Chapter Four
The Journey of Life
X X X
Ryoga stood in a traditional fighting stance, feet parallel and spread apart with both hands held in front, watching Akira as the sharply-dressed boy slowly circled around Ryoga. Ryoga's eyes tracked Akira's movements, ready for any sudden attack. That was the tactic Kari usually used against him, trying to play speed against his power.
Akira met expectations as he suddenly rushed forward, pushing off from the ground and into a lightning quick lunge. Luckily Ryoga had been expecting that move, and was already moving into a block, easily moving his forearm to absorb the blow, lashing out with a devastating kick as he did so. Akira nimbly avoided the kick, though, reminding Ryoga of how his matches with Kari usually went.
'Damn,' Ryoga thought. 'This guy is fast, I have to get him to take a hit.'
Akira was, himself, going over the quick exchange of blows in his head. 'I do not think he even felt my blow. His forearm could surely absorb some of the impact, but it should still have gotten a reaction out of the boy.'
Then the two teens were at each other again. Ryoga lashed out with his hands and feet, sending blows that could shatter bricks and poles with ease. However, all of his powerful attacks were being nimbly dodged by the other boy, who was lashing out with kicks and punches as faster than most of the spectators could see. Thankfully Ryoga could see them, and he managed to block most of the blows, and the few that got through were easily shrugged off. Akira tried a few more kicks, all of which Ryoga blocked, and followed his combo with a leg sweep, which Ryoga avoided by jumping backwards.
'Christ,' Akira thought as he leaped back for some breathing room. 'I hit him five times, and he hasn't even felt them!' He narrowed his eyes, looking over Ryoga for any sign of fatigue or pain, but all he saw was the cocky grin on Ryoga's face. A horrible realization struck Akira. 'This guy is out of my league. The only way I can take him down is getting him with one good hit. But I have to trick him into taking it...'
"You gonna stand there all day," Ryoga taunted, "or are we gonna fight?" His stance was relaxed, compared to how he had held himself before their exchange. He was much less concerned with Akira than he had been before, after feeling, or not feeling, the blows Akira had landed.
'Here it is,' Akira thought, 'one final blow.' He lunged forward again, intent on knocking Ryoga out with one attack. His fist lashed forward, heading straight for Ryoga's jaw. Ryoga smirked as he lashed out with his own punch, heading toward Akira's own jaw, knowing there was no way Akira could dodge this time. Akira, however, noticed that Ryoga was sending out his blocking arm, and his other arm wouldn't make it up to block in time. His own arm, however...
There was a loud crack as Akira's fist hit Ryoga's jaw, and Ryoga's fist met Akira's blocking arm. Both combatants flew in the air, Ryoga landing almost five feet away. Akira, too, flew about five feet. The difference was, when he landed, he bounced and went another five feet before skidding along the ground and finally stopping near the very edge of the arena.
The audience began to whisper. Was it a double KO? A few had seen Akira block, and expected him to get up. Almost everybody in the crowd, with the exception of a single smirking young girl, was shocked when Ryoga stood, casually brushing off his green shirt as if he hadn't even been hit.
Ryoga walked over to Akira and kneeled down next to the boy. Akira's glasses had flown off his face and lied, broken, several feet away. His eyes were closed.
Ryoga smiled. "Looks like I win, Akira." Not expecting a reply, he picked up the boy and lugged him over one shoulder, carrying him over to his partner, at whose feet Ryoga laid the body.
X X X
"That was interesting," Mr. Ikari said. "I expected your friend to be the one on the ground, after that exchange." His eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I could have sworn I saw Akira block."
"He did," Kari replied. "But I'm betting Ryoga knew he would block. The reason blocking works so well for Ryoga is that Ryoga's strength is greater than his opponent's, meaning when his block meets his opponent's attack, his block will stop the attack. But Akira, who is much weaker than Ryoga, doesn't have enough force in his block to stop a punch like Ryoga's."
Mr. Ikari nodded. "That Ryoga kid must be tough, then."
Kari nodded, smirking. "Oh, yeah. It's like trying to stop a freight train with a string."
X X X
"The winner!" Mr. Ikari's secretary shouted into the microphone. "Ryoga Hibiki!" There was a pause. "No, Mr. Hibiki, your side is over there." After pointing out Ryoga's correct spot, Ranma and his remaining opponent, Katsuharu Ono, took their places.
Ranma looked over his opponent. Katsuharu was, in one word, a punk. He was wearing worn out jeans, frayed at the edges, and an open red vest with no shirt. His hair was black and spiked up and several rings adorned both his ears and his nose. Ranma failed to see how anybody looking like this kid could be a good fighter.
Katsuharu stood with his hands in his pockets. He gave a sneer at his opponent. "Let's get this over with quickly."
"Yeah," Ranma agreed, taking an offensive stance.
Ranma and Katsuharu, by some unspoken signal, suddenly dashed toward each other while, in the background, the announcer complained about not having started the match yet. Ranma jumped in the air just as Katsuharu reached him and the two boys exchanged blows, one in midair and one with feet firmly on the ground. Ranma landed nimbly behind his opponent and spun into a low sweep, intent on taking the other boy to the ground, just as Katsuharu leaped in the air and spun into a midair heel kick. The kick had enough force to move Ranma's hair as he leaned back, barely avoiding the blow.
"You're good," Ranma commented as he leaped back.
"You, too," Katsuharu replied, smirking.
The two boys decided exchanging hits was better than exchanging words, and they leaped at one another again. This time there was a clear victor, as Ranma was able to snag one of Katsuharu's wrists in mid-punch. Quickly bringing his other arm below the boy's armpit and suddenly shifting his weight, Ranma threw the vest-wearing boy to the ground. It actually managed to create a small impact crater as Katsuharu hit, kicking up vast amounts of dust from the debris as well.
Ranma leaped back, knowing he had come out ahead.
X X X
Kari leaned forward, interested. "Wow, what a throw."
Mr. Ikari nodded. "That toss could've sent Katsuharu flying, but instead all of that force was directed directly down into the ground."
Kari winced at that explanation. "Wow, that must have hurt."
"A lot," Mr. Ikari intoned, nodding. He had to feel sorry for the kid, that blow looked mighty painful.
X X X
Katsuharu circled around the ring, warily eyeing his opponent.
Said opponent was standing still, his usual cocky smirk adorning his face as he took a defensive stance.
Katsuharu decided Ranma wasn't going to attack any time soon, so he rushed forward himself. With a lunge so fast that any black belt to shame, Katsuharu was upon Ranma with a fierce punch. But Ranma had already moved out of the way, and Katsuharu felt a huge blow on his ribs as Ranma's spin heel kick caught him under his outstretched arm.
The crowd winced as Katsuharu flew through the air, landing in a heap a dozen feet away.
Ranma expected the boy to be knocked out, and had in fact began to walk over to drag his opponent to the ring side, when Katsuharu warily got to his feet, knees wobbling and unsure of his footing. "You're still in the match?" Ranma said in surprise.
Katsuharu winced, rubbing the spot where Ranma had kicked him. "No," he answered. "I give up."
The crowd let out an uproar. The match was over? One of them gave up!
