Ranma: Son of Saki

Prologue 2:
The Saotome of the Foot
The Hamato of the Utrom
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AN: For Information about the Battle Nexus, go here: http:// en dot wikipedia dot org / wiki / BattleNexus
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It had been almost two years since the day they met their new master. At first they thought that Shredder would be pretty much the same as Happosai. They were wrong, dead wrong. Shredder was if anything, a being of reason. He awarded success greatly, he gave them power beyond their dreams. He was a master of ninjitsu arts that were beyond their expectations. He gave them strength, money and most importantly: Power. But he also promised great loss if he were to be given failure from them.

Genma wasn't about to give him failure.

He smiled gently at his opponent, a Triceraton, an alien monster with insane strength. But he had ability, speed, and discipline.

"STOP SMILING YOU PUNY MONKEY!" Yelled the Triceraton as he tried to smash him to pieces, but Saotome was too fast for him.

Genma punched the arm of the Triceraton and as the monster screamed he went forward with one of his most deadly moves. "Dokuja Tanketsu Shō!" A fierce open palm snake strike hit the Triceraton dead on the chest.

And then... the monster vanished in a flash of blue light.

A voice came from everywhere. "Winner, Saotome Genma, of the Third Earth"

He nodded to the crowd. And smiled to Soun, his closest friend, who cheered him on.

As he left the arena he took note of a man dressed in yellow. He had heard the man's name from before the Battle Nexus tournament. "Hamato Yoshi, Guardian"

The man in question frowned at him. "Foot scum" and left him without saying anything else.

Genma was sightly annoyed, but he went on to where Soun was standing. "The master was right" he commented as he sat next to his friend.

Tendo took a glass of sake and drank it. He looked at Saotome not understanding what he meant. "About what?"

Saotome pointed at the general direction of Hamato. "There are guardians here, we could get plenty information from them"

Soun nodded. "That's the other human that's competing in the semifinals, he is the friend of that other man I talked you about, Yukio Mashimi, the one that Triceratops beat last round"

"Uncle Genma, that was amazing!" Came a voice from behind them. A small girl of about five years old run to them and hugged Saotome.

The man smiled at the kid. "Are you having fun, Lady Karai?"

The child nodded looking around. "I didn't know such a place existed, and father even won this tournament several times!"

Genma put his hand on the girls head and nodded. "The master is one of the most powerful men anywhere, you should be proud of being his daughter"

Karai didn't answer anything and sat next to Soun. After a moment she talked. "What were you talking about, uncles?"

Tendo looked at the guardian one more time and noted that he was talking with Yukio Mashimi. "I was trying to remember that man's name, what was his name again, Saotome?"

A loud voice thundered "Hamato Yoshi" and moments later the same voice said "Tendo Soun".

Genma took a drink from Soun's sake and smiled to his friend. "Looks like you get to meet him first, eh?"

Soun nodded, not happy in the least with the news, but he wasn't about to run from a fight any time soon. "Wish me luck, Saotome"

"Luck is for suckers, Tendo" Genma smiled waving his hand. Karai too smiled but she did wish him luck.

Tendo disappeared in a flash of blue light and reappeared at the center of the arena. His dark uniform, with a Foot clan insignia on his back, contrasted with Yoshi's plain yellow one. "So you are a defender of the Utroms"

Yoshi took a crane stance and didn't say a word.

Soun nodded. "If that's how you'd like it... then bring it on" He jumped at least four meters and went for a deadly kick that would finish the match fast and hard.

Yoshi proved to be faster than him, though. As he was sidestepped,Yoshi punched him dead in the back and the proceeded to throw him to the floor. He then jumped and went for a killing blow.

Soun was saved by the Daimyo's magic.

A voice yelled from all around. "Winner, Hamato Yoshi, of the Third Earth"

Genma stood up and growled. "That bastard..."

Soun reappeared next to Karai. He was unconscious but he was very much alive. The girl stood next to him. "Go, I'll stay with him"

Saotome nodded at the child . Sometimes she acted like an adult, it was obvious why the master had adopted her.

