Sons of the Apocalypse
A Ranma 1/2 alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions, Inc.
- http://fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=276284
All Ranma 1/2 characters are (c) Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Communications,
Inc., Shogakukan, Inc., Kitty Films and Fuji TV. Characters are used
without the express prior permission of the aforementioned. Story
concept, other characters and original situations are (c) Wolfye
Productions, Inc.; this fanfic is written for entertainment purposes
only.
=-=-=-=-=
Part 03: Memoirs of a Panda
[Two months prior]
A heavy mist clung to the dampened earth of western rugged China,
shrouding the jagged peaks of the Bayankala Range in an air of mystery
and suspense. Along a narrow mountain path that carved and twisted its
way through the asymmetrical mountaintops of the Mount Quanjing region,
four figures traversed on foot; three with enormously huge packs slung
across their back, the other with nothing more than a pipe that he
leisurely puffed at as he walked.
The figures walked in linear file, first the one with the pipe,
then the largest with a pack. These two were followed by two smaller,
similar-looking figures. They trudged along in companionable silence as
they laboured up yet another one of the many inclines that littered the
long and narrow trail.
When the four nearly reached the hill's crest, Genma spoke up,
his deep baritone voice echoing mightily across the deep ravine.
"We're almost there!" he shouted. "I can feel it!"
"Yes, Sirs," the guide acknowledged, taking his pipe out of his
mouth in order to speak more clearly, his rough Japanese thick with a
Chinese accent.
"Very soon, we reach most cursed spring in China."
"I knew it!" Genma cried out in exultation, then began quickening
his pace towards the elusive goal that lay nestled amongst the
secretive paths of remotest China.
"Aw, c'mon Pop! Can't you slow down?" Ranma groaned tiredly from
behind his older brother, who looked to be in much the same condition
as he was. "It ain't like Jusenkyou's gonna go anywhere."
"Yeah Pop, slow down!" Kuraima chimed in.
"Foolish boys! How can you be like this when it's so close?!"
Genma retorted back as he attempted to bypass the guide along the
narrow path.
Both boys merely groaned in return, then tried to pick up their
paces a little more to catch up with their over-enthusiastic father.
The guide seemed unrelenting of the trail, and Genma had to pull
up sharply to keep from bumping into him when the guide suddenly
stopped at the top of the incline. The two boys gratefully pulled to a
stop behind their father and took a rare breather.
"Why'd you stop?" Genma questioned the guide, but stopped when
the man raised a stubby finger and pointed out in front of him.
Following with aging eyes behind thick glasses, Genma's heart skipped a
beat and his jaw dropped open.
"What's wrong, Pop?" Ranma finally asked when he noticed that his
father wasn't saying anything for once.
"Boys! Take a look at that!" Genma cried out, his voice tremulous
with excitement.
Ranma glanced over at his brother, who merely shrugged in return,
and they both moved to either side of their father to peer around his
bulky form, Kuraima taking care not to fall off the side of the cliff
and into the deep gorge below.
What lay ahead astounded them, leaving them spellbound with its
mysterious beauty. Nestled amongst the whispering peaks of Mount
Quanjing, nearly enshrouded in the mountains' early afternoon mist, lay
an open valley in which were scattered a good hundred or so pools of
the clearest water. From the untouched surface of each pool rose long
sticks of bamboo, sometimes in singular company, other times in groups
of two or three. The area looked completely deserted.
"Whoa... Is that Jusenkyou?" Ranma asked aloud, not really
knowing why, but feeling he already knew the answer. His brother
whistled his appreciation alongside him.
The guide nodded his cap-covered head, pulling the pipe out of
his mouth again.
"Yes, young Sirs, that is legendary training ground," he replied,
his accented voice thick with awe and respect.
"Well my sons," Genma grunted, "After all this time of travelling
all over China, we finally found it!"
"Hmph!" Kuraima snorted. "We'd've probably found it sooner if you
hadn't gone off on all your wild goose chases for the past month!"
"Insolent boy!" Genma snarled back. "Show your father some
respect!"
"Ya gotta earn it first, old man!" Kuraima retorted, then looked
back at the legendary training grounds when he was certain his father
wasn't going to attempt a cheap swing at him. "So, we gonna go there,
or just keep starin' at it?"
The guide nodded once more. "Yes, Sirs, we go there now. Just
follow me."
Popping his pipe back into his mouth, he started descending the
huge mountain pass as it wove further down into the mountains and in
the general direction of the open valley before them. The other three
followed suit, adjusting their packs more comfortably as they gingerly
made their way down.
From high above the four travellers circled a creature that was
neither bird nor any other creature known to mankind. This creature
bore great feathered wings that were brightly splashed with various
colours of the rainbow. However, this thing of unclassifiable origins
possessed one too many appendages to be considered a bird, in addition
of its great size, being nearly ten times as large as the largest bird
known in the world.
This creature circled widely above the four figures below, taking
great care not to reveal its identity as it watched them through
piercing blue eyes, another feature most uncharacteristic of even the
most exotic bird. It flapped its great wings, sending it even higher up
into the sun-drenched sky.
"Could these be the two that the Prophecy spoke of?" it thought
to itself in a language no human ear had ever heard.
It flapped its wings once more, catching the winds that blew
towards a single high peak whose very top was lost in the clouds, its
lone question lost to the winds.
---
Near the bottom of the valley floor, the mists parted beneath the
onslaught of the afternoon sun, revealing its hidden secrets below.
Four figures emerged onto a lower ledge that projected over the
southeastern edge of the valley floor - two in obvious tire, one with
an awed expression on his face, and the last with a bored expression as
he took a last drag on his pipe before speaking.
"Here Sirs," he announced, extending his hand out to the valley
floor before them. "We come to famous training ground - Jusenkyou!"
Genma nodded solemnly with the introduction, pushing his glasses
back up his nose. "At last... Jusenkyou."
He set down his pack and walked over to the cliff's edge.
"Hmph. Don't look too impressive to me," Ranma commented,
unshouldering his pack and dumping it next to his father's.
"Ah, y'know how Pops is about stuff like this," Kuraima retorted,
walking up next to Genma.
"Yeah," Ranma replied, joining the two.
Genma snorted while Kuraima also dropped his pack. The guide
stayed further back on the ledge, his brows coming together in a frown.
"Ah, Sirs, this is most terrible cursed training ground in
China," he spoke up. "No one use it now 'cause each spring have own
tragedy happen there."
"Alright boys," Genma piped up, his eyes alight with
anticipation. "You two ready?"
"Huh," Ranma grunted, looking out over the valley floor below
them. "This'll be easy. Ready bro?"
"Yup!"
"Then let's get going!" Genma roared as he leapt from the cliff's
edge and landed on a nearby pole. Because the pole's top was so small,
he had to adopt a crane stance, arms set in a simple karate pattern.
Below him, the clear waters of the spring rippled around the vibrating
bamboo.
The two boys likewise jumped from the cliff, each landing on
poles on either side of their father. They, too, adopted similar
stances.
"Hey Sirs!" the guide cried out as he ran to the cliff's edge,
his voice filled with panic. "What are you doing?! I not finish my
tragic story! You can't go there!"
His words fell on deaf ears as the attacks began.
With a slight nod from his older brother, Ranma began the first
attack on Genma. He jumped straight up into the air with a mighty cry,
Genma following suit. The two clashed in midair, Ranma attempting a
roundhouse, which his father blocked with his arm, the same time Ranma
blocked a full front punch from Genma. Using the momentum of each hit,
the two parted and landed on different poles.
Genma had just one second to spare when he suddenly had to dodge
another aerial attack launched by Kuraima. Kuraima, using a direct
aerial leg kick, was forced to reconsider his flight path when his
father jumped out of the way. Reaching out, he grasped the bamboo pole
his father had recently vacated, and attempted to use it to swing
himself back upright onto the pole. However, the gods' decreed that
such a maneuver was not possible with the aging wood. With a loud gut-
wrenching snap, the old pole broke in two, and poor Kuraima was sent to
the waiting pool below with a startled cry.
"See boy!" Genma cried out from his new perch, "You should be
more careful when attempting to catch others by surprise!"
"Shut up, old man!" Ranma yelled from another perch.
"Watch your mouth, Ranma," Genma threatened back. "You two are
still under training."
"Ha! We kicked your ass years ago!" Ranma retorted, then launched
a similar attack on Genma as his brother had done. Only this time, he
twisted in midair at the last minute, catching the leaping Genma full
in the side with a perfect roundhouse, and sent his father flying back
into another pool.
"Heh. Now who's training who here? That's what I'd like to know."
Turning around, he scanned the area for where his brother had
fallen just a minute ago. The pristine waters of the hundreds of pools
surrounding him winked back at him beneath the afternoon sun. Then he
spotted the frightened guide stooping over a particular pool, as if
waiting for something to come out of it.
"Hey guide!" Ranma shouted from atop the pole he was on. "You
seen my brother?"
The guide pointed to the still waters below him and mumbled
something, a puzzled look on his face.
"Hey!" Ranma cried out, but was stopped when the hairs on the
back of his neck suddenly stood straight up. Gulping, he slowly turned
his head and looked behind him.
From the pool that Genma had fallen in, the water's surface began
to churn, as a large shadow began to ascend from below. The surface of
the pool suddenly broke with a loud splash and out jumped a large,
bulky form, which launched itself into the air and landed on one of the
bamboo poles.
Ranma stared at the creature with wide, unbelieving eyes. "What
the heck is that?!" he cried, pointing a shaking finger towards the
monster.
The guide, now distracted from his previous observations, looked
up to find a large panda poised on the bamboo pole in a karate stance.
Blinking, he pulled out a sign from behind his back with Chinese
characters written across the white surface.
"Oh, he fall in Shonmaoniichuan. Very tragic story of panda who
drown in spring two-thousand year ago! Now, legend say whoever fall in
spring take body of panda!"
"What?!" Ranma cried out in disbelief. "Hey buddy! You never said
anything about that to us!"
But before he could continue berating their guide, the panda
launched an aerial attack, and Ranma was forced to jump out of the way.
