.
"Beginning to see my point?" The doctor chuckled. "Here, I'll help you
back in." He grasped her legs by the ankles and lifted them back to the bed.
Reiko had begun to protest, but stopped abruptly as the movement brought
more pain, less than before, but still significant. She slumped back onto her
pillow in defeat. "Great. I can't believe I have to spend two whole days in
bed."
"Three." Dr. Tofu corrected gently. "At least."
"Three? Wonderful. I'll be bored stiff, not to mention my muscles will
get soft."
"You won't notice much muscle degradation in so short a time." Dr. Tofu
assured her.
"Don't worry about it." Akane said cheerfully. "I'll come visit when
school's over every day. I'll keep you company."
Reiko grinned. "And will Mr. Fiancée be visiting me too?"
Ranma looked a little uncomfortable. "Um... sure."
"Speaking of which, you seem to be taking this whole engagement thing pretty calmly."
Ranma leaned back. "Ah well, the way I figure it; what's one more?"
Reiko looked at him oddly. "'One more?'"
***
End of Chapter One.
Author's last words. (hmm... maybe not the best pun...)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I've already gone through the first three parts of this story
pressing Enter after every line and have come to the conclusion that it's pretty
damn annoying! If chapters after #3 aren't wordwraped, (or if I missed a spot)
keep this in mind:
It takes me almost half an hour to prepare one of these chapters to be
viewed on your webbrowser (and these ones are only about 15 pages!) it takes you
about 5 seconds to go to the file menu, click [save as...] and save it on your
own computer so you can read it in MS Word or whatever you use. I'm not doing
this crap again!
On a friendlier note, send all Comments and Criticisms to
hinoron@hotmail.com and I'll respond within a few days. I know more about Japan
then most people (other than the Japanese, obviously) but I certainly don't know
everything. Please let me know if I've screwed up, or not explained something
well enough.
Let me head off this criticism right now, though: The spelling of the
English language vs. the spelling of the American language that appears similar
to English. I'm trying my hardest to use the proper spellings, as have been
handed down through the history of English literature before the United States
was colonized. It's also damn difficult to do so because of my @#$#% US English
spellchecker. If you see Bill Gates, kick his ass for me (come on, you know you
want to)!
Ja na!
Ron Hino.
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Hino, Ron
Just a brief foreword:
1. Ranma and friends are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and a bunch of corporations.
Except for the new characters, everyone else belongs to her and them. I don't
own them. Please don't take ideas or (my) charactors from this
story without my permission.
2. "Chimidoro no Ryuu" means "Bloody Dragon". That would make the full name of
the School "Chimidoro no Ryuu Ryu" (the other Ryu meaning a school or style of
martial arts). To avoid the confusion, it will always be written as the
Chimidoro no Ryuu School, or the shorter Chimidoro school, though in the second
case it is a reference more to Reiko's family name then the school's title.
And with that out of the way, we begin.
[Tendo Dojo]
It was a pleasant morning in Nerima. The sun was just peeking over the
horizon, many of the earlier birds were chirping. Many of the Tendo's more
elderly neighbors were out in their gardens taking in the peace and quiet of a
beautiful Japanese morning...
...while they still could
*SPLASH*
"Dammit, Pop! You always gotta wake me up like that?" Came the angry
female voice.
"You're too lazy boy! A martial artist must be ready and alert at all
times, even while asleep."
Many of the neighbors sighed as the sounds of combat broke the serenity of
the morning. They went about their day, many of them dreaming of the day when
they could leave their jobs and enjoy a quiet retirement.
*SPLASH*
"Then I guess I'll have to surprise _you_ sometime. Anytime in the
afternoon should be easy, you lethargic furball!"
"GRAAOR!" A panda growled.
Quiet indeed.
Ranma-chan and her transformed father continued to battle until their
antics managed to raise the rest of the household. With the exception of
Kasumi, who rose even earlier than the Saotomes, no one bothered to use an alarm
clock anymore. Genma and son never let any of them sleep beyond 6:05 anyway.
And so it was that everyone was awake and dressed (and in their normal
forms) by the time the visitor arrived at precisely 7:00.
"Open the gate!" An angry voice bellowed. "I am Taiyama Chimidoro of the
Chimidoro no Ryuu school of martial arts. I've come for Ranma Saotome!"
"'Chimidoro no Ryuu'? As in 'Bloody Dragon'?" Akane asked, conveniently.
"Oh wonderful." Nabiki muttered. "Another challenger for Ranma, and I
didn't even have time to set up a betting pool."
Soun and Kasumi went to open the gate and greet the visitor, however bad
his manners.
"What did you do to THIS guy, Ranma?" Akane asked.
"Hmm..." Ranma scratched his head. "'Taiyama Chimidoro'... doesn't ring
a bell. How about you, Pop?" Ranma looked around. "Pop?"
Genma was found hiding amid the shrubbery as a panda. He munched on the
leaves of the first plant he reached, attempting to look the normal, innocent
panda.
"There you are Mr. Saotome." Nabiki said, attempting to pour hot water on
him.
Genma, dodging the brief stream, held up a sign. [I'm just an innocent
panda eating leaves]
"Uh huh" Nabiki deadpanned. "And poison leaves at that, at least to
pandas. Humans have a more advanced digestive system, fortunately."
Genma spit out the leaves rapidly, and grabbed the kettle and poured it on
himself.
"Nabiki..." Kasumi said, coming back from the front door. "Those leaves
aren't poisonous, even to pandas. They're very easy to digest. I use them
sometimes, to make herbal tea."
Genma whirled on Nabiki, glaring accusingly. He made a dash for the pond,
but Ranma jumped on his head.
"Oh no you don't. Whoever this guy is, I'm getting the impression that
this is your fault. You're staying put until I figure this out."
"Genma, old friend!" The booming voice called out. Everyone turned to
look.
