A Ranma 1/2-Rurouni Kenshin fusion
Title Pending
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rorouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.
Nodoka had to be held back as she tried to rush to her son's side.
"Ranma!"
Ignoring the pain, Ranma flipped forward in midair. Catching Lee's jaw while flipping Ranma landed on his left knee and right foot. A quick check proved the wound in his side wasn't enough to cause any great concern.
"Well now, you dodged my rising version of the 'Venom Bite' along with the straight version. Not bad, but as you can see you can't keep avoiding it." Lee once again fell into position for the 'venom bite'.
"No! not another one!" Kasumi exclaimed, fearing for Ranma's safety.
Ranma focused on Lee and slowly began to remember small bits of his training with him during his stay at their school. 'Come on! I know this move I shouldn't have such a hard time defending against it!'
With hardly a sound Lee flew towards Ranma again, only to have his arm grabbed by both of Ranma's hands. 'Jeez! with the amount of speed and power in that move, there's no way I can hold it with one arm.' Lee lifted his right arm with Ranma's following and sent Ranma towards the back of the dojo with a left punch to the chest.
"With the strength I gained from my many battles since the fall of the school and my 'Serpent's Tongue', There's no way you could hope to defeat either as you stand now."
'This guy is on a completely different level' thought Nabiki, while listening to Lee lecture Ranma's prone form. She glanced at Shampoo and Ukyo to take in their reaction of the situation, she couldn't help but feel a chill travel down her spine at the horrified looks on their faces.
"Ra...Ranma? please give up, there's no need.." Nodoka trailed off as she saw a red glow slowly start to appear around Ranma. Taking a step back Nodoka was snapped back to attention by the voice of Lee.
"Come on!"
Nodoka with a firm step placed herself in between the two fighters and leveled a glare at Lee.
"Move ma'am, you're in the way." Lee spoke with his voice as cold as ice.
Nodoka began to speak when a hand found it's way on her arm, looking behind her, She again fell silent at the look Ranma was giving Lee. As she stepped aside for Ranma, she watched as he red aura flickered on and off.
'I can see Ranma slowly reverting back to his rage induced version of the cat fist with every pass. Yes, even with his wound he's getting stronger instead of weaker.' Lee continued to study Ranma as he once again engaged in the fight.
"Here I come." Ranma hissed. Taking the initiative Ranma flew towards Lee unloading his Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken without a word. Lee quickly covered his face with his arms forming an 'X' as hundreds of punches pounded his arms, ribs, and chest. After a second Lee snaked a kick through the sea of punches coming his way and sent Ranma flying back to where he came from.
'What the...I heard about the Amaguriken move, but I never thought it was that fast. I guess I didn't give him enough credit afterall.' Lee admonished himself.
Ranma's shirt lost a few buttons as the force from Lee's kick finally toke it's course. Ranma shakily stood up from his crouch.
'Ranma must be running out of energy, his aura is isn't as big as it was a moment ago.' Shampoo hazard to guess. She was forced to rethink her hypothesis as Ranma finally began to walk forward. Her gasp was lost in the crowd of everyone else's at they witnessed Ranma slightly bend forward. However, what really got their attention was when his eyes started to glow red and he appeared to have small fangs.
As Ranma slowly walked around Lee, his hands began to tense continuously as his aura made his fingernails seem sharper than normal. Lee also began to glow, however his was a dark green color about the shade of his eyes.
'I've finally pushed you to embrace the Cat Fist again. I suppose it is time to begin the real battle.' Lee smirked at Ranma "Now, for the true 'Serpent's Tongue', no more playing around!"
"No way, was he really holding back?" Ukyo shouted to no one in particular.
Lee as usual got into his stance with his right hand pointed forward and leveled with his face, and his left at chest level. However this time he slowly rocked his whole body, almost as if he was dancing. Ranma finally stopped stalking Lee and cocked his head slightly, while holding both hands at chest level and elbows pointed downward. Once again Lee silently charged Ranma but right before he struck Ranma lazily hopped over him and springboard off with enough force to send Lee into the wall for the second time in the fight.
"Yes, Ranma's not holding back either, and he even beat Lee's 'Venom Bite'!" Shampoo followed Ukyo, almost as if the two had rehearsed their lines.
"Lee, back at the school, each style had a main attack. You, of course, had the 'Venom Bite'. But even with it as powerful as it is, if you keep throwing it out at me like that, I'll quickly think of several ways past it." Ranma finally turned around to face the hole in the wall made by Lee.
"Try again. This is rather pathetic for an ending, with me finally going all out after holding back for so long." Ranma spit at Lee.
"For an ending? hmm, not quite what I was going for, but what the hell... I'll finish you now." Lee replied with a smile.
Ranma smirked back "Excuse me? I think you're reading my lines."
Kasumi looked back and forth between Ranma and Lee. "This feeling, this feeling of dread is the same I got when Akane left for Jusendo."
Nodoka wasn't fairing any better "We need to stop them, they're really serious about hurting each other."
"Auntie?" Nabiki quickly moved to Nodoka's side.
Ranma spread his arms wide and crouched as he let his red aura condense around his body. Lee's aura grew in response as he took his now familiar stance, and began rocking. They both peered into the other's eyes looking for the perfect moment to attack.
"If we don't stop them now then we won't get another chance!" Nodoka pleaded to Nabiki.
A loud growl stopped Nabiki from commenting.
Ranma tried to pounce on Lee but missed when his opponent lashed out with a regular snake strike causing Ranma to veer off course. Rolling with the miss Ranma turned back towards Lee and swung his hand towards him.
"Tiger's paw" four 3-foot long red ki lines exited Ranma's fingertips.
Lee dodged three of them by swerving his head but was caught by the pinky. Lee glanced at the small cut on his face, before facing Ranma again.
Lee rolled under Ranma's second tiger's paw attack, but was caught by the third and fourth attack.
"It seems you forgot about the "Full Tiger's paw", I can throw a tiger's paw attack with each hand and foot." Ranma smirked.
"Don't kid yourself. I didn't forget, I took a chance that you hadn't remembered the full version of it. Besides the tigers paw using your feet doesn't actually cut." Lee shrugged his shoulders "It was a chance worth taking."
Ranma's smirked changed into a smile "Fighting you always was unpredictable and fun."
"That it was, that it was." Lee shot his fist forward and opened his hand at the exact moment he arm was fully extended "Here's my variation!" as he hand opened a thin flat green blade zoomed in on Ranma.
Ranma hopped to his left all the way towards the wall then pushed off towards the ceiling which he clung to upside down. "That's a pretty nifty move. It looks pretty hard to do, it must take a lot of focus."
"If you only knew..." Lee trailed off as he bent down and brought both arms down to his waist. "But enough talk." Lee jumped straight at Ranma raising both arms to stab him.
Ranma let himself drop towards Lee while flipping. Four pair of ki claws accompanied him as he passed by Lee.
"They're talking like they'll never see each other again... are they really going to kill each other." Kasumi asked herself.
Ranma landed and jumped to the end of the dojo as Lee finally came down only feet from were he jumped from. Lee wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve. Lee's face was devoid of any emotion as faced off with Ranma again. Ranma eyes narrowed at Lee's stance.
Lee leaned forward with his arms crossed in an X formation with both hands pointing at Ranma, and his legs facing forward.
In return Ranma got into what would be best described as runner's starting position, both hands on the ground one leg bent under him and his other stretched back.
Like a runner that his stance resembled Ranma pushed off with his hands and foot flying across the dojo floor straight for Lee, once he half way there he used the leg that was originally stretched out to push off again. Lee braced him self and once Ranma reached him he bent backwards.
"Viper's pit!" Lee's hands struck at Ranma in what could be described as the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken combined with a regular snake strike.
Everyone gasped at the incredible sight of Ranma seemingly hovering over Lee as Lee continuously sent snake strike after snake strike at Ranma. In actuality Ranma barely slowed down his as he passed by Lee scratching at him over and over again.
After passing Lee, Ranma landed on he feet but faced away from Lee. In contrast Lee feel to his knee as his left arm dung by his side.
"One down... Three to go." Ranma whispered without even looking to verify the damage down.
"That's enough Ranma! Stop fighting!" Nodoka screamed to her son.
"That won't be happening Mr. Saotome." an aged voice called out as the side door to the dojo opened.
"Elder!"
"Grandmother?"
"It's not our place to stop the two of them from finishing this. This is not a simple dojo challenge, this is a true battle between two students of the Fang, there's more to this fight than just pride." Cologne informed the others.
"School of the Fang?" asked Ryouga who was leaning on Akane. The two had been heading for the dojo when Cologne arrived at the door.
"Yes, a school that teaches the invincible techniques of legend. The man fighting Ranma is Leon Max the master of the 'Serpent's tongue'."
