"Who the hell?" Ukyo muttered angrily as she rose from bed to answer the
insistent knocking on the front door. She didn't even need to see the time
to know it was well past midnight.
Growling a bit as she hit her leg against a chair she swore to make whoever it was pay for denying her some sleep after the long day she had at the restaurant. *Ryoga, if you got lost and ended up here again...* She let the mental threat at that, still too sleepy to come up with something creative.
When she reached the receiving room she retrieved her battle spatula from its place on the wall and made a few practice swings before walking the remaining distance to the door. She reached for the knob with her left hand as she tightened her grip on the spatula that had served her for so many battles.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She demanded as she swung the door open, obviously ready to deal out some violence if the answer wasn't to her satisfaction.
"Sorry, Uchan. But we didn't want to wait till morning." A man said as he smiled disarmingly at her.
Ukyo's spatula fell from nerveless fingers as the chef stared at a sight she hadn't seen in nearly two decades. "Ranchan?" She asked already knowing the answer.
Standing proudly in front of her was her childhood friend. "The one and only."
The okonomiyaki chef threw herself at Ranma and crushed him in a tight hug.
Ranma, who returned the hug a little more carefully, smiled as he turned to his family. The children were looking at him strangely, while Kiima smiled at him.
-----
"Thank you." Nodoka said as Ukyo served her a cup of tea.
After a five minute hug the chef nodded to Kiima nervously and greeted the teenagers. Even if she didn't fight the Phoenix woman before they left for China they were far from friends.
"You're welcome, sugar." She said with a smile at the young lady. She didn't fool herself with false hopes. It was obvious the three teenagers were Ranma and Kiima's children. She'd had more than fifteen years to wash away the pain of losing Ranma. Even if seeing the children made her wonder what it would've been like mothering them she knew it was not to be.
Ranma and Kiima studied Ukyo and the changes she'd undergone while the chef exchanged pleasantries with their middle daughter about the mix of herbs used for the tea.
She still carried herself as a martial artist, but it was obvious she was no longer the teenager they left behind. Even if she still trained, her martial art wasn't as physically rigorous as others. The okonomiyaki chef had put on some weight. Not enough to be fat, but she no longer had the perfect figure of her youth. Her face retained the cute beauty she used to pride herself on, though. That coupled together with her long brown hair tied with a white ribbon gave the impression that Ukyo didn't age past the fact that she gained some weight.
"I must definitely commend you. Regardless of the ingredients this tea is excellent." Nodoka said taking a sip of the warm liquid.
Ukyo, who had been trying to convince Nodoka that the tea was nothing especial, gave up when she saw the silver-haired girl shake her head. She understood not accepting the compliment was useless. "Thanks." She finally conceded with a smile. Who would've thought that Ranma's daughter would have such manners? *Then again, maybe aunty Nodoka had something to do with it.*
After that she turned to Ranma, who was looking intently at her together with Kiima. She correctly deduced they were studying how the passage of time changed her. She decided to do likewise and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Aside from Ranma putting on a little more muscle and having longer hair, and a slight widening of Kiima's waist obviously due to giving birth, the couple looked exactly the same as they did when they left. She really wished she could've aged like them, as she was certain they were better fighters than they were before.
"So how's everyone doing?" Ranma finally asked after the long silence became uncomfortable. His children didn't know Ukyo and were nervous, even if only Nodoka would admit it, about being so far away from home. They were unlikely to start a conversation and he was eager to know what happened to everyone.
Ukyo smiled faintly. "After you left things calmed down. We've been living peacefully ever since. Ryoga and Akane got married. They have two boys together." She smirked. "Kind of ironic if you ask me. Akane having nothing but BOYS!" She made an impersonation of Akane's battle mantra for the fights in Furinkan. Ranma chuckled in amusement while the others were confused. Ukyo sobered and continued. "Their kids are very good at martial arts. Nabiki has sponsored lots of tournaments, and they've won nearly every one of them in their categories. There were some rumors about Nabiki's nephews always winning, but it was obvious the kids are just that good."
Ranma nodded, filing that away for later. He wondered what kind of martial artist would be the result of Akane and Ryoga's training. He smirked when he noticed Karmine perking up at this part of the conversation. She was just as competitive as he was, and finding a challenge here was certain to make her excited. "What about Nabiki and Kasumi?" The pigtailed man asked, knowing they would all get a chance to learn more about Akane's children.
"Kasumi ended up marrying Tofu like we all thought she would. They live at the dojo with their daughter." Seeing Ranma's curious look she continued. "Don't look at me, Ranchan. I have no idea why they only decided to have one kid." After a pause to take a sip of her tea she continued. "As for Nabiki, she lives in another district of Tokyo. She's had a few boyfriends, but not lasting relationships. Her work absorbs too much of her time."
"And how about you?" Ranma asked softly.
"I've done fine. The restaurant is usually packed and even if I got help there's a lot of work." Ukyo said.
Ranma and Kiima looked at each other and felt a little sad for Ukyo. They both knew there was something else the chef wanted out of life, and she would never get it.
Ukyo caught the look and sighed. The silent understanding the married couple had was another proof of just how right they were for each other. Unlike with the other girls, Kiima always seemed to understand Ranma.
