Those Who Live in the Shadows
Ranma had to blink several times to convince himself he wasn't seeing things.
It seemed like déjà vu.
And yet, there was no mistaking it, it was really him.
"Hey! What are you doing here?"
The figure turned towards him.
Tall, with long, straight hair and the usual long Chinese robe with puffed sleeves.
Mousse addressed Ranma, speaking as if to an idiot:
"What kind of question is that, Saotome? The same thing you're doing here, obviously. Or do you think you're the only one with the right to train wherever you want?"
That haughty, pompous tone—a manner Mousse could adopt in the rare moments he wasn't the butt of everyone's jokes—managed to irritate Ranma even more.
"What I meant to ask—Ranma added, covering the distance between them with large strides—is HOW you ended up here! And don't tell me it was by pure chance, like Kuno did, because I won't believe it!"
"What? Kuno trains here too? The world is indeed small.
But no, in your case, you're right. Obviously, I followed you."
He said this with supreme nonchalance, as if ideograms with the words
NATURALLY
were floating next to his head.
"WHAT?"
"Well, why are you so surprised? After all, I've known you for years, I know you're a very strong martial artist, and I'm also trying to improve myself. When I heard that every day you were going to some mysterious place and coming home only in the evening, I figured you'd found a suitable spot to train, and naturally, that interested me too."
Ranma had known Mousse for years, but he still managed to surprise him.
"A… and you're not ashamed to admit that you followed me? Actually, HOW did you manage to follow me without me noticing? Who was it? From the way you're talking, it's obvious you hired someone."
"Haha, Saotome, how delightfully naive you are—Mousse began, puffing himself up—you speak as if you don't know me. It's obvious that when you gain an advantage over a rival, you don't reveal your secrets; it's not just strategy, it's basic common sense. But of course, you've always been clueless when it comes to planning."
Ranma was about to get physical with him.
"Now I'm gonna—"
But just then, Akisame arrived and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, calm down, Ranma, don't let your anger take over, and remember that you're a Sei fighter and a student of a dojo with rules.
The gentleman here, Mousse, was just explaining why he intends to train here, and… he's also spoken frankly about your past acquaintance."
"Really?"
Mousse spoke frankly? The world was turning upside down.
"Really—confirmed the martial artist who could transform into a duck—and why shouldn't I have, after all? Hasn't enough time passed since the last time I challenged you for Shampoo's heart? Haven't I long since given up trying to win her? Haven't we fought together on many occasions? Why should you be hostile towards me?"
He asked all this as if he were an innocent victim and Ranma a cruel persecutor. The boy with the pigtail calmed down a bit and blushed at the same time.
"Well… well, I didn't really…
I guess I just didn't expect to see you here… and I got upset when I found out you had me followed… it doesn't make me feel comfortable, you see… and considering some of our past… tensions, it put me on alert…"
Dang, I'm this close to be ME apologizing to HIM, instead?
Mousse did something rarely seen—he burst out laughing heartily.
"Hahaha, you're really something, Saotome! You never change—he exclaimed, giving him a slap on the back—but don't worry, everything's fine, really. Oh, and since we'll be training in the same dojo… see you soon, buddy!"
With that, he gave a nod to the Masters and headed towards the exit.
Ranma stood watching him walk away, still perplexed.
Then Akisame asked him, "So it's true, you and that boy have some history."
"Well, you could say so. As you know, I… have been to China, and also to the village of Joketsuzoku, the famous Amazons. However, in that village, many men also practice martial arts, and he is one of them. Specifically, Mousse is a specialist in the use of hidden weapons."
"A… rare specialty," commented Shigure.
"Yes, exactly, and just like his specialty, for years Mousse has been a sneaky type, prone to plots and schemes. He was head over heels in love with a girl from that village, a childhood friend of his named Shampoo, who instead was in love—or rather, obsessed with the idea of marrying—me, due to some traditions that I'll spare you for now…"
"Oh, but we're interested," prodded Ma Kensei. Miu and Renka also seemed curious, but didn't dare speak up.
Ranma didn't notice and continued, "And so, for a while, Mousse was convinced that if he defeated me, Shampoo would change her mind and fall in love with him. But:
1. He never managed to
2. She wouldn't have wanted anything to do with him in any case.
Over the years, we've occasionally teamed up against common threats, and… well, yes, I'd say the last time we met, we were definitely on good terms.
Besides, recently, he seems to have given up on Shampoo, and she seems to have given up on me, so…"
"Well then, isn't everything fine?" Kenichi interjected, simply. "What's the problem if he trains here?"
Ranma stared at him for a moment.
The same old Kenichi, naive and idealistic.
"Well, because my instincts tell me he has some kind of ulterior motive. Or because it doesn't sit well with me knowing he can have me followed whenever he wants.
I don't know, maybe… it just bothers me that parts of my old life are intruding into my new life. I've worked and struggled to rebuild everything from scratch, and now I'm afraid that some of those fools might ruin everything even here."
Even he was surprised at the spontaneity of that confession.