However, he was too slow, and he ended up getting backhanded into
another pond a few feet away from where his brother had disappeared.
The guide ran over to where Ranma had fallen, then looked over to
the pool where Kuraima had fallen in, a worried look on his face. *Why
he no come up? Change not take that long.*
The surface of the pool where Ranma had fallen in suddenly broke,
revealing a bright scarlett-haired girl in Ranma's battered gi. The
guide pulled out another sign from behind his back and showed it to the
girl.
"Oh, too bad. You fall in Nyannichuan, spring of drown girl. Very
tragic story of young girl who drown in spring one-thousand five-
hundred year ago. Now, whoever fall in spring take body of a young
girl."
*No... this can't be...* Reaching up, Ranma slowly felt along her
chest to find two previously-absent lumps there. Shaking in fear and
disbelief, she undid her gi top and looked down, only to find her
suspicions correct. She screamed in absolute horror.
That was when her attention was diverted to the pool her brother
had fallen into. A dark shadow appeared to be rising from below, the
clear water above churning. The guide rushed over to the pool's edge
and waited silently, the worried frown once again adorning his face.
The waters broke, revealing the soggy form of a red and white-
coloured dog. After helping the dog to the edge of the pool, the guide
nodded solemnly and pulled out his signs once more.
"Oh, this very tragic. He fall in Lanshuliaoniichuan, spring of
drown wolf and snowbird. Too too tragic story of wolf what fought and
kill China legendary snowbird, then drown in spring three-thousand
eight-hundred year ago."
The guide blinked at the heaving form in front of him. "Ah, Sirs,
is strange, no?" he asked, pointing to the creature.
Ranma, now over her shock and more concerned for her brother,
approached the two and looked down.
"What the..."
Lying short of breath still halfway in the water was what
certainly looked like a wolf, but with a long feathered tail instead of
a short furry one. Ranma immediately started pulling her brother
completely out of the pool for a better look, Genma joining them
finally from the other side of the spring.
"Mawr?"
"What spring is this?" Ranma asked the guide.
"Is cursed spring of wolf what kill legendary snowbird..." the
guide repeated.
"Weird... So, uh, why's he unconscious and we're not?"
The guide shrugged. "Must be shock in changing. He under for very
long time."
Ranma lifted her brother and threw him across her shoulders.
"Okay buddy. We'd better get him somewhere warm so he doesn't freeze to
death. And you've got some explaining to do, too."
"Yes, yes," the guide nodded, then pointed to the other side of
the valley.
"I have hut over there. We take him there for now."
Ranma nodded, then looked over at the panda. "Pop, I sure hope
you can understand me even though you're a panda now. Pick up the packs
and follow us."
The panda grunted a response and did so. The three then headed
towards the other end of the valley floor.
---
[Present day]
"So, you mean to tell me that you guys are cursed? And you expect
me to believe that?"
All eyes turned to look at Nabiki, who was staring straight at
Genma, her arms crossed indignantly over her chest. The elder Saotome
merely stared back at her, his eyes unrelenting.
"It's all true," he replied.
"Well, we did just see them change right in front of us," Kasumi
said, stating the obvious.
Nabiki looked back and forth between the two brothers, then at
her own father, who merely nodded at her in return. She sighed and
waved her hand dismissively.
"So, that's it, then? Whatever. I'm hungry. Kasumi..."
Her sentence was cut off by a loud grumbling sound coming from
the Saotomes. All three clutched the offensive noisemakers, embarrassed
looks on their faces. Kasumi smiled in sheer delight at the unexpected
request.
"I'll be right back," she said softly, getting up. "Nabiki, would
you be so kind as to..."
"Right behind ya, Sis!" Nabiki cut her off, jumping to her feet,
glad for the chance to get away from the odd threesome. She and Kasumi
quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
Ranma and Kuraima looked at each other and shrugged; Genma looked
at Soun, who was busy staring off into space, a thoughtful look on his
face.
Akane sat there silently, her gaze slowly passing over the three
people in front of her. Ranma fidgeted uncomfortably beneath her gaze,
but couldn't bring himself to meet it. Kuraima merely sat there,
completely oblivious to the stare, his own eyes studying the room. The
silence was palpable, interrupted only by the sounds of Kasumi and
Nabiki as they brought in bowls and plates of food and set them down
onto the low table.
Delectable odors wafted up from the different plates, filling the
room with a mixture of wonderful smells that started up raging rivers
in the mouths of the guests. Again their stomachs growled loudly in
anticipation of the rare feast before them.
At last, when they thought that they would faint from sheer
hunger and deprivation, the two girls brought out the remaining rice
bowls and rice cooker and sat down in their previous spots. Nabiki
handed Kasumi the bowls, which she filled with steaming white kernels
of long-grained rice, while Soun helped her pass the bowls out.
Finally, when everyone had gotten their allotted share, the eating
commenced, much to the palatable delight of the Saotomes.
---
The next morning found Akane Tendou jogging casually down the
street on her way back to the dojo, a contemplative look on her
normally stoic face. When she finally reached the outer gate, she
continued on in, then stopped just inside the yard entrance, eyes wide.
High-pitched screams emanated from the side yard of the Tendou
residence, accompanied by the sights of three air-borne figures dressed
in white gi's. Akane watched as the three martial artists bounced back
and forth through the air as though they each bore a pair of wings.
This was something she had never seen before and the concept intrigued
her, to be able to defy the laws of physics such as the Saotomes were
so obviously doing.
Turning her attention away from the battling men, she continued
on into the house and up to her room, where she quickly gathered up her
school uniform and went down to the bathroom to bathe and dress.
---
Genma Saotome walked with his two sons down the hallway that led
away from the bathroom. It seemed that during their highly erratic
sparring session, all three of them had managed to get themselves wet.
"Well, we are going to be staying awhile," he began, pushing his
glasses back up his nose.
Both sons immediately stopped in front of the open porch doors
and glared at their father's back.
"Say what?!" Ranma shouted.
"And just who decided this, old man?" Kuraima growled, an
unpleasant look on his face.
"Now boys," Genma started, waving his hands in front of him in a
mild gesture of defense, "This is only a temporary stay while we
readjust ourselves to Japan!"
"Like hell it is!" Ranma retorted. "You're just too chicken to
face Mom about my curse!"
Kuraima agreed with his brother by kicking his father back into
the koi pond. "So there."
"Akane! Hurry up or we'll be late!"
Nabiki ran out of the main room with a school bookbag in hand,
almost colliding with Kuraima's back in her rush. Ranma glanced at the
Tendou sister, then turned his head away in contempt.
*Sheesh, what a hot head,* Nabiki thought, then turned her
attention onto the other brother.
"Hey there. Look, I've got something to do before school today,
so you two can walk to school with Akane. She'll show you around. Too-
de-loo!" she waved as she ran out the door.
"Hey, waitaminute! What if we're not ready to go to school yet?"
Kuraima shouted, unnerved about coming into contact with so many people
much too soon.
Genma took that opportunity to pop up from nowhere with two
packed bookbags in his paws and handed them to his sons, who grabbed
the bags with annoyed looks on their faces.
Walking up to the front entrance found Akane standing there,
shoes on and bookbag in hand, patiently waiting for the two boys.
Realizing that they were probably already late for their first day back
to school after almost two years, the boys quickly slipped into their
shoes and followed Akane out of the compound.
The brisk walk to school proved to be much like the night before
during dinner, with the Saotome boys looking a bit awkward while Akane
remained unspeaking. The two boys glanced nervously back and forth at
each other behind the Tendou girl's back, both frankly wondering if all
of their walks to school in the future would be similar to this one.
Tired of the all-encompassing silence, Kuraima cleared his throat and
picked up his pace to catch up with Akane, Ranma following alongside.
"Say, Akane?" he asked, glancing over at her as they walked
quickly down the street. "What's the school like?"
Akane's expression didn't change when she answered, "Like a high
school."
Kuraima quickly suppressed his sense of growing irritation for
the Tendou girl. "Well, yeah, but what's it like?"
"What do you mean?"
"He means," Ranma joined in, "is what kind of a school is it? Is
it big? Are there a lot of people going there?"
"Yeah," Kuraima nodded in agreement, "We've already figured out
that it's a coed school."
The three rounded a corner and hurried quietly alongside the city
canal system, Kuraima and Ranma patiently waiting for Akane's answer.
The trickling sound of the rushing water added to the quaint
atmosphere.
"Furinkan is a large school, a population of, I think, about two-
thousand. It's the only public high school in Nerima. The only other
high school is Saint Hebereke's, an all-girl school, but that lies on
the edge of town in the wealthier district."
The boys nodded their understanding, but remained quiet. The trio
turned the last corner en route to Furinkan High, a large and stately
looking building located at the end of the street. In the middle rose
one of those ever-present clock towers that adorned every Japanese
school, a foreboding presence in the schoolyard, dooming all those
would-be scholars whenever they arrived late.
When the gates of the schoolyard came into view, Akane slowed
down, Ranma and Kuraima both following suit.
"Be careful when you enter," Akane said in a low tone, her voice
once again completely devoid of emotion. "Take shelter." With that, she
began to run at full speed into the looming gates ahead.
"What the-," Ranma started, glancing over at his brother, who had
a similar look of puzzlement on his face. The two shrugged at each
other and headed at a trot for the school.
High-pitched screams and battle cries coming from inside the yard
made the two brothers come to a screeching halt just inches from the
school gates, their eyes bugging at the strange spectacle taking place
just inside.
Akane drifted from one side of the schoolyard to the next as
though she were dancing, while multitudes of teenage boys attacked her
from all sides, many adorned with just as many weapons, and others
without. They seemed to come from everywhere, amassing in numbers of
around fifty or more, and all were targeting the nimble young blue-
haired girl in the midst of all the fighting.
"What the hell is going on?" Ranma asked nobody in particular,
his eyes following each move Akane made in the strange battle before
him.
