The Three Saotomes

Part 13

The Closed Sword of Kuno.

++++++++

It was five a.m. in the morning at the Tendo Dojo. Normally only one resident was ever awake at this hour of the morning. However, since the time that the three Saotome's had arrived, it had begun to get a little more crowded.

Genryu and Genma stood on the back porch watching intently. Akane and Ranma were jumping at each other in the yard. Akane had an angry scowl on her face as she attacked her self-proclaimed sensei. Ranma merely smirked as he dodged, and occasionally, even countered the girl's attacks easily.

"Hey. She is getting better Pop," commented Genryu. He almost sounded surprised.

"Your brother is to inherit the school one day, boy. I have trained him to be an excellent teacher as well as a great martial artist," replied the older man with a small snort.

"That's enough, you've got a jog this morning right?" said Ranma as he landed nearby. Akane came down across from him and scowled.

"Whatever," she spat angrily.

"Get started, we're going to spar again before we leave for school," said the boy as he sat down at the table. By spar, he meant that Akane would do her best to kill him, while he taunted her and forced corrections on her. It was quickly becoming his favorite game, he almost regretted that he hadn't picked her as his fiancee, almost.

As if on cue, the girl of his dreams walked down the stairs looking as incredibly tired as ever. "Do you have to do this every morning?"

"Ah, good morning fiancee," he seemed unusually cheerful over the past few days or so.

"Don't call me that," muttered Nabiki halfheartedly. She wasn't in the mood to get into a verbal war with him this morning. Or any morning for that matter. She was just up way to damn early these days, and not by her own choice.

"But you're so cute when you're tired," said Ranma playfully.

"Shove it up your..." Nabiki mumbled the last part of her phrase as she put her head down on the table inside her arms.

"Oh my, it sure has been busy in the morning lately," said Kasumi as she walked into the room with tea in her arms. "Breakfast will not ready for at least an hour."

"Don't worry about that Kasumi, Akane's not going to need it until then. She might get sick if she eats too much before we spar. She hasn't developed her stomach for that yet."

"I guess that my sister just isn't used to all that jumping around."

Ranma nodded cheerfully. "You've got it! Right on the nose!"

The younger girl rushed by them and out the door, she took a few quick swipes at Ranma as she passed him. He dodged them without even paying attention. Genryu and Genma passed as well, on their way to their own morning practice.

++++++++++

A loud splash sounded in the koi, and Genryu walked into the room lazily. The panda was sitting in the pond, still trying to figure out how he had landed there. Surely his attack wasn't that predictable.

"Akane is getting better. I don't think she realizes it though," commented the younger boy lazily.

"She knows. That's what's bothering her these days. The fact that I'm actually helping her." Ranma smirked cheerfully as he said this.

"Let me get this straight. The reason you're so happy lately, is because you're annoying my sister?" Nabiki raised her head off the table and glared at him for a moment.

"That about covers it, yup," said Ranma as he smiled at her.

"She's right, you are a jerk," muttered the girl.

"I don't think she's ever been kind enough to call me a jerk. Her vocabulary has become quite colorful since my arrival," commented Ranma.

"Die! You fucking bastard!" screamed Akane as if to prove the point as she entered the house in a full-blown run. Ranma jumped over the table and into the yard as she rushed up to him from behind.

"Hurry it up Akane! We've only got like forty minutes until breakfast!" called the boy.

Akane merely screamed in rage and followed after him.

"I wonder if that Kuno guy is going to try and fight Ranma today?" said Genryu lazily.

Nabiki raised her head up and looked at him. "Huh?"

"It's been two months. He should challenge him again soon."

That woke the girl up instantly. She was on her feet within moments and rushed up the stairs. "I've got to get ready for school!"

"Huh? We don't gotta be there for like two hours," said Genryu in mock confusion. Nabiki owed him again.

++++++++++++

The day started pretty normally at Furinkan. Kuno and Ranma ignored one another at the gates. Things stayed relatively calm since the challenges had been issued and the fights finished about two months before. It seemed like things were finally going to be normal for the rest of the year.