But as he looked around, somewhat embarrassed, he saw that everyone, Masters and Students alike, was smiling warmly at the mention of the "new life" of which they were a part. They were clearly flattered by the confession, especially coming from Ranma, who was usually stingy with compliments and reserved.
Akisame stepped forward on behalf of everyone, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Don't worry, Ranma-kun, we're all on the same side. We'll keep an eye out if something strange happens… but in the meantime, there's no reason we can't all cooperate, as good friends."
Ranma relaxed, "Yeah, maybe you're right, Koetsuji-sensei."
The following weeks were challenging but devoid of significant events in and of themselves.
Ranma had willingly accepted the fact that Mousse was training at the Ryozampaku, and the latter did nothing to make him doubt his good intentions.
The young man had established a peculiar and personalized training routine: several days a week, always with different Masters (not so different from Ranma and Kenichi, after all), namely Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
What he did for the rest of the week was unknown, and Ranma didn't dare ask, lest he come across as a spy himself, although he promised himself he would find out eventually.
On Monday, the Chinese boy trained in weaponry with Shigure, who seemed pleased to have a disciple specializing in weapon use and who wielded many different kinds, unlike Kuno.
On Tuesday, Mousse trained in Chinese internal martial arts with Kensei, who was enthusiastic about having another Chinese student at the Ryozampaku, especially one from the legendary village of Joketsuzoku. Additionally, the boy was skilled, perhaps not quite as much as Ranma overall, but at a similar level, with different strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, the small Master spent a lot of time asking him what the girls in his village were like...
On Wednesday, finally, and this was the biggest surprise for Ranma, Mousse trained with Akisame, but... not in Jujitsu. The Philosopher Master had accepted Mousse as a disciple to teach him technical, engineering, tactical, and strategic knowledge.
Now, that Mousse had a brilliant mind was indisputable. After just a few weeks in Japan, he spoke the language fluently and without an accent (something Shampoo would probably never achieve), in addition to speaking native Mandarin, Cantonese, and another dozen dialects. Ranma had even seen him writing in Japanese using all three of their alphabets, something that posed a challenge for the Japanese themselves, let alone foreigners.
And he had a certain knack for creating things with his hands, agreed. Ranma knew that Mousse forged all the weapons and tools he used and concealed, often inventing new ones; he was an expert in chemistry and explosives; he had also often seen him solving practical problems while they were in the wilderness, constructing solutions on the spot, whether it was scaffolding with makeshift materials or something else.
However, where he truly faltered was in what was supposed to be his greatest strength: planning. Mousse's plans always failed because he got too caught up in his emotions, pride, or passion, because he neglected details or underestimated his opponents, and invariably ended up making a fool of himself.
Now that he didn't seem distracted by his emotions, though, Mousse appeared calm, clear-headed, and able to express his true potential, both as a martial artist and as an inventor.
From a practical standpoint, Akisame was showing him how to design and build equipment and machinery, both mechanical and electronic, and Mousse was learning the secrets at an astonishing speed.
Even Shigure contributed by showing him some procedures for forging and sharpening various types of weapons, honing his skills as a blacksmith, though without, of course, revealing the secrets of the steel passed down by her father.
Mousse and Koetsuji, lastly, spent a lot of time playing checkers, Western chess, shogi, and Go, and within a few weeks, they developed the habit of playing four games simultaneously, on four different boards.
Akisame won 90% of the time, of course, but... considering the monstrous IQ of the Jujitsu Master, starting at 10% was already an incredible percentage, and the boy with the pigtail suspected that soon Mousse would win 15% of the games, then 20%...
The truth was, for once in his life, Ranma felt a little jealous of Mousse. He only now realized, not so much Mousse's potential as a martial artist, which he already knew and respected, but his potential overall, in every aspect.
Mousse was a sort of genius, another Leonardo da Vinci like Akisame, capable of mastering dozens of different and complex subjects. He had realized he was wasting himself washing dishes at the Neko Hanten and had found a way to turn his life around.
And what does that say about me? Mousse is ALMOST as strong as I am, and in addition, he knows how to do many other things... while I... am I just a monkey who only knows how to fight?
What else can I do, really? What could I devote my life to if not martial arts?
As the Elder had said, almost everyone at the Ryozampaku has other talents besides martial ones... Akisame can do EVERYTHING, but he's specialized in medicine and art. Kensei is an expert in acupuncture and esoteric practices. Sakaki is a skilled investigator and bodyguard. Shigure can forge metal objects with rare mastery. Apachai... okay, he has no other talents, unless babysitting and dog-sitting are considered talents.
Darn, even Kenichi is a botanist and a writer, and he's even won an award as an emerging author.
And I... What else am I?
Noticing his brooding, Hayato Furinji approached him and asked if everything was alright.
For some reason, Ranma felt like confiding in him.
"Uhm... I understand what you mean, Ranma," he finally said, stroking his flowing beard.
"In fact, there are three possible answers to your question."
"Three different ones? And what are they?"
"Well, the first is that you DO have other talents, but you don't notice them. I mean, you're a pretty good cook, as we've experienced here as well. You're learning what it means to train someone in martial arts, besides learning them yourself, and teaching is a skill in and of itself." [Ranma couldn't tell if Hayato was referring to Kenichi, or if he had sniffed something out about Kisara].
