Author's Note: Re-submitted the chapter, fixed a couple of typos and a mistake TheDudeAbides graciously pointed out. Thanks, man! I appreciate it!
Chapter Eight: The Will to Live
"Oh, good afternoon, Howard-san," Kasumi greeted the tall gaijin as she opened the door for him only a week later. Geese nodded and offered her a neutral "Good afternoon," before looking around. Kasumi caught his wandering glance, and stepped back to move into the kitchen. It was, after all, her duty as hostess to offer her guest tea, at least. "Nabiki isn't home right now," she told him over her shoulder as he sat down at the table.
Only moments later, she returned, carrying a tray holding a pot of tea and several cups. Geese accepted the cup she offered him and took a sip of the hot liquid. "I wasn't looking for her," he clarified.
"Oh, well, we did deliver your invitations." Kasumi glanced back in the direction of the dojo. "Howard-san," she began slowly. It wasn't quite proper for the hostess to ask a favor of her guests, but there was nothing else she could think of to do.
"Yes, Tendo-san?"
"Would you do me a favor?" Seeing Geese's nod, she continued. "Ranma has been shutting himself inside the dojo lately, and he rarely comes out. I'm worried about him, but he won't talk to me. He says he's dealing with it, but I don't think he is."
With a smirk, Geese rose, heading for the dojo. "Don't worry. I'll talk to him." After all, he mused, it wouldn't do for one of the best fighters of the tournament to loose because he was moping around. At least, that was what he tried to convince himself of.
The dojo that was attached to the Tendo home was a simple affair, much smaller than the Sakazaki dojo, but it was kept in good shape, nonetheless, and Geese involuntarily found himself bowing in as he stepped over the threshold. Sitting against the far wall, staring off into nothingness, sat his pigtailed target.
Geese stopped in front of him, eyeing Ranma intensely. He frowned at what he saw; the boy sat, his limbs hanging listlessly as his eyes looked without seeing. "Boy," Geese growled, but getting no reaction. Stupid boy's feeling sorry for himself. What an idiot.
Deciding that he had already exhausted what little patience he had been holding for this task, Geese decided to do things his way.
A moment later, Ranma was flying across the dojo in an uncontrolled tumble courtesy of the Shinkuu Nage. Geese allowed himself a smirk as the boy righted himself in mid-air reflexively and landed lightly on his feet. Ranma glared at him for a brief moment, and Geese shuddered, but the fire in the pigtailed martial artist's eyes was gone as quickly as it had come, and he turned around to trot over to the other side of the dojo.
Geese growled. He hated being ignored, but he hated someone who so obviously wanted to wallow more. Without so much as a whisper of his feet on the ground, the blonde launched himself at Ranma in a jump kick that clipped the Saotome heir as he turned around. Geese landed in a crouch and spun up and around, ramming his shoulder into Ranma's jaw, sending the boy flying back.
"Jaei-ken!" The shout echoed through the dojo as Geese catapulted himself forward in a vicious elbow-charge that caught Ranma square in the chest. The pigtailed boy tumbled back, but before he could roll with the impact, Geese delivered a follow-up palmstrike and reverse punch that sent him flying backwards. Geese relaxed his stance somewhat, staring at his opponent.
Ranma rose slowly, wiping the blood leaking from the corner of his mouth, and Geese arched an eyebrow. "I'm impressed. Not many can stand up that easily after getting hit with a full-force Jaei-ken." He's got potential. A lot of it, from what I'm seeing. I think it may have been a good decision to invite him, after all.
"What's your problem?" Ranma snarled.
Geese shrugged. "I should be asking, what's yours?" At the pigtailed boy's confused glance, he smirked and continued. "You're sitting in here, moping around. Newsflash, kid: feeling sorry for yourself hasn't helped anyone. Your girlfriend's almost too good for you. She's been waiting and worrying out there, but if you don't care about her then be my guest and go ahead and be your egotistical little self."
Ranma's eyes flashed with anger for a moment before his shoulders slumped. "Yeah, you're right. Kasumi's probably better off without me."
