Cornerstone
By D'Fused
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Chapter 2
--- --- ---
The next morning, while Akane and Nabiki were readying themselves for school, Ryoga sat at the table they were temporarily using to eat at. He and Soun were talking about school.
"Son," the Tendo father said, "since you are going to be here a bit, why don't you attend?"
"Well, I would like to," the younger male replied, "but I need to train. The fight is coming up, and, although it isn't a fight to the death or anything, I quit school just to train for this battle. This close to the meeting, its better that I continue training."
Soun nodded at this. He had watched the morning exercises the boy had done, moves that included large amounts of rolls and flips, somersaults off rocks and handstands, all the while kicking and punching at unseen enemies. He did this for a morning practice, spending an hour training outside before he had moved into the dojo, where he added wall-jumping and other acrobatics to his practice routine.
Ryoga had other reasons for not attending school. Actually, it was a conversation last night with Theta that had made his decision.
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Ryoga stared at the ceiling of the guest room, arms behind his head as he mentally conversed with the person stuck in his head.
You said I was to win Akane over. What would be better than to go to school with her?
[I don't think it's a good idea.]
Why? I'm the same age as her, so we will probably be in the same class. I would be able to know what she's like away from the house.
[I'm not faulting your reasoning. I'm saying that there's someone there that I don't want you to be introduced to.]
What could be a big threat at a school?
{Someone who is delusional, hostile and close-minded with only a slight skill in kendo.}
Sounds like you don't like the guy.
{Doesn't like is a drop of water to the river of hatred I have for the person.}
This statement made him blink. He had never heard Theta say something like that.
{Yes, I hate him. He's part of the reason I'm here helping you, and why Delta is here with Ranma.}
And the other part?
{Another someone I don't want you, Ranma or Akane to know, if at all possible.}
Ryoga contemplated on this. Theta was almost insistent on this point. Usually, he would advise on a situation, which usually he followed. This time, his guest would do anything to make him follow his suggestion.
{Trust me, if I could take control of your body, I would make sure you never came within five hundred feet of the place.}
Focusing on the light fixture overhead, the adpoted Saotome child frowned as he thought what would be best. What if I just accompanied her to school, then went and trained for the day?
{It would give you some time to know her outside the house,} he admitted a few seconds, {but only until you reach the gates. It's best if you didn't take a step inside.}
Unless someone is a threat to me.
{Only if I say it is a threat.}
Good enough. Still . . .
{I know you want to test yourself against him, but my experience is that it won't come out good, especially since I know you will beat him easily.}
Practice is all good . . .
{But someone to test your abilities against would be preferable?}
Exactly.
{We'll see. Maybe someone will come along and be a challenge for you. For now, we can only practice.}
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Akane was glad to hear that he wouldn't be attending school with her. However, she wasn't estatic about him following her to school, especially when he left before they reached the gates, casually walking away in another direction afte he slowlt rotated left, then right. She had been wanting to show the boy that she was a martial artist too. Her daily fights were proof enough that she was good.
As she prepared for her morning brawl, Ryoga watched his finace from a tall tree outside the school grounds. Theta wanted him to see what Akane put up with every morning, which he suspected was partly why he had been allowed to escort her here.
{Well, it wasn't because she was at risk of being trampled by a wild boar along the way.}
Yet you didn't want me to go to school.
{I didn't want you attending school. Knowing Akane out of the house and knowing what the local headache looks like is a different story.}
Just this one school?
{No. Any school you attended wouldn't be safe. Soun would insist you and Akane go to the same school, which means she would have to transfer with you. Akane would blame you because she wouldn't be able to do what she calls practice everyday. Then the headache would transfer too, and never leave you two alone. He would make the same declaration in that school, that anyone who wanted to date her would have to beat her first. Then what I wanted to avoid would come to pass. I don't want him to know about you, if at all possible. So school's out of the picture.}
Ryoga chewed on that reasoning for a bit. He knew of the lecture the person Theta called 'the headache' had made, and it downright disgusted him that someone would make a statement like that. But what Theta said made sense. His reasoning fit the profiles of the Tendo father and daughter. The only person he didn't know about was the third party involved, the one he hadn't met yet.
{You'll know about him soon enough. Now watch.}
Ryoga focused back at the school grounds, where Akane ran into the majority of the male population stirring at the front of the grounds. After the front lines wavered and broke under the one-woman assult, he relaxed physically, seeing that she didn't need his help with this.
Half these guys haven't had formal training in any sort of martial arts.
{And those who have aren't competent or skilled to take Akane down. She has some skill, but she hasn't gone through intense training.}
Agreeing completely, Akane's fiance watched as she knocked down more of the group starting to encircle her, professing their love.
{She's using her anger towards them to fuel her attacks.}
That's a dangerous thing to do. If they stopped their calls and worked together, she would be entirely vulnerable.
{But they don't, so she has that source and advantage.}
Akane was too busy to take notice of her fiance watching her take on fifty-some boys at once, despite him being in full view. As the last boy hit the ground in defeat, she let herself relax, straightening her long hair down her back.
"Honestly, you would think they would learn by now."