"You also have a certain influence on the people around you, and that's one of the rarest talents. Moreover, Sakaki told me you've accepted learning something about his work as an investigator. It doesn't seem to me that you have nothing in life besides martial arts."
Ranma hadn't thought about that. He tended to take everything for granted.
Was it normal that things concerning oneself were best seen from the outside? Had others, Mousse, Ryoga, Kuno, also felt jealous of him without considering in what areas they were more skilled or fortunate?
"The second answer," the Elder continued, "is that... well, look at me. I DON'T HAVE any other talents, aside from martial arts, and yet in that field, my talent is UNMATCHED."
He began to boast, raising his voice and placing his fists on his hips.
"It's possible that those who are blessed by heaven and destined for great things cannot have multiple talents because their main talent takes up ALL THE AVAILABLE SPACE," he declared in the most theatrical way possible.
A large sweat drop formed on Ranma's temple. "And the third explanation?"
"Oh, well, that's the easiest of all," the Elder said, returning to normal and winking. "If you don't know what your other talents are... then DISCOVER THEM. Life is only one, yes, but it's still long. Blessed boy, the world would be a miserable place if, at twenty, a person had already exhausted everything they had to discover about themselves. But as long as you're alive, every day is a discovery! Do you remember what I told you when you first arrived here? That you can only have different experiences to find your path. And it's still like that. Maybe at thirty, you'll discover you have a talent for painting. Maybe at fifty, you'll discover you're a great fashion designer. Maybe in ten minutes, you'll discover you enjoy singing folk songs.
Never set limits for yourself, boy.
Remember: the only limits you have are the limits of your imagination."
Ranma looked at him with admiration, his mouth agape.
Hayato truly was the head of that dojo for a reason, after all. He wasn't just strong: he was wise, charismatic, and had the ability to inspire others and bring out the best in everyone.
"And never compare yourself to others, it's foolish.
Everyone is destined to do something different in life, and we all have our purpose.
Each of us is a great piece of a puzzle that only exists if we all put it together.
And while you're envying others, they're envying you. But none of you know what it's like to be the other. None of us knows the weight others carry, while we only see the positive sides of their life. Many of us would like to have the same results as others without making the same sacrifices.
And then, why strive to be someone else?
Doesn't that prevent us from making the most beautiful and difficult journey of all?
The journey to... be ourselves?
We must explore who we are. Discover it. Develop it.
But most importantly, accept it. And love it.
Love the person you will become, Ranma Saotome, because that will be the only company you will never part with."
A long silence followed. Ranma had stars in his eyes.
He bowed to the Elder and walked away in silence. He had much to think about.
Then Akisame and Kensei approached.
"Wow, Elder, when you put your mind to it, you really can give some good speeches, huh?"
"Of course, but in the case of that boy, it was necessary to lift his spirits."
"Uh... are you referring to the particular situation he's in?" hypothesized Koetsuji.
"Always sharp, Akisame. Yes, that's it," Hayato confirmed.
"As you both know, Ranma is going through a very important and delicate phase in his life. Although he is undoubtedly good-hearted, he has already suffered much for someone so young, and must have recently lost all the certainties he once had. Furthermore, he doesn't know what to do with his life, is evolving rapidly as a martial artist, and is still unsure about Katsujinken and Satsujinken. If he were in a different phase, I wouldn't be worried, but... in the one he is in... it doesn't take much. Just a tiny push in the wrong direction.
And you both know what I'm referring to, because there was someone who was strikingly similar to Ranma in the purity with which he lived solely for martial arts. He trained right here, in this dojo, under the three of us... and he took the worst possible path."
"Isshinsai Ogata," Akisame confirmed.
"But, Elder," protested Kensei, "do you really think Ranma is at risk of becoming like him? In every way, he doesn't seem like the type."
"Don't underestimate the impact on a man of having everything he wants and losing it," countered the Elder, "or, conversely, of searching for something all his life and never finding it."
"And... can we help Ranma find what he truly seeks?" Kensei hesitated.
"I hope so," the Elder concluded.
Ranma Saotome... you are like a coin we've flipped in the air... if it lands heads, you'll become like Kenichi... or like me, but if it lands tails... no, I mustn't think of it.
Even at the risk of repeating past mistakes, a master's duty is to try to pass on the right values to the next generation... and have faith in them.
Akisame seemed to be gazing off into the distance, thoughtful.
The next day, Tuesday, Ranma was scheduled to train with Koetsuji. The Jujitsu Master arrived just as the ponytailed boy seemed to still be pondering the deep conversation from the day before, leaning against a post under the porch.
"Good morning, Koetsuji-sensei," the student politely greeted him.
"Good morning, Ranma," replied the master, pulling out the stack of game boxes he usually used with Mousse.
"Huh? What do you need those for now? Mousse will train with you tomorrow; today he's with Kensei."
"I'm perfectly aware of that," he replied. "In fact, it's with YOU that I want to play."
