Eloping
By JoPa-kun
I don't own Ranma, or any of its chast. They belong to someone else. Really. I swear.
This is a continuation of sorts. I will try not to let the characters get to much out of character, but then again I'm lazy. I tried more to bring the story on paper, then spending time developing characters.
chapter 6 Training
"So where are we now?" Ranma asked Splinter, god of Rodents, also known as Ratsass for his brothers and sisters.
"Belitung. North of Java."
"That's in Malaysia, we never crossed any oceans." Akane objected from where she was running on all fours next to her husband and the god.
"I know. It is another technique you will learn in time."
"Akane can you walk on two legs again, you're making me uneasy."
"Aw, come on I have just learned the beginnings of the Neko-ken. I need to use some of it to learn the more advanced moves."
"And I still don't think you should learn it I don't particularly trust that jewellery."
"Ranma it is not just jewellery, it is a magical ring. That and the golden Cat statue are what you got for defeating Saffinkusu, they were what was left of his being after you were through with him." Splinter lectured.
"Yeah, Yeah what ever."
"She is not learning it the same way you have, while I train her, the magic of the ring is making it easier for her to tap in to the Neko-ken energy, while keeping her sane."
"Still if she needs to wear that to tap the technique she will never master it, because she will always depend on an aid."
"That is true." The rat said nodding.
"What?!" Akane said standing up blocking the rat's path.
"Don't worry. The ring allows you and your body to get a feel for what it is supposed to do, like learning a new kata slowly, before putting more force and speed behind it."
"Oh" Akane commented, while Ranma nodded in acknowledgement.
"So does every demon leave behind bounty when it is killed?" Ranma asked trying to keep the conservation going, Akane dropped back on all fours and rubbed against his legs.
"Not every, but most do, it all depends on the kind and strength of the demon. I think all of Saffinkusu's brothers will have similar stuff to leave behind. To each of us animal gods there is a corresponding demon, as far as I know they were all formed from a golden statue and a magic item to unlock the respective fighting styles. Saffinkusu was the weakest of the throw."
"So you think we'll meet them?"
"You surely will. You have killed their baby-brother, they will want their revenge."
"Don't you think I got enough people wanting a piece off me, without adding demons to the number?"
"If you find relief in this, then let me tell you, you aren't the only one they are after, Akane was your reason to fight so she is indirectly the reason Saffinkusu died."
"Oh just friggin great." He slapped his forehead. Akane stood up and hugged her husband to her.
"Why don't we camp here for tonight?" she asked the other two.
"That's fine with me." Her husband informed them.
"Yes I think that will be a good idea. Why don't you set up your sleeping accommodations? Do not bother with tents though. It won't be raining and the nights here are warm."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"I won't tell you again not to use other fighting styles. I know it's hard but you will have to concentrate, harder, you'll never even learn more then the basics of the Rat-Ninjitsu." He sighed "Lets go over those Katas once more."
"Can't you give us something like that ring, to help us?" Akane asked.
"I ain't going to use something like that." Ranma protested.
"If it helps us to learn."
"Listen you two." The god continued once he had the humans' full attention. "Look first of. No, I cannot go around handing out magic items, I am doing even more then I am supposed to by watching over a part of your training, but my brothers and sisters insisted, so please concentrate. In addition, Ranma there are some techniques, which I would strongly advise you not to attempt and learn without the help of magic, but Rat-style fighting is not one of them. Akane please take of the ring it will make it a little easier, for you."
"Hai sensei." The couple said in unison.
All three of them raised the three forked prongs and flowed through the kata.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Akane leaned against a tree trunk breathing heavily. Ranma sat beside her, breathing evenly.
"Do . we . have . to . wear . these . weights?" She asked gulping for air.
"Yes Akane, we have to. It will boost our strength, stamina, dexterity, and speed. We might be learning a lot from Splinter, but we are still the heirs to our school. You asked me to teach you, and that is exactly what I am doing. He has his ways I got mine."
"But you don't seem to be hindered by them." She had finally caught her breath. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Pops made me carry heavier loads then this. This ain't nothing, and soon you'll think nothing of it. You are strong enough, to handle it, just give it some time. I mean a week ago you could barely walk now you can already spar with them on." He fell to one side, as his wife impacted on the other, holding him in a fierce hug. She kissed him on the cheek.
"What was that for?" A surprised husband asked.
"That was for saying something nice. You don't like it?" she asked menacingly.
"Er. No. No that's not it. You just surprised me, yeah surprised me, 's all"
"Good save." She kissed him on the lips this time.
Somebody clearing his throat interrupted them.
"Excuse me kids, hope I don't interrupt anything, but I thought I'd pay you a visit."
"Hu-Pao-sama it's nice seeing you again. It's been what a month since we saw you the last time."
The deity of cats sat down across from them.
"What are you talking about, dear?" Hu-Pao asked.
"What do *you* mean, it's been almost a month since Ranma beat Saffinkusu."
Akane answered a little hotly, peeved for being disturbed.
"No it hasn't. It's been almost four *days*."
"Huhn?" The Saotomes ask intelligently.
"Yes. Hasn't Ratsass told you?"
They shook their heads.
"Hm. Ranma have you noticed that almost nothing happens without you noticing it? That your senses seem sharper, and that you show no fear towards me or your fiancée, while she is training in the Neko-ken?"
"Yes, actually I have. I thought it is the after-effect of mastering the Neko-ken, Ki boosting my smelling and stuff. And well Akane is human even if she is behaving like a cat, and you you're a kami, I thought that may be the reason, but I haven't really put much thought into it, until now." The boy answered.
"Akane?" Hu-Pao looked at the young girl behind him his rodent brother walked up to them and sat down next to him.
"Well I also have heightened senses, but I thought it's from the ring boosting them."
Hu-Pao and his brother shook their heads.
"No the Neko-ken, only awakens your ability to use all your Resources and gives you some means to actively manipulate Ki for offensive measures. It doesn't boost anything, it just grants the practitioner to go to the limits of what he can do, at the moment. The extra, speed and strength is not from the Neko-ken it is your own. The heightened state of your senses and awareness are also your own. The thing that has changed is that you consciously hear, smell, feel, taste and see. Before your brains were normal in a way for humans at least, using your senses became an unconscious action like breathing, your subconscious also filtered out what it thought to be useless, trivial information, which it did not want to bother your consciousness with. You know the effect, when you're in a room that stinks your nose automatically tells you so, but after a minute or two, it stops and the stench doesn't bother you anymore, until you consciously make the effort to smell it. That filter the Neko-ken has removed. It allowed you to learn faster act more efficiently, and for you to have a warped sense of time."
"You mean I have no sense of timing anymore?" Akane asked.