One of two guys who hadn't participated in the fight looked at the carnage surounding the youngest Tendo girl.
She's impressive, but its bad for her skills. She would be so confident in her abiliites that she wouldn't last long in a real fight.
{Especially with those who have trained all their life to fight. She would be a push-over to them. If she isn't corrected in her technique, she will start depending more on brute strength, rather than skill.}
Should I do something about it?
{Later, maybe. For now, it's better if you knew what was a daily occurance for your fiance.}
As she finished smoothing out her school uniform, she felt something whistle by her face. Grabbing it out of reflex, she studied the red rose before sighing at its significance. Then she turned to where the rose came from.
Dark clouds overhead rumbled omniously around the schoolyard. With a slow, deliberate pace, Tatewaki Kuno stepped out from behind the tree near the entrance to the school.
"An earthlier unhappy is the rose distilled, than that which withering on the virgin thorn grows, lives, and dies in single blissfullness," the kendoist recited, scorning the various teams and club members scattered across the ground as he approached the Tendo family member. "These . . .weaklings, such a borish lot, truly. They fought for the privilege of you company, Akane. If they could manage to defeat you, that is. What fools these mortals be."
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What a pompous ass.
{Kuno is that. Headache generally sums up his many faults.}
His name is Kuno? Tatewaki Kuno?
{Yes it's the same person who Nabiki sells the photos to. That's him.}
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Akane backed away slightly from older student, not wanting to battle him today.
"Oh, Kuno," she said, with something that verged on the border of disgust in her voice. "Excuse me. . ."
She turned to the side, fully intending walk around and enter the school without needing to fight him. He didn't make a move to intercept her, if one didn't consider the intent a bokken in her path could be taken.
"Oh, though she be little, she be fierce," Kuno continued. He slowly moved the wooden blade around until it pointed forward towards his love interest. "Wilt thou spar with me?"
Akane, realizing Kuno wouldn't back away from another fight, readied herself to teach Kuno not to mess with her today. With the engagement forced on her by that idiot Ryoga and her father, combined with the relentless hentai horde that stalked inside the gates every morning, she had had enough of the upperclassman's torture. She didn't wait for Kuno to attack as she usually did. She ran right at him, twisting to the side as he extended his weapon when he llunged.
The kendoist was controlled enough in his attack that he didn't over-extend, but his recovery time was marred when his opponent pushed her bookbag into his face. It truly didn't phase him, although he had to blink a few times before his eyes could focus. It was enough of a distraction to let Akane by him and into the relative safety of the school.
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Ryoga watched the whole fight from the tree limb, carefully watching the one person Theta seemed to hate with a passion. As the subject of their scrutiny entered the building before it began to pour. He didn't seem much, his skills were easily at a smiliar level to Akane's, and he had a longer range with his weapon. Yet, despite the natural strength and height Kuno had over Akane, she kept winning on a daily basis. Was this a typical fight between them?
{Not exactly. Akane is usually more defensive when she battles Kuno. She's usually not that aggresive, and has never used her bookbag against him.}
Yet she has won every time?
{That's an issue for debate. Yes, she has won these matches, but I have always thought Kuno there lets Akane win. He doesn't use all of his strength while fighting, so its hard to tell.}
Ryoga thought about it. He hadn't jumped into the fight because Theta had assured him she could handle him. But it made him worry that he would wisen up and eventually go all-out in these morning fights.
{Not much of a chance. Kuno has gone this long without figuring it out, and his pride, among other attributes, won't allow him to let others tell him otherwise. Now, we should go; the longer we stay here, the more of a chance he will see us.}
Ryoga focused his eyes outward, finally noticing the rain coming down. Practice wasn't going to be indoors; the rain and mud would give him an opportunity to work on balance. Once he knew where it was, of course.
{In a vacant lot nearby.}
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Nabiki watched her professor drone upon some significant point in a western nation's past, something that was only slightly amusing to her. It wasn't something she didn't know already; her grade averge was 95%, only second to a student in another class. She didn't need to completely concentrate on the subject at hand, just enough that the teacher wouldn't put her in the hall for inattention.
What she was truly doing was debating whether or not to tell Kuno about the engagement. Her first instinct told her yen. A slight hint to him that her sister was engaged to somebody, and he would pay handsomely for further information. Another hint that she could arrange fo him to meet Ryoga could be profitable as well. If nothing had made her worry, she would've done it without hesitation.
The only thing stopping her was a few factors she couldn't take into account, namely Ryoga himself and the voice he called Theta. Ryoga had shown he could defeat her classmate without much problem, judging from the technique he had used last night. A 'simple' technique, he had told them. She was highly sure that he wouldn't hurt Kuno badly, but she only knew him for a day, and couldn't predict everything he could be capable of, if completely destroying a table with a fist was a simple technique.
Theta was more of an enigma to her, and was the true cause for her worry. Although it was Ryoga who had told her family secrets that weren't commonly known, he didn't seem to know it until Theta told him. She had no doubts that the secrets he had told the family was only a fraction of all the knowledge this voice had. Also, Theta had used her association with Kuno as proof that he knew the family well. So it made sense that Theta knew all about Kuno, and what he was capable of. If Ryoga didn't know, he soon would; she saw him watching Akane's morning routine from a safe distance, observing, and probably talking to the person inside him.
