chap 5

'Father, someone wants to see you.'

Soun was smoking while reading the newspaper. He lowered the newspaper and peeked at the incoming visitor.

'Thank you kasumi. Young man, if you are here to ask me to train you, you are wasting your time.'

'No Mr. Tendo I'm not here for lessons. I'm here because my father has been missing for ten years and my mother told me that my pop may have visited you before he disappeared.'

'What was your father's name?'

'Genma. Saotome Genma.'

'Saotome! Did you say Genma Saotome?'

'Yes. Now don't get any crazy..' Ranma was cut off from completing due to a bone-crunching hug courtesy of a weeping Soun.

'Oh happy day! Oh how long I have waited! Thank you son, you have made an old man very happy!' tears running like rivers flowed from Soun's eyes while he wept.

Soun loosen his strangle hold of Ranma and shouted. 'Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane! I have great news!'

Kasumi's head popped out from the kitchen. 'Father, Nabiki and Akane haven't arrived home yet.'

'Fine, when you are all here I have an announcement to make!' Soun said proudly.

'Umm Mr. Tendo, why are you so happy?' Ranma pretending innocence. 'Better to play it as if I don't know anything.' he thought.

'Why because of your engagement to one of my daughters, of course.'

'Oh Genma, you have raised a fine boy. Even with you gone he has come to fulfill our promise. The Anything Goes Martial Arts school's survival is assured!'

'Young man, what is your name?' he asked a shocked Ranma. Ranma didn't expect this to happen so soon.

'Its Ranma sir. And about that engagemen..' Again Ranma wasn't able to continue.

'I knew it! You are as excited and happy as I am! Now Ranma, I will be expecting great things from you. Ten to twenty grandchildren will be fine.'

'Yikes! Please Mr. Tendo hear me out ok. I'm not here for the engagement. You see..'

Cut off again. 'What you don't like my daughters!? They're not good enough for you!?'

'No! No! Mr. Tendo, I will be honored to have one of your daughters for my wife. It's just that I'm not worthy to carry on the school.'

'Explain.'

'Well my father was suppose to take me on a martial arts journey when I was young but he disappeared before he could take me. As a result I don't know any martial arts. So I am unworthy to be the heir of the school.'

'You don't know martial arts?'

'That's correct. Look at me. Do I look like someone who practices martial arts?'

Soun did a fast assessment of Ranma's physique and then nodded.

'Oh no! The schools will not be joined! What a cruel world this is!' Soun began to cry like a baby.

'Poor father. He was so excited.' Kasumi patting her father's back.

Ranma waited for Mr. Tendo to stop crying. After Soun's crying turned to a tolerable sobbing, Ranma spoke. 'Don't despair Mr. Tendo. I'm sure everything will work out fine. I will search out my father and in the process start training in the martial arts. I found some scrolls at my house that I believe that belong to my father. I will study them and hopefully when I find my father I can show him how good I have become.'

He actually didn't have any scrolls but he knew there has to be some. He remembered that his pop wrote his forbidden yumikasen techniques on scrolls.

'That's right! I can teach you! Ha ha ha ha!' Soun regaining his happy demeanor.  'We'll have you in tip-top shape in no time!'

'Huh? I'm sorry Mr. Tendo but I would like to study on my own first. The scrolls will be enough.'

'Are you sure son? Learning martial arts on your own will be quite difficult.'

'Thank you for your offer but I need to do this on my own. Please understand.'

'I will respect your wishes. Do you have any leads on your father's whereabouts?'

'Not at the moment. However, my mother informed me that my father had a weird dream the day before he left about some evil has awakened and he went here to ask for your assistance.'

'Oh yes I remember. Genma did came here.'

'Really! Please Mr. Tendo tell me everything.' Ranma pleaded.

~Flashback~

'Tendo! Come with me! We have to check on the master.' Genma informing his friend why he was there.

'But how?' Soun replied.

'I had a very disturbing vision last night Tendo. Someone has disturbed the prison enchantments that we had placed to keep the master from escaping. We must stop them whoever they are before it's too late.'

'I, too, had the same dream last night my friend. But I cannot leave my poor wife. She is very ill. The doctor says she is not long for this world.' Soun covered his eyes with his forearm and began to cry.

'I'm sorry to hear that my friend.' Genma felt sorry for his longtime training partner and friend.

'Why if it isn't Genma? I brought some tea. I hope you are thirsty.' Mrs. Tendo appeared before them carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups.

'Thank you. It's been a long time since we last saw each other.' Genma greeting Mrs. Tendo.

Genma looked at Mrs. Tendo. 'What? She doesn't look ill. Tendo lied to me!'

Genma felt his anger rising. Then suddenly his trained senses detected something about Mrs. Tendo what an ordinary person wouldn't pick up.

'She.. She is very ill. She shouldn't be walking at all in her state.' Genma was shocked. He observed that her aura was very weak, indeed.

Genma, feeling guilty, spoke. 'I am sorry to have disturbed you Tendo. I will be going now. I hope that the dream that I had was just that only a dream.'

'Saotome, I wish I could go with you.' A moment of silence passed between them.

'Saotome, you still remember our pact of joining our schools, don't you?'

'How could I forget? When I return I am taking Ranma on a long journey to teach him martial arts and make him the very best there is.'

'I am also looking forward as well to the joining of the Tendo and Saotome clan through marriage between our children.' Mrs. Tendo said smiling.

'Farewell Saotome.'

'Farewell Tendo.'

~End of Flashback~