Chapter 5 Ranma's Proposal
Ranma waited patiently, with the arms crossed and his back against the wall. When the infirmary door finally opened and out came, in succession, Miu, Kensei, and Akisame, it was the girl who seemed the most surprised.
"Ranma-kun... what are you doing here?"
"Is Kenichi okay?"
"Oh, let's just say he hasn't just taken a stroll in the park," Kensei explained. "However, not only will he recover without any permanent damage, but I can estimate his full recovery within a week. After all—isn't that right, Akisame?—by training at Ryozanpaku, it's not the first time he's suffered injuries like these... in fact, they're not even the worst he's ever had."
" Yeah, that's exactly what worries me..." muttered the ponytailed boy.
"Ranma-san... did you stay out here just to find out how Kenichi is doing? You really are... a kind person," Miu said, lighting up.
"Akisame-san, I also have a request to make," the young Saotome then began.
"Go ahead," the Jujitsu master replied. "Within the limits of possibility, I'll try to accommodate you."
"I would like to see the data—from what I understand about you, I'm sure you have them, and they're very detailed too—on Kenichi's training, both physical and technical, since the first day he arrived at Ryozanpaku."
Everyone present seemed very surprised by the request.
"Well... I would have to retrieve my old files, but I think it can be done," Koetsuji began doubtfully. "I just don't understand what you need them for."
"Let's just say I noticed a couple of things during the fight with Kenichi, and there's a certain theory I'd like to verify."
Akisame did not oppose. "I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
"But before you do anything else," Miu jumped forward with a stern tone, "you need to have your wounds treated too, there's no question about it."
"But it's nothing, really," the ponytailed boy objected. "Hits like these are practically caresses to me."
"Caresses like these?" Miu asked, a little annoyed, pressing her palms firmly against his sternum, where he had suffered the Mubyoshi, and on his side, where he had the bruise from the Koroi Nuki.
Ranma let out something that, to the trained ears of the Masters, might have sounded like a groan.
"Well, sure, if on top of that, YOU start hitting on them..."
"No excuses," the blonde retorted with a tone halfway between a teacher, an older sister, and a worried mom. "You come and get treated without making a fuss," she concluded, practically pulling him by his half-open jacket and dragging him into another room, which she then closed with a slam.
"Well, our Miu can't wait to start undressing him..." Sakaki stated, emerging from a corner with a sardonic smile.
"...Good thing Kenichi is unconscious; otherwise, he'd be rotting with jealousy," he concluded.
"But if... you say... these things... out loud... he'll have... nightmares..." Shigure added, popping out from the ceiling, upside down, like a bat.
Sakaki jumped up in surprise.
"If you don't stop with these sudden entrances, Shigure, the one having nightmares will be me!"
Ranma was patiently letting Miu examine his chest, doing his best not to look at her face.
They were both quite flushed, but the blonde much more so; she was sweating nervously and trembling slightly.
When she finished applying ointments to the spots where Ranma had been hit, she wrapped a nice bandage around him, just to be safe, and then said,
"T-there, all done. It should be fine, but just to be sure, have Kensei check it out later. Your QiGong* level is very good, but internal injuries cannot be completely ruled out, although I doubt it."
"Um... thanks," the ponytailed boy replied, putting his shirt back on.
"N-no problem," Miu replied, turning her gaze away.
"Hey, Miu," Ranma began after a few seconds of silence "can I ask you a question?"
"Y-yes? Sure, anything you want" the girl answered, though her shaky tone didn't quite match her words.
"Do you know why Kenichi... is so determined to learn martial arts?"
" Oh, so that's what he wants to know" the girl thought.
She seemed both relieved and disappointed at the same time. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then said:
"Oh, Ken-san is...really extraordinary. You see, he was bullied at school for a long time. I met him in our first year of high school, and we became friends. He started learning martial arts to defend himself, and besides, the school was crawling with gangs.
So, after every enemy he defeated, another, stronger one would come along, and... well, you know how these things go. He never stopped being challenged.
At first, his enemies were just regular delinquents, but then a more organized group emerged, Ragnarok, made up of young martial artists.