Her eyes focused briefly. Theta would know what she would've done: told Kuno without a doubt or thought other than for the money. He had to know that, since he seemed to know everything else. And since Ryoga wasn't attending school, Kuno wouldn't have met him, nor would he ask about his relationship with Akane. Her sister would never tell Kuno about it, and her underlings would only say so if she gave the order. So she was the only one who would willingly tell him it.
She wouldn't tell Kuno, not today. She wanted to wait to see how Ryoga would react before she did anything. He might be willing to make a deal with her to keep certain information secret.
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Ryoga looked at the vacant lot. It was almost exactly like his backyard, if it hadn't changed much.
{It was only a few months ago when you were last there.}
But I had only stayed home for a few days.
{We've had this talk before. I couldn't train you in everything at the comfort of your home.}
Some things could have.
{The Futae no Kiwami was the first techique I thought you should learn. You couldn't learn it at a leaisurly pace, because we didn't have time for it. But we are digressing. We need to talk for a moment about something before today's training.}
Ryoga nodded, moving into the lot, sitting down in a meditative position as he focused inward.
What is it?
{Its coming close to the time when Ranma would be coming back. Depending on where he is at the moment, it might take him a few days, two weeks at most, to get here. That means caution will be needed from now on.}
Why should I be careful?
{Because I don't know what Ranma will know when he comes to fight us. I know many techniques, only some which you have mastered. Some are useless, others I cannot show you, becuse they originated from China. I can show you similar techniques, and how certain counters can be applied to some of the Chinese techniques I know.}
So the Futae no Kiwami is a balance to a technique I can't learn.
{Actually, if you and Ranma were left alone, eventually someone who traveled here from China would have taught you a similar technique. What I can tell you is it would have given you the ability to destroy rocks, with a side benefit of giving your body more resistance to attacks. However, it can't be used on a person or any other living thing. Your technique can.}
The Saotome child absorbed this information. This wasn't the true point of the talk, just a side-note that was of interest that came up.
{Your right. The real topic is that I have trained you to fight. I've shown you simple and advanced versions of many techniques I have studied. You have learned to harness your ki, and how to defend against ki attacks. There isn't any more time to teach you another technique, so you will be training to improve what you know. Now, let's begin.}
Ryoga got up from his sitting position, ready to train for the day.
{Today, I want you to spend the time training while using the Invisibility Technique of the Umisenken. All day, until we are done training.}
Whistling at the idea, Ryoga saw immediately the idea behind it. He could do the move, but he had to concentrate for a few seconds to make it work, and it would only last as long as he didn't move quickly.
{Exactly. I want you to be able to concentrate at making it second nature to you. And to be able to move quickly without becoming visible. Now, make yourself invisible, then start with your usual morning workout. After you're warmed up, we'll concentrate on other things.}
Leaping into the air, Ryoga began his day of training..
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Shampoo was the last to leave the small marker where the body of the deceased lay. Many flowers laid around the marker, their placing according to each person's standing in the village.
Family members were allowed the first setting of Rememberance Flowers, placed by the marker itself, pointing at the center of the stone to show their love to the lost kin. Warriors who saw honor in his life, even in his last moments, followed, placing their tokens in a ring around the marker at a respectful space away, the pettles placed to the right. It was his guard of honor, to protect him while he began his long slumber. Friends and those not warriors who respected him were next, placing their last gift another small space outside the ring, to show how they would always be with him, even if they ever forgot about him.
The flowers differed in colors, depending on what they thought of him in life. Blue and purple dominated the coloring of the ring, as did the flowers further down. A small patch of orange, likely from smaller children, rested at one side, and a few green and while flowers were well mixed within the ring, although a few did appear below.
All of the flowers right at the marker were red. They always were, even if a relative hated the deceased. Any other color was a sign of disrespect.
Shampoo's flower was unique. She had entered the northern mountains, hiking to and from the high reaches for her dedication. It was a Snow Flower, a flower that only bloomed in the area where days were short. It needed little light and moisture to live, so it could survive in altitudes other plant-life couldn't. Its petals were white at the stem, but changed shades as the petal extended, becoming a light red at its tips.
She could have placed it in any three places; his family had given her permission to place it by the marker, her status as an Amazon gave her the right to put it in the ring, and, as a close friend, she could put it at the bottom.
She chose to put it on top of the marker.
It was her tribute to a stubborn, short-sighted, annoying person who hadn't left her alone, and had issued the challenge without thinking of it. He wouldn't listen to Great-Grandmother when she said not to do this. He had made his reasons clear, which she had to concede.
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The outsider had appeard along the path to their village, traveling alone and not afraid in a country that was far from tamed. He had walked right up to the gates, where he had been stopped by herself and the other Amazon on guard that day. Both had told him that he should leave before something bad happened to him.
Recognition appeared in his eyes when he looked at her. Then he simply drew something from his backpack and threw it at her feet. She looked at it - a letter of challenge.