"And I would have to be using the Nekoken, to experience that, right?" Ranma added.
"No you still have a sense of timing as you put it, but it changed slightly, like a muscle you haven't used in some time, you'll need to train it, you will get used to it eventually. And for you to be in the neko-ken to actively use it. Well that filter I was talking about, remember? The Neko-ken has filled its roll now, you are permanently in Neko-ken. That is why you don't fear me or any other cat, that is why you have a cats sense of time."
The teenagers stared at him without understanding. The Gods sighed.
"Ranma when you were on the verge of dying, leaving your mate in the hands of Saffinkusu, your consciousness was still suppressing the Neko-ken your sub consciousness although tried to wake it, you were on the verge of dying and losing your mind. Your mind did the only possible thing, it let both take control, melted your consciousness with that of the Neko-ken. And Akane is experiencing something similar, but not as strong as you, yet, but she will if she wants to master the Neko-ken. And due to you always being in Neko-ken, you experience the world not only as human but as cat as well. Do you know the saying one human year is like seven for a cat? Well that is what you are experiencing. Ratsass has made it seem like night and day, for you every time you were tired out or awoke, so the change-over would be easier on you. You aren't only physically faster, but you also learn faster now, so effectively you can accomplish a week worth of training in a day. Imagine a small child new to this world, it has not yet discovered to ignore some things, and thus it learns fast and the days never seem to end, as an adult the time just flies by."
The two humans looked at each other then back at the deities.
"I think we understood that. Though you could've explained it more simply you know?" Ranma heralded. Akane whapped him over the back of his head.
"Behave. You're embarrassing me." She whispered to him.
"It's ok child, you are Ranma and Akane Saotome after all. No God would expect something different from him, or you." He laughed and Splinter chuckled.
"So, Er. Where are we headed to anyway?" Ranma asked.
"Ah, yes we are taking you to meet the rest of our siblings. So they can teach you what we can not."
"And which of your brothers and sisters lives here? What does he teach? How many of you are there? Where do they live? What can they teach us?" Akane's eyes grew wider, and her heartbeat sped up, not only these two gods, but also a whole family of them will teach her, soon she would be the best again. She looked at her husband. 'Or at least second best.' She corrected herself.
"Well there is I, God of rodents, Splinter *not* Ratsass, I live in New York City, I teach the secret, hidden, and concealed ways, Ninjitsu mainly.
Then there is, God of feline, Hu-Pao, he wanders Japan, he teaches how to use your own resources to their fullest, Neko-ken mainly.
King Louie, the god of primates, not humans, he lives in Congo, his are pressure points, distraction, and the art of the sword, he calls it Bonobo- Jodo.
Ursula, god of none tameable land animals, she lives in Siberia, the flow, resistance and strength of the body, the method of little force and huge consequences, hers is Systema.
Snowball, god of Pigs, lives in Liverpool; his ways are of the cuisine, the Mc-Fast-Foo.
God of tameable land animals, Mistaed, lives in Midwest America; from him you will learn Navamustancho, the Art of Health and Music.
The art of Willdersnetzeische, you will learn in the blackforest, from my sister Disen the goat, it's the art of arms concealment, and she is the goddess of Mountain animals.
Väinämöinen the snake, god of reptiles, will teach you all you need to know to mix and resist poison, the Tlatlauhqui.
Tuad."
"HmHm. I think he calls himself Buster now and he redubbed his technique to roadrunnerio." The Cat god informed his older brother.
"Buster? Roadrunnerio?" the older God shook his head, mumbling something unpleasant, before continuing.
"Well *Buster* the rabbit, god of fluffy animals will teach you Roadrunnerio, the art of true speed in his domicile at Ayers Rock.
Lanthrope, god of canine, will teach you in the vast woods of Canada his Technique of heightened senses and awareness, Sibuna.
And here in Belitung." He was cut of by a new voice floating down from above.
"I god of birds, Quetzacoatl, will teach you Cockaiopeira, the art of balance, knowledge, and of course." She landed between the two humans and whispered into their ears.
".the art of dance. And as I know you it surely will become a little crude." She toppled over laughing. When nobody joined into her laughter, she elaborated. "Don't you get it? Dancing crude, crude dancing, dirty dancing? Dirty Dancing." When still nobody started laughing, she stood up and brushed of her robe.
She was about seven a half foot tall. She wore a cap that looked like the head of an Owl, feathers flowing from it. Her eyes were like two black pearl buttons, her blonde-hair bound back in a ponytail, except for two strands that framed her face, and she wore clothes similar to the ones her brothers wore, except she also wore pants, slippers and a coat from feathers.
"Hey I won't do any dancing. I am a guy. Guys don't dance." The pig-tailed Martial artist proclaimed.
"That's okay dear I think we'll find a way." The goddess replied, in a over sweet voice. Just in that moment a pelican opened its beak spilling all the water from within, and because coincidence has a sense of humour, only he understands, the water landed on Ranma.
"I don't like you guys. You know?"
Everybody including the once male human started laughing.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next weeks pass fast.
We see Ranma and Akane meditating for two cat-days, then were given Tips how to memorize things. Soon both of them could thumb through a book, and know, what it was about and are able to use it.
Then Quetzacoatl leads them to a small river that has cut its way two meters into the ground. The goddess stands on a log and performs a simple sequence of hops and flips, the humans follow her example, then she stands in front of Ranma, so they face each other, she starts moving her feet back and forth and Ranma matches her perfectly. Soon Ranma and Akane are dancing on the log, in unison, until Akane slips and almost falls of the log. Ranma starts laughing and Akane pushes him off. The now wet female Ranma rises from the water screaming.
They then walk steps up and down in strict patterns, with Quetzacoatl watching over them.
When it is time to leave after about three days, three cat-weeks, Quetzacoatl summons a sphere images depicting all of the Cockaiopeira, with the enhanced learning abilities they can easily memorize them, so they can continue to train themselves when they have time.
Splinter and the Saotome's continue their voyage, to the next animal god, as they reach Australia they were immediately attacked by two more animal demons, Deerg the Swine and Bock the Capricorn. Akane and Ranma can deal with them with little problems. Soon they have two more statues and rings.
At Ayers Rock Buster teaches them how to funnel their Ki into their Limbs to enhance their movements, without straining their bodies. Soon Ranma is able to untie Splinters Robe without him noticing, they move on.
In Liverpool Akane and Ranma enjoyed Snowballs cooking, while learning the true art of fast devouring. The original Art, from which Genma and Ranmas Art of eating, and the Martial Arts Tea-Ceremony derived from. They begin with lessons on how to move body parts that only block the free flood of food, like the palate and the laryngeal, out of the way. Soon she and Ranma can devour meals within a second. Then the God tries to tech them the fine Art of cooking, after a day he surrenders, and delivers them the information of what they'll need to know, in the same way Quetzacoatl had.
