Happosai, Nodoka, and Cologne (who had just returned from China) watched as the resident werecheetah and werewolf sparred. Ranma was definitely faster, but Ryoga was a hell of a lot stronger.
They were both using their new mastery of hot and cold in the battle. Ryoga had frozen the entire yard, and had kicked off his shoes to allow his claws to had traction. Ranma had slipped once before kicking his own shoes off.
They were both expertly using the ice landscape to their advantage. Ryoga often used it to slide out of Ranma's attacks, and Ranma was using it to get through Ryoga's defenses.
Ranma then jump kicked at Ryoga. Ryoga blocked, and then realized that it was a feint. Ranma hit the ground and slid through Ryoga's legs. Ranma whirled up and caught Ryoga on the back.
Happosai and Cologne both were impressed at both of their true powers. Ranma had been going easy on everyone for a while, as had Ryoga. Ranma was a little bit more skilled though.
Ryoga whirled around and swung in a massive uppercut that gave off visible heat waves. Ranma dove backwards before digging his hand claws into the icy ground. He flipped back onto his feet by pushing off the ground.
The fight was silenced by a loud thunderclap. Rain suddenly drenched the two. Ranma bolted inside, while Ryoga just sighed and walked in slowly.
"Eh," Ranma was drying himself off already, "I hate rain."
Ranma glanced outside of the window to see Ryoga walking from one end of the yard to the other. She watched Ryoga for a while.
"What's he doing?" She asked.
"Happosai said something about understanding the center between two places," Cologne said, "Ryoga's body seems not to be able to understand the laws of space."
"His directional curse?" Ranma asked.
"Yes."
"Why are you a girl?" Ryoga asked.
"Felt like it," Ranma muttered.
"What?" Ryoga stepped away from Ranma.
"Shut up," Ranma said, she turned away from Ryoga. They were both sitting on the roof, concentrating on the next center that Happosai had said. Center of emotions.
Ryoga was having a hard time because of his depression ki was in surplus in his body. Ranma was having trouble because she was still worrying about her sister, and her confidence ki was in surplus.
The same thoughts were echoing through their minds.
The center of emotions. Is there really such a thing?
Anger and Sadness. Greed and Happiness. Emotions were things that weren't set into stone. The only way there could possibly be a center is…
Their eyes snapped open.
There was no center. But there WAS a balance.
"Sneaky ass bastard," Ranma said darkly.
"Let's go kill 'em."
"Okay."
Ranma gasped as he flew upwards into a sitting position. He shook his head. In his dream, he had sensed anger, a hatred towards him that was so strong that it seemed bottomless. And that anger had a name.
Akane.
But… he also felt another feeling. A… happiness. And it wasn't coming from Akane. The feeling felt absolutely giddy. Ranma couldn't place a name to the feeling but he knew who it was.
Little sister.
"The next center you will meet shall be you're hardest to date," Happosai said, "It took me several years to obtain this center. It is the center of your body and spirit. You must know and understand the limits of your body and the limits of your spirits."
Ryoga and Ranma (male) stared at the old man.
"I believe that you shall become centered in no more than two weeks," Happosai said, "You're training and hardships outweighed my own when I was centered. You two know your bodies and spirit much better than any of your age."
Happosai then stood up.
"You shall test your physical body in a harsh training regime that Cologne and I shall teach," Happosai said, "Then, in the second week, you shall explore the deepest depths of your psyche."
Happosai started to walk from the room.
"Ranma," Happosai said, "The Clairvoyance is upon you, is it not?"
"I think so," Ranma nodded, "I felt Akane's anger last night along with… her."
"Akane's anger…" Ryoga said, "So that's what that was."
"Good," Happosai said, "Do you now understand the meaning of the Anything Goes style?"
"The center of everything," Ranma said, "As you learn the center of reality, you learn the truth of reality. Once you understand the truth, you discover how you can control it. When we learned what hot and cold really are, we gained the ability to utilize it."
"Very good," Happosai said, "You are exactly right. Anything Goes means that, with a little imagination, a little training, and a little thinking, one gains the ability to do anything."
"Not exactly martial arts, though," Ryoga said, "But in terms as such, there is no way to reach the epitome of Martial Arts. You learn your limits, and you learn how to fight through the intense training, and you become intelligent through the mental aspects."
"Very prospective, Ryoga," Happosai said, "Tonight, you should both get plenty of sleep. This week isn't going to let you rest much."
"Thi…" Ryoga said, "This… sucks…"
"At l-least you don't h-have to w-wear this damn… outfit," Ranma chimed in.
Cologne was a very effective teacher, but her methods almost beat Genma in difficulty. At least she wasn't as INSANE. Well… Ryoga was pretty sure she was sane, Ranma wasn't.
She had basically forced Ranma to only train while in her female form. And even then, wearing an outfit similar to the one that Shampoo always wore. In fact, Shampoo was wearing them right now. She had joined the two in their training of the Anything Goes ideology.
How Cologne managed to convince Happosai to teach her, the world may never know.
And as far as Ranma and Ryoga had gathered from Shampoo, the world would never want to know.
