Chapter 3: Fighting Talk.
The sun was shining down on Nerima, in fact it was beating down. The Neriman district had been transformed into an oven. Through the heat haze a couple could be seen walking down the sticky road. The man had a baby attached in a front-carrier and was holding the woman's hand. He was dressed in a cut off red silk shirt that had seen better days and some black and surf shorts. She wore a light white cotton shirt tied at the waist and some very short cut off denim hot-pants. Both wore beach sandals and shades. The baby was wearing a white hat and quite happily dozing as they walked.
Every so often one or the other would glance at the baby, parental care shining in their faces.
"Its good to breathe fresh air again," Ranma said, taking a deep breath. Nabiki looked at him quizzically, "Okay non-recycled air" he amended. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. He leant in for a kiss. At that moment a stray wind caught some petals from an overhanging cherry blossom tree and sprinkled them over the pair.
"I wish we had a camera" Ranma said wistfully, looking up into the spray. When he looked back Nabiki was still holding his hands and smiling.
"Enough stalling Saotome!" Nabiki said "That's the third tree you've stopped us under. I am impressed with the thoughtfulness it is not going to get you out of meeting your mother."
After much searching Nabiki had finally located Ranma's mother, only to find that she had never left Nerima. She had however had her marriage annulled on grounds of abandonment and reverted to her maiden name. Ranma had argued that there was no point in doing anything more since the woman had obviously given up on her family. But Nabiki, now a mother herself, had overruled him, inable to comprehend that any woman would not want to know what became of her child.
So here they were walking through the late summer heat, headed for the Sulu household. He was still unsure of the whole idea and quietly his doubts were starting to affect his wife. However neither of them were quitters and so they pushed on through the heat. They had left their bags at the hotel and walked the short distance to the quiet traditional area that Sulu Nodoka lived. The houses were all well separated, whitewashed and red tiled in the traditional manner, each garden meticulously kept. Even the roads here were paved rather than tarmac, and interrupted every so often by ornamental streams. Ranma thought it looked 'kinda nice,' but Nabiki smelt old money.
They arrived at the Sulu household to see a fairly huge house. It was set on a slight rise, within its own walled compound. In front of the house there was an ornamental pond, a stone lantern and a sculpted sakura tree. The house itself was only two floors but sprawled over quite an area. It was easily the largest complex in the area. Nabiki looked at Ranma, he looked back and they both whistled.
There was a bell to ring so they rang and waited. A little time later a woman dressed in gardening gear came around the house. She was still carrying a trowel and had her ruddy hair tied up in a utilitarian bun. She pressed a button the other side of the iron gate and it slid open.
"Konichiwa," she woman said bowing respectfully to the young family in front of her. "How may I help you?"
"I'm Saotom-" Ranma started but Nabiki interrupted him.
"WE're looking for Sulu Nodoka is she home?" Nabiki said as polietely as she could.
"May I ask what business you have with her?" the woman replied, a trace of steel in her voice. This time Nabiki only had to glance at Ranma to make him defer to her.
"It is a very private matter concerning her family" Nabiki said, attempting to convey that the matter was serious.
"Very well, won't you please come in Mr and Mrs…" the 'gardener prompted.
"Saotome" Ranma said before Nabiki could dissemble. The woman stopped cold. Slowly she turned to them.
"Excuse me but would that make one of you the child of Saotome Genma?" she asked coldly. This time Nabiki stopped him by pinching his hand.
"Perhaps we could continue this inside?" she prompted.
"Of Course" the woman replied, formally and far from friendlily. Together they all walked up to the house, changed their shoes for some slippers from the rack and went into the sitting room.
The room was traditional in the extreme; spartan to the point of emptiness it contained little ornament, a few small wall hangings and a pair of three tiered sword racks. There were no chairs, and the table was old and low. The floor was traditional tatami and the walls high quality traditional shoji. Nabiki was getting a very bad feeling about this. When the woman excused herself and left she pulled Ranma's ear over to her face.