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His body was given the Rights of the Fallen Warrior. Amazons in full battle armor and various weapons at belts and in sheaths carried the bier on their shoulders, taking the body to his place of slumber. Respecting the family's wishes, he was clothed in the white robes he prefered, his weapons, shined before to a polish, were hidden away inside, concealed away even now. His glasses, broken during the fight, had been mended hastily and placed beside his face, almost as if he took them off for a rest. His hair was combed and arranged with care; his wounds cleaned as best they could. He almost did look like he slept, but for the deep, red gash under his right eye, and the slit throat.
When they buried him, it was with everything carried with him, weapons and all. He was placed in a round hole deep enough to place him standing up in the ground. He faced the village, towards his house so he could watch over it as he slept. Then he was buried. An unmarked rock was placed over where he had his final slumber, then the Rememberance Flowers.were placed.
Shampoo turned away from the marker. She would mourn for his loss, as any Amazon would, but she also had a husband as well. She had responsibilities as a married woman, and she wanted to please her strong husband in every way possible.
Entering the village, her thoughts returned to Mousse as she moved towards her hut. He had formally challenged her husband when he found out they were leaving the village for Japan, wanting Shampoo to stay while he left, although they would still be married. Cologne had told him to withdraw the challenge. He replied that he was worried about the outsider, that he would be trouble for anyone he associated with. He felt wrong; not evil, but malicious. That Shampoo, although Champion of the Amazons, would not be safe with a traveling companion like him. Cologne agreed reluctantly, partly because she had similar thoughts, but mainly because she could not dissuade him since his mind was set.
Her husband accepted the challenge, as he did the many times before in the last half year. But when before he only had fought to win or to prove his point, he had fought to kill. His end was swift.
No one thought to cal the outsider on this, even though he had become part of the village through marriage. His eyes said that he would not let anyone stop him.
"Have you paid your respects, Shampoo?" The man asked in Chinese. His black pig-tail seemed to whip all the way around as he turned his steel-grey eyes towards her. He was packing his stuff into a backpack, readying for their trip.
"Yes, Airen," she replied.
"Good. We are leaving early tomorrow morning. I need to be somewhere soon, but I want to have some fun first." Her husband chuckled, and it made her shiver. It was such a humorless sound.
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It was almost supper when Theta had ended training for the day. Tired, Ryoga rested before he got ready to walk back to the Tendos. with the engagement offical, he could have trained as he had for the last couple years, out in the country, only to go to civilization to buy some neccesities before taking off again. An actual dojo to practice in would be a treat.
{And you need to spend time with Akane as well.}
Why should I?
{Simple. You will need her in the month to come. And she will need you as well.}
I can't go through with it.
{Why not?}
I'm afraid of girls.
{You're not. You're shy.}
I didn't want the engagement.
{Your mother wanted you to have it. It was her gift to you when you became adopted.}
It was Ranma's engagement.
{He has known about it since the day Delta overloaded his mind with information. He might want it, but he might not either.}
Akane was too good for him.
{You deserve her.}
No.
{You are afraid. Not of girls, but being with her.}
The revelation shocked Ryoga. That's not true. I'm only engaged to her because you sugested her to me.
{I know you, inside and out,} Theta said. {I know you as well as I know my own mind and body. You love her. Past those same excuses and denials, where you are afraid to be with Akane, your love for her will push you whenever she is in danger. Until this fight between you and Ranma is finished and beyond, she will be your focus, your reason to live.}
She doesn't love me.
{She will. Not tonight, or tomorow, but she will love you. She is showing the signs already, if one knows what to look for.}
And you do?
{Yes. I know her better than all the girls who are in your story. I know her so well, only she knows herself better.}
I can't do it.
{Not alone to start, no. I can help you, but you will need to learn. It won't be all fun, but it'll be worth it in the end.}
As long as you don't back down from this, alright.
{Are you looking at it?}
Ryoga immediately focused outward, looking for the enemy that was coming his way.
{No, not that. Look forward.}
He did as much, trying to see what was of importance. Then he caught what Theta was looking at. It's pretty, I guess.
{Pretty? How about beautiful. I viewed similar sunsets like that on a regular basis. She loved to watch them, because it was a time we could be together, by ourselves, just holding each other. I only thought them beautiful, since they seemed so symbolic of our love to each other.}
Ryoga wiped the tear away as his mind turned this tidbit over. Your married?
{I . . . was. She died when a person attacked her when she was defenceless.}
Ryoga started to see a small picture of what Theta's life was like before he had found himself here. He never talked about it in the two years they have known each other, and Ryoga had never asked or pried.
{Which I am thankful for.} His voice seemed to chuckle for a second. {Shall we go? Melodramatic feelings don't suit either of us, and there is a girl waiting for you to return, although she doesn't know it yet.}
Laughing softly, Ryoga walked out of the lot, turning towards the direction a certain long-haired female martial artist lived.
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Hmmm... Sorry about the wait for this, its been one of those months. Not a big update, and not many questions answered, but I always like building up questions to be answered later.