"Final match, Saotome Genma and Hamato Yoshi"

He didn't wait for the magic to teleport him to the arena. He simply jumped next to Yoshi. "You will pay for that."

Yoshi made a small smirk and simply nodded. "Let the best man be victorious"

Genma didn't want to give his opponent any chance. He went straight to using the Umisenken, hiding his aura to vanish from sight and approached his enemy.

He punched Yoshi once. Then vanished again.

Hamato frowned and looked around. "You're stronger than you look, Saotome"

Genma punched him on the back and tried to throw him to the floor, but Yoshi noticed his presence just in time for him to grab him and kicking him on the chest.

The Foot warrior closed his eyes in pain. But wasn't about to concede. "You're more annoying than you look, Hamato"

Yoshi took a tiger stance. "I have been watching you since the beginning of the tournament, Saotome, I know every trick you have. You cloak your chi to make yourself invisible, but for attacking, you need your chi, at least a little. Thus, I can sense you at that last second. I will defeat you, and bring honor to my clan"

Genma took a Yamasenken stance and growled. "My master has taught me true strength, it doesn't matter that you know my moves. I can still defeat you"

"Then come, and face my wrath"

He spread his arms in a circular motion. "Sai Dai Kyuu Kijin Raishü Dan!" An extremely powerful vacuum arc that could tear into anything launched at amazing speed towards Yoshi. Nothing had ever stopped that attack.

Aparently, Hamato Yoshi was nothing.

He had extended his arms and began chanting at great speed. A void filled the air before him. It had somehow absorbed one of the most impressive attacks of the Senken's arsenal.

A powerful aura of chi surrounded Genma, seeming to make his body grow at least five times its usually size. "I could defeat you with my secret moves, but you are just too annoying. I will simply crush you!"

Genma was about to throw himself at his enemy... He wasn't expecting everything to go black. Had he overextended the use of his Chi? Had Hamato used a secret weapon that he couldn't foresee? He wasn't sure. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be until he would awake.

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It hurt on his... it hurt everywhere. Genma slowly opened his eyes, and saw two faces looking at him with concern.

"Tendo? What happened?"

Soun frowned. "You lost, when you tried to use brute strength, he used his speed."

Genma put his hands on his face. "I can't believe I lost. The master will be angry"

Karai smiled at him. "Worry not, uncle. My father knows that you lost in most honorable combat, he will forgive you"

Soun agreed. "Besides, we were sent here not to win the tournament but to get information, remember?"

Genma tried to sit down, but his pain prevented him. "Ah... damn it. Tell me, what information do we have for the master?"

"Remember that man I talked you about? The one that lost to the dinosaur-man"

"Yes, Yukio Mashimi, another guardian. I think." He scratched the back of his head, not sure if he was right.

"A very angry guardian, one that doesn't care anymore about the Utroms"

"Eh?" This took Genma by surprise. Guardians were honorable and would rather die before betraying their masters.

"When we return to Earth, we'll have a meeting with this guardian. He will cooperate to help the master destroy his enemies"

Genma closed his eyes. "Then let me rest a moment, for I will face that Hamato Yoshi again soon."

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And face him again he did. With the information supplied by the guardian traitor, Yukio Mashimi, the Foot had managed to strike the Utroms at their base of operations. Genma and Soun had been awarded with a status superior to the elite, they had become the two men Shredder trusted the most.

In the battle, many guardians perished, but Mashimi had not informed the Shredder of the escape pods the Utroms had in case of such an event. By the time they had realized that the Utroms were escaping, only one remained. One that was reaching for a secret elevator.

Genma saw his opportunity and attacked. "Kijin Raishü Dan!" He threw his vacuum wave attack and managed to cut the Utrom's exo-suit's legs, forcing it to continue on its own.

He prepared another attack, but suddenly, the man that had defeated him in the final match of the Battle Nexus struck him with a move that resembled his Mouko Kaimon Ha, he used his hands to get rid of any defense and then kicked him on the chest with great might. Genma could stand that man defeating him, he could stand him interfering with his obligation to the shredder. But he would NOT stand him copying one of his secret moves.

