CHAPTER 3 – Training and Visitation
Morning at the Saotome household was far from normal today. What used to be a silent, peaceful transition from night into day was now a semi-chaotic scene. There was the father and son tandem of Ranma sparring with Genma in the yard and the noise they made while doing so was nothing short of disturbing. Indeed, most of the people passing by the property would think that a fierce battle was happening inside. They would be quite correct though 'fierce' would be an understatement in this case.
Iori Yagami had just gotten up and so did Kyo Kusanagi. They proceeded to the source of the noise and found Genma and Ranma as the two were about to finish their sparring. Both flame-fighters could recognize the stance and technique that Genma was using though there were a few styles incorporated into it which they did not recognize. They were more surprised when they saw what Ranma was doing. The two had had their share of fighting opponents whose speeds were mind-boggling if not downright impossible. In truth, most of these fighters' speeds were due to being enhanced by some other art or magic though mostly at the cost of their lives. But there wasn't any magic with the skill and styles Ranma was showing.
"Auntie, is this what they've been doing for the past few years?" Kyo asked of Nodoka.
"Yes it is, dear. My husband and son have been on a ten-year training trip where he promised to make a man out of Ranma. However, due to the awakening of Ranma's flames, that pledge has to take a backseat for now," Nodoka replied.
"Ranma seems to have incorporated a number of fighting-styles into his own. I know some of the forms he's shown but those other movements are alien to me," Iori remarked.
Genma scored a hit which drove Ranma back a few meters then turned to Iori.
"That is the essence of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Ranma and I have blended various forms of martial arts into our own until they are hardly separate from each other," Genma explained.
"Good move pop, but not good enough," Ranma stated as he launched into his own attack.
Genma was on the defensive once more but he found himself getting overwhelmed by Ranma'a attacks. Soon enough, Ranma scored three hits on him and Genma found himself heading into the wall of the dojo. He was bracing himself for impact when his backward motion has halted by Ranma. Upon opening his eyes, Genma turned round and saw that he was mere millimeters from the wall.
Iori and Kyo could only stare in awe at what they just saw. Ranma had blurred into motion immediately after he had hit Genma and was at the wall even before his father.
"Nice save boy, but never let your guard down. Flame pillar!" declared Genma as he counterattacked.
Ranma could only brace himself for the attack. Genma had executed a fire- attack which erupted from where Ranma was standing. When it was over, Ranma's clothes were singed and he was breathing raggedly.
"Bet you didn't expect that from your old man, eh Ranma?" Genma teased.
Ranma took some time to reply.
"Nope, not at all. Good one, pop," Ranma replied.
Genma was about to launch into another tirade/tease when he sensed that Ranma was building up for an attack.
"But like you said, never let your guard down. Hiyyaaaaa!!!"
Ranma's attack consisted of two flames emanating from his right hand which coruscated and blazed on the ground towards Genma. Genma jumped, thinking that he had dodged the attack but he soon realized too late that this was what Ranma was expecting him to do. While in the air, Genma noticed that Ranma then thrust his hand up and the flames shot upwards to where he was in midair. He was soon engulfed in a maelstrom of fire and after a few seconds, Genma landed hard on the ground.
"Bet you didn't expect that, huh dad.......?' was all that Ranma could say before he passed out.
Genma rushed over to his son. He then carried Ranma back into the dojo.
"No need to worry, he's just drained," Genma assured his wife even as he too plopped down onto the mat.
Nodoka nodded in assent though she was still worried in spite of her knowledge that such a thing often happened to flame-ninjas who were still learning the art.
"He couldn't defend himself from a flame-attack properly. Heck, he couldn't even control the amount of power he used and ended up draining himself. Idiot," Iori declared.
"Yeah. But this IDIOT showed us a very powerful attack nonetheless. Even Rugal would've been caught by that," Kyo countered.
"That's why you two are here, to train him in all the aspects of both Kusanagi and Yagami fighting. And not only that, you two will have to speed up his training as well. We don't know how much time we have left until the Orochi fully awakens," Nodoka declared.
Both fighters had to agree with Nodoka's last statement. Their personal differences had to take a backseat for now. A more pressing problem in the form of The Orochi had to be dealt with first.
Back in Nerima, things at the Tendo dojo seemed normal: quiet but normal. Soun was busy making a few calls every now and then while Kasumi was busy preparing something in the kitchen. Nabiki had gone out, running a few errands for her father. Akane was getting irritated at being left out of the loop and stormed off to school by herself.
"Since everybody's ignoring me, I'll just leave. I'm going to school now," Akane huffed.
Nabiki returned after an hour carrying a fresh load of groceries. She actually had no idea herself as to what was going on but she decided to just observe things for now. Up until then, her father was a no good bum who spent all his time playing shogi with Ranma's dad or drinking with him, occasionally pestering Ranma and Akane about uniting the two schools. But today, Soun Tendo was looking more like a proper dojo master than a useless bum.
