Ranma: Hard Core
Akane stood in the dojo, the empty dojo, and chocked down a sigh. She had come to tell Ranma that it was her/his turn for the morning bath, or at least that was what the youngest Tendou Daughter was telling herself. She arrived to find all of Ranma's belongings gone, and realized that she shouldn't have been surprised; nobody had really given the pigtailed martial artist a chance to explain himself or herself, and there was only so much she should have to put with.
"I guess you didn't really need friends, huh, Ranma?" Akane said to no one, with a slight hint of dissappointment in her voice. With that, Akane walked out to inform everyone that they had one less guest.
_________________________________
The morning was quiet, as everyone kept to themselves about the news of the young man's parting. Soun considered the boy's temperment, and decided that an 'indefinite' training trip was probably the best for him, at least until he learned to control himself like a true martial artist. He knew, though, that Ranma best return to honor the pact between families; if the boy had any honor, he would at least do that.
Genma grumbled about his ungrateful son, but it was noted that he hadn't made any plans to retrieve him. Truthfully, the elder Saotome did not care to stalk out blindly for his wayward son; he was quite comfortable in the luxury he was experiencing in the hospitality of Tendous.
Kasumi didn't show the expression to her family, but when they couldn't see her face, it held a grim expression. Her opinion of the young man had dropped considerably lower than she had ever towards another person. He was more violent than her younger sister, which could have been forgiven. He felt no remourse for his actions, which was pushing it considerably; even her youngest sister felt the pangs of conciousness from her actions. And now, he runs away like a coward. It's just as well, she didn't care for such people in her house, much less engaged to family.
Nabiki was unusually numb to the news; not her usual indifference to a situation, more like distancing from her emotions. She didn't know what to think of the conflicting feelings she was experiencing, it was a rather unsettling sensation that she hardly ever felt. When her mother died, she knew what her feelings were; she had to admit that she loved and would miss the woman who gave birth and cared for her. She couldn't make herself that cold, despite herself. But Ranma, it was more like a missing an item that she had felt a great deal of attachment to, even if she had just very recently discovered it.
Akane picked at what was left of her morning meal, contemplating. She had really hoped that Ranma would prove her wrong, that he wasn't like other boys. True he didn't seem like the pervert most boys their age were, but he never opened up to anyone; he had to put up a wall of false bravado that every boy does either to impress people, or keep them at bay. Her opinion of Ranma was beginning to match Kasumi's when considering his character. The youngest Tendou now decided she had guidelines in which *not* to act, if she was going to rectify her own shortcomings.
"I guess part of being a coward is being a bully, even if you didn't strike first."
"What was that, Akane?" Kasumi asked, her voice neither approving or dissapproving of the comment, since she knew where it was being directed.
Soun, on the other hand, had some qualms about it, "Young lady, that is unbecoming of you."
"Sorry, Dad," Akane replied, not intending to apologise to who she actually meant it for, "I'm going to school." Nabiki's eyes followed her youngest sister to the door, and then out it.
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Dr. Tofu's left leg slid out as he lowered himself, still balancing on his right leg as his back was kept straight. His right arm was held loosely straight with his wrist pointing downwards at an angle; his left arm was against his left side relaxed as he came to a somewhat squatting position. He raised himself slightly, and then shifted his weight foward so about 80% of his balance was now on his left bent let, while his right leg was almost straight; his feet were approximately three feet back and two feet apart with the left toes pointing straight and his right pointing off at a forty five degree angle. At the same time he had risen and shifted, his left hand slowly shot out for a palm strike, while his right hand was held over his head in an overhead guard. He gracefully shifted around to his right, bringing his hands in a yin-yang pattern. His left leg was still supporting the whole of the balance, as he dragged his right leg in so it was only resting on the ball about a foot away from the other and only rested on the ground , once again the back left foot pointing at forty five degrees.
His right leg came up slowly, bending at the knee as the thigh rose. It seemed as if it were connected with his right forearm, as it rose in sync with the leg. It turned up to a verticle forearm guard with the fist held loosely at the top, and his left arm held to his side with the palm down but raised at a slight angle for mid-guard. The doctor cocked his right fist back to his ribs at the same time as he dropped his right leg forward onto his heel, and then shifted his weight foward onto the right, while punching as if he held a mug in his hand.