Kuraima merely shrugged back, his eyes also watching Akane. Both
stood there for a couple minutes watching the battle, mesmerized. The
scene before them was unlike anything they had ever seen before, with
so many boys ganging up on a single girl with such passion in their
hits. And yet, it wasn't hate that was pushing them onward into battle.
"Akane, say you'll go out with me!"
"Akane, I love you! This is for you!"
"Say you'll be mine, Akane!"
"Okay, this is weird," Kuraima mumbled. "Why are they all yelling
that they love her?"
This time, it was Ranma's turn to shrug. "Beats me. Aren't you
supposed to NOT hit the girl you like?"
"Heh, that's what I thought."
"What are you two doing?! If you don't hurry, you'll both be late
to class!"
Ranma and Kuraima looked up above the shuffle, eyes searching out
the source of the voice. They finally spotted Nabiki half-leaning out
of a window on the third floor of the building.
"But what about her?" Ranma asked, forgetting his grudge with the
Tendou girl. He waved his hand toward Akane's general direction.
"Oh, don't worry about Akane," Nabiki answered back, her hand
gesturing dismissively. "She goes through this every day." She made
sure to overemphasize the word 'every'. To her satisfaction, the boys'
eyes bugged out even further as the meaning behind her words sunk into
their thick heads.
In the schoolyard below, Akane finished with a final punch to a
random boy's gut, and he fell forward in a highly ungraceful manner to
the pavement beneath.
"Whoa," Ranma whistled in admiration, "She's got some serious
strength."
"No kidding," Kuraima agreed. "She almost kicked your ass back in
the dojo yesterday."
"She did not!"
"I said 'almost', stupid."
"Huh, whatever."
Kuraima shrugged back and walked towards Akane, who stood in the
middle of the yard, surrounded by unworthy and unconscious opponents.
Taking a good look at her, he saw that she was barely winded from the
onslaught of duels. She stood with her profile to him, eyes cautiously
scanning the shadows of the school's entryway. Her expression shifted
slightly when she noticed his presence.
"Stay back. I'm not finished."
Kuraima stopped where he was and looked around the yard. The
place was littered with injured bodies and broken objects, ranging from
a portable stereo system to a few bokken. To his practiced eye, none of
the scattered boys posed any potential threats for the moment.
"They're all knocked out, Akane," he said, then noticed the
sudden eerie change in weather. Above, dark blueish storm clouds
started to gather, promising a possible future drenching.
Akane didn't respond. Then, from the corner of his eye, Kuraima
noticed something gleam in the distance, and the hairs on the back of
his neck stood straight on end. He braced himself in a ready stance,
checking to see if Ranma was doing the same.
Akane reached out with one hand and skillfully caught the flying
missile. Kuraima and Ranma's eyes bugged out again; the missile was a
single red rose.
"What the-" both said at the same time. This was, as of yet, the
weirdest day in school they had ever experienced, let alone
anticipated. Somehow, they knew already that Furinkan High was not
going to be like any ordinary high school. Thunder crashed in the
distance, leaving the two boys feeling a bit uneasy about their current
situation.
"Pain lest not escapes that of the thorned rose. It pleases me
greatly when such a beauteous creature of the night chooses to display
her unworldliness in mock battles amongst savages."
From the darkness of the school entrance strode a tall robed
figure, hair and eyes dark and fairly disturbed. His words drifted over
the distant howling winds as he made his way to the area where Akane
stood, a crooked smile adorning his handsome face.
"Ah, my dear Akane, wouldst thou spar with me a trifle?"
The sounds of the school bell rung out clear in the gathering
skies above, marking the start of another school day, and the tardiness
of those still gathered outside. But all ears proved deaf to the
melodious chimes, as everyone strained instead to hear the words coming
from those standing in the yard.
Ranma walked cautiously over to where his brother and Akane stood
facing the newcomer.
"Whoa, who is this guy?"
"Stay back, both of you," Akane restated, her voice now lower
than before.
The new boy looked curiously from Akane to the two boys standing
near her, his dark eyes narrowing at the sight. His right arm raised, a
long heavy bokken grasped tightly in his hand.
"You two there," his voice thundered. "What business do you have
with Akane Tendou?" His tone commanded immediate compliance.
"What do you care, buddy?" Kuraima threw back, his own tone that
of insolence.
"Nevermind," the boy said, as much to himself as to the others.
"It is by rights that I should go first.
"It is I that holds the title of undefeated captain of this
school's prestigious Kendou club, the magnificent shining star in the
world of fencing. My name is Tatewaki Kunou, age seventeen."
A loud clap of thunder, closer than those of before, rang
overhead with his last words, followed by an amazing flash of
lightning. The Saotomes cringed with fear of an evident downpour.
"Well, I am Kuraima Saotome..."
"And I am Ranma Saotome," Ranma said, taking a step forward.
"...of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts," both
recited simultaneously. Loud murmurs suddenly erupted from the groups
of spectators, along with cries of sudden adoration from some of the
more brazen females.
"Are those two going to take Kunou on?" a girl next to Nabiki
asked.
"Talk about living dangerously," another one added. Nabiki smiled
and filed the little bit of information away for future use.
Below, the three headstrong males faced off, two against one, a
seemingly unfair distribution. But despite the odds, most of the
students gathered around the group and standing in the open windows
above ground felt a bit sorry for the two new boys, who obviously did
not know what trouble and pain they were getting themselves into for
talking back to Kunou like that. Kunou was both a feared and worshipped
presence in Furinkan High and beyond, due to his highly acclaimed
skills in the arts of swordsmanship.
"Do my eyes deceive me? Or is it that you are acting a bit
'familiar' with Akane?"
"What?!" Ranma cried out, incredulous to what he had just heard.
"We're staying with her family for a while," Kuraima casually
replied, taking a step toward Kunou. "Although, I really don't see that
it's any of your business."
Somehow, maybe through the powers that be, Kunou's face suddenly
got even darker than before. From the corners of their eyes, the boys
watched Akane slowly slip into a kenpo stance. They each glanced at the
other, not knowing what to expect next.
"What is this that I hear?! Living under the same roof as
Akane?!"
Kunou's nostrils flared wide, his jaw tensing, muscles clenched.
His left hand made its way across to lie above his right on the bokken,
his left foot sliding noiselessly to the side in a broad stance. Both
Kuraima and Ranma followed the invitation and easily slipped into
similar defensive stances. Thunder and lightning clashed above the odd
group, the hot smell of rain sharp in everyone's noses.
"That's ENOUGH, down there! Everyone get to class now or you'll
ALL be put in detention! Now MOVE IT!"
The shout came from the throat of the school's head athletic
instructor, a large and heavily muscled man, who stood at the top of
the school stairs, large arms crossed ridiculously over his huge chest.
But despite how silly he may have looked, he still made a rather
intimidating figure, and from the looks of his stance, was also a high-
ranking martial artist.
Everyone grumbled and complained loudly, but obediently went into
the school and to their classrooms, sorely disappointed for having to
miss what could possibly have been the most exciting fight since who
knows when, especially since Kunou overtook the entire district with
his fighting skills back in Junior High. The only other thing really
noteworthy of since high school began were the daily fights before
school with Akane and her over-zealous admirers. No one in their right
mind dared to remember or even talk about the last time Akane had to
fight with so many; they would much rather forget about the whole
incident. Besides, Akane looked much better these days anyway, so why
not forget about it?
---
"Thank you for actually bothering to come to class today,
everyone," the homeroom teacher sarcastically sneered. He was a bit put
off that everyone had left the class the moment it had started due to
the fight outside. Not even when Akane had started battling dozens of
boys each day before school had anyone dared to be late or even leave
class, not even Akane herself. Somehow, despite the odds, she had
always managed to finish off her battles with enough time left over to
get to class, even when fighting with Kunou. He really couldn't see why
everyone made such a hubbub about the fight today, but he could guess
why. No one had dared to go up against Kunou for the past 4 years.
Still, nothing excuses misbehaviour in class.
"And now that I finally have everyone's attention for once, I
will now introduce our two new classmates. This is Kuraima and Ranma
Saotome, both of whom happen to be twins. The two have recently been on
a training journey and have just come back from China. So let's all
give them a hearty 'Nihao' welcome.
"However, this does not excuse the fact that they and Akane
Tendou were late today, so go stand out in the hall."
---
"Oh man. What a way to start off the first day," Ranma grumbled,
staring outside at the clear and sunny sky. His arms, like his
brother's, were positioned slightly away from his body, taking care not
to spill any of the water in the two buckets that he held, his
punishment for being late to class. As he was taught to do so many
times by his father while growing up, he thought of the punishment as
yet another training exercise. It became much more tolerable in that
respect.
Akane stood to Ranma's right, his older brother to his left.
Unlike them, she only had to carry one bucket full of water. The
teacher probably thought of her as a weakling like most girls, despite
that impressive fight scene just a half-hour ago outside.
"Yeah," Kuraima agreed. "And what's up with that Kunou guy? Looks
to me like he's got a screw loose somewhere."
Ranma chuckled, thinking the exact same thing about the disturbed
boy in the yard not too long ago. He glanced over at Akane to see if
she too was laughing at his brother's little joke. She acted as if she
hadn't heard the comment, instead staring straight ahead out the
window. Kuraima leaned forward and looked at her.
"Hey Akane, sorry 'bout makin' ya late to class today. I
overheard someone say that this was your first time being late since
the fights started."
Akane remained silent, still intent on something outside the
window. The boys looked at each other uncomfortably. She had seemed
alright that morning during the walk to school. How could one person
change moods so rapidly?
"Uh, yeah," Ranma piped up, hoping to get her to say something.
"So, what's up with that fight, anyway?"
Akane finally looked away from the window. Her dark eyes studied
the faces of both boys, then looked away again. A small sigh escaped
her throat, and the boys watched as her shoulders slumped slightly.
"In the beginning of the semester, Upperclassman Kunou made a
speech in front of the entire school. In his own words, 'thou shalt not
date the beauteous Akane Tendou unless she is first defeated in
combat.' I have had to fight with those boys since then."
Ranma's mouth dropped open in surprise, while Kuraima looked
thoughtful for a moment, going over what she had said.
