Time passes, but the world is still troubled

A/N:  Nothing to say, but read and review.  Also e-mail comments.  Flamers welcome.

Ch.3 Life, Love, and Panda

"Nice to see you Genma-Sweety"


Shiva basically purred at Genma.  I watched as the fear on Genma's face went up ten notches.  Kaze also had a grin on his face that frankly disturbed me.  He opened his mouth and spoke.


"Panda"


Genma jumped up to run but found himself covered in chains that appeared out of nowhere.  Kaze was calmly sitting at the table drinking a cup of Tea that Kasumi poured him.

"Panda Sit"

(Not that much of a talker)  I thought.  The chains tightened and bent Genma's body into a sitting position right next to me.    Shiva's face was staring at Kaze in a mix of excitement and confusion


"Kaze-dear, what do you mean by Panda?"

Kaze put down his cup

"Panda aura"


Shiva closed her eyes to the point that they looked like slits.  I could have sworn that I saw her brown eyes turn white.

"Kaze-dear, you're right!  I do see a panda shaped aura."

She turned towards Kasumi


"Kasumi-honey, what is that about?"
"Genma here has visited the cursed springs and got himself and his son cursed.  His son turns into a girl when dosed with cold water."

"What does Genma-sweety turn into?"

Kaze answered that question with his actions.  The chains suddenly snapped Genma out of his seat, out the window and into the kio pond.   As fast as they expanded, the chains contracted and in came in a wet panda that was sitting in the exact same spot he was before.  The panda shook out his fur soaking me with cold water (Boy oh boy am I glad I no longer have that curse)  I almost didn't hear Shiva squeal, almost.


"Panda!  Panda!  Panda!  Panda"


In a blur of speed, she was across the room and hugging Genma.


"Panda!  Panda!  Panda!  Panda!"

Everyone sighed except Kasumi, yes even Kaze sighed.


"Um what is wrong with her?"

"Panda!  Panda!  Panda!  Panda!"
"She loves pandas."


Kaze replied.  I could still hear her say the same thing.  I could also see Genma turn purple from lack of air

"Ah Kasumi As much as I like seeing Genma suffer, he is choking"

"Oh my!  I better do something"

With that Kasumi got up and left the room.  I watched as the black and white panda turn even purpler.  Soon Kasumi came back and in her hands was a giant stuffed panda that was twice as big as Genma. 


"Oh Shiva.  I have a gift for you"


Shiva looked up and saw the stuffed panda.  Her gaze shifted from the stuff panda to the real panda several times.  In a blink of the eye Genma was slammed into the wall and Shiva was hugging the stuffed panda.

"Growwff"


I heard that so many times from Genma in his panda form to know that meant 'ouch'  He was still in the wall and twitching somewhat.  I felt no pity.  Instead I turned towards Kasumi.


"How do you know these two Kasumi?"

"Oh Shiva's mother and I exchange recipes all the time.  Me and Shiva would play all the time when we were young before she moved away,  Right Shiva?"

"Panda!  Panda!  Panda!  Panda!"

"Oh never mind her, she really loves pandas."
"You think?"

That came from Kaze and we all laughed.  That was when I remembered my second question.


"How do you two know Genma?"


Kaze took a deep breath


"Years ago Genma attempted to steal my father's pride and joy."

Nabiki spoke for the first time since all this began


"What he stole some food, jewelry, or clothes."

Kaze's expression darkened.


"He stole three very important things"

"What he steal?"

That was Mr. Tendo


"He attempted to steal the scrolls that taught my family's style of martial arts."

Nabiki smirked and said

"What martial art is it?  Anything goes blah blah blah"

"No I do not practice Anything Goes Style.  My family's style is the rival to Anything Goes.  Mr. Tendo should know it.  It is called Indiscriminate Chain Manipulation, developers of the legendary Metal Animal Chi Technique."


Mr. Tendo's eyes flashed in rage at the chained up Genma, now human thanks to Kasumi.


"You stole another schools training scrolls!!  That is the most unhonorable thing a martial artist could do!  How dare you!"

"He attempted Mr. Tendo.  My father caught him in the act and discipline him."


Genma tried to speak, but suddenly found chains wrap around his neck.