"Huh? With me? Sensei, you must be a bit confused. I've never played a board game in my life!"
"All the more reason to start now," he concluded, making himself comfortable at the table he used for games.
Ranma raised an eyebrow and sat down as well.
Akisame explained the rules, and they started playing.
But after NINETY-NINE consecutive losses at checkers, the pigtailed boy was understandably frustrated.
"Come on, Sensei! Why do you keep insisting? Is this because of what I said yesterday? I talked to the Elder, I'm fine! Why do you keep making me do this activity? It's pointless, I'm an idiot, these games aren't for me."
"Ranma Saotome!" The mustachioed master had never been so serious with him, and Ranma fell silent.
"Why have you convinced yourself that you're stupid? Yet I'm sure that, for most of your life, you boasted about how clever you were at overcoming challenges thrown your way."
"Well, yeah... but those were almost always related to martial arts."
"And what of it? Do you think martial arts are activities for idiots? That intelligence isn't required to practice them, master them, or surpass your limits?"
"Of course not, but..."
"There's no 'but.' It's true that there are DIFFERENT types of intelligence. Some people are more inclined toward mathematics and logic, others toward abstract reasoning, interpersonal relationships, and so on. And each person has more or less talent in one of these areas, depending on natural aptitude and training.
But I don't believe for a second that you're stupid. I think you've always used your intelligence for a DIFFERENT PURPOSE than theoretical learning. In fact, I bet that even in school, you actually did quite well but didn't apply yourself much, right?"
"Uh, yeah, you've busted me."
"Meanwhile, correct me if I'm wrong, your father—who I believe was your primary trainer—didn't just teach you martial arts, but made you practice a wide variety of activities, didn't he?"
Ranma recalled how, during elementary school, his father enrolled him in dance classes, go-kart races, taught him to write simultaneously with both hands and feet, forced him to juggle like a circus performer, spinning balls while riding a unicycle, and countless other things.
"Well, yeah, that's true, but how do you..."
"It's evident in countless details of how you behave. So, he didn't just teach you martial arts. He taught you to LEARN THINGS, period. That's why you have such a versatile intelligence, allowing you to learn anything taught to you in no time, isn't that right? Sure, it works better with physical activities, but..."
Ranma felt a jolt. It was true.
He could learn any practical activity quickly, though he mostly used that talent to learn martial arts techniques.
"And there's another very particular type of intelligence you possess. From what I can see, you specialize in OBSERVING AND ANALYZING what others do, their strengths and weaknesses. That's why you can have insights worthy of Sherlock Holmes into their character, history, and secret techniques when facing opponents."
That was also true. Ranma knew he was that good. He often bragged about it. But he never thought of it as an intellectual activity, so to speak.
"But... so I'm some kind of prodigy... in general, and not just in martial arts?"
"POTENTIALLY, yes. But it's up to you whether or not to develop that gift."
Ranma paused to reflect on the implications of this. Many of his insecurities melted away like snow in the sun, but...
"Then, why can't I beat you at these games? And why are you making me play them? Do they require a different type of intelligence? Or..."
"I'm having you play these games for the same reason I play them with Mousse, although, in your case, we're starting much further back.
All these games are literally simulations of battles, and in the past, they were played by generals to keep themselves sharp. In Japan, in the practice of budo, it's considered important to be cultured and to train the brain, not just the muscles. In fact, many martial artists often exercise with strategy games."
Ranma had a revelation.
His father and Soun played Shogi ALL DAY LONG!
With what results, he couldn't say, but he had finally discovered the reason!
"And in particular, Ranma," Akisame continued, "you shouldn't be so concerned about losing in itself—you are, after all, playing against me—but rather about HOW you lose. This indicates a bigger problem."
"What bigger problem?"
"The fact that, even though you make some good moves, they don't lead anywhere, and you get defeated in the next turn. Essentially, you've mastered tactics, but not strategy. And I suspect that applies to martial arts... and life in general, doesn't it?
You're used to tackling the immediate obstacle in front of you head-on, and you might even find brilliant solutions, but then... you don't know how to plan long-term.
I bet that in life, too, you deal with crises as they arise, but then drag the same recurring problems for years without solving them once and for all, isn't that so?"
Ranma was completely taken aback.
It was the story of his life.
He was always fighting, always winning, but then always ending up back where he started.
A rivalry, an unwanted engagement... many of those problems were now behind him, but he had never developed strategies to solve them.
He faced life as it came.
"And these games are perfect for developing that kind of thinking. You, Ranma, are now like a company commander who finds a shortcut and flanks the enemy.
But you need to become the general who positions the troops so that he already knows in advance that he'll win the battle before it even starts.
In short, if you don't plan ahead where you want to go... you'll never beat me."
Sakaki had kept his promise and spent Saturdays and Sundays instructing Ranma in his line of work.
He taught him how to search premises, tail people, recognize clues, interrogate suspects, and detect when they were lying, and so on.
Sometimes he created simulations, but more often, he took Ranma along to solve easy cases, explaining where and when he made mistakes.
Ranma realized that a certain subtlety was required for the job, but also that, all in all, he had a knack for it.