"Yeah right," muttered Nabiki to herself. Her eyes went to Tatewaki; the boy was wearing a live blade again. He had not done that since the time he had attacked Ranma last. She knew it was all about to start again, Akane had been training with Ranma in the mornings, and the new student, Matin, in the evenings. Ranma would make her spar again after she returned home, but never pressed any information out of her about where she had gone. She suspected that he already knew.

Genryu had become quite impressive to her over the past few months. He seemed to be an expert information gatherer. She had even employed him a few times; he even worked for free. She knew that she owed him a few favors, but it was an unspoken agreement. She suspected that the two Saotome brothers looked out for one another quite seriously. It seemed like they were an excellent team, without either of them even realizing it sometimes.

"I'm going to make quite a bit pretty soon," she loved it when she could say that. Business was about to go on another drastic rise.

++++++++++++

Akane stood with Matin at the doors to the school. "I think Kuno's going to challenge Ranma again today. I don't think he'll win though."

"Heh, I know he won't," said the boy in reply with his arms crossed.

"Right, we've got to go over a few things later. I want you to watch this fight. Ranma favors his left leg, and his right arm, but it's very slight. He also changes patterns very quickly, don't let yourself get too comfortable. If he starts to have any trouble at all he'll change the way he fights instantly. He doesn't wait for you to get the upper hand, you have to keep on your toes."

"I was planning on watching the fight. I want to see how much better he is since he's recovered from that fight he had," said the boy as he eyed his target carefully. "I can wait for a little. If I rush into this fight, I'll lose for sure. You've sure been a big help though."

"I just want him gone," said the girl coldly. "How I do it doesn't matter."

Matin closed his eyes and nodded quietly. After a moment he simply rested against the wall until the bell rang.

+++++++++++

Ranma walked out of the school silently. His hands were in the pockets of his uniform, and he had a lazy stroll as he slowly made his way across the courtyard towards the gates.

"Saotome, hold."

Ranma paused in the middle of the yard and did nothing. He merely stood silently. The students around him quickly spread out and formed a crowd around him.

"I have come for your life," said Kuno as he appeared from behind his tree.

"Oh, is it that time already?" muttered Ranma as he finally spared the kendoist a glance. Kuno was wearing two blades on his side, his Katana had either been repaired or replaced, and a smaller batto rested just above it. "A two handed style? He's taking this samurai thing a little far," thought Ranma lazily.

"The time has come for your reign of terror to finally end Saotome. I shall be the instrument of your destruction. The vengeance of heaven is slow but sure, now you face the mighty wrath of the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!" A lightening bolt crashed in the distance, despite the absence of any clouds in the afternoon sky.

"How does he do that?" muttered Akane as she approached the sidelines with Genryu.

"My brother can do it better," snorted Genryu.

"Are you ready?" said Ranma as he took up a very relaxed position. His arms were hanging at his sides, and his feet were only slightly spread apart.

"Come Saotome, let us end this," snarled Kuno. His stance changed as well, he immediately closed up. His right hand rested on the hilt of the Katana, and his left was hanging up at his side.

"That's very defensive... Iaido? Or perhaps something a bit older, Iaijutsu? He seems like the type who might dig up something that old." Ranma's mind worked quickly. "Iaido usually uses a single sword. It must be Iaijutsu, the batto he's wearing... Yup, I'm sure of it."

"I attack!" cried Kuno as he rushed forward. The sword remained in the scabbard as he did so, only when he was directly in front of Ranma did it leave the sheath. The strike was almost too fast for those watching to follow. Kuno stood with the blade held above him at an angle. Ranma rolled across the ground backwards and quickly rose to his feet.

"Humph, I've never fought an opponent who uses this style. This should be interesting."

"I had hoped you would not make this too easy, Saotome! You have not disappointed," commented Kuno.

