Papa!Fon and adopted Ranma!
Fon was merely passing by when he first heard it, and when he did he naturally went to investigate. It was the sound of a child, a young boy by the sound of it, crying out for help and for his father to come back.
Needless to say he was horrified and shocked upon discovering a boy about nine or ten years old in a pit full of very angry feral cats. It was clear the boy had tried to climb out but the walls were a bit too slippery and the only rope had broken. Considering it had rained last night, he must have been freezing.
Fon didn't even think twice about his reaction to the sight. He reached his hand down and the kid made a rather impressive jump and managed to grab it.
"Thanks. Stupid Pops didn't even bother to come back like he promised with a new rope," said the boy sourly.
Fon looked into the pit a bit closer and registered the presence of what looked like fish sausages.
"Please for the love of all things sane and holy don't tell me your father was stupid enough to try and recreate the Cat Fist technique."
The boy tilted his head in surprise.
"You know about that? Pops keeps throwing me in here until I get that stupid technique down."
"It's not a proper martial arts technique," corrected Fon, his irritation and disgust showing. "It's little more than a bastardized way to create an unstable berserker and instill a very strong case of ailurophobia into the poor fools who are thrown in."
"What's..."
"Fear of cats," explained Fon. "Only a complete idiot would even use this method as there are far more reliable and sane methods of recreating it. What's your father's name?"
"Genma Saotome."
Fon twitched. If Genma was the boy's father, that would make this child...
"Your name is Ranma, isn't it? There's a large number of temples and dojos who would like to have a...word...with that dishonorable fool of a father you have."
Ranma looked at him hard.
"How do you know my name?"
"Anyone who is serious about martial arts knows about Genma and his master. Genma is not exactly well liked in our community, since he has a very bad habit of stealing techniques instead of earning them the proper way and anything of value he can get his greedy hands on. Never mind the amount of food taken. There's also something of a rumor that he has been selling his only son's hand in marriage repeatedly just to fill his stomach."
Ranma twitched now.
"You mean to tell me that fat jerk has been marrying me off to multiple girls just to fill his own fat stomach?" he said, pissed.
"When is he due back?" asked Fon.
"He left about noon yesterday, saying he'd bring back another rope since this one broke. Jerk left me in here all night even when it was pouring rain," said Ranma crossly.
It was at that point that Ranma's stomach reminded him how long it had been since he had eaten. Fon hid a smile behind his sleeve.
"I'm guessing Genma doesn't bother feeding you properly and claims it's training?" he asked with sympathy.
Ranma nodded.
"I'm getting better though! He can't find my hiding places for the food six times out of ten!"
"Your father is an idiot and has absolutely no idea how to train someone properly without losing his honor," deadpanned Fon. "Children, especially young martial artists need proper food and nutrition in order to reach their full potential. And your Chi, while fairly strong for your age, is an absolute mess. If I didn't know any better I'd swear the fool has been messing with pressure points with no idea of what he is doing."
Hearing Ranma's stomach growl again, Fon inwardly sighed. Judging by what he knew of Genma's nonexistent character, odds were he would be able to track them down with ease if they went to the nearest village.
Besides, turning the boy against his dishonorable fool of a father sounded like the perfect way to get back at that man for all the damage he was doing to the Art.
Ranma found himself basically kidnapped by the robed martial artist, not that he was complaining much when he saw the food and shower. And a proper set of clothes.
Fon had to twitch a bit at the boy's horrible table manners.
It was becoming increasingly apparent that Genma had done a number to his son's social skills and development, and not just the recent Neko-Ken foolishness.
The next morning
Fon was rather pleased with himself. Upon seeing him perform some of the harder, much more advanced katas early in the morning before breakfast, Ranma had apparently decided he would rather earn his skills the right way, rather than rely on Genma's half-assed training.
Fon had high hopes that with proper encouragement and positive reinforcement, he might be able to break the worst habits the boy had.
That and constant relocation whenever even a hint of Genma being in the area. The last thing the poor kid needed was that idiot as a role model, especially if even a fraction of what Fon heard about the man selling his son's hand for was true.