"So," Kuraima said, "Why would Kunou say something like that in
the first place?"
Akane looked at him again, her eyes studying his, then looked
away again.
"I had tried out for the kendou team at the beginning of the
semester. I wanted to know how my sword skills rated against others. I
fought Kunou and won."
Both boys whistled appreciatively, especially since Kunou had
arrogantly introduced himself as the 'magnificent shining star'.
"But that doesn't make any sense," Kuraima said. "Seems to me
that he would be after revenge, not trying to date you."
"Maybe this is his way of 'getting rid of the competition',"
Akane replied. "Whatever it may be, it is annoying. I wish to be rid of
Kunou and his worshippers."
Ranma nodded understanding. "I can see why you find it annoying.
Heck, I'd be annoyed too if I had to deal with that everyday."
"You have no idea," Akane replied, a hint of sarcasm in her
voice, then went back to staring outside the window. Kuraima and Ranma
looked at each other. It looked like life in Nerima wasn't going to be
so bad after all.
---
"What?!"
"That's right, Kunou baby."
"Nay, woman, you speak of that which is not to be! What makes you
voice such things?!"
"Because it's true," Nabiki reiterated for the umpteenth time.
She sighed and braced herself once more. "Akane is to be engaged to one
of the Saotome boys."
"ENGAGED?! NO!!!!!!!!"
The sounds of a hard object bouncing off of something even harder
echoed in the classroom, as Kunou's head rocked forcibly backwards.
When his head slowly raised back, a bright red mark was visible in the
middle of his forehead.
"Kunou! Go stand out in the hall!"
Kunou's shocked face stared at the angry teacher, who stood in
the front of the class, another piece of chalk held ready in his hand.
His head dropped.
"Yessir."
---
It was a lovely day in Nerima that day. A soft breeze scented
with the fragrances of cherry blossoms wafted through the third story
window of Furinkan High School, blowing sweetly by the three youths
standing outside in the quiet hall. Before passing on, it playfully
ruffled the long blue locks of the young girl, which hung without
hindrance all about her like a picture frame.
Kuraima and Ranma both sighed. It was rare that they were given a
moment as peaceful as this, and they did not hesitate to revel in it.
But something in the back of their minds kept nagging at them that this
newfound tranquility was not to be, and they glanced nervously at each
other. The hairs on the back of their necks started to raise, while to
the side, they saw Akane's body posture stiffen as she became aware of
the oncoming threat too. They all slowly lowered their buckets to the
floor and stood on guard.
From around the corner where the stairs were located raced
Tatewaki Kunou, two buckets sloshing full of water hanging from a
bokken slung across his broad shoulders.
"SAOTOME!!!" he bellowed, face red with unrelenting anger. He
came to a screeching halt when he spotted his two enemies standing in
the hall, and the two buckets flew over his head and towards the
startled twins. In the last second, the two woke up from their trance-
like state and jumped up to clear any of the splashing water.
Unfortunately, Akane did not possess this well-honed skill from
having to dodge flying water for the past month. Her slim throat
emitted a cry of both surprise and rage as the cold water assaulted her
dry form, soaking her completely from head to toe.
Kunou skidded to an immediate halt in front of his beloved's
drenched form, shock vividly showing across his face.
"Akane..."
Kunou did not get a chance to finish his sentence before he was
pummeled headfirst into the nearest wall. Groaning, he slid heavily to
the floor in a big heap amongst the rubble, unconscious.
"Oh my..." Ranma whispered to himself.
Kuraima nodded back. "She didn't even let him try to apologize,"
he said quietly to his brother.
The two boys stood a couple feet behind the odd couple, and yet
they silently took a couple more steps back from their new housemate,
fearful of what she might do next to them if they erred.
"Hey! What's going on out here!" shouted the teacher who's wall
was the one that had just been destroyed. His eyes did not hold any
amount of shock or disbelief when he spied Akane and the prone figure
of the upper-classman. Walking over to his house phone, he quickly
dialed the nurse and the school principle and explained to them the
situation. Two minutes later, Kunou was carried away on a stretcher
towards the nurse's office. A small puddle of red stained the hallway
floor where he had fallen not too long ago.
"Akane, please come with us."
Akane turned and stared at the school principle and the police
officer standing behind her. Without another glance at anyone else, she
began walking towards the principle's office, the principle and officer
following cautiously behind.
Ranma and Kuraima watched the eerie procession walk by and on
down the hall. Not once did Akane look at them, nor even indicate that
she knew they were standing there. Eventually, the three disappeared
around a corner, only their footsteps still echoing in the hallway.
They looked around the nearly empty hallway, astonished that they
were the only ones still standing in it. Even the teacher had gone back
to teaching his class as though nothing unusual had happened and he did
not have a gaping hole in the side of his classroom. Even the students
in the classroom acted as if nothing had just happened outside.
The Saotome boys slowly looked at each other. This school was
definitely weird.
---
Ranma and Kuraima walked quietly home behind Akane. They had gone
back to their homeroom class after the incident, and found the rest of
their classes without problems. They had not seen Akane again until the
very last period of the day, which was English. She looked unharmed,
but something in her eyes, or rather, lack thereof, told them that all
was not well with the youngest Tendou girl.
When the three finally turned into the Tendou compound, they were
immediately surrounded by everyone. Soun had a worried look on his
face, as did Kasumi, as they led Akane into the house. No one uttered a
single word until they disappeared into the house.
"Um..." Kuraima started to say, until Nabiki shot him an angry
look.
"Don't say anything to anyone about this, okay?" she whispered in
harsh tones to all the Saotomes. They simply nodded, not knowing what
was going on, least of all Genma.
The three followed Nabiki Tendou to the family room, where they
all sat down around the low table, awaiting the return of Soun and
Kasumi. Twenty minutes lapsed when they heard the sound of the front
door opening, a voice calling out.
"Hello? It's me, Dr. Tofu!"
Nabiki shot up out of her sitting position, calling out as she
did so, "I'll get it!" She ran out of the family room towards the front
door.
The Saotomes listened to what was going on outside, no one daring
to move an inch, fearful of the suddenly grave situation that they
found themselves in.
"Hello, Dr. Tofu!" Nabiki gushed from the front entryway, anxiety
written clear in her voice. "Thank you for coming over on such short
notice."
"It's okay, Nabiki," the man said, his voice sounding a bit
awkward. Then, in a much more serious tone, one belying of an
underlying strength, "Where is she?"
"She's upstairs in her room."
Kuraima and Ranma could almost hear the guy's head nodding his
thanks to Nabiki, then heard him as he climbed the stairs to the second
level. A minute later, they looked up as Nabiki re-entered the room and
sat down in her previous spot to wait. She turned on the T.V. to help
lighten the mood in the room, but they all barely noticed what was
flashing across the glass screen in front of them.
---
After what seemed like an eternity later, they listened as
footsteps came down the stairs.
"Thank you again, Dr. Tofu."
"Thank you very much, Dr. Tofu"
"You're welcome Mr. Tendou, Kasumi. Please, call me immediately
when she wakes up again."
"Yes, absolutely," Mr. Tendou assured. "Thank you again."
The sounds of the front door opening, then closing again were the
only sounds that filled the stoic household as they waited breathlessly
in the room, the T.V. having been turned off a long time ago as there
had been nothing on of any interest to its viewers.
The four looked up as Mr. Tendou and Kasumi finally entered the
room, closing the pair of shouji behind them.
"She's fine now," Kasumi said quietly, eyes looking not at
everyone but rather fixated on the floor in front of her.
Soun, however, looked around at his other daughter and guests.
"Please, you need to understand some things about Akane. Her
violent temper..."
"Daddy! She's more than just violent. I've told you hundreds of
times to get her help!" Nabiki admonished in a low tone. Her voice was
thick with hurt, anxiety and anger.
Soun tried not to let the tears welling in his eyes fall, but his
aged face seemed so tired of having to hold in the hurt that he
constantly felt. He hung his head in shame.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi countered, head now up and glaring at her
younger sister. "You should not speak so harshly to Father."
"But he needs to hear it, Kasumi!" Nabiki continued, eyes defiant
against her sister's. "If we don't do something soon, who knows how
much further along she'll get. Hell! It might already be too late to do
anything at all, what with the way you two keep putting it off all the
time. I'm telling you, she needs professional help! She's getting more
and more dangerous all the time!"
Nabiki turned back to her father, eyes radiating heat.
"And you! Why do you keep letting her learn more techniques?!
Don't you realize something could happen?! What if she loses control
and hurts, or even worse, kills somebody with her skills?!"
Soun raised his tired head. It was plain to see the glistening
trail marks left by his tears. "But Nabiki, her training in martial
arts helps her to control herself, and her rage. Don't you see that?
That's the only reason why I let her train in the first place." Another
tear rolled down his face.
"I know the techniques are dangerous if used wrong, but it's the
only way to keep her focused on life."
Soun sighed, his shoulders slumped. Indeed, he was very much
tired over his youngest daughter's situation. No longer did he know
what to do. Akane's condition was getting worse every year, despite
everything that he'd tried to do to help her get better.
Once again he raised his head, and his eyes swept over his three
guests. They simply sat there, in a state of shock and helplessness
over their host's situation. But again, they had no clue as to what the
others were referring to. Soun read it plain in their eyes.
"Genma, my old friend," he began, wiping his tears from his eyes,
"I am afraid that I've kept you in the dark for too long. I owe you an
understanding of my youngest daughter, as one of your sons will soon
wed her."
Ranma and Kuraima looked at each other in dismay.
"Now wait a minute, Mr. Tendou," Kuraima started, "We're not
going to marry anybody."
"Quiet son," Genma finally spoke, "Let him speak. There is
obviously a great deal we do not know of our hosts."
Soun slowly nodded.
"It happened a great time after we had made our pact," he began
again, "Right about the time that my dear wife died..."
(End of Part 03)
---
1. shougi - a wood and rice paper door, typical of a traditional
Japanese household.
2. bokken - a Japanese wooden fighting sword; used primarily for kendo
practice.