Thanks to OmegaDL50, once again, for his feedback and information.
blue_scarf_fics@yahoo.com
By D'Fused
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Chapter 2
--- --- ---
The next morning, while Akane and Nabiki were readying themselves for school, Ryoga sat at the table they were temporarily using to eat at. He and Soun were talking about school.
"Son," the Tendo father said, "since you are going to be here a bit, why don't you attend?"
"Well, I would like to," the younger male replied, "but I need to train. The fight is coming up, and, although it isn't a fight to the death or anything, I quit school just to train for this battle. This close to the meeting, its better that I continue training."
Soun nodded at this. He had watched the morning exercises the boy had done, moves that included large amounts of rolls and flips, somersaults off rocks and handstands, all the while kicking and punching at unseen enemies. He did this for a morning practice, spending an hour training outside before he had moved into the dojo, where he added wall-jumping and other acrobatics to his practice routine.
Ryoga had other reasons for not attending school. Actually, it was a conversation last night with Theta that had made his decision.
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Ryoga stared at the ceiling of the guest room, arms behind his head as he mentally conversed with the person stuck in his head.
You said I was to win Akane over. What would be better than to go to school with her?
[I don't think it's a good idea.]
Why? I'm the same age as her, so we will probably be in the same class. I would be able to know what she's like away from the house.
[I'm not faulting your reasoning. I'm saying that there's someone there that I don't want you to be introduced to.]
What could be a big threat at a school?
{Someone who is delusional, hostile and close-minded with only a slight skill in kendo.}
Sounds like you don't like the guy.
{Doesn't like is a drop of water to the river of hatred I have for the person.}
This statement made him blink. He had never heard Theta say something like that.
{Yes, I hate him. He's part of the reason I'm here helping you, and why Delta is here with Ranma.}
And the other part?
{Another someone I don't want you, Ranma or Akane to know, if at all possible.}
Ryoga contemplated on this. Theta was almost insistent on this point. Usually, he would advise on a situation, which usually he followed. This time, his guest would do anything to make him follow his suggestion.
{Trust me, if I could take control of your body, I would make sure you never came within five hundred feet of the place.}
Focusing on the light fixture overhead, the adpoted Saotome child frowned as he thought what would be best. What if I just accompanied her to school, then went and trained for the day?
{It would give you some time to know her outside the house,} he admitted a few seconds, {but only until you reach the gates. It's best if you didn't take a step inside.}
Unless someone is a threat to me.
{Only if I say it is a threat.}
Good enough. Still . . .
{I know you want to test yourself against him, but my experience is that it won't come out good, especially since I know you will beat him easily.}
Practice is all good . . .
{But someone to test your abilities against would be preferable?}
Exactly.
{We'll see. Maybe someone will come along and be a challenge for you. For now, we can only practice.}
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Akane was glad to hear that he wouldn't be attending school with her. However, she wasn't estatic about him following her to school, especially when he left before they reached the gates, casually walking away in another direction afte he slowlt rotated left, then right. She had been wanting to show the boy that she was a martial artist too. Her daily fights were proof enough that she was good.
As she prepared for her morning brawl, Ryoga watched his finace from a tall tree outside the school grounds. Theta wanted him to see what Akane put up with every morning, which he suspected was partly why he had been allowed to escort her here.
{Well, it wasn't because she was at risk of being trampled by a wild boar along the way.}
Yet you didn't want me to go to school.
{I didn't want you attending school. Knowing Akane out of the house and knowing what the local headache looks like is a different story.}
Just this one school?
{No. Any school you attended wouldn't be safe. Soun would insist you and Akane go to the same school, which means she would have to transfer with you. Akane would blame you because she wouldn't be able to do what she calls practice everyday. Then the headache would transfer too, and never leave you two alone. He would make the same declaration in that school, that anyone who wanted to date her would have to beat her first. Then what I wanted to avoid would come to pass. I don't want him to know about you, if at all possible. So school's out of the picture.}
Ryoga chewed on that reasoning for a bit. He knew of the lecture the person Theta called 'the headache' had made, and it downright disgusted him that someone would make a statement like that. But what Theta said made sense. His reasoning fit the profiles of the Tendo father and daughter. The only person he didn't know about was the third party involved, the one he hadn't met yet.
{You'll know about him soon enough. Now watch.}
Ryoga focused back at the school grounds, where Akane ran into the majority of the male population stirring at the front of the grounds. After the front lines wavered and broke under the one-woman assult, he relaxed physically, seeing that she didn't need his help with this.
Half these guys haven't had formal training in any sort of martial arts.
{And those who have aren't competent or skilled to take Akane down. She has some skill, but she hasn't gone through intense training.}
Agreeing completely, Akane's fiance watched as she knocked down more of the group starting to encircle her, professing their love.
{She's using her anger towards them to fuel her attacks.}
That's a dangerous thing to do. If they stopped their calls and worked together, she would be entirely vulnerable.
{But they don't, so she has that source and advantage.}
Akane was too busy to take notice of her fiance watching her take on fifty-some boys at once, despite him being in full view. As the last boy hit the ground in defeat, she let herself relax, straightening her long hair down her back.
"Honestly, you would think they would learn by now."