This pattern goes on as they learn the rest of the Techniques from the animal gods. After visiting a god Ranma would also add to the weights they were carrying. Splinter and Ranma continue thr training while wandering from god to god.
Slowly Ranma and Akane regain their ability to tell the difference between normal and cat-days, and can work through a whole day before getting tired, although they still are fast, and aware enough that they feel like a week has past.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Then they arrived at King Louie's Palace.
"Ahh. You must be the Saotome's. I am pleased to meet you at last. I had thought my brothers and sisters were trying to avoid me, although my teachings might pose the most useful and enjoyable too. Now how much time do you have before you will have to return home?" He looked at the two teenagers expectantly, but they looked at each other with blank expressions. Ranma turned to the King and looked sheepish.
"Well, er, we aren't exactly sure. We had a little trouble with our sense of time lately." He said apologetically.
"Its mid October now." The Orang-Utan filled in with a benevolent smile.
"Well than we don't have to be home for another two weeks, I guess, but."
"What is it? Is it important? Tell me." the King was growing impatient.
"Well we haven't really had a honeymoon yet only training, I hoped that me and Akane could." He looked away in embarrassment. Akane looked at him, as if he had grown a second head, but then smiled softly and blushed.
"Ah I see, well three days should be enough for that, I only remember a few of my 'Honeymoons', but three days were normally enough to exhaust my partners completely, and I meant the plural." He snickered. Akane considered beating the Kami to a pulp, but she did not want to offend him yet, maybe later she could beat the pervert over the head.
"Brother three days, they need time to get used to normal again, and spending three days like you spend your life, won't let them get used to it." Splinter barged in, Louie should not demand more time than any other of his siblings should.
"No that is impossible I need time, they can severely hurt each other if they don't do it right and Quetzacoatl information to memory thing will not work, they will know what to do, but they will have no experience, the matter is mostly delicate. A week and they have one for themselves."
"No, brother. Four days that's all, you get."
"Erm, actually I think me and Ranma could stay for six days?" Akane asked, offered. Ranma nodded in agreement.
Louie and Splinter looked at each other for a moment than regarded the two humans. They both nodded in agreement but didn't look really pleased.
"Well than lets get started. BoBo go get me three training sticks." The King clapped his hands in new vigour, as one of the servant chimpanzee hurried off.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Soon Akane and Ranma were practicing the basics of Jodo, Jaido and Kendo, both had already covered the basics before, but Akane was more proficient, since she had far more experience in it. Akane felt merry this was one thing she was better in than Ranma and she intended to keep it that way. She put every ounce of determination in to it she had, but she couldn't help but smile.
Ranma had yet to see the benefit, of this training. He saw the need to know how to use a weapon, but he did not like the idea of becoming dependent on one. He was of the anything goes school of martial arts after all. That is why he even disliked some of Splinters Techniques. The Art how to disguise oneself even in broad daylight, like when using the Umisinken and the Yamisinken his father had developed, but so much more efficient and easier, more natural, was a good technique. However, he did not really see the need to learn how to use the Shuriken, Fukiya, Shoge, Shinobi Shuko, Bo Staff, Katana, Nunchakus, chains, Ashiko, Neko te, Kama and what others they had learned. He felt like he was becoming too dependent on weapons and would die because of that. At least with the Arms Concealment Technique, the goat had taught them he could carry them all around; it was just a improved version of Mousse Hidden weapon Technique. Ranma concentrated on the training again before he messed up to bad. Akane was already better then he and he did not particularly like someone being better then him, he concentrated and looked up.
In that moment Ranma gained an insight that was so profound, it would affect him for the rest of his life. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. It was the sole reason why he would never be the best at the stick fighting techniques, and it was worth it too. If Ranma knew any poetry he would have recited it, but he did not. He would do anything to bathe in the warmth, the sight generated in him, again. Akane smiled at him.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Hours later after they were to exhaust to continue and King Louie started the next part of their training. They sat cross legged on the floor meditating, soon Louie and his helpers made all sorts of havoc, they screamed doused both with water tickled them with feathers, insulted them, and they finally jumped up and ganged up on the Primate-god. This cycle repeated itself, cat-day for cat-day only they used less and less time on the way of the stick, Jodo, and spent more and more time meditating, until nothing not even imitating their voices when insulting them, which he got a few laughs out of when Akane kept on beating Ranma, although she knew better, nothing broke their calm. Then he upped the odds and started teaching and using pressure points to distract them, and so taught them to endure everything, pushing everything aside until the end of the fight.
~~~*~~~*
Ranma was sweating. Louie was poking one pressure point after another, and Ranma was hard bent not to cry out in agony, he tried to keep a clear head. The god had said ignoring the pain wouldn't work it would only go so far, and the soul of ice he wasn't allowed to use, it was powerful but destructive for the user as well, because it shut of emotions completely over the time, making one hard hearted unable to hate or love anyone ever again. Ranma was supposed to acknowledge the pain, allow it but capsule it, and get it out later, that was important if not his mind would crash with the capsule upped emotions when they got too much to bear. Next to him Akane gasped, he jerked ever so slightly she wanted to do this, and he understood, but she could not stand her being in pain if he could help it. He felt the god pressing another point on his body, and Ranma was prepared to fend of any pain the god dealt out. Ranma gasped and fell on his back. He was not prepared for *that*. He felt hot all over, his loins were burning, he never had felt this good so contempt so aroused. He turned to look at his wife and saw she felt the same way.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I am disappointed and you were doing so good too." He shook his head, but nonetheless he smiled. It was the end of the first day and they had come very far indeed. "You will rest now we will continue later." He left the two teens alone.
Ranma and Akane looked at each other their concentration gradually degrading. They both were very aroused, and the capsules of pain slowly opened releasing their contents. The pain was overwhelming, as was their lust. Both feelings warred for the briefer of a second, for dominance, before merging their forces into one. Ranma crawled closer to Akane as she did likewise, they kissed. Akane's hands already started pulling of his shirt.
"Ugh? Ahh. Ieek Ugh Uhg." Both turned around and stared at the two dozen monkeys sitting in the trees watching them. They kissed again. "Ugh. Ugh."
They pulled apart and cursed. "Another time." Akane said. Ranma nodded in reluctance "Another time." He put his shirt back on and tried to sleep. Easier done as said.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Louie completely left the Jodo training aside, and taught them the pressure points he had used and others, before continuing the training where they had left before. By noon, he was confident that they both were proficient enough so they could continue on their own once they were back to their normal lives.
