Chapter 5
It is a clear sky with impossible rain. The streets of Tokyo dimmed in the density of the downpour. Most sounds are dampened leaving the background hum of traffic breathing its depressing form of vitality in to those present.
Splatters of uneven duration can be heard. two beings are running about. The glistening sun blurs their outlines as they battle it out. One male and one significantly shorter female. Both are of seemingly similar age and clothing.
Completely unhindered by the air the two figures disengage falling in opposite directions. "Oyaji this isn't the time for fiancee's!" Ranma wheezes from the effort. A thin stream of blod prickles out from his left chin the pressure to high.
"YOU MUST!" The smaller girl in much better condition screams. She falls into a stance once more. "You have no say Ranma. I am your FATHER!"
The aura previously just hinted at blossoms fully. Evaporating the glistening layer of water in a local depressurization. Breathing slowing to a halt Genma looked up. Two seemingly dead eyes coal black stare into the void seemingly between the two fighters.
The remaining crowd finally gathered what was left of their saneness and scattered. Hikaru Gosunkugi didn't. Treated to a sight impossible to deny for a male he manages to not pass out from bloodloss.
Genma's clothing straining over her bodice glistening with gaseous water is close to transparent. Breathing would have ripped the last stitches of cloth off cleanly. Genma's stance is neutral. "You can't beat me boy..."
Ranma knows the truth. Feeling the negative stab he gather's his confidence in an inverted stream. "This will decide things I suppose." He can but smile. 'You never knew why I ever ran off...' Ranma flare's his aura. A soft white sheen. "Give me your WORST!"
Somewhere else and sometime later...
Soun Tendo is fully occupied he has in hands a card stating the most beautiful fact.
RANMA IS COMING
He didn't have the easiest time convincing his daughter's of it though...
Still smiling and sometime later Soun whips head around to the sound of a knocking...
Kasumi Tendo the oldest daughter of the Tendo house hold opened the door. "Hello, welcome to the Tendo Family dojo. What can I do for you?"
For Kasumi to not react adversely to the sight of an adolescent undecently attractive girl carrying a similarly aged boy over her shoulder's wasn't that much of a choire. She even managed to invite them in with out falling out of her hostess routine once.
Ushering the sudden guest's into the living room she took care of their outdoor garments in the same movement. She refrained from moving the two backpacks left out in the rain. The cracked boards indicated a bit to heavy a weight...
Apparently the girl's name was Genma Saotome and her package was her son Ranma. 'I don't know if I should tell father that his training buddy is too young too have been alive back then... Oh well. Lets find out!' "Father we have guests!" Kasumi scurried off to get her guest's some hot water...
Soun didn't know what to say to the presence of the teenager claiming to be his old training buddy Genma. 'If it weren't for her mentioning Ranma and Jhusenkyou I would've let Nabiki call the police...'
Kasumi with some hot water...
SPLASH!
The now male Genma Saotome is treated to the sight of three Tendo's fainting in unison. In the sudden relative quiet bricks being smashed can be heard in the background...
A roused Soun some ten seconds later...
"GENMA! May the gods be praised!" The cheerfulness wakes the remaining two Tendo's up...
"Father I think I am getting sick did I just see that cute girl turn into an ugly male?" Nabiki does know how to answer politely but chose not to.:)
"Be respectful to your elders Nabiki this is my best friend Genma and the boy on the couch is the boy you are supposed to marry!" Being the Idiot he was he completely misstook the depressed hunching as a sign of excitement and shyness.
"THE SCHOOLS WILL BE UNITED!"
Some five minutes later...
Soun properly subdued and information dealt out. Nabiki the host commentator. "So Ranma you are supposed to marry one of us and your father turns into a stunningly attractive girl at the splash of cold water."
Ranma nonplussed about the situation nods dumbly. 'Damn it I lost!' Not really paying attention still playing out the scene of his terminal defeat...