The voice belonged to a man who could almost be considered a giant, by
Japanese standards (and damn big by anyone else's), which made the name 'great
mountain' all the more fitting. He was tall and broad-shouldered, more so then
either Genma or Soun. The gi he wore was black, trimmed with red at the collar,
hem and cuff. Powerful muscles bulged out of the gi at every opportunity. He
wore his hair cropped short in an army-style cut, which was just beginning to
grey at the temples, and his closely trimmed black gotee beard only added to his
overt and conscious aura of menace.
Everyone else sat down at the table.
"Genma, it's good to see you after all these years." He said, walking up
and clapping Genma on the shoulder. Genma was knocked forward a step.
"Ah... yes, it's good to see you again too, Taiyama-san. Um... how's the
family?" As soon as the casual question passed his lips, Genma regretted it.
Taiyama's brow furrowed in a scowl. "My weak wife died under me two years
after you left. The stupid, weak woman wasn't quite able to handle her wifely
duties in regards to my needs."
All three of the Tendo daughters sat up a little straighter. Ranma and
Soun's mouths dropped open. Ranma suddenly felt glad he was sitting between the
big man and Akane.
Genma was the only one not shocked, though Ranma noticed a wince cross his
father's features, before the nervous grin replaced it.
"I guess she just wasn't strong enough to handle a real man like you,
Taiyama-san." He said, laughing weakly.
"That's what I figured. Anyway, she tried her best, so she got her spot
in the family plot. I supposed she deserved that much anyway."
Akane slammed her hands down on the table. "Of course she deserved it!
How could you even think about dishonoring her like that? Especially after you
thoughtlessly killed her!"
The big man frowned at her.
"Akane, sit down." Soun said firmly.
"But-"
"Sit down now." Soun warned. From the look in his eyes, Akane knew he
was concerned only with her safety. It occurred to her, under her father's
cautioning gaze, that a man like their visitor might take poorly to being
reprimanded by a woman, no matter how correct she might be.
Soun was becoming increasingly worried at having a man like this in the
house with his daughters. He wanted the man to leave, and waited for a polite
opportunity to excuse him to present itself. He was relieved when Akane sat
down.
"Y-yes father."
"Ah, at least you have some control over the women in your house."
Taiyama snickered. "I was beginning to worry, Tendo-san."
"Yes, well... as their only parent, it is my responsibility to teach my
daughters good manners." Soun said neutrally.
"Of course it is. And you seem to be doing better at it than I. All it
takes from you is a word. I've had rather poor luck in raising my daughter
alone."
"A daughter, you say?" Tendo said "And where might the girl be now?
Tending to your home?" He reasoned that such would be the only place a man like
this would allow his daughter to be.
"No, I brought her along. Where the hell is she anyway, still lagging
behind I suppose? Weak, lazy bitch!"
Soun cleared his throat. "So you... came ahead of her then?"
"Certainly. We walked here; no train for the likes of us. I've been
training her, ever since her mother died, in the Chimidoro no Ryuu style of
Bujutsu. Since that failure of a woman couldn't give me a son, I had little
choice if I wanted to continue the school. I've had to train her myself and
then marry her to another school."
Akane clutched her hands tightly under table. A failure? Because the
poor woman didn't bear him a son? And what about his daughter? Leaving her
behind on foot! And to top it all off, he's going to marry her off to another
martial arts school. Not to 'the son of my old friend', but a school! He
probably didn't even care who the guy would be. He was even worse then their
fathers!
Ranma was shaking his head in disgust, which the man hadn't noticed. At
any rate, when he spun towards Ranma the head shaking stopped.
"Speaking of which, you must be Ranma, right?"
"Um... yeah. So?"
Nabiki decided to risk speaking out of turn. "Hold on, are you saying
that Ranma is the guy from another school that you plan to marry your daughter
to?"
"That's exactly what I mean. You're pretty clever for a girl."
"Coming from a man as obviously brilliant as yourself, that's quite a
compliment."
"Ah, right. You're welcome."
Akane silently applauded her sister. The man had been making verbal
slights at their gender since he walked in. Trust her clever sister to find
retribution without alerting him, thus making him appear doubly stupid.
"Hold it!" Ranma yelled, glaring at his father, but speaking to Taiyama. "I already got-"
"To go to school! That's it. Yes Ranma, you're already late. Maybe you
and the girls should get going." Genma said quickly, cutting his son off. Ranma
looked at him questioningly.
"Um... right, but I think that, this being so important and all, I think I should stay and hear it all."
"Well said my boy, well said." Taiyama smiled, slapping Ranma on the back
(nearly knocking him face-first onto the table). "Education's all well and
good, but real life is more important than a math class."
"Sounds as though you've lived your life by that wisdom, Mr. Chimodoro."
Nabiki smiled.
"Thank you girl, I have indeed."
Nabiki 2, Sexist Asshole 0. Akane tried not to grin.
"So what are you doing here anyway, Genma? I thought you'd be at a dojo
of your own." Taiyama asked.
"Um... well... we don't have a dojo of our own just yet. We're still on
our training journey, but we've settled down for a while here at the home of my
good friend Soun, to help him with his classes. He has no sons to assist with
the teaching you know."
"Ah... I see." Taiyama nodded.
Akane almost rose from her seat to accost Genma, but a tiny headshake
convinced her to save it for later. Soun also glared at his friend, wondering
why he hadn't mentioned the engagement to Akane. The joining of the Tendo and
Saotome schools was something in which he knew Genma took great pride. He must
have a good reason for denying it. Soun was patient enough to wait.
Further conversation was halted as the four martial artists in the room
heard the sound of a heavy pack thumping quietly to the floor in the front hall.
No one had heard the shoji doors slide open and closed, which meant that whoever
was in the hall had manipulated them silently, for a devious purpose. Ranma
rose to challenge the intruder, but Taiyama put a hand on his shoulder to stop
him. When Ranma sat down and looked at him quizzically, the big man just put a
finger in front of his lips for silence. Taiyama took a sip of his tea.
A blur of red death shot through the doorway. Taiyama rolled to the side
as the katana sliced through the air he had occupied less then a second ago.
