Ranma woke to noises outside. There was the sound of fighting outside. Shooting out of bed, and downstairs, she made her way to the back door. As Ranma opened it, she was greeted by the sight of her brother and father fighting with sticks. She watched as their blows rained on each other, to either be parried, dodged, or blunted with various blocks. She was shocked, as her brother stood on the end of the staff thrust at him, and returned with a quick snap of his wrist, sending Genma back five feet. Sudden realization hit her, she was being left out of the fun. As Kazuma crowed at Genma for his slowness, he was interrupted by a tackle from behind. "I win!"; Ranma yelled as she stood on his back.
"Hey, get off me sis!" Kazuma yelled as he rolled to the side, and jumped up. "That was a cheap shot!
"Martial artists life is full of perils, no? Should be prepared for danger at all times!" Ranma stated, a brilliant smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. She remembered this. Memories, she knew the word now, hit her. She remembered sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, but always moving forward, and getting better.
"What did you say?" Genma said from behind the two of them, who were facing each other. The girl had just stated one of the prime tenants he used to spout when he was raising him... her.
"It's true. You taught me that. Right, fatman?" Ranma said, with a flippant tone glancing at her father.
"That doesn't matter. You might be my sister, but when we spar..." Kazuma stated trailing off, then his form blurred, and he appeared to her side, grabbed her pajama shirt, and threw her towards the sky.
As he kneeled, and then jumped as high as he could, he caught up to her quickly. Exchanging blows with her, his eyes were different. She was another martial artist to him now. His fists moved faster and faster, overwhelming her weak defense. "I won't hold back!" he yelled as he clipped her shoulder, she went spinning end over end towards the wall. What he didn't expect, was for her to hit the wall on her feet, and propel herself off the wall to slam her shoulder into his stomach, causing them both to hit the ground and roll.
"Hah, that teaches you to be overconfident boy. Just because she's sloppy, doesn't mean you can underestimate her. Your sister has always had some of the quickest reactions and best adaptability I've seen in my years as a martial artist." Genma said as the two picked themselves off the ground. "But that's enough anyhow. You should both get cleaned up for school. Kazuma, go first. I've got something i wish to talk to your sister about." As Kazuma shrugged, then headed off to wash off the sweat and dirt from the morning work out Genma turned again to face Ranma. "Ranma, until he gets done, i'm going to show you some of the basic Kata that i taught you long ago. I want you to practice these every morning and evening. As you master them, I'll teach you more. Understand?"
Ranma looked at him, unsure of what to say. The fatman seemed to be different than he used to be. "Ok. Show me". And with that they started to rebuild the basics of Ranma's art.
After both the Saotome children had cleaned up, Ken came out with breakfast that he had prepared while they were sparring, and cleaning. Ranma thanked him enthusiastically, causing him to turn away with a blush. After they had finished, Ranma pulled Kazuma and Akane up, saying she wanted to get to school.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Akane asked curiously.
"Because, I want to see what school is like" Ranma said. It was true. She wanted to see school. She also wanted to see this pack of monsters stopped before they could hurt her friend. she couldn't kill them, but she could still hurt them.
As they got out of the dojo with their bags and bentos in hand, Kazuma jumped onto the fence, and stood there a moment while Ranma and Akane looked at him oddly.
"Why are you up there Kazu?" Ranma asked curiously.
"A true martial artist can turn anything into training" he responded offhandedly, and then ran towards the school. Ranma jumped up after him, matching his speed. Akane was huffing and puffing as she tried to keep up with these two monsterously powerful martial artists. If she had any doubts about how far their abilities eclipsed hers, they were gone now. As she made it to the school ground, she saw the horde waiting for her, and sighed. She would have to fight to get into the school again.
"Akane. These people. They are the ones you... spoke of yesterday?" Ranma asked, an edge in her voice, even as she tried her best to use the correct words.
"Yeah. They're a pain in my butt. I don't mind that beating them helps me train, but they make me late a lot." Akane said, annoyed. As she said that, shouts of love and adoration came from the encrouching wave of hormones known as the hentai horde.
"No let... I won't let them hurt you" Ranma said, a viciousness in her voice like Akane had heard the night before. Ranma jumped forward, planting foot and fist into tender, and painful spots. A boy with a hocky stick was the first to fall. His face mask split into pieces, his nose crushed. She growled as she spun her leg around, catching two more boys, these from the karate club, in the face sending them back far. The Hentai horde saw that the boys that Ranma got to were getting seriously hurt. Akane and Kazuma could only stand and watch as Ranma went around, with the attitude and bearing of an angry predator, attacking hamstrings, faces, chests, and throats. People were getting thrown around like Rag dolls. As the last of the boys fell to the ground, a young man in a hamaca steps out, at the same moment a flash of lightening arcs across the sky.
