Full Circle 2
Thanks to Joe Fenton for prereading
Ch2: Untitled
Akane grimaced as she brushed some more cream onto her face hoping to disguise the angry red welt that was forming. It was shameful that a Tendo could be so easily belted around. Theirs was one of the oldest surviving schools of martial arts in Japan and one of the best if not the finest in the world. It reflected badly on their school but that was not the reason that she was trying to cover the patch of sensitive skin that adorned her face. After all a bruise gained from training or honourable challenges where to be held as a trophy.
No, the reason she was trying to disguise the mark was exactly because it wasn't gained from training or fighting but rather from a beating at the hands of some local toughs. Why were local toughs attacking a member of the Tendo house? Did they want to bring the wrath of such an old, powerful and traditional family down upon themselves? It was a question that she had often asked herself as she was growing up.
Less and less frequently though was the question asked as it became apparent that these attacks were far from discouraged. The fact that her family refused to teach her any of the family art only led her to believe that they were endorsed at some levels.
Akane winced again as her hands passed over the painful welt that had almost disappeared. She had, over the years become very skillful at hiding such blemishes. Her family rarely asked about her differing hairstyles, makeovers or fashion sense. They rarely asked anything personal about her, she doubted that her family really knew her at all.
It was another question that she had often asked herself and still did to this day. Such an old and traditional family as theirs she would have thought would have held all family members dear, so why her two sisters and not her? It wasn't as if she was less capable than her sisters.
One last look in the mirror though answered her own frequently asked question. The face that stared back at her just didn't look as if it belonged to an old, traditional Japanese family that was steeped in martial arts history. Her eyes were crystal blue and her face was more rounded than any Japanese face she had seen. She was the one that shamed her family not the fact that a supposed member of her school could so easily be belted around.
Still, she didn't blame her family she blamed society. If she had been born just a hundred years earlier things would have been vastly different for her. Sure at that time the school was still in decline but society was a lot more accepting of foreigners and those who looked like foreigners.
Japan had suffered a huge economic slump over the last century. The vast western conglomerates dumped world markets with largely subsidised products. This produced distaste for anything foreign, a feeling that quickly spiralled to disdain and hatred. Miraculously a small company called Genom developed robotic technology that acted to lift the economy from the depths it had fallen. Since then the feeling of disdain and hatred had crystallized with an overwhelming feeling of nationalism and backing behind the company that had saved Japan from economic ruin.
This had made things very hard for her and people like her. Akane just sighed sadly as she thought about the stupidity of the whole thing. Genetics had been known for almost a thousand years and had been developed to great heights, yet still people blamed her for her genes.
Bereft of being allowed to learn her family art she had to be satisfied with learning its histories, which proved fascinating in their own right. Neither of her two elder sisters was remotely interested in the past; they were more focused on the future. Kasumi, the eldest Tendo daughter actively promoted their school of martial arts; she was one of the reasons that the school was once again gaining in popularity. Nabiki, the middle Tendo daughter was being preened as the Tendo heir. Not because she was vastly more skilled than Kasumi in the art but because she had more time to search out the occasional new technique to add to their school.
It was there in the family histories that she learned that their school had lost a lot of skill. What she saw her father and sisters do sometimes amazed her but the tales told of what their school had once been capable of amazed her even more. Some of the earliest family chronicles had obviously been either corrupted over time or deliberately tampered with, with the intention of delivering a better sales pitch to overcome the shrinking of the school that plagued their family even a few generations after its founding. Akane wasn't foolish enough to discount all the tales of skill however and it sometimes surprised her that Nabiki especially was not more interested in the old tomes as it listed quite a number of supposed techniques.
Her family had once again left her to look after the dojo. Not that it required much looking after, the latest Betty model cleaned and no one except students came to this part of old Tokyo anymore particularly when there wasn't any classes scheduled, so it was a surprise when a knocking at the gates jerked her out of her train of thoughts.
Akane frowned when she realised that the knocking was coming from the challenge gate. No one ever used the challenge gate, the only reason it had been included when the dojo had been rebuilt was for historical significance rather than convenience. So who was knocking on it now? And what could they want?
Not even bothering to hide her limp she stumbled to the challenge gate, her family wasn't there to direct disappointed glances her way. "Couldn't even bother to use the main entrance," Akane mumbled disgruntled "I don't know what they expect me to do anyway, I'm treated little better than the family boomer." Akane looked at the Betty model, which was happily cleaning as it had been instructed to.