"We should probably get some sleep." Ukyo said at long last. She wanted to keep talking and find out everything that happened in Mount Phoenix. She also wanted to ask about Nodoka and Genma. But all that would have to wait. "I have to get up in a couple of hours, and I'm sure you're tired from the trip." She said giving a glance to Seijuro, who was yawning.
"Thank you for letting us stay, Kuonji." Kiima said as she motioned for her children to stand up as she did likewise.
Ukyo waved the thanks off and showed the Saotomes were they could sleep for the remainder of the night.
-----
"Good fight, boys." Soun praised his grandchildren, Akira and Hanamichi, as they finished with their daily sparring match.
Hibiki Akira, being the eldest, was the better of the two. At the tender age of fifteen he remained undefeated through the many tournaments he'd participated in, and still he had a great potential to exploit. He was strong as his father and had been trained in Anything Goes since he could remember. He was tall for his age, with short black hair and brown eyes.
Hibiki Hanamichi, Akane and Ryoga's second son, shook his head and sighed. He'd never be able to beat his brother. Not that he wanted to fight for a living, but it would be nice to win once in a while. He was fourteen and was an almost exact replica of Ryoga at that age.
Tendo Soun had aged well. He did spot some gray hairs on his black mane, but other than that he looked almost the same as he did years ago. The fact that he had restarted his training was obviously to thank in that aspect. Seeing two of his daughters marry and have children returned some of the old fire he once possessed as a martial artist, since he would help in training the little ones.
Right now he saw a sparring match that left him very pleased. "You two should go take a back while your aunt prepares breakfast."
"Yes grandpa!" Came the reply from both kids as they rushed inside. Kasumi's food had that effect on people.
Soun smiled faintly as he followed after them. After getting out of the dojo he gazed at his house.
It was bigger. Nabiki helped add a few rooms for the growing family before she left for her own place in a different district of Tokyo. Nabiki visited at least twice a week, most likely to keep getting Kasumi's meals. Such was the power of good cuisine.
He was taken out of his thoughts when he noticed his youngest daughter enter the yard. "How was your morning jog, Akane?"
Tendo Akane, mother of three, was an attractive woman with long black hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Even if she was in her middle thirties she looked to be in her late twenties, her training having maintained her body in perfect shape.
And part of that very same training was jogging in the morning for about an hour. "It was fine, daddy." She answered with a smile on her face. "How did the morning spar go? You're not too tired, are you?"
Soun chuckled in amusement and the taunting tone in her voice. "Not at all, Akane-chan." The truth was he rarely sparred with Akira and Hanamichi, saving his strength to train with his youngest daughter. Keeping up with her was hard at his age. "We can train after we have breakfast."
Akane just nodded as she went inside to change, Soun following close behind.
-----
"Thanks aunt Kasumi!" Akira shouted as he rushed out of the house, backpack over his shoulder.
"Have a good day at school." Akane called out from her place still on the table.
"Later, mom." Hanamichi said as he stepped out and kept the door open for his cousin.
"Thank you." Kimiko said graciously. At the age of sixteen she was the living image of her mother. "But you really should run after Akira. You don't want to be late for school."
Hanamichi closed the door and shrugged as he calmly walked by his cousin's side. "I'm not late. Akira just wants to meet his girlfriends."
Kimiko sighed as they exited the Tendo grounds. Akira was the most popular boy at his school, and he took advantage of that fact with the girls. She didn't approve of his behavior, but it was his decision to make how he wanted to live his life.
They were about to turn around a corner when they looked up in surprise. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BOY?!!" Came Akira's angry bellow from further down the street.
"Oh dear!" Kimiko exclaimed when she caught sight of Akira facing up against a young woman with silver hair, who seemed to be calmer than the quick-tempered boy but still upset. It was really a surprise to see the woman was taller than her cousin.
"At least it doesn't seem like she likes him." Hanamichi muttered.
-----
"I still don't know how you convinced me to take a walk around the neighborhood." Nodoka said as she turned to regard the people out on the street. She was nervous as hell. Considering she was in a foreign land and currently away from her parents it was understandable.
Karmine smiled at her. "You want to see the outside world as much as I do." In truth she didn't want to leave the mountain, but if she had to do it she would make the most of it. "Consider it an adventure."
Nodoka couldn't help but giggle a little. "Your adventures usually become dangerous. You're just lucky daddy is always there to rescue you."
"I can take care of myself." Karmine protested with a fake pout. She knew it was usually her father that got her out of trouble. It was incredible the number of problems she'd gotten herself into without leaving the mountain that was her home.
Nodoka giggled again. "I know you can, sister. That's why I let you drag me out here. I'm not a fighter like you."
Karmine laughed as she patted the shorter girl on the back. "Don't worry about it. With me here nothing can go wrong."
Just then they turned around a corner and someone crashed into the younger of the two. Nodoka just groaned as she tried not to fall. *Famous last words.* She failed and both her and the boy fell to the ground in a heap of limbs.
"Why don't you look where you're going?" Akira asked irritably as he recovered and looked at the downed form of a girl around his age. *Nothing special to look at.* He thought.
"I'm sorry." Nodoka apologized nervously as she lowered her gaze, unable to keep eye contact with the obviously angry boy.
"Are you alright?" Karmine asked. The question made both look up.
Nodoka smiled faintly as she calmed at the sight of her concerned sister, who was looking at her ignoring the boy completely. Karmine's presence washed the nervousness away.