Katsuharu snorted. "You broke a rib or two, ain't worth it to keep fighting." He gave a smile. "Even though we both know I'd still win."
Ranma laughed. "Yeah, sure thing. Now lets get those ribs looked at."
X X X
Kari watched as the announcer shouted the match's victor. "Those two might be pretty good, but the truth is they're nowhere near Ranma or Ryoga's league."
"You think so?" Mr. Ikari asked. "Sure, they won, but it was close, wasn't it?"
Kari raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You're kidding, right? Ryoga was a bit outclassed in speed - a bit - but his strength and skill more than made up for it. And Ranma was, quite honestly, toying with Katsuharu in the beginning. When he got serious, he took him out with one blow." Kari paused, replaying the fight over in her mind. "Actually... he still might have been holding back." That possibility scared Kari; she didn't think she was that far behind Ranma, but it looked as if she might be.
Mr. Ikari and Kari watched as Ranma took his seat next to Ryoga. Two more groups began to fight, though they weren't even on a black belt level. The audience felt bored, after watching such fighters as Ryo, Nanashi, Ryoga, and Ranma.
And Kari wondered just how good she was compared to the others in this world...
X X X
Shinzumaru puffed on his cigarette. He was irritated. He was in a run-down area of the city with no idea how he had arrived in such a place. Heck, in all truth, he didn't know there was such a run-down, crappy-looking section of Sendai. He had been searching for Kari's school, but he had become slightly misplaced. Not lost, mind you, just misplaced.
And he had actually rushed his morning routine to get to the school early. Well, kind of, at any rate. A little. Maybe.
Jeez, why did it have to be so far away? Such a hassle...
"Look here, boys," a sneering voice said from behind Shinzumaru. "Somebody got lost in the wrong part of town."
Shinzumaru rolled his eyes. They must be joking. He had sensed their presence earlier, but ignored the pathetic trash. However, he couldn't ignore them any more, as the group of punks surrounded Kari's father. The first thing he noticed was their horrendous fashion sense. Black leather jackets, all worn and cut and damaged, together with tight blue jeans and bandanas? What were they, some rejects from a crappy American movie?
"Look, hand over your stuff and we won't hurt you," the leader of the boys, with long hair held back in a ponytail, said as he pulled out a switchblade.
Stereotypical knife, Shinzumaru noted. Boring lines, too. "Look," the man began, "if you leave now I'll pretend you never bothered me." He gave an even glare to his would-be muggers. "Less trouble for all of us that way."
"I don't think you realize your situation, old man," another boy sneered. He, too, held a switchblade.
Shinzumaru quickly noted down all the little details. Seven boys, all with switchblades, surrounded him on all sides. A dumpster stood a ways back. The alley was narrow, though still wide enough for the boys to edge around on the walls to corner him that way as well without being in range. An easy battle, he noted. "Look, you boys will be hurt if you don't leave."
"Just cut him up and take the damn money!" another boy piped up.
Shinzumaru decided to make that boy an example.
Seeming to disappear from his spot, he suddenly appeared right in front of that boy. The punk lashed out with his knife, stabbing downward, in a frightened reflex, but Shinzumaru casually caught the arm before it hit him. Forcing the boy's arm to continue down, using the momentum from the boy's own stab, the knife continued until it was stuck inside the teen's thigh. The boy screamed, then lashed his hand, trying to yank out the knife, but Shinzumaru calmly held the boy's hand on the knife and, with his free hand, pulled the cigarette from his lips. He let go of the boy's hand and quickly shoved the lit cigarette into the back of the boy's knife holding hand, causing his hand to spasm as he screamed, letting go of the knife instead of pulling it out of his leg.
As the punk's companions scattered like roaches, Shinzumaru lifted the whimpering boy by the collar of his leather jacket with a single hand, flicking away his useless cigarette as he did with his other hand. He hated wasting a cigarette like that. "Now," Shinzumaru began, "you've begun to piss me off. That was my last cigarette." The boy whimpered pathetically, and Shinzumaru lifted him a little higher. "So, can you tell me the way to Akimachi?"
X X X
The first rounds had passed without comment. The second rounds were already underway, and currently Team Phoenix was pitted against Team Watanabe. The fight was extremely one-sided, Team Phoenix consisting of a third degree black belt of Aikido and a second degree black belt of Isshinryu Karate. Both members held themselves in confident, solid stances. Team Watanabe had a boy with an afro and an average-appearing student with greasy hair. Neither of them knew how to fight other than petty bouts held after school.
"Damn, this is gonna be a quick match," Mr. Ikari mumbled under his breath.
He was proven right as the match was quickly decided.
"Winners, Team Phoenix!"
Team Phoenix walked over to their side of the arena, opposing the side with Ranma and Ryoga. The audience gave them applause, but only enough to not be rude. Nobody really enjoyed the one-sided match.
"Next up, Team Shirokuro against Team Konoha!" The announcer walked off to the side as Ranma stepped into the arena, a first-year student, with slicked back brown hair and a brown gi, mirroring Ranma. Realizing both of them knew the Art, they bowed to each other. The announcer didn't mention any names, the team members having been announced last round. Ranma wished he had paid attention, then he could know his opponent's name.
"And now... begin!"
The boy in the brown gi simply ran toward Ranma, his fist careening toward Ranma with all the force the boy could muster. Ranma easily avoided the blow, dancing back as if the blow were in slow motion. The second, third, and fourth strikes were avoided in the same manner.
'This kid isn't even a black belt,' Ranma realized. 'I feel kinda bad for him.' Deciding to end the fight quickly, Ranma ducked down and spun into a sweep, knocking the boy off his feet. As soon as his opponent hit the ground, Ranma leaped over the body, staying close enough to the ground to grab the neck of the boy's gi and throw him, using Ranma's momentum to toss the boy out of the ring.
"He's out of the ring!" the announcer shouted, running toward the edge of the arena. "He's still down! I'll start the count!" As she began counting, the boy stirred, but didn't rise.
"...Three!" the announcer cried, and the boy began to groggily get to his knees. "Four!" On his knees now, he slowly began to rise to his feet. Determination showed on his face, and... "Five!" ...it was too late.
Ranma smirked, giving a victory sign to his partner.
"The winner by ring out, Ranma Saotome for Team Shirokuro!" the announcer cried into her microphone.
As Ryoga jumped into the ring, landing next to his partner and ready to begin his match, Ranma waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Eh, Ryoga, that match was too short."
Ryoga growled. "Look, Ranma, I'm not about to let you get all the credit for our team's victory!" He shook his fist threateningly at his partner. He knew being Ranma's teammate would be a pain!
Ranma rubbed his temples in irritation. "Look, Ryoga, these guys are pathetic anyway. It doesn't matter if I get the next one, does it?"
"If it doesn't matter, then let me handle it!"
Ranma threw his hands up in the air. "Fine!" He glared at Ryoga. "Fine." He turned and began to walk out of the arena. Before he was gone, however, he turned and looked back at Ryoga. "But let's see if I ever do you a favor, pal." He said the last word with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
Ryoga felt bad now, but he wouldn't take back his words.