Akane opened the gate with a pleasant expression; it wouldn't do to increase the antagonism between herself and society. A black haired, pigtailed, young man stood there. He was slightly shorter than she although he looked a little older in his early twenties. Wearing an antiquated red Chinese shirt with black slacks he stood with the air of a skilled martial artist. It was his face that fascinated her though, if she didn't know better she would say that she was related.
His Crystal blue eyes and rounded face strongly resembled her own. Akane stood there staring; she hadn't seen anyone that so closely resembled her. Though she hadn't exactly travelled very far from the dojo to find others with similar features. Akane need not have worried about staring at the young man in front of her, since he to seemed to be momentarily caught in the moment. Before she could fully interpret the emotions she saw flashing upon his face though they were gone.
"I've come to issue a challenge!" The young man challenged in a loud declaration that would have been heard throughout the compound had anyone have been in.
*****
After he had recovered from his initial surprise of seeing someone who resembled his long dead wife so strongly and she did only strongly resemble her. Her eyes were his own crystal blue instead of the chocolate brown that sparkled when he had spared with his wife so long ago. The biggest difference between the girl who stood before him and his dead wife was the fact that she was clearly no martial artist. Ranma once again wondered how far his school had fallen over the years, particularly when no students came running out at his announced challenge.
In his time there was always someone to answer a challenge. "I'm sorry," the young girl said bowing low "both the Master of the school and his heir is out and there are no students present to accept your challenge. Please enter while you wait for their return." It was a polite and demure welcome, which was quite at odds with what he observed from her aura. For a non-combatant it shone brightly indicating that even if his family had lost a lot of his schools teachings over the years they still had the potential to relearn it.
The way in which her aura surrounded, trying to smother the small black knots that speckled it spoke well for her spirit – so why wasn't she a martial artist. The potential he felt from her ached to be filled, any master skilled enough would have felt it. Cologne and Happosai certainly felt it from him and once he had become more experienced he began to feel it in others.
May be he had left it too long to return; his school certainly seemed to have suffered from his absence. Bowing equally low since he were a ronin until he chose to reveal his identity and greeting a Tendo as a superior would no doubt raise questions. "Thankyou – perhaps you could tell me a little history of your school while I wait. I have heard rumours," Ranma left the sentence hanging while he followed her inside.
"Of course, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Akane Tendo," she bowed again before leading him into the main room. Everything was exactly as it was when he had left it. Almost the same as when he had left it, the feel of the dojo and its surrounds were different. No longer could he feel the weight of generations, which had practiced and trained here before him. It was he supposed expected that the dojo would not have escaped the damage he saw from the wreckage of old Tokyo. Still he felt the loss keenly.
Ranma raised his eyebrows in surprise and a little scepticism, as what he could only guess was a robot served the tea. Except for an almost undetectable amount of Ki he could feel coming from the being it seemed lifeless, mechanical. How could a robot brew a good cup of tea? Mentally he shrugged, he was the guest here and this young girl was the host.
"As you have no doubt heard, the Tendo School of anything goes is one of the oldest schools of martial arts surviving today." Ranma sipped his tea and encouraged her to continue.
"I have some doubts as to how the school was founded but the records are clear. Nerima at that time was being terrorized by a demon of terrible power who for some explicable reason was only terrorizing the women." Akane looked up to make sure he was paying attention, once again he urged her to continue.
A travelling martial artist of the name of Ranma Saotome came to Nerima in the hopes of defeating the demon and saving the women of Nerima. Though a series of long and hard fought battles Ranma Saotome created a style, which was strong enough and adaptable enough to defeat the evil and trickery of the demon. After the banishment of the demon he married into the pre-existing Tendo dojo and founded what became known as the Tendo School of anything goes.
"The name of the demon has been scratched out of all of our records in the belief that naming him will once again summon him from where ever he was banished. This strength and adaptability has helped our school survive where others have perished."
Ranma nodded in thought, he had expected worse from the drift of time but the history of his school wasn't as important as what it had become. "What became of the first Grandmaster?" he asked giving the appearance of being engrossed in the story.
"After a lifetime of promoting the school and not once losing any of his challenge matches he supposedly left to perfect the art which he had developed. Ranma the immortal he became known as but I assume he died because he never returned. No mater how science has evolved, immortality is still not possible so it is unlikely that he is still living. After he left, the popularity of anything goes decreased until mostly the family along with a few dedicated students maintained it. Still it once again seems to be gaining popularity, particularly if it is once again attracting challenges."