A Ranma 1/2 alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions, Inc.
- http://fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=276284
All Ranma 1/2 characters are (c) Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Communications,
Inc., Shogakukan, Inc., Kitty Films and Fuji TV. Characters are used
without the express prior permission of the aforementioned. Story
concept, other characters and original situations are (c) Wolfye
Productions, Inc.; this fanfic is written for entertainment purposes
only.
=-=-=-=-=
Part 03: Memoirs of a Panda
[Two months prior]
A heavy mist clung to the dampened earth of western rugged China,
shrouding the jagged peaks of the Bayankala Range in an air of mystery
and suspense. Along a narrow mountain path that carved and twisted its
way through the asymmetrical mountaintops of the Mount Quanjing region,
four figures traversed on foot; three with enormously huge packs slung
across their back, the other with nothing more than a pipe that he
leisurely puffed at as he walked.
The figures walked in linear file, first the one with the pipe,
then the largest with a pack. These two were followed by two smaller,
similar-looking figures. They trudged along in companionable silence as
they laboured up yet another one of the many inclines that littered the
long and narrow trail.
When the four nearly reached the hill's crest, Genma spoke up,
his deep baritone voice echoing mightily across the deep ravine.
"We're almost there!" he shouted. "I can feel it!"
"Yes, Sirs," the guide acknowledged, taking his pipe out of his
mouth in order to speak more clearly, his rough Japanese thick with a
Chinese accent.
"Very soon, we reach most cursed spring in China."
"I knew it!" Genma cried out in exultation, then began quickening
his pace towards the elusive goal that lay nestled amongst the
secretive paths of remotest China.
"Aw, c'mon Pop! Can't you slow down?" Ranma groaned tiredly from
behind his older brother, who looked to be in much the same condition
as he was. "It ain't like Jusenkyou's gonna go anywhere."
"Yeah Pop, slow down!" Kuraima chimed in.
"Foolish boys! How can you be like this when it's so close?!"
Genma retorted back as he attempted to bypass the guide along the
narrow path.
Both boys merely groaned in return, then tried to pick up their
paces a little more to catch up with their over-enthusiastic father.
The guide seemed unrelenting of the trail, and Genma had to pull
up sharply to keep from bumping into him when the guide suddenly
stopped at the top of the incline. The two boys gratefully pulled to a
stop behind their father and took a rare breather.
"Why'd you stop?" Genma questioned the guide, but stopped when
the man raised a stubby finger and pointed out in front of him.
Following with aging eyes behind thick glasses, Genma's heart skipped a
beat and his jaw dropped open.
"What's wrong, Pop?" Ranma finally asked when he noticed that his
father wasn't saying anything for once.
"Boys! Take a look at that!" Genma cried out, his voice tremulous
with excitement.
Ranma glanced over at his brother, who merely shrugged in return,
and they both moved to either side of their father to peer around his
bulky form, Kuraima taking care not to fall off the side of the cliff
and into the deep gorge below.
What lay ahead astounded them, leaving them spellbound with its
mysterious beauty. Nestled amongst the whispering peaks of Mount
Quanjing, nearly enshrouded in the mountains' early afternoon mist, lay
an open valley in which were scattered a good hundred or so pools of
the clearest water. From the untouched surface of each pool rose long
sticks of bamboo, sometimes in singular company, other times in groups
of two or three. The area looked completely deserted.
"Whoa... Is that Jusenkyou?" Ranma asked aloud, not really
knowing why, but feeling he already knew the answer. His brother
whistled his appreciation alongside him.
The guide nodded his cap-covered head, pulling the pipe out of
his mouth again.
"Yes, young Sirs, that is legendary training ground," he replied,
his accented voice thick with awe and respect.
"Well my sons," Genma grunted, "After all this time of travelling
all over China, we finally found it!"
"Hmph!" Kuraima snorted. "We'd've probably found it sooner if you
hadn't gone off on all your wild goose chases for the past month!"
"Insolent boy!" Genma snarled back. "Show your father some
respect!"
"Ya gotta earn it first, old man!" Kuraima retorted, then looked
back at the legendary training grounds when he was certain his father
wasn't going to attempt a cheap swing at him. "So, we gonna go there,
or just keep starin' at it?"
The guide nodded once more. "Yes, Sirs, we go there now. Just
follow me."
Popping his pipe back into his mouth, he started descending the
huge mountain pass as it wove further down into the mountains and in
the general direction of the open valley before them. The other three
followed suit, adjusting their packs more comfortably as they gingerly
made their way down.
From high above the four travellers circled a creature that was
neither bird nor any other creature known to mankind. This creature
bore great feathered wings that were brightly splashed with various
colours of the rainbow. However, this thing of unclassifiable origins
possessed one too many appendages to be considered a bird, in addition
of its great size, being nearly ten times as large as the largest bird
known in the world.
This creature circled widely above the four figures below, taking
great care not to reveal its identity as it watched them through
piercing blue eyes, another feature most uncharacteristic of even the
most exotic bird. It flapped its great wings, sending it even higher up
into the sun-drenched sky.
"Could these be the two that the Prophecy spoke of?" it thought
to itself in a language no human ear had ever heard.
It flapped its wings once more, catching the winds that blew
towards a single high peak whose very top was lost in the clouds, its
lone question lost to the winds.
---
Near the bottom of the valley floor, the mists parted beneath the
onslaught of the afternoon sun, revealing its hidden secrets below.
Four figures emerged onto a lower ledge that projected over the
southeastern edge of the valley floor - two in obvious tire, one with
an awed expression on his face, and the last with a bored expression as
he took a last drag on his pipe before speaking.
"Here Sirs," he announced, extending his hand out to the valley
floor before them. "We come to famous training ground - Jusenkyou!"
Genma nodded solemnly with the introduction, pushing his glasses
back up his nose. "At last... Jusenkyou."
He set down his pack and walked over to the cliff's edge.
"Hmph. Don't look too impressive to me," Ranma commented,
unshouldering his pack and dumping it next to his father's.
"Ah, y'know how Pops is about stuff like this," Kuraima retorted,
walking up next to Genma.
"Yeah," Ranma replied, joining the two.
Genma snorted while Kuraima also dropped his pack. The guide
stayed further back on the ledge, his brows coming together in a frown.
"Ah, Sirs, this is most terrible cursed training ground in
China," he spoke up. "No one use it now 'cause each spring have own
tragedy happen there."
"Alright boys," Genma piped up, his eyes alight with
anticipation. "You two ready?"
"Huh," Ranma grunted, looking out over the valley floor below
them. "This'll be easy. Ready bro?"
"Yup!"
"Then let's get going!" Genma roared as he leapt from the cliff's
edge and landed on a nearby pole. Because the pole's top was so small,
he had to adopt a crane stance, arms set in a simple karate pattern.
Below him, the clear waters of the spring rippled around the vibrating
bamboo.
The two boys likewise jumped from the cliff, each landing on
poles on either side of their father. They, too, adopted similar
stances.
"Hey Sirs!" the guide cried out as he ran to the cliff's edge,
his voice filled with panic. "What are you doing?! I not finish my
tragic story! You can't go there!"
His words fell on deaf ears as the attacks began.
With a slight nod from his older brother, Ranma began the first
attack on Genma. He jumped straight up into the air with a mighty cry,
Genma following suit. The two clashed in midair, Ranma attempting a
roundhouse, which his father blocked with his arm, the same time Ranma
blocked a full front punch from Genma. Using the momentum of each hit,
the two parted and landed on different poles.
Genma had just one second to spare when he suddenly had to dodge
another aerial attack launched by Kuraima. Kuraima, using a direct
aerial leg kick, was forced to reconsider his flight path when his
father jumped out of the way. Reaching out, he grasped the bamboo pole
his father had recently vacated, and attempted to use it to swing
himself back upright onto the pole. However, the gods' decreed that
such a maneuver was not possible with the aging wood. With a loud gut-
wrenching snap, the old pole broke in two, and poor Kuraima was sent to
the waiting pool below with a startled cry.
"See boy!" Genma cried out from his new perch, "You should be
more careful when attempting to catch others by surprise!"
"Shut up, old man!" Ranma yelled from another perch.
"Watch your mouth, Ranma," Genma threatened back. "You two are
still under training."
"Ha! We kicked your ass years ago!" Ranma retorted, then launched
a similar attack on Genma as his brother had done. Only this time, he
twisted in midair at the last minute, catching the leaping Genma full
in the side with a perfect roundhouse, and sent his father flying back
into another pool.
"Heh. Now who's training who here? That's what I'd like to know."
Turning around, he scanned the area for where his brother had
fallen just a minute ago. The pristine waters of the hundreds of pools
surrounding him winked back at him beneath the afternoon sun. Then he
spotted the frightened guide stooping over a particular pool, as if
waiting for something to come out of it.
"Hey guide!" Ranma shouted from atop the pole he was on. "You
seen my brother?"
The guide pointed to the still waters below him and mumbled
something, a puzzled look on his face.
"Hey!" Ranma cried out, but was stopped when the hairs on the
back of his neck suddenly stood straight up. Gulping, he slowly turned
his head and looked behind him.
From the pool that Genma had fallen in, the water's surface began
to churn, as a large shadow began to ascend from below. The surface of
the pool suddenly broke with a loud splash and out jumped a large,
bulky form, which launched itself into the air and landed on one of the
bamboo poles.
Ranma stared at the creature with wide, unbelieving eyes. "What
the heck is that?!" he cried, pointing a shaking finger towards the
monster.
The guide, now distracted from his previous observations, looked
up to find a large panda poised on the bamboo pole in a karate stance.
Blinking, he pulled out a sign from behind his back with Chinese
characters written across the white surface.
"Oh, he fall in Shonmaoniichuan. Very tragic story of panda who
drown in spring two-thousand year ago! Now, legend say whoever fall in
spring take body of panda!"
"What?!" Ranma cried out in disbelief. "Hey buddy! You never said
anything about that to us!"
But before he could continue berating their guide, the panda
launched an aerial attack, and Ranma was forced to jump out of the way.