One of two guys who hadn't participated in the fight looked at the carnage surounding the youngest Tendo girl.
She's impressive, but its bad for her skills. She would be so confident in her abiliites that she wouldn't last long in a real fight.
{Especially with those who have trained all their life to fight. She would be a push-over to them. If she isn't corrected in her technique, she will start depending more on brute strength, rather than skill.}
Should I do something about it?
{Later, maybe. For now, it's better if you knew what was a daily occurance for your fiance.}
As she finished smoothing out her school uniform, she felt something whistle by her face. Grabbing it out of reflex, she studied the red rose before sighing at its significance. Then she turned to where the rose came from.
Dark clouds overhead rumbled omniously around the schoolyard. With a slow, deliberate pace, Tatewaki Kuno stepped out from behind the tree near the entrance to the school.
"An earthlier unhappy is the rose distilled, than that which withering on the virgin thorn grows, lives, and dies in single blissfullness," the kendoist recited, scorning the various teams and club members scattered across the ground as he approached the Tendo family member. "These . . .weaklings, such a borish lot, truly. They fought for the privilege of you company, Akane. If they could manage to defeat you, that is. What fools these mortals be."
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What a pompous ass.
{Kuno is that. Headache generally sums up his many faults.}
His name is Kuno? Tatewaki Kuno?
{Yes it's the same person who Nabiki sells the photos to. That's him.}
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Akane backed away slightly from older student, not wanting to battle him today.
"Oh, Kuno," she said, with something that verged on the border of disgust in her voice. "Excuse me. . ."
She turned to the side, fully intending walk around and enter the school without needing to fight him. He didn't make a move to intercept her, if one didn't consider the intent a bokken in her path could be taken.
"Oh, though she be little, she be fierce," Kuno continued. He slowly moved the wooden blade around until it pointed forward towards his love interest. "Wilt thou spar with me?"
Akane, realizing Kuno wouldn't back away from another fight, readied herself to teach Kuno not to mess with her today. With the engagement forced on her by that idiot Ryoga and her father, combined with the relentless hentai horde that stalked inside the gates every morning, she had had enough of the upperclassman's torture. She didn't wait for Kuno to attack as she usually did. She ran right at him, twisting to the side as he extended his weapon when he llunged.
The kendoist was controlled enough in his attack that he didn't over-extend, but his recovery time was marred when his opponent pushed her bookbag into his face. It truly didn't phase him, although he had to blink a few times before his eyes could focus. It was enough of a distraction to let Akane by him and into the relative safety of the school.
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Ryoga watched the whole fight from the tree limb, carefully watching the one person Theta seemed to hate with a passion. As the subject of their scrutiny entered the building before it began to pour. He didn't seem much, his skills were easily at a smiliar level to Akane's, and he had a longer range with his weapon. Yet, despite the natural strength and height Kuno had over Akane, she kept winning on a daily basis. Was this a typical fight between them?
{Not exactly. Akane is usually more defensive when she battles Kuno. She's usually not that aggresive, and has never used her bookbag against him.}
Yet she has won every time?
{That's an issue for debate. Yes, she has won these matches, but I have always thought Kuno there lets Akane win. He doesn't use all of his strength while fighting, so its hard to tell.}
Ryoga thought about it. He hadn't jumped into the fight because Theta had assured him she could handle him. But it made him worry that he would wisen up and eventually go all-out in these morning fights.
{Not much of a chance. Kuno has gone this long without figuring it out, and his pride, among other attributes, won't allow him to let others tell him otherwise. Now, we should go; the longer we stay here, the more of a chance he will see us.}
Ryoga focused his eyes outward, finally noticing the rain coming down. Practice wasn't going to be indoors; the rain and mud would give him an opportunity to work on balance. Once he knew where it was, of course.
{In a vacant lot nearby.}
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Nabiki watched her professor drone upon some significant point in a western nation's past, something that was only slightly amusing to her. It wasn't something she didn't know already; her grade averge was 95%, only second to a student in another class. She didn't need to completely concentrate on the subject at hand, just enough that the teacher wouldn't put her in the hall for inattention.
What she was truly doing was debating whether or not to tell Kuno about the engagement. Her first instinct told her yen. A slight hint to him that her sister was engaged to somebody, and he would pay handsomely for further information. Another hint that she could arrange fo him to meet Ryoga could be profitable as well. If nothing had made her worry, she would've done it without hesitation.
The only thing stopping her was a few factors she couldn't take into account, namely Ryoga himself and the voice he called Theta. Ryoga had shown he could defeat her classmate without much problem, judging from the technique he had used last night. A 'simple' technique, he had told them. She was highly sure that he wouldn't hurt Kuno badly, but she only knew him for a day, and couldn't predict everything he could be capable of, if completely destroying a table with a fist was a simple technique.
Theta was more of an enigma to her, and was the true cause for her worry. Although it was Ryoga who had told her family secrets that weren't commonly known, he didn't seem to know it until Theta told him. She had no doubts that the secrets he had told the family was only a fraction of all the knowledge this voice had. Also, Theta had used her association with Kuno as proof that he knew the family well. So it made sense that Theta knew all about Kuno, and what he was capable of. If Ryoga didn't know, he soon would; she saw him watching Akane's morning routine from a safe distance, observing, and probably talking to the person inside him.