Geese suppressed the urge to shove a Reppu-ken into the boy's face. "What are you doing, boy?" The blonde crime lord sneered, not bothering to hide the disgust in his voice.
"I-" Ranma broke off, staring down at his hands. "I don't know," he finally whispered.
"I'll tell you, then. You're moping around as if your life was over."
Ranma glared at him, anger returning to his eyes once more for a brief instant. "And it's not? What good am I if I can't even protect my friends and family? What if the next nutcase who comes around for me manages to hurt Kasumi, or mom, or someone else?"
Geese's reply was a blast of ki as he threw a Reppu-ken at the pigtailed martial artist. The blast traveled along the ground faster than Ranma could track, crashing into him with enough force to slam him against the dojo wall.
"What did you do that for?!" Ranma rose again, his anger leaking into his voice.
"I'm giving you a reason to live. Either you fight, or you die. A warrior is useless if he refuses to fight." Geese lunged at his opponent, the snap-kick missing by a hair's width as Ranma rolled to the side. "A warrior fights because he has to, not because he'll win." The words were followed with a barrage of punches and kicks as Geese launched his custom combination, the Deadly Rave, at the pigtailed boy.
Ranma tumbled to the side, barely having managed to avoid the majority of the attacks. I can't keep dodging forever! He's too good. A greenish aura began to outline the Saotome youth as he unconsciously channeled his ki in his frantic efforts to avoid getting hit.
"A warrior fights not for himself, but to protect those around him, and when he fights, he gives it his all," Geese took the time to allow his words to sink in before using another Reppu-ken to cover his approach. The violent wave technique passed by his opponent, but Geese's fist found its mark; Ranma doubled over from the blow, and Geese took full advantage of his stunned target. "Rashomon!" He twisted around the pigtailed boy, slamming an axe kick into his back with enough force to cause Ranma to bounce off the dojo floor, and flipped into the air with a shout of "Shippu-ken!" The energy blast rammed into Ranma's prone body, causing him to skid to a halt at the far end of the dojo.
Geese landed lightly on his feet. "Who will fight for them? Who will protect them?" He eyed Ranma carefully as the pigtailed boy picked himself off the ground. "That your friends died is regrettable, but you know what sickens me? That you sit around, feeling sorry for yourself and wait for someone else to come and pick up the pieces, instead of doing something about it."
The lord of Southtown sneered. "You know what? No one's going to come and save you. Not another warrior, not your friends, not the gods. That's your job. And if you don't do it, then you're better off dead." He charged at Ranma with another Jaei-ken, but this time the pigtailed martial artist knew it was coming.
I need to fight back. The thought raced through his mind. He could see the barely controlled rage in the older man's eyes that told him he was dead serious. If Ranma didn't fight back, Geese would kill him. He ducked under the elbow charge as he allowed long-honed reflexes to take over, and sprung forward.
The two fighters flashed past each other, then turned around to face their respective opponent. Geese nodded to himself as he suppressed a wince. That shot to his kidneys had hurt. One glance at the pigtailed boy's eyes, however, caused him to smirk. There was a fire burning there that hadn't been there before.
Ranma growled as he let himself fall back into the familiar feeling of battle as his aura extended around him. With a hiss he launched himself at Geese, with a cry of "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguri-ken!"
Geese saw the punches coming and snorted in disgust as he snapped his arm upwards, causing a wave of chi to explode upwards, sending the pigtailed boy flying back. He was surprised when Ranma got back up, the raging aura around the Saotome heir melting from blue-green to a deep golden color. "Haven't had enough yet, boy?" Geese made sure the derogatory tone was heard.
Ranma's feral snarl was his reward, and he smirked. Rage burned brightly in the boy's eyes, along with a lust for battle he had seen in few people before. All other emotions were forgotten as the pigtailed boy submerged himself in the feeling of battle.
He launched himself at Geese again, this time with his arm cocked back to deliver a reverse punch. Geese's eyebrow arched at the predictable attack. Or maybe he finally snapped with grief.
The crime lord set himself to counter the his opponent's charge and finish him, but when the trap closed, the prey wasn't there. Eyes wide in shock, Geese watched as his Atemi Nage Chuudan passed through thin air as Ranma tumbled forward, coming up in a handstand-propelled double kick that rocked him backwards several feet.