"So the next step of your training is how to hold back bodily functions until you want them to happen, and in the end to completely control every single body function. You'll need my brothers, Mistrael's, teachings for this. He taught you all about medicine, or at least he transferred to you what you needed to now, anyway." He clapped his hand and his chimpanzee servant came in with two bowls and four gallons of water. "Each of you will drink two Galons of water, now!"
Ranma looked at him puzzled, but complied. Akane swallowed audibly she knew where this would lead to. They both drank their share of water, one a little slower than the other did.
"Ok. Neither of you will use the toilette, until I say so. And while we wait we continue with another part of your training. I want both of you to hold your breaths." They complied. "Good now when you feel that you can't hold it any longer I want you to keep holding it, you have enough chi to your expense and you know what to do to keep your body working even without air. Air is just a fuel, you can fuel yourself for some time using your chi, just relax trust on what you know and do it."
He kept quiet for some time. He stayed alert he knew of the dangers of this training and would intervene if he felt it necessary. After about three minutes, Akane's eyes bulged out and he thought she would not be able to do it, but then the boys hand snaked out and gripped hers. She calmed with some effort and the god could see her chi actually being force fed into every cell her body had. "Akane you are using too much energy. You are probably feeling great full of energy but that will not last all to long if you keep it at that pace. Reduce it a little, you will know when it is enough you will not feel drowsy but not quite active, that is the state I want you in for now, fully alert, but minimal energy in not needed parts, like arms and legs." He waited and saw her chi shifting the intensity gradually decreasing. Then he noticed Ranma doing the same, he also used too much energy at first, but adjusted himself, because he had heard what the god had said.
The god kept watching them he had to correct them on their use of chi twice, as he saw it dropping below what he had intended. After fifteen minutes both started sweating heavily, ten minutes after that both were squeezing their eyes shut they were coming to the end of what they could handle, five minutes later he told them to stop.
They took a shuddering first breath, and coughed. Their lungs hurt a lot. But aside from the hurt that was decreasing to a mere discomfort, nothing was wrong, they did not even breathe heavy. "You will get used to it after a while. But for now you could apply the technique we were practicing no two hours ago." The God said, and smiled. "Ok you took the first step towards total control. Now we will combine what I have taught you earlier with what you are learning now, and if you have the urge to relief your bladder use the both to control it. Now stand up and hold your arms to your sides, so that you resemble a 'T'." Again, the Saotome's did as they were told, and the chimpanzee came with four buckets of water, which the two took and held out to each side.
"When you feel you can't hold it anymore just replenish your muscles with your chi, so you can keep going, also capsule the pain and fatigue when you feel it coming before you do that. You actually already know the basics of the technique, when Mistaed taught you to heal with your chi, or when Lanthrope taught you to fuel your senses with it. How far can you spread them anyway?"
"Three or four miles." Came the answer from the girl. The god nodded that was not too bad, quite good actually, considering they had learned so much in so little time.
The next four hours the god more or less ignored his students playing Jumanji with some of his followers. After he had won two games in a row, he told his students to drop the buckets and find a bathroom. He blinked. "Where have they gone all of a sudden?" Two loud moans of pleasure came from outside as two bladders were emptied. A few minutes later, they both walked back in holding their sides. The god grinned. "You emptied your bladders to fast after holding on and building up for so long, you have to slowly release it."
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next day The King Lead them, 'in puris naturalibus', to separate rooms in his palace he told them they would learn the "Ars Armandi" but did not explain what kind of Art that would be. When they were all set, Louie went into a room next to them. Levers, pullies, gears and such sprouted from the walls. The Kami went to a sinkhole and started a small fire he placed a pot on it, there was a little water in it, but the mass of its contents were tropical and subtropical flowers. He half turned around and got a half of dozen boxes of joss sticks, he ripped of the top of them and held the mass in to the fire when they lit, he layed them down in the sinkhole and closed it. He grabbed a funnel and spoke in to it as he pulled a few of the levers. "Now Ranma and Akane the room you are in is called the 'camera caritatis'."
".'camera caritatis'." Ranma looked around his room, it was totally black, the floor seemed very soft, though. 'Maybe he wants to teach us how to fall' he thought. No lights burned, but he could smell something else burning. He shrugged. ". and now 'Ama et fac quod vis' love and do as you want." The god finished his talk. A red light went on and Ranma could see that the room was totally bear except for a few pillows and blankets on the floor, which was no floor but a huge mattress. Ranma's eyebrows met as he tried to figure out what to do. Something clicked and he turned around.
Akane was also trying to figure out what to do, she did not know but her room looked just like Ranma's except for a small shelf with assorted oils and creams. She still was a little peeved that she had to be 'in puris naturalibus' as the god had put it. She snorted, he probably just wanted to get a free peepshow, why did she always end up with perverts. Something clicked and she turned around. The wall opposite from the door slowly slid aside, she eased into a ready stance. When the wall was halfway gone, she could see a figure standing infront of a red light, so she could only make out a sillhouette. She did not hesistate and attacked. Ranma was surprised when he saw a nude Akane coming towards him in a flying kick.
"That must've hurt." Louie told his brothers. "You recorded it?" Hu-Pao asked in disbelievement. "Gotta keep an eye on my students, ja ne?" came the answer. Louie fast forwarded a little and took notes. "When will you release them? It's been two and a half days already. They could've done that on their own time." Ratsass complained. "That boy has promise. Here look at this I've never thought of that, before. What? Oh, yeah. Just until the end of the day. And no they would've never been able to do this on their own, at least not in this way not, now they have and they'll be able to go all out again at any time. It is my special odortherapeal enviroment, namely the cooking flowers and incense, I have created that allows them to push away even the last inhibitions, as soon as they start giving in. Now they know of the joy, and will seek it out on their own." His eyes never left the orb with the recorded 'sessions', his pencil flew over his pad as he kept taking notes.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
In the 'camera caritatis' a hatch opened in the ceiling and two sets of clothes fell from it, right on the occupants. The red light was replaced by blinding white light and King Louie's voice commanded them to get dressed and come out.
Once they were out the Founder of the Bonobo-Iodo, hurried them out, still aware that they were under the incense influence. He did not like the idea of Akane clearing her mind and the inhibitions returning when he was still around. He had no masochistic tendencies, whatsoever. Once they left, he hid his palace from human eyes once again. The palace had just vanished in time as a berserk female came running yelling at the top of her lungs, for the perverted kami to return. She cooled a little and turned to head towards the rest of her party. They did not even notice her coming back they were busy watching something. She walked over to look. Her mouth fell open. "What.What are those monkeys doing?" Splinter glanced at her and answered. "Those are Bonobos, that is the way they fight for dominance in their group." He turned around to watch the stick-less monkeys fencing.