"Oh Nabiki; you're back. Good. Did you get all the things I asked for?" Soun asked.
"Yes, dad. I brought them into the kitchen and Kasumi's sorting them right now," Nabiki replied.
Nabiki was surprised at the amount of food she had to buy at the grocery. Her father was definitely expecting company and by the sheer amount of food being prepared: a lot. She was also surprised when her father gave her money for the supplies. Where in the world did he get that much money? Nabiki believed that she was the only one keeping the dojo afloat with her earnings since Soun was unemployed.
"What about the other equipment I mentioned, Nabiki?" Soun asked.
"They'll be delivering them here in a while dad," she replied.
True enough, the nearest sports and martial arts supply-store delivered the huge order that Soun Tendo made to their home. Nabiki went out and instructed the delivery men to take the said equipment to the dojo. An hour later, everything was stacked and laid out on the floor. Nabiki was making a last minute check to see if anything was missing.
Back in the living quarters, Soun went out to meet a substantial number of newcomers who arrived.
"Welcome, everyone! Glad to see you all made it. Come inside," Souns greeted them.
Kasumi was setting the tables when her father and their visitors came in. She was surprised to see members of their kin whom they haven't seen in a long time. Uncles, cousins, etc. were all there not to mention a few of her father's old friends. She took her father aside after the usual greetings were exchanged.
"Father, what's the reason for this sudden reunion?" Kasumi asked though she had a very strong suspicion already in her mind.
"I'll explain later. Now let's serve them a hearty meal. Some of them came all the way from as far as Honshu, you know," Soun replied.
Soon, everyone was sitting down on the mats, eating. Soun went into the middle then made a gesture to get everyone's attention.
"Now I guess you're all wondering why I asked you all to come though some of you already know the reason. For those that don't know, I'll tell you now. Friends, what we've been preparing a long time for has come to pass. The cursed stone has been reawakened," Soun declared.
A collective gasp was heard throughout the room as the guests almost immediately began discussing among themselves how such a thing could happen.
"Are you sure about this, Tendo?" asked Fukuroda Ishido whom Kasumi recognized as one of her father's longtime friends. He and his family were close to the Tendos and were on hand especially after their mother, Kimiko, died.
"Indeed. For all we know, it might be another ruse to draw us away," added Mitsumo Ieyasumi who was Nabiki's godfather.
"I assure you all that it is true. The Orochi has indeed awakened though not fully so we may yet have a chance in actively participating in stopping its machinations this time," Soun replied.
"How sure are you, Tendo? Do you have any proof?" added Itsumo Akashi, one of their late mother's cousins. All the others chimed in as well, adding noise to an already confused assembly.
"Calm down all of you!" Soun shouted and everyone complied. Kasumi was surprised at her father's sudden aura of authority.
"That's better. Now where were we? Ah, yes: you all want proof? I shall give it to you then," Soun declared.
"Now most of you are aware that my good friend Genma Saotome and his son were staying with us for the past 2 years, right? Genma and I have engaged our children to each other and they will carry on with the dojo. Now for those of you who may not know, 'Saotome' is not Genma's real surname but that of his mother. His real clan-name is Kusanagi," Soun began, eliciting reactions from the people before him.
"What's more, Genma's wife, Nodoka, also uses her mother's surname. Her actual clan-name is Yagami," added Soun who managed to elicit more discussions and reactions from the assembly.
"Of course, these things alone are not reason enough for this assembly. Such a pairing is indeed unique especially since they're from warring clans but what you all must know in addition to this is that their son Ranma, has had his powers awakened. He now can produce flame like his parents," Soun continued.
The whole assembly erupted in an uproar of discussion which irritated Soun. When all his attempts to placate them failed, he resorted to one technique which Happosai taught him: the Demon Head. The assembly was scared out their wits.
"Good. Now that I have your undivided attention, I will continue. As I was saying, even the fact that Ranma has both Kusanagi and Yagami blood, the awakening of his powers would not merit an assembly like this. But unfortunately, his powers have awakened in a way that DOES necessitate your being here," Soun declared then paused as he gathered himself for what he was about to say.
"You're not saying that this Ranma has.........?" inquired Ishido who had already suspected what Soun was about to say.
"Indeed, Ranma has BOTH the Kusanagi-Flame and the Yagami-Flame," Soun declared.
The whole assembly was speechless at Soun's report. The older ones knew of the full implications of such a development. In one way or another, they all knew that a warrior bearing both flames was destined to fight with The Orochi. They were all surprised when Happosai turned up.
"I see you've all gathered here. Good. It saves me the trouble of finding you," Happosai declared as he walked towards Soun.