As the announcer shouted the words "And now the next match up! Ryoga Hibiki against Kouichi Yamadera!" Ryoga turned to look at his opponent. Standing slightly taller than Ryoga, the boy was already down in a low stance Ryoga recognized at Shotokan Karate. The stance was solid, but very basic, and a look of apprehension was on the boy's face. Ryoga could tell he was good, for a beginner, but nowhere near his own level.
This fight would be easy.
So Ryoga simply ran toward his opponent, intent on ending the fight in one blow.
X X X
Kari winced as she watched Ryoga hit Kouichi straight in the jaw. Now that looked painful.
Mr. Ikari winced as well. That was a wicked punch. Reminded him of his ex-girlfriend. That was saying a lot, as Mr. Ikari had been on the receiving end of quite a few of those punches and could tell you first-hand how much they hurt.
X X X
The second round finished without incident. In the end, eight teams remained. The third round began.
"Damn," Kari said as the announcer gave out the fights for the third round. Only three teams had anybody worth watching. Those teams were Team Crimson, Ryo and Nanashi's team, Team Shirokuro, Ranma and Ryoga's team that had been named after Ryoga's guide dog, and Team Phoenix, consisting of Kappei Yamaguchi and Kojiro Shimizu. Team Phoenix wasn't as good as the other two, in Kari's opinion, but they were still much better than the other five teams.
The reason for Kari's curse was that the announcer had given the order of the teams and none of the three good teams were pitted against each other. This round would consist of nothing but quick, one-sided matches. Not the kind of thing she longed to see, certainly. Of course, she'd watch anyway, just to watch her friends. Even if she knew the outcome of their match.
Since the matches were one-sided, at least they'd be done quickly.
X X X
Shinzumaru whistled a song he had heard on in an anime somewhere as he strolled into the stands. He spotted his daughter easily, she was sitting with his old friend and the two had a large clearing around them. It was as if the students didn't want to sit near them, or something. Shinzumaru smirked as he realized his daughter had probably scared the boys off with her fighting skills. It would be bad for her when she finally became interested in boys, but hey, they didn't know she was a girl anyway, so it didn't matter. He felt a bit proud, realizing he had taught her how to scare off the kids like that.
It almost brought a tear to his eye. Kids grew up so fast...
As he slowly approached his daughter's seat he realized he would have to come up with an excuse for being late. Just as soon as he realized that, however, he also realized that this time he DID have a reason for being late. Not that those punks had held him up very long, but she didn't have to know that detail.
At that moment, Kari noticed her father as he made his way to her position. "Dad!" she cried, waving to him excitedly. It was so god-awful boring. Teams Phoenix, Shirokuro, and Crimson had all had their matches, and the two remaining teams were having it out. Neither team was very good, and the fight had been dead even for the last ten minutes. God, fights weren't meant to be this long, at least not when they were boring.
"Yo," Shinzumaru said, taking a seat next to his daughter. His face was strangely absent of cigarettes, having actually wasted his last one on his attacker. He had done it on an impulsive decision, and wouldn't have done it if he had been thinking, but what was done was done, and there wasn't anything to do about it now.
"Where have you been?" Kari asked, suddenly narrowing her eyes at her father.
Shinzumaru had begun to sweat. "Er, you see, I ran into some thugs..."
"Not this excuse again," Kari moaned.
"Hey!" Shinzumaru piped up in his defense. "It happens to be true this time! I swear!"
Kari rolled her eyes at her father's antics. They were never true, a fact she had come to terms with long ago. "Whatever," she said. "I don't want to argue."
Trying to get his daughter's mind off him, he changed his gaze to the large figure seated on Kari's other side. "Well, who's this guy here?" The tone of his voice was joking; he knew exactly who it was.
"Old friend," Mr. Ikari said jovially, "it's been much too long."
"Good to see ya, Shinji," Shinzumaru greeted the vice principal. "How's life been?"
Kari double-blinked. Shinji Ikari? Either Mr. Ikari's parents had a cruel sense of humor, or whatever reigned as fate had a sense of humor. Shinji Ikari. She barely contained a snicker.
"Your friends still in the match?" Kari's father asked, turning his attention to his daughter.
Kari realized she had missed a brief exchange between her father and her vice principal, but she shrugged it off. Answering her father's question, she said, "Of course." She gave a derisive snort. "They haven't been matched against anybody good yet, so the going's been easy."
Shinzumaru nodded thoughtfully. "Then I haven't missed anything important. Good."
"Doesn't excuse you for being late," Kari told her father.
Shinzumaru was about to reply, but before he could say anything another voice spoke, going over the entire arena. "And the winner is Team Reiki!"
The victorious team, exhausted, worn, and bruised, wobbled back to their seats. In their current state, Kari wouldn't be surprised if a gust of wind would be victorious over them.
"Whoever's against them is going to have an easy time," Kari's father commented, echoing her thoughts.
Kari nodded. "Yeah. They'll be even more of a pushover than normal, and I doubt they'd even give any of the other teams a workout at their best."
"That sounds about right," her father agreed.
X X X
"Now, the first round of the semi-finals!" the announcer shouted, pausing to give the crowd ample time to cheer. "The first match of this round is Team Phoenix against Team Shirokuro!"
Ryoga spat on the ground. Figured, the team he cared least for. Team Reiki would've been an easy fight, and Team Crimson was the team he wanted to beat the snot out of. But they had to arrange it so he fought the other team. It was like they were out to keep Ryoga from what he wanted.
He wondered why he felt the sudden urge to glare at Ranma.
"You up first, or should I do it?" Ranma asked his partner.
His train of thought broken, Ryoga turned to his classmate. "I guess I'll take this one." He and Ranma walked over to their spot by the ring, Ranma having to tug Ryoga in the right direction twice, and Ryoga hopped into the ring, facing his opponent.
Kappei was a student of Aikido, and a good martial artist. He gave a smirk and mock salute to Ryoga before dropping down into a typical Aikido stance, feet spread wide and arms held parallel in front of his torso.
Ryoga gave a glare to his opponent. He'd show this guy just who he was messing with.
No sooner had the cry of "Begin!" been uttered than Ryoga charged toward his opponent. His fist struck out, intent on smashing Kappei into the ground, but the other boy had already moved, dodging to the side and gripping both hands on Ryoga's outstretched arms. Using a quick movement and change in position, Kappei threw Ryoga as if he were a rag doll. However, Ryoga was much more dangerous than a rag doll, as he was able to twist a split-second after being thrown, twisting his body to allow him to kick Kappei in the face as he flew. The throw hadn't even fazed Ryoga, who flipped and landed easily on both feet.
Kappei clutched his nose, anger rising. His form had been perfect, and nobody could escape a throw like his, but somehow Ryoga had managed to not only come out unharmed, but had attacked and injured Kappei during his own throw. His nose wasn't broken, but it hurt, and it fueled his anger.
Ryoga could tell what was running through Kappei's mind. The anger and fury his opponent was feeling was quite apparent on his face, and it wasn't hard to figure out what the cause of that anger was. But Ryoga had learned from Ranma and Kari that anger made your opponent easier to manipulate, and any user of Aikido was useless on the offensive.