Then, after defeating them, he caught the attention of the wrong people. He ended up having to face the disciples of the world's most evil martial arts masters, who practically competed to challenge him to claim the title of the Strongest Disciple in History."
" Wow" Ranma thought, " and here I was thinking I had a complicated life until this morning."
At the same time, he couldn't suppress a shiver of excitement. He would have loved to be in Kenichi's place and face all those formidable opponents, even though, for him, they might have been just a morning workout at best.
"But despite everything, he never gave up," Miu continued. "He keeps fighting for his ideals. He wants to avoid unnecessary fights, protect justice, and even give a second chance to those who have gone astray. Many of his former rivals have, in fact, become his best friends."
" I know something about that, too" thought the pigtailed boy.
"A phrase Kenichi often says is: 'I want to become strong enough to fight the evil that ordinary people pretend not to see.' Isn't that incredible?" she concluded with a big smile.
Ranma was stunned for a few seconds, for a number of reasons.
There's also something you're not telling me, right, Miu?
Until I'm able to protect her... he said
Their relationship now seemed a bit clearer.
"I see... and now, where do you stand? Have these evil disciples all been defeated, or is there a chance they'll come back?"
"Oh, well, you never know. Let's just say that recently, Yami, the alliance of evil martial artists, has suffered a major setback and is currently divided; it's unlikely they'll make any reckless moves in the near future.
But we can't let our guard down too much. Kenichi has defeated all their disciples, including the leader of their youth organization, Yomi, a boy named Kajima Satomi who had learned all the martial arts from the Masters, along with some very advanced Ki techniques—a kind of evil counterpart to Kenichi.
But even though the immediate threats have been neutralized, both Kenichi and I want to continue upholding our ideals as practitioners of Katsujinken, the Saving Fist, and challenge evil wherever it may be," she concluded.
" Wow, I've really ended up in a secret superhero hideout" he thought, sarcastically.
He needed to get his thoughts in order. Once again, since he arrived at Ryozanpaku, he had been introduced to some very complex concepts from a martial arts world that had existed all this time right under his nose. Yami, Yomi, evil Masters, disciples... too many things all at once.
For him, the concept was intriguing—he was looking for new challenges, after all, and it seemed he could find plenty to keep him busy—but, considering his immediate concern, things were even worse than he had thought.
"I see... so, Kenichi doesn't love martial arts for their own sake; for him, they're a tool to achieve his goals. And he's chosen some pretty tough goals."
"Oh, we're not fighting alone; besides the Masters, of course, there are all the friends Kenichi has made over time. I'll introduce you to them one of these days: Takeda, Ukita, Kisara, Nijima, and all the members of the Shimpaku Alliance. They're sort of... how should I say it... an organization founded by Haruo, a 'friend' of Kenichi, that brought together many people who wanted to follow the path of true martial arts.
They're all people whose lives Kenichi has changed, and they want to help him in his fights, also because it gives them a chance to test themselves against strong opponents."
"Great, a bunch of reckless, inexperienced kids to look after."
"No one else? I don't know, maybe there are clowns, talking animals, robots, Martians... stuff like that?"
"Heheh, no, nothing else. I realize it's a lot of information all at once, but now that you're part of Ryozanpaku too, it was only fair for you to know. And now, if there's nothing else, I'm going to prepare dinner. Don't bother helping me; go ahead and do what you asked Koetsuji. See you later."
In an instant, the girl had vanished.
Ranma was deep in thought.
" Damn, this is going to be even more complicated than I thought..."
The heir of the Saotome clan was having a conversation with Hayato in the main hall; both were sitting in the formal seiza position.
"Akisame has informed me of your request, and I must say, Ranma-kun, it sounds rather strange to me, although I understand that you've become curious about our disciple after your fight today."
"It's not just curiosity. Actually, when I fought Kenichi, I had... I don't know how to explain it... a feeling that I need to verify.
I've formed a certain idea about the level he's reached, his strengths and weaknesses as a fighter, and his potential for growth. However, to verify my impressions, it's necessary for me to examine how he has trained so far.
I know he started practicing martial arts only a couple of years ago, and with your methods, he has reached a remarkable level in such a short time, even defeating opponents who have practiced all their lives.