Akira looked up and stopped breathing as he caught sight of the silver- haired young woman. To his eyes it was as if an angel had fallen from the heavens. Her long silver hair framed her beautiful face, contrasting with her emerald-green eyes and ruby-red lips. The white shirt and black pants she wore hugged her form snugly, showing off a body most girls would kill for. His eyes only widened when he saw her move. Her body flowed enticingly as she knelt next to him, concern evident in her features.
For the first time in years Hibiki Akira found himself at a loss of words because of a woman.
He was understandably shocked when his angel pushed him back, not even giving him a second glance. His pride took a painful blow at the casual dismissal as he continued to stare in awe at Karmine.
Karmine knelt next to her sister and pushed the boy off her sister. "Nodoka- chan?" She asked.
"I'm fine, sister." Nodoka said as she sat up and turned to regard the boy who ran her over. He was tall and handsome, but those two qualities mattered little to her after her first impression of him. She shuddered at remembering just how angry he seemed to be at her.
Once she made sure her sister was fine, Karmine turned to the boy that crashed into her younger sister. She was a little unnerved to find him looking at her so intensely.
Akira finally regained his bearings and gave the silver-haired beauty his trademark smile when dealing with girls. They always melted at the mere sight of it. "Hi, I'm Akira." He wanted to make a good first impression on this girl. She was incredible compared to the little girls he usually dated.
Karmine's eyes narrowed at the cocky greeting. If Akira was looking to make a good first impression he couldn't be further from accomplishing his objective. "Who do you think you are?" She asked with no small amount of irritation.
Akira was taken aback by the cold question. This had never happened before. "What?"
"Sister." Nodoka whispered knowing Karmine was about to get in trouble because of her over protectiveness. She was a very easygoing girl most of the time, but she was too much like their father sometimes.
Karmine didn't hear her little sister. "Not only do you run my sister over, but you also have the audacity to try and hit on me instead of apologizing to her." She pointed an accusing finger at him. "Just who do you think you are?"
The boy's eyes narrowed as well at the verbal assault. As taken as he was by her beauty he left no one speak to him like that. "She's the one that should be apologizing. It's her fault anyway." He was not going to admit responsibility here.
"Sister. Please let it go. No one was hurt and you should avoid fighting." Nodoka said more firmly, trying to diffuse the situation. Her next words proved that she was a Saotome at heart and couldn't have a more negative effect on Ryoga's son. "You could seriously hurt him."
Karmine turned to the younger girl and she felt herself calm down. *She's right.* Her parents would be very disappointed if they found out she beat a kid up because of something as trivial as this.
"Hurt me?" Akira asked softly, his teeth and fists clenched tightly. Nodoka had, unknowingly, hit the Hibiki boy where it hurt the most. He took great pride in his love conquests, but that was nothing compared to the pride he felt at being undefeated in any kind of martial arts fight. For her to even imply that he would lose was an offense he couldn't overlook. "And just what do you mean by that?" He growled angrily as he glared at Nodoka, who wilted under his blazing look.
Karmine frowned. "Better let it go, boy. I don't want to hurt you."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BOY?!!" Akira bellowed as he stood up, towering over the girls on the floor and looking down at them dangerously.
Nodoka gasped at the imposing sight. Of course, she'd seen way scarier things in her life, but she wasn't a fighter and knew this boy could seriously hurt her. He seemed angry enough to try and do it too.
Undaunted by Akira's rage-filled words the silver-haired girl stood to her full height, well over a head taller than him. Her green eyes were hard as she looked down at him.
Akira didn't let it show, but he was unnerved when he saw the girl tower over him. He wasn't used to facing opponents taller than he was aside from his grandfather and parents. The steel in her eyes and the ease with which she stood in front of his obvious anger further made him rethink his course of action. *This is no ordinary girl.* He though as he recognized the signs of a skilled martial artist in her relaxed stance. As angry as he was he could still recognize a martial artist when he saw one. He wasn't undefeated for nothing.
When Karmine saw Akira remain motionless she nodded. She offered a hand to her younger sister and helped her to her feet. "Let's go." She said without looking at Akira, who was still standing in front of them aggressively.
"Just like that?" Akira asked, still a little angry.
Karmine looked at him seriously. "It's better this way. I don't want to hurt you, kid."
Praise the Saotome foot-in-mouth disease, always capable of striking at the worst possible time.
"Why you!" Akira cried out as he lashed out with a punch to the face. *I'll show you.* He thought as his fist drew closer to its target. He was pulling it of course, but it would be a lesson for the girl not to insult Hibiki Akira.
-----
"Akira!" Hanamichi cried out when he saw his brother double over in pain and throw up. He ran to help his older brother. Even if he didn't know what happened and Akira threw the first punch he was at the woman's mercy.
Kimiko just remained where she was staring dumbly at the ease with which her cousin was taken out. The silver-haired woman ducked under his punch impossibly fast and with that very same speed snaked into his defenses to deliver a devastating punch to the gut.
Kasumi's daughter had seen Akira take some of Ryoga's hardest punches and continue fighting, that's why she was shocked to see her cousin defeated with a single blow. "Hanamichi, no!" She cried as she saw her other cousin attack the woman as well. Her shock only grew when she saw the woman redirect Hanamichi's attack and deliver a palm strike to his sternum. He was sent flying back and landed a few feet away from her. "Oh my!" She exclaimed as she knelt next to her cousin and turned fearfully to the woman that so casually took out two of the best fighters in Nerima. She sighed in relief when Karmine said something to the downed form of Akira and left, followed by another girl.