At the same time, the karateka was still concerned about Ranma's inability to dodge bullets, so for an entire weekend, he took him to a field where a petite, blonde American woman named Jenny, a friend of Sakaki's, fired at him. From what Ranma could gather, Jenny worked at a military base or something of the sort and was on leave. Although she fired rubber pellets from airguns, Ranma quickly discovered that being hit still hurt. Jenny, being at a Master's level in handling firearms, presented a much more serious challenge than Noyamura.
Ranma had to learn finer skills such as recognizing potential sniper points, dodging a hail of bullets in open ground, finding cover properly, and most importantly, how to attack and disarm an armed opponent (which wasn't easy, since Jenny was also trained in many disarmament-prevention techniques).
By the end of the weekend, a Ranma completely covered in bruises from rubber bullets from head to toe had gained enough skill to avoid 99% of gunmen below Jenny's level, and Sakaki felt confident enough to declare that he would take Ranma on any mission (as he said this, sipping yet another beer while his exhausted student lay on the ground, and Jenny persisted in insisting on being taken out for dinner).
One Saturday evening, Sakaki was taking Ranma for a walk through Tokyo. They hadn't done their usual training that day, but the karateka hadn't explained his plans to Ranma.
"Why all the mystery?" asked the pigtailed boy. "And why didn't we take the bike?"
"Tch! You'll see soon enough. I don't want to ruin the surprise," replied Shio with a sly smile. "As for my bike, if you like it so much, save up and buy one."
"Maybe I will," Ranma replied absentmindedly. "For now, I want to save up with my part-time jobs—the other ones and the ones you find for me. By the way…"
"There's no news on Noyamura," Sakaki cut him off. "But I've got him under surveillance, and he hasn't left his apartment or received any calls. Inspector Honmaki approved my plan and has guaranteed us all the support we need, so all we can do now is wait. I don't think it'll be long… Oh, and there's another update."
"What is it?"
"I talked with the Elder, and he agrees that this will be a great training opportunity. When we raid the ship to capture the smugglers, Miu and Kenichi will be coming along."
"WHAT?!"
"Of course! What's so strange? Miu's been doing this kind of thing since she was a kid, don't you remember? As for Kenichi, this won't be the first time we've involved him in what I like to call 'Underground Missions,' to let him experience real martial arts. This time, you'll be there too, so everything should go smoothly… probably."
Ranma lowered his head, thoughtful.
Sometimes I forget I'm stuck in a den of lunatics. I can almost understand Kenichi…
But he was shaken from his thoughts when Sakaki suddenly stopped and exclaimed:
"We're here."
There was a large square opening in a wall leading to a staircase descending underground. Hundreds of people, from all walks of life, were swarming in. A large neon sign simply read, 'The Greatest Show on Earth.'
"What kind of place is this?"
"The underground fighting arena," Sakaki replied, as if he were talking about a public park.
"What? So, we're here to… watch the fights? Or maybe…"
Sakaki gave him a shark-like grin.
"Not just that… I want to bet. I'm going to put all my money on one fighter, and I know I'll win because… I'm betting it all on you."
"What? You want me to fight for money?"
"Not at all. I want you to fight to train. The fact that we'll make a ton of money is just the cherry on top."
Ugh. Really, this guy…
When they entered, chaos reigned. The spectators and bettors seemed possessed in lust for violence and in betting, displaying the worst of human nature.
"Disgusting," commented Ranma.
"Don't think about them; think about how much money we'll make."
"You maybe meant: think about the training."
"Yeah, yeah, that too, of course."
Ranma noticed several different rings, each uniquely designed, with the floor made of steel plates, recently redone to accommodate mechanical modifications.
A man with a large, flattened face approached Sakaki with an oily demeanor.
"Master Sakaki, what a pleasure to see you. Here to place a bet?"
"Hello, boss. I see you're still alive. Yes, I'm here to bet on my new disciple," he said, presenting Ranma.
"Hi, I'm Ra—"
"He's really RAPIDly getting into the spirit of participating in this prestigious tournament. I'll take him to the locker rooms," the man said, cutting him off. Then, in a whisper, he added, "It's not wise to give your real name around here."
As Ranma was ushered toward the locker rooms, he noticed a boxer with a pigtail sending his opponent flying out of the ring.
"Hey, that's Takeda."
"Huh? Yeah, he's a regular here. The big guy by the ring is his Master, James Shiba, a Grandmaster of Boxing. But be careful—he's an untrustworthy guy who only cares about money. It's no wonder Akisame can't stand him."
Ranma spotted the towering man with absurd mustaches, an eye patch, and a prosthetic leg. He was the Master responsible for Ikki standing out among the Shimpaku.
Tsk! Maybe this night will be interesting after all.
Ranma found himself wearing blue shorts that Sakaki had bought him. He had also been given very thin gloves that left his fingers exposed. "But I don't need them," Ranma declared.
"You don't, but your opponents do. You don't want to mess them up too badly, right?"
When Ranma was called to the ring, he was asked what stage name he wanted to use. "Uh… I'm not sure…"
The announcer decided for him.