The pigtailed martial artist landed in a crouch and leapt after Geese. Catching the blonde man in mid-air, Ranma began pounding on him with the Amaguri-ken once more as he let loose a wild, wavering warcry.
Geese blocked the majority of the blows, but without leverage in the air, he found it next to impossible to avoid getting hit. He landed on his back and rolled to his feet, wiping the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth angrily. He glared at the pigtailed boy, preparing to charge at him again, when suddenly, Ranma's ki winked out and he collapsed.
Blinking in surprise, Geese shrugged and picked the boy up, carrying him back into the house. Kasumi froze for a few seconds as she saw him pass by, her unconscious and bruised fiancée over his shoulder. "Mental fatigue," he explained in passing. "Probably hasn't slept the last few days."
Geese dumped Ranma's body on the couch unceremoniously, and turned around, only to find a frowning Kasumi standing before him. For reasons unknown to him, the sight of this woman being anything but happy sent chills down his spine. The lord of Southtown quickly vowed to never have her irritated at him.
"Oh my, Howard-san, I asked you to cheer him up, not beat the tar out of him," the eldest Tendo daughter chided him.
Geese chuckled, a sound that surprised himself despite himself. "He needed to get it out of his system," he explained. "Battle is in his nature, just like breathing is in yours."
"What did you do?" Kasumi's glare softened as she realized the truth in the older man's words.
"I gave him a reason to live, and to fight." Geese's smirk returned. "He's a very good fighter, but without the will to live, he's as good as dead. He needed a reason to focus on being able to fight again, without second-guessing his abilities all the time. I gave him the incentive, but only you can give him a true reason. Good day, Tendo-san." He turned to leave, but Kasumi's slender hand on his shoulder held him back.
Her usual angelic smile graced the eldest Tendo daughter's lips. "Thank you, Howard-san," she told him quietly. Geese nodded gruffly and left. I must be getting soft in my old age, he mused. There had been a time when he would have just dismissed Kasumi's request and walked away, uncaring of the pigtailed boy's fate. He shrugged. As long as no one heard about it, he didn't particularly care. He did have a reputation to uphold, after all.
V---------------V
All over the world, from the United States to the United Kingdom, from Australia to Brazil, and from Germany to Japan fighters of all styles and forms opened their letters. Letters that, much like in previous years, had the most sought-after seal on them a fighter could wish for.
Back in Japan, however, Yagami Iori walked through the Nerima district of Tokyo, wondering what on Earth he was going to do until the fighting started. He was beginning to think just staying hidden in his hotel room might be a good idea. There seemed to be a lot of weird people in this particular part of Tokyo. He shuddered as he thought back over some of the encounters he'd had wandering the streets of Nerima.
That girl in the leotard was hot, all right, and a somewhat decent fighter, but her laugh…oh god. He shook his head to clear it of the memory of the sound. And I didn't know palm trees could grow on someone's head…
Iori stopped dead in his tracks as he walked into someone. He was about to gruffly push his way past when his eyes travelled downwards to take in carefully coiffured brown hair, a white leather jacket, and the face of…
"Kusanagi!" Iori bellowed. "For walking into me, prepare to die!"
Before Iori could do anything, though, Kusanagi Kyo, one of the champions of the King of Fighters tournament, had taken off screaming at the death threat. The Yagami heir stood there for a moment, blinking in surprise. Huh. He never did that before. Usually it's Magatama in my face and then we slug it out.
Iori shrugged and decided to file this little oddity under a victory for himself, and continued on his way whistling a jauntly tune. His thoughts turned to the coming tournament. I wonder who'll be there. Looks like the Kusanagi scum and his gay troop are going to be back. Iori snorted. I'm willing to bet Bogard will be there, too. The Sakazakis, probably. This is so close to their home it's just a train ride away.
His thoughts were violently interrupted for the second time that day when he walked into someone again. Maybe I really should be watching where I'm going?