In fact, Miu just told me about Yami, Yomi, and all the rest; yes, don't blame her, I was the one who asked her for more information, assuming that those details were supposed to remain confidential."
"They're not generally confidential, nor do I think I need to keep them secret from you specifically ; I just don't understand where you're going with this. Are you perhaps worried about our disciple?
I assure you that his growth is important to all the masters of Ryozanpaku, myself included.
What do you expect to find by examining his past training?
You can tell me, Ranma-kun. I sense you've already formed a precise idea but don't want to voice it too openly. Speak freely and without fear."
" Tsk! The geezer can really read minds."
"In general, I'm wondering if Kenichi..." —here Ranma had to choose his words carefully— "is being trained in the most... proper way, considering his current level."
No, those definitely weren't the right words.
"What I mean—he quickly added, embarrassed—is that his technical level is inconsistent. It seems to me that Kenichi has learned... mainly the basics.
He has undoubtedly mastered them solidly.
Then, a certain number of techniques from each martial art.
But he combines them haphazardly, depending on the inspiration of the moment.
Lastly, a few extremely advanced secret moves, which I suppose you taught him, Elder, because they certainly don't belong to any of the other styles, which I also know quite well.
And he has gained experience by facing numerous life-and-death battles against specialists who use a single style.
Kenichi also has a physical resistance to blows that far exceeds his level of strength and speed, or his technical level. Finally, he possesses great courage and unwavering determination."
"The analysis is accurate."
"I've also noticed—Ranma continued—that the training here at Ryozanpaku is very tough and continues to focus on endless repetition of individual exercises, to drill them into his head.
I assume this happens because, not having any natural talent, Kenichi is unable to fill the gaps between theory and application on his own.
At the same time, he does very little sparring—or rather, he spars against the individual Masters training him at the moment, but in that way, he only uses their style.
He never trains to COMBINE the various martial arts together. He does it only, spontaneously, when he faces a real battle. But obviously, doing it that way makes it difficult for him.
And in most cases, he uses fairly simple techniques... which probably results from the fact that he trains with each Master for only an hour a day... he never has the TIME to grasp more complex concepts.
But Kenichi has an above-average physical endurance... I bet those life-and-death battles were fought with him enduring, stoically, blows that should have killed him—as he did with me—until he found the right solution to the problem; maybe using his secret techniques.
And Ryozanpaku tends to REINFORCE this behavior because Kensei and Koetsuji are WIZARDS of medicine capable of reviving anyone in a short time... but this way, Kenichi repeats a cycle of battle—serious injuries—recovery—training that, in the long run, WILL be harmful to his health...
...and perhaps he could face his enemies more effectively if he started learning more advanced techniques for each style... and to have the time, he should spend more time with each Master... rather than just an hour a day with each of them. And then, he should test himself more often... duel regularly against Miu, perhaps.
I understand that until now, Kenichi has always won, but he could win with a better understanding of what he's doing, and most importantly... suffer far fewer injuries," he concluded.
He couldn't remember the last time he had spoken so much at once. At least he had gotten everything off his chest. He had said everything he wanted to say. And now, whatever happened, would happen.
Hayato raised an eyebrow, thoughtful.
" Ranma Saotome... a natural talent for martial arts... an innate fighting ability... a reserved but kind character... such a developed analytical ability, the brains to put the pieces together, and this boldness... no, this arrogance to come and say something like this, without malice, simply because he knows it's the right thing to do. Hmph. In fact, he reminds me a lot of him ."
"You've been frank, Ranma-kun, and also very perceptive. To be honest, I didn't think you'd have the courage to come and say something like this right here. Uhuhu... you could say that you're criticizing the way the masters have trained Kenichi here at Ryozanpaku up until now... I wonder how they would react if they found out..." the Elder teased, amused by the prospect.
For a very long moment, Ranma was haunted by the idea of all five Masters (all evidently on Sakaki's level) being furious with him.
They didn't seem like the most reasonable people in the world, after all... He found himself sweating nervously, his face twisted in a grimace.
"Hahaha! You should see yourself!" the old man burst into laughter.
"B-but I..."
"You care about Kenichi's well-being, don't deny it. And for that, I am deeply grateful," Hayato unexpectedly concluded.