Throughout the kata, the doctor contemplated the redheaded girl he had seen last night, and what he was going to say to her when they would speak. His general assumption that the girl named Ranma (rather peculiar name for a girl, he thought) was crying for help through her actions. Corny, he mused to himself, but an easy assumption to come by.
Dr. Tofu came out of his forward push stance that had his left leg foward and his right leg almost straight back, and shifted his weight almost completely to his left leg while waving his right hand high and his left hand low in wide, graceful arcs while turning to his right. As he brought his right arm's wrist in to cross over the wrist of the left arm over his chest; his right leg dragged in and against his left leg. He rotated his palms down horizontal to the ground, and then spread them away from each other as if they were on top a table; his right leg went out at shoulder width, and his knees were slightly bent. Dr. Tofu wrapped up the form by relaxing his arms down to his sides, shifting his weight to his right, sliding his left foot to his right, and then coming to stand with a straight but relaxed posture.
The doctor stood with his eyes closed, savoring the feeling from the Tai Chi form that he used to cool down after his usual shotokan and aikido forms, and then turned to the building corner, "You can come out now, thank you for not interrupting."
The redhead girl he saw the other night stood out from the side of the building with a large pack on her. Dr. Tofu put on a cheerful expression for her benefit, "That's quite a bit to pack for school!" The redhead gave no reply. "So where you heading?"
"China." The girl's reply had a finalized tone in it that Tofu didn't miss.
"Quite a bit of travel ahead of you then," Dr. Tofu took a deep breath, and relished the exillarated feeling it brought to him as he exhaled, "You know? A lot of people think of Tai Chi as a great cure all for physical ailments. It's great for maintaining your body, and it conditions you quite well, plus the benefits of stress releif. But, it can't get rid of problems, you know?"
Tofu turned fully to the girl who stared dispassionately at the doctor. Tofu remained unfazed by her expression, "Like some tea before you head out? I have a few things to discuss with you."
_________________________________
"So, Ranma, you're a pretty good martial artist, from what I can see," Tofu started, taking a sip of his cup.
"I used to think I was the best," the girl said with a slight shrug, staring down at her dark amber liquid.
"And now?"
"I know enough to protect myself."
"So, it's just for protecting yourself?" Tofu questioned in a light tone, "From what I can see, you had practiced a great deal for self-defense. How long have you been training? Ten, twelve years?"
"Since I could walk," Tofu noted the hint of pride in her voice, and used it to his advantage.
"Impressive, you must be very good then. That's something people can look up to."
"I don't care to be a role model," Ranma replied almost mechanically.
"I didn't say you had to, actually," Tofu continued, as if it were a moot point, "It's just practicing for so long, there has to be a lot of people who would envy your skill."
"I... guess."
"Yeah, a lot of those people, though, I don't think they could handle the responcibility, you know?" Tofu paused for effect, while sipping some tea, "They would use it to bully people, abuse the art for personal gain."
"That's true," Ranma replied, thinking of her father.
"You use it for self-defense, which even then is a pretty big responsibility. Some people tend to get way too hot tempered, and many of them are rather unskilled. Sure they'll talk a lot, but they have no more skill than a brawling little kid. Sometimes they over-estimate their own strength."
"They should learn not to mess with people they have no business with," Ranma-chan's tone was terse; she knew a lecture when she heard one, even one as heavily veiled.
"True..." Tofu cocked his head to the side as he observed his rippling tea, "I agree with you completely. You have the right to defend yourself, after all." Ranma blinked, and looked at the doctor curiously.
"Oh, I'm sorry to keep you like this, but I rather enjoy conversing with other martial artists. I don't get to do it as often now, I'm afraid, though me and Mr. Tendou do visit each other from time to time."
"That's alright," Ranma replied, not really paying attention to what her host had said. Tofu noted the girls contemplative look with approval.
"Well, I must start opening the clinic," Tofu stood up with Ranma following, and showed his red-headed guest to the door, "Come and visit me if you ever come back around here from China."
Ranma walked down the street, thinking to herself. He said he agreed with her and her methods, didn't he? But he seemed so... reserved. The pigtailed girl could not wrap her mind around such a seemingly gentle person bringing another harm. She mused there was something more to what he had told her.