Kappei apparently wasn't thinking of that, though. He rushed toward Ryoga, but instead of going in with a quick attack, Kappei slid on the ground right before reaching Ryoga's attacking range, trying to catch Ryoga off guard with a low attack. Ryoga almost burst out laughing. Who attacked an aware opponent with a low attack? Ryoga simply lashed out with a kick to Kappei's face, but was caught off guard when Kappei managed to leap over the kick with a surprising speed. As he rose above Ryoga's kick, Kappei gripped Ryoga around the neck and twisted, maintaining his grip as he turned in midair. Ryoga was only standing on one leg, and thus off balance, and was easily hefted into the air by Kappei's throw.
'Ouch,' Ryoga thought as he got up. That one was painful, but Ryoga had been through worse. Still, he looked at his opponent with new respect.
Not that Kappei would get in another attack like that, of course.
X X X
Shinzumaru watched Ryoga continue his fight with Kappei, easily tracking Ryoga's quick bursts of jabs and kicks. Kappei was on the defensive, being forced to block without being able to get in a counter. "That's your friend?" he asked his daughter.
"Yeah," Kari responded. "Ryoga Hibiki. I've been helping him train against faster opponents. He relies on strength and endurance to win, usually."
"He's not without skill, though," the girl's father stated.
Mr. Ikari nodded. "His previous fights were well done, and he's doing even better now." Ryoga had always appeared to be a good fighter, but now it was apparent the boy had been holding back quite a bit.
"He's still holding back," Shinzumaru replied.
Kari looked over in surprise. Ryoga wasn't holding back, at least not by a noticeable level. He was going at it the same as when he sparred against her. "No, he's not."
"Yeah he is," the older ninja replied. "He's obviously holding back the brunt of his strength. He might be going his fastest, and using a great degree of his skill, but he's holding back his strength as to not break the other kid's bones." His eyes were narrowed as he concentrated on the fight. "If he went full strength, that Aikido boy would have a broken arm the next time he blocked."
Kari was silent. She watched as Kappei blocked hit after hit. Each blow was strong enough to be easily heard by the crowd, and Kari imagined each blow would sting, but they weren't strong enough to break bone, as her father had said.
But this was the level he always fought her at...
Did he not take her seriously?
X X X
'Damn, he's good,' Kappei thought, jumping back to give himself some breathing room. Ryoga didn't let him, however, and Kappei blocked Ryoga's quick jump kick, which had enough force behind it to send Kappei backwards, though he immediately fell into a roll, avoiding any serious injury aside his pride.
Ryoga smirked as he lashed out with a kick to Kappei, who still hadn't risen from his roll. Kappei tried to block, once again, but his arm didn't make it up in time. The kick caught the Aikido user in the cheek, sending him flying once again. This time he didn't roll, instead simply landing limply on the ground a good distance away.
He also didn't rise.
Ryoga sighed as the announcer, a woman he recognized from the vice principal's office, counted to ten. After reaching that number, he was declared a winner, and the crowd cheered. The boy's gaze swept the crowd, looking for Kari. He knew she would be watching, but hadn't seen her yet. It didn't take him long to spot her, as he made his way to his side. She was sitting next to the vice principal and another older man, who appeared sloppily dressed and half asleep.
"You up, Ranma?" Ryoga asked.
"Of course," Ranma replied, hopping into the arena as Ryoga hopped out.
The remaining member of Team Phoenix, Kojiro, sweated as he went into the ring. His partner was, in all honestly, ten times better than he was. He spent a good deal of his training in Isshinryu in weapons training, which weren't allowed in this tournament, and even then he was still a slacker in his training. It was true that he was a second degree black belt, but that was more of a testament to the fact he endured classes five days a week for almost his entire life, and nothing to do with any drive or exceptional skill of his own. The boy he was faced off against, dressed in a white gi, seemed to be the epiphany of martial arts. He knew how this fight would end.
"You ready?" Ranma asked, dropping into a low kung-fu stance that he favored when showing off.
"Er, I guess," Kojiro replied, taking a solid stance, simple and low, feet spread wide for stability.
When all was said and done, Kojiro was lucky he got off with a simple two-hit knock out.
X X X
"It looks like Team Reiki is up next," Shinzumaru commented. "They still haven't recovered from their last battle. This'll be a quick one, huh?"
Kari frowned. "Yeah. I just hope Ryo lets them off easy, he isn't the type to show mercy." Her blue eyes were narrowed as the boy in question took the ring.
Mr. Ikari nodded solemnly. "They've won with their ruthless tactics for the last two years, ever since their first year at Akimachi. They could very well win all three years of their attendance here."
"In any case," Kari added, "Team Reiki won't be standing in their way."
Shinzumaru looked over Ryo as he took the ring. "He's a ruthless one, huh? Never had much patience for the type, myself."
"I don't think Ranma and Ryoga do, either. I hope they give him what's coming to him."
X X X
Ryo watched as his opponent, a boy in his second year, took to the arena. He looked ready to fall over. He wouldn't present a good fight normally; in his current state, Ryo could take the kid while sleeping.
However, the boy didn't take his place opposite Ryo. Instead, the kid walked over to the announcer and whispered a few words to her. A short exchange of words passed between them, none of which Ryo overheard. He was impatient for the fight to begin, and they just talked. How annoying.
The announcer cleared her throat. "It appears that, after their last fight, Team Reiki has decided to withdraw from the tournament." A murmur began in the crowd as the woman continued. "Team Crimson therefore wins be default. We'll begin the final match of the tournament, Team Shirokuro against Team Crimson."
"What a bunch of bullshit," Ryo said in disgust. He had planned on taking Team Reiki alone, but now the finals were starting, and he couldn't deny Nanashi a fight in the finals.
How... annoying!
X X X
"It looks like things are about to heat up," Kari commented from her seat, edging forward in anticipation.
"You think the fight'll be a difficult one?" her father inquired.
Kari nodded. "I've watched Ryo and Nanashi fight. They're pretty good." Her father's head perked up at Nanashi's name, but Kari didn't notice. Her gaze was firmly placed upon the arena, never wavering. "They've been playing with their opponents so far, so I have no idea just how good they are, but they appear to be decent."
Mr. Ikari was full of anticipation. "It'll be good to see how your friends match up."
Kari gave a silent prayer for her friends.
X X X
"Hey, Ryoga," Ranma said as he and his partner approached the ring.
"Yeah?" The lost boy's determined gaze lay on Ryo, and his vision didn't falter.
"I'll let you take this guy. Just don't screw this up, got it?" Ranma's voice allowed no argument.
"All right, thanks," Ryoga replied. He jumped into the ring. Since Ryo and himself were sitting on the same side of the ring, and Ryo was still standing on that side, Ryoga walked past the boy to reach the other side.
"You gonna show me how much better you are?" Ryo asked with a smirk as Ryoga passed him.
"Yeah," Ryoga replied without turning his head. As soon as he reached the other side of the arena, he spun around, immediately adopting his fighting stance.