The fight being over she turned her attention to Hanamichi. "Are you alright?" She asked.
The boy in question patted his chest, an incredulous look on his face. "She didn't hit me." He whispered in disbelief. "She just shoved me away." He didn't want to think about the strength and control needed to shove someone so far away without hurting him or her.
"Damn it!" Akira cursed as he hit the ground in frustration, the pain coming from his abdominal muscles still sending waves of fire through his entire body.
"Akira!" Hanamichi and Kimiko cried in unison and rushed to his side. They wordlessly picked him up and headed to Tofu's clinic.
As his brother and cousin dragged him Akira couldn't help but think back to the way Karmine dispatched him so casually, as if he was nothing more than a molesting fly. *Who is she?*
-----
*I'm in deep now.* Karmine thought as she walked towards the Uchan's.
Nodoka couldn't help but notice how agitated her sister was after the fight. She kept looking back as if expecting for someone to attack her out of nowhere. "What's wrong, sister?* She asked, finding it strange that Karmine seemed so upset. She finished the fight easily, right?
Karmine was startled by her sister's question. When she noticed Nodoka looking curiously at her she groaned. "It's nothing, sis. Just that I messed up again."
"What?" Nodoka raised an eyebrow. "But how did you...?" She trailed off as she thought about it. "You mean you're nervous about those boys? Daddy won't punish you for defending yourself."
The older woman smiled sheepishly as she turned away. "I'm not worried about that. It's just that..." She paused and was obviously trying to explain what was bothering her. "It's just that I think I recognize the younger boy and the girl."
"But how could you recognize them? We've never been here before." Nodoka said now totally lost.
"Remember that little accident I had back home?" Karmine asked laughing nervously and scratching the back of her head.
The youngest one smiled teasingly. "Which one, sis? You have to narrow it down a little."
Karmine glared at her sister. *It's not my fault I get in so many messes, is it?* With an exasperated sigh she answered the question. "The one with the box."
Nodoka's eyes widened at remembering that little adventure. She didn't take part in that one, but Karmine told her all about it. "You mean when you traveled to the past because you opened a box you shouldn't have?"
Another sigh. "Yeah. That second boy looked just like Hibiki Ryoga. And that girl that was with them was like looking at a younger Kasumi."
Nodoka kept walking by her sister's side for a moment, digesting what she'd been told. After a couple of minutes, and just as they caught sight of Ukyo's restaurant, she finally broke the silence. "You really dug yourself a deep grave this time."
Karmine just hung her head.
-----
"This was done by a very skilled martial artist." Tofu said as he examined Akira. "The punch was meant to make you lose consciousness without doing any permanent damage." He laughed and patted the young man on the shoulder. "It's a testament to your constitution that you remained conscious after such a blow."
Akira grumbled under his breath something about losing a fight to a girl, much to the amusement of the others in the room. Hanamichi and Kimiko were silently watching the examination and their eyes opened wide at seeing the big bruise in Akira's stomach. That blow must have been very special if it wasn't meant to kill someone but left a mark like that.
Tofu was quite surprised when he saw his daughter and Hanamichi drag in Akira of all people. He was used to treating Akira's opponents just as he once did with Ranma's own. As he treated the injured boy he heard his daughter relate the encounter to him. He paid special attention to the description of the young woman. *Silver hair?* He thought as he applied some balm that would help speed up the healing. Even if the blow didn't seriously harm Akira it must be very painful. *I wonder if...*
"AKIRA!" Cried a distressed woman as she rushed into the clinic.
Akira just sighed. *Mom's here. Perfect.*
-----
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Everyone sweat dropped at seeing Ukyo fall to the floor from laughing so hard.
When Karmine and Nodoka entered the restaurant they found their brother and parents having some okonomiyaki. Ukyo was happily preparing the food for the family since she didn't have to worry about customers for a couple of hours. The morning rush was over.
After Karmine explained what happened she expected a severe reprimand. Instead of that she saw her father and mother look at each other as if wondering how to react. Seijuro just looked indifferent to the whole thing, instead continuing to ravage his pork okonomiyaki.
Ukyo reacted in a completely unexpected manner, though.
After five minutes the chef finally regained some semblance of control and started explaining, still giggling, how Akira was supposed to be the best martial artist in Nerima. As she explained Ranma's expression slowly changed to an amused one. "It's like seeing history repeat itself." Ukyo explained to the others, who seemed not to understand. "When Ranchan first arrived to Nerima Akane was supposed to be the best martial artist in town. She was very upset when Ranchan showed her just how much better he was at fighting."
Kiima laughed a little as she made the connection in her mind. "So this Akira is actually Akane's son?" Seeing Ukyo nod she laughed harder, joined by all but Karmine.
The eldest of Ranma's daughters just hung her head and groaned. *Just my luck. Not even a day here and I already have a rival.* If this boy was anything like the Akane and Ryoga she met in her little time travel, and her first impression of him indicated to just that, her stay here would be anything but boring.
The worst part was when Ranma announced they were going to visit the Tendo Dojo. *Just great!*
END PART 2
Author's notes: Well, this chapter was dedicated mostly to introduce a few characters and explain what happened in Nerima. The next one should have some meetings between old friends and maybe a rivalry starting.