The blade struck the table and the wood split. The strike was so fast that no
one, even the experienced Tendos and Genma, were able to save the dishes as they
crashed together. The teacups and pot were fairly sturdy, but two cups hit
together a little too fast and broke.
The girl in the red gi whirled on her father. Her gi was the opposite of
her fathers, blood red trimmed in black. Her long black hair was tied
efficiently behind her with an inelegant leather thong. The reflection of her
red gi off the katana's blade matched the hate in her eyes.
"Die motherfucker!" She growled, spinning the blade in an expert arc,
which should have ended just past her father's rib cage.
Taiyama pulled a sai from the inside of his gi and blocked the deadly
strike. He quickly twisted the sai and wrenched the blade from her hands. The
blade landed point-first in the remnants of the table, missing Ranma's arm by
less then a centimetre. Taiyama smashed a powerful kick into the girl's stomach
that sent her flying into the wall. She slumped to the ground, clutching her
stomach.
"You stupid little bitch! You know you are never to draw our family's
katana. That blade is for your husband and no other. Until then it is mine! I
should never have let you carry it."
"Keep it then, I hope you trip and fall on it!" She choked out.
He yanked her to her feet and backhanded her viciously across the face.
Blood flew from her mouth and splattered against the wall. The girl fell to her
knees, clutching her bleeding lip. Glaring hatefully up at him.
Taiyama sighed. "This isn't really introduction I was hoping for my boy,
but thanks to this little slut, this is how it comes to be. Ranma, allow me to
introduce your fiancée, Reiko."
Ranma blinked, and his mouth worked with no sound. The girl's hateful
glare shifted from her father to him. Ranma found that he didn't like being on
the receiving end of those angry eyes.
Akane clasped her hands, rubbing them together, not quite knowing what to
do with them. She was torn between jealousy and pity for this girl. She did
her best to keep her feelings from her face.
Reiko nodded her head toward the sword sticking in the table beside the
stunned Ranma.
"I guess it's yours then. May it never find you in the night." She
smirked grimly.
The veiled threat seemed to escape Taiyama. "No, girl. The sword is not
his yet. Not until you marry. It's your dowry, as is the school."
"Lucky me."
"Greet your future husband appropriately, girl." Taiyama growled.
"I just met him. Can't I castrate him later?"
Taiyama growled and slammed a roundhouse kick into her floating ribs as
she sat nursing her injuries. She grunted, not daring to scream. "Do it now,
you disrespectful little whore!"
Fighting down the urge to vomit, Reiko kneeled and placed her forehead to
the floor in front of Ranma. "It is an... honor to meet you... future husband.
She gasped, between sucking breaths.
"I... ah... Thank you." Ranma stammered.
"Well, I know she isn't much boy --not strong enough to be a boy, and not
feminine enough to be a woman. Not that good-looking either-- but she'll serve
you well."
Akane thought Reiko was very attractive, she just wasn't certain how she
felt about that. It was difficult to stay angry with a person be savagely
beaten right in front of your eyes.
Ranma saw Reiko begin to shake. Was it the pain? No, it was probably
rage. She kept her head on her hands, maintaining the proper position of
supplication.
"Um... I don't really need a... a servant. I basically take care of
myself."
"That's alright. She'll take good care of you in bed too, isn't that
right dear?"
Reiko's shaking hands curled into tight fists.
"I'd rather fuck a goat." Reiko growled quietly. Taiyama bent down and
smashed a fist into her kidney. Reiko began to vomit.
"What was that?" Taiyama growled.
She needed a moment to stop the convulsions of her stomach. Her voice
rasped when she replied.
"I will serve my husband's wishes, even in the bedroom." The last part
held more venom then Ranma had ever heard from a woman, or any man for that
matter. He could almost feel 'little Ranma' trying to hide like a frightened
turtle.
"Good girl. Now get up and clean up that puke."
"Yes father." She muttered
"You're going to work in the Tendo dojo too, teaching classes until you
earn enough at half minimum wage to pay them back for the table you broke.
Maybe you can teach the kid's classes or something."
Reiko rose. She didn't look at all happy with the idea of teaching at the
beginning level.
"Yes father." She said, leaving to search for a cloth to clean up her
vomit. Under her breath, she muttered "Asshole."
"What was that?" her father roared. He grabbed her retreating gi and
slammed her against the wall. He pulled back a fist to strike her when Ranma
caught it.
"That's enough!" Ranma cried.
Taiyama blinked at him, more surprised than angry. "Of course, you're
right." He said.
Ranma sighed in relief, he had hoped this wouldn't escalate into a fight.
"She's your fiancée now, it's your place to discipline her when she is
disrespectful."
"WHAT?"
"You hit her then."
"NO!"
"Look boy, if I'm going to leave her here, I've got to know that you've
got what it takes to keep you wife in line. If she's going to be kicking YOUR
ass, then you're only encouraging her bad behavior. I'll have to look for
another husband for her if you're too weak."
"Maybe that would be the be- ah? Akane?" Akane had grabbed Ranma and
pulled him to the side, whispering in his ear.
"Ranma! If he's looking for a husband who will treat her like he does,
then he's not going to stop until he finds one. What if the next one he finds
is just like him? Or worse, what if he never finds one. Then she'll stay with
him, and he'll beat her even worse for making herself hard to be rid of."
Ranma considered this for a minute. "Are you saying you want me to beat
her?"
Akane hesitated. "No. Not exactly. All you have to do is look like you
can keep her in line. Just make sure you don't go over the top."
Ranma nodded. He turned back to Taiyama, who was looking at him with a
raised eyebrow, still holding his daughter against the wall.
"Alright then, I'm up for a challenge match. I'll fight her and win." He
looked the bloody girl up and down. "But I want a fair match. How about this;
we'll set the match for tomorrow morning. That should give her some time to
rest up and heal."
"Good plan boy." Taiyama nodded. "She has been more insolent than usual
today. We'll do as you say." He turned and shoved his scowling daughter higher
up the wall. "And when you lose, girl, I expect you do be a dutiful wife to
him." He pressed forward, squeezing her into the wall.