"Ah fair maiden Akane, you bless us with your presence on such a day, today i will show you that the feelings that i have for you!" kuno proclaimed, while striking a heroic pose.
"Are you the alpha male of these people?" Ranma asks,
"That I am, fair maiden" Kuno responds with much respect, while pondering the off use of language coming from such a beautiful girl.
"Leave Akane alone!" Ranma demands "No warning after this..."
"Why should I leave the beautiful tigress alone? She loves me, she just doesn't know how to show it. But i will show her how!" Kuno shouted with conviction, showing how complete self delusion can be.
"Then..." Ranma blurred forward like her brother had done that morning, grabbed his shirt, and then threw him in the air. Jumping after a slightly paniced Kuno, she slammed her palms into both shoulders, hearing a satisfying pop in each. "I'll kill you before you can hurt her!" Ranma screamed. Kuno screamed too, but his were rooted in pain. Ranma followed up with two kicks to the chest that sent him into the ground. Tears of anger in her eyes, Ranma lifted her fist over the prone figure of the kendoist. Speaking in a low hiss, Ranma stated "I promised brother I wouldn't hurt anyone if i could help it. But you... I won't let another friend get... I won't let you... You won't hurt her like she was hurt!" As she was about to bring her fist down to crush his skull, she felt a tug. She couldn't move her arm, and she found out that she was being held by both Akane and Kazuma. She struggled against their combined strength trying to break free. Why didn't they realize that she was protecting Akane! They had to let her go!
"Let go! Let go now!" Ranma shouted.
"Ranma, you have to stop. Please!" Akane yelled at the struggling girl.
"No let him hurt you! Never forgive self if he hurts you! Not let it happen again!" Ranma screamed, her language becoming rougher as she struggled. "Not fail another friend!"
Kazuma sighed. He wished it hadn't come to this, but he jumped back, pulled his broom off his back, and slammed it into the back of Ranma's head, and she was out like a light. "Sorry sis, I know you meant well, but...I won't let you have blood on your hands. But, if he was trying to..." Kazuma looked over at Kuno, who had tears in his eyes, shaking his head.
"My dear Akane..." Kuno looked at her as he managed to bring himself to a kneeling position, both arms hanging limply at his side.
"What do you want, Kuno" Akane said, sympathy for the pain the boy must feel leaking into her voice.
"Do you, really think that i would do something like that to you? All the contest was for, was to see who was strong enough to date you, to match your fiery personality. I, i'm sorry if you thought that was what i was trying to do." He repositioned himself, bowing to the ground infront of her despite his arms hanging limply. "I am sorry."
"Kuno, I know you. You're too dense and honorable to do that." Kuno's face was alight with the praise he gained from the girl, at least the closest he'd ever gotten to actual praise. But it quickly subsided as she continued "But the other guys, they're not. And you encouraged that. You've made my life... Hell. Kuno, i think..." Again his face lit up in hope for of the proclamation that she would make. "I think... I hate you. I think i really, really hate you." Akane said, tears in her eyes. "My life has been hell, and you've been having a ball making my life miserable because of that stupid dream world you live in. I..." Akane ran away crying.
Kazuma looked at Kuno. "I'm sorry for my sister. I didn't think she would do something like this. But with her, limited understanding of people... She sometimes comes to the wrong conclusions..." he said to the prone boy.
"It is I who should be sorry. I did not know that people thought... that i was trying to..." Kuno trailed off. "But it sounds like... your sister, encountered something like this before, but failed to save her friend. It is only natural to protect people you care about... I guess I'm a fool, and i've lost." Kuno collapsed back, looking into the sky. The woman he had loved, hated him, and for good reason. He would no longer persue her. but if it was ever needed, he would be there to protect her, to show his true feelings. Everyone was surprised by who responded a moment or two after Kuno had looked up at the sky, subdued.
"Ya got that right, kuno." Surprisingly, it was Genzinan, who said this from over Kuno. "You look like crap."
"Ah, the mercenary Tendo. How should I look when I am not only brutally beaten in combat, but then find the object of my affections feels..." Kuno trails off.
"Yeah well, i guess all things considered, you're lucky to be alive. My sister alone wouldn't have been able to save you, I think. Anyhow, lets get you to the Nurses office. I think we should get you looked at. Akane, get Ranma and Kazuma to class okay?" Gen bent down, picking the pained, semi conscious Kuno off the ground, none too gently, and walked towards the nurses office.
After being treated by Kimiko Tofu who had been called in for the emergency , Kuno sat up in the bed and looked at Gen who was still waiting for for his best customer to come to. "So, you really done with Akane?" Gen asked
"Yes. It is apparent that the tigress that i sought so passionately, has been pushed away by my very attempts to endear myself to her" Kuno said, then looked at Gen, "May i ask, who those two were, and what relation they have to your family?"
