Ranma 1/2
Ranma and Hikaru
by: Kimura Ayame
PART 7: Family Reunion
Ranma and Onna-Hikaru arrived at Joketsuzoku. Both were carrying rather large packs, and both were still a bit drenched from the swim. Hikaru looked extremely irritated, "We have to find a better way of travelling between Japan and China..."
A woman with short, violet hair and dark brown eyes wearing a blue Chinese-style dress -- Hikaru's mother, Mei-Lin -- had been waiting for them. She rushed to greet them as they approached, "Ranma, Hikaru... thank you for coming so quickly."
Ranma asked, "How is he?"
"Not well, I'm afraid."
Hikaru stepped forward, "May I see him?"
Mei-Lin nodded, "Of course. But... you may want to change first."
Hikari, who was only set apart from Onna-Hikaru by the ponytail she wore, approached the group. She stared at her brother -- or sister, as it seemed to be at the moment -- and gasped, "Hi... Hikaru?!"
It took a moment for Hikaru to realize why Hikari was so surprised. She was wearing her blue Chinese outfit, not any of her usual male clothes. She grinned, "Like it, futago-chan? Thanks to you, I already know what looks good on me in this form!" After a moment, she dropped the grin, slowly, "I... better go change. I want to see Zugaikotsu-sensei."
---
Inside a tent, Zugaikotsu-sensei, covered with various bandages visible through the even more numerous tears and rips in his sleeveless gi, was lying on his back on a small futon. Otoko-Hikaru, now wearing his own gi, walked in and knelt down near his father.
Zugaikotsu-sensei opened his eyes and looked up at his son, "Hikaru... did you bring Ranma?"
Ranma, who had been waiting outside, entered and knelt next to Hikaru, "I'm here, sensei."
Zugaikotsu-sensei sat up, took something from beside him and handed it to Ranma, "Take this. Put it on."
Ranma looked at what he had been given -- it was a Zugaikotsu family gi, identical to Hikaru's. He hesitated, "I... can't. I'm not a Zugaikotsu. I cannot accept this, sensei."
"You are as much a Zugaikotsu as I am. I don't ask you to renounce the name of Saotome. I realize you feel a great connection to your family heritage. Instead, I ask you to accept this as representation that you are also my student, and a rightful heir to the Zugaikotsu family."
Ranma nodded, understanding. Out of respect for the injured man in front of him, he immediately changed into the gi. Both he and Hikaru remained standing.
Zugaikotsu-sensei looked toward the entrance, "Mei-Lin... Hikari... come in."
Mei-Lin entered and stood at Hikaru's right. Hikari stood on Ranma's left. Zugaikotsu-sensei nodded to them. The two women proceeded to tear the sleeves off of each man's gi. Both Ranma and Hikaru were stunned, knowing the symbolism of the ritual.
Zugaikotsu-sensei laid back down, "I may never walk again. You two must take care of Mei-Lin and Hikari. Also, you must carry out my revenge against Lee."
Both men nodded. Hikaru said, "I will... Father."
Zugaikotsu-sensei smiled. Ranma was almost sure he saw a tear fall, but he figured it must have been his imagination. Zugaikotsu-sensei would never cry. He added, "We promise to avenge you."
Zugaikotsu-sensei nodded, "Lee is a terrible fighter, who knows nothing of honor. You must defeat him. Together, you can do it."
---
All four Zugaikotsu family members, including Ranma, exited the tent that Zugaikotsu-sensei was in. Hikaru turned to Mei-Lin and Hikari, "You two stay here. Ranma and I must go search for Lee. We will not return home until he is defeated."
Hikari stepped forward, "Why don't we help? Mother and I are Amazons, after all."
Mei-Lin shook her head, "No, Hikari. This is a Zugaikotsu family matter. We do not interfere in this, as they do not interfere in Amazon affairs. Ranma and Hikaru are entrusted to this, alone."
---
Not too much later, Hikaru and Ranma, each still wearing his now-sleeveless Zugaikotsu family gi, left the village. Hikaru looked at Ranma, "Think we can defeat him?"
Ranma nodded, "We've never lost before. Especially fighting together. Zugaikotsu-sensei believes in us."
"You're right." He looked around the area, "Zugaikotsu-sensei said he lives somewhere near Jusenkyou..."
---
At night, the two were travelling the borders of Jusenkyou. Hikaru glanced toward the cursed springs more than once. Ranma frowned, "You okay?"
"We're just too close, that's all. If Lee were to catch us off-guard..."
"Don't think about that. See any huts or tents around?"
Hikaru shook his head, "Nope. No place where a martial artist could live." He glanced upwards, "It's getting dark. We should set up camp."