'So' Ranma thought 'I'm dead, well that certainly makes things easier to find out what's going on.' He didn't mind that time had left him and his achievements doubted and forgotten, it was what the passage of time did and he had seen a lot of that passage. "It seems I have found the perfect school to test my strength against," he announced brashly, falling into the persona of a young overconfident martial artist he had been in his youth "so when is this master and his heir arriving so I can challenge them."
"Now!" a deep voice coming from behind him announced.
*****
"What's with those changes you made squirt?" asked an underdressed goddess as she took time away from drooling over a live video feed of her current favourite obsession. "Not that I mind, I'm all for reliving the past."
"Trying to get your youth back old woman," sniped the young girl. "Ranma's been living in monasteries for how long? Wouldn't it be best to have something familiar around him to help him reintegrate into society? It will only make things easier when the time comes."
"He'll be fine kid I've been watching him after all, what could go wrong. Just leave things to your elders."
"I'm not a little kid, but you sure got the elders right ya old bag."
"Enough you two, the timing is too critical for the two of you to be getting into one of your arguments." Belldandy interjected once again forestalling a fight. "Now Skuld, how are you progressing?"
"I'm almost ready, my Benpai Dojo Destroyer Mark I is finished, but I still need to finish programming it. I'm sure it will put him through his paces, more so than whatever the old bags cooking up."
"I'll have you know that my creations are so tough that I'm going to let him wade through your junk first."
"What did you say?" growled out Skuld as she produced some of her newly created Urd blaster grenades.
"Now you two, I said you could play later. Lets see how this progressing." Once again the god of the present stopped any conflict between that of past or future. If Ranma suspected that the eyes of past, present and future were focused on him at that moment he would have been running as fast as he could, though where he could have run to escape those eyes is questionable.
*****
Ranma noted the Akane visibly flinched at the sound of the deep voice behind him and added another question to his list. He would find answers eventually but one thing at a time. Putting his cup down he turned to face where the voice had come from but before he could introduce himself to the older man and the two young women that flanked him he was interrupted.
"What is going on Akane and who is this man enjoying the hospitality of the Tendo ancestral home?" demanded the older man.
With head bent toward the floor Akane started to explain about the challenge.
*****
Akane had been enjoying her conversation with Ranma, sure she was doing all the talking but he had been treating her as an equal, something that to her knowledge had not been done before. She had begun to loosen up a little, not holding herself to the strictly reserved persona that she forced herself into when in public. It was also fascinating to watch, as emotions of some kind seemed to flicker across Ranma's face while she told her story. What emotions they were she could not tell since they flashed briefly before being replaced with another or disappearing.
When she heard her fathers demanding voice she felt her self flinch. Quickly standing and restoring her subservant façade she answered him. "This gentlemen has brought a challenge to our school, I thought it best to await your return before I answered."
Soun grunted, "This foreign ronin thinks he can provide a challenge to our school does he?" The distain was obvious to everyone and Akane could see Ranma's face briefly tighten before he grinned. "Of course old man, this foreigner feels confident of proving the superiority of the anything goes school is nothing more than a myth."
Akane watched as Nabiki's face reddened, Kasumi just watched the exchange coolly. "Stupid foreigner, you should know your place."
"Nabiki," Ranma seemed to be deliberately antagonising her family, to what purpose she couldn't see. He had already issued a challenge and stirring up Nabiki especially would just make her more vicious. "I'm as Japanese as you are, but then I can see that I have a larger head and it is well known that head size is related to intelligence."
"Are you calling me stupid foreigner," Nabiki snarled out. Kasumi still looked on and Soun seemed reluctant to intervene. Ranma just assumed what she guessed was his worst innocent face and cocked an eyebrow. Nabiki reddened further and lunged at him in anger.
"This is hardly the place to be accepting a challenge," Ranma said while neatly side stepping Nabiki's lunge.
"He is right Nabiki," Soun growled out finally stepping in, clearly angry with Ranma's insults to the school and his family. "Take him to the dojo and give him a thrashing for daring to question the superiority of our school.
"Father, surely we should exchange introductions and terms first?" Kasumi added exchanging an appraising look with Ramna.