"'Scuse me. Say, do you know where the Tendo dojo is?" The young man before him asked as he glanced around sheepishly. Iori eyed him carefully. He was a little shorter than him, the black and yellow bandanna barely reaching up to Iori's eye level, but he was very stocky and muscular, speaking of long time training in martial arts.
The insane Orochi warrior looked around and merely pointed to the left, at a building with a sign attached to the gate: "Musabetsu Kakuto Tendo-Ryu."
"Thanks!"
Iori just barely caught himself before he fell over as the guy promptly turned around and walked the other way. And no, that was not a sweatdrop that was forming on the back of his head. After all, he had an image to maintain.
V---------------V
Ranma blinked as he awoke, frowning for a moment as he struggled to recall the events leading to him lying on the couch with his head in Kasumi's lap. His frown deepened when he remembered Geese's challenge. The fact that he had passed out in the middle of a fight could only mean one thing…
"I lost," he whispered softly.
Startled by his voice, Kasumi looked down, smiling gently as she shifted. "I wouldn't call it loosing, Ranma-kun. You went into that battle with something missing, and I hope you came out a little wiser." She waited for his nod before she continued, "that is never loosing, Ranma-kun. I'm really glad Howard-san came by."
Ranma was shocked to see a tear making its way down her cheek, knowing it took quite a bit to break through Kasumi's mental shields. "Kasumi?"
"I didn't know what to do anymore, Ranma-kun," the eldest Tendo daughter confessed softly. "You were retreating into yourself, shutting me out. I was so scared…that you wouldn't let me in, wouldn't let me help."
"Kasumi," he muttered as he sat up, realizing for the first time in days the hurt he'd caused those around him by his behavior. Geese had been right, he had been wallowing. And Saotome Ranma would be damned before he was ever caught sinking into self-pity. Time to set things right, Ranma mused. He was so right it wasn't funny. It's my duty to protect those who can't protect themselves. It's my duty to protect my family. Sitting around on my ass ain't gonna keep them safe.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "I'm sorry I caused you so much hurt. I'm sorry I refused to let you help me, talk to me. Not anymore." Not anymore, he mentally added. It's about high time I went and did something about it. Ucchan and granny died not because I wasn't strong enough, but because I wasn't there. But this isn't what they'd want me to do. They'd want me to go and do my best to never let it happen to anyone else. They'd want me to go and enjoy life. A small grin formed on his lips. They'd want me to join the King of Fighters and kick ass. For them. I think it's time to think about why I fight.
Kasumi merely remained silent, releasing her pent-up frustration and fear into his shoulder. After she had collected herself, Ranma pulled back slightly to brush the tears from her face. "There's still some things I need to think through, Kasumi, but I'd very much like to talk about them, if you're still willing to listen?"
"Anytime, Ranma-kun." Kasumi smiled.
Ranma returned her smile easily this time. "I think I'm going for a little walk. I've been cooped up long enough." He stood, pulling her along with him. "Would you like to come along?"
Kasumi's light laughter echoed in the deserted living room. "Give me a moment, Ranma-kun." While she left to fetch her jacket, Ranma was left to himself in the room, marvelling at how much lighter he felt after admitting a few home truths. He never noticed Nabiki's sly grin around the corner as the middle Tendo daughter poked her head around to look in on the scene.
Way to go, little brother, she smirked mentally as she left for her room.
A few minutes later saw both Ranma and Kasumi outside the dojo gates, both wearing similar smiles of utter contentment.
"So, Ranma-kun, what do you think of Howard-san's tournament?" Kasumi turned to look at him after a while, a small laugh escaping her at the light in her fiancee's eyes. He was grinning like a child at Christmas.
"It's the tournament, Kasumi. They're the best fighters of the world, and every martial artist wishes he would get an invitation someday, because that means you're one of the few who're deemed good enough to compete." The eldest Tendo daughter could see he was restraining himself from jumping up and down in anticipation.
"But I've never heard of some of the people Nabiki is sending invitations to," Kasumi noted. "Well, except for Herb and Kiima, and the Sakazaki family. The Yata are well-known, but I never thought they were this good."
"You don't get invited to the King of Fighters on fame or money, Kasumi," Ranma told her. "Some people are so rich or famous almost everyone knows them, but that doesn't mean they're any good. And some are no-names, but they can outfight almost anyone on the planet." He looked up at her. "And I get to compete with them!"