"Genma offered for Ranma to serve my family as a servent for me and my father, and before he could say no,  ran away leaving Ranma away"

"Ex-friend explain"


Mr. Tendo was pissed, he wasn't crying, wasn't shouting, in fact I could swear he was using the heart of ice to keep calm because a mist developed over his face and his breath became visible.


"It is a father's duty to have his son help repay debts"


A fist cut him off.

"Shut up you bastard.  You left Ranma, abandoned him when you got in trouble.  Oh and before you spout that nonsense about a father's duty, you are not the father of Ranma"

Everyone was shocked at his admittance.  Even Shiva stopped playing with her stuffed panda. Kasumi was the one to finally ask the question on our minds.

"What do you mean that Ranma isn't Genma's son?"

"I get to the other things Genma has stolen from my father, my mother and my younger brother."

"What!  What outrage.  I won't accept it.  Ranma is my son and Nodoka is my wife!!"


A fist again silenced Genma.  This time it was from me.

"Kaze please explain."
"Okay.    One year ago, my father, Hiro Tome of clan Tome told me of a dream he had.  It was of a boy crying about to commit suicide because his life was at the bottom of the barrel.  He sent his spirit to the boy and convinced him to live.  That was when he found out who the boys mother was.  'Your mother would miss you', my father explained. The boy of course had said, 'Nodoka, my momma would not miss me.  She let that monster take me away from her when I was a little boy.  My father was so shocked by the name from the past. 'Young one what is your name?' 'Saotome Ranma' 'Saotome!!!  Oh gods it is you.  I found you two at last.  Tell me where are you?' The boy looked up 'We are in the Nerima district' Hiro was over joyed he hugged the boy and made him promise not to kill himself that help will come.  The boy agreed and my father woke up.  When he did he rushed to my room and told me of his dream.  The fist thing I asked was 'Father what are you talking about?'  He sat down and told me of his past."


Kasumi nodded


"Please continue"

"Okay.  It went like this…

A year ago, Tome house:

"This is a tale… no a memory of a time when a younger Hiro Tome had met the love of his life.  Her name was Nodoka Kiminko.  She was a goddess that helped the sick with her food and served justice with her sword.  When we had met it was love at first sight.  We went on many adventures together, saved many people, and killed many demons.  Many years passed and we married in secret"

"Dad? Is this mom you are talking about?"
"Yes my son.  Nodoka is your mother.  After we married, we stopped having that many adventures.  For you see she became pregnant with you.  When you were born we were so happy.  You, her and I would travel the world seeing all the sights.  One year later all that changed.
"What happened?"

"Your mother was one month pregnant with your brother and the most vile man became obsessed with her.  He had notified her clan that we were married with one child born and another on the way.  Her family was so upset because they had planned to marry her to Saotome and several lies Saotome had told about me.  They sent assassins to kill you and I then took your mother away.  They had our marriage covered up and forced her to marry the fowl man.  They told her that they had us killed and would kill her unborn child if she did not marry Saotome.  They did not know that I had disposed of the assassin.  After I got there, it was to late.  She was married to him and could not leave him because the threats to our child not yet born.  I faked our deaths and we left.  Before I left I made her promise to name our child Ranma if the child is a boy of Ranko if the child is a girl.  I kissed her goodbye and we left to protect her and my child."
"Father do you mean that Ranma, who came many years ago and stayed with us for a year?"
"Yes son.  That was your younger brother.  It was an act of the gods to bring him to us.  I would of killed Saotome for all the scars he gave my son, but when he had tried to steal my school's training scrolls I could get your brother and your mother back.  I contacted the heads of Nodoka's clan and notified them of my survival.  I told them of the horrors that Saotome had done to his family and provided proof.  They gave me a formal apology and tried to have the marriage annulled due to Nodoka being already married.  Nodoka had called me bursting with love already packed and ready to come to me again, but…"

"But what father?"
"Saotome had rewritten the marriage contract and the only way that he could divorce Nodoka is if Ranma was age eighteen or elder and had signed an agreement with him to accept it.  I told Nodoka to wait and I would raise Ranma myself. You would have been proud of your brother.  He was so energetic and once I got him over the trauma, such a happy child, he could learn anything he want as speeds, he was just as smart as you are too.  You remember right?"
"Yes dad.  For that year I considered Ranma to be my baby bro"