The assembly was in awe of the Grandmaster of Anything Goes. Though not many were aware that Happosai was one of the few warriors who were able to stand against The Orochi and live to tell about it, his aura alone was impressive. Happosai came from a family that also had flame powers but this was different from that employed by either Kusanagi or Yagami. Indeed, the clan Hokage was rumored to practice a flame-art deeper than both clans.
But Happosai didn't survive unscathed from his battle with the Orochi's incarnation back then. Though he defeated the dark warrior, his control over his own flame-powers was destroyed. His flame would continuously build up until he could no longer contain it and he would explode. Happosai however, found a way to safely channel his excess build-up of flame and with the help of a wise monk, developed what soon became known as his Happo- daikirin bombs.
"Glad to see you made it. Master," Soun greeted.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Happosai replied.
Meanwhile, Nabiki was just about finished with her last inspection of the packages which arrived. She wondered why her father would order so many reproductions of various ancient weapons. Indeed, there were about 100 sets of Katanas with matching Wakizashis (short-swords), 100 glaives, 100 throwing-knives, 100 battle-sickles, 500pcs of shuriken and various equipment that were long unused in these modern times.
"You'd think he was getting ready for a war or something," Nabiki remarked.
As she turned towards the exit, Nabiki stopped as something or rather someone materialized in front of her. It looked like a beautiful woman who seemed to be in her early twenties. She had long black hair that reached to her waist and she was garbed in a mix of modern and ancient clothes. Indeed, her clothes resembled those of neophyte shrine-maidens who took care of temples. (think Zenki) The woman saw the various weapons decked out on the floor, shaking her head. She then turned to Nabiki and smiled.
"Who...who are you?" Nabiki asked.
"Who I am is unimportant right now. Are these all that you have?" she replied, referring to the weapons.
"Yes. These are all that the store could deliver at such short notice. More will be delivered tomorrow," Nabiki answered.
"Then I have no choice. They will have to bring those other weapons to me if they are to be of any use," the lady stated. She then turned to Nabiki again.
"You on the other hand should not be here. You should join with the chosen one else you put yourself in grave danger," the lady declared.
"The chosen one? What do you mean 'I have to be with the chosen one'? I don't understand any of this," Nabiki stammered.
"All your questions will be answered soon enough. But you must make haste. I can sense the stone's power getting near. Your father and his followers must prepare themselves well. Come, child; I will bring you to the chosen one," the lady stated.
"Wait just one minute! I'm not going anywhere until you answer my questions! Who is this chosen one you keep referring to and why do I have to be with him?" Nabiki asked with irritation in her voice.
The lady sighed in defeat, seeing that Nabiki was stubbornly refusing to do anything.
"Very well; the chosen one I am referring to is none other than Ranma Saotome. He who possesses both flames is the one destined to fight The Orochi, the cursed stone," the lady began.
"Ranma? He's the chosen one?" Nabiki asked incredulously. The lady nodded in assent.
Nabiki then remembered how Ranma saved her from Hiro that day. Ranma did produce flames form his hands. She also thought about the melted dagger that she kept in her drawer.
"Okay, Ranma may be the chosen one; but why do I have to be with him? He's engaged to Akane!" Nabiki argued.
"That engagement is naught for he has chosen you," the lady replied.
"Chosen me? How and when did that happen?!!" Nabiki asked.
"Simple: you are the one whose blood brought out his flames that day. When he saw you get cut, his powers were awakened. You are his chosen for you are the first one he saved with his flames," the lady replied.
Nabiki was dumbstruck by what the lady had just said. Indeed, Ranma had saved others before and even killed a demi-god for Akane but that paled in comparison to what he did when he saved her from Hiro that day. In all the other instances, Ranma had at least some control over what he was doing but such was not the case that day.
"Come now, child. We must go to him. He trains with his kin even now as we speak," the lady stated.
Nabiki complied and went to her. The two then disappeared from the dojo.
Back in Juuban, Ranma was watching Iori as he went through the Yagami-arts, noting the many similarities that it had with the Kusanagi-arts.
"That's the basics of Yagami-flame. I hope you paid attention because I won't repeat it for you," Iori huffed.
"No problem, cousin. It looked easy enough," Ranma replied as he stood up in order to execute the same kata Iori showed him.
"You have to admit Iori, the kid's got talent. He's like a sponge for this stuff," Kyo remarked. Iori tried to make a retort but didn't. Whether he liked it or not, Kyo's observation was correct. As they watched, Ranma was perfectly executing the moves Iori showed a few scant minutes ago. When he was done, Ranma decided to do something new.
"That was nice. Hidden power that's focused at all time: you can't be a newbie for that. Hey guys! What do you think of this?" Ranma half-shouted as he began a routine which seemed new to both fighters. They were still wondering what Ranma was doing when it suddenly hit them: Ranma was blending the 2 dsiciplines.
Kyo, Iori, and Ranma's parents felt the rise in chi and flame within Ranma as he went through the hybrid kata. When it looked like he had gathered enough of both, Ranma executed the attack.