For a moment, Ranma didn't know how to respond.
"After all," the Elder continued, "you wouldn't be the first, nor the last. Kenichi has a special quality... anyone who gets to know him can't help but like him... even root for him.
You haven't crossed paths much this past month... but you've fought, which means you've met with your fists, which is often the way to really get to know someone deeply."
Ranma found himself reflecting.
Getting to know someone with punches? In fact, most of his "friends" were initially his rivals, and from what Miu said, it was the same for Kenichi...
Is it really possible? During a fight, does each person reveal who they really are? Can martial arts bring people closer together?
Indeed, without martial arts, I wouldn't have even met...
"Anyway," Hayato continued, "I want to explain the behavior of the Ryozampaku Masters to put it in the right perspective. What you say is true, Ranma Saotome. It's very likely, especially in recent months, that we have let Kenichi down. We should have evolved his training to adapt it to the progress he has made.
However, Kenichi was the first true disciple for many of us. Some of the Ryozampaku Masters had never taught anyone before. One day you'll realize that teaching is a complex activity."
Ranma listened intently.
"And because Kenichi has never had a moment of respite, facing one opponent after another, and had to progress quickly against opponents who had practiced all their lives, we felt we needed to speed up the process and teach him all the martial arts equally, so he wouldn't have any obvious gaps."
"Certainly, I understand... I'm not saying training him this way was a mistake; I realize there were good reasons for it. What I'm saying is that NOW that he's reached this level and it's a quieter period, it would be possible to modify his training to take him to the next level."
"That is certainly a possibility. Feel free to consult Akisame's notes and discuss them with him. I authorize you to draft an alternative training program that we will then submit to the Ryozampaku Masters, whom I will convene in an extraordinary session. If everyone agrees, we might even accept your suggestion."
"Thank you, Elder. That's more than I expected."
"You know, Ranma-kun, it's strange. At this moment, you're thinking exactly like a teacher."
"A... teacher?" Ranma seemed extremely surprised by the comparison. "But... no, Elder, I wouldn't say that," the boy deflected.
He paused for a long moment, then continued:
"To... to tell the truth, that's what I was supposed to become. I was supposed to inherit a Martial Arts School, so I was supposed to become some sort of instructor, I guess. But... I've never really taught anyone. To be honest, I'm not even convinced I have the aptitude for it. And anyway, things didn't turn out that way. I didn't inherit the Dojo. I guess... it wasn't meant to be..." he concluded, with a hint of melancholy in his eyes.
"Yet, you HAVE already done an excellent job as an instructor," Hayato insisted.
"How? And when?"
"In the last month, with Miu. Surely you've noticed that since she's been training with you, she's improved by leaps and bounds."
"Oh, well, but... that doesn't mean anything. I've trained with other people before coming here. Friends and acquaintances. Among training partners, you contribute to each other's improvement, but that's not the same as being a Master to someone."
"And who can say, Ranma-kun? As I told you, many members of Ryozampaku had no teaching experience before Kenichi arrived. Teaching is a skill in itself, but there are no instructions on how to do it. You only learn by doing it. And often," he concluded, "you even learn from your own students."
Ranma stood up, gave a quick bow, and left.
He had more questions in his head than when he entered and not a single answer.
Ranma spent the next two days holed up in a small room, sifting through a mountain of papers, notes, and folders that Koetsuji had patiently and neatly organized, which now looked like a valley after a flood. He also consulted several times with Akisame himself (making sure to keep the door closed so he wouldn't see the mess he's made in his precious papers) and began taking a lot of notes on a notepad he had specially procured.
Several times, the other Masters, intensely curious, tried to eavesdrop on what Ranma was doing or what the two of them were talking about, but in that case, they couldn't really understand much, because Ranma spoke to himself, in monosyllables, with lots of
" a-ah!; hmm...; yeah, sure, I see; and what if we tried doing it this way ?"
and similar phrases, while in the second case, Akisame would shoo them away, like annoying children.