"Ahem." Ranma interrupted. "And in order to make sure she's in top
condition for the fight, I'd like you to not lay a hand on her, no matter what
she says or does. Do we have a deal?"
Taiyama looked at him, then reluctantly dropped his daughter to the floor.
"Fair enough boy, she's yours now." He turned back to where she had crumpled to
the floor. "But get on with cleaning up your mess!"
Saying nothing, Reiko painfully forced herself to her feet and once again
began looking for the kitchen.
"Mr. Chimidoro?" Akane asked carefully. "I'm a girl, so I understand the
way Reiko thinks, perhaps a little better than a very... masculine sort of man
like yourself."
Taiyama cocked his head, listening. Akane moved closer, speaking quieter.
"I was thinking that it might create a better impression on her future husband
and father-in-law if she were to insult you less. Perhaps she would feel less
inclined to do so with you not present. Ranma might be more likely to accept
her, therefore, if you were to wisely spend the night in a hotel or something of
that nature?"
"What are you saying?" Taiyama frowned. Apparently he wasn't quite as
dumb as Akane thought. His glare made Akane take a step back.
"My daughter is trying to find a polite and face-saving way to tell you
what I should have told you even before your daughter arrived." Soun Tendo
said, rising to his full height, pulling Akane gently behind him.
"Father!" Kasumi said, slightly alarmed.
"I am Soun Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, owner
of this house and dojo, and father to the girl you are attempting to frighten.
I want you to leave." Soun said firmly. "Now."
Taiyama folded his arms and stared at the smaller man with condescending
amusement. "And why might that be? Am I not welcome in your home?"
"No." Soun said with finality. "You may be Genma's friend, but you are
not mine. You barely bothered to introduce yourself when we met at my door;
making demands before even saying hello. You come into my home and frighten my
daughters, you ignore your host, and you behave in a manner that is an insult to
the very concept of Bushido. That such as you are the head of your school is a
shame on that name. I will not have you remain any longer to associate your
dishonourable mannerisms with the name of my dojo.
"Your daughter is welcome here, so long as she behaves better than you.
You may, of course, return tomorrow to view the match, but regardless of the
outcome, you will be gone from my property before that morning has passed into
afternoon. I insist the same of you today. By noon tomorrow, I never wish to
see your face at my dojo, ever again."
Taiyama frowned threateningly at Soun. "Big words. And if I refuse to
leave?"
Soun didn't falter. "It is quite possible that you could defeat me in
hand-to-hand combat, but such a battle would only increase your disgrace, and
would bring no shame to myself. I would only be defending the honour of my
dojo, and family."
Taiyama remained silent for a long time. Then he slowly nodded, speaking
through tight lips. "If it is your wish, I will leave your dojo, to return
tomorrow to see whether or not my daughter has a husband to suit her. Then as
per your wishes, I will leave and never again burden your hospitality with my
presence. If young Ranma wins and becomes my son-in-law, I can visit him and my
daughter, and perhaps later my grandson, when Genma establishes his own dojo.
Is this satisfactory?" He snarled with slight sarcasm.
"Quite." Soun said curtly.
"In that case I will say my good-byes to the lot of you, I'll see you all
tomorrow at 7:00 sharp." He turned to leave. Soun did not move from his
position between the man and his daughters until Taiyama had left the grounds.
At the doorway, Taiyama stopped and smiled over his shoulder. "It's a
good thing you have a strong backbone, Tendo-san. Otherwise I might have broken
it in half."
Soun, recognizing the man's need to have the last word in order to save
face after such a dressing down, simply nodded to acknowledge the
compliment/threat.
Then Taiyama left. The entire room breathed a sigh of relief.
"I have to admit, you certainly are a brave and honorable man." Reiko
said. She was leaning in the other doorway, washcloth in hand. She had
listened to the entire thing.
"You were amazing Dad!" Akane smiled.
Soun suddenly looked embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head and
grinning like a fool. "Yes... well..."
"I agree." Nabiki smirked. "I almost didn't recognize the man who
regularly cowers before Happosai's frown."
"Nabiki!" Kasumi said disapprovingly. "That wasn't very nice."
"Oh all right. Well done Daddy."
Soun laughed magnanimously. "Yes well, Reiko my dear, welcome to our
little home. You're safe here."
"Hmm." Reiko said noncommittally, glancing at Ranma. "I don't know if
I'd agree with that, but I'll take it in the spirit it was offered." She pushed
herself off the wall and made to clean her mess on the floor.
"Hey! Look, you've got the wrong idea. I'm not going to make you..."
Ranma trailed of when she grunted in pain as she bent down. "Um.. here, let me
help you with that."
Reiko slapped his hand away. "Wait for it." She said with a small smile.
"Huh?"
Taiyama reentered the living room, looking flushed. He snatched his
family sword from the table and slid it into the scabbard he'd retrieved from
his daughter's pack. He nodded approvingly at the sight of his daughter
scrubbing the spot on the floor, then left without a word.
"He forgot his sword?" Nabiki smirked.
"Didn't even say goodbye to his daughter." Akane muttered, disgusted.
"I'm certainly not going to cry about it." Reiko said, groaning her way
to her feet. She turned to Soun. "My father is right about one thing, I owe
you for the table. I could be of help teaching classes, or if you prefer, by
some other means."
"Oh don't worry about the table." Kasumi insisted. "It's been broken 4
times before just this year." She took the cloth from Reiko's hand, and used a
clean part of it to wipe the blood spurt from the wall. Reiko stepped forward
to stop her, but just paused and smiled.
"Sounds like dinner can become quite interesting around here."
"You don't know the half of it." Nabiki smirked.
"Hmm. That reminds me, we haven't been properly introduced. My name, of
course, is Reiko Chimidoro. It is an honour to meet you, Mr. Tendo." She said
politely.
"The honour is ours. These are my three daughters, Kasumi, Nabiki and
Akane." Each smiled and gave a slight bow to the bleeding girl in front of
them. Reiko smiled and bowed in return.