Nabiki however is in full surveillance. 'Hmm... got the looks. Lacks the brains. And a cursed father. No money... Big MINUS! Kasumi'll have to take this one...' Nodding to herself quietly she registers Kasumi bandaging Ranma up. 'Not reacting to Kasumi? Better than Tofu.' Nabiki not really pleased with her conclusion walks off towards the dojo... 'Akane... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'
Kasumi humming internally tries her best to gather what was relevant. 'This is Ranma Saotome, son of one Genma Saotome oldtime training buddy of father's. One of us are to be betrothed to him...' Gently wrapping the bandage wrapping around Ranma's forehead she unaware of the proximity palms his chin jutting it in her direction. 'Betrothed?' Kasumi has a tiny smile on her face as she applies the disinfectant evenly over a bruise on Ranma's left cheek. Applying a bandaid to a minor lesion on the tip of his nose Kasumi feels the even breathing closeup. 'Ss...sta..stable breathing!' Fumbling a bit she plunges ontp of her guest.
No one notices the blushing Kasumi running of to the bathroom...
Chapter 5.5Smoke wafted through charred landscape. An entire mountain had been annihilated. The base of the mountain some three kilometers across covered in a thick layer of fine carbon dust around its periphery. The epi center of that magnificent blast that had care of what once was the home of the people of Saffron Lord of the Pheonix no longer. A wailing sound could be heard through the smoky surroundings...
Ryouga had been ready for this moment his sensei had said so herself. She had said that this was the one moment towards which her presence lead towards an end not so pathetic or even wortwhile. It had not mattered to Ryouga at the time what the words were, she had in fact failed to understand their meaning at the time...
"Mother..." It took Ryouga the last remaining breath to utter that single lone word. 'Don't leave me!' With a shudder the mist fell down.
Cologne was the first to reach the spot. With eyes open not to the world of the living she took in the scene. She could not sense any death's but one. Telltale sign's of fleeing pheonix people showed fear lingering. 'Saffron didn't leave...'
Gently she traversed the coal bed of the once majestic single mountain of the Pheonix people. She had to hover over the finely ground dust while crossing the distance. It was all she could do as to keep her mind of what it had represented.
Xian Pu had never seen elder Cologne move that fast before. She had been awed once more by what represented the major backbone of their tribal community. Following the elders traces she some time later stumbled onto the clearing. It was deathly silent. An oasis of coal stretched ahead some kilometers to the south. The Red and white robe of elder Cologne could be seen floating over the mirrory darkness in the direction of the epi center.
"What is she doing?" Mu Tsu exclaimed from behind.
"MOUSSE!" Xian Pu screamed.
POW
"Ouch..." Mu Tsu wasn't knocked out yet he knew better than to agitate Xian Pu when she was like this. 'Still what is elder Cologne doing...' Rubbing his head he smiled at Xian Pu not knowing what else to do.
"Xian Pu flustered over being snuck up upon didn't react to the fact that Mu Tsu had been able to spot Cologne or that he must have managed to follow the elder at a faster pace than she had. "What are you doing here?"
"I followed Cologne when I sensed that ki buildup..." The magnitude of the event had had repercussions he was unwilling to share with the village champion to be... 'I'll never let you be part of something this dangerous Xian Pu.'
Xian Pu not being her normal self stared at the suddenly rigid Mu Tsu. "You alright?" Twirling her fingers absentmindedly she noticed for the first time the true maleness of her in practical terms often best friend. The smile was honest and waiting...
"Xian Pu I'll stop hounding you!"
(AN: No I don't like either Mousse or Shampoo yet I still wrote this little excerpt. Which means this isn't going to happen often...:))
Cologne was treated to an impossible sight. A slight female child was sobbing hunched over an object that defied reality. To the normal eye it looked like a solid marble made out of gleaming black coal. To Cologne the inversed breaking points told a different story... 'SAFFRON!'
Cologne no longer needing to hover above coal dust moved in close to the blackish reddish mass of a boy still breathing. She could sense a lifeforce close in quantity to that of her own pulsating in the apparently half dead boy. The rigidness of the ki lines was what shocked her the most. They were all kept in place without emotive triggers... 'A true ki adept!'
At times even matriarch's need to rest...