By JoPa-kun
I don't own Ranma, or any of its chast. They belong to someone else. Really. I swear.
This is a continuation of sorts. I will try not to let the characters get to much out of character, but then again I'm lazy. I tried more to bring the story on paper, then spending time developing characters.
chapter 6 Training
"So where are we now?" Ranma asked Splinter, god of Rodents, also known as Ratsass for his brothers and sisters.
"Belitung. North of Java."
"That's in Malaysia, we never crossed any oceans." Akane objected from where she was running on all fours next to her husband and the god.
"I know. It is another technique you will learn in time."
"Akane can you walk on two legs again, you're making me uneasy."
"Aw, come on I have just learned the beginnings of the Neko-ken. I need to use some of it to learn the more advanced moves."
"And I still don't think you should learn it I don't particularly trust that jewellery."
"Ranma it is not just jewellery, it is a magical ring. That and the golden Cat statue are what you got for defeating Saffinkusu, they were what was left of his being after you were through with him." Splinter lectured.
"Yeah, Yeah what ever."
"She is not learning it the same way you have, while I train her, the magic of the ring is making it easier for her to tap in to the Neko-ken energy, while keeping her sane."
"Still if she needs to wear that to tap the technique she will never master it, because she will always depend on an aid."
"That is true." The rat said nodding.
"What?!" Akane said standing up blocking the rat's path.
"Don't worry. The ring allows you and your body to get a feel for what it is supposed to do, like learning a new kata slowly, before putting more force and speed behind it."
"Oh" Akane commented, while Ranma nodded in acknowledgement.
"So does every demon leave behind bounty when it is killed?" Ranma asked trying to keep the conservation going, Akane dropped back on all fours and rubbed against his legs.
"Not every, but most do, it all depends on the kind and strength of the demon. I think all of Saffinkusu's brothers will have similar stuff to leave behind. To each of us animal gods there is a corresponding demon, as far as I know they were all formed from a golden statue and a magic item to unlock the respective fighting styles. Saffinkusu was the weakest of the throw."
"So you think we'll meet them?"
"You surely will. You have killed their baby-brother, they will want their revenge."
"Don't you think I got enough people wanting a piece off me, without adding demons to the number?"
"If you find relief in this, then let me tell you, you aren't the only one they are after, Akane was your reason to fight so she is indirectly the reason Saffinkusu died."
"Oh just friggin great." He slapped his forehead. Akane stood up and hugged her husband to her.
"Why don't we camp here for tonight?" she asked the other two.
"That's fine with me." Her husband informed them.
"Yes I think that will be a good idea. Why don't you set up your sleeping accommodations? Do not bother with tents though. It won't be raining and the nights here are warm."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"I won't tell you again not to use other fighting styles. I know it's hard but you will have to concentrate, harder, you'll never even learn more then the basics of the Rat-Ninjitsu." He sighed "Lets go over those Katas once more."
"Can't you give us something like that ring, to help us?" Akane asked.
"I ain't going to use something like that." Ranma protested.
"If it helps us to learn."
"Listen you two." The god continued once he had the humans' full attention. "Look first of. No, I cannot go around handing out magic items, I am doing even more then I am supposed to by watching over a part of your training, but my brothers and sisters insisted, so please concentrate. In addition, Ranma there are some techniques, which I would strongly advise you not to attempt and learn without the help of magic, but Rat-style fighting is not one of them. Akane please take of the ring it will make it a little easier, for you."
"Hai sensei." The couple said in unison.
All three of them raised the three forked prongs and flowed through the kata.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Akane leaned against a tree trunk breathing heavily. Ranma sat beside her, breathing evenly.
"Do . we . have . to . wear . these . weights?" She asked gulping for air.
"Yes Akane, we have to. It will boost our strength, stamina, dexterity, and speed. We might be learning a lot from Splinter, but we are still the heirs to our school. You asked me to teach you, and that is exactly what I am doing. He has his ways I got mine."
"But you don't seem to be hindered by them." She had finally caught her breath. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Pops made me carry heavier loads then this. This ain't nothing, and soon you'll think nothing of it. You are strong enough, to handle it, just give it some time. I mean a week ago you could barely walk now you can already spar with them on." He fell to one side, as his wife impacted on the other, holding him in a fierce hug. She kissed him on the cheek.
"What was that for?" A surprised husband asked.
"That was for saying something nice. You don't like it?" she asked menacingly.
"Er. No. No that's not it. You just surprised me, yeah surprised me, 's all"
"Good save." She kissed him on the lips this time.
Somebody clearing his throat interrupted them.
"Excuse me kids, hope I don't interrupt anything, but I thought I'd pay you a visit."
"Hu-Pao-sama it's nice seeing you again. It's been what a month since we saw you the last time."
The deity of cats sat down across from them.
"What are you talking about, dear?" Hu-Pao asked.
"What do *you* mean, it's been almost a month since Ranma beat Saffinkusu."
Akane answered a little hotly, peeved for being disturbed.
"No it hasn't. It's been almost four *days*."
"Huhn?" The Saotomes ask intelligently.
"Yes. Hasn't Ratsass told you?"
They shook their heads.
"Hm. Ranma have you noticed that almost nothing happens without you noticing it? That your senses seem sharper, and that you show no fear towards me or your fiancée, while she is training in the Neko-ken?"
"Yes, actually I have. I thought it is the after-effect of mastering the Neko-ken, Ki boosting my smelling and stuff. And well Akane is human even if she is behaving like a cat, and you you're a kami, I thought that may be the reason, but I haven't really put much thought into it, until now." The boy answered.
"Akane?" Hu-Pao looked at the young girl behind him his rodent brother walked up to them and sat down next to him.
"Well I also have heightened senses, but I thought it's from the ring boosting them."
Hu-Pao and his brother shook their heads.
"No the Neko-ken, only awakens your ability to use all your Resources and gives you some means to actively manipulate Ki for offensive measures. It doesn't boost anything, it just grants the practitioner to go to the limits of what he can do, at the moment. The extra, speed and strength is not from the Neko-ken it is your own. The heightened state of your senses and awareness are also your own. The thing that has changed is that you consciously hear, smell, feel, taste and see. Before your brains were normal in a way for humans at least, using your senses became an unconscious action like breathing, your subconscious also filtered out what it thought to be useless, trivial information, which it did not want to bother your consciousness with. You know the effect, when you're in a room that stinks your nose automatically tells you so, but after a minute or two, it stops and the stench doesn't bother you anymore, until you consciously make the effort to smell it. That filter the Neko-ken has removed. It allowed you to learn faster act more efficiently, and for you to have a warped sense of time."
"You mean I have no sense of timing anymore?" Akane asked.