"Of corse you are correct as usual Kasumi," Soun sighed, calming down. "I am Soun, Grandmaster of anything goes and Head of the Tendo clan. These are my three daughters Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane you've already met. I doubt you'll be around long enough to meet my students." Akane watched Ranma's face tighten again briefly during the introduction but she wasn't sure what caused it.
"Ranma," he returned not even bothering to bow "and if I win I would like to stay and teach at this dojo."
"How do you propose to do that foreigner," Nabiki interrupted him angrily "this is an anything goes dojo and I doubt you know any of our family school."
"The challenge will be in anything goes and if you win you'll be able to teach for two weeks with board included." Kasumi announced overriding Nabiki's objections. Ranma bowed in Kasumi's direction "agreed." Like Kasumi he to seemed to be ignoring Nabiki's protests, which seemed to increase Nabiki's anger.
"Lets get on with it then!" Nabiki yelled storming to the dojo. Ranma just looked amused as he followed Soun, Kasumi and her to the dojo, trailing Nabiki.
****
Ranma looked at all three daughters and wondered what the chances were that they would all be named after his own generation of Tendo's. Still aside from the names they seemed nothing alike to the girls he knew. Kasumi looked on from the corner of the dojo which a cool intelligence without the nastiness of his own Nabiki. If he wanted to get anything done it would seem he needed to go through her. Nabiki stood opposite him with an angry impatience that indicated a lack of discipline but with enough skill not to be discounted and Akane just looked on with a worried expression. He doubted she participated in any family affairs.
Soun stood beside them ready to start the match 'Grandmaster indeed' Ranma thought. 'None of them have the training I would've thought necessary for them to claim that tittle. By the look of their auras, I doubt if they can even achieve the basics of aerial combat. I have a lot of work a head of me'
Ranma nodded at Soun and considered the best way to defeat Nabiki without humiliating her too much.
"Begin"
A/N – the Japanese face is shrinking and becoming more like an inverted triangle so in 100 years time… http://www.jinjapan.org/trends00/honbun/tj990918.html
- Interesting articles on the correlation between head size and intelligence http://pubpages.unh.edu/~jel/brainIQ.html.
- There is a trend for world populations getting taller, put it down to better diets or hormones in the food chain.
Thanks to Joe Fenton for prereading
Ch2: Untitled
Akane grimaced as she brushed some more cream onto her face hoping to disguise the angry red welt that was forming. It was shameful that a Tendo could be so easily belted around. Theirs was one of the oldest surviving schools of martial arts in Japan and one of the best if not the finest in the world. It reflected badly on their school but that was not the reason that she was trying to cover the patch of sensitive skin that adorned her face. After all a bruise gained from training or honourable challenges where to be held as a trophy.
No, the reason she was trying to disguise the mark was exactly because it wasn't gained from training or fighting but rather from a beating at the hands of some local toughs. Why were local toughs attacking a member of the Tendo house? Did they want to bring the wrath of such an old, powerful and traditional family down upon themselves? It was a question that she had often asked herself as she was growing up.
Less and less frequently though was the question asked as it became apparent that these attacks were far from discouraged. The fact that her family refused to teach her any of the family art only led her to believe that they were endorsed at some levels.
Akane winced again as her hands passed over the painful welt that had almost disappeared. She had, over the years become very skillful at hiding such blemishes. Her family rarely asked about her differing hairstyles, makeovers or fashion sense. They rarely asked anything personal about her, she doubted that her family really knew her at all.
It was another question that she had often asked herself and still did to this day. Such an old and traditional family as theirs she would have thought would have held all family members dear, so why her two sisters and not her? It wasn't as if she was less capable than her sisters.
One last look in the mirror though answered her own frequently asked question. The face that stared back at her just didn't look as if it belonged to an old, traditional Japanese family that was steeped in martial arts history. Her eyes were crystal blue and her face was more rounded than any Japanese face she had seen. She was the one that shamed her family not the fact that a supposed member of her school could so easily be belted around.
Still, she didn't blame her family she blamed society. If she had been born just a hundred years earlier things would have been vastly different for her. Sure at that time the school was still in decline but society was a lot more accepting of foreigners and those who looked like foreigners.
Japan had suffered a huge economic slump over the last century. The vast western conglomerates dumped world markets with largely subsidised products. This produced distaste for anything foreign, a feeling that quickly spiralled to disdain and hatred. Miraculously a small company called Genom developed robotic technology that acted to lift the economy from the depths it had fallen. Since then the feeling of disdain and hatred had crystallized with an overwhelming feeling of nationalism and backing behind the company that had saved Japan from economic ruin.