"Be careful Ranma, we are definitely missing something," she said. His reaction was immediate. All the subtle signals he gave off switched from open and friendly to wary and closed. Calmly he handed the baby sling to Nabiki. At the same moment one of the doors slid back to reveal a tall handsome man. He was wearing army issue combat pants and high combat boots. His Black muscle shirt revealed an impressive physique and his dark hair was tied back with a folded white bandanna.
"Konichiwa" he said in a rather unfriendly tone. "May I ask what it is you have done to upset my mother?"
"Your Mother?" Nabiki said, joining the dots.
"Yes my mother Sulu Nodoka," the man replied even less friendly. He was also, Ranma noted, positioning himself next to the sword rack.
"I assure you we have not come here to offend her in any way," Nabiki said, trying to calm the situation down, and at the same time trying to work out who the heck this man really was. "Perhaps some introductions are in order?" she suggested.
"Very well," the man replied, not relaxing a bit, "My name is Sulu Ranma, welcome to my mother's home." Ranma made no outward response but knowing him this only made Nabiki worry more.
"Forgive me Sulu-san" she said "but may I ask how exactly you came to be of that name?" The man put on a questioning look, obviously not missing their failure to introduce themselves.
"The normal way I suppose," he said, smiling a little, "you seem to have some experience in the matter," he finished nodding at the baby.
"Who is your father?" Ranma asked in a quiet, deadly voice.
"And why should I tell you anything more?" the man claiming to be Ranma said, his own voice dropping to threatening tones. Nabiki for her part just tensed and readied herself to get her and the baby well clear of what was likely to be a very messy encounter.
"Ranma," admonished a voice from the other side of the room, the same direction Nodoka had left in. Indeed the woman in question had returned, this time dressed in a formal looking very expensive kimono. "I have invited these people into our home!"
"Gomen mother," the man replied "I just don't like people talking that way, especially strangers!"
"Gomen naasai" Nabiki said bowing towards the woman, "we have been rude and I apologise, but I hope that you will soon appreciate the reasons why." At the same time she reached out a hand and placed her fingertips on Ranma's arm. He calmed, but only a little. Nabiki in turn waited for the Sulus to decide whether or not they would sit.
Nodoka, predictably, led the way and sat down across the table from Nabiki, her 'son' soon followed suit, opposite Ranma. No sooner had they all settled in when a portly maid appeared carrying a tray of tea things. Nabiki increased her grip on Ranma and kept him quiet. Either that or he was to busy exchanging death glares with the other man.
Nodoka and Nabiki both pretended not to notice. As form demanded the host served tea, and was served in return, and then the two ladies exchanged small talk about the weather. Finally, when all forms had been adhered to, and Ranma had just about given up staring and decided to kill the faking puke opposite Nodoka spoke.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier but there are certain people who I would rather not associate myself with, legacies of my former husband."
"So he managed to screw your life up too" Ranma said, without separating from his death glare, "Join the club."
"With respect young man I believe I was a member of that club long before you" Nodoka replied, but Nabiki was relieved to notice she did so none too harshly. Obviously running down Genma was a good ice-breaker around here.
"Not by as long as you might think in his case Sulu-san" Nabiki disagreed, bringing the attention back to her. Nodoka wordlessly prompted her to go on. "My husband here is Genma's son" Nabiki said, but she really wasn't expecting the reaction she got. Nodoka went white as a sheet and the imposter smiled evilly.
"I pity you!" spat the boy claiming to be Ranma.
"You are Saotome Ranma?" Nodoka asked the young man in question, barely above a whisper.
"Hai I am" Ranma said with a smug grin, "The real Saotome Ranma" he asserted, challenge written all over his face.
"Fine by me buttnugget" the other Ranma said, and Nabiki had to grab Ranma's arm hard to stop him killing the fool there and then.
"I take it there is more to this story than we know" asked Nabiki to Nodoka, trying to ignore the fake Ranma's smug grin.
"Indeed so it would seem" replied Nodoka, "more than any of us knew."