"While my methods are a bit...harsh...they at least produce proper results, as compared to the half-baked ones your father put you through. I don't mind encouraging versatility when it comes to fighting styles, but if we visit a dojo or temple I expect you to earn the skills the correct way by asking the dojo master or senior apprentice to teach you," said Fon. "I am also going to teach you some basic manners."
"My manners are fine!"
Fon gave him a flat look.
"You behave and speak like a backwoods barbarian, and if you expect the older and wiser masters to treat you with actual respect, you need to learn how to act civilized, even if you don't actually mean it."
Fon didn't see the point of mincing words, especially when bluntness was far more likely to get through to the boy.
Ranma sulked, but didn't argue.
"For now I'll do a basic assessment of your skill level in fighting. From what I can tell you're rather advanced for your age, but you could be so much better."
Ranma POV
It was official. Master Fon was Ranma's new idol.
Genma would put him through insane training regimens that were lucky to produce real results within a reasonable time frame.
Fon though... Fon put him through the ringer learning the basics and showing Ranma exactly why they were important while putting the muscles he had already developed into proper use. All while delivering odd barbs that sounded like they were straight from Confucius himself and that annoying as hell serene smile.
He couldn't count the number of times Fon laid him flat on his ass by using his ego and anger against him. And yet every time once he cooled off Ranma would be grinning like a madman because he realized he was learning under a real Master of Martial Arts.
It had come as a nasty shock learning Master Fon hadn't been joking in the least about Genma's habit of promising Ranma's hand to random girls through their fathers just to fill his own stomach. Or worse, to get his greedy hands on their family scrolls with no intention of honoring his agreement.
At this point Ranma had some serious questions about his own honor, if only because of the sheer legal mess that was his marital status. He knew polygamy wasn't exactly legal in most countries and the few places that would allow it usually required you to follow a specific religion. Never mind that he had never actually met any of these girls and it was unfair to them to tie up their own love lives for something that might not even be real.
Ranma thought girls were okay, but it had taken several beat downs from some of the older female martial artists before he got it through his head that women were nothing like what Genma claimed.
Though he found dark satisfaction when word quickly spread that Genma Saotome was a "misogynistic pig who didn't honor his agreements" among the female martial artists.
Ranma did have one thing he would adamantly deny if asked though.
As Fon had feared upon learning he had gone through the Cat Fist "training", Ranma had developed a secondary protective personality when confronted with a cat. For the most part they avoided areas where felines could be readily found, but it was almost impossible to avoid them completely.
The one time he went 'cat', as Fon cheerfully called it, he had woken up to find himself acting as a purring lap cat, with Fon gently stroking his head much like one would pet a cat.
Fon had been amused beyond belief...and had hidden the blackmail photos so well that Ranma couldn't find even a hint of them. Though he would admit that it had felt good being in his master's lap like that, or that he had fallen back asleep with the strange feeling of being completely secure in the knowledge Fon would keep him safe from anyone trying to hurt him.
It had felt warm, comforting and nothing like how he felt around Genma.
Being a guy though, meant that Fon never said a word whenever he found himself curling up against the older martial artist. If this was what having a proper father figure was like, then clearly he had been missing out on a lot. Even if the school work and the language lessons left him with his brain feeling like mush.
"Ranma, what are you doing here?" asked Fon with exasperation. Though there was an undercurrent of fondness in his voice, so that meant he wasn't too annoyed.
"I already read the books you left and no one else can really keep up with me, so I followed ya," said Ranma cheekily.
Fon sighed, before gently ruffling the boy's head. Ranma could have been mistaken for a backwoods barbarian when Fon found him, but he had come a long way. At least now the boy could claim to have acceptable table manners, even if he was still a major glutton and his speech still needed work.
The boy wasn't a genius when it came to bookwork, but Fon wasn't above abusing his drive for martial arts to trick him into learning basic information that children and adults needed to properly thrive among society.
"If you were a normal child, I would tell you it's too dangerous," said Fon, shaking his head in amusement. "Instead I'll settle for keep your head down and try not to piss too many people off while I do my job."
Ranma grinned at him, but followed his teacher like a baby wolf learning from an older fox.
He knew that Fon didn't exactly have a legal job, and that the man had killed before. No one who was connected with the Triads was squeaky clean, and Fon was at least up front and honest about what he was.