Kasumi found his enthusiasm rather infectious, and soon found herself grinning along with him. "Does that mean you're competing?"
"Heck yeah! Although," he added sheepishly as he pulled the invitation card from subspace, "it says here I gotta find a team, and that means two other people."
"What about Ryoga-kun and your father?"
Ranma snorted. "You really think Pops would last even a minute against some of the people there? And nothing agianst Ryoga, but we work much better when we're competing. It makes things more fun." He grinned toothily.
Kasumi giggled at his cat-like grin. "Well, I'm just glad Howard-san agreed to hold the tournament in a two weeks, so you won't miss any classes." She absently leaned into him as they walked. "After all, it wouldn't do for you to start slacking off in school now, would it?"
The pigtailed martial artist couldn't decide whether to look affronted or horrified at the mention of school and failing, and the resulting mixture of both expressions sent Kasumi into a fresh bout of laughter.
"That reminds me," she added, "have you decided what you would like to major in?"
"Gee, Kasumi," Ranma scratched the top of his head. "I didn't really think about it much. Been kinda busy with everything that's happened." His voice trailed off as his thoughts turned dark.
Kasumi had clapped her hands over her mouth almost as soon as the words had left her. "I'm sorry, Ranma-kun. I didn't want to bring it up again."
He waved her off. "It's all right, Kasumi. It…it still hurts, but I still need some more time, ya know?"
She merely nodded as they dropped off into an uncomfortable silence.
"I think I want to be a doctor," he finally said after a while. When Kasumi looked at him in confusion, he clarified, "I think I want to study to become a doctor." He glanced down at his hands. "You know, there was a time when I used to think that martial arts and healing were mutually exclusive, and Tofu was just a one in a million exception." He chuckled dryly. "I mean, all I ever did is fight, but I always tried to fight to help people, ya know?
Kasumi nodded in understanding. "Now you would like another way of helping people?"
"Yah. That's it. Medicine, especially the traditional medicines, aren't that different from the Art, you know. Acupuncture requires just as much skill in manipulating ki and precision as striking a pressure point in battle, and in some ways it's more demanding than firing a ki blast." He smiled slowly. "Not to mention more rewarding, at times." He turned to her. "How about you?"
The brunette took a few moments to answer. "I don't know," she finally told him. "I used to want to study medicine for the same reasons as you, but since we started college, I'm not so sure anymore."
"Yeah, you're taking way too much pleasure in math and science," Ranma grinned. "Not to mention torturing me with them."
"Well," Kasumi giggled, "if you weren't always falling behind in math I wouldn't have to tutor you, you know."
"I'm not that bad!" The pigtailed boy protested.
"You're not that good, either," Kasumi smiled. "Besides, can you really say you don't like our study sessions?"
Ranma looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm…nope. Can't say I don't." His face fell into a pout that Kasumi thought was incredibly cute. "Can't win with you, can I?"
"Never." Kasumi took the opportunity to place a quick peck on his lips, and sighed contently as his arm wrapped around her waist pulled her closer.
"You know, Kasumi, I never really thought about what we were going to do after we're done studying." Ranma relished the way her shoulders moved against him when she shrugged. "I mean, I do want to keep up my art, and I'll bet there's all sorts of esoteric healing techniques out there. I don't know if I can settle down right after we're done."
Her eyes caught his, and she nodded, acknowledging the unspoken message. "Ranma-kun, I will only let you travel the world on one condition, and that's not negotiable." Her eyes hardened, and Ranma gulped as he realized Kasumi had indeed taught Nabiki everything she knew about negotiation.
"And what exactly is that?" Two could play that game, but Ranma already knew that he'd lost. He never could refuse Kasumi anything.
"When you go off on your adventure, when you go travel, take me with you." Kasumi grinned, indicating that Nabiki had nothing on her. "I want to be a part of your life, even if it means not settling down for a few years. Besides," she added with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, "it would be fun, ne? Just you and me, and the adventure that is life."
"Y-you want to come with me?"