"AND NOW ON RING #3, MAKING HIS DEBUT IN THIS ARENA… ACCOMPANIED BY MASTER SAKAKI… THE PIGTAILED BOY!"
What the heck! He could have been more creative.
His first opponent was a massive, bald man with powerful muscles and legs covered in scars. Ranma guessed he practiced Muay Thai.
"Fight!"
"Hey, wait! What are the rules?"
"There are none," Sakaki answered dryly. "Hey, you, I'm betting all this money on my student."
Ranma swiftly dodged a roundhouse kick aimed at his ribs with an agile leap. He took advantage of the movement to counter with four or five punches to the face while still airborne.
When he landed, with his back to the man, he expected to hear the giant collapse to the ground and was already preparing a smug remark when the man suddenly lunged forward, throwing an elbow that Ranma barely avoided by bending forward at the last second. He was shocked.
Sakaki smirked.
But then…?
With a fluid motion, the opponent followed through with a spinning kick that missed Ranma, as he deliberately bounced off the ropes and launched himself like a missile.
As he performed a flying kick, he shouted:
Comet Kick! Second Version!
The impact was devastating, and the giant was knocked to the ground. But as Ranma caught his breath, more from surprise than exhaustion, the man stood up as if nothing had happened.
What?
Meanwhile, the crowd began to get excited. Everyone was betting on the large Muay Thai fighter. Sakaki kept grinning.
The giant started throwing a barrage of punches, using them to close the distance and land knee strikes to Ranma's sternum. This forced Ranma into a defensive stance, backpedaling quickly without knowing how to counter.
"Sakaki! What's going on?"
"What? Haven't you figured it out yet? Usually, you're sharper than this. This guy's at Master level but has trained almost entirely on his own. Basically, he surpasses you in raw strength and resistance to blows, but you're superior in technique and speed. If you keep just defending or hitting him with those weak punches like a preschool boy, you're going to get beaten!"
Damn it! What a great opponent for my first match. It's like I'm fighting Ryoga again!
Reaching the center of the ring, Ranma decided to use a secret technique.
Modified Version of the Chestnut Fist
As hundreds of lightning-fast punches struck the man, hitting him all over his body, the crowd let out a series of "oohs" and "aahs," and also plenty of "oh no!" thinking of their bets.
Only Sakaki muttered, "Idiot."
For a moment, the Nak Muay* remained frozen in the pose where he had taken the hits, but then his eyes lit up again, and he lunged at Ranma with renewed fury and a wicked smile.
The crowd roared.
I can't believe it! The Chestnut Fist didn't work!
By now, the boy with the pigtail was barely dodging the giant's blows, moving chaotically as the opponent, determined to finish quickly, used only the most lethal strikes: knees and elbows at full power.
Every time he missed, he broke a piece of the ring, whether it was the floor, one of the posts, or the ropes, which were snapped in half by his bones. In no time, it felt like being on a battlefield.
The crowd's excitement was at its peak—they were savoring the moment when the prey would no longer escape the hunter.
Ranma was catching his breath, cornered. He turned his face toward his Master, though it irritated him greatly to ask for advice.
Shio Sakaki sighed. "I wasn't lying when I told you this would be good training. How is it possible that, after these months, you still haven't realized that at Ryozampaku, we're trying to fix your flaws?
Unlike Kenichi, who throws a bunch of random techniques, you throw fast, precise punches and kicks. But if you throw too many of them too fast, you inevitably reduce their power. There are opponents you can't defeat by throwing dozens of weak techniques—it's just a waste of energy. Remember the Hiken Hissatsu* you learned as a child. Choose your target and throw fewer blows, but all at maximum power."
He's right. How did I not think of that?
Instinctively, I always rely on speed, which is one of my strengths…especially against slower opponents. But a punch at 100% power and one at 40%... move at the same speed, but cause different damage.
As he thought this, his aura expanded. The giant charged at him, fist loaded, shouting:
"NOW YOU'RE DONE FOR!"
It happened in an instant.
Ranma threw punches so powerful that the impact created small shockwaves.
One under the ribs, on the left side.
One in the center, on the sternum.
Another on the jaw.
He was about to throw a fourth, at the nose, but stopped at the last second.
His opponent remained frozen in the position where he had been hit by the first blow, but as soon as the hits stopped, he slowly collapsed to the ground, eyes white.
For a long moment, the crowd was silent, shocked. Then, cheers, curses, and all sorts of joyful outbursts erupted.
Ranma sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Sakaki merely said, "About time," before grabbing one of the staff to collect the winnings.
The boy with the pigtail suddenly sensed a malicious intent directed at him and turned toward one of the other rings.
Glaring at him was a Western girl, as athletic as she was voluptuous, with a mass of blonde curls—a dream with the eyes of a ferocious beast. She wore a luchador-style outfit (6*) and a mask that partially covered her face.
Ranma had no doubt that this was the same person who had chased him out of school that day. Only, back then, he had seen her in female form.
Sakaki also noticed her and frowned. Then he approached the ropes and said, "That girl's name is Rachel Stanley, also known as Castor. She's part of Yomi, the organization of Yami disciples: Kenichi and his friends know her well."