This had made things very hard for her and people like her. Akane just sighed sadly as she thought about the stupidity of the whole thing. Genetics had been known for almost a thousand years and had been developed to great heights, yet still people blamed her for her genes.
Bereft of being allowed to learn her family art she had to be satisfied with learning its histories, which proved fascinating in their own right. Neither of her two elder sisters was remotely interested in the past; they were more focused on the future. Kasumi, the eldest Tendo daughter actively promoted their school of martial arts; she was one of the reasons that the school was once again gaining in popularity. Nabiki, the middle Tendo daughter was being preened as the Tendo heir. Not because she was vastly more skilled than Kasumi in the art but because she had more time to search out the occasional new technique to add to their school.
It was there in the family histories that she learned that their school had lost a lot of skill. What she saw her father and sisters do sometimes amazed her but the tales told of what their school had once been capable of amazed her even more. Some of the earliest family chronicles had obviously been either corrupted over time or deliberately tampered with, with the intention of delivering a better sales pitch to overcome the shrinking of the school that plagued their family even a few generations after its founding. Akane wasn't foolish enough to discount all the tales of skill however and it sometimes surprised her that Nabiki especially was not more interested in the old tomes as it listed quite a number of supposed techniques.
Her family had once again left her to look after the dojo. Not that it required much looking after, the latest Betty model cleaned and no one except students came to this part of old Tokyo anymore particularly when there wasn't any classes scheduled, so it was a surprise when a knocking at the gates jerked her out of her train of thoughts.
Akane frowned when she realised that the knocking was coming from the challenge gate. No one ever used the challenge gate, the only reason it had been included when the dojo had been rebuilt was for historical significance rather than convenience. So who was knocking on it now? And what could they want?
Not even bothering to hide her limp she stumbled to the challenge gate, her family wasn't there to direct disappointed glances her way. "Couldn't even bother to use the main entrance," Akane mumbled disgruntled "I don't know what they expect me to do anyway, I'm treated little better than the family boomer." Akane looked at the Betty model, which was happily cleaning as it had been instructed to.
Akane opened the gate with a pleasant expression; it wouldn't do to increase the antagonism between herself and society. A black haired, pigtailed, young man stood there. He was slightly shorter than she although he looked a little older in his early twenties. Wearing an antiquated red Chinese shirt with black slacks he stood with the air of a skilled martial artist. It was his face that fascinated her though, if she didn't know better she would say that she was related.
His Crystal blue eyes and rounded face strongly resembled her own. Akane stood there staring; she hadn't seen anyone that so closely resembled her. Though she hadn't exactly travelled very far from the dojo to find others with similar features. Akane need not have worried about staring at the young man in front of her, since he to seemed to be momentarily caught in the moment. Before she could fully interpret the emotions she saw flashing upon his face though they were gone.
"I've come to issue a challenge!" The young man challenged in a loud declaration that would have been heard throughout the compound had anyone have been in.
*****
After he had recovered from his initial surprise of seeing someone who resembled his long dead wife so strongly and she did only strongly resemble her. Her eyes were his own crystal blue instead of the chocolate brown that sparkled when he had spared with his wife so long ago. The biggest difference between the girl who stood before him and his dead wife was the fact that she was clearly no martial artist. Ranma once again wondered how far his school had fallen over the years, particularly when no students came running out at his announced challenge.
In his time there was always someone to answer a challenge. "I'm sorry," the young girl said bowing low "both the Master of the school and his heir is out and there are no students present to accept your challenge. Please enter while you wait for their return." It was a polite and demure welcome, which was quite at odds with what he observed from her aura. For a non-combatant it shone brightly indicating that even if his family had lost a lot of his schools teachings over the years they still had the potential to relearn it.
The way in which her aura surrounded, trying to smother the small black knots that speckled it spoke well for her spirit – so why wasn't she a martial artist. The potential he felt from her ached to be filled, any master skilled enough would have felt it. Cologne and Happosai certainly felt it from him and once he had become more experienced he began to feel it in others.
May be he had left it too long to return; his school certainly seemed to have suffered from his absence. Bowing equally low since he were a ronin until he chose to reveal his identity and greeting a Tendo as a superior would no doubt raise questions. "Thankyou – perhaps you could tell me a little history of your school while I wait. I have heard rumours," Ranma left the sentence hanging while he followed her inside.