"It'll be good to see you try," Ryo said, a hand in the pocket of his school uniform, with his other hand held in front of him in imitation of a claw. By simply constricting the muscles in his clawed hand, he cracked his knuckles. "Let's see what you got."
From a safe distance away (as in outside the arena all together,) the announcer started the fight with a shout of "Begin!"
Ryo launched forward with a surprising speed. Ryoga lashed out with a kick as soon as Ryo was close enough, but in defiance of momentum and the laws of physics in general, Ryo stopped dead in his tracks. It was impossible, going from a full sprint at Ranma-like speed to a dead stop from one step to the next. Ryoga was caught off guard, his kick missing his intended target as Ryo had stopped just outside of his range.
'What the hell?" Ryoga thought as Ryo leaped forward, right after the completion of Ryoga's kick.
X X X
"What in the bloody hell was that!" Kari demanded. "That was impossible!"
"It was a clever use of that technique, that's for sure," Shinzumaru said, narrowing his eyes. "I'm surprised he's learnt it at all."
"What technique was that, old friend?" Mr. Ikari asked.
"A practical technique, used to teach people control of their ki," the elder ninja explained. "By focusing your ki through a part of your body, you can anchor your body to an object. It's usually used to climb walls or something, I've never seen somebody use it to anchor themselves to the ground, though it is possible."
"That kid can use ki techniques!" Kari exclaimed. "No way! How is he so far ahead of us!"
"He's not that far ahead," Shinzumaru explained. "You're almost at the level yourself, and I'm sure your friends are, too."
Kari grumbled. "Still, how can an ass like him be ahead of us to begin with?"
"Maybe he specializes in ki techniques?" offered Shinzumaru helpfully.
"I doubt it," his daughter replied. "He seems more like the type to beat his opponent with his bare hands until they stop moving..."
"Must be hard to make friends that way," Shinzumaru commented.
Kari rolled her eyes.
X X X
Ryo lashed out with another punch, which Ryoga was forced to block. After one of the boy's punches had landed earlier, Ryoga decided being hit was not a good strategy. Ryo was taunting Ryoga by only using one hand; the other was still in his pocket. But his blows came fast enough, even with the use of only a single hand.
Ryo was trying to prove a point. To prove that Ryoga was nothing compared to him.
Ryoga realized this, and it pissed him off. He reigned in his fury, though. Losing to anger would lose him this fight.
"Having trouble, boy?" Ryo asked casually as he launched a kick to Ryoga's head, which Ryoga easily sidestepped. Ryoga lashed out with a kick of his own, a quick roundhouse to the ribs, which Ryo blocked with his free arm.
"Not really," Ryoga said through gritted teeth. "I've faced worse."
"I doubt that," Ryo replied, hopping back a short distance. Ryoga wondered why he did that, but Ryo didn't make any reason apparent, simply appearing to need a breather. "You've never faced anything like me." With a speed greater than he used earlier, Ryo's leg shot up in a kick. It seemed he was showing off, or something, as he was much too far away to even think of hitting Ryoga.
Appearances can be deceiving. Ryoga suddenly doubled over as if being struck. As he gasped for air, caught off guard from the sudden blow from nowhere, Ryoga noticed a small rock fall in front of him. Just what was going on?
Ryo lashed out with another kick, and a line of red appeared on Ryoga's face. Ryoga brought a hand up to the cut, pulling it away to notice the blood.
"You afraid of a little blood?" Ryo taunted. "Don't worry, after this is over, I'm sure you'll have gotten used to it." He paused, as if in thought. "Or maybe your fear will be greater. Who knows how these things work?" He lashed out with another kick, so fast that his leg seemed to blur, but Ryoga arms moved with an equal speed, catching something in midair right in front of him.
"That's a cheap trick," Ryoga commented, dropping the rock onto the ground in front of him. "I don't know how you're kicking up these rocks without any debris or something, but it won't work again."
Ryo growled. "You're annoying, you know that?"
Ryoga smiled. "If you think I'm annoying now, wait until I beat you."
Ryo clenched his hand into a fist. "That'll never happen." He slowly pulled his other hand from his pocket and held both fists in front of him. "We'll see who wins this, pig." He rushed forward, and the fight began again.
X X X
"What was he doing?" Mr. Ikari was curious. "Throwing rocks? How?" He hadn't noticed any rocks around Ryo's feet. Was he secretly throwing them, using his foot as a distraction?
"The same way he stopped earlier," Shinzumaru explained. The lazy man leaned forward. "By anchoring with his foot, he was able to kick his leg forward with a small section of the ground still attached, then released it with his ki at the height of his kick."
Kari winced. "He's... better than I gave him credit for." The admission seemed to hurt her pride. "Probably better than me."
"I'm not sure about that," her father said. "Maybe in hand to hand, but I doubt his simple techniques would do him much good against your weapon skills."
But still, Kari thought, where were all these good people coming from? They weren't in Ranma 1/2, the anime or manga, so where did they come from? Was there a lot of people at her skill level? She had thought she was, more or less, at the top of the pecking order, but people like Ryo were throwing that into doubt.
X X X
Ryo blocked a punch, grabbing Ryoga's fist before it reached his face. Before he could do anything else, however, Ryoga threw a kick, forcing Ryo into an awkward position. Ryoga's other fist flashed towards Ryo, and he couldn't block it, with both other arms occupied. It caught Ryo full in the ribs, knocking him backwards and forcing him to release Ryoga.
"Take that," Ryoga said, his breathing a little heavier from their short but intense bout of fists and feet. His eyes widened in shock as Ryo stood up, shakily but all right none-the-less. It was impossible! Everybody else Ryoga had fought were down in a single hit, and those blows were at partial strength. Against Ryo, Ryoga wasn't holding back a single iota. All his strength was in that punch, and it hit him dead-on!
"I've faced worse," Ryo spoke up, smirking as he did so.
Ryoga snorted, taking up his stance again, fists held in front of him. Ryo took a similar stance, almost exactly the same except he held his hands like claws instead of fists. As if moving by some unspoken signal, the two moved toward each other, meeting in the middle with an exchange of blows, both throwing out kicks and blocking their opponent's kick, quickly followed by a few punches and the subsequent blocks.
After the first few blows, Ryoga leapt to the side to avoid a kick and lashed out with a kick of his own, catching Ryo in the ribs and sending him flying. Ryo landed in a heap almost fifteen feet away, but as soon as he landed he was on his feet again, looking only slightly worse for the wear. The two once again charged toward each other, exchanging a few more blows, of which Ryo came out ahead, knocking Ryoga to the side with a heel kick.
Ryoga stood, clutching his side in pain. After wincing a bit, he let go and took his fighting stance. It hurt, but nothing was broken, so it wouldn't hold him back.
"You're better than I gave you credit for," Ryo said, "but you're still no match for me." After saying so, he launched himself forward with a burst of speed, spectators almost losing sight of him as he launched a punch for Ryoga. Ryoga smirked as he leaned to the side, throwing out his fist to catch Ryo in his unprotected jaw. Ryoga heard a satisfying crack as Ryo flew backward, landing gracelessly on the ground, rolling a short distance before stopping.
"Who's no match for who?" Ryoga asked, having obviously struck a decisive blow.