"And this," Soun continued, "Is my old friend Genma Saotome, and of course
his son Ranma."
Reiko gave Genma only the briefest of nods, and ignored Ranma completely.
Genma and Ranma looked at each other. They wisely said nothing.
Kasumi broke the awkward silence. "Could I get you the First Aid kit?
You seem to be bleeding a fair bit."
"Oh yes. That was going to be my first request. Thank you very much."
Ranma set himself to appraising this girl's personality. She was very
polite to the Tendos, but her manner wasn't subservient; it was calm, confident.
The girl had plenty of backbone too. She could have done everything her father
had said right from the beginning, but that would have let him think he had
complete control over her. She was willing to trade severe physical punishment
for her pride. He had to admire that. She was less polite to him and his
father, him especially, but before he decided to explain it all to her, he
wanted his father to explain it all to him. He wanted to know exactly how the
old man had gotten mixed up with a monster like Taiyama Chimidoro, to say
nothing of getting Ranma engaged to his daughter!
Then there was the look in her eyes when Reiko had come through the door,
katana in hand. Her eyes showed a woman completely committed to the blow, ready
to kill, bloodthirsty even. The hate in that look caused Ranma to shiver.
Kasumi had returned with the First Aid kit. Reiko took it from her hands.
"Thank you. I'll tend to myself. Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"Certainly." Kasumi said. "Are you sure you don't need help?"
"No thank you. I've had plenty of practice at this."
No one disbelieved her.
"Oh," Reiko paused as she went in search of the bathroom, "do you mind if
I take a shower and bath as well?"
"Go right ahead my dear." Soun said. "Our home is yours."
Reiko smiled. "Thank you, Tendo-san."
As soon as she left, Ranma had his father by the collar.
"All right old man! What the hell's going on?"
Genma looked left and right for an escape route. Not finding one, he
sighed and began his tale...
"It was a long time ago, back when you were only four. I came across an
ancient dojo hidden in the mountains. The sign on the gate told me I had at
last found the fabled Chimidoro no Ryuu School, or 'Bloody Dragon school of
martial arts'."
"I ain't never heard of them before today." Ranma said.
"You aren't old enough to have heard of them." Soun said. "They began
well over 200 years ago; a group of Samurai with similar beliefs banded together
and built their own dojo, far from the 'corrupting' influence of other schools
of martial philosophy. Their motto was, 'Our enemies deserve nothing but a
bloody death.' They trained themselves in the most violent and destructive
techniques known, and are said to have created several more on their own. They
were so brutal and effective, several daimyo frequently hired them to eliminate
entire families of ninja. Their brutal 'no mercy' philosophy stretches even the
most generous limits of Bushido."
"Indeed, my old friend." Genma said sadly. "But the lure of those
powerful techniques, unknown anywhere else in the world, led me to beg them for
training. Of course, in modern times, their group has grown smaller. In fact,
there was only one family still practicing their brutal art when I found the
dojo. The descendent of the original founder of the Bloody Dragon school:
Taiyama Chimidoro.
"I begged him for training, but he refused. He said it was not the
business of his school to train the weak. Naturally, I challenged him to show
him just how strong I was. He beat me easily, and I was so badly hurt I was
bedridden for many days. Fortunately he and his family took care of me while I
recovered. His wife was very kind to little Ranma, and let him play with their
5-year-old daughter, Reiko.
"When I recovered, Taiyama said he was impressed with my determination, if
not my skills. He offered me a bargin: He would teach me _one_ of his school's
special techniques, if I would agree to marry Ranma to his daughter when they
came of age. He wanted a male heir to his school, and it seemed his wife was no
longer able to bear children. The way he treated her, I figured out why pretty
quickly. In any case, I was so desperate to learn the technique, to not leave
empty-handed as it were, that I agreed. I figured that I would learn it, and
then disappear, so he'd never be able to collect on our bargain. I told him
nothing of my friend Tendo, or of the engagement to his daughters. I have no
idea how he found me."
"So what was the technique?" Akane asked.
"You know how that one time, the Master was able to use his ki to grow two
stories high, and I challenged him and did the same?"
"Yeah, Pop. That was pretty impressive... right until you both shrunk and
pitched forward on your faces." Ranma said.
"Anyway, that was the technique. How ironic that I could have just as
easily learned it from the Master."
Everyone fell over.
Soun shook his head. "Saotome... I don't know what to say to you."
Ranma threw Genma outside. "Well I do! What the hell were you thinking
you stupid old man?"
Genma landed in the pond, turning into a panda. A moment later, a red-
headed girl was in the pond with him, beating the living crap out of the
frightened animal.
Reiko studied her handiwork in the bathroom mirror. There hadn't really
been much to be done. Her cut lip couldn't really be bandaged, and had stopped
bleeding anyway. There was a small cut on her temple, which she couldn't really
explain. Perhaps the backhand blow, or maybe something had nicked her as she
had been knocked around the room. She didn't know and it didn't make much
difference. The large bruises were already too far developed for ice to help
much, and besides, she couldn't very well be walking around with an icepack over
her face, or on the really ugly ones on her abdomen and around her left side.
She supposed she could lie down and put a bag of ice over her face, but she
couldn't afford to appear weak...
Especially in front of her would-be husband.
As she sat down on the stool to shower, the outer door slid open. Reiko
looked up to see a silhouette through the screen. Perhaps her "husband" had
decided to get a free peak before he committed to buying the goods. Maybe he
even wanted a free sample. Reiko heard the sound of clothes being pulled off.
A sample.
Reiko was quite willing to give him a taste of their future marriage, if
one occurred. She picked up the cloth and dipped it in the water, twisting it
into a tight, thin strip. She tested its strength in her hands by pulling it
tight. Yes, this would make a fine garrote.
"Rei-chan, do you mind if I join you?" A kind feminine voice drifted
through the door. Reiko recognized it as Akane's. She quickly tossed the cloth
away.
"Come in if you like, but only if you want to see how badly bruised the
rest of my body is." Reiko said.