"So that's the one Ranma injured all those years ago." Akane took a good look at the man holding his left arm.
Ryouga snorted "Some master, he's already lost this fight."
"As long as he is standing a true warrior has not lost." Cologne warned Ryouga.
"Whatever, with his arm out of ..." Ryouga trailed off as he watched Lee enter the his stance once again. "He's not really going for that move with only one arm?! That's crazy!"
"You always fought until you couldn't stand anymore." commented Ranma as he watched Lee prepare to attack.
"Like the old women said, as long as I'm standing I still can win!" Lee closed in on Ranma grabbing his loose shirt sleeve and snapping it towards Ranma's left eye. Ranma's only reaction was to close his left eye while keeping his whole body tense in preparation for Lee's true attack with either his right arm or legs.
"He didn't move his head out of the way..." Nabiki stated with confusion
"He probably figured Lee wanted him to move a certain way to set him up." Akane guessed.
"Well this fight should finally be over, Lee's desperate trick didn't work..." Ryouga was once again proven wrong.
Lee cocked his right fist back after letting the sleeve go, however he twisted his whole upper body causing his left arm to swing at Ranma. Ranma barely paid any attention to it as he continued to watch Lee's right fist.
Even as Ranma noticed the extra gleam from Lee's left hand it was to late.
"Oh crap!" Ryouga's eyes grew wide.
"That isn't his...?" Nabiki began.
"Glasses!" Kasumi finished.
Before Ranma could change the lazy block he had originally employed, Lee's hand with his glasses tucked between the fingers connected with Ranma's left hand. The collision broke the glasses sending shards towards Ranma's right eye.
As Ranma stepped back to reorient himself Lee jumped and place his legs around Ranma's neck. Lee then flipped Ranma onto his back with a leg throw never releasing his hold.
Nodoka no longer had the energy to even scream as she fell to her knees.
"Damn! Ran-chan can't get out of that hold." Ukyo began to reach for her giant spatula.
"That's not a simple hold. This fight may very well be over." Cologne said in a subdued voice 'I guess I should have expected son-in-law to lose to a master of one of the invincible techniques.'
As Ranma's vision began to blackened he tried his own last ditch effort. 'I've seen Ryouga do this enough times, please let this work.'
"Could it be?!" Cologne knew that ki technique well 'can he pull it off?'
Everyone looked towards Cologne for only as second as they noticed her staring at Ranma with an intense look. They quickly focused back on the fight.
Ranma narrowed his eyes a fraction, any narrower and they'd be closed. Slowly he touched the dojo floor with his finger out stretched.
BOOM!
Dust flew into the air as Ranma rolled away from Lee thanks to the bakusai tenketsu.
Everyone was speechless and a bit breathless, this fight had taken way to many turns for them to handle.
"You see children, this is how true warriors battle, even though they both should give up if this was a simple match, they choose to fight until they can no longer move. But even with that said I believe the next exchange with determine the fight." Even if the fight wasn't exactly pretty Cologne was more than impressed with both fighters.
Ranma and Lee both slowly got to their feet. Ranma with his right eye closed and rapidly blinking his left. Lee with his left arm still unresponsive.
"You ready to finish this?" Ranma asked.
"You needn't ask." Lee grinned back.
Lee entered a tae kwon do stance as Ranma entered his regular Anything Goes stance. Lee grimaced 'I can't really continue using my 'serpent's tongue' style with one arm.' Ranma wasn't any happier 'A lost to much energy thanks to Lee's chokehold.'
Nodoka held her breath as the two charged each other once more.
BANG!
All action stopped at what suspiciously sounded like a gunshot from outside the dojo.
Everyone peered outside to see a two individuals standing near the koi pond, one with her gun raised, the other with his hands clasped behind his back. As the one with the gun approached the dojo she began to speak "Dammit Lee! we sent you here to simply ask for Mr. Saotome's help, not to beat the crap out of every competent fighter here."
"I'm kind of busy right now Detective Yamaguchi. I'll get back to you after I deal with Ranma."
"Detective Yamaguchi?" Kasumi blinked in surpise, the green haired young women looked a little to young to be a detective.
"Ask for Ranma's help?" Nabiki asked incredulously.
Finally the other individual, an older gentleman in a business suit with grey hair and a few scars on his face, spoke up "Leon... I know you and Ranma have some unfinished business from your old training days, But we really can't have you or young Ranma taken out of the game at this point."
Ranma's eyes widened at man in front of him "You're behind this... the former master of the 'Scales of the Dragon' style... Tetsuya Tsuki."
Kasumi repeated Ranma " Scales of the Dragon?"
"Just how many people are going to show up today?" Nabiki grumbled.
"So what's up with this 'Scales of the Dragon' guy?" Ryouga asked.
"Foolish boy, his style is one of the most brutal of the invincible techniques" Cologne admonished, while Ryouga bristled at being called a foolish boy.
"I am sorry for having caused so much trouble for you, but Lee was the best man to send to figure out if you were still worth coming for. We didn't exactly expect for him to go this far." Tetsuya looked over to Lee. "Please Ranma, hear me out."
"Alright, we'll listen to what you have to say" Ranma answered.
Lee raised his eyebrow "Do you wish for me to stay my dear detective?"
Yamaguchi glared at Lee "I think Mr. Tsuki would like for you to stay."
"Whatever, well it looks like we'll have to postpone our final fight for a little while longer." Lee grinned at Ranma.
Ranma had to tear his eyes away from Shampoo's lithe body to face Lee "....Yes, just a little while."
Ranma slowly started walking with back towards the house placing his arms around both Shampoo and Ukyo, appearently for support. After a few steps he blinked looked at what he was doing and quickly jumped into the koi pond.
Lee raised and eyebrow, then started chuckling "What's the matter cub? you weren't felling a bit frisky were you?"
Ranma and Ukyo blushed, Shampoo grinned, Akane and Ryouga bristled, Nodoka and Cologne smiled, and Nabiki and Kasumi blinked.
"Shut up Lee" Ranma decided to walk by her mother in case the water didn't help cool her off and shake her out of the Cat Fist. 'What was that all about?' *****
"I'll get straight to the point... Daigo Mitsurugi is reviving the 'Band of the Fang' and has already begun his bid for control." Tetsuya began only to be cut off by Nabiki.
"And just who is this Daigo guy, and I thought it was the 'School of the Fang'?"
"Please allow Mr. Tsuki to finish Ms. Tendo." Yamaguchi politely asked.
"Daigo Mitsurugi... he and I were the only two fighters at the school who began our training in our styles prior to joining. Even though he was about Lee's age he never got the popularity at the school like I did. As fighters who were not originally taught our techniques by the school we did not have to swear loyalty to them, I believe many feared that Daigo would by consumed by his style. Some people believe his style is a deadlier version of my own." A now male Ranma informed everyone.
"A deadlier version..." Akane trailed off.
"Of the 'cat fist'." Shampoo carried on for Akane.
"I thought you were going to take him to China to help him find inner peace with some monks you knew. I take it something went wrong." Ranma asked Tetsuya.
Everyone turned to Tetsuya as he hung his head in shame "Yes, while traveling across a foggy mountainous range in China, we came across a simple training ground..." Tetsuya paused.
Ranma looked at Lee and then the other sitting in a semi circle around him, and noticed everyone had sweatdrops. "You wouldn't by any chance be talking about the Bayankala Range would you, and the training grounds of ..." Ranma really didn't want to finish his sentence and was more than happy when Lee picked up where he left off.
"Jusenkyo. However did you guess?" Lee's voice was filled with sarcasm.
Ranma seeing that Lee wasn't going to fill him in on any more information asked the question he really dreaded "He fell into one of the springs didn't he? which one was it?"
"The first spring he fell into to..." Tetsuya was cut off again, this time by Ranma.
"The First! Your kidding me, just how many springs did he fall into?"
"Only two... First the 'spring of drowned dragon'... kind of ironic I guess, once he emerged from the spring in the body of a ten-foot long baby dragon we fought him into the 'spring of drowned boy'." Once he had finished he glanced to take in everyone's expressions. They all had gone slightly green in the face.
"I guess you know a little about mixing jusenkyo curses. Well what come out was a man with scaly skin and white hair. his strength was incredible even compared to Lee's. Worst of all, however, was his mind set. He was filled with animalistic rage, in the end it took several of our men to finally put him down." Tetsuya closed his eyes as he finished.
"Put him down?" Ranma turned to Lee again.
"He supposedly drowned in the 'spring of drowned dragon'." Lee shrugged his shoulders "I guess we wrote him off to soon."
"Eventually he returned to the school and destroyed it, gathering those who hadn't yet gained complete control over their styles and converting them to his army. With his power and the fallen members of our school, Daigo continued to search for fighters who enjoyed violence to add to his secret group." Tetsuya further elaborated for everyone.