Sorry it took so long, but work's been done on most of my fics. Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon.
Growling a bit as she hit her leg against a chair she swore to make whoever it was pay for denying her some sleep after the long day she had at the restaurant. *Ryoga, if you got lost and ended up here again...* She let the mental threat at that, still too sleepy to come up with something creative.
When she reached the receiving room she retrieved her battle spatula from its place on the wall and made a few practice swings before walking the remaining distance to the door. She reached for the knob with her left hand as she tightened her grip on the spatula that had served her for so many battles.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She demanded as she swung the door open, obviously ready to deal out some violence if the answer wasn't to her satisfaction.
"Sorry, Uchan. But we didn't want to wait till morning." A man said as he smiled disarmingly at her.
Ukyo's spatula fell from nerveless fingers as the chef stared at a sight she hadn't seen in nearly two decades. "Ranchan?" She asked already knowing the answer.
Standing proudly in front of her was her childhood friend. "The one and only."
The okonomiyaki chef threw herself at Ranma and crushed him in a tight hug.
Ranma, who returned the hug a little more carefully, smiled as he turned to his family. The children were looking at him strangely, while Kiima smiled at him.
-----
"Thank you." Nodoka said as Ukyo served her a cup of tea.
After a five minute hug the chef nodded to Kiima nervously and greeted the teenagers. Even if she didn't fight the Phoenix woman before they left for China they were far from friends.
"You're welcome, sugar." She said with a smile at the young lady. She didn't fool herself with false hopes. It was obvious the three teenagers were Ranma and Kiima's children. She'd had more than fifteen years to wash away the pain of losing Ranma. Even if seeing the children made her wonder what it would've been like mothering them she knew it was not to be.
Ranma and Kiima studied Ukyo and the changes she'd undergone while the chef exchanged pleasantries with their middle daughter about the mix of herbs used for the tea.
She still carried herself as a martial artist, but it was obvious she was no longer the teenager they left behind. Even if she still trained, her martial art wasn't as physically rigorous as others. The okonomiyaki chef had put on some weight. Not enough to be fat, but she no longer had the perfect figure of her youth. Her face retained the cute beauty she used to pride herself on, though. That coupled together with her long brown hair tied with a white ribbon gave the impression that Ukyo didn't age past the fact that she gained some weight.
"I must definitely commend you. Regardless of the ingredients this tea is excellent." Nodoka said taking a sip of the warm liquid.
Ukyo, who had been trying to convince Nodoka that the tea was nothing especial, gave up when she saw the silver-haired girl shake her head. She understood not accepting the compliment was useless. "Thanks." She finally conceded with a smile. Who would've thought that Ranma's daughter would have such manners? *Then again, maybe aunty Nodoka had something to do with it.*
After that she turned to Ranma, who was looking intently at her together with Kiima. She correctly deduced they were studying how the passage of time changed her. She decided to do likewise and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Aside from Ranma putting on a little more muscle and having longer hair, and a slight widening of Kiima's waist obviously due to giving birth, the couple looked exactly the same as they did when they left. She really wished she could've aged like them, as she was certain they were better fighters than they were before.
"So how's everyone doing?" Ranma finally asked after the long silence became uncomfortable. His children didn't know Ukyo and were nervous, even if only Nodoka would admit it, about being so far away from home. They were unlikely to start a conversation and he was eager to know what happened to everyone.
Ukyo smiled faintly. "After you left things calmed down. We've been living peacefully ever since. Ryoga and Akane got married. They have two boys together." She smirked. "Kind of ironic if you ask me. Akane having nothing but BOYS!" She made an impersonation of Akane's battle mantra for the fights in Furinkan. Ranma chuckled in amusement while the others were confused. Ukyo sobered and continued. "Their kids are very good at martial arts. Nabiki has sponsored lots of tournaments, and they've won nearly every one of them in their categories. There were some rumors about Nabiki's nephews always winning, but it was obvious the kids are just that good."
Ranma nodded, filing that away for later. He wondered what kind of martial artist would be the result of Akane and Ryoga's training. He smirked when he noticed Karmine perking up at this part of the conversation. She was just as competitive as he was, and finding a challenge here was certain to make her excited. "What about Nabiki and Kasumi?" The pigtailed man asked, knowing they would all get a chance to learn more about Akane's children.
"Kasumi ended up marrying Tofu like we all thought she would. They live at the dojo with their daughter." Seeing Ranma's curious look she continued. "Don't look at me, Ranchan. I have no idea why they only decided to have one kid." After a pause to take a sip of her tea she continued. "As for Nabiki, she lives in another district of Tokyo. She's had a few boyfriends, but not lasting relationships. Her work absorbs too much of her time."
"And how about you?" Ranma asked softly.
"I've done fine. The restaurant is usually packed and even if I got help there's a lot of work." Ukyo said.
Ranma and Kiima looked at each other and felt a little sad for Ukyo. They both knew there was something else the chef wanted out of life, and she would never get it.
Ukyo caught the look and sighed. The silent understanding the married couple had was another proof of just how right they were for each other. Unlike with the other girls, Kiima always seemed to understand Ranma.
"We should probably get some sleep." Ukyo said at long last. She wanted to keep talking and find out everything that happened in Mount Phoenix. She also wanted to ask about Nodoka and Genma. But all that would have to wait. "I have to get up in a couple of hours, and I'm sure you're tired from the trip." She said giving a glance to Seijuro, who was yawning.