Akane's hand hesitated on the screen handle, then she steeled herself,
forced a friendly smile on her face and pushed it open. She stopped short as
Reiko's full body came into view.
The girl's stomach was almost entirely black and blue, in varying shades
from today's and less recent blows. Around her left side, which faced Akane,
she could see the recent bruising over Reiko's ribs and kidney. There were
other bruises on her forearms and legs, which were likely from training. All
the same, that she even had them told Akane that her father hadn't pulled any
punches, ever.
Reiko smiled sadly. "I warned you."
Akane realized she was staring. She blushed. "I-I'm sorry."
Reiko waved it off. "Normal enough reaction."
She turned on the shower. Akane saw her wince as the jets of hot water
stabbed into her bruised flesh. Other than that, she made no sound as she
thoroughly cleaned herself. The obvious familiarity of the routine made it even
sadder for Akane to watch.
Akane pulled up the spare stool and sat beside Reiko. When Reiko was done
rinsing, Akane took the showerhead and rinsed, while Reiko used the soap. Reiko
refrained from using the abrasive cloth on her damaged areas, choosing to rub
the smooth bar of soap directly against her skin as opposed to the coarse cloth.
It was slightly less hygienic, since the whole household used the same bar, but
Akane wasn't about to say anything. Besides, how exactly can you get soap
dirty?
Eventually Reiko rinsed the soap free with a bucket of warm water
(normally cold was used, but Reiko didn't want to feel the temperature
difference on her sensitive bruises more than she had to). To keep her from
being embarrassed, Akane used a warm bucket herself a few minutes later.
Reiko took a long time to sink herself into the hot water, the expression
of silent pain never left her features until she'd been under almost a full
minute. Then her body relaxed, and her head slumped back against the edge, her
eyes closed in relaxation.
Of course, most other people smile when they're comfortably relaxed.
Akane thought about Reiko's battered body as she slipped in silently.
Reiko shifted up to make room, leaning her head against the wall instead. Akane
thought Reiko was quite attractive, both in face and figure, and that only made
what her father did to her seem even worse. She wondered idly if that were part
of the cause.
"Rei-chan?"
Reiko opened her eyes and smiled politely, showing that she wasn't asleep.
"I need to tell you something about Ranma." Reiko's smile faded a bit.
"So go ahead."
"Um... Ranma and I... are engaged."
Reiko's eyebrows went up. "Really? Well then, I guess our challenge
match is nothing more than that. I don't have to marry him then?"
Akane nodded. "That's more or less it."
"Hmm. It occurs to me now, that he didn't say anything about marrying me
after the match, just about it being a fair fight and all. He worded it
carefully. Okay then, I guess I don't need to hurt him too bad tomorrow, if the
stakes are lower. Relax, your fiancée will be fine. And I'll be back on the
road with Pop before noon tomorrow." She closed her eyes again.
"No no. You don't understand. I asked Ranma to go ahead and convince
your father to engage the two of you."
That brought Reiko sitting up straight (a movement which she briefly
regretted).
"Why the hell would you do a thing like that?"
Akane, who had been expecting thanks, stuttered a minute before answering.
"I... well... We figured that if you fought Ranma and lost, your father would
consider you engaged and leave, and you could stay here with us (with the
understanding that you're not seriously one of Ranma's fiancées)."
Reiko looked at her warily. "Not to sound ungrateful, but what if I don't
wish to stay?"
"Well, then you could leave, of course. You wouldn't be a prisoner; you
could come and go as you pleased. Well there is... How old are you?"
"17." Reiko said cautiously, sensing a catch.
"Well then, if you choose to stay, our father would probably insist you go
to school. Beyond that, your life is yours." Akane leaned forward, taking
Reiko's hand and looking meaningfully into Reiko's hard, distrustful eyes. "And
no one would ever hit you again."
Reiko was quiet for a time. "And what would you want from me in return?"
Akane was confused. "What do you mean?"
"What do I need to do for you, for you to do this for me? Sex slave to
Ranma perhaps? Or maybe your father?"
"WHAT? How could you even think such a thing?"
The tension in Reiko's shoulders relaxed. "Sorry, just testing.
Incidentally, you passed: I believe you."
Akane looked at her strangely. She had to remind herself that this girl
probably wasn't used to trusting anybody, much less someone she had only met an
hour ago.
Reiko broke the silence. "So tell me how you intend to fool my father."
"Well... you just fight Ranma and lose. What's so complicated about
that?"
"Plenty. For one thing, my father's quite familiar with my skills. If
he thinks I'm pulling punches, he'll call the whole thing. For this to work,
I'd have to fight Ranma with everything I've got."
"Well, I don't _think_ that should be a problem."
Reiko raised an eyebrow. "I think it will be. Tell me about his
training."
***
Ranma came home from school (having gone to his afternoon classes, as did
Nabiki and Akane) to find Reiko waiting for him in the living room. Her
expression was blank.
"Um... look about this morning..."
"Akane told me everything, Ranma. I'm sorry I misjudged you." She
gestured to the second cup of hot tea set at the table. "Have a seat." Her
words were polite, but had no inflection. Ranma sat down.
"Yeah... well, I just couldn't stand to watch that jerk hit you anymore.
I mean, not right in front of us!" Reiko raised an eyebrow.
"Are you saying it would have been okay if he only hit me in private?"
"N-No! Of course not. It's just that... I had no excuse not to act, is
all." He looked into her calm eyes and couldn't seem to figure out what to do
with his hands. The flat, emotionless, unblinking stare was unnerving. "Not
that I was looking for one. Y'know, at first I thought it was training. Pop
and me get kind of physical in our arguments, but your father takes it too far.
And the reasons are different too. If me and Pop weren't in training, I know we
wouldn't argue half as much."
"You're babbling, Ranma." Reiko said calmly.
"Um... right. So what did you want to talk about?"
"The fight."
"Right. Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you."
"You damn well better not!"
"Huh?"
"In order to trick my father, I'm going to have to give it my all. In
order to _survive_, you're going to have to give it your all too."