"So that's the real reason the school was disbanded. I always thought that the idea that the school just decided that the techniques they had were no longer necessary was a weak reason." Cologne muttered to herself.
"So Daigo destroyed the school and resurrected the 'Band of the Fang' the original name for the first group of masters who developed the styles." Ranma thought out load.
"With his group, Daigo plans on controlling Japan and perhaps even more of Asia from within the shadows. The government's regular forces can't do much since Daigo has already made connections with the Yakuza. We need someone to confront Daigo personally... we need a master of one of the invincible techniques to stop him. You're one of the few still living who isn't already working with Daigo. Please, for the sake of Japan and the honor of our school, face Daigo and his group along with Lee!" Tetsuya pleaded.
Ranma bit his lower lip, while his mother finally spoke again "If I'm hearing this correctly you want my son to... get rid of this Daigo Mitsurugi."
Tetsuya stared at her straight in the eyes "Yes, Mrs. Saotome, that's exactly what I want."
"The government will be most thankful, and we will be more than happy to help restore both the Tendo and Saotome homes, as well as continue to overlook the fact that some of you are illegally staying in this country as well as some of you committing various crimes including larceny, housing fugitives, gambling and more... if you would just cooperate." Lee smirked at the different individuals as they cringed when one crime or another was mentioned.
"That's blackmail, Lee." Yamaguchi stated before turning towards Ranma. "Please help us, the Country is in dire straits"
Ranma found himself extremely sympathetic to young women in front of him.
"So you want Ran-chan to clean up your mess? Well he isn't part of your school anymore so why don't you find someone else." Ukyo directed to Tetsuya.
"Yeah, from the way I see it, Ranma could easily have been in Daigo's situation. You guys really screwed up, Ranma shouldn't be the one to clean it up." Nabiki pointed out.
"Mr. Tsuki, I understand how grave the situation is, but Ranma isn't the warrior you believe him to be. He's just a regular boy who's been studying the martial arts his whole life and is now starting his path to joining the adult world." Nodoka tried to reason with him.
"That's right, Ranma is my airen, not your warrior!" Shampoo nodded.
"Ran-chan's staying here with his cute fiancee and best friend." Ukyo stated with conviction.
"Besides you don't want a jerk like him deciding the fate of our country." Ryouga tried to sound wise.
"B-but..." Yamaguchi was baffled.
"It's alright Sakura." Tetsuya quieted the female officer. "Ranma, I don't need you answer immediately, so please thank about this long and hard. Not just for Japan but for your own soul as well." With that Tetsuya and Sakura began to walk out Ranma, Lee, and Nodoka behind them. The others stayed behind trying to come to terms with the information they were given.
"Well Ranma, I have some business in the area for the next couple of days but I'll return for an answer on Sunday." Tetsuya began to enter the car.
"Tetsuya... you seemed to have aged more than expected in only 3 years."
"When you lose so much in such a short amount of time as I have... It takes a very high toll on you." Tetsuya took a deep breath before continuing "I pray that you will give me a good answer when I return."
"Remember Mr. Saotome, we'll be returning on Sunday." Yamaguch got in the driver's seat. "Are you coming Lee?"
"No, you two go ahead, I'll see you tomorrow." Lee answered while staring at Ranma.
As the car drove off Ranma turned towards his mother "I need to go for a walk."
Nodoka stared at her son before giving him a hug "Don't stay out to long." once reluctingly letting the hug go she took a moment to look at Lee who was still staring at Ranma. Finally she went back inside.
"Walk with me." Lee told Ranma, who nodded in return.
After walking in silence for a minute, Lee turned back to Ranma "You don't really plan on sitting this out do you?"
"Maybe."
"You're a horrible liar."
"I know."
They continued for awhile longer in silence before Ranma took the initiative "Is everyone else really gone?"
Lee closed his eyes "Yes, besides the ones with Daigo, he has gotten rid of all other threats to his cause."
"Except you and me..." Ranma thought.
"I think he wants me and perhaps even you to try to stop him."
Ranma nodded "He never did like the two of us did he?"
Lee smiled "Even though we were both the same age, and I was only half Japanese, I still was better than him. And both of you came in at the same time but you got all the attention."
"You think he wants to prove he's better than us."
"More than likely." Lee stopped walking and turned towards Ranma. "No matter what you say or believe right now, you are and will always be a warrior, the sooner you accept that the sooner you'll find the peace to master the cat fist."
"I think it'll take more than that for me to master it." Ranma deadpanned.
"I don't doubt that, but you be further down the right path once you accept that you're a warrior."
"I'll think about it."
Lee began to walk away "Is that a new technique you've learned, I don't recall you ever tying to 'think about it' before."
"Shut up Lee." *****
-Sunday, one week later...-
Genma and Soun were both fidgeting as they ate breakfast, they could feel a certain tension in the air. Now normally the two wouldn't have noticed it, but the fact that Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Nodoka... as well as Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne showed up for breakfast while staring at Ranma the whole time seemed a little odd.
"Well boy what's on you schedule for today." Genma asked to hopefully calm everyone down, he sweatdropped as everyone leaned in to hear Ranma's answer.
"Nothing much."
Everyone was silent for a moment, before they all turned to Genma. Genma blinked as they starting making weird gestures at him 'What's wrong with everyone... are they sick, they keep flicking their eyes from me to the side while cocking their head at Ranma.'
After realizing that Genma was useless, well most of them already knew that, Nodoka deciding since Genma did break the ice it wouldn't sound to prying if she continued his questioning. "So you're not planning on heading anywhere today?"
"Um, no where important, maybe to get some ice cream or something." Ranma answered with still eating his breakfast.
"I hear tonight is going to be beautiful, and I know how much you like to watch the stars from the roof so maybe we'll do that tonight. What do you say." Nodoka was determined to find out what Ranma was going to decide.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Ranma commented.
Akane was really losing her patience with him though "Ranma!" Everyone cringed from Akane, except for the unfortunate piglet in her hands who wish he could cover his ears. "We're all waiting for you to tell us if your leaving or not!"
"Yeah Ran-chan, you not really going to leave me again are you?"
"Airen should not abandon wife, especially to go with that crazy snake fighter."
"Snake fighter?" Ranma blinked "Oh you mean Lee. He is kind of out there isn't he."
"I hate that guy!" several of the ladies said, Mousse also joined them.
"Lee... Lee... that name sounds familiar..." Genma trailed off.
"You know him pop, the guy who mastered the 'Serpent's Tongue' technique." Ranma reminded him.
Genma blanched "HE came here?! did you really beat him, boy?"
"Sorry, it was interrupted." Ranma calmly replied. "He beat the crap out of Ryouga though!" Ranma started laughing.
"Don't laugh at Ryouga you jerk!" Akane punted Ranma out the house.
"Well I guess we won't be getting our answer any time soon." Nabiki remarked.
"You'd almost think son-in-law did that on purpose so that he could leave..." Cologne began to calmly sip some tea as she waited for the eventual explosion.
"Damn! We've got to find him!" Akane dropped P-chan and began putting on her shoes as the other girls followed her lead. *****
Tetsuya sighed to himself as his escort drove towards Nerima. 'Ranma has to help us against Daigo. Lee can't do it alone. I'm not even sure Ranma and Lee together will be enough... But there just isn't anyone else.' Firming his resolve Tetsuya spoke up "Ranma and Lee must save Japan."
I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Tsuki, but by order of the Band of the Fang you must be killed.
Tetsuya jumped in surprise at the young girl sitting beside him in the back of the car. "What?! How did you get in here?" He was further shocked when instead of opening her mouth to answer him she smiled
'She didn't move her mouth but I still heard her' Tetsuya tried to figure out what this girl was. "You came into my car without opening the door and you spoke to me without your mouth... Oh my god! You have the URGG..." Before his could finish the young women reappeared in front of him with her hands around his throat.
The driver in the car began swerving as a figure showed up in between the front seats strangling his charge. "Where the hell did you come from?!" He blinked as the frail looking girl smiled at him and took one arm from around her victim and knocked the driver out of the car.
The driver rolled a couple of time before turning towards his car and watching it go head first into tall lamp post. As people started to surround the car the driver noticed a figure appear out of nowhere right before him. The driver took one look at the frail girl and passed out.
Only minutes later did Ranma come across the scene 'that's odd you don't see to many car crashes in this area of Nerima...' Ranma made his way through the crowd of people. He stopped as soon as he had gotten a glimpse of the man involved in the accident "Tetsuya..."
Ranma looked around, the voice was quite easy to hear but it seemed everyone else was ignoring it. Ranma spotted a frail girl, with light blue hair tied into two braids going down to her lower back, staring back at him from across the street. Once the voice told him goodbye the girl nodded to him and walked away. 'That girl couldn't have done this, she was only about 14' But regardless of who actually caused the accident he knew who ordered it.