"Double fire-tsunami!" Ranma shouted as he extended both hands.
Reddish-white erupted from his right palm while purplish-white burst forth from the left. These took the form of tsunamis which spread out towards the sides. As they neared their target, the two waves would slam into each other upon reaching it. The people watching him could only stare in awe.
The silence was broken when the air a few paces from Ranma began to ripple. Kyo and Iori suddenly stood up, their flames ready. The ripple grew until it became a full fledged portal from which Nabiki and another woman stepped forth. Nabiki was quite dazed from the trip and was about to stumble.
"Nabiki! What are you doing here?" Ranma asked with surprise as he went to her and steadied her.
"Long story Ranma, but she'll explain. I need to sit down," Nabiki replied.
Ranma led her to where his parents were sitting and sat beside her. They then turned their attention towards the woman who was with Nabiki. They were surprised even more when Genma and Nodoka seemed to recognize the woman.
"What are doing here, Chizuru?" Kyo asked.
"Indeed, Kagura-san; why did you bring Nabiki here?" Genma asked.
"No need to be alarmed, all of you. I merely brought Ranma's chosen one to be with him. He needs her to be at his side when he faces the dark warrior of The Orochi," Chiziru replied.
"Ranma has chosen Nabiki?!!" Genma and Nodoka asked.
Chizuru nodded in assent then told them of how Ranma saved Nabiki and how the sight of her blood awakened his powers.
Genma and Nodoka could only sigh in acceptance.
"Well, I guess that means Akane is out of the question," Genma remarked.
"Indeed. Of the three, it is Nabiki who has most of the Kagura bloodline within her and as such, is the one meant for Ranma. I cannot stay long for I have to assist Soun and his warriors with their preparations. Kyo; Iori; carry on with Ranma's training. Genma, you will have to train these boys as well," Chizuru instructed. She then reopened the portal and disappeared.
"That's it? Oh well, I guess we have to train him really hard," Kyo remarked.
"Hey Ranma! We'll train again immediately after a week so better be ready!" advised Iori who then turned round and began to walk to the exit.
"Whoa! I guess he's accepted it now. Oh well, we'll see you later, cousin," Kyo said as he went off to join Iori.
"Where are they off to, mom?" Ranma asked.
"They're off to retrain themselves, my boy. They see the whole gravity of the situation now and so you'd best get ready. Why don't you go inside with Nabiki so she can have a snack?" Nodoka replied.
Ranma did as he was told and offered his hand to Nabiki. She took it and stood up and soon the two were inside the house.
There was an excruciating silence around them as Nabiki ate. She glanced at Ranma every so often and this proved to be very unsettling for Ranma.
"Stop fidgeting, Saotome. It's not like I'm going to do something to you or anything," Nabiki stated.
"I'm sorry, Nabiki. It's just all too much for me right now. One moment I was a normal teenager in Nerima and next, I'm supposed to stop great evil? Things like that would snap an ordinary person in two you know," Ranma replied.
"Ranma, your life in Nerima was hardly normal. This is just another development though I'm not surprised to see it happening to you. You're like a trouble magnet," Nabiki teased.
"He-he-he. You're right about that," Ranma added.
A few more minutes of silence transpired before Nabiki spoke up again.
"Tell me Ranma; what do you feel about this?" Nabiki asked.
"About what?" Ranma replied.
"About....us? I heard your father saying something like he was dissolving you r engagement to Akane and transferring it to me for apparent reasons," Nabiki added. "I really don't know yet, Nabiki. I've yet to sort out my existing fiancée problems you know," Ranma stated.
Nabiki sighed. What Ranma said was true as far as she was concerned. The whole fiancée-fiasco was still there and the only thing that changed was she got added to the mix. She stood up and was about to proceed to the washroom when she lost her footing and found herself falling headlong into the wall as she was still a bit weak from the magical-trip she took. Nabiki braced herself for impact and extended her arms so as to cushion her fall when her motion was halted.
When she opened her eyes, she saw that Ranma was holding her and he had prevented her from falling completely.
"Are...are you alright, Nabiki?" Ranma asked.
"I'm...fine, Ranma. I guess I'm still drained form that trip,' Nabiki replied as she held on to him.
"You should be more careful you know..." Ranma began but was cut short. Their gazes met as Ranma helped her stand up and neither could explain what followed. One minute, she and Ranma were looking at each other, the next minute, they were closing in on each others' lips for a kiss.
They were getting caught up in the moment when Ranma abruptly pulled away.
"I...I...I'd best be going back outside.....for more training. You sure you're alright, Nabiki?" Ranma asked,
"Yes. I'll be fine, Ranma. You go on ahead," Nabiki replied.
As Ranma ran outside, Nabiki was left inside the house. She felt her lips with her fingertips and realized that the sensation of Ranma's kiss was still there.