Her eyes focused briefly. Theta would know what she would've done: told Kuno without a doubt or thought other than for the money. He had to know that, since he seemed to know everything else. And since Ryoga wasn't attending school, Kuno wouldn't have met him, nor would he ask about his relationship with Akane. Her sister would never tell Kuno about it, and her underlings would only say so if she gave the order. So she was the only one who would willingly tell him it.
She wouldn't tell Kuno, not today. She wanted to wait to see how Ryoga would react before she did anything. He might be willing to make a deal with her to keep certain information secret.
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Ryoga looked at the vacant lot. It was almost exactly like his backyard, if it hadn't changed much.
{It was only a few months ago when you were last there.}
But I had only stayed home for a few days.
{We've had this talk before. I couldn't train you in everything at the comfort of your home.}
Some things could have.
{The Futae no Kiwami was the first techique I thought you should learn. You couldn't learn it at a leaisurly pace, because we didn't have time for it. But we are digressing. We need to talk for a moment about something before today's training.}
Ryoga nodded, moving into the lot, sitting down in a meditative position as he focused inward.
What is it?
{Its coming close to the time when Ranma would be coming back. Depending on where he is at the moment, it might take him a few days, two weeks at most, to get here. That means caution will be needed from now on.}
Why should I be careful?
{Because I don't know what Ranma will know when he comes to fight us. I know many techniques, only some which you have mastered. Some are useless, others I cannot show you, becuse they originated from China. I can show you similar techniques, and how certain counters can be applied to some of the Chinese techniques I know.}
So the Futae no Kiwami is a balance to a technique I can't learn.
{Actually, if you and Ranma were left alone, eventually someone who traveled here from China would have taught you a similar technique. What I can tell you is it would have given you the ability to destroy rocks, with a side benefit of giving your body more resistance to attacks. However, it can't be used on a person or any other living thing. Your technique can.}
The Saotome child absorbed this information. This wasn't the true point of the talk, just a side-note that was of interest that came up.
{Your right. The real topic is that I have trained you to fight. I've shown you simple and advanced versions of many techniques I have studied. You have learned to harness your ki, and how to defend against ki attacks. There isn't any more time to teach you another technique, so you will be training to improve what you know. Now, let's begin.}
Ryoga got up from his sitting position, ready to train for the day.
{Today, I want you to spend the time training while using the Invisibility Technique of the Umisenken. All day, until we are done training.}
Whistling at the idea, Ryoga saw immediately the idea behind it. He could do the move, but he had to concentrate for a few seconds to make it work, and it would only last as long as he didn't move quickly.
{Exactly. I want you to be able to concentrate at making it second nature to you. And to be able to move quickly without becoming visible. Now, make yourself invisible, then start with your usual morning workout. After you're warmed up, we'll concentrate on other things.}
Leaping into the air, Ryoga began his day of training..
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Shampoo was the last to leave the small marker where the body of the deceased lay. Many flowers laid around the marker, their placing according to each person's standing in the village.
Family members were allowed the first setting of Rememberance Flowers, placed by the marker itself, pointing at the center of the stone to show their love to the lost kin. Warriors who saw honor in his life, even in his last moments, followed, placing their tokens in a ring around the marker at a respectful space away, the pettles placed to the right. It was his guard of honor, to protect him while he began his long slumber. Friends and those not warriors who respected him were next, placing their last gift another small space outside the ring, to show how they would always be with him, even if they ever forgot about him.
The flowers differed in colors, depending on what they thought of him in life. Blue and purple dominated the coloring of the ring, as did the flowers further down. A small patch of orange, likely from smaller children, rested at one side, and a few green and while flowers were well mixed within the ring, although a few did appear below.
All of the flowers right at the marker were red. They always were, even if a relative hated the deceased. Any other color was a sign of disrespect.
Shampoo's flower was unique. She had entered the northern mountains, hiking to and from the high reaches for her dedication. It was a Snow Flower, a flower that only bloomed in the area where days were short. It needed little light and moisture to live, so it could survive in altitudes other plant-life couldn't. Its petals were white at the stem, but changed shades as the petal extended, becoming a light red at its tips.
She could have placed it in any three places; his family had given her permission to place it by the marker, her status as an Amazon gave her the right to put it in the ring, and, as a close friend, she could put it at the bottom.
She chose to put it on top of the marker.
It was her tribute to a stubborn, short-sighted, annoying person who hadn't left her alone, and had issued the challenge without thinking of it. He wouldn't listen to Great-Grandmother when she said not to do this. He had made his reasons clear, which she had to concede.
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The outsider had appeard along the path to their village, traveling alone and not afraid in a country that was far from tamed. He had walked right up to the gates, where he had been stopped by herself and the other Amazon on guard that day. Both had told him that he should leave before something bad happened to him.
Recognition appeared in his eyes when he looked at her. Then he simply drew something from his backpack and threw it at her feet. She looked at it - a letter of challenge.