"Daigo Mitsurigi..." *****
"Auntie, I heard some very terrible news..." Kasumi began to look at her feet before looking at Nodoka with worry in her eyes. "While I was out shopping there were some other housewives talking about a car crash that happened today, apparently some government official coming through Nerima was in an accident."
Nodoka tried to keep calm "Did anyone know any names or know how the accident occurred?"
"No auntie, they said somehow the driver went stumbling out of the car before passing out. With the driver out of the car, it slammed into a lamp post."
"You think it might be him don't you?" Nodoka asked Kasumi.
"I know I think it is." Came a voice from near the door way. Nodoka and Kasumi both looked to find Nabiki along with the rest of the girls coming in.
"You really think it was him, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.
"Well you know how rarely police cars come through this area..." Ukyo trailed off.
"I hope Ranma's alright." Shampoo added.
Everyone's head snapped up at that. *****
"Daigo must be getting close to making his last few moves if he's no longer taking the time to cover up his crimes. Mr. Tsuki was the last man we had who really knew how Daigo worked. Perhaps if we never got him involved he'd still be alive, he was in no condition to fight off..."
Knock. Knock.
The knock at the door cut Sakura off. Lee, Ranma, and Sakura watched a young officer enter the room. "Lee, Ranma this is the officer who spoke to the driver when he came back to. So what did he say about the incident?"
The young officer cleared his throat before speaking up "Well he said he was just driving along when he heard Mr. Tsuki began to talk to himself, he said he tried not to pry into his business but then all of a sudden someone 'popped' into the car beside him and knocked him right through the car door and into the street. I asked him if he was sure the person hadn't jumped in the car during a moment when he stopped the car. He claimed that he had been extra attentive to his surroundings outside the car. When I told him to elaborate on that he said Mr. Tsuki had been acting a little out of character, like he was worried about something. He doesn't believe that Mr. Tsuki was expecting to be assassinated, but it was more like Mr. Tsuki knew today was going to be a important day to our future."
Ranma winced at the last comment, but kept quiet. As Sakura asked the officer questions about the condition of the car and if there were any witnesses, Ranma and Lee stepped out of her office.
"Ms. Yamaguchi seemed extremely troubled by Mr. Tsuki' death." Ranma noted.
"She was the one who brought him in on the situation, if I'm not mistaken they believed that Daigo wouldn't go after him out of respect for being his former teacher." was Lee's reply. "With the last well known teacher from our school gone, I'm sure the government will be extremely cautious with Daigo. And I'm sure Daigo is going to make the most of that."
Ranma stopped walking by the exit of the police building "Lee... just what are you planning?"
Lee placed his glasses on before answering "I thought you started using your brains more. Isn't it obvious, there's only one thing left for me to do... I'm going to take on 'The Band of the Fang'."
Ranma watched Lee continue his stroll down the station before deciding he have a very important decision to make himself.
After putting a good distance between himself and the police station Ranma began to contemplate his decision. He tried to recall everyone's arguments pertaining to him leaving....
"Please, for the sake of Japan and the honor of our school, face Daigo and his group along with Lee!"
"So you want Ran-chan to clean up your mess? Well he isn't part of your school anymore so why don't you find someone else."
"Yeah, from the way I see it, Ranma could easily have been in Daigo's situation. You guys really screwed up, Ranma shouldn't be the one to clean it up."
"He's just a regular boy who's been studying the martial arts his whole life and is now starting his path to joining the adult world."
"it was more like Mr. Tsuki knew today was going to be a important day to our future."
"With the last well known teacher from our school gone, I'm sure the government will be extremely cautious with Daigo. And I'm sure Daigo is going to make the most of that."
"I'm going to take on 'The Band of the Fang'."
Ranma looked around at all the people who were going about their lives without a care in the world. 'Can I really ignore the danger that Daigo's presence will cause these people. It's like Lee said "No matter what you say or believe right now, you are and will always be a warrior".' *****
There was quite a large gathering at the Tendo dojo as evening fell.
"Come now Shampoo and Mousse, we have to open back up for the dinner rush." Cologne beckoned her two employees.
"But Grandmother, we have to make sure Ranma doesn't leave!" Shampoo tried to argue.
"Don't worry darling, you don't have to worry about Ranma... You have me." Mousse beamed Shampoo a winning smile while Shampoo beamed a Bonbori in return.
"If Ranma leaves than there's no need for the resturant!" Shampoo tried again.
"Alright, you two try to find son-in-law." Cologne gave in, of course it might be because she was curious as well.
"I'll find him and bring him back to the Cat Cafe." Shampoo exclaimed.
"Oh no you don't I going to go bring Ran-chan back!"
"Wouldn't it be better if you all tried to find him together agian. Maybe this time, planning out how to break up everyone into groups and assigning them areas to cover." Kasumi helpfully added.
"That's a good idea Kasumi. In fact, I actually thought of that earlier when our morning search fell apart." Nabiki began "Akane and..."
"Me!" Nabiki blinked at the shout only to find Ryouga heading down their stairs. Deciding not to comment on the fact that Ryouga was wet or why he was coming from upstairs Nabiki just nodded. "Okay Akane and Ryouga will check west from here near the canal... then again maybe you guys shoudn't check around the there..."
Akane blinked while Ryouga nodded enthusiastically.
"You two will search around the high school. Shampoo and Mousse might as well search the area near their restuarant, the same for Ukyo who should be able to ask Konatsu for help. Me and Kasumi will check around the our neighborhood, Dad and Mr Saotome can check... where are they?" Nabiki asked her sister.
"I'm not sure." Kasumi looked towards Nodoka.
"I believe Genma and Soun went to celebrate the fact that Ranma survived a fight with Lee." Nodoka seemed non to pleased with that fact 'they didn't ask if Ranma was hurt, they just cared about was that he could still marry Akane.'
"I guess auntie and elder Cologne can stay here in case Ranma returns while were looking for him." Kasumi suggested.
"Alright everybody lets go." Akane stood up to lead everyone again. Everyone else just shook their heads 'Akane'll be lucky to find the school let alone Ranma with Ryouga as her partner' was the thought on more than one persons mind.
As everyone headed out Nodoka turned to Cologne "Do you think it's alright for Kasumi and Nabiki to go out alone?"
Cologne smiled at Nodoka "I'll keep an eye on them" and with that Cologne jumped to the roofs.
Watching Cologne take to the roofs Nodoka thought to herself 'Ranma you were going to watch the stars with me tonight.' After waiting a few moments Nodoka headed for the ladder to the roof. 'I know it's kind of foolish but who cares.'
"You were right, tonight is beautiful."
Nodoka almost lost her hold on the ladder "Ranma!"
Ranma gave his mother a small smile "I wasn't sure you'd come up here. I see everyone's looking for me."
"Ra..Ranma?" Nodoka was starting to worry.
"Tetsuya Tsuki passed away today..."
"I know, Kasumi told me earlier. He had an accident."
"It was no accident Mom. Daigo's men... er, well Daigo ordered for Mr. Tsuki to be killed. I can't ignore this mother."
"So your going..."
"After the Band of the Fist? Yes. Lee says there stationed back at the old school grounds in Kyoto."
"Kyoto? So are you deciding that you truly are a warrior?"
"Once I started the path down that road, I don't think there was ever really any going back. But I tried to fool myself into thinking it was possible."
"But you did change. I know you can still go back to before."
Ranma finally turned away from the stars and looked at his mother. "Do you remember after the wedding when you told me you weren't concerned about me being a man among men anymore. I don't think you know how much that really meant to me. I think that was the happiest moment of my life."
Ranma gave his mother a true heartfelt hug. "I love you, mom."
"R..Ranma?" Nodoka tried to hold in the tears.
"But I'm a warrior, and it's time for me to fight once again." Ranma let go of his mother then flipped into his room. After grabbing his already packed bag he snuck out the dojo's entrance nooding to the figure watching him from the rooftop "Goodbye to you to... Old Ghoul." Ranma whispered so that only he could hear it.
As Ranma disappeared into the night Nodoka finally let her tears fall.
"I love you too."
And so it was on this day that
Ranma Saotome practitioner of the Cat Fist
and heir to Anything Goes School began another training trip, this time to face an opponent from his past,
But for once he went alone.
***** To Be Continued
Authors notes:
Well here's the second part. I've been wondering about the attack names... should I used English or the Japanese version. (For instance the Cat Fist or Neko-ken, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire or Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken, Breaking point or bakusai tenketsu). Anyway as of right now I'll probably used the Japanese version which I think is actually Chinese, instead of the English translation for attacks from the amazons. while using the English translation for the cat fist. (I'll also be using the shi shi hokodan instead of whatever the English translation is, same thing with Ranma's ki attack.
quail12001@yahoo.com
By: Q Ranma 1/2 and Rorouni Kenshin do not belong to me and are being used solely for non-profit purposes.