"Friends of the family who are staying with us, for now." Gen said cautiously.
"That is all the girl is?" Kuno responded.
Gen looked at him for a moment, then said "Our fathers made a pact that they would marry our families together-"
"Ah, so the fierce Akane will have a strong, passionate man who will be fortunate enough bask in her perfection, i heartily approve! But then what doth remain for the fiery beauty of his sister? Fear not, I Tatiwaki Kuno, shall stand by her side, and give her the companionship she so deserves!"
Gen smirked, it appeared Kuno was as stupid as they came. It was okay, Gen could somehow use this to his advantage. As Kuno rattled on about the virtues of his newfound love, Gen took his leave, laughing quietly at the stupidity of some people.
Ranma looked at Kazuma out of the corner of her eye. She was standing up infront of everyone, and they were staring at her. Unconciously her left foot came off the ground slightly, and started scuffing the floor behind her right foot.
"Class, we have two new students today, Ranma, and Kazuma Saotome. They are both just recently returning from a trip to China with their Father. Would you like to introduce yourselves?" The teacher asked looking at Ranma, and Kazuma.
Kazuma, nodded, looking his sister. She seemed nervous, so he decided he would go first. "My name is Saotome Kazuma. For the past ten years, my father, my sister, and I have been on a training trip to better ourselves in our art. I'm the best martial artist of my generation!" He said, looking with a cocky grin at everyone in the class, causing Akane to put her face in her hand.
The teacher looked at Ranma, who nodded, then spoke carefully and measured. "I'm Saotome Ranma. I've spent the majority of my life in China. I was separated from my father and Kazuma for a time when i was younger, but thankfully, an older woman named Cologne found me, and took care of me until they found me again. I can speak Chinese very well, although my Japanese isn't as good as it probably should be." Ranma looked at Kazuma, then deviated from her speech she had prepared with Ken last night "And Kazuma is wrong. I'm the most powerful martial artist of our generation! I'm also prettier than him too!" She looked over at him, and stuck her tongue out playfully, causing him to fight between scowling at her playfully or laughing.
"Isn't that... Interesting. Well, Kazuma, you can take the seat next to Gosunkugi. Ranma, you take the seat next to Akane." The teacher said, while thinking about how much trouble these two would probably cause to his class, but at least the problem with the principle's son looked like it had been solved, although there were a few boys from his class missing from that little incident this morning. He'd have to keep an eye on Ranma, although from what he heard, he doubted that anything like that would happen again. After the two had taken their seats, he took out two new textbooks, and then had them passed back to Ranma and Kazuma, and with that class started.
After class, Ranma was tired. She'd never really learned to read well, but it was starting to come back to her. She had been embaressed when a few of the girls had laughed at her inexperience reading. Her face turned red, and she was torn between wanting to hit the girls who were mocking her like this, and run away from embarrassment. She was saved when the teacher yelled at the girls that made the snide comments, and told them to go and wait out in the hall. "Now, Ranma, don't let them disturb you. You may not be able to read very well, but you'll get better." Ranma struggled through class trying to keep up as best as she could, but had a very tough time with things that were being read. After class was over, the teacher called out "Ranma, may i see you please?" As she came up to him, looking at her feet, he said "Ranma, I'd like to talk to you about something... Have you ever been to school?" As he asked this, Ranma shook her head. "How did you learn to read then. You're slow, but you do have some knowledge"
Ranma looked at him, then Said "Fa... Father taught me how to read when i was younger. But, then we got separated."
"Really... When, did he find you again?" the teacher inquired.
"About... a month ago." Ranma said.
"And, how old were you when you got... separated from them?" The teacher asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer.
"I was... seven, i think. I can't really remember too well" Ranma said. She didn't like this focus on her. She'd been feeling stupid through her first class. Now she knew why Kazuma hadn't wanted to come to school today. School was a horrible place.
"Hmm. That's amazing, that you have stayed in China, with such limited education, and have managed to at least struggle through class today. I'm going to set up a tutor for you in the next few days. We'll see what we can do to assist you with this, problem you have." He said, and as he watched Ranma avert her head, and look away as she nodded, he continued "I admire how you hung in there today. I don't think even i would have been able to stay here with the way things were going. Don't worry. You seemed to remember and understand everything we said, so I'll see what i can set up with you for testing, and assessment, until we can get your reading and writing skills up to where they need to be. Just remember, as long as you keep working, I'll do everything in my power to make sure you won't fail, okay?"
Ranma looked at him, and smiled, nodding. "Thank you" she said, tears shinning in her eyes.
"Don't worry about it, now get out of here. You've got another class to get to" The kindly older man said.