Morning at the Saotome household was far from normal today. What used to be a silent, peaceful transition from night into day was now a semi-chaotic scene. There was the father and son tandem of Ranma sparring with Genma in the yard and the noise they made while doing so was nothing short of disturbing. Indeed, most of the people passing by the property would think that a fierce battle was happening inside. They would be quite correct though 'fierce' would be an understatement in this case.
Iori Yagami had just gotten up and so did Kyo Kusanagi. They proceeded to the source of the noise and found Genma and Ranma as the two were about to finish their sparring. Both flame-fighters could recognize the stance and technique that Genma was using though there were a few styles incorporated into it which they did not recognize. They were more surprised when they saw what Ranma was doing. The two had had their share of fighting opponents whose speeds were mind-boggling if not downright impossible. In truth, most of these fighters' speeds were due to being enhanced by some other art or magic though mostly at the cost of their lives. But there wasn't any magic with the skill and styles Ranma was showing.
"Auntie, is this what they've been doing for the past few years?" Kyo asked of Nodoka.
"Yes it is, dear. My husband and son have been on a ten-year training trip where he promised to make a man out of Ranma. However, due to the awakening of Ranma's flames, that pledge has to take a backseat for now," Nodoka replied.
"Ranma seems to have incorporated a number of fighting-styles into his own. I know some of the forms he's shown but those other movements are alien to me," Iori remarked.
Genma scored a hit which drove Ranma back a few meters then turned to Iori.
"That is the essence of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Ranma and I have blended various forms of martial arts into our own until they are hardly separate from each other," Genma explained.
"Good move pop, but not good enough," Ranma stated as he launched into his own attack.
Genma was on the defensive once more but he found himself getting overwhelmed by Ranma'a attacks. Soon enough, Ranma scored three hits on him and Genma found himself heading into the wall of the dojo. He was bracing himself for impact when his backward motion has halted by Ranma. Upon opening his eyes, Genma turned round and saw that he was mere millimeters from the wall.
Iori and Kyo could only stare in awe at what they just saw. Ranma had blurred into motion immediately after he had hit Genma and was at the wall even before his father.
"Nice save boy, but never let your guard down. Flame pillar!" declared Genma as he counterattacked.
Ranma could only brace himself for the attack. Genma had executed a fire- attack which erupted from where Ranma was standing. When it was over, Ranma's clothes were singed and he was breathing raggedly.
"Bet you didn't expect that from your old man, eh Ranma?" Genma teased.
Ranma took some time to reply.
"Nope, not at all. Good one, pop," Ranma replied.
Genma was about to launch into another tirade/tease when he sensed that Ranma was building up for an attack.
"But like you said, never let your guard down. Hiyyaaaaa!!!"
Ranma's attack consisted of two flames emanating from his right hand which coruscated and blazed on the ground towards Genma. Genma jumped, thinking that he had dodged the attack but he soon realized too late that this was what Ranma was expecting him to do. While in the air, Genma noticed that Ranma then thrust his hand up and the flames shot upwards to where he was in midair. He was soon engulfed in a maelstrom of fire and after a few seconds, Genma landed hard on the ground.
"Bet you didn't expect that, huh dad.......?' was all that Ranma could say before he passed out.
Genma rushed over to his son. He then carried Ranma back into the dojo.
"No need to worry, he's just drained," Genma assured his wife even as he too plopped down onto the mat.
Nodoka nodded in assent though she was still worried in spite of her knowledge that such a thing often happened to flame-ninjas who were still learning the art.
"He couldn't defend himself from a flame-attack properly. Heck, he couldn't even control the amount of power he used and ended up draining himself. Idiot," Iori declared.
"Yeah. But this IDIOT showed us a very powerful attack nonetheless. Even Rugal would've been caught by that," Kyo countered.
"That's why you two are here, to train him in all the aspects of both Kusanagi and Yagami fighting. And not only that, you two will have to speed up his training as well. We don't know how much time we have left until the Orochi fully awakens," Nodoka declared.
Both fighters had to agree with Nodoka's last statement. Their personal differences had to take a backseat for now. A more pressing problem in the form of The Orochi had to be dealt with first.
Back in Nerima, things at the Tendo dojo seemed normal: quiet but normal. Soun was busy making a few calls every now and then while Kasumi was busy preparing something in the kitchen. Nabiki had gone out, running a few errands for her father. Akane was getting irritated at being left out of the loop and stormed off to school by herself.
"Since everybody's ignoring me, I'll just leave. I'm going to school now," Akane huffed.
Nabiki returned after an hour carrying a fresh load of groceries. She actually had no idea herself as to what was going on but she decided to just observe things for now. Up until then, her father was a no good bum who spent all his time playing shogi with Ranma's dad or drinking with him, occasionally pestering Ranma and Akane about uniting the two schools. But today, Soun Tendo was looking more like a proper dojo master than a useless bum.