So, I was right to sense something off. She's part of Yomi.
"Although many of the old members have split from the organization and now operate independently, we can say we're in a sort of truce with them. She's the disciple of the Grand Master of Lucha Libre, Diego Carlo, the Smiling Steel Fist, and she's a regular here. Oh, one more thing: she hates anyone who attracts more attention than she does."
So, aside from me and Takeda, there are other little stars here, huh?
Then his attention was drawn by the commotion coming from one of the rings to his right.
Two fighters were dueling with swords!
And one of them was Mousse!
So that's what he was up to on some of the days he wasn't training at Ryozampaku! He was testing himself in real fights!
Mousse's opponent was tough, but he fought with a determination Ranma had rarely seen in him. After parrying several fierce attacks, Mousse countered with lightning-fast thrusts that shattered his opponent's weapon into five pieces and cut through his clothes, leaving him in his underwear.
As the defeated fighter slid out of the ring, the Chinese boy savored his victory. Glancing around, he spotted Ranma, and after a moment of surprise, gave him a knowing smile. The boy with the pigtail returned the look.
A few seconds later, the head of the arena grabbed the microphone for an announcement:
"Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, we're having a night unlike any we've seen in a long time at the Fight Arena. We have four young athletes who are really heating things up; two of them have been here before, while the other two are newcomers. Now, I ask you:
wouldn't you like to SEE THEM PUT TO THE TEST?"
A unanimous "HOORAY!" erupted from the crowd.
"Umph! The boss hasn't lost his magic touch for the show business" commented Sakaki.
"Not on the level of Master Diego, but this guy knows how to put on a show," conceded Rachel.
"That's why I'm proposing an exciting elimination formula," the organizer continued.
"Each of these kids will fight simultaneously on our newly customized rings. Each one will face ten opponents in succession, meaning those currently waiting for a match, in 'King of the Hill' style. Whoever wins stays in as the main fighter and will face the next challengers.
Will the four rookies manage to defend their position?
And if they do, who among the four finalists will survive the no-rules Battle Royale that will conclude the night?"
The crowd was practically in a frenzy, as if a dozen celebrities had just walked in all at once.
"Uhm…Interesting," thought Ranma and Mousse.
"Great opportunity to show off," Rachel contemplated.
"Tsk! This is going to be tough, but... I have to at least give it a shot," Takeda weighed his options. "I'd love to face Ranma again."
"Of course," concluded the presenter, "for such a special show, the base bet is double the usual."
"Ah! That old fox!" Sakaki sneered.
At a signal from the organizer, someone pressed a few buttons, and the steel slabs that made up the floor began to move. As the spectators shifted, the current rings disappeared, swallowed by the floor, being lowered by large pistons, like those of forklifts, while others took their place in the same manner.
Next to Ranma, a ring stood that was more like a round platform, similar to a sumo wrestling ring but elevated four meters off the ground.
For Rachel, a large cage closed on all sides appeared, with a ceiling six meters high and some wrestling props inside.
Takeda found himself with an almost normal ring... but with eight sides instead of four.
Mousse, lastly, got the most dangerous one: a regular four-sided ring... but with barbed wire instead of ropes.
Next to each one, all the opponents were already lining up.
"BEGIN!" the organizer proclaimed.
Ranma's first opponent was a Chinese fighter dressed in flowing clothes, similar to Mousse, who fought using a sailor's hook in one hand and a saber in the other. He wasn't very strong but was nearly as fast as Ranma, and he tried to combine his attacks to either cut him or maim him with the hook to slow him down. His attack combinations were inventive, and Ranma soon found himself sweating nervously.
On top of that, he couldn't retreat too much without risking falling off the edge. When he reached the limit, he made a long leap with a somersault to return to the center of the ring, but the Chinese fighter quickly raised the hook and managed to catch him mid-air, grazing his shoulder.
The ponytailed boy turned and glared at him, "Alright, playtime's over."
The other fighter resumed his attack, this time reversing the order: he feinted with the left hand holding the hook and then brought the saber down from above with the right. But just as he was savoring the moment of slicing his opponent, the blade was stopped... by his own hook.
Ranma had grabbed his wrist after the last feint and twisted it in such a way that the hook intercepted the weapon perfectly. Then he twisted it again, and the much stronger hook snapped the blade in two... while his dislocated wrist dropped the hook, which Ranma kicked off the platform.
"Curse you! You'll pay for this!" swore the opponent, attempting a thrust with the broken sword, but the ponytailed boy spun on himself, letting the attack continue into empty space, then grabbed his sword hand and finished him off with an upward kick that struck him square on the chin.
"Next!"
"Uhm... he seems to have found his rhythm," observed Sakaki.
Things weren't easy in the other rings either.
Takeda was facing a sumo wrestler, bouncing from one set of ropes to another to avoid his attacks.