The most perplexed of all was Miu, who, despite the conversation she had had with him on the afternoon after the duel, couldn't imagine what the boy with the pigtail was doing or why. However, she was very busy: between going back and forth to attend to Kenichi (who was in a light sleep after eighteen hours of uninterrupted sleep, also due to a sedative Kensei had given him to help him rest) and doing the housework—because she realized the messes the Ryozampaku Masters had made in the month she had been training with Ranma—she had just enough time left to train. As much as she had enjoyed training with the boy with the pigtail, it was also nice to practice again on her own: to dedicate some time to physical training, perform katas, and focus on flexibility and mobility. When she was finished, she was about to go back inside, but then she couldn't resist: she turned again towards the yard and executed a rapid barrage of kicks and punches in the air.
"Wow! I must have really improved by training with Ranma-kun. I hadn't realized it..."
Sure, because he constantly adapted to my level, and as I improved, he raised the pace. Basically...
...he did the same thing that Sakaki did with him the first day during the reflex test! It's terrifying... not only does he have a talent for fighting, but he's also able to observe and learn any skill immediately.
Supernatural...
Thinking of that word, Miu had a flash.
One of those she vaguely remembered, like dreams, of the Ashura mode.
A girl with red hair.
Who was fighting against her.
But when the heck...?
On the second day, Kenichi finally woke up fully and stopped muttering in his sleep. He didn't know how long he had been out, but training at the Ryozanpaku, this wasn't the first time he'd suffered serious injuries (and it certainly wouldn't be the last).
As he slowly opened his eyes and groaned, he felt a sense of relief realizing that the injuries he had sustained were not as bad compared to when Apachai would send him flying. You could say a lot about Ranma, but at least he knew how to hold back...
And then he saw him and almost had a heart attack. In the corner of the room, half-hidden in the shadows, was Ranma Saotome (he must have picked up the habit of appearing out of nowhere from the Masters; there was no other explanation).
The boy with the pigtail had one leg bent with his foot against the wall, his arms crossed, and his gaze cast downward, staring into the void rather than at Kenichi.
On a closer look, he seemed... worn out; the dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn't slept, and his usually neat clothes were covered in dust.
"Ranma-kun... you almost gave me a heart attack... Have you... been waiting there for me to wake up? What... what day is it?"
"Heh! As if! No, no need to pull out the tissues, I've only been here for a couple of hours. Koetsuji predicted with clockwork precision when you'd come around, and in the meantime, I had things to think about. Oh, by the way, it's Thursday, the 28th. It's three in the afternoon."
"I've been out... for almost two days? Well, I've had worse," he tried to lighten the mood.
Ranma observed him in silence, breathing heavily. He wore a serious expression that Kenichi had never seen on him before, and it almost looked out of place on his face.
Kenichi was starting to feel uncomfortable.
Why was Saotome there? What was he supposed to say to him?
"Oh, well, anyway... congratulations on the duel. Just as I expected, I lost," he tried to ease the tension with a nervous laugh. "But... despite everything... I'm glad I fought against you," he continued, looking at his hand and slowly clenching it into a fist, determined. "Facing an opponent stronger than me, but closer to my level than the Masters are, allowed me to see where I stand and how much further I have to go. I'm sure that was the Elder's plan..."
"Kenichi-kun..." Ranma interrupted him.
Kenichi was taken aback. It was the first time Ranma called him Kenichi-KUN.
"I need to ask you an important question, and I want you to answer me honestly." Shirahama watched him in silence, sitting up straight.
" Why do you train in martial arts? And what do they mean to you?"
The injured boy's eyes widened, and he stared at Ranma for an indescribable amount of time. Then, with a faint smile, he lowered his head.
Yeah, I get it.
"I... I've always been weak. Ever since I was little. Weak physically and weak in character. I'd give in to bullies without even putting up a fight. Despite that... or maybe because of it... I developed a strong sense of justice. Specifically, it bothered me not only that some people would do wrong... but that good people would just stand by and do nothing. Maybe it's because I want to become a writer, but I've always considered words to be very important. And I couldn't stand not being able to speak my mind.
When something is wrong, I want to be able to say it! And if there's something evil happening, I want to stop it! But unfortunately... I realized that... justice without strength is just an illusion... while strength without justice is merely violence..."
He paused for a moment, contemplating those memories, saddened.