"Ranma, just because I'm three years older than you doesn't mean I'm not willing to wait for you to fulfill your dreams before settling down. And besides, I'd like to get out of the house, myself. I love you, and if you need to travel around and find yourself first to be happy, then I'm happy to go with you, so we can walk that road together."
Kasumi turned around when Ranma stopped, a quizzical look on her face as the pigtailed boy stood still, staring at his feet. "What's wrong, Ranma-kun?" For a moment, the eldest Tendo daughter feared the traditional Saotome foot-in-mouth disease had struck even her, and something she had said had been taken the wrong way.
When Ranma looked up, she was taken aback by the sheer emotion that reflected in his eyes. "Thank you, Kasumi," he whispered hoarsely. "Thank you."
She smiled, took his hand in hers, and continued down the road, blushing slightly as he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I love you too, Kasumi."
What they were blissfully unaware of, however, was that the scion of the Kusanagi clan was currently headed their way after his run-in with Iori. This in itself wouldn't be of any consequence, but the fact that would spell doom for the couple was that Kyo had been traumatized by the greeting he had received upon his arrival in Nerima. It had consisted of Kuno challenging him to a duel between two noble houses, which hadn't been too bad. What the Kuno heir had failed to mention, however, was that upon his defeat Kyo had "earned" the right to date his sister.
The reason Kuno had concocted this plan was to get his sister off her fixation with Ranma. Apparently, the insane kendoist still hadn't realized that Ranma and his pigtailed girl were one and the same person, and he still hadn't forgiven Ranma for "spiriting her away." The more things change…
Kodachi, of course, had taken to a champion fighter fighting and winning a battle for her hand very enthusiastically, which had had resulted in a drugged Kyo being dragged off to the Kuno mansion. Now Kyo, being a ladies' man, had no problems with beautiful girls throwing themselves at him. In fact, as his uncle Saisyo had told him on more than one occasion, he seemed to enjoy it a little too much.
No, the problem consisted in the fact that he was unused to the many, many nasty things a devilish female mind could come up with if properly bored. He would be having nightmares from his near miss in Kodachi's bed and the girl's colorful language for the rest of his life.
It also hadn't helped that he'd been mistaken for someone's shampoo bottle by some nutcase with coke-bottle glasses, challenged to a martial arts Cheese-Whiz-and-Whip-Cream fight, and finally, had run into his nemesis. By that time he really hadn't had the nerve to get up and fight Iori, after his encounters of the day. Thus, his little-girl scream as he ran away as fast as his feet would carry him.
Talk about culture shock.
Anyway, back to our favorite couple. What spelled disaster for their peaceful stroll through the streets of Nerima was the fact that they were about to cross paths with a very, very hysterical Kusanagi.
And it also didn't help that, while very far removed, Kyo was Kasumi's ten-times removed cousin, and that Saisyo had always liked to bring him over back when Soun's wife had still been alive and the man had been practicing the Art.
Now, a hysterical Kyo in itself was bad enough, but a hysterical Kyo who had experienced Nerima and was acting like an overprotective brother was far, far worse. So, it came to the inevitable, and eventually, as with all things in Nerima, he crossed Ranma's path.
The fact that he was still screaming like a little girl, which caused both Ranma and Kasumi to double over in laughter, didn't really help matters much.
Now Kyo, being a champion fighter, had his pride, and even while completely and utterly scared out of his wits, it wouldn't take being laughed at lying down. So, when he looked up his expression grew angry until he caught sight of Kasumi, and he smiled broadly.
"Thank god! Kasumi, is that really you?"
"Cousin Kyo?"
"Yatta! Finally someone who's normal in this town!"
"Y'mean, you know this weenie, Kasumi?" Ranma noted from her side as he eyed the obviously out of his mind man in front of them. The pigtailed boy was still shaking with silent laughter, and he had to admit that it felt good to let himself feel happy again.
"He's a distant relative of my mother's," she told him. "He used to come over sometimes when we were young."
Meanwhile, Kyo's mind had caught up with the rest of him. "Who're you calling a weenie, boy?" He glared at the pigtailed martial artist. Two slights to his pride in one day, that boy was pushing it. Kyo usually considered himself easy-going, but insults to his hard-earned fighting skills weren't taken lightly.