He left the Utrom alone and focused on defeating Yoshi.

Kick. Dodge. Punch. Axe Kick. Hook. Dodge, dodge, dodge. Kick. They were mostly evenly matched. But Yoshi was in a better shape after the Battle Nexus tournament. Genma wasn't in his top form, resulting in his inability to go all out. He knew his opponent had an edge. And it seemed that the man before him shared that knowledge.

If it had come to a real end, it'd have not been a pretty fight.

"Quick, Guardian Hamato Yoshi! We have to escape!" Came the voice of the utrom that moments before Genma had tried stopping.

Yoshi was not going to stay and die at the hands of the foot any time soon. He threw a smoke bomb to the floor and ran to the elevator.

Genma launched one last Kijin Raishü Dan at his rival. Fortunely for his enemies, his aim was off. Yoshi and the Utroms had escaped.

Saotome looked around, his face darkened at the sight of so many dead guardians. They had taken a few Foot with them, but not many. It had been a victory to the Foot clan. But he knew that his master would not see it that way.

Shredder took Mashimi by the neck and growled at him. "You neglected to inform me of those escape pods Mashimi"

"I, I, I didn't know" stuttered the terrified man.

Genma and Soun didn't care of the exchange of words. They took a look at the elevator and escape pods that remained. "Master at least they left most of their technology behind"

The Shredder let the ex-guardian fall to the floor and agreed with that. "That is true, Saotome. Even so, I will have a word with you about your defeat at the hands of that imbecile Hamato"

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Genma stood tall guarding the door that led to Oroku Saki's 'throne' room, meditating about the recent events. He knew what was coming. And he knew the Shredder had left him there to regain his honor.

He was waiting for a very angry and depressed Hamato Yoshi.

He was waiting for a killing machine.

He heard the story from Soun. His rival's ex-friend and newest member of the Foot's Jounin had not only betrayed the Utroms. He had betrayed the friend who had considered him closer to a brother. He had murdered Yoshi's one true love, out of jealousy and out of spite.

Genma could not bring himself to respect Mashimi, not even if he knew that the man was now one of the Foot's strongest. He considered him a coward and a honour-less man. On the other hand he had a great deal of respect to Yoshi.

A respect he'd be reward with death.

He heard noises. The four main elite Foot ninja were fighting Hamato at that very moment. They wouldn't stand ground for long.

He opened his eyes at the same moment that Yoshi arrived to where he was.

Hamato Yoshi stopped running. His face full of anger turned into a concerned one. "Saotome" It then turned into a serious one.

Genma took a horse stance and waited. "This shall be our last match, Hamato-san"

Yoshi took a tiger stance. "Horse? I thought you only used weird stances." He then remembered why he was there and again restored his angered face. Genma thought that at the sight of him he had remembered the Battle Nexus and for just a second, forgotten about the hated Mashimi

"This time I will use my full might, Hamato-san. This time we are for real. I will try to kill you, and you will try to kill me. Because that's the only why in hell I'll let you cross that door. Honour decrees it"

"Very well. Come. For only one of us will leave this place alive"

Genma exhaled and then screamed at the top of his lungs. "BEHIND YOU!" He had charged his voice with such a passion, that in Yoshi's mind it had passed for concern .

Yoshi looked back for just a mere moment. That left his defense with a hole big enough for Genma to exploit. He took a long step forward and then shifted his stance to Yamasenken, focusing on what was in front of him. He extended his palm and went for his opponent's heart. "Dokuja Tanketsu Shō!"

The guardian managed at the last second to catch Genma's killing blow. He than kicked the Foot warrior on the solar plexus throwing him to the other side of the room.

He could have gone to the door. He could have left his opponent there. But there was a burning desire in him to cause pain to this Foot. There was a beast of great hate that wouldn't be stopped until it tasted the blood of his rival.

He flinched and turned around. He knew that Mashimi had been able to contact with the Foot because of Genma. He was partly at blame for the death of his loved one. Or at least that's what he felt.