"Thank you for letting us stay, Kuonji." Kiima said as she motioned for her children to stand up as she did likewise.
Ukyo waved the thanks off and showed the Saotomes were they could sleep for the remainder of the night.
-----
"Good fight, boys." Soun praised his grandchildren, Akira and Hanamichi, as they finished with their daily sparring match.
Hibiki Akira, being the eldest, was the better of the two. At the tender age of fifteen he remained undefeated through the many tournaments he'd participated in, and still he had a great potential to exploit. He was strong as his father and had been trained in Anything Goes since he could remember. He was tall for his age, with short black hair and brown eyes.
Hibiki Hanamichi, Akane and Ryoga's second son, shook his head and sighed. He'd never be able to beat his brother. Not that he wanted to fight for a living, but it would be nice to win once in a while. He was fourteen and was an almost exact replica of Ryoga at that age.
Tendo Soun had aged well. He did spot some gray hairs on his black mane, but other than that he looked almost the same as he did years ago. The fact that he had restarted his training was obviously to thank in that aspect. Seeing two of his daughters marry and have children returned some of the old fire he once possessed as a martial artist, since he would help in training the little ones.
Right now he saw a sparring match that left him very pleased. "You two should go take a back while your aunt prepares breakfast."
"Yes grandpa!" Came the reply from both kids as they rushed inside. Kasumi's food had that effect on people.
Soun smiled faintly as he followed after them. After getting out of the dojo he gazed at his house.
It was bigger. Nabiki helped add a few rooms for the growing family before she left for her own place in a different district of Tokyo. Nabiki visited at least twice a week, most likely to keep getting Kasumi's meals. Such was the power of good cuisine.
He was taken out of his thoughts when he noticed his youngest daughter enter the yard. "How was your morning jog, Akane?"
Tendo Akane, mother of three, was an attractive woman with long black hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Even if she was in her middle thirties she looked to be in her late twenties, her training having maintained her body in perfect shape.
And part of that very same training was jogging in the morning for about an hour. "It was fine, daddy." She answered with a smile on her face. "How did the morning spar go? You're not too tired, are you?"
Soun chuckled in amusement and the taunting tone in her voice. "Not at all, Akane-chan." The truth was he rarely sparred with Akira and Hanamichi, saving his strength to train with his youngest daughter. Keeping up with her was hard at his age. "We can train after we have breakfast."
Akane just nodded as she went inside to change, Soun following close behind.
-----
"Thanks aunt Kasumi!" Akira shouted as he rushed out of the house, backpack over his shoulder.
"Have a good day at school." Akane called out from her place still on the table.
"Later, mom." Hanamichi said as he stepped out and kept the door open for his cousin.
"Thank you." Kimiko said graciously. At the age of sixteen she was the living image of her mother. "But you really should run after Akira. You don't want to be late for school."
Hanamichi closed the door and shrugged as he calmly walked by his cousin's side. "I'm not late. Akira just wants to meet his girlfriends."
Kimiko sighed as they exited the Tendo grounds. Akira was the most popular boy at his school, and he took advantage of that fact with the girls. She didn't approve of his behavior, but it was his decision to make how he wanted to live his life.
They were about to turn around a corner when they looked up in surprise. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BOY?!!" Came Akira's angry bellow from further down the street.
"Oh dear!" Kimiko exclaimed when she caught sight of Akira facing up against a young woman with silver hair, who seemed to be calmer than the quick-tempered boy but still upset. It was really a surprise to see the woman was taller than her cousin.
"At least it doesn't seem like she likes him." Hanamichi muttered.
-----
"I still don't know how you convinced me to take a walk around the neighborhood." Nodoka said as she turned to regard the people out on the street. She was nervous as hell. Considering she was in a foreign land and currently away from her parents it was understandable.
Karmine smiled at her. "You want to see the outside world as much as I do." In truth she didn't want to leave the mountain, but if she had to do it she would make the most of it. "Consider it an adventure."
Nodoka couldn't help but giggle a little. "Your adventures usually become dangerous. You're just lucky daddy is always there to rescue you."
"I can take care of myself." Karmine protested with a fake pout. She knew it was usually her father that got her out of trouble. It was incredible the number of problems she'd gotten herself into without leaving the mountain that was her home.
Nodoka giggled again. "I know you can, sister. That's why I let you drag me out here. I'm not a fighter like you."
Karmine laughed as she patted the shorter girl on the back. "Don't worry about it. With me here nothing can go wrong."
Just then they turned around a corner and someone crashed into the younger of the two. Nodoka just groaned as she tried not to fall. *Famous last words.* She failed and both her and the boy fell to the ground in a heap of limbs.
"Why don't you look where you're going?" Akira asked irritably as he recovered and looked at the downed form of a girl around his age. *Nothing special to look at.* He thought.
"I'm sorry." Nodoka apologized nervously as she lowered her gaze, unable to keep eye contact with the obviously angry boy.
"Are you alright?" Karmine asked. The question made both look up.
Nodoka smiled faintly as she calmed at the sight of her concerned sister, who was looking at her ignoring the boy completely. Karmine's presence washed the nervousness away.