He, as well as half the crowd, was surprised when Ryo stood up, shaken but not defeated. When he stood to his full height, he gripped his jaw with his right hand and, with a loud crack, put his jaw back in place. Nothing had been broken; rather his jaw had actually popped out of place, like a shoulder or hip.
"Damn," Ryoga said, falling back into his stance again. He thought for sure that blow had won him the battle, but apparently that assumption was wrong.
Ryo growled, an inhuman noise from the back of his throat. "You won't get another hit like that, I assure you."
Ryoga backed up a step as his opponent shot forward, intent on tearing out Ryoga's throat. Figuratively, or perhaps even literally. Ryo's first move was a throat grab, followed by a jab. Ryoga blocked the first and dodged the second, letting loose his own punch as he dodged. Ryo leaned to the side, avoiding Ryoga's blow and lashing out with his own punch, catching Ryoga in the cheek, sending the younger boy reeling. Ryoga didn't go flying, as Ryo had, but because he was reeling in the same position, it gave Ryo an opportunistic moment with which to land another blow, this time a front snap kick to Ryoga's diaphragm. This time the blow did knock Ryoga back, as well as making Ryoga lose all the air in his lungs.
As he gasped for air on the ground, Ryo appeared above him with a kick to the side of Ryoga's ribs, sending him rolling several feet. Realizing he was in a bad position and that Ryo had no qualms about hitting while he was down, Ryoga managed to jump to his feet despite his current level of pain, as well as his still semi-winded condition.
Ryo stood several feet away, glaring at his opponent.
Ryoga quickly recovered his breath. He turned an ugly glare on his opponent. "You still haven't won."
Ryo's glare didn't lessen in intensity. "You might think so, but this match was decided as soon as we stepped in the ring." He sunk down into his fighting stance, Ryoga following suit.
With a battle cry from both competitors, the battle began again. Ryoga was moving a bit more sluggishly than before, but the entirety of his being was focused on the fight, and he didn't give any ground to his opponent. The two traded blows quickly, neither allowing another hit to get through their defenses. Both students had realized that another blow might very well decide the fight, so they were focused more on their defense than offense.
After a few meaningless punches and kicks, all of which were blocked or avoided, they also came to the realization that they couldn't win without a decisive blow of their own.
So, at the same moment, they both stopped concentrating on their defense and switched to offense. Two fists connected with two jaws, and both Ryo and Ryoga went flying. Ryoga landed with a thump in the middle of the ring. Ryo fell with equal grace, that is none, outside the arena. He landed so close to the announcer that she screamed in surprise.
After watching the scene for a few seconds, the announcer did her job. Raising the microphone to her lips, she addressed the crowd. "Both competitors are down! I'll begin the count!"
X X X
"That was amazing," Mr. Ikari commented. "They both displayed such skill, it's truly a wonder to behold."
"Ryo really is good," Kari reluctantly admitted. "Ryoga did good against him." She wondered how she would do against an opponent like Ryo.
"It looks like a tie," Shinzumaru commented. That meant the next fight would be decisive. "The Ryo versus Ryoga fight comes to a dramatic end!"
Kari raised an eyebrow at her father's statement. It sounded like something off a cheesy anime.
Shinzumaru shrugged. "I needed to say that at least once."
X X X
"And five!" the announcer finished. "Ryoga is the winner!"
An uproar let her know the audience's feelings. She began to sweat.
"Well, you see," she began, "even though both Ryoga and Ryo were knocked out, Ryo fell outside the ring. The rules state that you win by ten seconds on the ground, or five seconds outside the ring. Since both counts would begin at the same time, the five second count would be over first, so Ryoga wins."
"How the hell does an unconscious man win?" a random student called from the crowd.
"Aw, shut up!" another voice cried, this time from within the ring. People watched as Ranma picked up his partner and slung him over his shoulder. "It's not like it makes a bit of difference. All winning does is let Ryoga fight if I lose, and I doubt he'll be much good as is anyway."
"It looks like the last fight comes down to this, then," the announcer said, gesturing toward the ring. Nanashi had already taken his place, and Ranma took his place as soon as he laid down Ryoga outside the ring.
A figure leapt from the stands, easily clearing the heads of all the students and landing next to the fallen Ryoga. That figure was Kari, leaving the stands to check on her friend. Her father and the vice principal both stood and followed, though they did it by pushing through the crowd of students instead of her quicker method.
"He all right?" Mr. Ikari asked when he reached the girl.
"Nothing's broken," Kari replied.
"That's good," her father said, sitting on the bench reserved for participants. It was empty, of course, all the participants being knocked out of out of the running except for Ranma and Nanashi. "He should wake up soon, then. Seems like a tough kid. Rather like me at his age. Except slower and less skilled."
Kari groaned. Her father was an idiot, sometimes. Well, all the time, really. She turned her concentration on her friend in the ring. "Win this thing, Ranma!"
X X X
"Win this thing, Ranma!" Ranma turned back to the side of the ring, where Kari and two adults sat with Ryoga. He gave her a thumb-up before turning back to his opponent, the silent ninjitsu user Nanashi.
"Are you both ready?" the announcer asked. She was really getting into her new duty, and was trying to milk the fight for all it was worth. Seeing both competitors nod, she raised her hand into the air. "Then begin!" she cried.
Nanashi looked over Ranma. Neither fighters had taken up a stance. In fact, both boys looked completely nonchalant and relaxed. Realizing Ranma was as confident as he was, Nanashi smirked, though it was hidden behind the neck of his large jacket, which covered the bottom half of his face. To every observer, with the exceptions of Kari and Shinzumaru, Nanashi appeared to simply disappear from his spot.
Ranma merely leaned to the left, just as Nanashi's fist appeared where his nose had been. Ranma struck out with a single lung punch, but it only grazed Nanashi as the older boy jumped backward, avoiding most of the force from the blow. Ranma snorted in annoyance. He leapt forward, letting out a series of swift kicks, each one attempting to end the fight with a single connection. However, Nanashi was one step ahead of Ranma, dodging so fast that his entire body blurred. It may have seemed that Nanashi wasn't pressed in his dodging, but that would be wrong. Nanashi was dodging completely, true, but he didn't have time to counter attack with Ranma's persistent attacks.
Finally, after one of Ranma's punched went wide, Nanashi struck back with a vicious jab, intent on cracking one of Ranma's ribs. However, Ranma's other hand intercepted Nanashi's attack, gripping the fist only inches from its target. Smirking, Ranma pulled Nanashi closer and kneed the older boy in the stomach. Caught off guard, Nanashi couldn't stop the attack. He doubled over, getting him in the perfect position for Ranma's follow-up strike to the chin. He flew backward, landing on the ground but immediately rolling onto his back and then flipping back onto his feet, as if he hadn't been hit at all.
'What the heck? He's okay?' Ranma's thoughts were confused as he looked over the jacket-clad boy. But he was hunched a little and breathing heavier. He had felt the attacks, and they affected him, but he recovered extremely quickly and didn't let the blows affect his performance. Ranma could respect that in a fighter.
Ranma stepped back into an actual fighting stance. "You're pretty good."