"Of course, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Akane Tendo," she bowed again before leading him into the main room. Everything was exactly as it was when he had left it. Almost the same as when he had left it, the feel of the dojo and its surrounds were different. No longer could he feel the weight of generations, which had practiced and trained here before him. It was he supposed expected that the dojo would not have escaped the damage he saw from the wreckage of old Tokyo. Still he felt the loss keenly.
Ranma raised his eyebrows in surprise and a little scepticism, as what he could only guess was a robot served the tea. Except for an almost undetectable amount of Ki he could feel coming from the being it seemed lifeless, mechanical. How could a robot brew a good cup of tea? Mentally he shrugged, he was the guest here and this young girl was the host.
"As you have no doubt heard, the Tendo School of anything goes is one of the oldest schools of martial arts surviving today." Ranma sipped his tea and encouraged her to continue.
"I have some doubts as to how the school was founded but the records are clear. Nerima at that time was being terrorized by a demon of terrible power who for some explicable reason was only terrorizing the women." Akane looked up to make sure he was paying attention, once again he urged her to continue.
A travelling martial artist of the name of Ranma Saotome came to Nerima in the hopes of defeating the demon and saving the women of Nerima. Though a series of long and hard fought battles Ranma Saotome created a style, which was strong enough and adaptable enough to defeat the evil and trickery of the demon. After the banishment of the demon he married into the pre-existing Tendo dojo and founded what became known as the Tendo School of anything goes.
"The name of the demon has been scratched out of all of our records in the belief that naming him will once again summon him from where ever he was banished. This strength and adaptability has helped our school survive where others have perished."
Ranma nodded in thought, he had expected worse from the drift of time but the history of his school wasn't as important as what it had become. "What became of the first Grandmaster?" he asked giving the appearance of being engrossed in the story.
"After a lifetime of promoting the school and not once losing any of his challenge matches he supposedly left to perfect the art which he had developed. Ranma the immortal he became known as but I assume he died because he never returned. No mater how science has evolved, immortality is still not possible so it is unlikely that he is still living. After he left, the popularity of anything goes decreased until mostly the family along with a few dedicated students maintained it. Still it once again seems to be gaining popularity, particularly if it is once again attracting challenges."
'So' Ranma thought 'I'm dead, well that certainly makes things easier to find out what's going on.' He didn't mind that time had left him and his achievements doubted and forgotten, it was what the passage of time did and he had seen a lot of that passage. "It seems I have found the perfect school to test my strength against," he announced brashly, falling into the persona of a young overconfident martial artist he had been in his youth "so when is this master and his heir arriving so I can challenge them."
"Now!" a deep voice coming from behind him announced.
*****
"What's with those changes you made squirt?" asked an underdressed goddess as she took time away from drooling over a live video feed of her current favourite obsession. "Not that I mind, I'm all for reliving the past."
"Trying to get your youth back old woman," sniped the young girl. "Ranma's been living in monasteries for how long? Wouldn't it be best to have something familiar around him to help him reintegrate into society? It will only make things easier when the time comes."
"He'll be fine kid I've been watching him after all, what could go wrong. Just leave things to your elders."
"I'm not a little kid, but you sure got the elders right ya old bag."
"Enough you two, the timing is too critical for the two of you to be getting into one of your arguments." Belldandy interjected once again forestalling a fight. "Now Skuld, how are you progressing?"
"I'm almost ready, my Benpai Dojo Destroyer Mark I is finished, but I still need to finish programming it. I'm sure it will put him through his paces, more so than whatever the old bags cooking up."
"I'll have you know that my creations are so tough that I'm going to let him wade through your junk first."
"What did you say?" growled out Skuld as she produced some of her newly created Urd blaster grenades.
"Now you two, I said you could play later. Lets see how this progressing." Once again the god of the present stopped any conflict between that of past or future. If Ranma suspected that the eyes of past, present and future were focused on him at that moment he would have been running as fast as he could, though where he could have run to escape those eyes is questionable.
*****
Ranma noted the Akane visibly flinched at the sound of the deep voice behind him and added another question to his list. He would find answers eventually but one thing at a time. Putting his cup down he turned to face where the voice had come from but before he could introduce himself to the older man and the two young women that flanked him he was interrupted.