Akira looked up and stopped breathing as he caught sight of the silver- haired young woman. To his eyes it was as if an angel had fallen from the heavens. Her long silver hair framed her beautiful face, contrasting with her emerald-green eyes and ruby-red lips. The white shirt and black pants she wore hugged her form snugly, showing off a body most girls would kill for. His eyes only widened when he saw her move. Her body flowed enticingly as she knelt next to him, concern evident in her features.
For the first time in years Hibiki Akira found himself at a loss of words because of a woman.
He was understandably shocked when his angel pushed him back, not even giving him a second glance. His pride took a painful blow at the casual dismissal as he continued to stare in awe at Karmine.
Karmine knelt next to her sister and pushed the boy off her sister. "Nodoka- chan?" She asked.
"I'm fine, sister." Nodoka said as she sat up and turned to regard the boy who ran her over. He was tall and handsome, but those two qualities mattered little to her after her first impression of him. She shuddered at remembering just how angry he seemed to be at her.
Once she made sure her sister was fine, Karmine turned to the boy that crashed into her younger sister. She was a little unnerved to find him looking at her so intensely.
Akira finally regained his bearings and gave the silver-haired beauty his trademark smile when dealing with girls. They always melted at the mere sight of it. "Hi, I'm Akira." He wanted to make a good first impression on this girl. She was incredible compared to the little girls he usually dated.
Karmine's eyes narrowed at the cocky greeting. If Akira was looking to make a good first impression he couldn't be further from accomplishing his objective. "Who do you think you are?" She asked with no small amount of irritation.
Akira was taken aback by the cold question. This had never happened before. "What?"
"Sister." Nodoka whispered knowing Karmine was about to get in trouble because of her over protectiveness. She was a very easygoing girl most of the time, but she was too much like their father sometimes.
Karmine didn't hear her little sister. "Not only do you run my sister over, but you also have the audacity to try and hit on me instead of apologizing to her." She pointed an accusing finger at him. "Just who do you think you are?"
The boy's eyes narrowed as well at the verbal assault. As taken as he was by her beauty he left no one speak to him like that. "She's the one that should be apologizing. It's her fault anyway." He was not going to admit responsibility here.
"Sister. Please let it go. No one was hurt and you should avoid fighting." Nodoka said more firmly, trying to diffuse the situation. Her next words proved that she was a Saotome at heart and couldn't have a more negative effect on Ryoga's son. "You could seriously hurt him."
Karmine turned to the younger girl and she felt herself calm down. *She's right.* Her parents would be very disappointed if they found out she beat a kid up because of something as trivial as this.
"Hurt me?" Akira asked softly, his teeth and fists clenched tightly. Nodoka had, unknowingly, hit the Hibiki boy where it hurt the most. He took great pride in his love conquests, but that was nothing compared to the pride he felt at being undefeated in any kind of martial arts fight. For her to even imply that he would lose was an offense he couldn't overlook. "And just what do you mean by that?" He growled angrily as he glared at Nodoka, who wilted under his blazing look.
Karmine frowned. "Better let it go, boy. I don't want to hurt you."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BOY?!!" Akira bellowed as he stood up, towering over the girls on the floor and looking down at them dangerously.
Nodoka gasped at the imposing sight. Of course, she'd seen way scarier things in her life, but she wasn't a fighter and knew this boy could seriously hurt her. He seemed angry enough to try and do it too.
Undaunted by Akira's rage-filled words the silver-haired girl stood to her full height, well over a head taller than him. Her green eyes were hard as she looked down at him.
Akira didn't let it show, but he was unnerved when he saw the girl tower over him. He wasn't used to facing opponents taller than he was aside from his grandfather and parents. The steel in her eyes and the ease with which she stood in front of his obvious anger further made him rethink his course of action. *This is no ordinary girl.* He though as he recognized the signs of a skilled martial artist in her relaxed stance. As angry as he was he could still recognize a martial artist when he saw one. He wasn't undefeated for nothing.
When Karmine saw Akira remain motionless she nodded. She offered a hand to her younger sister and helped her to her feet. "Let's go." She said without looking at Akira, who was still standing in front of them aggressively.
"Just like that?" Akira asked, still a little angry.
Karmine looked at him seriously. "It's better this way. I don't want to hurt you, kid."
Praise the Saotome foot-in-mouth disease, always capable of striking at the worst possible time.
"Why you!" Akira cried out as he lashed out with a punch to the face. *I'll show you.* He thought as his fist drew closer to its target. He was pulling it of course, but it would be a lesson for the girl not to insult Hibiki Akira.
-----
"Akira!" Hanamichi cried out when he saw his brother double over in pain and throw up. He ran to help his older brother. Even if he didn't know what happened and Akira threw the first punch he was at the woman's mercy.
Kimiko just remained where she was staring dumbly at the ease with which her cousin was taken out. The silver-haired woman ducked under his punch impossibly fast and with that very same speed snaked into his defenses to deliver a devastating punch to the gut.
Kasumi's daughter had seen Akira take some of Ryoga's hardest punches and continue fighting, that's why she was shocked to see her cousin defeated with a single blow. "Hanamichi, no!" She cried as she saw her other cousin attack the woman as well. Her shock only grew when she saw the woman redirect Hanamichi's attack and deliver a palm strike to his sternum. He was sent flying back and landed a few feet away from her. "Oh my!" She exclaimed as she knelt next to her cousin and turned fearfully to the woman that so casually took out two of the best fighters in Nerima. She sighed in relief when Karmine said something to the downed form of Akira and left, followed by another girl.