However, he was too slow, and he ended up getting backhanded into
another pond a few feet away from where his brother had disappeared.
The guide ran over to where Ranma had fallen, then looked over to
the pool where Kuraima had fallen in, a worried look on his face. *Why
he no come up? Change not take that long.*
The surface of the pool where Ranma had fallen in suddenly broke,
revealing a bright scarlett-haired girl in Ranma's battered gi. The
guide pulled out another sign from behind his back and showed it to the
girl.
"Oh, too bad. You fall in Nyannichuan, spring of drown girl. Very
tragic story of young girl who drown in spring one-thousand five-
hundred year ago. Now, whoever fall in spring take body of a young
girl."
*No... this can't be...* Reaching up, Ranma slowly felt along her
chest to find two previously-absent lumps there. Shaking in fear and
disbelief, she undid her gi top and looked down, only to find her
suspicions correct. She screamed in absolute horror.
That was when her attention was diverted to the pool her brother
had fallen into. A dark shadow appeared to be rising from below, the
clear water above churning. The guide rushed over to the pool's edge
and waited silently, the worried frown once again adorning his face.
The waters broke, revealing the soggy form of a red and white-
coloured dog. After helping the dog to the edge of the pool, the guide
nodded solemnly and pulled out his signs once more.
"Oh, this very tragic. He fall in Lanshuliaoniichuan, spring of
drown wolf and snowbird. Too too tragic story of wolf what fought and
kill China legendary snowbird, then drown in spring three-thousand
eight-hundred year ago."
The guide blinked at the heaving form in front of him. "Ah, Sirs,
is strange, no?" he asked, pointing to the creature.
Ranma, now over her shock and more concerned for her brother,
approached the two and looked down.
"What the..."
Lying short of breath still halfway in the water was what
certainly looked like a wolf, but with a long feathered tail instead of
a short furry one. Ranma immediately started pulling her brother
completely out of the pool for a better look, Genma joining them
finally from the other side of the spring.
"Mawr?"
"What spring is this?" Ranma asked the guide.
"Is cursed spring of wolf what kill legendary snowbird..." the
guide repeated.
"Weird... So, uh, why's he unconscious and we're not?"
The guide shrugged. "Must be shock in changing. He under for very
long time."
Ranma lifted her brother and threw him across her shoulders.
"Okay buddy. We'd better get him somewhere warm so he doesn't freeze to
death. And you've got some explaining to do, too."
"Yes, yes," the guide nodded, then pointed to the other side of
the valley.
"I have hut over there. We take him there for now."
Ranma nodded, then looked over at the panda. "Pop, I sure hope
you can understand me even though you're a panda now. Pick up the packs
and follow us."
The panda grunted a response and did so. The three then headed
towards the other end of the valley floor.
---
[Present day]
"So, you mean to tell me that you guys are cursed? And you expect
me to believe that?"
All eyes turned to look at Nabiki, who was staring straight at
Genma, her arms crossed indignantly over her chest. The elder Saotome
merely stared back at her, his eyes unrelenting.
"It's all true," he replied.
"Well, we did just see them change right in front of us," Kasumi
said, stating the obvious.
Nabiki looked back and forth between the two brothers, then at
her own father, who merely nodded at her in return. She sighed and
waved her hand dismissively.
"So, that's it, then? Whatever. I'm hungry. Kasumi..."
Her sentence was cut off by a loud grumbling sound coming from
the Saotomes. All three clutched the offensive noisemakers, embarrassed
looks on their faces. Kasumi smiled in sheer delight at the unexpected
request.
"I'll be right back," she said softly, getting up. "Nabiki, would
you be so kind as to..."
"Right behind ya, Sis!" Nabiki cut her off, jumping to her feet,
glad for the chance to get away from the odd threesome. She and Kasumi
quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
Ranma and Kuraima looked at each other and shrugged; Genma looked
at Soun, who was busy staring off into space, a thoughtful look on his
face.
Akane sat there silently, her gaze slowly passing over the three
people in front of her. Ranma fidgeted uncomfortably beneath her gaze,
but couldn't bring himself to meet it. Kuraima merely sat there,
completely oblivious to the stare, his own eyes studying the room. The
silence was palpable, interrupted only by the sounds of Kasumi and
Nabiki as they brought in bowls and plates of food and set them down
onto the low table.
Delectable odors wafted up from the different plates, filling the
room with a mixture of wonderful smells that started up raging rivers
in the mouths of the guests. Again their stomachs growled loudly in
anticipation of the rare feast before them.
At last, when they thought that they would faint from sheer
hunger and deprivation, the two girls brought out the remaining rice
bowls and rice cooker and sat down in their previous spots. Nabiki
handed Kasumi the bowls, which she filled with steaming white kernels
of long-grained rice, while Soun helped her pass the bowls out.
Finally, when everyone had gotten their allotted share, the eating
commenced, much to the palatable delight of the Saotomes.
---
The next morning found Akane Tendou jogging casually down the
street on her way back to the dojo, a contemplative look on her
normally stoic face. When she finally reached the outer gate, she
continued on in, then stopped just inside the yard entrance, eyes wide.
High-pitched screams emanated from the side yard of the Tendou
residence, accompanied by the sights of three air-borne figures dressed
in white gi's. Akane watched as the three martial artists bounced back
and forth through the air as though they each bore a pair of wings.
This was something she had never seen before and the concept intrigued
her, to be able to defy the laws of physics such as the Saotomes were
so obviously doing.
Turning her attention away from the battling men, she continued
on into the house and up to her room, where she quickly gathered up her
school uniform and went down to the bathroom to bathe and dress.
---
Genma Saotome walked with his two sons down the hallway that led
away from the bathroom. It seemed that during their highly erratic
sparring session, all three of them had managed to get themselves wet.
"Well, we are going to be staying awhile," he began, pushing his
glasses back up his nose.
Both sons immediately stopped in front of the open porch doors
and glared at their father's back.
"Say what?!" Ranma shouted.
"And just who decided this, old man?" Kuraima growled, an
unpleasant look on his face.
"Now boys," Genma started, waving his hands in front of him in a
mild gesture of defense, "This is only a temporary stay while we
readjust ourselves to Japan!"
"Like hell it is!" Ranma retorted. "You're just too chicken to
face Mom about my curse!"
Kuraima agreed with his brother by kicking his father back into
the koi pond. "So there."
"Akane! Hurry up or we'll be late!"
Nabiki ran out of the main room with a school bookbag in hand,
almost colliding with Kuraima's back in her rush. Ranma glanced at the
Tendou sister, then turned his head away in contempt.
*Sheesh, what a hot head,* Nabiki thought, then turned her
attention onto the other brother.
"Hey there. Look, I've got something to do before school today,
so you two can walk to school with Akane. She'll show you around. Too-
de-loo!" she waved as she ran out the door.
"Hey, waitaminute! What if we're not ready to go to school yet?"
Kuraima shouted, unnerved about coming into contact with so many people
much too soon.
Genma took that opportunity to pop up from nowhere with two
packed bookbags in his paws and handed them to his sons, who grabbed
the bags with annoyed looks on their faces.
Walking up to the front entrance found Akane standing there,
shoes on and bookbag in hand, patiently waiting for the two boys.
Realizing that they were probably already late for their first day back
to school after almost two years, the boys quickly slipped into their
shoes and followed Akane out of the compound.
The brisk walk to school proved to be much like the night before
during dinner, with the Saotome boys looking a bit awkward while Akane
remained unspeaking. The two boys glanced nervously back and forth at
each other behind the Tendou girl's back, both frankly wondering if all
of their walks to school in the future would be similar to this one.
Tired of the all-encompassing silence, Kuraima cleared his throat and
picked up his pace to catch up with Akane, Ranma following alongside.
"Say, Akane?" he asked, glancing over at her as they walked
quickly down the street. "What's the school like?"
Akane's expression didn't change when she answered, "Like a high
school."
Kuraima quickly suppressed his sense of growing irritation for
the Tendou girl. "Well, yeah, but what's it like?"
"What do you mean?"
"He means," Ranma joined in, "is what kind of a school is it? Is
it big? Are there a lot of people going there?"
"Yeah," Kuraima nodded in agreement, "We've already figured out
that it's a coed school."
The three rounded a corner and hurried quietly alongside the city
canal system, Kuraima and Ranma patiently waiting for Akane's answer.
The trickling sound of the rushing water added to the quaint
atmosphere.
"Furinkan is a large school, a population of, I think, about two-
thousand. It's the only public high school in Nerima. The only other
high school is Saint Hebereke's, an all-girl school, but that lies on
the edge of town in the wealthier district."
The boys nodded their understanding, but remained quiet. The trio
turned the last corner en route to Furinkan High, a large and stately
looking building located at the end of the street. In the middle rose
one of those ever-present clock towers that adorned every Japanese
school, a foreboding presence in the schoolyard, dooming all those
would-be scholars whenever they arrived late.
When the gates of the schoolyard came into view, Akane slowed
down, Ranma and Kuraima both following suit.
"Be careful when you enter," Akane said in a low tone, her voice
once again completely devoid of emotion. "Take shelter." With that, she
began to run at full speed into the looming gates ahead.
"What the-," Ranma started, glancing over at his brother, who had
a similar look of puzzlement on his face. The two shrugged at each
other and headed at a trot for the school.
High-pitched screams and battle cries coming from inside the yard
made the two brothers come to a screeching halt just inches from the
school gates, their eyes bugging at the strange spectacle taking place
just inside.
Akane drifted from one side of the schoolyard to the next as
though she were dancing, while multitudes of teenage boys attacked her
from all sides, many adorned with just as many weapons, and others
without. They seemed to come from everywhere, amassing in numbers of
around fifty or more, and all were targeting the nimble young blue-
haired girl in the midst of all the fighting.
"What the hell is going on?" Ranma asked nobody in particular,
his eyes following each move Akane made in the strange battle before
him.