Nanashi smirked, and said the first words anybody aside his partner ever heard. Even so, it came out as almost a whisper. It wasn't a taunt, either. "Dance of the Crescent Moon," he said. Nanashi rushed forward, his form flowing like water as he ran. Ranma braced himself, but was caught off guard as Nanashi's image seemed to split into two, coming at Ranma from the front-left and front-right. He immediately realized one must be an illusion of some kind, and he could only block one. The Nanashi to his left attacked high, and the one to his right attacked low. He decided to block the one on his left, and almost shouted in triumph when he felt Nanashi's attack connect with his block, the second Nanashi's attack harmlessly going through Ranma's legs. Knowing which one was real, Ranma blocked the left one's next attack. However, this time the right's fist is what hit, and it knocked Ranma to the ground as it connected with his skull.
"What was that?" Ranma said through gritted teeth as he stood up. There was only one Nanashi once again, standing nonchalantly with both hands in his pockets.
X X X
"What kind of technique was that?" Kari asked, turning to her father.
Shinzumaru was looking at Nanashi with newfound respect. "That was a ninjitsu dance," he answered.
"A dance?" Kari asked, surprised. She envisioned Nanashi doing ballet, and tried to work that into what she had seen.
Shinzumaru put his hand on Kari's head, as if explaining a concept to a small child. With great practice, he ignored Kari's glare. "They're special techniques developed by the Shakuhachi ninja clan." He looked over at Nanashi as he took a low fighting stance, unlike any ninjitsu stance Kari had ever seen before. "It also explains his name." Shinzumaru nodded thoughtfully. "You see, Nanashi means 'One without a name.' In the Shakuhachi clan, ninjas don't receive their real names until they're eighteen, if they've completed their training."
"I heard he was adopted, though," Mr. Ikari put in.
"Perhaps he was adopted into the Shakuhachi clan, or he was in the Shakuhachi clan then adopted into a regular family." Shinzumaru shrugged. "I don't know, but he's definitely connected to their clan."
"That's amazing," Kari put in. "These dances, they're unlike anything I've seen before." She hoped Ranma could take on Nanashi. These techniques made his seem ever worse than before, and she had doubts even then.
X X X
"You're up," Nanashi said in the same quiet voice he had announced his attack with. He looked over Ranma, who was taking up a fighting stance. Nanashi, himself, was in a stance so low that he seemed half his height. "One more dance."
Ranma tensed up, prepared for what would follow.
"Dance of the Rising Tide." Nanashi leaped forward, his speed making him invisible to all but the most seasoned fighters. Even Kari had trouble following him. When Nanashi was in front of Ranma, his hands seemed to blur, attacking Ranma with dozens of spear hands in the space of several seconds. To Kari, it appeared as if he was practicing the dreaded Kachuu Tenshin Ameguriken technique, though in truth it was a different technique altogether. But, for the purposes of avoidance, they might as well have been the same technique. Even at the beginning of the manga Ranma was ill prepared to face that technique, let alone in middle school. Ranma caught all the blows in his chest and staggered back, clutching his chest.
Nanashi raised an eyebrow, impressed by Ranma's endurance. Ranma was breathing heavily by this point, and was clutching his ribs with one hand, but he was still in a fighting stance, his other hand held in front of him to guard from any future attacks. Nanashi, himself, was feeling the toll from using two powerful techniques in a row. He was sure the first would have taken out anybody, and even Ryo would have fallen after the second.
Even if Ranma wasn't as strong as Ryoga, he made up for it by strength of will.
Nanashi took a step forward. "Once more."
'Crap, there's no way he can pull off three of these things!' Ranma thought desperately.
"Dance of the Water Lily!" Nanashi's voice had finally risen in level, and he shouted his last attack. He leapt forward, performing an impressive display of midair moves. He launched a variety of kicks at Ranma, who couldn't fend them off. Midair grappling was the specialty of the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, but not when the practitioner was beaten half to death and ready to collapse. As such, Ranma took a total of seventeen kicks, the last of which knocked him far to the side. Nanashi landed on the ground, panting heavily.
Ranma groaned, propping himself up on his elbows. He didn't have any strength to do more. He was beaten.
Nanashi leveled a stare at Ranma. "You're... still up."
"Kind of," Ranma replied, forcing a smile. He didn't feel much like smiling, though. Pain lanced through his ribs, his side, and his head. He had never been through a meat grinder, but this is how he imagined it would feel.
Nanashi really had to give Ranma his due. Ranma was still conscious after three different dances. That was more he could say for anybody, even himself.
And thus, Nanashi collapsed.
X X X
"What just happened!" Kari demanded.
"He spent too much energy," Shinzumaru replied. "It's impressive to be able to pull off three dances, though his amateur nature is revealed by the fact he'd even try. He would've won if he continued the battle normally after the first or even second dance." He turned to his daughter. "Your friend is still awake, so he wins this fight."
X X X
As the announcer reached her count of ten, Ranma smiled. He had won. It felt somewhat cheap, not having pounded his enemy flat himself, but he'd take it. Content in his victory, he collapsed himself.
His last view was of a blue-haired girl running toward him.
X X X
It was a week later. Ranma and Ryoga had both recovered and they had their trophy. Ryoga was holding on to it, as Ranma didn't want to drag it on his training trip. Which was the topic of that day's conversation at school.
"You're leaving?" Kari asked, her lunch forgotten by her side. She was leaning against the tree they often ate under. Ranma had revealed that his father, Genma, would be taking him to continue his training voyage, this time leaving the country altogether for China.
Ranma looked somber. "Yeah," he replied. "There ain't nothin' I can do, either. Pop's serious about leaving. He said we've been here too long as it is." Ranma snorted. "He's probably on the run from the cops, and wants to leave the country for things to cool down."
Kari blinked at that assessment. You know, it wouldn't surprise her.
"Damn it!" Ryoga shouted, ramming his fist into the ground, burying it completely in the ground. He and Ranma had formed a bond during that tournament. Even though they weren't the best of friends yet, they had a solid friendship forming. "When you leave, who am I supposed to spar with?"
Kari whapped Ryoga in the back of the head with her bento. "What the hell am I? Chopped liver?"
Ryoga chuckled nervously. "You know what I mean."
Kari narrowed her eyes. "No, I don't."
"Anyway," Ranma said, hoping to distract Kari and Ryoga from the coming beating, "I'll be leaving tomorrow."
"Wait!" Kari interrupted. "Tomorrow! You're kidding, right?"
"Nah, Pop says it has to be tomorrow." Ranma sighed. "It'll suck having to leave. You two are the first friends I've had since I left Ucchan."
"Who's that?" Ryoga asked curiously.
"Childhood friend," Ranma explained. "I left him when I was eight."
"You're really leaving?" Kari's voice was quiet.
"I don't have much choice," Ranma said. "I wouldn't if I did have a choice. You know that, Kari."
"Well, then, there's only one thing to do." Ryoga spoke with conviction, his voice firm.
"What's that?" Ranma and Kari asked at the same time.
"We've got to have one last fight!"