The fight being over she turned her attention to Hanamichi. "Are you alright?" She asked.
The boy in question patted his chest, an incredulous look on his face. "She didn't hit me." He whispered in disbelief. "She just shoved me away." He didn't want to think about the strength and control needed to shove someone so far away without hurting him or her.
"Damn it!" Akira cursed as he hit the ground in frustration, the pain coming from his abdominal muscles still sending waves of fire through his entire body.
"Akira!" Hanamichi and Kimiko cried in unison and rushed to his side. They wordlessly picked him up and headed to Tofu's clinic.
As his brother and cousin dragged him Akira couldn't help but think back to the way Karmine dispatched him so casually, as if he was nothing more than a molesting fly. *Who is she?*
-----
*I'm in deep now.* Karmine thought as she walked towards the Uchan's.
Nodoka couldn't help but notice how agitated her sister was after the fight. She kept looking back as if expecting for someone to attack her out of nowhere. "What's wrong, sister?* She asked, finding it strange that Karmine seemed so upset. She finished the fight easily, right?
Karmine was startled by her sister's question. When she noticed Nodoka looking curiously at her she groaned. "It's nothing, sis. Just that I messed up again."
"What?" Nodoka raised an eyebrow. "But how did you...?" She trailed off as she thought about it. "You mean you're nervous about those boys? Daddy won't punish you for defending yourself."
The older woman smiled sheepishly as she turned away. "I'm not worried about that. It's just that..." She paused and was obviously trying to explain what was bothering her. "It's just that I think I recognize the younger boy and the girl."
"But how could you recognize them? We've never been here before." Nodoka said now totally lost.
"Remember that little accident I had back home?" Karmine asked laughing nervously and scratching the back of her head.
The youngest one smiled teasingly. "Which one, sis? You have to narrow it down a little."
Karmine glared at her sister. *It's not my fault I get in so many messes, is it?* With an exasperated sigh she answered the question. "The one with the box."
Nodoka's eyes widened at remembering that little adventure. She didn't take part in that one, but Karmine told her all about it. "You mean when you traveled to the past because you opened a box you shouldn't have?"
Another sigh. "Yeah. That second boy looked just like Hibiki Ryoga. And that girl that was with them was like looking at a younger Kasumi."
Nodoka kept walking by her sister's side for a moment, digesting what she'd been told. After a couple of minutes, and just as they caught sight of Ukyo's restaurant, she finally broke the silence. "You really dug yourself a deep grave this time."
Karmine just hung her head.
-----
"This was done by a very skilled martial artist." Tofu said as he examined Akira. "The punch was meant to make you lose consciousness without doing any permanent damage." He laughed and patted the young man on the shoulder. "It's a testament to your constitution that you remained conscious after such a blow."
Akira grumbled under his breath something about losing a fight to a girl, much to the amusement of the others in the room. Hanamichi and Kimiko were silently watching the examination and their eyes opened wide at seeing the big bruise in Akira's stomach. That blow must have been very special if it wasn't meant to kill someone but left a mark like that.
Tofu was quite surprised when he saw his daughter and Hanamichi drag in Akira of all people. He was used to treating Akira's opponents just as he once did with Ranma's own. As he treated the injured boy he heard his daughter relate the encounter to him. He paid special attention to the description of the young woman. *Silver hair?* He thought as he applied some balm that would help speed up the healing. Even if the blow didn't seriously harm Akira it must be very painful. *I wonder if...*
"AKIRA!" Cried a distressed woman as she rushed into the clinic.
Akira just sighed. *Mom's here. Perfect.*
-----
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Everyone sweat dropped at seeing Ukyo fall to the floor from laughing so hard.
When Karmine and Nodoka entered the restaurant they found their brother and parents having some okonomiyaki. Ukyo was happily preparing the food for the family since she didn't have to worry about customers for a couple of hours. The morning rush was over.
After Karmine explained what happened she expected a severe reprimand. Instead of that she saw her father and mother look at each other as if wondering how to react. Seijuro just looked indifferent to the whole thing, instead continuing to ravage his pork okonomiyaki.
Ukyo reacted in a completely unexpected manner, though.
After five minutes the chef finally regained some semblance of control and started explaining, still giggling, how Akira was supposed to be the best martial artist in Nerima. As she explained Ranma's expression slowly changed to an amused one. "It's like seeing history repeat itself." Ukyo explained to the others, who seemed not to understand. "When Ranchan first arrived to Nerima Akane was supposed to be the best martial artist in town. She was very upset when Ranchan showed her just how much better he was at fighting."
Kiima laughed a little as she made the connection in her mind. "So this Akira is actually Akane's son?" Seeing Ukyo nod she laughed harder, joined by all but Karmine.
The eldest of Ranma's daughters just hung her head and groaned. *Just my luck. Not even a day here and I already have a rival.* If this boy was anything like the Akane and Ryoga she met in her little time travel, and her first impression of him indicated to just that, her stay here would be anything but boring.
The worst part was when Ranma announced they were going to visit the Tendo Dojo. *Just great!*
END PART 2
Author's notes: Well, this chapter was dedicated mostly to introduce a few characters and explain what happened in Nerima. The next one should have some meetings between old friends and maybe a rivalry starting.
Sorry it took so long, but work's been done on most of my fics. Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon.