---
Hikaru and Ranma both sat near their campfire, in front of their tent. Ranma asked, "Why don't you get some rest, Hikaru?"
"What about you?"
"You need it more. If you don't quit overusing your shadow speed technique, you'll never be able to win a fight again."
"Fine. You get first watch, but I'll take over in an hour."
Hikaru went into the tent. Ranma looked around purposefully -- he had a feeling that Lee was nearby. There were sounds in Jusenkyou that Ranma concentrated on for a while. They eventually ended with a splash. A few minutes later, Ranma was sure he saw a duck fly away. He ignored it, and continued listening. He closed his eyes, concentrating on everything around him. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, "Hikaru!!!" He jumped aside as something came from above, striking at where he had been.
Hikaru poked his head out of the tent, "What is it?" He saw Ranma and an unidentified martial artist facing off and decided to just go join in. When he got there, he saw that Ranma's opponent was a man with dark violet hair, wearing an ordinary white gi.
Lee grinned, "The Zugaikotsu brats. Hikaru and Ranma, right? Come to avenge dear old Dad?" He laughed a laugh that would have almost made Kodachi or Sotatsu seem normal, then took a stance, "Let's do it."
---
Hikaru and Ranma found themselves in the toughest battle they had ever been in. Lee could move fast enough to dodge and block most of their attacks, while getting in a few of his own. He eventually knocked Ranma away.
Ranma groaned at the impact into the ground, then realized he was only inches away from one of the cursed springs. The impact seemed the least of his worries, until he coughed up a spatter of blood. He stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth, "Hikaru! Give me a tornado!"
Hikaru winced. He hadn't used his shadow speed yet, conserving his energy, and this would be their only chance. He had to concentrate all of his energy into this one, "Alright, Ranma! Final attack!" His entire body became pure black and he ran around Lee in a circle, creating a strong whirlwind that lifted and held Lee in midair. Ranma sprinted toward Lee.
When he got close enough, Ranma yelled, "Now!" He clenched his fist as he launched his attack, able to use it because of the spiral motion Hikaru forced Lee into, "Hi Ryu Shouten Ha!!!"
At the same time, Hikaru released his attack, "Kage Shuugeki!!!" He stopped abrubtly as his shadow speed dash ended, all of the energy focused into his violet energy column. It met with Ranma's blue energy on the same point -- Lee.
Lee fell to the ground, and started to chuckle, "You... are... strong." He stood up, a little shaky, and clenched his fist. Energy began to flow from every living thing less than three feet away from him. Ranma and Hikaru stood out of range, ready to defend or dodge as needed.
The grass and plants around Lee withered in the blink of an eye. He began to strain with obvious ki overflow, "Face the ultimate attack! Kami... ka... ZE!!!" A ki shockwave with the multiplied force of ten major hurricanes burst out from Lee, knocking both Ranma and Hikaru away.
---
A few minutes later, it began to rain. Hikaru, who was lying on the ground, opened her eyes. She groaned as she got up, "Ranma... did we do it?" She glanced around... Ranma was nowhere nearby. She yelled, "Ranma!!!"
---
Not too far away from where Hikaru had landed, a girl with red hair tied in a pigtail braid, wearing an oversized black gi with no sleeves was lying face-down in one of the springs of Jusenkyou.
Hikaru limped into Jusenkyou, majorly wounded from Lee's final attack. She hadn't found any trace of Lee, so she assumed that his final attack was a suicide tactic. Nobody could have survived at the center of a shockwave like he had produced. A few moments later, she noticed the red-haired girl and ran, as well as she could with an injured leg. When she reached the girl, she noticed the signature pigtail and the black gi, "No... Ranma... not you, too..." She lifted the girl out of the spring with her good arm -- a considerable effort since her female body was much weaker than her male form in the area of upper body strength. She managed to at least get Ranma on a patch of land, face-up. She knelt down next to Ranma -- she now had no doubt that this person was indeed her friend in a cursed body. She then sighed, "Ranma... I couldn't help you. Despite my sacrifice, you still ended up... like this." She glanced at her reflection in the Nyanniichuan, the face of the girl body she had taken on to keep Ranma from being cursed with the same fate. She chuckled darkly, "It seems... Fate will always have its way." Fatigue finally set in as she fell asleep next to Ranma.
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Well, all good things must come to an end. Even if the end only lasts until the next story. However, your correspondence cannot end unless it begins! Now would be a great time to share your thoughts on the Ranma and Hikaru series. Review the story, or send me an email. I don't bite... honest!
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Notes on Japanese terms in this chapter:
1. 'Futago-chan': 'Futago' means 'twin' and we should already know what '-chan' means. Draw your own conclusions here... it's not that hard!