"Perhaps we might help each other fill in the missing information?" Nabiki suggested, internally wondering if she could still get what she wanted after Ranma killed the smirking puke across the table. Nodoka sat down her cup and nodded.
" That would seem wise," she replied. "Why don't you go out to the garden Ranma?" she asked, causing both men to look at her somewhat surprised. When they looked back at each other they were both smiling.
"Hai Sulu-san" Saotome Ranma said at the same time his imposter agreed. Nabiki was about to stop them when she decided against it, Ranma really did deserve to kick some ass and that git sure had it coming.
"Now Saotome-san" Nodoka started, encouraged by Nabiki's affirmative nod "why don't we start at the beginning."
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Outside things were progressing somewhat less friendlily. The two Ranma's had separated and were eyeing each other side on across a patch of grassy lawn. For a while they circled in silence then one spoke.
"So you know how to fight?" Colonel Saotome asked the other.
"Better than you punk!" the man replied. Ranma took up a stance, threw up his hands and beckoned the man with all his fingers.
"Bring it on ass-wipe!" the colonel taunted. And the other complied.
To say that Saotome Ranma was shocked was a bit of an understatement, his opponent was a lot better than he had given him credit for. He was also using some very serious moves. This was not going to be a friendly spar. An axe kick just missed him and tore a chunk out of the lawn where it landed. The man's punches were cracking the air itself.
"Shouldn't have come back punk!" the impostor taunted. Throwing a rapid series of deadly combos at the pig tailed hero. Ranma was forced to dodge and dodge hard, rapidly abandoning plans to go easy on the guy because he was so limited.
Ranma struck back, a series of quick fire punches, aimed to distract, and a feinted kick to gain position. The other Ranma saw the trap though and quickly backed out, covering his own move with a feighned uppercut.
Ranma took the match to the air, and the man followed suit, though not nearly as ably as the original. With the added advantage Ranma quickly forced the fake onto the defensive, but still neither had landed a blow.
The fake, for his part was starting to really worry, this son of Genma was a lot better than he had expected. The easy victory over the snivelling thief had not appeared, instead he found himself facing a master of the lethal arts, who was actually threatening to get lucky.
For a moment the two broke off fighting, both circling for position on the ground, pacing like panthers eying a rival for the pack leadership. Then the fake noticed something that made his blood run cold. His opponent was hardly breathing any harder than when they started. Even in this heat the shorter man was pulling off his acrobatic mishmash of styles without significant effort.
That fact alone made Sulu's mind up. He went straight in for a kill move, one from the sealed art of the Yammisken. With lightening speed he lashed out his leg in a 'gate-opener' and followed through with a claw going straight for Ranma's heart.
If it hadn't been a claw he might have succeeded but unfortunately for him Ranma's training took over. Too many times the four piercing claws of the alien chryssalid had taken the lives of his comrades. His reaction was hardwired.
With unhuman speed Ranma twisted his torso aside, all but turning his back on the fake. His right arm caught the offending arm and pulled, twisting. At the same time the pull spun him back on an opposite circle and brought him back lashing out a knife edge hand to snap the incoming forearm. His elbow smashed into the attackers face, breaking bone, splitting flesh and jarring his neck His right hand continued the twist, throwing the fake over his own shattered forearm. Fortunately for all concerned Ranma halted the ace kick follow up before it crushed the fallen form's skull.
Ranma took a step back, heart going at a ferocious rate. Then turned to the house and called for help, before dropping to the man's form to try and save his life.
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Inside Nodoka and Nabiki were just laughing over one of the younger woman's tales of Ranma's attempts at being romantic when they heard the shout. They had talked for what seemed like hours and a real friendship was fast growing between them. Nodoka had even moved around the table and helped Nabiki when her child had demanded fed. Whatever else happened this child had a new grandmother. Therefore when they heard Ranma's call their first reaction was real shock, they had both forgotten about the two boys.
Nabiki gathered up her baby and ran for the door only a single step behind Nodoka, dread filling her body.