"I'm a lot of things, boring isn't one of them," said his opponent as he stepped back and took up a Kung fu stance. His arms were bent in front of him with his palms open. He was using a stance that kept his feet close together, his front leg barely touched the ground in front of him with the tips of his toes.

"I shall end this quickly," snapped Kuno as he rushed forward again. He slashed at Ranma with a horizontal strike. The boy jumped over the blade and ducked as he landed to avoid the batto strike that followed. Kuno now had both blades drawn.

Kuno quickly put him on the defensive, Ranma was forced to twist and turn around two blades at once as Kuno sliced through the air around him. His clothes were covered in small cuts, and a small red line became visible on his right hand.

"Damn, he's still as fast as before," thought Ranma as he was forced back. Kuno spun around with his back facing the boy and lashed out with a spinning horizontal strike, followed by an upward slash with the smaller batto.

Akane watched the scene in shock. Kuno was winning. Ranma had not yet attacked the boy. He was dodging around his strikes though; it wouldn't be long before Kuno became worn down. She had to do something. Finally, she swallowed and called out across the field. "Kuno! If you beat him, I'll go out with you!"

Kuno and Ranma both froze in mid battle. They turned to look at Akane; Genryu was standing beside her and looking at her, along with everyone else who had gathered around the battle.

"What the? Oh shit," muttered Ranma as he turned to look at his opponent.

"Akane! At last your true feelings have been revealed! My tigress! For you I shall vanquish this villain!"

Ranma jumped to avoid the first slash and was forced to twist and turn in the air to keep from being cut in half. Kuno's speed had just doubled.

"Stupid Akane!" growled the boy as he ducked and rolled under Kuno's legs. Kuno was not surprised by the maneuver. He turned and slashed behind him catching Ranma in the back. The boy fell to the ground gritting his teeth in pain. The back of his shirt was torn open, and a long bleeding slash could be seen across his shoulders.

"Hold still knave! So that I might smite you and finally date the lovely Akane Tendo! Have you no sympathy for my plight?"

"That does it," growled Ranma as he rolled across the ground and staggered to his feet after avoiding Kuno's stab. "You're going down now!"

"Surely you jest! It is clear that you do not have the skills to defeat me!"

"Eat this!" screamed Ranma as he charged forward. "Dragon Strikes from Mountain Top!"

Akane, Genryu, and everyone else in the crowd did not even see the move connect. Ranma had jumped into the air and performed a spinning kick that looked like it passed over the kendoist head. Kuno was thrown to the ground; he shook his head and staggered back to his feet, glaring at Ranma angrily.

"So, it seems that you have actually gotten a blow upon my person. I shall admit that your skills are great if you managed that. However, no one can surpass my skills." Tatewaki's face now had a large red mark that covered most of the right side of his face.

Ranma said nothing; the look of anger was still etched on his features. He punched at the air, in what seemed to be a mere display of power. His hands and arms appeared to multiply into ten different limbs. After a moment he stopped and took a wide, side stance. One of his arms pushed slowly forward, and the other was behind him slightly bent upwards. "Come on. Show me what you've really got."

"Very well, I shall end this quickly," said Kuno.

On the sidelines Genryu looked at Akane. "Now you've done it. My brother is pissed."

"Good! Maybe he'll screw up and Kuno will win," snapped the girl in retort.

"You saw what my brother can really do. You were there when he fought Xianghua. What do you think is going to happen?" snorted the boy in retort.

Akane paused and looked at him. "Wha?"

Kuno attacked at full speed. A flurry of slashes seemed to shine in the air as lines of curving silver that faded after a split second. It seemed like there were dozens of them. Unfortunately for him, it seemed like there were dozens of Ranma's as well. Each of them was dodging a different strike.

"Impossible! To move one's whole body as fast as my most powerful strikes? He cannot be human!"

Finally, the battle stopped. No one really saw what happened. All of a sudden, Ranma was standing with his fist in Kuno's mid section, with the swordsman slashing just over his head.

Kuno fell to the ground, and Ranma stood upright while rotating his right shoulder in a circle, after a moment he sighed and sat down.