Then, suddenly, his face lit up. "That's when I met Miu-san."
There it was again, that annoyance i felt, Ranma noticed.
"She... she is extraordinary—Kenichi's eyes sparkled as he spoke about her—she was so sincere and determined! She had no hesitation in confronting evil and standing up for her ideals! And she did it all while remaining so kind! But then... when it was time to take action... she unleashed such power, and at the same time, with such elegance... like feathers dancing in the wind... I... I wanted to be like her. At least a little..."
He turned to Ranma, smiling, his eyes closed. "Is that so strange?"
Ranma closed his eyes too and let out a deep sigh. He waited a moment before speaking.
"Kenichi, I'll be blunt. Your ideals are admirable, but your way of thinking is going to get you killed. Since you like to play the hero, you keep fighting beyond your body's limits, which means you'll end up in the hospital more and more often, facing enemies who won't be as kind as I was. Koetsuji and Kensei's medical skills can only help you so much. If you keep up this crusade based solely on determination, you don't have much time left, even if you're training at Ryozanpaku."
Kenichi was hit harder by this revelation than by the blows he received two days earlier.
He frowned and replied, in a bad mood:
"Tsk! I already know that myself! But I've always been ready to defend my ideals, even at the cost of my life!"
"There's a big difference between being brave and having a death wish!" Ranma retorted, starting to get heated as well.
"What do you think, that martial arts are some kind of supermarket? That just training harder, longer, more intensely will get you results? That every time YOU don't use your brain to solve your problems, they'll come to save you? IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!"
"But I... I've always put my heart and soul into my training!"
"YOU DON'T REALLY LOVE MARTIAL ARTS! You're just using them to solve your problems! Basically, it's like you're asking them to do it for you! But in doing so... you don't really understand them. You only use them mechanically. And martial arts are jealous lovers, Kenichi. If they realize you don't reciprocate... sooner or later, they'll betray you."
Kenichi was stunned. He had never considered the situation that way. "I... I'm just exploiting martial arts?"
"That's right. It's probably been that way from the start. You use them without truly understanding them. That's what makes you different from your Masters. And also... from Miu."
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"
"You can say it all you want, but you know it's true. Right now, you've reached a decent level, but you don't understand your own strength, nor do you know how you should go about improving. It's like giving a bazooka to a child. He could defeat a tank, but it's more likely he'll shoot himself in the foot and blow himself up."
The boy remained frozen, cold sweat running down his back. Then he began gripping the sheets with his fists until he almost bled. "So... what should I do? Should I stop practicing martial arts? Stop pursuing my ideals? Abandon Miu and all the Masters because I don't belong in their world... and you do? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY, RANMA?" Kenichi was furious. The boy with the pigtail snapped too.
"IDIOT! What I'm trying to say is that you should GET BETTER! And try to UNDERSTAND what you're doing, instead of just repeating what you're taught like a robot! Does that concept get through your thick skull?"
Kenichi suddenly calmed down. A thousand thoughts crowded his mind as he began to breathe heavily, panting.
Ranma pushed himself off the wall. "Heh! Do whatever you want..." he said, heading for the door and closing it behind him.
The injured boy remained there, thinking, his eyes wide open in the darkness.
Throughout the building, the Masters had heard everything, and each, in their own way, reflected in silence, both aware and concerned. As he strode toward Koetsuji's storage room, Ranma felt a fire burning inside him. And even if for the wrong reasons, he had clarified some doubts he had over the past year. And it bothered him that he had resolved them because of that empty-headed Kenichi. He didn't truly care about martial arts; he just used them. Ranma, on the other hand, had been wondering for a long time whether or not to continue practicing them.
Why should he, after all? To inherit the Tendo dojo? Because it's what everyone expected of him? Because he didn't know how to do anything else in life?
No. Because he, instead, truly loved martial arts.
A few more days passed, during which the students didn't see Ranma, except when he would rush out of the storage room for a quick bite to eat or to go to the bathroom.
Miu continued to take care of Kenichi, bringing him meals, and was pleased to see him recovering quickly.
However, she felt that the boy was suffering from something deeper than just physical pain—an existential pain—that, for the moment, he didn't want to talk about.