"Uh…only weenie I see here is you?" Ranma scratched the back of his neck with one hand, his other arm around Kasumi's waist. The girl giggled.
"Yes, well, Cousin Kyo never did have to undergo any significantly harsh training," Kasumi noted.
"What? Did, too!"
Kasumi arched an eyebrow, causing Kyo to shrink back into himself.
"I did some hard training the last few years and I made it to the finals of the King of Fighters for the last two years!" he protested.
Ranma snapped his fingers. "You're Kusanagi Kyo!"
Kyo's head snapped around. Finally, he's realizing who he's talking to! The Kusanagi heir's hopes for respect were dashed, however, when Ranma continued.
"You're that weenie who just blew up the entire ring with your attacks because you sucked so bad you couldn't even touch your opponent!"
"What?! Whaaaaaat?!" Kyo noticed for the first time that Ranma had his arm around Kasumi – his Kasumi (whether the girl would agree to that assessment or not didn't really matter to Kyo at this point) – and his jealousy found a release.
"Die!"
Ranma jumped back from a vicious backhand strike, flipping through the air with Kasumi in his arms. He took quick note of the fact that the attack, while thrown in rage, still had a decent amount of control behind it; there was no way it would have hit Kasumi.
He grinned madly, settling Kasumi down on the ground as he landed, and sprung forward to meet Kyo in mid-leap.
Ranma, for his part, found it ridiculously easy to dodge Kyo's attacks. The guy wasn't bad, but he was angry, and Ranma was just that much better at reading his opponent's moves. He turned to the side to let a snap-kick pass by him, and back-kicked his enraged opponent with enough force to send him skidding back several feet.
"Take this! Yami Barai!" The blast of orange magatama travelled along the ground at speeds higher than anything Ranma's own Moko Takabisha could accomplish. The pigtailed martial artist arched an eyebrow as he took in the technique, so similar to another he had encountered just hours before.
He flipped out of its way, coming down on the Kusanagi heir in an aerial kick that sent Kyo careening away.
"Oh my, Cousin Kyo, please stop." Kasumi was back at Ranma's side, placing a calming hand on his arm.
Ranma turned to her with a pout. "But Kasumi, it was just getting fun!"
The girl took one look at the smile on his face, and the exhilaration of fighting, and almost relented. However, she did feel sorry for her cousin. "But Ranma-kun," she admonished, "it isn't nice to pick on those weaker than you."
"Hey!" Kyo shouted as he got back to his feet. "No way is that little boy stronger than I am!"
"Sure looked that way to me, Kusanagi," a gruff voice added from the sidelines.
"Oh, don't tease him, Iori. He's gotten quite a bit better since the last tournament. But I'm more interested in the young man who fought him quite handily." A second voice chimed in, one that spoke with a rough American accent.
All three turned to the side, and Kyo froze, while Ranma's eyes lit up. He intestantly recognized the two men standing across the street from the numerous articles about the King of Fighters tournament. The pigtailed martial artist grinned broadly as the tall American met his eyes, blazing with the fire of challenge. Ranma knew his held the exact same look. He could tell just by the way those two stood they were fighters, and their auras, while not visible, spoke volumes about their abilities as warriors. He grinned as he felt the urge to challenge them inside him. After all, it wasn't every day you got the chance to meet both the Insane Orochi Warrior and the man who had defeated the being that called itself the God of War.
Iori snorted as Kyo tried to hide behind Kasumi, while giving Ranma an appreciative look. While the Orochi-cursed fighter didn't think much of Kyo, he knew that in the past the Kusanagi heir had been close enough to his own fighting ability that they were evenly matched. That they both had the flames of the Magatama at their disposal merely meant that they had to push their endurance and skill that much higher.
A normal-looking teenage boy going toe-to-toe with even an angry and unfocused Kyo, and making it look easy, was no simple feat, and Iori could respect that. The Yagami heir suppressed a smirk as he realized that Bogard was already looking for a new challenge with this boy, and from his stance, Iori reckoned the boy felt exactly the same way.