Akane stood in the dojo, the empty dojo, and chocked down a sigh. She had come to tell Ranma that it was her/his turn for the morning bath, or at least that was what the youngest Tendou Daughter was telling herself. She arrived to find all of Ranma's belongings gone, and realized that she shouldn't have been surprised; nobody had really given the pigtailed martial artist a chance to explain himself or herself, and there was only so much she should have to put with.
"I guess you didn't really need friends, huh, Ranma?" Akane said to no one, with a slight hint of dissappointment in her voice. With that, Akane walked out to inform everyone that they had one less guest.
_________________________________
The morning was quiet, as everyone kept to themselves about the news of the young man's parting. Soun considered the boy's temperment, and decided that an 'indefinite' training trip was probably the best for him, at least until he learned to control himself like a true martial artist. He knew, though, that Ranma best return to honor the pact between families; if the boy had any honor, he would at least do that.
Genma grumbled about his ungrateful son, but it was noted that he hadn't made any plans to retrieve him. Truthfully, the elder Saotome did not care to stalk out blindly for his wayward son; he was quite comfortable in the luxury he was experiencing in the hospitality of Tendous.
Kasumi didn't show the expression to her family, but when they couldn't see her face, it held a grim expression. Her opinion of the young man had dropped considerably lower than she had ever towards another person. He was more violent than her younger sister, which could have been forgiven. He felt no remourse for his actions, which was pushing it considerably; even her youngest sister felt the pangs of conciousness from her actions. And now, he runs away like a coward. It's just as well, she didn't care for such people in her house, much less engaged to family.
Nabiki was unusually numb to the news; not her usual indifference to a situation, more like distancing from her emotions. She didn't know what to think of the conflicting feelings she was experiencing, it was a rather unsettling sensation that she hardly ever felt. When her mother died, she knew what her feelings were; she had to admit that she loved and would miss the woman who gave birth and cared for her. She couldn't make herself that cold, despite herself. But Ranma, it was more like a missing an item that she had felt a great deal of attachment to, even if she had just very recently discovered it.
Akane picked at what was left of her morning meal, contemplating. She had really hoped that Ranma would prove her wrong, that he wasn't like other boys. True he didn't seem like the pervert most boys their age were, but he never opened up to anyone; he had to put up a wall of false bravado that every boy does either to impress people, or keep them at bay. Her opinion of Ranma was beginning to match Kasumi's when considering his character. The youngest Tendou now decided she had guidelines in which *not* to act, if she was going to rectify her own shortcomings.
"I guess part of being a coward is being a bully, even if you didn't strike first."
"What was that, Akane?" Kasumi asked, her voice neither approving or dissapproving of the comment, since she knew where it was being directed.
Soun, on the other hand, had some qualms about it, "Young lady, that is unbecoming of you."
"Sorry, Dad," Akane replied, not intending to apologise to who she actually meant it for, "I'm going to school." Nabiki's eyes followed her youngest sister to the door, and then out it.
_________________________________
Dr. Tofu's left leg slid out as he lowered himself, still balancing on his right leg as his back was kept straight. His right arm was held loosely straight with his wrist pointing downwards at an angle; his left arm was against his left side relaxed as he came to a somewhat squatting position. He raised himself slightly, and then shifted his weight foward so about 80% of his balance was now on his left bent let, while his right leg was almost straight; his feet were approximately three feet back and two feet apart with the left toes pointing straight and his right pointing off at a forty five degree angle. At the same time he had risen and shifted, his left hand slowly shot out for a palm strike, while his right hand was held over his head in an overhead guard. He gracefully shifted around to his right, bringing his hands in a yin-yang pattern. His left leg was still supporting the whole of the balance, as he dragged his right leg in so it was only resting on the ball about a foot away from the other and only rested on the ground , once again the back left foot pointing at forty five degrees.
His right leg came up slowly, bending at the knee as the thigh rose. It seemed as if it were connected with his right forearm, as it rose in sync with the leg. It turned up to a verticle forearm guard with the fist held loosely at the top, and his left arm held to his side with the palm down but raised at a slight angle for mid-guard. The doctor cocked his right fist back to his ribs at the same time as he dropped his right leg forward onto his heel, and then shifted his weight foward onto the right, while punching as if he held a mug in his hand.