"I... everything I've got?"
Reiko nodded. "Everything. Even your special techniques: the Kachu
Tenshin Amaguriken, the Hiryuushyoten ha, the Mouko Takabisha, and any anything
else you feel the need to pull out of the air. You're not fighting an amateur
you know. You're fighting someone a lot like yourself. Someone who's spent her
entire life training in Martial arts. Someone who's got special techniques of
her own. Got it?"
"I... think so."
"You better _know_ so. I'm going in there and giving it my all. If you
don't do the same..." Reiko leaned forward, her nose inches from his. "I'll
kill you."
Ranma gulped. "Don't you think that's a bit excessive?"
Reiko nodded. "I have no choice. My father would be able to tell if I
wasn't trying my hardest. He has to think that I sincerely don't want to marry
you, and he has to think that you will keep me 'under control' and 'in my place'
after he leaves."
Ranma looked at the ground for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."
"Just don't kill me, and I'll be fine. You know I can take a beating."
"Yeah... I know."
***
The fighters stood facing each other at a respectable distance in the
dojo. The Tendos, Genma and Taiyama sat off to the side. Tendo and Genma made
a point of sitting between the big man and the girls. Reiko looked a little
better, though her face was still swollen. Akane knew the deep bruises on her
abdomen couldn't have healed much either. Reiko gave no sign of discomfort.
Ranma wore his white, Karate gi, and Reiko her blood-red, trimmed in
black. They stretched casually, keeping their eyes on one another. Reiko
finished stretching and cracked her knuckles. Kasumi blinked and whispered
something about it not being very feminine. Ranma seemed slightly surprised by
the action as well. Both fighters stood at the ready.
Nabiki rose, it usually being her duty in official matches like this one.
"Nothing short of a complete knockout, all strikes, chokes, and bone-
breaks and other techniques are legal. Just don't kill each other." She
muttered the last to herself. "Fighters ready?" She raised her hand in the
air.
Ranma and Reiko took fighting stances.
"Prepare to bleed, little boy." Reiko growled, keeping up the act.
"Keep shooting off your mouth," Ranma grinned, "It'll be that much more
satisfying when I close it." Behind her, Reiko heard her father chuckle
approvingly at Ranma's response.
"Hajime!" Nabiki dropped her hand and quickly got out of the way.
Reiko grabbed her and spun, sending Nabiki sprawling in Ranma's direction.
"H-hey!" Nabiki shrieked.
"What the..." Ranma caught her. Reiko was in the air, sailing down with a
vicious kick that landed on Ranma's open sternum. He fell with a grunt. Nabiki
scrambled away, not wanting to become part of another tactic.
"That's cheating!" Akane yelled.
"No rules, remember girl?" Taiyama smirked. "Ranma! Don't let her
distract you like that again!"
"Shouldn't you be cheering your daughter?"
"What the hell for? I want her to lose. Otherwise I'm stuck supporting
her until I can find a husband tougher than her."
Akane gave him a glance of utter disgust, which he missed as he was
intently watching the fight.
Ranma recovered quickly, not wasting breath by crying "cheater!' He
rolled into a dragon-tail sweep, which Reiko easily avoided.
They parried back and forth, neither able to gain an advantage. Then
Reiko landed a blow to his solar plexus. Ranma doubled over in pain. Reiko hit
harder than any girl he'd ever known, even Akane.
Reiko took advantage of his hesitation and slammed her heel into his
lowered chin. Ranma fell on his back, dizzy. Reiko waited calmly, to see if he
would pass out, taking her freedom with him into darkness. Ranma pulled himself
back to his feet, shaking his head to clear it. The two squared off again.
Ranma waggled a finger, and Reiko attacked. He defended against her every
attack, backing away and dancing around the room... No! He was dancing around
and around and around the room, in a spiral! He was planning to use the
Hiryuushoten ha.
Akane had described the technique to Reiko yesterday in the bath, so the
girl began to suspect something when she realized she was being led around in
circles. She wondered what a counter to such a move might be, and if she even
wanted to use it.
Ranma gave the final blow (yelling the technique name for some stupid
reason) and a small tornado was created around him, sending Reiko up into the
ceiling. Knowing it was coming, Reiko managed to brace her feet against the
ceiling, but the winds still sapped at her strength. She quickly crawled along
the ceiling, out of the tornado's scope, and flipped back down to the ground.
The Hiryuushoten ha dissipated. Ranma turned to face her, panting slightly.
Reiko chuckled. "So, time for special techniques is it? Good. Then feel
my Ryuunotsume!"
"'Ryuunotsume'?" Nabiki asked. "'Talons of the Dragon?'"
"Shit." Taiyama growled. "Oh well, I guess now we see what the boy's
really made of."
Reiko focused her mind, dropping into a low stance and moving her hands
meditatively. It almost looked like Tai chi. Ranma watched carefully.
"Your son's not to bright, Genma old friend." Taiyama muttered. "If he
were smart, he'd attack her while she's still forming the technique."
Reiko let out a powerful kiai, flexing her fingers in front of her.
"Too late." Taiyama muttered.
Reiko dashed forward, striking out with her open hand. Her little finger
was curled, the rest extended. Ranma blocked. He screamed as blood fountained
from three deep cuts in his forearm. He jumped back and clutched his injured
arm protectively.
"What?" Akane cried. "Did she claw him with her fingernails?"
"Hah!" Taiyama barked. "Fingernails can't do that much damage. The
Ryuunotsume uses the bodies own ki and extends it beyond the body through the
pads of the finders, at right angles to the finger bone. Reiko can only create
invisible ki 'talons' about an inch long, but that's usually more than enough."
Reiko charged again, but Ranma was keeping his distance. He had to think.
Her hands were too fast to risk getting closer, he wondered if the Mouko
Takabisha would help. On the other hand, Reiko seemed to know about it, so it
might not turn the tables as much as wanted.
"Oh my!" Kasumi said, bringing a hand to her face in concern. "It
doesn't look like Ranma's going to win."