"And I would have to be using the Nekoken, to experience that, right?" Ranma added.
"No you still have a sense of timing as you put it, but it changed slightly, like a muscle you haven't used in some time, you'll need to train it, you will get used to it eventually. And for you to be in the neko-ken to actively use it. Well that filter I was talking about, remember? The Neko-ken has filled its roll now, you are permanently in Neko-ken. That is why you don't fear me or any other cat, that is why you have a cats sense of time."
The teenagers stared at him without understanding. The Gods sighed.
"Ranma when you were on the verge of dying, leaving your mate in the hands of Saffinkusu, your consciousness was still suppressing the Neko-ken your sub consciousness although tried to wake it, you were on the verge of dying and losing your mind. Your mind did the only possible thing, it let both take control, melted your consciousness with that of the Neko-ken. And Akane is experiencing something similar, but not as strong as you, yet, but she will if she wants to master the Neko-ken. And due to you always being in Neko-ken, you experience the world not only as human but as cat as well. Do you know the saying one human year is like seven for a cat? Well that is what you are experiencing. Ratsass has made it seem like night and day, for you every time you were tired out or awoke, so the change-over would be easier on you. You aren't only physically faster, but you also learn faster now, so effectively you can accomplish a week worth of training in a day. Imagine a small child new to this world, it has not yet discovered to ignore some things, and thus it learns fast and the days never seem to end, as an adult the time just flies by."
The two humans looked at each other then back at the deities.
"I think we understood that. Though you could've explained it more simply you know?" Ranma heralded. Akane whapped him over the back of his head.
"Behave. You're embarrassing me." She whispered to him.
"It's ok child, you are Ranma and Akane Saotome after all. No God would expect something different from him, or you." He laughed and Splinter chuckled.
"So, Er. Where are we headed to anyway?" Ranma asked.
"Ah, yes we are taking you to meet the rest of our siblings. So they can teach you what we can not."
"And which of your brothers and sisters lives here? What does he teach? How many of you are there? Where do they live? What can they teach us?" Akane's eyes grew wider, and her heartbeat sped up, not only these two gods, but also a whole family of them will teach her, soon she would be the best again. She looked at her husband. 'Or at least second best.' She corrected herself.
"Well there is I, God of rodents, Splinter *not* Ratsass, I live in New York City, I teach the secret, hidden, and concealed ways, Ninjitsu mainly.
Then there is, God of feline, Hu-Pao, he wanders Japan, he teaches how to use your own resources to their fullest, Neko-ken mainly.
King Louie, the god of primates, not humans, he lives in Congo, his are pressure points, distraction, and the art of the sword, he calls it Bonobo- Jodo.
Ursula, god of none tameable land animals, she lives in Siberia, the flow, resistance and strength of the body, the method of little force and huge consequences, hers is Systema.
Snowball, god of Pigs, lives in Liverpool; his ways are of the cuisine, the Mc-Fast-Foo.
God of tameable land animals, Mistaed, lives in Midwest America; from him you will learn Navamustancho, the Art of Health and Music.
The art of Willdersnetzeische, you will learn in the blackforest, from my sister Disen the goat, it's the art of arms concealment, and she is the goddess of Mountain animals.
Väinämöinen the snake, god of reptiles, will teach you all you need to know to mix and resist poison, the Tlatlauhqui.
Tuad."
"HmHm. I think he calls himself Buster now and he redubbed his technique to roadrunnerio." The Cat god informed his older brother.
"Buster? Roadrunnerio?" the older God shook his head, mumbling something unpleasant, before continuing.
"Well *Buster* the rabbit, god of fluffy animals will teach you Roadrunnerio, the art of true speed in his domicile at Ayers Rock.
Lanthrope, god of canine, will teach you in the vast woods of Canada his Technique of heightened senses and awareness, Sibuna.
And here in Belitung." He was cut of by a new voice floating down from above.
"I god of birds, Quetzacoatl, will teach you Cockaiopeira, the art of balance, knowledge, and of course." She landed between the two humans and whispered into their ears.
".the art of dance. And as I know you it surely will become a little crude." She toppled over laughing. When nobody joined into her laughter, she elaborated. "Don't you get it? Dancing crude, crude dancing, dirty dancing? Dirty Dancing." When still nobody started laughing, she stood up and brushed of her robe.
She was about seven a half foot tall. She wore a cap that looked like the head of an Owl, feathers flowing from it. Her eyes were like two black pearl buttons, her blonde-hair bound back in a ponytail, except for two strands that framed her face, and she wore clothes similar to the ones her brothers wore, except she also wore pants, slippers and a coat from feathers.
"Hey I won't do any dancing. I am a guy. Guys don't dance." The pig-tailed Martial artist proclaimed.
"That's okay dear I think we'll find a way." The goddess replied, in a over sweet voice. Just in that moment a pelican opened its beak spilling all the water from within, and because coincidence has a sense of humour, only he understands, the water landed on Ranma.
"I don't like you guys. You know?"
Everybody including the once male human started laughing.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next weeks pass fast.
We see Ranma and Akane meditating for two cat-days, then were given Tips how to memorize things. Soon both of them could thumb through a book, and know, what it was about and are able to use it.
Then Quetzacoatl leads them to a small river that has cut its way two meters into the ground. The goddess stands on a log and performs a simple sequence of hops and flips, the humans follow her example, then she stands in front of Ranma, so they face each other, she starts moving her feet back and forth and Ranma matches her perfectly. Soon Ranma and Akane are dancing on the log, in unison, until Akane slips and almost falls of the log. Ranma starts laughing and Akane pushes him off. The now wet female Ranma rises from the water screaming.
They then walk steps up and down in strict patterns, with Quetzacoatl watching over them.
When it is time to leave after about three days, three cat-weeks, Quetzacoatl summons a sphere images depicting all of the Cockaiopeira, with the enhanced learning abilities they can easily memorize them, so they can continue to train themselves when they have time.
Splinter and the Saotome's continue their voyage, to the next animal god, as they reach Australia they were immediately attacked by two more animal demons, Deerg the Swine and Bock the Capricorn. Akane and Ranma can deal with them with little problems. Soon they have two more statues and rings.
At Ayers Rock Buster teaches them how to funnel their Ki into their Limbs to enhance their movements, without straining their bodies. Soon Ranma is able to untie Splinters Robe without him noticing, they move on.
In Liverpool Akane and Ranma enjoyed Snowballs cooking, while learning the true art of fast devouring. The original Art, from which Genma and Ranmas Art of eating, and the Martial Arts Tea-Ceremony derived from. They begin with lessons on how to move body parts that only block the free flood of food, like the palate and the laryngeal, out of the way. Soon she and Ranma can devour meals within a second. Then the God tries to tech them the fine Art of cooking, after a day he surrenders, and delivers them the information of what they'll need to know, in the same way Quetzacoatl had.