Nodoka had to be held back as she tried to rush to her son's side.
"Ranma!"
Ignoring the pain, Ranma flipped forward in midair. Catching Lee's jaw while flipping Ranma landed on his left knee and right foot. A quick check proved the wound in his side wasn't enough to cause any great concern.
"Well now, you dodged my rising version of the 'Venom Bite' along with the straight version. Not bad, but as you can see you can't keep avoiding it." Lee once again fell into position for the 'venom bite'.
"No! not another one!" Kasumi exclaimed, fearing for Ranma's safety.
Ranma focused on Lee and slowly began to remember small bits of his training with him during his stay at their school. 'Come on! I know this move I shouldn't have such a hard time defending against it!'
With hardly a sound Lee flew towards Ranma again, only to have his arm grabbed by both of Ranma's hands. 'Jeez! with the amount of speed and power in that move, there's no way I can hold it with one arm.' Lee lifted his right arm with Ranma's following and sent Ranma towards the back of the dojo with a left punch to the chest.
"With the strength I gained from my many battles since the fall of the school and my 'Serpent's Tongue', There's no way you could hope to defeat either as you stand now."
'This guy is on a completely different level' thought Nabiki, while listening to Lee lecture Ranma's prone form. She glanced at Shampoo and Ukyo to take in their reaction of the situation, she couldn't help but feel a chill travel down her spine at the horrified looks on their faces.
"Ra...Ranma? please give up, there's no need.." Nodoka trailed off as she saw a red glow slowly start to appear around Ranma. Taking a step back Nodoka was snapped back to attention by the voice of Lee.
"Come on!"
Nodoka with a firm step placed herself in between the two fighters and leveled a glare at Lee.
"Move ma'am, you're in the way." Lee spoke with his voice as cold as ice.
Nodoka began to speak when a hand found it's way on her arm, looking behind her, She again fell silent at the look Ranma was giving Lee. As she stepped aside for Ranma, she watched as he red aura flickered on and off.
'I can see Ranma slowly reverting back to his rage induced version of the cat fist with every pass. Yes, even with his wound he's getting stronger instead of weaker.' Lee continued to study Ranma as he once again engaged in the fight.
"Here I come." Ranma hissed. Taking the initiative Ranma flew towards Lee unloading his Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken without a word. Lee quickly covered his face with his arms forming an 'X' as hundreds of punches pounded his arms, ribs, and chest. After a second Lee snaked a kick through the sea of punches coming his way and sent Ranma flying back to where he came from.
'What the...I heard about the Amaguriken move, but I never thought it was that fast. I guess I didn't give him enough credit afterall.' Lee admonished himself.
Ranma's shirt lost a few buttons as the force from Lee's kick finally toke it's course. Ranma shakily stood up from his crouch.
'Ranma must be running out of energy, his aura is isn't as big as it was a moment ago.' Shampoo hazard to guess. She was forced to rethink her hypothesis as Ranma finally began to walk forward. Her gasp was lost in the crowd of everyone else's at they witnessed Ranma slightly bend forward. However, what really got their attention was when his eyes started to glow red and he appeared to have small fangs.
As Ranma slowly walked around Lee, his hands began to tense continuously as his aura made his fingernails seem sharper than normal. Lee also began to glow, however his was a dark green color about the shade of his eyes.
'I've finally pushed you to embrace the Cat Fist again. I suppose it is time to begin the real battle.' Lee smirked at Ranma "Now, for the true 'Serpent's Tongue', no more playing around!"
"No way, was he really holding back?" Ukyo shouted to no one in particular.
Lee as usual got into his stance with his right hand pointed forward and leveled with his face, and his left at chest level. However this time he slowly rocked his whole body, almost as if he was dancing. Ranma finally stopped stalking Lee and cocked his head slightly, while holding both hands at chest level and elbows pointed downward. Once again Lee silently charged Ranma but right before he struck Ranma lazily hopped over him and springboard off with enough force to send Lee into the wall for the second time in the fight.
"Yes, Ranma's not holding back either, and he even beat Lee's 'Venom Bite'!" Shampoo followed Ukyo, almost as if the two had rehearsed their lines.
"Lee, back at the school, each style had a main attack. You, of course, had the 'Venom Bite'. But even with it as powerful as it is, if you keep throwing it out at me like that, I'll quickly think of several ways past it." Ranma finally turned around to face the hole in the wall made by Lee.
"Try again. This is rather pathetic for an ending, with me finally going all out after holding back for so long." Ranma spit at Lee.
"For an ending? hmm, not quite what I was going for, but what the hell... I'll finish you now." Lee replied with a smile.
Ranma smirked back "Excuse me? I think you're reading my lines."
Kasumi looked back and forth between Ranma and Lee. "This feeling, this feeling of dread is the same I got when Akane left for Jusendo."
Nodoka wasn't fairing any better "We need to stop them, they're really serious about hurting each other."
"Auntie?" Nabiki quickly moved to Nodoka's side.
Ranma spread his arms wide and crouched as he let his red aura condense around his body. Lee's aura grew in response as he took his now familiar stance, and began rocking. They both peered into the other's eyes looking for the perfect moment to attack.
"If we don't stop them now then we won't get another chance!" Nodoka pleaded to Nabiki.
A loud growl stopped Nabiki from commenting.
Ranma tried to pounce on Lee but missed when his opponent lashed out with a regular snake strike causing Ranma to veer off course. Rolling with the miss Ranma turned back towards Lee and swung his hand towards him.
"Tiger's paw" four 3-foot long red ki lines exited Ranma's fingertips.
Lee dodged three of them by swerving his head but was caught by the pinky. Lee glanced at the small cut on his face, before facing Ranma again.
Lee rolled under Ranma's second tiger's paw attack, but was caught by the third and fourth attack.
"It seems you forgot about the "Full Tiger's paw", I can throw a tiger's paw attack with each hand and foot." Ranma smirked.
"Don't kid yourself. I didn't forget, I took a chance that you hadn't remembered the full version of it. Besides the tigers paw using your feet doesn't actually cut." Lee shrugged his shoulders "It was a chance worth taking."
Ranma's smirked changed into a smile "Fighting you always was unpredictable and fun."
"That it was, that it was." Lee shot his fist forward and opened his hand at the exact moment he arm was fully extended "Here's my variation!" as he hand opened a thin flat green blade zoomed in on Ranma.
Ranma hopped to his left all the way towards the wall then pushed off towards the ceiling which he clung to upside down. "That's a pretty nifty move. It looks pretty hard to do, it must take a lot of focus."
"If you only knew..." Lee trailed off as he bent down and brought both arms down to his waist. "But enough talk." Lee jumped straight at Ranma raising both arms to stab him.
Ranma let himself drop towards Lee while flipping. Four pair of ki claws accompanied him as he passed by Lee.
"They're talking like they'll never see each other again... are they really going to kill each other." Kasumi asked herself.
Ranma landed and jumped to the end of the dojo as Lee finally came down only feet from were he jumped from. Lee wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve. Lee's face was devoid of any emotion as faced off with Ranma again. Ranma eyes narrowed at Lee's stance.
Lee leaned forward with his arms crossed in an X formation with both hands pointing at Ranma, and his legs facing forward.
In return Ranma got into what would be best described as runner's starting position, both hands on the ground one leg bent under him and his other stretched back.
Like a runner that his stance resembled Ranma pushed off with his hands and foot flying across the dojo floor straight for Lee, once he half way there he used the leg that was originally stretched out to push off again. Lee braced him self and once Ranma reached him he bent backwards.
"Viper's pit!" Lee's hands struck at Ranma in what could be described as the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken combined with a regular snake strike.
Everyone gasped at the incredible sight of Ranma seemingly hovering over Lee as Lee continuously sent snake strike after snake strike at Ranma. In actuality Ranma barely slowed down his as he passed by Lee scratching at him over and over again.
After passing Lee, Ranma landed on he feet but faced away from Lee. In contrast Lee feel to his knee as his left arm dung by his side.
"One down... Three to go." Ranma whispered without even looking to verify the damage down.
"That's enough Ranma! Stop fighting!" Nodoka screamed to her son.
"That won't be happening Mr. Saotome." an aged voice called out as the side door to the dojo opened.
"Elder!"
"Grandmother?"
"It's not our place to stop the two of them from finishing this. This is not a simple dojo challenge, this is a true battle between two students of the Fang, there's more to this fight than just pride." Cologne informed the others.
"School of the Fang?" asked Ryouga who was leaning on Akane. The two had been heading for the dojo when Cologne arrived at the door.
"Yes, a school that teaches the invincible techniques of legend. The man fighting Ranma is Leon Max the master of the 'Serpent's tongue'."