Ryouga had felt the probing aura emanating from the matriarch yet he had been to worn out to properly shield his hollowed reserves. Barely conscious he had given the final sealing deal to Saffron. Immortality in a shell. It had taken the entire mountain to properly quench the fiery life force of the demi god. 'May you never leave this prison.' It had been a sentence he had spoken into the ears of Saffron before squashing his no longer regenerating form into the carbon box. He hadn't wanted to do this yet It was the only closure appropriate. "A life for a life."
Cologne heard the simple sentence uttered in japanese... 'I have been to late once more.' She stood by the gently sobbing youth once more...
She stood by the scene for some minutes not really knowing what to do. The partially burnt off locks of hair stood up on their own in the remaining static. 'A male some fourteen years old if not less. The demise of Saffron in the hands of a child.' Kneeling down from her staff she gazed onto the grief struck child. "How are you young one?"
Ryouga choosing to listen to the old yet unmisstakably clear voice shrugs unable to decipher the chinese words. Blinking out the last tears he opens his eyes to see the last remaining tricentenarians of the Amazons. "I am Japanese. Who are you?"
Easily switching over the Japanese Cologne offers her tribes assistance after having gotten name and occupation from the shell struck youth. Ryouga on her back they take off towards the village…
(AN: yes the chronological train of events has been bypassed and heavily so. Not completely on purpose however… Consider the events surrounding Ryouga to be somewhat preceeding to those of Ranma arriving in Nerima!)
Kasumi isn't having the best of times. One of her most basic credos have already been compromised. The eradication of wanton thought. 'OHOHOHOHOH My…' The mirror being its usual reflective self she can but gaze at her reflected self… Her eyes more expressive than they'd been for years. And her expression more pleading than ever. This was not an easy recognition for Kasumi. Lightly splashing the cold water from the tap at her reddened cheeks she tried once more to smile. The result. Was something else…
Akane has never been the most tactful of individuals yet even she is allowed moments of clarity. This is the first time she has ever seen her sister smile like that. Ever! 'I'll wash up later.' Internally agreeing with herself she gently closes the door to the bathroom. 'Who could it be?' Heading to her room to arrange her change of clothing instead of taking to the furo she silently contemplates. 'I know its not dr. Tofu…' A smile less strained and not so often seen nowadays lingers on her face. Still smiling and dressed in her gi she falls asleep in her bed thinking of things that make young girls forget how young they are…
Ryouga can't say that he isn't impressed by the speed with which Cologne carries him the distance to the village. Standing still at the spot on which he was left he peers around. Cologne had to leave to arrange some things for him. Two rather tall girls had shown up from the huts nearby and stood by him not making a sound besides gesturing with their weapons in a mildly suggestive manner. Ryouga knew violence and responded by sitting down with his arms splayed on to the ground peacefully. The two had relaxed at the gesture and its slow execution. Silence had been accepted all around at that…
Cologne had several things on her mind. The elders had already convened in the council before her return and she had been forced to answer their questions unprepared.
"What has happened with the Phoenix people? They've been spotted leaving the mainland!" Phianta the youngest elder on the healing board splurted out unwary of protocol.
"Shhh. Still to young to rein in that imtpatient streak I see. Answers you all deserve to hear but. Do remember that I am the one to tell you the story." Cologne refrained from smiling seeing Phianta squirm in her seat was enough to appease her sudden anger.
"Yes Cologne you deserve to have your voice heard before going further. As the lone representative of the Amazon war council I am quite interested in what you'll say." The only surviving member in the council of elders older than Cologne, Raila rarely spoke up anymore. This gave Cologne the first spoken word coming from her mouth in more than fifty years.
"I'll be honored too honored elder." Cologne knew when to suck up…
Ryouga lacking the verbal knowledge to properly communicate in chinese with his temporary guards started drawing his words onto the ground. Chinese employing a kanji mostly identical to that of the Japanese this proved to be a most feasible means of communication.
My name is Ryouga Hibiki. I hail from Japan.
We are Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung! From Joketsuzoku! We are warrior amazons.
I am a martial artist. I am employed by circumstance alone. Do you understand?
Yes the old master of Hidden Weapons refers to himself in a similar manner yet he chose to leave the village in recognition of his credo.