Kuraima merely shrugged back, his eyes also watching Akane. Both
stood there for a couple minutes watching the battle, mesmerized. The
scene before them was unlike anything they had ever seen before, with
so many boys ganging up on a single girl with such passion in their
hits. And yet, it wasn't hate that was pushing them onward into battle.
"Akane, say you'll go out with me!"
"Akane, I love you! This is for you!"
"Say you'll be mine, Akane!"
"Okay, this is weird," Kuraima mumbled. "Why are they all yelling
that they love her?"
This time, it was Ranma's turn to shrug. "Beats me. Aren't you
supposed to NOT hit the girl you like?"
"Heh, that's what I thought."
"What are you two doing?! If you don't hurry, you'll both be late
to class!"
Ranma and Kuraima looked up above the shuffle, eyes searching out
the source of the voice. They finally spotted Nabiki half-leaning out
of a window on the third floor of the building.
"But what about her?" Ranma asked, forgetting his grudge with the
Tendou girl. He waved his hand toward Akane's general direction.
"Oh, don't worry about Akane," Nabiki answered back, her hand
gesturing dismissively. "She goes through this every day." She made
sure to overemphasize the word 'every'. To her satisfaction, the boys'
eyes bugged out even further as the meaning behind her words sunk into
their thick heads.
In the schoolyard below, Akane finished with a final punch to a
random boy's gut, and he fell forward in a highly ungraceful manner to
the pavement beneath.
"Whoa," Ranma whistled in admiration, "She's got some serious
strength."
"No kidding," Kuraima agreed. "She almost kicked your ass back in
the dojo yesterday."
"She did not!"
"I said 'almost', stupid."
"Huh, whatever."
Kuraima shrugged back and walked towards Akane, who stood in the
middle of the yard, surrounded by unworthy and unconscious opponents.
Taking a good look at her, he saw that she was barely winded from the
onslaught of duels. She stood with her profile to him, eyes cautiously
scanning the shadows of the school's entryway. Her expression shifted
slightly when she noticed his presence.
"Stay back. I'm not finished."
Kuraima stopped where he was and looked around the yard. The
place was littered with injured bodies and broken objects, ranging from
a portable stereo system to a few bokken. To his practiced eye, none of
the scattered boys posed any potential threats for the moment.
"They're all knocked out, Akane," he said, then noticed the
sudden eerie change in weather. Above, dark blueish storm clouds
started to gather, promising a possible future drenching.
Akane didn't respond. Then, from the corner of his eye, Kuraima
noticed something gleam in the distance, and the hairs on the back of
his neck stood straight on end. He braced himself in a ready stance,
checking to see if Ranma was doing the same.
Akane reached out with one hand and skillfully caught the flying
missile. Kuraima and Ranma's eyes bugged out again; the missile was a
single red rose.
"What the-" both said at the same time. This was, as of yet, the
weirdest day in school they had ever experienced, let alone
anticipated. Somehow, they knew already that Furinkan High was not
going to be like any ordinary high school. Thunder crashed in the
distance, leaving the two boys feeling a bit uneasy about their current
situation.
"Pain lest not escapes that of the thorned rose. It pleases me
greatly when such a beauteous creature of the night chooses to display
her unworldliness in mock battles amongst savages."
From the darkness of the school entrance strode a tall robed
figure, hair and eyes dark and fairly disturbed. His words drifted over
the distant howling winds as he made his way to the area where Akane
stood, a crooked smile adorning his handsome face.
"Ah, my dear Akane, wouldst thou spar with me a trifle?"
The sounds of the school bell rung out clear in the gathering
skies above, marking the start of another school day, and the tardiness
of those still gathered outside. But all ears proved deaf to the
melodious chimes, as everyone strained instead to hear the words coming
from those standing in the yard.
Ranma walked cautiously over to where his brother and Akane stood
facing the newcomer.
"Whoa, who is this guy?"
"Stay back, both of you," Akane restated, her voice now lower
than before.
The new boy looked curiously from Akane to the two boys standing
near her, his dark eyes narrowing at the sight. His right arm raised, a
long heavy bokken grasped tightly in his hand.
"You two there," his voice thundered. "What business do you have
with Akane Tendou?" His tone commanded immediate compliance.
"What do you care, buddy?" Kuraima threw back, his own tone that
of insolence.
"Nevermind," the boy said, as much to himself as to the others.
"It is by rights that I should go first.
"It is I that holds the title of undefeated captain of this
school's prestigious Kendou club, the magnificent shining star in the
world of fencing. My name is Tatewaki Kunou, age seventeen."
A loud clap of thunder, closer than those of before, rang
overhead with his last words, followed by an amazing flash of
lightning. The Saotomes cringed with fear of an evident downpour.
"Well, I am Kuraima Saotome..."
"And I am Ranma Saotome," Ranma said, taking a step forward.
"...of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts," both
recited simultaneously. Loud murmurs suddenly erupted from the groups
of spectators, along with cries of sudden adoration from some of the
more brazen females.
"Are those two going to take Kunou on?" a girl next to Nabiki
asked.
"Talk about living dangerously," another one added. Nabiki smiled
and filed the little bit of information away for future use.
Below, the three headstrong males faced off, two against one, a
seemingly unfair distribution. But despite the odds, most of the
students gathered around the group and standing in the open windows
above ground felt a bit sorry for the two new boys, who obviously did
not know what trouble and pain they were getting themselves into for
talking back to Kunou like that. Kunou was both a feared and worshipped
presence in Furinkan High and beyond, due to his highly acclaimed
skills in the arts of swordsmanship.
"Do my eyes deceive me? Or is it that you are acting a bit
'familiar' with Akane?"
"What?!" Ranma cried out, incredulous to what he had just heard.
"We're staying with her family for a while," Kuraima casually
replied, taking a step toward Kunou. "Although, I really don't see that
it's any of your business."
Somehow, maybe through the powers that be, Kunou's face suddenly
got even darker than before. From the corners of their eyes, the boys
watched Akane slowly slip into a kenpo stance. They each glanced at the
other, not knowing what to expect next.
"What is this that I hear?! Living under the same roof as
Akane?!"
Kunou's nostrils flared wide, his jaw tensing, muscles clenched.
His left hand made its way across to lie above his right on the bokken,
his left foot sliding noiselessly to the side in a broad stance. Both
Kuraima and Ranma followed the invitation and easily slipped into
similar defensive stances. Thunder and lightning clashed above the odd
group, the hot smell of rain sharp in everyone's noses.
"That's ENOUGH, down there! Everyone get to class now or you'll
ALL be put in detention! Now MOVE IT!"
The shout came from the throat of the school's head athletic
instructor, a large and heavily muscled man, who stood at the top of
the school stairs, large arms crossed ridiculously over his huge chest.
But despite how silly he may have looked, he still made a rather
intimidating figure, and from the looks of his stance, was also a high-
ranking martial artist.
Everyone grumbled and complained loudly, but obediently went into
the school and to their classrooms, sorely disappointed for having to
miss what could possibly have been the most exciting fight since who
knows when, especially since Kunou overtook the entire district with
his fighting skills back in Junior High. The only other thing really
noteworthy of since high school began were the daily fights before
school with Akane and her over-zealous admirers. No one in their right
mind dared to remember or even talk about the last time Akane had to
fight with so many; they would much rather forget about the whole
incident. Besides, Akane looked much better these days anyway, so why
not forget about it?
---
"Thank you for actually bothering to come to class today,
everyone," the homeroom teacher sarcastically sneered. He was a bit put
off that everyone had left the class the moment it had started due to
the fight outside. Not even when Akane had started battling dozens of
boys each day before school had anyone dared to be late or even leave
class, not even Akane herself. Somehow, despite the odds, she had
always managed to finish off her battles with enough time left over to
get to class, even when fighting with Kunou. He really couldn't see why
everyone made such a hubbub about the fight today, but he could guess
why. No one had dared to go up against Kunou for the past 4 years.
Still, nothing excuses misbehaviour in class.
"And now that I finally have everyone's attention for once, I
will now introduce our two new classmates. This is Kuraima and Ranma
Saotome, both of whom happen to be twins. The two have recently been on
a training journey and have just come back from China. So let's all
give them a hearty 'Nihao' welcome.
"However, this does not excuse the fact that they and Akane
Tendou were late today, so go stand out in the hall."
---
"Oh man. What a way to start off the first day," Ranma grumbled,
staring outside at the clear and sunny sky. His arms, like his
brother's, were positioned slightly away from his body, taking care not
to spill any of the water in the two buckets that he held, his
punishment for being late to class. As he was taught to do so many
times by his father while growing up, he thought of the punishment as
yet another training exercise. It became much more tolerable in that
respect.
Akane stood to Ranma's right, his older brother to his left.
Unlike them, she only had to carry one bucket full of water. The
teacher probably thought of her as a weakling like most girls, despite
that impressive fight scene just a half-hour ago outside.
"Yeah," Kuraima agreed. "And what's up with that Kunou guy? Looks
to me like he's got a screw loose somewhere."
Ranma chuckled, thinking the exact same thing about the disturbed
boy in the yard not too long ago. He glanced over at Akane to see if
she too was laughing at his brother's little joke. She acted as if she
hadn't heard the comment, instead staring straight ahead out the
window. Kuraima leaned forward and looked at her.
"Hey Akane, sorry 'bout makin' ya late to class today. I
overheard someone say that this was your first time being late since
the fights started."
Akane remained silent, still intent on something outside the
window. The boys looked at each other uncomfortably. She had seemed
alright that morning during the walk to school. How could one person
change moods so rapidly?
"Uh, yeah," Ranma piped up, hoping to get her to say something.
"So, what's up with that fight, anyway?"
Akane finally looked away from the window. Her dark eyes studied
the faces of both boys, then looked away again. A small sigh escaped
her throat, and the boys watched as her shoulders slumped slightly.
"In the beginning of the semester, Upperclassman Kunou made a
speech in front of the entire school. In his own words, 'thou shalt not
date the beauteous Akane Tendou unless she is first defeated in
combat.' I have had to fight with those boys since then."
Ranma's mouth dropped open in surprise, while Kuraima looked
thoughtful for a moment, going over what she had said.