"So that's the one Ranma injured all those years ago." Akane took a good look at the man holding his left arm.
Ryouga snorted "Some master, he's already lost this fight."
"As long as he is standing a true warrior has not lost." Cologne warned Ryouga.
"Whatever, with his arm out of ..." Ryouga trailed off as he watched Lee enter the his stance once again. "He's not really going for that move with only one arm?! That's crazy!"
"You always fought until you couldn't stand anymore." commented Ranma as he watched Lee prepare to attack.
"Like the old women said, as long as I'm standing I still can win!" Lee closed in on Ranma grabbing his loose shirt sleeve and snapping it towards Ranma's left eye. Ranma's only reaction was to close his left eye while keeping his whole body tense in preparation for Lee's true attack with either his right arm or legs.
"He didn't move his head out of the way..." Nabiki stated with confusion
"He probably figured Lee wanted him to move a certain way to set him up." Akane guessed.
"Well this fight should finally be over, Lee's desperate trick didn't work..." Ryouga was once again proven wrong.
Lee cocked his right fist back after letting the sleeve go, however he twisted his whole upper body causing his left arm to swing at Ranma. Ranma barely paid any attention to it as he continued to watch Lee's right fist.
Even as Ranma noticed the extra gleam from Lee's left hand it was to late.
"Oh crap!" Ryouga's eyes grew wide.
"That isn't his...?" Nabiki began.
"Glasses!" Kasumi finished.
Before Ranma could change the lazy block he had originally employed, Lee's hand with his glasses tucked between the fingers connected with Ranma's left hand. The collision broke the glasses sending shards towards Ranma's right eye.
As Ranma stepped back to reorient himself Lee jumped and place his legs around Ranma's neck. Lee then flipped Ranma onto his back with a leg throw never releasing his hold.
Nodoka no longer had the energy to even scream as she fell to her knees.
"Damn! Ran-chan can't get out of that hold." Ukyo began to reach for her giant spatula.
"That's not a simple hold. This fight may very well be over." Cologne said in a subdued voice 'I guess I should have expected son-in-law to lose to a master of one of the invincible techniques.'
As Ranma's vision began to blackened he tried his own last ditch effort. 'I've seen Ryouga do this enough times, please let this work.'
"Could it be?!" Cologne knew that ki technique well 'can he pull it off?'
Everyone looked towards Cologne for only as second as they noticed her staring at Ranma with an intense look. They quickly focused back on the fight.
Ranma narrowed his eyes a fraction, any narrower and they'd be closed. Slowly he touched the dojo floor with his finger out stretched.
BOOM!
Dust flew into the air as Ranma rolled away from Lee thanks to the bakusai tenketsu.
Everyone was speechless and a bit breathless, this fight had taken way to many turns for them to handle.
"You see children, this is how true warriors battle, even though they both should give up if this was a simple match, they choose to fight until they can no longer move. But even with that said I believe the next exchange with determine the fight." Even if the fight wasn't exactly pretty Cologne was more than impressed with both fighters.
Ranma and Lee both slowly got to their feet. Ranma with his right eye closed and rapidly blinking his left. Lee with his left arm still unresponsive.
"You ready to finish this?" Ranma asked.
"You needn't ask." Lee grinned back.
Lee entered a tae kwon do stance as Ranma entered his regular Anything Goes stance. Lee grimaced 'I can't really continue using my 'serpent's tongue' style with one arm.' Ranma wasn't any happier 'A lost to much energy thanks to Lee's chokehold.'
Nodoka held her breath as the two charged each other once more.
BANG!
All action stopped at what suspiciously sounded like a gunshot from outside the dojo.
Everyone peered outside to see a two individuals standing near the koi pond, one with her gun raised, the other with his hands clasped behind his back. As the one with the gun approached the dojo she began to speak "Dammit Lee! we sent you here to simply ask for Mr. Saotome's help, not to beat the crap out of every competent fighter here."
"I'm kind of busy right now Detective Yamaguchi. I'll get back to you after I deal with Ranma."
"Detective Yamaguchi?" Kasumi blinked in surpise, the green haired young women looked a little to young to be a detective.
"Ask for Ranma's help?" Nabiki asked incredulously.
Finally the other individual, an older gentleman in a business suit with grey hair and a few scars on his face, spoke up "Leon... I know you and Ranma have some unfinished business from your old training days, But we really can't have you or young Ranma taken out of the game at this point."
Ranma's eyes widened at man in front of him "You're behind this... the former master of the 'Scales of the Dragon' style... Tetsuya Tsuki."
Kasumi repeated Ranma " Scales of the Dragon?"
"Just how many people are going to show up today?" Nabiki grumbled.
"So what's up with this 'Scales of the Dragon' guy?" Ryouga asked.
"Foolish boy, his style is one of the most brutal of the invincible techniques" Cologne admonished, while Ryouga bristled at being called a foolish boy.
"I am sorry for having caused so much trouble for you, but Lee was the best man to send to figure out if you were still worth coming for. We didn't exactly expect for him to go this far." Tetsuya looked over to Lee. "Please Ranma, hear me out."
"Alright, we'll listen to what you have to say" Ranma answered.
Lee raised his eyebrow "Do you wish for me to stay my dear detective?"
Yamaguchi glared at Lee "I think Mr. Tsuki would like for you to stay."
"Whatever, well it looks like we'll have to postpone our final fight for a little while longer." Lee grinned at Ranma.
Ranma had to tear his eyes away from Shampoo's lithe body to face Lee "....Yes, just a little while."
Ranma slowly started walking with back towards the house placing his arms around both Shampoo and Ukyo, appearently for support. After a few steps he blinked looked at what he was doing and quickly jumped into the koi pond.
Lee raised and eyebrow, then started chuckling "What's the matter cub? you weren't felling a bit frisky were you?"
Ranma and Ukyo blushed, Shampoo grinned, Akane and Ryouga bristled, Nodoka and Cologne smiled, and Nabiki and Kasumi blinked.
"Shut up Lee" Ranma decided to walk by her mother in case the water didn't help cool her off and shake her out of the Cat Fist. 'What was that all about?' *****
"I'll get straight to the point... Daigo Mitsurugi is reviving the 'Band of the Fang' and has already begun his bid for control." Tetsuya began only to be cut off by Nabiki.
"And just who is this Daigo guy, and I thought it was the 'School of the Fang'?"
"Please allow Mr. Tsuki to finish Ms. Tendo." Yamaguchi politely asked.
"Daigo Mitsurugi... he and I were the only two fighters at the school who began our training in our styles prior to joining. Even though he was about Lee's age he never got the popularity at the school like I did. As fighters who were not originally taught our techniques by the school we did not have to swear loyalty to them, I believe many feared that Daigo would by consumed by his style. Some people believe his style is a deadlier version of my own." A now male Ranma informed everyone.
"A deadlier version..." Akane trailed off.
"Of the 'cat fist'." Shampoo carried on for Akane.
"I thought you were going to take him to China to help him find inner peace with some monks you knew. I take it something went wrong." Ranma asked Tetsuya.
Everyone turned to Tetsuya as he hung his head in shame "Yes, while traveling across a foggy mountainous range in China, we came across a simple training ground..." Tetsuya paused.
Ranma looked at Lee and then the other sitting in a semi circle around him, and noticed everyone had sweatdrops. "You wouldn't by any chance be talking about the Bayankala Range would you, and the training grounds of ..." Ranma really didn't want to finish his sentence and was more than happy when Lee picked up where he left off.
"Jusenkyo. However did you guess?" Lee's voice was filled with sarcasm.
Ranma seeing that Lee wasn't going to fill him in on any more information asked the question he really dreaded "He fell into one of the springs didn't he? which one was it?"
"The first spring he fell into to..." Tetsuya was cut off again, this time by Ranma.
"The First! Your kidding me, just how many springs did he fall into?"
"Only two... First the 'spring of drowned dragon'... kind of ironic I guess, once he emerged from the spring in the body of a ten-foot long baby dragon we fought him into the 'spring of drowned boy'." Once he had finished he glanced to take in everyone's expressions. They all had gone slightly green in the face.
"I guess you know a little about mixing jusenkyo curses. Well what come out was a man with scaly skin and white hair. his strength was incredible even compared to Lee's. Worst of all, however, was his mind set. He was filled with animalistic rage, in the end it took several of our men to finally put him down." Tetsuya closed his eyes as he finished.
"Put him down?" Ranma turned to Lee again.
"He supposedly drowned in the 'spring of drowned dragon'." Lee shrugged his shoulders "I guess we wrote him off to soon."
"Eventually he returned to the school and destroyed it, gathering those who hadn't yet gained complete control over their styles and converting them to his army. With his power and the fallen members of our school, Daigo continued to search for fighters who enjoyed violence to add to his secret group." Tetsuya further elaborated for everyone.