Ranma and Shampoo's meeting earlier had been a very odd one. Shampoo still wanted to marry Ranma, but as Ryoga and Ranma told her, a werecreature and a human rarely ever have children. The werecreatures genealogy rarely allows a child with a human. They would both the over forty before Shampoo would be pregnant.
Cologne, since Ranma was now 'comfortable' with her female form, had made her an honorary Amazon. This made both the kiss of death and the kiss of marriage null and void. Shampoo hadn't been partial with this, but had accepted it.
Ryoga and Ranma were put to tests that were well beyond Shampoo's tests. Mainly because any injury they sustained would be healed before long.
Ryoga was to pick up boulders that had to weigh at least 5 tons. He, after lifting them over his head, would have to toss them about 50 feet, where they would fall off of a cliff. Any less than fifty feet would result in having to throw a boulder that weighed twice as much. He has thrown four 10-ton boulders, although the first one hurt his left arm.
Ranma was one a huge log in the river next to Ryoga. The river ran off of a huge waterfall that went off the same cliff as the boulders. She, facing the waterfall, had to run at top speed, about 300 miles per hour, and use the small grooves cut in the log to give it enough propulsion to resist the current. She had fallen down about 6 times, it wasn't pleasant.
Shampoo and Cologne were at the bottom of the cliff. Shampoo was hung from a tall tree, with only her index finger unbound. The boulders were directed on a collision course with her. If she failed to do the Breaking Point, it would impact her, sending her swinging backwards. Ryoga felt for her, that shit hurt like bloody hell.
"You… hup," Ryoga lifted the boulder over his head, "Y-you know t-that you l-like d-dresses."
He barely managed a smirked.
"Shut… up…" Ranma said, panting.
Ryoga glanced at Ranma. He then dropped the boulder. It rolled slowly towards the edge of the cliff, and slowly went over it.
Ryoga wasn't noticing that. He was looking at Ranma.
The thin material that makes up the dress thing that Ranma was wearing was mostly white. And Ranma was soaked.
Add those two together to make Ryoga stare. At least for a while. Ryoga started chuckling.
"What?" Ranma looked at him. She followed his eyes until it landed strait on her chest. She could see strait through the material, and could plainly see her white furry breasts.
She tripped on one of the grooves and splashed down into the river.
Cologne saw Ranma fall again. It was interesting to say the least. It WAS a good three hundred foot drop. She watched as Ranma pulled herself from the water and charge the cliff side.
She also watched Ranma using her speed to run UP the cliff face.
"Ranma… fast," Shampoo said.
"That… is an understatement," Cologne noted.
Ranma reached the top of the cliff and flipped onto it.
A loud thudding sound signified the time when Ryoga's face hit the ground.
"STUPID WOLF!" Ranma's voice called out.
"Shampoo," Cologne said, "Free yourself."
"Shampoo… can't…" Shampoo said.
Cologne glanced at her.
Shampoo hung limply in the ropes. The last boulder had come at her at an odd angle, and she had been spun around. Shampoo looked like she was about to puke, and she hadn't even started winding down.
Cologne stopped her and got her out before she hurled.
Happosai and Cologne looked at the three students. Ryoga was the only one sitting up. He DID have the wall to lean against though. Shampoo was lying across a chair, and Ranma was halfway lying on the couch, her head touching the floor.
Shampoo was unconscious at the moment. Only Ranma and Ryoga's healing abilities kept them awake.
"You have done well," Happosai said.
Ranma and Ryoga voiced their joy by flinching slightly. Ranma also added a small squeaking noise.
"Sleep well," Happosai continued, "Tomorrow you'll start towards the mental extreme."
Ryoga and Ranma both managed a groan before passing out.
Ryoga slumped to the side. Ranma flopped to the floor, but didn't awake.
"Ugh," Ranma said wearily, "I tired."
"That is the reason you must start immediately after getting to the physical extreme," Happosai said, "You're bodies, even with you're healing abilities, will need several days to recuperate. This means that you'll be couch potatoes for a while, so you have nothing better to do than think."
"No want move," Shampoo said. She was still lying sideways on the chair. But now she had pillows all over her, which made it extremely comfortable.
"As long as you are comfortable, it doesn't matter if you don't move," Happosai said.
Ryoga was still lying on the floor, but had somehow gotten onto his back, lying on a thick comforter, and a pillow had spawned mysteriously under his head. Ranma was no longer on the floor, but lying on the couch.
"I want you all to concentrate," Happosai ignored the groans, "You have to concentrate on yourself, but not your physical bodies. You have to completely forget about everything going on around you. Lose yourself within yourself. The physical fatigue will help numb your body and allow you to do this easily. Once you have forgotten everything, you will have something like a dream. It will mentally tire you greatly, so when you awake from this state, a large meal will be ready and then you will sleep until tomorrow."
"Whadda we do when we get there?" Ranma mumbled.
"When you enter yourself, you'll know what to do," Happosai said, "Trust me."
A small snore came from Ryoga.
"AND NO SLEEPING!" Happosai kicked Ryoga.
"Ow! My ribs!"