As distasteful as Ranma found the fact that Fon used martial arts to kill people, he was still glad that the man had rescued him and decided he was worth the effort to train. Even if he had a lot of bad habits that had needed correcting in the beginning.
Fon completed his assignment, as irritating as it was, and easily warned off the lesser Triad boss that had noticed his student.
Ranma wasn't his formal apprentice, nor was he blood kin. At most he was a boy who had caught the passing interest of the Strongest Storm in Asia. He had no connections to the underworld or active Flames, just a stronger than average skill towards martial arts and a cocky attitude that could get him killed if he wasn't careful.
Which meant that there was very little leverage the Triads could use on Fon to force Ranma into anything. At best he was a potential hostage...if one wanted to risk incurring the wrath of a less than happy Fon down on their head.
Ranma kept his hands firmly to himself as Fon lead him around the somewhat crowded city. While he was a damn good pickpocket, and Fon did allow him to continue the practice as training since one never knew when it could come in handy...such as filching keys to handcuffs or doors for instance... he no longer felt the ever present need to steal from others just to fill his own stomach. Fon might make him work for his food in training, but unlike Genma he never truly starved him.
At most he got the bare minimum to keep his energy up, but that was it.
Ranma still found it amusing that Fon had managed to instill a desire to learn more than just martial arts...while abusing his drive to be the Best and turning his brain to mush by shooting questions at him during training. He found he rather liked reading, now that he could properly understand the written word.
As always, Ranma's stomach growled right as Fon lead them to a rather nice restaurant.
Fon chuckled.
"Since you managed to behave yourself, I suppose you do deserve a reward. Just remember..."
"Table manners and no one likes to watch me eat," repeated Ranma. "No stealing someone's food when we eat out, only when we're in training, and if someone annoys me too much then I have to be discreet when I use their food against them."
Fon was a good master, and Ranma loved the fact that he had zero problems with little bouts of mischief when someone was ruining a perfectly good atmosphere when they were eating out. Which was rare, but still happened more than it did with Genma. At least with Fon, Ranma didn't have to worry about being chased after for a dine-and-dash and the places he picked had far tastier food to order.
Fon was rather pleased as well. Ranma's behavior had come a long way from the uncivilized brat he had been.
The two ate in comfortable silence, with Fon mostly amused at the black hole that was Ranma's stomach. He didn't mind, as Ranma was still a growing boy and martial arts used up quite a bit of energy.
There was a reason why Fon usually chose restaurants that were cheap, but filling and didn't have any health code violations.
Though perhaps Fon should have expected a chaotic fulcrum such as Ranma to cause a scene the first time he followed him on a job.
Not only did some lower level Triad flunkies recognize him, but they were also foolish enough to bring guns to a restaurant and think he wouldn't retaliate for ruining a perfectly good evening.
"Ranma, I want you to get any civilians out while I deal with these fools...and if anyone tries to grab you or use you as a hostage, feel free to be as annoying as you want. If they're stupid enough to attack us in public like this, then their boss can pay for the hospital bills."
Ranma's grin was vicious. He gave Fon a two-fingered salute as he cheekily replied "You got it, Chichiue."
It took Fon a few seconds to register what Ranma called him, before a broad smile came across his face. He ruffled the boy's hair fondly.
"Go on, you little scamp."
He ignored the sounds of pain from the few idiots trying to use civilians as hostages, all while delivering his own punishment to the ones who had started firing in the first place.
He certainly hadn't expected the almost twelve-year-old to call him father, but he didn't mind. Though the fact the boy used the older, far more respectful and polite variant was a bit surprising.
Then again, perhaps not. Ranma clearly respected him far more than he ever had Genma and he did treat the boy more like a surrogate son than a younger brother. At the very least he was definitely a superior role model to that fat fool, who had either given up his son for dead in that pit or had no idea that his son had been saved by another martial artist in the area.
All the current reports of Genma's whereabouts put him firmly in Japan, and Fon had made very sure that the dishonorable fool was actually there.
As they left the restaurant, the two walked in silence...though a comfortable change had settled between them. Fon could easily accept the role of 'father' for the almost teenage boy, even if he had never sired a child himself.