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His body was given the Rights of the Fallen Warrior. Amazons in full battle armor and various weapons at belts and in sheaths carried the bier on their shoulders, taking the body to his place of slumber. Respecting the family's wishes, he was clothed in the white robes he prefered, his weapons, shined before to a polish, were hidden away inside, concealed away even now. His glasses, broken during the fight, had been mended hastily and placed beside his face, almost as if he took them off for a rest. His hair was combed and arranged with care; his wounds cleaned as best they could. He almost did look like he slept, but for the deep, red gash under his right eye, and the slit throat.
When they buried him, it was with everything carried with him, weapons and all. He was placed in a round hole deep enough to place him standing up in the ground. He faced the village, towards his house so he could watch over it as he slept. Then he was buried. An unmarked rock was placed over where he had his final slumber, then the Rememberance Flowers.were placed.
Shampoo turned away from the marker. She would mourn for his loss, as any Amazon would, but she also had a husband as well. She had responsibilities as a married woman, and she wanted to please her strong husband in every way possible.
Entering the village, her thoughts returned to Mousse as she moved towards her hut. He had formally challenged her husband when he found out they were leaving the village for Japan, wanting Shampoo to stay while he left, although they would still be married. Cologne had told him to withdraw the challenge. He replied that he was worried about the outsider, that he would be trouble for anyone he associated with. He felt wrong; not evil, but malicious. That Shampoo, although Champion of the Amazons, would not be safe with a traveling companion like him. Cologne agreed reluctantly, partly because she had similar thoughts, but mainly because she could not dissuade him since his mind was set.
Her husband accepted the challenge, as he did the many times before in the last half year. But when before he only had fought to win or to prove his point, he had fought to kill. His end was swift.
No one thought to cal the outsider on this, even though he had become part of the village through marriage. His eyes said that he would not let anyone stop him.
"Have you paid your respects, Shampoo?" The man asked in Chinese. His black pig-tail seemed to whip all the way around as he turned his steel-grey eyes towards her. He was packing his stuff into a backpack, readying for their trip.
"Yes, Airen," she replied.
"Good. We are leaving early tomorrow morning. I need to be somewhere soon, but I want to have some fun first." Her husband chuckled, and it made her shiver. It was such a humorless sound.
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It was almost supper when Theta had ended training for the day. Tired, Ryoga rested before he got ready to walk back to the Tendos. with the engagement offical, he could have trained as he had for the last couple years, out in the country, only to go to civilization to buy some neccesities before taking off again. An actual dojo to practice in would be a treat.
{And you need to spend time with Akane as well.}
Why should I?
{Simple. You will need her in the month to come. And she will need you as well.}
I can't go through with it.
{Why not?}
I'm afraid of girls.
{You're not. You're shy.}
I didn't want the engagement.
{Your mother wanted you to have it. It was her gift to you when you became adopted.}
It was Ranma's engagement.
{He has known about it since the day Delta overloaded his mind with information. He might want it, but he might not either.}
Akane was too good for him.
{You deserve her.}
No.
{You are afraid. Not of girls, but being with her.}
The revelation shocked Ryoga. That's not true. I'm only engaged to her because you sugested her to me.
{I know you, inside and out,} Theta said. {I know you as well as I know my own mind and body. You love her. Past those same excuses and denials, where you are afraid to be with Akane, your love for her will push you whenever she is in danger. Until this fight between you and Ranma is finished and beyond, she will be your focus, your reason to live.}
She doesn't love me.
{She will. Not tonight, or tomorow, but she will love you. She is showing the signs already, if one knows what to look for.}
And you do?
{Yes. I know her better than all the girls who are in your story. I know her so well, only she knows herself better.}
I can't do it.
{Not alone to start, no. I can help you, but you will need to learn. It won't be all fun, but it'll be worth it in the end.}
As long as you don't back down from this, alright.
{Are you looking at it?}
Ryoga immediately focused outward, looking for the enemy that was coming his way.
{No, not that. Look forward.}
He did as much, trying to see what was of importance. Then he caught what Theta was looking at. It's pretty, I guess.
{Pretty? How about beautiful. I viewed similar sunsets like that on a regular basis. She loved to watch them, because it was a time we could be together, by ourselves, just holding each other. I only thought them beautiful, since they seemed so symbolic of our love to each other.}
Ryoga wiped the tear away as his mind turned this tidbit over. Your married?
{I . . . was. She died when a person attacked her when she was defenceless.}
Ryoga started to see a small picture of what Theta's life was like before he had found himself here. He never talked about it in the two years they have known each other, and Ryoga had never asked or pried.
{Which I am thankful for.} His voice seemed to chuckle for a second. {Shall we go? Melodramatic feelings don't suit either of us, and there is a girl waiting for you to return, although she doesn't know it yet.}
Laughing softly, Ryoga walked out of the lot, turning towards the direction a certain long-haired female martial artist lived.
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Hmmm... Sorry about the wait for this, its been one of those months. Not a big update, and not many questions answered, but I always like building up questions to be answered later.
Thanks to OmegaDL50, once again, for his feedback and information.
blue_scarf_fics@yahoo.com