Kazuma's end of the first class of the day was less happy. When he fell asleep in class, he had to go hold up buckets in the hall. Ah well, same old same old. Too bad, that boy he used to fight wasn't here. That made school fun, and useful. Ah well, that didn't matter. He didn't like how Ranma had struggled through. He hated watching that, so he decided he would sleep through the class, since there wasn't anything he could to to help her. He'd never been good in school anyhow. He looked up at the ceiling. He'd noticed Akane had gotten annoyed at him when he fell asleep. He wondered, would he be able to help Ranma if he were better in school. He made a silent nod to himself. He'd try to get better, so that he could help his sister.
Ranma, and Kazuma both struggled through their days for different reasons, and when it was over, both were more than happy to be heading back home. As they run along the top of the fence, both trying to work off the frustrations of their day, they amazed everyone with the acrobatic feats they accomplish. As they bolt, Akane simply sighs, and walks back towards home, not wanting to try and keep up with them.
As they reach home, Kazuma and Ranma both notice the the dojo was full with people, and that Genma, Soun, and Ken were all standing infront of a group of students, running them through a fairly simple Kata, then moving into more and more complex ones. Some of the students stumble, but keep going as the Kata's got to a difficulty, that all but the three in front were having trouble staying standing as the speed they were moving at increased. Ranma and Kazuma both sat watching in interest.
These Kata were very different from the ones that they already knew. These all seemed to ground into using the earth as a brace, be it for attacking, or defending, while almost everything they have been taught in their style was about mid-air attacks, and always moving fast, not being chained to the ground in combat. These katas used the ground, but it wasn't like being chained as he felt with most styles. The forms and attacks presented, showed more of using the earth as an ally, allowing you to bring more into whatever you were doing. Kazuma's eye's gleamed with the same light they always did when a new style presented itself. Ranma on the otherhand, was watching as her father, Soun, and Ken were all moving with a fluidity and grace that she could only associate with a true beast. Fists and feet, instead of claws and paws. They were true beasts, like her, teaching and guiding the young, and as she watched she felt her respect for all three increase a little bit, although she'd never admit to respecting Genma at all.
After the classes were done, and the students had left for the night, Kazuma watched Ranma head into the house, to try and track down Ken to assist him with dinner and get what freebies she could. He had more important things on his mind though. He jumped down and drop kicked his unsuspecting father who rolled a few feet with the impact.
"I see you're in quite the mood" Genma said amused at his son, and the smirk he had. He always got like this when a style was introduced to him. He loved drinking up the new styles and skills, and Genma knew for a fact that he probably saw alot that he liked, since this style was nearly as formidable as their own.
"Why didn't ya tell me that the other side of anything goes was like this?" Kazuma asked.
"Because, there was no need. You needed to be concerned about learning other styles, and bringing them into your own form of the art." Genma said offhandedly.
"What?" Kazuma asked, kinda dumbfounded.
"You see, kazuma, the art that we have, the Anything Goes, is an art that you will never truely stop learning and growing with. We take everything we see, and integrate it." Genma said in a scholarly fashion.
"I know that already you pops! My question still stands, why did we not learn this style at first when we left? You can't tell me that it wouldn't have made me stronger."
"Because, the two styles are opposites. Where as we fly free of the ground, the Tendo side uses it as an ally. It is impossible to truely integrate these two styles, but instead to master them both." Genma replied, starting at the Dojo he'd just exited.
"So what you're saying, is that I can master them both, but i'd have to switch between two completely different styles on the move?" Kazuma asked mystified.
"Yes, and to do something like that, you must learn to be adaptable, and have enough experience in the arts that can bridge them, because they don't take either style to the extreme. You are ready for it now, you were not ready for it before. Do you understand?"
"Quite right Genma" said the until now unnoticed Soun Tendo, "This is why we wished to marry our heirs and combine the schools, because they would then teach each other the different forms of martial arts, and in a way bring harmony to them. As it stands, only one person, who's name shall not be spoken, has ever masters both sides of the art, the dreaded one we called... Master" with the final word spoken the two men shuddered, and seemed not to want to talk anymore.
An awkward silence lingered until they heard Ranma call out "Dinner's done!' and they all headed inside, with Kazuma having something to think about.
After dinner, Ranma spent some more time being tutored by Ken in Japanese, but tonight it expanded into some written portions, and easier math problems after he had heard of the terror of a day she'd had. Much to Ken's surprise, Ranma's quick mind caught onto all these things fairly fast, and before they knew it, three hours had passed, and Genma walked up to Ken's room, and called out "Time for bed Ranma, you've got school in the morning." in something akin to a warm, fatherly tone.
With a lingering look at the door after Ranma had left his room, Ken sighed, straighted his room up, and got ready to go to sleep, wondering if he'd wake up from this pleasant, if insane dream he was almost convinced he was having.