Throughout the kata, the doctor contemplated the redheaded girl he had seen last night, and what he was going to say to her when they would speak. His general assumption that the girl named Ranma (rather peculiar name for a girl, he thought) was crying for help through her actions. Corny, he mused to himself, but an easy assumption to come by.
Dr. Tofu came out of his forward push stance that had his left leg foward and his right leg almost straight back, and shifted his weight almost completely to his left leg while waving his right hand high and his left hand low in wide, graceful arcs while turning to his right. As he brought his right arm's wrist in to cross over the wrist of the left arm over his chest; his right leg dragged in and against his left leg. He rotated his palms down horizontal to the ground, and then spread them away from each other as if they were on top a table; his right leg went out at shoulder width, and his knees were slightly bent. Dr. Tofu wrapped up the form by relaxing his arms down to his sides, shifting his weight to his right, sliding his left foot to his right, and then coming to stand with a straight but relaxed posture.
The doctor stood with his eyes closed, savoring the feeling from the Tai Chi form that he used to cool down after his usual shotokan and aikido forms, and then turned to the building corner, "You can come out now, thank you for not interrupting."
The redhead girl he saw the other night stood out from the side of the building with a large pack on her. Dr. Tofu put on a cheerful expression for her benefit, "That's quite a bit to pack for school!" The redhead gave no reply. "So where you heading?"
"China." The girl's reply had a finalized tone in it that Tofu didn't miss.
"Quite a bit of travel ahead of you then," Dr. Tofu took a deep breath, and relished the exillarated feeling it brought to him as he exhaled, "You know? A lot of people think of Tai Chi as a great cure all for physical ailments. It's great for maintaining your body, and it conditions you quite well, plus the benefits of stress releif. But, it can't get rid of problems, you know?"
Tofu turned fully to the girl who stared dispassionately at the doctor. Tofu remained unfazed by her expression, "Like some tea before you head out? I have a few things to discuss with you."
_________________________________
"So, Ranma, you're a pretty good martial artist, from what I can see," Tofu started, taking a sip of his cup.
"I used to think I was the best," the girl said with a slight shrug, staring down at her dark amber liquid.
"And now?"
"I know enough to protect myself."
"So, it's just for protecting yourself?" Tofu questioned in a light tone, "From what I can see, you had practiced a great deal for self-defense. How long have you been training? Ten, twelve years?"
"Since I could walk," Tofu noted the hint of pride in her voice, and used it to his advantage.
"Impressive, you must be very good then. That's something people can look up to."
"I don't care to be a role model," Ranma replied almost mechanically.
"I didn't say you had to, actually," Tofu continued, as if it were a moot point, "It's just practicing for so long, there has to be a lot of people who would envy your skill."
"I... guess."
"Yeah, a lot of those people, though, I don't think they could handle the responcibility, you know?" Tofu paused for effect, while sipping some tea, "They would use it to bully people, abuse the art for personal gain."
"That's true," Ranma replied, thinking of her father.
"You use it for self-defense, which even then is a pretty big responsibility. Some people tend to get way too hot tempered, and many of them are rather unskilled. Sure they'll talk a lot, but they have no more skill than a brawling little kid. Sometimes they over-estimate their own strength."
"They should learn not to mess with people they have no business with," Ranma-chan's tone was terse; she knew a lecture when she heard one, even one as heavily veiled.
"True..." Tofu cocked his head to the side as he observed his rippling tea, "I agree with you completely. You have the right to defend yourself, after all." Ranma blinked, and looked at the doctor curiously.
"Oh, I'm sorry to keep you like this, but I rather enjoy conversing with other martial artists. I don't get to do it as often now, I'm afraid, though me and Mr. Tendou do visit each other from time to time."
"That's alright," Ranma replied, not really paying attention to what her host had said. Tofu noted the girls contemplative look with approval.
"Well, I must start opening the clinic," Tofu stood up with Ranma following, and showed his red-headed guest to the door, "Come and visit me if you ever come back around here from China."
Ranma walked down the street, thinking to herself. He said he agreed with her and her methods, didn't he? But he seemed so... reserved. The pigtailed girl could not wrap her mind around such a seemingly gentle person bringing another harm. She mused there was something more to what he had told her.