This pattern goes on as they learn the rest of the Techniques from the animal gods. After visiting a god Ranma would also add to the weights they were carrying. Splinter and Ranma continue thr training while wandering from god to god.
Slowly Ranma and Akane regain their ability to tell the difference between normal and cat-days, and can work through a whole day before getting tired, although they still are fast, and aware enough that they feel like a week has past.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Then they arrived at King Louie's Palace.
"Ahh. You must be the Saotome's. I am pleased to meet you at last. I had thought my brothers and sisters were trying to avoid me, although my teachings might pose the most useful and enjoyable too. Now how much time do you have before you will have to return home?" He looked at the two teenagers expectantly, but they looked at each other with blank expressions. Ranma turned to the King and looked sheepish.
"Well, er, we aren't exactly sure. We had a little trouble with our sense of time lately." He said apologetically.
"Its mid October now." The Orang-Utan filled in with a benevolent smile.
"Well than we don't have to be home for another two weeks, I guess, but."
"What is it? Is it important? Tell me." the King was growing impatient.
"Well we haven't really had a honeymoon yet only training, I hoped that me and Akane could." He looked away in embarrassment. Akane looked at him, as if he had grown a second head, but then smiled softly and blushed.
"Ah I see, well three days should be enough for that, I only remember a few of my 'Honeymoons', but three days were normally enough to exhaust my partners completely, and I meant the plural." He snickered. Akane considered beating the Kami to a pulp, but she did not want to offend him yet, maybe later she could beat the pervert over the head.
"Brother three days, they need time to get used to normal again, and spending three days like you spend your life, won't let them get used to it." Splinter barged in, Louie should not demand more time than any other of his siblings should.
"No that is impossible I need time, they can severely hurt each other if they don't do it right and Quetzacoatl information to memory thing will not work, they will know what to do, but they will have no experience, the matter is mostly delicate. A week and they have one for themselves."
"No, brother. Four days that's all, you get."
"Erm, actually I think me and Ranma could stay for six days?" Akane asked, offered. Ranma nodded in agreement.
Louie and Splinter looked at each other for a moment than regarded the two humans. They both nodded in agreement but didn't look really pleased.
"Well than lets get started. BoBo go get me three training sticks." The King clapped his hands in new vigour, as one of the servant chimpanzee hurried off.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Soon Akane and Ranma were practicing the basics of Jodo, Jaido and Kendo, both had already covered the basics before, but Akane was more proficient, since she had far more experience in it. Akane felt merry this was one thing she was better in than Ranma and she intended to keep it that way. She put every ounce of determination in to it she had, but she couldn't help but smile.
Ranma had yet to see the benefit, of this training. He saw the need to know how to use a weapon, but he did not like the idea of becoming dependent on one. He was of the anything goes school of martial arts after all. That is why he even disliked some of Splinters Techniques. The Art how to disguise oneself even in broad daylight, like when using the Umisinken and the Yamisinken his father had developed, but so much more efficient and easier, more natural, was a good technique. However, he did not really see the need to learn how to use the Shuriken, Fukiya, Shoge, Shinobi Shuko, Bo Staff, Katana, Nunchakus, chains, Ashiko, Neko te, Kama and what others they had learned. He felt like he was becoming too dependent on weapons and would die because of that. At least with the Arms Concealment Technique, the goat had taught them he could carry them all around; it was just a improved version of Mousse Hidden weapon Technique. Ranma concentrated on the training again before he messed up to bad. Akane was already better then he and he did not particularly like someone being better then him, he concentrated and looked up.
In that moment Ranma gained an insight that was so profound, it would affect him for the rest of his life. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. It was the sole reason why he would never be the best at the stick fighting techniques, and it was worth it too. If Ranma knew any poetry he would have recited it, but he did not. He would do anything to bathe in the warmth, the sight generated in him, again. Akane smiled at him.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Hours later after they were to exhaust to continue and King Louie started the next part of their training. They sat cross legged on the floor meditating, soon Louie and his helpers made all sorts of havoc, they screamed doused both with water tickled them with feathers, insulted them, and they finally jumped up and ganged up on the Primate-god. This cycle repeated itself, cat-day for cat-day only they used less and less time on the way of the stick, Jodo, and spent more and more time meditating, until nothing not even imitating their voices when insulting them, which he got a few laughs out of when Akane kept on beating Ranma, although she knew better, nothing broke their calm. Then he upped the odds and started teaching and using pressure points to distract them, and so taught them to endure everything, pushing everything aside until the end of the fight.
~~~*~~~*
Ranma was sweating. Louie was poking one pressure point after another, and Ranma was hard bent not to cry out in agony, he tried to keep a clear head. The god had said ignoring the pain wouldn't work it would only go so far, and the soul of ice he wasn't allowed to use, it was powerful but destructive for the user as well, because it shut of emotions completely over the time, making one hard hearted unable to hate or love anyone ever again. Ranma was supposed to acknowledge the pain, allow it but capsule it, and get it out later, that was important if not his mind would crash with the capsule upped emotions when they got too much to bear. Next to him Akane gasped, he jerked ever so slightly she wanted to do this, and he understood, but she could not stand her being in pain if he could help it. He felt the god pressing another point on his body, and Ranma was prepared to fend of any pain the god dealt out. Ranma gasped and fell on his back. He was not prepared for *that*. He felt hot all over, his loins were burning, he never had felt this good so contempt so aroused. He turned to look at his wife and saw she felt the same way.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I am disappointed and you were doing so good too." He shook his head, but nonetheless he smiled. It was the end of the first day and they had come very far indeed. "You will rest now we will continue later." He left the two teens alone.
Ranma and Akane looked at each other their concentration gradually degrading. They both were very aroused, and the capsules of pain slowly opened releasing their contents. The pain was overwhelming, as was their lust. Both feelings warred for the briefer of a second, for dominance, before merging their forces into one. Ranma crawled closer to Akane as she did likewise, they kissed. Akane's hands already started pulling of his shirt.
"Ugh? Ahh. Ieek Ugh Uhg." Both turned around and stared at the two dozen monkeys sitting in the trees watching them. They kissed again. "Ugh. Ugh."
They pulled apart and cursed. "Another time." Akane said. Ranma nodded in reluctance "Another time." He put his shirt back on and tried to sleep. Easier done as said.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Louie completely left the Jodo training aside, and taught them the pressure points he had used and others, before continuing the training where they had left before. By noon, he was confident that they both were proficient enough so they could continue on their own once they were back to their normal lives.