The Saotome boy's clothes were in tatters, scraps of cloth hung from what remained and the ground was littered with dark blue and white confetti that had been cut from his school uniform. His right shoulder had been exposed completely; his left was still covered by the rags of his white button up shirt. His belly was also exposed, and a few tiny red lines could be seen there. His pants were still mostly intact, there were a few cuts on his upper thighs, but most of the damage was below his knees, where the cloth was shredded completely. Kuno's clothing was undamaged, but he was the one on the ground unable to move. He was not knocked out though.

"Well, that's the end of that," said the Saotome boy as he stood up and turned away.

"Saotome, wait! Are you not going to finish our duel?" Kuno struggled to sit up and glared at his former opponent.

"What? You think I'm going to kill you?"

"Why would you not? This is a battle of honor!" The swordsman's voice was strained as he said this. It was obvious he was still having trouble breathing.

"No mere sword is worth another man's life, Kuno."

"This was the Kuno family blade! Our family's symbol of honor and courage! You dare say that..."

"It was still nothing more than a piece of metal," replied Ranma casually. "Swords can be replaced Kuno. The honor and courage of a family is not measured in steel."

Tatewaki fell silent and glared at his rival's back angrily. "Your words ring true Saotome, but it is still a grave dishonor you have placed upon my family."

"Do as you will then," replied Ranma as he walked out of the school gates and towards the Tendo dojo.

++++++++++

A few moments later Kuno rested against the oak in the school yard with Akane and Matin at his side.

"A good fight my friend," said the new boy to him.

"Who might you be?" muttered Kuno.

"Don't worry about that. Any enemy of that guy, is a friend of mine," said the boy.

"I see, I wish you luck then," replied Kuno with a nod. "Akane Tendo, I am sorry that I cannot date with you because of my failure."


This took the girl completely by surprise, he had never, ever said anything remotely close to that to her. "You'll get him next time right?" said the girl with a little hope in his eyes.

"Akane Tendo. I apologize, I shall not seek out my honorable vengeance with steel again."

The girl gasped and looked at Kuno in shock once again.

"The sword of my family has been replaced. It was not for this reason that I sought to destroy him. I had thought him a danger to you and your family. I could not allow that."

"What are you saying, Kuno?" said the girl as she backed away from him suddenly.

"Ranma Saotome, did not kill that woman's brother. Of this I am certain."

Matin and Akane stood silently. The boy stood by the pair, unsure of what was going on. "Ranma? Did you kill someone?" he whispered.

"What do you mean? You heard what she told us!" snapped Akane.

"Then she is mistaken. He could have taken my life this day. No punishment would have befallen him. This was a battle of honor, I had ensured that if one of us perished, it would have been overlooked. Do not fool yourself into believing that he was unaware of this. No, Akane Tendo, his words were not that of a killer. He is innocent of this crime. I shall exact my revenge yet, but not with a blade of steel." Kuno stood up and started to stagger towards his home.

"Damn it," grumbled Akane angrily.

"Well, we've got training to do, right?" said Matin after a long moment of silence.

"Right, come on. We'll get started," agreed Akane with a stern look on his face.

++++++++++++

Genryu stopped and stared down at the animal in front of him. He had stumbled across it on his way home from school. It was a wolf, a huge wolf. It lay sprawled out in an alleyway, beaten half to death. He frowned and stared at it for a moment. There was a pair of silk nylons tied around its neck. He shook his head and smiled slightly. "No way. It couldn't be," he muttered as he walked away.

Behind him, the wolf's nostrils flared for a moment. It sniffed the air around it, seemingly still half asleep. A low growl escaped its throat as it slowly opened its pale blue eyes and looked around in confusion. After a moment, it sniffed the air again. It slowly staggered to it's feet and started to follow the familiar scent. "Genryu! I've found you at last!" it thought angrily.

TBC...

++++++++++++++

Next time: Genryu vs. the Wolf?


C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com