"So that's the real reason the school was disbanded. I always thought that the idea that the school just decided that the techniques they had were no longer necessary was a weak reason." Cologne muttered to herself.
"So Daigo destroyed the school and resurrected the 'Band of the Fang' the original name for the first group of masters who developed the styles." Ranma thought out load.
"With his group, Daigo plans on controlling Japan and perhaps even more of Asia from within the shadows. The government's regular forces can't do much since Daigo has already made connections with the Yakuza. We need someone to confront Daigo personally... we need a master of one of the invincible techniques to stop him. You're one of the few still living who isn't already working with Daigo. Please, for the sake of Japan and the honor of our school, face Daigo and his group along with Lee!" Tetsuya pleaded.
Ranma bit his lower lip, while his mother finally spoke again "If I'm hearing this correctly you want my son to... get rid of this Daigo Mitsurugi."
Tetsuya stared at her straight in the eyes "Yes, Mrs. Saotome, that's exactly what I want."
"The government will be most thankful, and we will be more than happy to help restore both the Tendo and Saotome homes, as well as continue to overlook the fact that some of you are illegally staying in this country as well as some of you committing various crimes including larceny, housing fugitives, gambling and more... if you would just cooperate." Lee smirked at the different individuals as they cringed when one crime or another was mentioned.
"That's blackmail, Lee." Yamaguchi stated before turning towards Ranma. "Please help us, the Country is in dire straits"
Ranma found himself extremely sympathetic to young women in front of him.
"So you want Ran-chan to clean up your mess? Well he isn't part of your school anymore so why don't you find someone else." Ukyo directed to Tetsuya.
"Yeah, from the way I see it, Ranma could easily have been in Daigo's situation. You guys really screwed up, Ranma shouldn't be the one to clean it up." Nabiki pointed out.
"Mr. Tsuki, I understand how grave the situation is, but Ranma isn't the warrior you believe him to be. He's just a regular boy who's been studying the martial arts his whole life and is now starting his path to joining the adult world." Nodoka tried to reason with him.
"That's right, Ranma is my airen, not your warrior!" Shampoo nodded.
"Ran-chan's staying here with his cute fiancee and best friend." Ukyo stated with conviction.
"Besides you don't want a jerk like him deciding the fate of our country." Ryouga tried to sound wise.
"B-but..." Yamaguchi was baffled.
"It's alright Sakura." Tetsuya quieted the female officer. "Ranma, I don't need you answer immediately, so please thank about this long and hard. Not just for Japan but for your own soul as well." With that Tetsuya and Sakura began to walk out Ranma, Lee, and Nodoka behind them. The others stayed behind trying to come to terms with the information they were given.
"Well Ranma, I have some business in the area for the next couple of days but I'll return for an answer on Sunday." Tetsuya began to enter the car.
"Tetsuya... you seemed to have aged more than expected in only 3 years."
"When you lose so much in such a short amount of time as I have... It takes a very high toll on you." Tetsuya took a deep breath before continuing "I pray that you will give me a good answer when I return."
"Remember Mr. Saotome, we'll be returning on Sunday." Yamaguch got in the driver's seat. "Are you coming Lee?"
"No, you two go ahead, I'll see you tomorrow." Lee answered while staring at Ranma.
As the car drove off Ranma turned towards his mother "I need to go for a walk."
Nodoka stared at her son before giving him a hug "Don't stay out to long." once reluctingly letting the hug go she took a moment to look at Lee who was still staring at Ranma. Finally she went back inside.
"Walk with me." Lee told Ranma, who nodded in return.
After walking in silence for a minute, Lee turned back to Ranma "You don't really plan on sitting this out do you?"
"Maybe."
"You're a horrible liar."
"I know."
They continued for awhile longer in silence before Ranma took the initiative "Is everyone else really gone?"
Lee closed his eyes "Yes, besides the ones with Daigo, he has gotten rid of all other threats to his cause."
"Except you and me..." Ranma thought.
"I think he wants me and perhaps even you to try to stop him."
Ranma nodded "He never did like the two of us did he?"
Lee smiled "Even though we were both the same age, and I was only half Japanese, I still was better than him. And both of you came in at the same time but you got all the attention."
"You think he wants to prove he's better than us."
"More than likely." Lee stopped walking and turned towards Ranma. "No matter what you say or believe right now, you are and will always be a warrior, the sooner you accept that the sooner you'll find the peace to master the cat fist."
"I think it'll take more than that for me to master it." Ranma deadpanned.
"I don't doubt that, but you be further down the right path once you accept that you're a warrior."
"I'll think about it."
Lee began to walk away "Is that a new technique you've learned, I don't recall you ever tying to 'think about it' before."
"Shut up Lee." *****
-Sunday, one week later...-
Genma and Soun were both fidgeting as they ate breakfast, they could feel a certain tension in the air. Now normally the two wouldn't have noticed it, but the fact that Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Nodoka... as well as Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Cologne showed up for breakfast while staring at Ranma the whole time seemed a little odd.
"Well boy what's on you schedule for today." Genma asked to hopefully calm everyone down, he sweatdropped as everyone leaned in to hear Ranma's answer.
"Nothing much."
Everyone was silent for a moment, before they all turned to Genma. Genma blinked as they starting making weird gestures at him 'What's wrong with everyone... are they sick, they keep flicking their eyes from me to the side while cocking their head at Ranma.'
After realizing that Genma was useless, well most of them already knew that, Nodoka deciding since Genma did break the ice it wouldn't sound to prying if she continued his questioning. "So you're not planning on heading anywhere today?"
"Um, no where important, maybe to get some ice cream or something." Ranma answered with still eating his breakfast.
"I hear tonight is going to be beautiful, and I know how much you like to watch the stars from the roof so maybe we'll do that tonight. What do you say." Nodoka was determined to find out what Ranma was going to decide.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Ranma commented.
Akane was really losing her patience with him though "Ranma!" Everyone cringed from Akane, except for the unfortunate piglet in her hands who wish he could cover his ears. "We're all waiting for you to tell us if your leaving or not!"
"Yeah Ran-chan, you not really going to leave me again are you?"
"Airen should not abandon wife, especially to go with that crazy snake fighter."
"Snake fighter?" Ranma blinked "Oh you mean Lee. He is kind of out there isn't he."
"I hate that guy!" several of the ladies said, Mousse also joined them.
"Lee... Lee... that name sounds familiar..." Genma trailed off.
"You know him pop, the guy who mastered the 'Serpent's Tongue' technique." Ranma reminded him.
Genma blanched "HE came here?! did you really beat him, boy?"
"Sorry, it was interrupted." Ranma calmly replied. "He beat the crap out of Ryouga though!" Ranma started laughing.
"Don't laugh at Ryouga you jerk!" Akane punted Ranma out the house.
"Well I guess we won't be getting our answer any time soon." Nabiki remarked.
"You'd almost think son-in-law did that on purpose so that he could leave..." Cologne began to calmly sip some tea as she waited for the eventual explosion.
"Damn! We've got to find him!" Akane dropped P-chan and began putting on her shoes as the other girls followed her lead. *****
Tetsuya sighed to himself as his escort drove towards Nerima. 'Ranma has to help us against Daigo. Lee can't do it alone. I'm not even sure Ranma and Lee together will be enough... But there just isn't anyone else.' Firming his resolve Tetsuya spoke up "Ranma and Lee must save Japan."
I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Tsuki, but by order of the Band of the Fang you must be killed.
Tetsuya jumped in surprise at the young girl sitting beside him in the back of the car. "What?! How did you get in here?" He was further shocked when instead of opening her mouth to answer him she smiled
'She didn't move her mouth but I still heard her' Tetsuya tried to figure out what this girl was. "You came into my car without opening the door and you spoke to me without your mouth... Oh my god! You have the URGG..." Before his could finish the young women reappeared in front of him with her hands around his throat.
The driver in the car began swerving as a figure showed up in between the front seats strangling his charge. "Where the hell did you come from?!" He blinked as the frail looking girl smiled at him and took one arm from around her victim and knocked the driver out of the car.
The driver rolled a couple of time before turning towards his car and watching it go head first into tall lamp post. As people started to surround the car the driver noticed a figure appear out of nowhere right before him. The driver took one look at the frail girl and passed out.
Only minutes later did Ranma come across the scene 'that's odd you don't see to many car crashes in this area of Nerima...' Ranma made his way through the crowd of people. He stopped as soon as he had gotten a glimpse of the man involved in the accident "Tetsuya..."
Ranma looked around, the voice was quite easy to hear but it seemed everyone else was ignoring it. Ranma spotted a frail girl, with light blue hair tied into two braids going down to her lower back, staring back at him from across the street. Once the voice told him goodbye the girl nodded to him and walked away. 'That girl couldn't have done this, she was only about 14' But regardless of who actually caused the accident he knew who ordered it.