"Oh Nabiki; you're back. Good. Did you get all the things I asked for?" Soun asked.
"Yes, dad. I brought them into the kitchen and Kasumi's sorting them right now," Nabiki replied.
Nabiki was surprised at the amount of food she had to buy at the grocery. Her father was definitely expecting company and by the sheer amount of food being prepared: a lot. She was also surprised when her father gave her money for the supplies. Where in the world did he get that much money? Nabiki believed that she was the only one keeping the dojo afloat with her earnings since Soun was unemployed.
"What about the other equipment I mentioned, Nabiki?" Soun asked.
"They'll be delivering them here in a while dad," she replied.
True enough, the nearest sports and martial arts supply-store delivered the huge order that Soun Tendo made to their home. Nabiki went out and instructed the delivery men to take the said equipment to the dojo. An hour later, everything was stacked and laid out on the floor. Nabiki was making a last minute check to see if anything was missing.
Back in the living quarters, Soun went out to meet a substantial number of newcomers who arrived.
"Welcome, everyone! Glad to see you all made it. Come inside," Souns greeted them.
Kasumi was setting the tables when her father and their visitors came in. She was surprised to see members of their kin whom they haven't seen in a long time. Uncles, cousins, etc. were all there not to mention a few of her father's old friends. She took her father aside after the usual greetings were exchanged.
"Father, what's the reason for this sudden reunion?" Kasumi asked though she had a very strong suspicion already in her mind.
"I'll explain later. Now let's serve them a hearty meal. Some of them came all the way from as far as Honshu, you know," Soun replied.
Soon, everyone was sitting down on the mats, eating. Soun went into the middle then made a gesture to get everyone's attention.
"Now I guess you're all wondering why I asked you all to come though some of you already know the reason. For those that don't know, I'll tell you now. Friends, what we've been preparing a long time for has come to pass. The cursed stone has been reawakened," Soun declared.
A collective gasp was heard throughout the room as the guests almost immediately began discussing among themselves how such a thing could happen.
"Are you sure about this, Tendo?" asked Fukuroda Ishido whom Kasumi recognized as one of her father's longtime friends. He and his family were close to the Tendos and were on hand especially after their mother, Kimiko, died.
"Indeed. For all we know, it might be another ruse to draw us away," added Mitsumo Ieyasumi who was Nabiki's godfather.
"I assure you all that it is true. The Orochi has indeed awakened though not fully so we may yet have a chance in actively participating in stopping its machinations this time," Soun replied.
"How sure are you, Tendo? Do you have any proof?" added Itsumo Akashi, one of their late mother's cousins. All the others chimed in as well, adding noise to an already confused assembly.
"Calm down all of you!" Soun shouted and everyone complied. Kasumi was surprised at her father's sudden aura of authority.
"That's better. Now where were we? Ah, yes: you all want proof? I shall give it to you then," Soun declared.
"Now most of you are aware that my good friend Genma Saotome and his son were staying with us for the past 2 years, right? Genma and I have engaged our children to each other and they will carry on with the dojo. Now for those of you who may not know, 'Saotome' is not Genma's real surname but that of his mother. His real clan-name is Kusanagi," Soun began, eliciting reactions from the people before him.
"What's more, Genma's wife, Nodoka, also uses her mother's surname. Her actual clan-name is Yagami," added Soun who managed to elicit more discussions and reactions from the assembly.
"Of course, these things alone are not reason enough for this assembly. Such a pairing is indeed unique especially since they're from warring clans but what you all must know in addition to this is that their son Ranma, has had his powers awakened. He now can produce flame like his parents," Soun continued.
The whole assembly erupted in an uproar of discussion which irritated Soun. When all his attempts to placate them failed, he resorted to one technique which Happosai taught him: the Demon Head. The assembly was scared out their wits.
"Good. Now that I have your undivided attention, I will continue. As I was saying, even the fact that Ranma has both Kusanagi and Yagami blood, the awakening of his powers would not merit an assembly like this. But unfortunately, his powers have awakened in a way that DOES necessitate your being here," Soun declared then paused as he gathered himself for what he was about to say.
"You're not saying that this Ranma has.........?" inquired Ishido who had already suspected what Soun was about to say.
"Indeed, Ranma has BOTH the Kusanagi-Flame and the Yagami-Flame," Soun declared.
The whole assembly was speechless at Soun's report. The older ones knew of the full implications of such a development. In one way or another, they all knew that a warrior bearing both flames was destined to fight with The Orochi. They were all surprised when Happosai turned up.
"I see you've all gathered here. Good. It saves me the trouble of finding you," Happosai declared as he walked towards Soun.