"So," Kuraima said, "Why would Kunou say something like that in
the first place?"
Akane looked at him again, her eyes studying his, then looked
away again.
"I had tried out for the kendou team at the beginning of the
semester. I wanted to know how my sword skills rated against others. I
fought Kunou and won."
Both boys whistled appreciatively, especially since Kunou had
arrogantly introduced himself as the 'magnificent shining star'.
"But that doesn't make any sense," Kuraima said. "Seems to me
that he would be after revenge, not trying to date you."
"Maybe this is his way of 'getting rid of the competition',"
Akane replied. "Whatever it may be, it is annoying. I wish to be rid of
Kunou and his worshippers."
Ranma nodded understanding. "I can see why you find it annoying.
Heck, I'd be annoyed too if I had to deal with that everyday."
"You have no idea," Akane replied, a hint of sarcasm in her
voice, then went back to staring outside the window. Kuraima and Ranma
looked at each other. It looked like life in Nerima wasn't going to be
so bad after all.
---
"What?!"
"That's right, Kunou baby."
"Nay, woman, you speak of that which is not to be! What makes you
voice such things?!"
"Because it's true," Nabiki reiterated for the umpteenth time.
She sighed and braced herself once more. "Akane is to be engaged to one
of the Saotome boys."
"ENGAGED?! NO!!!!!!!!"
The sounds of a hard object bouncing off of something even harder
echoed in the classroom, as Kunou's head rocked forcibly backwards.
When his head slowly raised back, a bright red mark was visible in the
middle of his forehead.
"Kunou! Go stand out in the hall!"
Kunou's shocked face stared at the angry teacher, who stood in
the front of the class, another piece of chalk held ready in his hand.
His head dropped.
"Yessir."
---
It was a lovely day in Nerima that day. A soft breeze scented
with the fragrances of cherry blossoms wafted through the third story
window of Furinkan High School, blowing sweetly by the three youths
standing outside in the quiet hall. Before passing on, it playfully
ruffled the long blue locks of the young girl, which hung without
hindrance all about her like a picture frame.
Kuraima and Ranma both sighed. It was rare that they were given a
moment as peaceful as this, and they did not hesitate to revel in it.
But something in the back of their minds kept nagging at them that this
newfound tranquility was not to be, and they glanced nervously at each
other. The hairs on the back of their necks started to raise, while to
the side, they saw Akane's body posture stiffen as she became aware of
the oncoming threat too. They all slowly lowered their buckets to the
floor and stood on guard.
From around the corner where the stairs were located raced
Tatewaki Kunou, two buckets sloshing full of water hanging from a
bokken slung across his broad shoulders.
"SAOTOME!!!" he bellowed, face red with unrelenting anger. He
came to a screeching halt when he spotted his two enemies standing in
the hall, and the two buckets flew over his head and towards the
startled twins. In the last second, the two woke up from their trance-
like state and jumped up to clear any of the splashing water.
Unfortunately, Akane did not possess this well-honed skill from
having to dodge flying water for the past month. Her slim throat
emitted a cry of both surprise and rage as the cold water assaulted her
dry form, soaking her completely from head to toe.
Kunou skidded to an immediate halt in front of his beloved's
drenched form, shock vividly showing across his face.
"Akane..."
Kunou did not get a chance to finish his sentence before he was
pummeled headfirst into the nearest wall. Groaning, he slid heavily to
the floor in a big heap amongst the rubble, unconscious.
"Oh my..." Ranma whispered to himself.
Kuraima nodded back. "She didn't even let him try to apologize,"
he said quietly to his brother.
The two boys stood a couple feet behind the odd couple, and yet
they silently took a couple more steps back from their new housemate,
fearful of what she might do next to them if they erred.
"Hey! What's going on out here!" shouted the teacher who's wall
was the one that had just been destroyed. His eyes did not hold any
amount of shock or disbelief when he spied Akane and the prone figure
of the upper-classman. Walking over to his house phone, he quickly
dialed the nurse and the school principle and explained to them the
situation. Two minutes later, Kunou was carried away on a stretcher
towards the nurse's office. A small puddle of red stained the hallway
floor where he had fallen not too long ago.
"Akane, please come with us."
Akane turned and stared at the school principle and the police
officer standing behind her. Without another glance at anyone else, she
began walking towards the principle's office, the principle and officer
following cautiously behind.
Ranma and Kuraima watched the eerie procession walk by and on
down the hall. Not once did Akane look at them, nor even indicate that
she knew they were standing there. Eventually, the three disappeared
around a corner, only their footsteps still echoing in the hallway.
They looked around the nearly empty hallway, astonished that they
were the only ones still standing in it. Even the teacher had gone back
to teaching his class as though nothing unusual had happened and he did
not have a gaping hole in the side of his classroom. Even the students
in the classroom acted as if nothing had just happened outside.
The Saotome boys slowly looked at each other. This school was
definitely weird.
---
Ranma and Kuraima walked quietly home behind Akane. They had gone
back to their homeroom class after the incident, and found the rest of
their classes without problems. They had not seen Akane again until the
very last period of the day, which was English. She looked unharmed,
but something in her eyes, or rather, lack thereof, told them that all
was not well with the youngest Tendou girl.
When the three finally turned into the Tendou compound, they were
immediately surrounded by everyone. Soun had a worried look on his
face, as did Kasumi, as they led Akane into the house. No one uttered a
single word until they disappeared into the house.
"Um..." Kuraima started to say, until Nabiki shot him an angry
look.
"Don't say anything to anyone about this, okay?" she whispered in
harsh tones to all the Saotomes. They simply nodded, not knowing what
was going on, least of all Genma.
The three followed Nabiki Tendou to the family room, where they
all sat down around the low table, awaiting the return of Soun and
Kasumi. Twenty minutes lapsed when they heard the sound of the front
door opening, a voice calling out.
"Hello? It's me, Dr. Tofu!"
Nabiki shot up out of her sitting position, calling out as she
did so, "I'll get it!" She ran out of the family room towards the front
door.
The Saotomes listened to what was going on outside, no one daring
to move an inch, fearful of the suddenly grave situation that they
found themselves in.
"Hello, Dr. Tofu!" Nabiki gushed from the front entryway, anxiety
written clear in her voice. "Thank you for coming over on such short
notice."
"It's okay, Nabiki," the man said, his voice sounding a bit
awkward. Then, in a much more serious tone, one belying of an
underlying strength, "Where is she?"
"She's upstairs in her room."
Kuraima and Ranma could almost hear the guy's head nodding his
thanks to Nabiki, then heard him as he climbed the stairs to the second
level. A minute later, they looked up as Nabiki re-entered the room and
sat down in her previous spot to wait. She turned on the T.V. to help
lighten the mood in the room, but they all barely noticed what was
flashing across the glass screen in front of them.
---
After what seemed like an eternity later, they listened as
footsteps came down the stairs.
"Thank you again, Dr. Tofu."
"Thank you very much, Dr. Tofu"
"You're welcome Mr. Tendou, Kasumi. Please, call me immediately
when she wakes up again."
"Yes, absolutely," Mr. Tendou assured. "Thank you again."
The sounds of the front door opening, then closing again were the
only sounds that filled the stoic household as they waited breathlessly
in the room, the T.V. having been turned off a long time ago as there
had been nothing on of any interest to its viewers.
The four looked up as Mr. Tendou and Kasumi finally entered the
room, closing the pair of shouji behind them.
"She's fine now," Kasumi said quietly, eyes looking not at
everyone but rather fixated on the floor in front of her.
Soun, however, looked around at his other daughter and guests.
"Please, you need to understand some things about Akane. Her
violent temper..."
"Daddy! She's more than just violent. I've told you hundreds of
times to get her help!" Nabiki admonished in a low tone. Her voice was
thick with hurt, anxiety and anger.
Soun tried not to let the tears welling in his eyes fall, but his
aged face seemed so tired of having to hold in the hurt that he
constantly felt. He hung his head in shame.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi countered, head now up and glaring at her
younger sister. "You should not speak so harshly to Father."
"But he needs to hear it, Kasumi!" Nabiki continued, eyes defiant
against her sister's. "If we don't do something soon, who knows how
much further along she'll get. Hell! It might already be too late to do
anything at all, what with the way you two keep putting it off all the
time. I'm telling you, she needs professional help! She's getting more
and more dangerous all the time!"
Nabiki turned back to her father, eyes radiating heat.
"And you! Why do you keep letting her learn more techniques?!
Don't you realize something could happen?! What if she loses control
and hurts, or even worse, kills somebody with her skills?!"
Soun raised his tired head. It was plain to see the glistening
trail marks left by his tears. "But Nabiki, her training in martial
arts helps her to control herself, and her rage. Don't you see that?
That's the only reason why I let her train in the first place." Another
tear rolled down his face.
"I know the techniques are dangerous if used wrong, but it's the
only way to keep her focused on life."
Soun sighed, his shoulders slumped. Indeed, he was very much
tired over his youngest daughter's situation. No longer did he know
what to do. Akane's condition was getting worse every year, despite
everything that he'd tried to do to help her get better.
Once again he raised his head, and his eyes swept over his three
guests. They simply sat there, in a state of shock and helplessness
over their host's situation. But again, they had no clue as to what the
others were referring to. Soun read it plain in their eyes.
"Genma, my old friend," he began, wiping his tears from his eyes,
"I am afraid that I've kept you in the dark for too long. I owe you an
understanding of my youngest daughter, as one of your sons will soon
wed her."
Ranma and Kuraima looked at each other in dismay.
"Now wait a minute, Mr. Tendou," Kuraima started, "We're not
going to marry anybody."
"Quiet son," Genma finally spoke, "Let him speak. There is
obviously a great deal we do not know of our hosts."
Soun slowly nodded.
"It happened a great time after we had made our pact," he began
again, "Right about the time that my dear wife died..."
(End of Part 03)
---
1. shougi - a wood and rice paper door, typical of a traditional
Japanese household.
2. bokken - a Japanese wooden fighting sword; used primarily for kendo
practice.