Kari fell on her face, while Ranma seemed enthused by the idea. "That's a great idea!" Ranma said, clenching his fist. "One last fight, tomorrow, before I leave!" Tomorrow would be Saturday. High school students might have to attend half days on Saturday, but as middle school students, they were free of that obligation.
Ryoga was grinning. "We can do it in the empty lot down the street from my house."
Ranma's grin matched Ryoga's. "Sounds great!"
After a moment of silence, both boys turned to the only girl there for her input. Kari waved her hand. "Eh, sure, sure. Whatever you guys think. I'll be there."
"It's decided, then!" Ryoga said. "Be sure to be there, tomorrow at noon!"
X X X
It was four days later when Ranma and Kari realized they really should have met Ryoga at his house.
"This sucks," Ranma said as he yawned. He had a little bit of sleep last night, but for the most part he had stayed awake, waiting for his friend to show. "And it was his idea, too."
"I hope my dad's not worried about me," Kari said from her spot, sitting on a blanket on the ground. She had brought it with her so she, Ranma, and Ryoga could have a place to sit without getting dirty. She hadn't expected to use it for several days. She had completely forgotten about this particular part of the manga.
But, even if she had remembered in time, she figured her influence would've changed things. And, while things had changed, apparently not this one.
"You can go see him for a bit," Ranma told his friend.
"Nah," Kari said, lying back on the blanket. "The minute I leave, Ryoga'll show up. That's how things work." It would be her luck for that to happen.
"Boy," a voice said from behind Ranma and Kari.
Kari, being on her back, had only to tilt her head to see who spoke. The massive girth, dirty gi, and bandanna covering obvious baldness gave him away as Ranma's father, Genma Saotome.
"Pop?" Ranma looked surprised to see him there. His father was carrying two travelling packs. The one in the man's hand belonged to Ranma, the one Genma's back being his.
"Look, boy, we don't have any more time to waste." He tossed Ranma his pack, who caught it easily. "We're leaving now."
"Come on, Pop. Ryoga'll be here soon. Give him one more day." Ranma's voice was pleading, a tone Kari never imagined hearing from the arrogant boy.
"No more waiting," the older man replied. "We're leaving. Now."
Kari huffed in annoyance. He hadn't so much as noticed her. "Hey, Mr. Saotome, can't you just let him stay here for a bit longer?"
Mr. Saotome looked over Kari. "Why should I let my son stay here with some weak girl?" His voice didn't even sound insulting. It was a genuine question, as if he honestly thought that she was weak because she was a girl and wondered why he should Ranma stay with her. What a sexist bastard.
Kari didn't even bother being surprised that Genma noticed she was a girl. She didn't actually TRY to hide it, and he was a decent martial artist, so it made sense he could notice. But to put her down just because of it? That drunkard didn't have the right! "Hey, look here, Mr. Saotome..."
"Lay off, Kari," Ranma broke in. "If he says I have to leave, then I gotta listen to him."
Kari blinked at that. Ranma wasn't even putting up a fight?
Eh, Ranma must've listened to Genma at one point. She had just assumed that point had passed.
"Tell Ryoga I said sorry about all this," Ranma said dolefully as he and his father left.
X X X
"He left?"
"Yeah," Kari responded to Ryoga's question. "His dad came and dragged him off. Ranma said to tell you he's sorry about the fight."
"Damn," Ryoga muttered dejectedly, falling limply onto Kari's blanket. Lying on his stomach, he dejectedly muttered "This sucks."
Ryoga's mood reminded Kari why he had mastered the Shishi Hokodan.
"There's nothing to be done, really," Kari told her friend. It sucked beyond all reason. Ranma was gone for China, and Ryoga and Kari were left behind. There was nothing to be done, though...
"I know what we can do," Ryoga said, sitting up with a smile.
"Eh?"
Ryoga laughed. "I still need to have this final fight with Ranma. We never had a serious fight, after all." He cackled a bit. "Even if I have to track him down in China!"
Kari blinked at that statement. Without his quest for vengeance, she would never imagine Ryoga chasing down Ranma to China. She smiled. "And somebody needs to keep you from getting lost."
"Think your dad will let you go?" Ryoga asked.
"I can convince him."
X X X
"Sure," Shinzumaru said to his daughter and her friend. "You can go, as long as you keep up with your training and stuff." It meant less work for him, really. Though it would get a bit lonely... but then again, back when he was training to be a ninja, he had left for a training journey around her age as well.
"Really?" she asked. That was surprising. She had simply asked, she hadn't even gotten to her well-planned arguments or pleading.
"Just let me get you some things," her father replied. "You go to your room and pack, I'll go them."
Kari nodded. "All right." She turned and walked down the hall, heading toward her room.
Shinzumaru looked over Ryoga for a second. "And you, go after her. Make sure she doesn't pack too much, you know how girls are."
Even with all his ninja training, Shinzumaru didn't detect the waffle iron until it impacted with his head.
"I heard that!" Kari called from down the hall. She walked back in, took Ryoga's hand, and led him to her room to get packing.
Shinzumaru rubbed his head. "Ouch, what a throwing arm." He complained a bit more before deciding to get to work. He headed into the rarely used and practically abandoned basement. After sifting through various boxes, he found what he was looking for. It hadn't been opened in years, obvious by the layer of dust Shinzumaru blew off of it.
Inside were all the scrolls for the more advanced ninja techniques, both of general ninja usage and clan specialty techniques. It wouldn't be as good as if he taught her himself, but if her gave her these she could at least learn them.
Kari had a high learning curve anyway, he was sure she'd be able to pull off learning the moves, even without him.
Shinzumaru promised himself he wouldn't cry, it wasn't as if she was leaving forever. Besides, being sad was really too much hassle.
"You don't need all these books!" he heard Ryoga cry from up the stairs. Deciding to keep Ryoga from a beating of some sort, he walked up the stairs to confront his daughter.
X X X
The next day, Ryoga and Kari left on their journey. It would be Kari's first time leaving the country, and Ryoga's first time to purposely leave the country. But it was really their first step on the larger journey of life.
That journey was starting.
X X X
End Chapter Four
To be continued...
X X X
Author's Notes: Wow. More than ten thousand words. This was, actually, the optimal length I wanted for chapters. But after writing this, I don't think I could keep it up. Expect the next chapter to be back to 5500-6000 words instead.
Why is this chapter so long? Because I wanted to get the middle school days over and done with. Next chapter starts the good stuff!
As for this chapter, as you can see I had some trouble with the fight scenes. I'm not good at writing... mundane fights. There needs to be strategy, or special techniques, or something. It's hard to do that this early in the series. I think I might have overplayed their abilities, even with that in mind. Bah, I stink... anyway, with the exception of Ryoga v. Ryo, all the fights were pretty short. That's because, before the finals, every fight was disproportional with the fighters' skill. Ranma, Ryoga, Nanashi, and Ryo were simply too far above their opponents to have much trouble. I hope that came across in the writing.
Mmm, I need sleep. It's almost midnight, and I still got the proofreading to do. Well, I guess I'd better get to that and post this. Otherwise the friends I have reading this (all two of them!) will have a fit. And kill me. They will, you don't know them like I do...