The assembly was in awe of the Grandmaster of Anything Goes. Though not many were aware that Happosai was one of the few warriors who were able to stand against The Orochi and live to tell about it, his aura alone was impressive. Happosai came from a family that also had flame powers but this was different from that employed by either Kusanagi or Yagami. Indeed, the clan Hokage was rumored to practice a flame-art deeper than both clans.
But Happosai didn't survive unscathed from his battle with the Orochi's incarnation back then. Though he defeated the dark warrior, his control over his own flame-powers was destroyed. His flame would continuously build up until he could no longer contain it and he would explode. Happosai however, found a way to safely channel his excess build-up of flame and with the help of a wise monk, developed what soon became known as his Happo- daikirin bombs.
"Glad to see you made it. Master," Soun greeted.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Happosai replied.
Meanwhile, Nabiki was just about finished with her last inspection of the packages which arrived. She wondered why her father would order so many reproductions of various ancient weapons. Indeed, there were about 100 sets of Katanas with matching Wakizashis (short-swords), 100 glaives, 100 throwing-knives, 100 battle-sickles, 500pcs of shuriken and various equipment that were long unused in these modern times.
"You'd think he was getting ready for a war or something," Nabiki remarked.
As she turned towards the exit, Nabiki stopped as something or rather someone materialized in front of her. It looked like a beautiful woman who seemed to be in her early twenties. She had long black hair that reached to her waist and she was garbed in a mix of modern and ancient clothes. Indeed, her clothes resembled those of neophyte shrine-maidens who took care of temples. (think Zenki) The woman saw the various weapons decked out on the floor, shaking her head. She then turned to Nabiki and smiled.
"Who...who are you?" Nabiki asked.
"Who I am is unimportant right now. Are these all that you have?" she replied, referring to the weapons.
"Yes. These are all that the store could deliver at such short notice. More will be delivered tomorrow," Nabiki answered.
"Then I have no choice. They will have to bring those other weapons to me if they are to be of any use," the lady stated. She then turned to Nabiki again.
"You on the other hand should not be here. You should join with the chosen one else you put yourself in grave danger," the lady declared.
"The chosen one? What do you mean 'I have to be with the chosen one'? I don't understand any of this," Nabiki stammered.
"All your questions will be answered soon enough. But you must make haste. I can sense the stone's power getting near. Your father and his followers must prepare themselves well. Come, child; I will bring you to the chosen one," the lady stated.
"Wait just one minute! I'm not going anywhere until you answer my questions! Who is this chosen one you keep referring to and why do I have to be with him?" Nabiki asked with irritation in her voice.
The lady sighed in defeat, seeing that Nabiki was stubbornly refusing to do anything.
"Very well; the chosen one I am referring to is none other than Ranma Saotome. He who possesses both flames is the one destined to fight The Orochi, the cursed stone," the lady began.
"Ranma? He's the chosen one?" Nabiki asked incredulously. The lady nodded in assent.
Nabiki then remembered how Ranma saved her from Hiro that day. Ranma did produce flames form his hands. She also thought about the melted dagger that she kept in her drawer.
"Okay, Ranma may be the chosen one; but why do I have to be with him? He's engaged to Akane!" Nabiki argued.
"That engagement is naught for he has chosen you," the lady replied.
"Chosen me? How and when did that happen?!!" Nabiki asked.
"Simple: you are the one whose blood brought out his flames that day. When he saw you get cut, his powers were awakened. You are his chosen for you are the first one he saved with his flames," the lady replied.
Nabiki was dumbstruck by what the lady had just said. Indeed, Ranma had saved others before and even killed a demi-god for Akane but that paled in comparison to what he did when he saved her from Hiro that day. In all the other instances, Ranma had at least some control over what he was doing but such was not the case that day.
"Come now, child. We must go to him. He trains with his kin even now as we speak," the lady stated.
Nabiki complied and went to her. The two then disappeared from the dojo.
Back in Juuban, Ranma was watching Iori as he went through the Yagami-arts, noting the many similarities that it had with the Kusanagi-arts.
"That's the basics of Yagami-flame. I hope you paid attention because I won't repeat it for you," Iori huffed.
"No problem, cousin. It looked easy enough," Ranma replied as he stood up in order to execute the same kata Iori showed him.
"You have to admit Iori, the kid's got talent. He's like a sponge for this stuff," Kyo remarked. Iori tried to make a retort but didn't. Whether he liked it or not, Kyo's observation was correct. As they watched, Ranma was perfectly executing the moves Iori showed a few scant minutes ago. When he was done, Ranma decided to do something new.
"That was nice. Hidden power that's focused at all time: you can't be a newbie for that. Hey guys! What do you think of this?" Ranma half-shouted as he began a routine which seemed new to both fighters. They were still wondering what Ranma was doing when it suddenly hit them: Ranma was blending the 2 dsiciplines.
Kyo, Iori, and Ranma's parents felt the rise in chi and flame within Ranma as he went through the hybrid kata. When it looked like he had gathered enough of both, Ranma executed the attack.