"So the next step of your training is how to hold back bodily functions until you want them to happen, and in the end to completely control every single body function. You'll need my brothers, Mistrael's, teachings for this. He taught you all about medicine, or at least he transferred to you what you needed to now, anyway." He clapped his hand and his chimpanzee servant came in with two bowls and four gallons of water. "Each of you will drink two Galons of water, now!"
Ranma looked at him puzzled, but complied. Akane swallowed audibly she knew where this would lead to. They both drank their share of water, one a little slower than the other did.
"Ok. Neither of you will use the toilette, until I say so. And while we wait we continue with another part of your training. I want both of you to hold your breaths." They complied. "Good now when you feel that you can't hold it any longer I want you to keep holding it, you have enough chi to your expense and you know what to do to keep your body working even without air. Air is just a fuel, you can fuel yourself for some time using your chi, just relax trust on what you know and do it."
He kept quiet for some time. He stayed alert he knew of the dangers of this training and would intervene if he felt it necessary. After about three minutes, Akane's eyes bulged out and he thought she would not be able to do it, but then the boys hand snaked out and gripped hers. She calmed with some effort and the god could see her chi actually being force fed into every cell her body had. "Akane you are using too much energy. You are probably feeling great full of energy but that will not last all to long if you keep it at that pace. Reduce it a little, you will know when it is enough you will not feel drowsy but not quite active, that is the state I want you in for now, fully alert, but minimal energy in not needed parts, like arms and legs." He waited and saw her chi shifting the intensity gradually decreasing. Then he noticed Ranma doing the same, he also used too much energy at first, but adjusted himself, because he had heard what the god had said.
The god kept watching them he had to correct them on their use of chi twice, as he saw it dropping below what he had intended. After fifteen minutes both started sweating heavily, ten minutes after that both were squeezing their eyes shut they were coming to the end of what they could handle, five minutes later he told them to stop.
They took a shuddering first breath, and coughed. Their lungs hurt a lot. But aside from the hurt that was decreasing to a mere discomfort, nothing was wrong, they did not even breathe heavy. "You will get used to it after a while. But for now you could apply the technique we were practicing no two hours ago." The God said, and smiled. "Ok you took the first step towards total control. Now we will combine what I have taught you earlier with what you are learning now, and if you have the urge to relief your bladder use the both to control it. Now stand up and hold your arms to your sides, so that you resemble a 'T'." Again, the Saotome's did as they were told, and the chimpanzee came with four buckets of water, which the two took and held out to each side.
"When you feel you can't hold it anymore just replenish your muscles with your chi, so you can keep going, also capsule the pain and fatigue when you feel it coming before you do that. You actually already know the basics of the technique, when Mistaed taught you to heal with your chi, or when Lanthrope taught you to fuel your senses with it. How far can you spread them anyway?"
"Three or four miles." Came the answer from the girl. The god nodded that was not too bad, quite good actually, considering they had learned so much in so little time.
The next four hours the god more or less ignored his students playing Jumanji with some of his followers. After he had won two games in a row, he told his students to drop the buckets and find a bathroom. He blinked. "Where have they gone all of a sudden?" Two loud moans of pleasure came from outside as two bladders were emptied. A few minutes later, they both walked back in holding their sides. The god grinned. "You emptied your bladders to fast after holding on and building up for so long, you have to slowly release it."
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The next day The King Lead them, 'in puris naturalibus', to separate rooms in his palace he told them they would learn the "Ars Armandi" but did not explain what kind of Art that would be. When they were all set, Louie went into a room next to them. Levers, pullies, gears and such sprouted from the walls. The Kami went to a sinkhole and started a small fire he placed a pot on it, there was a little water in it, but the mass of its contents were tropical and subtropical flowers. He half turned around and got a half of dozen boxes of joss sticks, he ripped of the top of them and held the mass in to the fire when they lit, he layed them down in the sinkhole and closed it. He grabbed a funnel and spoke in to it as he pulled a few of the levers. "Now Ranma and Akane the room you are in is called the 'camera caritatis'."
".'camera caritatis'." Ranma looked around his room, it was totally black, the floor seemed very soft, though. 'Maybe he wants to teach us how to fall' he thought. No lights burned, but he could smell something else burning. He shrugged. ". and now 'Ama et fac quod vis' love and do as you want." The god finished his talk. A red light went on and Ranma could see that the room was totally bear except for a few pillows and blankets on the floor, which was no floor but a huge mattress. Ranma's eyebrows met as he tried to figure out what to do. Something clicked and he turned around.
Akane was also trying to figure out what to do, she did not know but her room looked just like Ranma's except for a small shelf with assorted oils and creams. She still was a little peeved that she had to be 'in puris naturalibus' as the god had put it. She snorted, he probably just wanted to get a free peepshow, why did she always end up with perverts. Something clicked and she turned around. The wall opposite from the door slowly slid aside, she eased into a ready stance. When the wall was halfway gone, she could see a figure standing infront of a red light, so she could only make out a sillhouette. She did not hesistate and attacked. Ranma was surprised when he saw a nude Akane coming towards him in a flying kick.
"That must've hurt." Louie told his brothers. "You recorded it?" Hu-Pao asked in disbelievement. "Gotta keep an eye on my students, ja ne?" came the answer. Louie fast forwarded a little and took notes. "When will you release them? It's been two and a half days already. They could've done that on their own time." Ratsass complained. "That boy has promise. Here look at this I've never thought of that, before. What? Oh, yeah. Just until the end of the day. And no they would've never been able to do this on their own, at least not in this way not, now they have and they'll be able to go all out again at any time. It is my special odortherapeal enviroment, namely the cooking flowers and incense, I have created that allows them to push away even the last inhibitions, as soon as they start giving in. Now they know of the joy, and will seek it out on their own." His eyes never left the orb with the recorded 'sessions', his pencil flew over his pad as he kept taking notes.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
In the 'camera caritatis' a hatch opened in the ceiling and two sets of clothes fell from it, right on the occupants. The red light was replaced by blinding white light and King Louie's voice commanded them to get dressed and come out.
Once they were out the Founder of the Bonobo-Iodo, hurried them out, still aware that they were under the incense influence. He did not like the idea of Akane clearing her mind and the inhibitions returning when he was still around. He had no masochistic tendencies, whatsoever. Once they left, he hid his palace from human eyes once again. The palace had just vanished in time as a berserk female came running yelling at the top of her lungs, for the perverted kami to return. She cooled a little and turned to head towards the rest of her party. They did not even notice her coming back they were busy watching something. She walked over to look. Her mouth fell open. "What.What are those monkeys doing?" Splinter glanced at her and answered. "Those are Bonobos, that is the way they fight for dominance in their group." He turned around to watch the stick-less monkeys fencing.