He didn't need to think any more and jumped towards the fallen man in an attempt to strike his neck. He hadn't counted on Genma's monkey-like ability. The man had managed to jump backwards and while at mid-air he surprised Yoshi by spreading his arms and launching a vacuum wave. "Kijin Raishū Dan!"

"AUGH!" The guardian screamed in pain. The attack managed to hit him on the shoulder. He was losing a great deal of blood. His left arm was useless for the rest of the fight. It hurt like hell.

Genma smiled sickeningly. "It seems I drew first blood" and then proceeded to take the Umisenken stance. He vanished.

Hamato Yoshi's breathing was irregular and he could feel himself weakening, But he refused to give up. He had to go past that door and face Mashimi. He had to win. This time it wasn't a matter of honour. It was a matter of love and vengeance.

He heard Genma's ghostly voice from behind. "Haku Dato Shin Shō". This time he could not sense Saotome in time for him to prevent the attack. He had been hit on both sides.

His breathing went off. "You...you fight with dishonour. You hide like a ghost and then attack from behind like a coward. That is not the way of Bushido!"

The ghostly voice of Genma came from everywhere. "I fight with my own code of honour. If you can't see me, that's your problem. If you can't keep me from going to your unprotected back, then that's your problem too. Not mine."

Hamato Yoshi ran towards a wall and stood there watching every corner. It was then that when Genma attacked again. This time, however, he had enough time to sense him and respond. Just a second before Genma would have taken his head off with a piece of cloth, he kicked the invisible man's throat.

Saotome's invisibility went off. And Hamato wasn't about to take any chances. He used the hole he had found in his enemy's defense. He stroke the heart, using one of Genma's own moves. "Dokuja Tanketsu Shō"

Genmas look was one of surprise. As if he had not been able to understand what had just happened. He felt blood in his mouth. And he felt that everything slowly disappeared.

He had finally failed his master.

He had failed.

But at least, his honour had been restored in his eyes.

Funny thing that, as he was not a fan of honour anymore.

Yoshi didn't look back as he entered Shredder's throne room to face Mashimi and ultimately killing him too. In the end he managed to escape from the Shredder and his Foot ninja.

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It had been almost a week since the death of Genma. And now, a mother was with her son deeply bowing to their master.

"What's the matter with you woman? Speak clearly, and do it fast. I have no time for the likes of you"

The redheaded woman was crying, but forced herself to stop in order to speak to the Shredder. "Master, in order for my family's honour to be restored, I have the duty of committing seppuku"

The shredder looked bored. "And why should I care if you kill yourself? Your husband was the usefull one, you're merely a weak woman"

Nodoka looked at her son. She couldn't force herself to stop crying. Waterfalls followed. "My... my... my son, ma-master"

Oroku Saki looked at the toddler and frowned. "Young Ranma, Karai told me about him. She said that even at his young age he already is able to understand martial arts..."

"It would be a honour for the Saotome clan if the Saki clan were to adopt Ranma"

Saki seemed to consider what the Saotome woman was asking him. "You're giving me a burden, but he's also the son of my strongest man. He shall become one of my greatest. Yes. I will adopt him after your death." He stood up and took the Sword of Tengu.

Nodoka hugged Ranma and stopped crying. "My son, remember that I am dying here not because I don't love you, but because the Saotome clan has been tainted with dishonour by the hand of Hamato Yoshi"

"'kasan..." muttered Ranma.

Soun emerged from the shadows and took the child. "Come on, Ranma, this isn't something you will want to see"

"But... unca Tendo... what's...?" Tendo used shiatsu to put the boy to sleep.

Seconds later Nodoka used a tantö to cut her belly, and then her head was separated from her body by the Sword of tengu.

Shredder looked at Ranma. "At least the Saotome clan gave me a powerful son. Tendo, see that he has the toughest training."

"Yes master" muttered a very sad man as he took the boy and left.

From then on, the life of one previously known as Ranma Saotome was forever changed.

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