"Double fire-tsunami!" Ranma shouted as he extended both hands.
Reddish-white erupted from his right palm while purplish-white burst forth from the left. These took the form of tsunamis which spread out towards the sides. As they neared their target, the two waves would slam into each other upon reaching it. The people watching him could only stare in awe.
The silence was broken when the air a few paces from Ranma began to ripple. Kyo and Iori suddenly stood up, their flames ready. The ripple grew until it became a full fledged portal from which Nabiki and another woman stepped forth. Nabiki was quite dazed from the trip and was about to stumble.
"Nabiki! What are you doing here?" Ranma asked with surprise as he went to her and steadied her.
"Long story Ranma, but she'll explain. I need to sit down," Nabiki replied.
Ranma led her to where his parents were sitting and sat beside her. They then turned their attention towards the woman who was with Nabiki. They were surprised even more when Genma and Nodoka seemed to recognize the woman.
"What are doing here, Chizuru?" Kyo asked.
"Indeed, Kagura-san; why did you bring Nabiki here?" Genma asked.
"No need to be alarmed, all of you. I merely brought Ranma's chosen one to be with him. He needs her to be at his side when he faces the dark warrior of The Orochi," Chiziru replied.
"Ranma has chosen Nabiki?!!" Genma and Nodoka asked.
Chizuru nodded in assent then told them of how Ranma saved Nabiki and how the sight of her blood awakened his powers.
Genma and Nodoka could only sigh in acceptance.
"Well, I guess that means Akane is out of the question," Genma remarked.
"Indeed. Of the three, it is Nabiki who has most of the Kagura bloodline within her and as such, is the one meant for Ranma. I cannot stay long for I have to assist Soun and his warriors with their preparations. Kyo; Iori; carry on with Ranma's training. Genma, you will have to train these boys as well," Chizuru instructed. She then reopened the portal and disappeared.
"That's it? Oh well, I guess we have to train him really hard," Kyo remarked.
"Hey Ranma! We'll train again immediately after a week so better be ready!" advised Iori who then turned round and began to walk to the exit.
"Whoa! I guess he's accepted it now. Oh well, we'll see you later, cousin," Kyo said as he went off to join Iori.
"Where are they off to, mom?" Ranma asked.
"They're off to retrain themselves, my boy. They see the whole gravity of the situation now and so you'd best get ready. Why don't you go inside with Nabiki so she can have a snack?" Nodoka replied.
Ranma did as he was told and offered his hand to Nabiki. She took it and stood up and soon the two were inside the house.
There was an excruciating silence around them as Nabiki ate. She glanced at Ranma every so often and this proved to be very unsettling for Ranma.
"Stop fidgeting, Saotome. It's not like I'm going to do something to you or anything," Nabiki stated.
"I'm sorry, Nabiki. It's just all too much for me right now. One moment I was a normal teenager in Nerima and next, I'm supposed to stop great evil? Things like that would snap an ordinary person in two you know," Ranma replied.
"Ranma, your life in Nerima was hardly normal. This is just another development though I'm not surprised to see it happening to you. You're like a trouble magnet," Nabiki teased.
"He-he-he. You're right about that," Ranma added.
A few more minutes of silence transpired before Nabiki spoke up again.
"Tell me Ranma; what do you feel about this?" Nabiki asked.
"About what?" Ranma replied.
"About....us? I heard your father saying something like he was dissolving you r engagement to Akane and transferring it to me for apparent reasons," Nabiki added. "I really don't know yet, Nabiki. I've yet to sort out my existing fiancée problems you know," Ranma stated.
Nabiki sighed. What Ranma said was true as far as she was concerned. The whole fiancée-fiasco was still there and the only thing that changed was she got added to the mix. She stood up and was about to proceed to the washroom when she lost her footing and found herself falling headlong into the wall as she was still a bit weak from the magical-trip she took. Nabiki braced herself for impact and extended her arms so as to cushion her fall when her motion was halted.
When she opened her eyes, she saw that Ranma was holding her and he had prevented her from falling completely.
"Are...are you alright, Nabiki?" Ranma asked.
"I'm...fine, Ranma. I guess I'm still drained form that trip,' Nabiki replied as she held on to him.
"You should be more careful you know..." Ranma began but was cut short. Their gazes met as Ranma helped her stand up and neither could explain what followed. One minute, she and Ranma were looking at each other, the next minute, they were closing in on each others' lips for a kiss.
They were getting caught up in the moment when Ranma abruptly pulled away.
"I...I...I'd best be going back outside.....for more training. You sure you're alright, Nabiki?" Ranma asked,
"Yes. I'll be fine, Ranma. You go on ahead," Nabiki replied.
As Ranma ran outside, Nabiki was left inside the house. She felt her lips with her fingertips and realized that the sensation of Ranma's kiss was still there.