"I was so happy, If only Nodoka was there we could have been a family. Her clan could not get out the marriage and Saotome forbade her to see me.    Things didn't stay happy because the night of Ranma's 9th birthday,  Genma came and stole him away in the middle of the night.  He then forced Nodoka to move away and stay hidden or he would kill Ranma.  She gave me a letter before it happened.  Then I remembered what happened the last time Genma came.  He had stolen our family's most dangerous secret"
"Father you don't mean…"

"Yes son.   Genma had stolen the main manual for the Neko Ken or as you know the Cat fist.  I was forced to learn it to save Nodoka's life once.  Luckily I had learned the complete version.  Genma stole the incomplete manual and I feared he had used it on little Ranma."
"That is the time we went traveling"
"Yes I was looking for Ranma, but I could never find him.  Genma hide him too well.  I believe that Ranma and Nodoka are in Nerima.  I want to train you completely in my style so you can protect the ones you love.  You have to go there and get Ranma for within a year he will be eighteen and would be able to sign the contract.  Will you do this for me, son?"

"Yes father.  I will save my mother and brother from the clutches of that horrible man."

"Thank you my son"


Tendo home:  Present.  Ryoga's P.O.V:


Kaze's tale had thrown me for a loop.  It shocked and horrified me at the things Genma has done to his family.  Genma was the first to speak.


"Surely you do not believe this liar."


I could see for the first time a battle aura appear from Kaze and it was enormous.  Chains exploded from all over his body all of them towards one target;  Genma.  He didn't have a chance to escape.  He was completely engulfed be chains, as Kaze walked up to him


"Where is Ranma?"


Genma spat in his face, Kaze calmly wiped it off.  With a fleck of the wrist, Genma slammed into the floor with such force that it shook the whole house.  Kaze lifted his hand and Genma rose into the air again.  He then slammed the bastard several more times into the ground.  Kaze was breathing hard from rage.  Shiva put her arms around him to calm him down

"Calm down baby.  It's okay.  It will be alright"

Shiva turned to Kasumi

"Where is Ranma?"


Kasumi sighed

"I am afraid he is no longer here."

"What do you mean?"

"When Ranma was eleven,  Genma to save himself, made a blood rate"


Shiva paled

"A blood rate"


Kaze turned red with anger


"WITH WHO?"
"The demon king of wind"


I thought Kaze snapped earlier.   I was so wrong.  He ran towards Genma out of Shiva's calming embrace and began choking Genma.


"THE DEMON KING OF WIND!!!!  YOU SOLD RANMA TO THE DEMON FUCKING KING OF THE WIND!!!"

Shiva pulled Kaze off of Genma but he was still screaming

"OF ALL DEMONS IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE, YOU HAD TO CHOOSE KAZE NO TENCHUTSUME!!!!"

Spikes began to appear all over the chains holding Genma as he was being cut all over.  Shiva was trying to hold him back


"Baby don't!  His life isn't worth it"

Kaze didn't listen

"YOU ARE ONE DEAD MOTHER FUCKER!!!! YOU HEAR ME!!!  I AM GOING TO KILL YOU TEN TIMES OVER AND AFTER YOU ARE DEAD,  I'M FUCKING GOING TO PISS ON YOUR DEAD BODY!!!!  FIRST BEATING HIM AND NOT FEEDING HIM ENOUGH!!! THEN YOU SELL HIM TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE TO GET YOUR SELF FED!!!  I THOUGHT THE WORST YOU COULD DO WAS SUBJECT HIM TO THE INCOMPLETE CAT FIST, BUT YOU FUCKING SELL HIM TO ONE OF THE FOUR MOST POWERFUL DEMONS OUT THERE!!!!!!!"

Kaze took out a jagged sword and approached Genma.  Kasumi and Shiva tried to stop him but I pulled them out the way


"Genma deserves what ever his is going to get"

That was when I heard it.


"You are such a bastard Genma!  Take This!!"
WHAM!!!

Kaze stopped in his tracks and I saw Genma fly pass me and out the ceiling into the distance.  Out the corner of my eye I could see a mallet being put away  (IT CAN'T BE!)  I turned slowly and there in a white robe with the hood off.


"Hi Daddy, Nabiki, Kasumi.  I'm Home!!"
"…"

"…"

"…"

"A-a-akane!"


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