Akane stomach knotted, if Ranma lost, then Reiko would have to go back to
that monster of a father. And Ranma could be seriously hurt here, maybe even
killed. Guilt tormented her as she lifted her hands to her mouth.
"Ranma! Hit her in the stomach! She's still sore there!"
Taiyama looked at her, raising an impressed eyebrow.
Reiko's mouth dropped open in shock. Akane's heart almost broke at that
expression of betrayal.
Ranma had hesitated enough. Now he rolled under Reiko's frozen guard.
"KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" A hundred punches slammed into Reiko's tender
middle in five seconds.
Reiko's eyes filled with tears of pain, though she made no sound as she
fell to her knees, clutching her middle. Blackness swarmed in front of her
eyes, but her hard-won toughness kept her from passing out completely. She
remained upright.
"Ranma!" Nabiki called. "Remember, you need a complete knockout to win."
Ranma inwardly cursed. This fight was over, and everyone knew it.
"I'm sorry Reiko." He whispered, drawing back a fist.
Reiko barely felt it connect. There was only a brief flash of new pain, then darkness.
***
The darkness became less so. Blending into a kind of red-black mix that
she eventually recognized as light seen through her eyelids. She heard voices.
"How much longer will she be unconscious Doctor?" She knew that voice;
female, worried.
"I'm not sure. Shouldn't be too much longer. She'll wake when her body's
ready." No idea who that guy was. He sounded older. Didn't the other person
call him doctor?
"Hmm." A third voice, male, familiar. There was a name she could attach
to it. What was it?
"I'm more concerned about her more permanent injuries." Doctor's voice.
"Permanent injuries?" The younger male voice again. He sounded worried.
"There's a lot of serious bruising on her abdomen. It looks like a lot of
repeated blows."
"Well... I had to hit her a lot... I... ah..."
"No, you don't understand. I mean she's been hit there, again and again,
over a long period of time, without time to heal in between. It's caused
gradual damage to occur to her internal reproductive organs."
"You mean..." The female voice.
"I'd need to do more tests, but I don't think she will ever be able to
have children."
"Oh my God..." The girl gasped, horrified. The younger male voice
growled a curse. She couldn't understand what they were talking about. She
knew his name. Dammit! What was it? Ra-something. Ra- Ran-
"Ranma?" That was her own voice. The guy's name was Ranma.
"Oh! She's waking up!" The first voice again. It's Akane.
Reiko opened her eyes. Blinding light hurt them.
Akane leaned over her. "Rei-chan, are you alright?"
"Where am I?"
"This is the local clinic." Ranma said. He pointed to an older man (not
much older, about 25, Reiko thought) with a ponytail and glasses. "This is
Doctor Tofu. He took care of you."
The Doctor smiled. "Not a whole lot to take care of. Just ointment for
the bruises, and some tests that all came back fine (more or less). Bandaging
Ranma's arm was more complicated. As I hear, you were responsible for that,
eh?"
Reiko smiled grimly as she sat up slowly. She saw Ranma's arm now,
wrapped up in white cloth. "Don't complain, Doctor, I'm keeping you in
business."
Dr. Tofu cocked his head to the side. "To be honest, I'd be happier being
a beggar on the streets and having everyone healthy and sound."
Akane came to the side of the bed. "Rei-chan, I'm so sorry. I should
have kept my mouth shut."
"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you the same thing I told Ranma
yesterday. If I'm alive, I'm fine with it."
"Hmm." Dr. Tofu rubbed his chin. "Maybe so, but I'd really prefer you
not cut it any closer. I want you to stay in bed, here, for another few days."
"Nonsense." Reiko snapped. "I'm fine. I'll just be a little slower for
a bit." She swung her legs around to the side of the bed, an action which
brought immense pain. Dr. Tofu and the others watched as her pupils dilated
with pain.
"Beginning to see my point?" The doctor chuckled. "Here, I'll help you
back in." He grasped her legs by the ankles and lifted them back to the bed.
Reiko had begun to protest, but stopped abruptly as the movement brought
more pain, less than before, but still significant. She slumped back onto her
pillow in defeat. "Great. I can't believe I have to spend two whole days in
bed."
"Three." Dr. Tofu corrected gently. "At least."
"Three? Wonderful. I'll be bored stiff, not to mention my muscles will
get soft."
"You won't notice much muscle degradation in so short a time." Dr. Tofu
assured her.
"Don't worry about it." Akane said cheerfully. "I'll come visit when
school's over every day. I'll keep you company."
Reiko grinned. "And will Mr. Fiancée be visiting me too?"
Ranma looked a little uncomfortable. "Um... sure."
"Speaking of which, you seem to be taking this whole engagement thing pretty calmly."
Ranma leaned back. "Ah well, the way I figure it; what's one more?"
Reiko looked at him oddly. "'One more?'"
***
End of Chapter One.
Author's last words. (hmm... maybe not the best pun...)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I've already gone through the first three parts of this story
pressing Enter after every line and have come to the conclusion that it's pretty
damn annoying! If chapters after #3 aren't wordwraped, (or if I missed a spot)
keep this in mind:
It takes me almost half an hour to prepare one of these chapters to be
viewed on your webbrowser (and these ones are only about 15 pages!) it takes you
about 5 seconds to go to the file menu, click [save as...] and save it on your
own computer so you can read it in MS Word or whatever you use. I'm not doing
this crap again!
On a friendlier note, send all Comments and Criticisms to
hinoron@hotmail.com and I'll respond within a few days. I know more about Japan
then most people (other than the Japanese, obviously) but I certainly don't know
everything. Please let me know if I've screwed up, or not explained something
well enough.
Let me head off this criticism right now, though: The spelling of the
English language vs. the spelling of the American language that appears similar
to English. I'm trying my hardest to use the proper spellings, as have been
handed down through the history of English literature before the United States
was colonized. It's also damn difficult to do so because of my @#$#% US English
spellchecker. If you see Bill Gates, kick his ass for me (come on, you know you
want to)!
Ja na!
Ron Hino.