She chose to respect his decision, assuming that, as usual, Shirahama would speak to her when he felt ready.
The problem was that she was almost certain it had something to do with the argument he'd had with Ranma.
Unlike the Masters, she hadn't understood the words; she had only heard the shouting, and she was especially puzzled. After her last conversation with the pigtailed boy, she had gotten the impression that he somehow respected Kenichi, perhaps even that he had grown fond of him.
So why had they argued? Did it have something to do with Ranma's mysterious activities in Koetsuji's storage room?
Or was the reason something entirely different?
Could it be... her ?
She blushed and immediately dismissed the thought. To be honest, she already had enough on her mind. She couldn't remember where she had seen the red-haired girl, but the more she thought about it, the more it seemed like something important. Those moments at lunch ended up becoming unusually quiet.
When Kenichi had recovered enough, another surprise awaited him. Hayato informed him that he could leave Ryozampaku and take a month off.
"But why, Elder… why? Is something wrong? Does it have to do with… what happened with Ranma? The duel and all that?"
"Don't be silly, Kenichi-kun. I wanted you to duel for your own growth, and it's not like our relationship with our First Disciple could change because of what a boy who's only been here a single month, no matter how talented he is."
Kenichi seemed at once placated, reassured, and ashamed for having doubted.
"No, we just thought—in agreement with all the Masters—that it was only right for you to take a break. You've been training nonstop for six months, and it's only fair that, since school starts again in a month, you should have some time to relax and enjoy your youth.
Too much training ends up accumulating toxins that negatively affect the training that follows. Ironically, by resting a bit, you'll be able to return even more efficient."
Kenichi was happy, but this didn't seem like the Elder's own idea. However, he didn't dare express his doubts for fear he might change his mind.
"Furthermore," Hayato continued, raising his voice so Miu, who was cleaning in the back of the room, could hear, "Miu will also be allowed to take a vacation."
"Really, Grandpa?" the girl asked, a bit surprised.
Kenichi had already imagined a scenario where they would go off alone to a beach resort like lovebirds, but instead...
"Indeed, Miu. It's only fair that you, too, take a break and don't always take care of us. Actually, this was something Ranma made me realize, though indirectly."
At this statement, Kenichi made a kind of indistinct gurgling sound.
"Additionally," Hayato resumed with a cheerful tone, "I believe you'll be pleased with the change of plans. I've managed to arrange for you to spend that time with someone you probably have a lot of time to regain".
Miu's eyes seemed to look into a distant point as her face expressed shock, hope, and joy, all at the same time.
"You mean... with my father, Furinji Saiga?"
Hayato merely nodded, enjoying the expression of pure joy that spread across his granddaughter's face.
Notes:
QiGong: In the real world, these are a series of pseudoscientific practices from traditional Eastern medicine that assume the existence of energy meridians within the body. However, in this context, it refers to the development of the body's internal energy, or the resistance of internal organs and muscle groups to damage.
Forms: Known as Kata in Japanese martial arts, Taolu in Chinese ones, or Poomsae in Korean ones, forms are sequences of martial arts techniques—typically applications of self-defense moves—that are performed in solo practice for memorization purposes. Each martial art has a high number of forms with similar movements, which represent the fundamental style and characteristics of the art.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Here i am again.
I've been away without posting for awhile, because i was on holiday with no PC or stable Internet connection.
This chapter and the next two are transitional, in that they introduce a huge change in their dynamics, and produce an important part of Ranma's character arc.
Also, i'm such a martial arts and martial art manga nerd that i CAN'T avoid to nitpick on the smallest details of action and training.
Ranma needs to grow. To accept responsabilities. That is his first approach to training someone. Maybe not the last, you'll see.
I didn't want him to look like an asshole, he's just worried about Kenichi, but at the same time, they start from very different viewpoints, and i thought it would be interesting to explore.
This mini section, chapters 5-6-7 are crucial for some of the purposes of the story, but from chapter 8, you'll see a huge increase in cast members, primarily from Kenichi's story, but eventually also from Ranma's.
It's gonna take a while before the mistery of Ranma going away from Nerima will be solved, but you'll have an anticipation with some clues in the next chapter.