"What is going on Akane and who is this man enjoying the hospitality of the Tendo ancestral home?" demanded the older man.
With head bent toward the floor Akane started to explain about the challenge.
*****
Akane had been enjoying her conversation with Ranma, sure she was doing all the talking but he had been treating her as an equal, something that to her knowledge had not been done before. She had begun to loosen up a little, not holding herself to the strictly reserved persona that she forced herself into when in public. It was also fascinating to watch, as emotions of some kind seemed to flicker across Ranma's face while she told her story. What emotions they were she could not tell since they flashed briefly before being replaced with another or disappearing.
When she heard her fathers demanding voice she felt her self flinch. Quickly standing and restoring her subservant façade she answered him. "This gentlemen has brought a challenge to our school, I thought it best to await your return before I answered."
Soun grunted, "This foreign ronin thinks he can provide a challenge to our school does he?" The distain was obvious to everyone and Akane could see Ranma's face briefly tighten before he grinned. "Of course old man, this foreigner feels confident of proving the superiority of the anything goes school is nothing more than a myth."
Akane watched as Nabiki's face reddened, Kasumi just watched the exchange coolly. "Stupid foreigner, you should know your place."
"Nabiki," Ranma seemed to be deliberately antagonising her family, to what purpose she couldn't see. He had already issued a challenge and stirring up Nabiki especially would just make her more vicious. "I'm as Japanese as you are, but then I can see that I have a larger head and it is well known that head size is related to intelligence."
"Are you calling me stupid foreigner," Nabiki snarled out. Kasumi still looked on and Soun seemed reluctant to intervene. Ranma just assumed what she guessed was his worst innocent face and cocked an eyebrow. Nabiki reddened further and lunged at him in anger.
"This is hardly the place to be accepting a challenge," Ranma said while neatly side stepping Nabiki's lunge.
"He is right Nabiki," Soun growled out finally stepping in, clearly angry with Ranma's insults to the school and his family. "Take him to the dojo and give him a thrashing for daring to question the superiority of our school.
"Father, surely we should exchange introductions and terms first?" Kasumi added exchanging an appraising look with Ramna.
"Of corse you are correct as usual Kasumi," Soun sighed, calming down. "I am Soun, Grandmaster of anything goes and Head of the Tendo clan. These are my three daughters Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane you've already met. I doubt you'll be around long enough to meet my students." Akane watched Ranma's face tighten again briefly during the introduction but she wasn't sure what caused it.
"Ranma," he returned not even bothering to bow "and if I win I would like to stay and teach at this dojo."
"How do you propose to do that foreigner," Nabiki interrupted him angrily "this is an anything goes dojo and I doubt you know any of our family school."
"The challenge will be in anything goes and if you win you'll be able to teach for two weeks with board included." Kasumi announced overriding Nabiki's objections. Ranma bowed in Kasumi's direction "agreed." Like Kasumi he to seemed to be ignoring Nabiki's protests, which seemed to increase Nabiki's anger.
"Lets get on with it then!" Nabiki yelled storming to the dojo. Ranma just looked amused as he followed Soun, Kasumi and her to the dojo, trailing Nabiki.
****
Ranma looked at all three daughters and wondered what the chances were that they would all be named after his own generation of Tendo's. Still aside from the names they seemed nothing alike to the girls he knew. Kasumi looked on from the corner of the dojo which a cool intelligence without the nastiness of his own Nabiki. If he wanted to get anything done it would seem he needed to go through her. Nabiki stood opposite him with an angry impatience that indicated a lack of discipline but with enough skill not to be discounted and Akane just looked on with a worried expression. He doubted she participated in any family affairs.
Soun stood beside them ready to start the match 'Grandmaster indeed' Ranma thought. 'None of them have the training I would've thought necessary for them to claim that tittle. By the look of their auras, I doubt if they can even achieve the basics of aerial combat. I have a lot of work a head of me'
Ranma nodded at Soun and considered the best way to defeat Nabiki without humiliating her too much.
"Begin"
A/N – the Japanese face is shrinking and becoming more like an inverted triangle so in 100 years time… http://www.jinjapan.org/trends00/honbun/tj990918.html
- Interesting articles on the correlation between head size and intelligence http://pubpages.unh.edu/~jel/brainIQ.html.
- There is a trend for world populations getting taller, put it down to better diets or hormones in the food chain.