"Daigo Mitsurigi..." *****
"Auntie, I heard some very terrible news..." Kasumi began to look at her feet before looking at Nodoka with worry in her eyes. "While I was out shopping there were some other housewives talking about a car crash that happened today, apparently some government official coming through Nerima was in an accident."
Nodoka tried to keep calm "Did anyone know any names or know how the accident occurred?"
"No auntie, they said somehow the driver went stumbling out of the car before passing out. With the driver out of the car, it slammed into a lamp post."
"You think it might be him don't you?" Nodoka asked Kasumi.
"I know I think it is." Came a voice from near the door way. Nodoka and Kasumi both looked to find Nabiki along with the rest of the girls coming in.
"You really think it was him, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.
"Well you know how rarely police cars come through this area..." Ukyo trailed off.
"I hope Ranma's alright." Shampoo added.
Everyone's head snapped up at that. *****
"Daigo must be getting close to making his last few moves if he's no longer taking the time to cover up his crimes. Mr. Tsuki was the last man we had who really knew how Daigo worked. Perhaps if we never got him involved he'd still be alive, he was in no condition to fight off..."
Knock. Knock.
The knock at the door cut Sakura off. Lee, Ranma, and Sakura watched a young officer enter the room. "Lee, Ranma this is the officer who spoke to the driver when he came back to. So what did he say about the incident?"
The young officer cleared his throat before speaking up "Well he said he was just driving along when he heard Mr. Tsuki began to talk to himself, he said he tried not to pry into his business but then all of a sudden someone 'popped' into the car beside him and knocked him right through the car door and into the street. I asked him if he was sure the person hadn't jumped in the car during a moment when he stopped the car. He claimed that he had been extra attentive to his surroundings outside the car. When I told him to elaborate on that he said Mr. Tsuki had been acting a little out of character, like he was worried about something. He doesn't believe that Mr. Tsuki was expecting to be assassinated, but it was more like Mr. Tsuki knew today was going to be a important day to our future."
Ranma winced at the last comment, but kept quiet. As Sakura asked the officer questions about the condition of the car and if there were any witnesses, Ranma and Lee stepped out of her office.
"Ms. Yamaguchi seemed extremely troubled by Mr. Tsuki' death." Ranma noted.
"She was the one who brought him in on the situation, if I'm not mistaken they believed that Daigo wouldn't go after him out of respect for being his former teacher." was Lee's reply. "With the last well known teacher from our school gone, I'm sure the government will be extremely cautious with Daigo. And I'm sure Daigo is going to make the most of that."
Ranma stopped walking by the exit of the police building "Lee... just what are you planning?"
Lee placed his glasses on before answering "I thought you started using your brains more. Isn't it obvious, there's only one thing left for me to do... I'm going to take on 'The Band of the Fang'."
Ranma watched Lee continue his stroll down the station before deciding he have a very important decision to make himself.
After putting a good distance between himself and the police station Ranma began to contemplate his decision. He tried to recall everyone's arguments pertaining to him leaving....
"Please, for the sake of Japan and the honor of our school, face Daigo and his group along with Lee!"
"So you want Ran-chan to clean up your mess? Well he isn't part of your school anymore so why don't you find someone else."
"Yeah, from the way I see it, Ranma could easily have been in Daigo's situation. You guys really screwed up, Ranma shouldn't be the one to clean it up."
"He's just a regular boy who's been studying the martial arts his whole life and is now starting his path to joining the adult world."
"it was more like Mr. Tsuki knew today was going to be a important day to our future."
"With the last well known teacher from our school gone, I'm sure the government will be extremely cautious with Daigo. And I'm sure Daigo is going to make the most of that."
"I'm going to take on 'The Band of the Fang'."
Ranma looked around at all the people who were going about their lives without a care in the world. 'Can I really ignore the danger that Daigo's presence will cause these people. It's like Lee said "No matter what you say or believe right now, you are and will always be a warrior".' *****
There was quite a large gathering at the Tendo dojo as evening fell.
"Come now Shampoo and Mousse, we have to open back up for the dinner rush." Cologne beckoned her two employees.
"But Grandmother, we have to make sure Ranma doesn't leave!" Shampoo tried to argue.
"Don't worry darling, you don't have to worry about Ranma... You have me." Mousse beamed Shampoo a winning smile while Shampoo beamed a Bonbori in return.
"If Ranma leaves than there's no need for the resturant!" Shampoo tried again.
"Alright, you two try to find son-in-law." Cologne gave in, of course it might be because she was curious as well.
"I'll find him and bring him back to the Cat Cafe." Shampoo exclaimed.
"Oh no you don't I going to go bring Ran-chan back!"
"Wouldn't it be better if you all tried to find him together agian. Maybe this time, planning out how to break up everyone into groups and assigning them areas to cover." Kasumi helpfully added.
"That's a good idea Kasumi. In fact, I actually thought of that earlier when our morning search fell apart." Nabiki began "Akane and..."
"Me!" Nabiki blinked at the shout only to find Ryouga heading down their stairs. Deciding not to comment on the fact that Ryouga was wet or why he was coming from upstairs Nabiki just nodded. "Okay Akane and Ryouga will check west from here near the canal... then again maybe you guys shoudn't check around the there..."
Akane blinked while Ryouga nodded enthusiastically.
"You two will search around the high school. Shampoo and Mousse might as well search the area near their restuarant, the same for Ukyo who should be able to ask Konatsu for help. Me and Kasumi will check around the our neighborhood, Dad and Mr Saotome can check... where are they?" Nabiki asked her sister.
"I'm not sure." Kasumi looked towards Nodoka.
"I believe Genma and Soun went to celebrate the fact that Ranma survived a fight with Lee." Nodoka seemed non to pleased with that fact 'they didn't ask if Ranma was hurt, they just cared about was that he could still marry Akane.'
"I guess auntie and elder Cologne can stay here in case Ranma returns while were looking for him." Kasumi suggested.
"Alright everybody lets go." Akane stood up to lead everyone again. Everyone else just shook their heads 'Akane'll be lucky to find the school let alone Ranma with Ryouga as her partner' was the thought on more than one persons mind.
As everyone headed out Nodoka turned to Cologne "Do you think it's alright for Kasumi and Nabiki to go out alone?"
Cologne smiled at Nodoka "I'll keep an eye on them" and with that Cologne jumped to the roofs.
Watching Cologne take to the roofs Nodoka thought to herself 'Ranma you were going to watch the stars with me tonight.' After waiting a few moments Nodoka headed for the ladder to the roof. 'I know it's kind of foolish but who cares.'
"You were right, tonight is beautiful."
Nodoka almost lost her hold on the ladder "Ranma!"
Ranma gave his mother a small smile "I wasn't sure you'd come up here. I see everyone's looking for me."
"Ra..Ranma?" Nodoka was starting to worry.
"Tetsuya Tsuki passed away today..."
"I know, Kasumi told me earlier. He had an accident."
"It was no accident Mom. Daigo's men... er, well Daigo ordered for Mr. Tsuki to be killed. I can't ignore this mother."
"So your going..."
"After the Band of the Fist? Yes. Lee says there stationed back at the old school grounds in Kyoto."
"Kyoto? So are you deciding that you truly are a warrior?"
"Once I started the path down that road, I don't think there was ever really any going back. But I tried to fool myself into thinking it was possible."
"But you did change. I know you can still go back to before."
Ranma finally turned away from the stars and looked at his mother. "Do you remember after the wedding when you told me you weren't concerned about me being a man among men anymore. I don't think you know how much that really meant to me. I think that was the happiest moment of my life."
Ranma gave his mother a true heartfelt hug. "I love you, mom."
"R..Ranma?" Nodoka tried to hold in the tears.
"But I'm a warrior, and it's time for me to fight once again." Ranma let go of his mother then flipped into his room. After grabbing his already packed bag he snuck out the dojo's entrance nooding to the figure watching him from the rooftop "Goodbye to you to... Old Ghoul." Ranma whispered so that only he could hear it.
As Ranma disappeared into the night Nodoka finally let her tears fall.
"I love you too."
And so it was on this day that
Ranma Saotome practitioner of the Cat Fist
and heir to Anything Goes School began another training trip, this time to face an opponent from his past,
But for once he went alone.
***** To Be Continued
Authors notes:
Well here's the second part. I've been wondering about the attack names... should I used English or the Japanese version. (For instance the Cat Fist or Neko-ken, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire or Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken, Breaking point or bakusai tenketsu). Anyway as of right now I'll probably used the Japanese version which I think is actually Chinese, instead of the English translation for attacks from the amazons. while using the English translation for the cat fist. (I'll also be using the shi shi hokodan instead of whatever the English translation is, same thing with Ranma's ki attack.
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