Rachel was having a blast inside the cage, executing all the most spectacular techniques she could think of: hurricanrana from the top rope, diving cross body from the roof of the structure, flying dropkicks across the ring, and adding in chair shots to the back or head of her unfortunate opponents. Often, she'd pretend to be in trouble to heighten the tension (and raise the bets) and then "turn the tables" at the last moment. She enjoyed coming up with new ways to use the cage: in one instance, she dodged a charging attack, causing her poor opponent to get his head stuck between the bars, followed by a low blow. Once or twice, she even pretended to get stuck between the ropes, with half of her chest spilling out of her costume, to draw more attention from the crowd (a tactic that had surprising success).
Mousse was battling an opponent using Kali sticks, similar to Freya, who was skillfully bouncing around the ring, trying to push him into the barbed wire. The Chinese boy blocked all the strikes with a long staff, and then, when he seemed too close to the ropes... he suddenly pulled out a rope with surprising speed, lassoed his enemy, and hurled him toward the opposite side of the ring, trapping him in the barbed wire. The poor guy opted to surrender.
While fighting one opponent after another, Ranma felt the adrenaline taking over, but at the same time... something felt wrong.
The occasional glances he cast toward the other rings, and the now-demonic crowd screaming and betting, didn't give him any pleasant images.
This is violence for the sake of violence. It's greed, corruption, pure ego. I'm not comfortable here.
Though... I understand that this was something I needed to experience.
To understand my opponents, I must adapt to their environment and figure out how they think, how they reason.
It surprised me to see Mousse, but I'm the one out of place here. He's always been less scrupulous. Not to mention the girl from Yomi.
In a way... shedding limits, diving into the dark side... it definitely gives you an advantage.
While I've always been at a disadvantage against those who fought dirty.
Is this their life?
The life of those who live in the shadows?
He was pulled from this thought by a triple spin with equally triple kicks from a capoeira user, who, on three attacks at different heights, managed to strike his torso while Ranma blocked the head and low blows with his arms.
But as his opponent attempted a piercing kick to his exposed torso, Ranma swept his foot out, knocking out the arm the capoeirista was using to balance his body upside down, causing him to crash on his back. Then Ranma delivered a push kick with the other leg, sending him sliding to the edge of the ring...
He seemed to have fallen off, but when the pigtailed boy looked over to check, his opponent, clinging by his fingertips, flipped his body forward in a somersault and hooked Ranma's armpits with his heels, then snapped back to fling him off.
"Tsk! Nice move! Almost like one of mine!" Ranma scoffed as he recovered from the surprise.
He freed himself from the hold and grabbed his opponent's ankles, causing him to lose momentum and swing forward like a pendulum, with Ranma still hanging onto his legs, propelling them both toward the post holding up the ring.
Ranma gave it a powerful kick with his legs, sending them swinging in the opposite direction, and when they reached the edge of the ring, he began flipping in mid-air, using the momentum to drag the capoeirista off the edge of the structure and bring them both crashing back toward the center of the platform.
"Let me go! You're crazy?" the opponent shouted as they, after a circus-worthy flight, plummeted toward the ring center with Ranma clinging on top.
"No, I'm not crazy. I've just... been trained differently."
Ranma slipped mid-air behind his enemy and grabbed him by the shoulders. Rachel would have been proud (or envious) to see how he landed a perfect German Suplex that knocked out his opponent, foam spilling from his mouth.
Opponent after opponent came.
Takeda took out one of the last with a devastating uppercut.
Rachel smashed another foe's head to the ground with yet another hurricanrana.
Mousse took down a Westerner wielding two axes with a perfect diagonal slash across the torso... using the back of his sword, as Shigure had taught.
Everyone was starting to run out of breath and had numerous bruises. Even Ranma had a few. That kick to the ribs had hurt.
Almost all of my opponents were on par with me.
Rachel had a bloodied bruise on her forehead, another on her right side, one behind her left thigh, and various scrapes, but she didn't seem to care.
Ikki had large bruises on his right shoulder and left shin, courtesy of a brawler's headbutt and a Thai practitioner's low kicks.
Mousse had a cut on his cheek, his entire right sleeve torn, and a couple of minor injuries.
Sakaki and Shiba had continued betting on their respective disciples and winning, but they also watched the other rings with the same concerned expression.
Each of the contenders had been given different opponents, but ones that highlighted their own style. Rachel had faced various other wrestlers. Mousse had faced almost exclusively armed opponents. This couldn't have been a coincidence.
The arena was heavily invested in the event's success, hoping to have them always reach the grand final.
Finally, the tenth opponent came for each of them.
For Ranma, it was a specialist in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and ground fighting in general, who took advantage of his exhaustion to bring him to the ground and execute a Rear Naked Choke (10*).
The pigtailed boy grew irritated, thinking that the last person to have overpowered him with ground fighting had been his father, and back when he was still in middle school. Since then, he had always managed to force his enemies to face him standing.
Well, with Akisame, I wouldn't succeed. But this guy is definitely not Akisame.
The others were also dealing with their own struggles.
Takeda was dodging axe kicks from a TaeKwonDo practitioner who, like Ranma and Kisara, attacked with big leaps to then come crashing down on their opponent.
Rachel faced an armed opponent for the first time, who wielded two small Kriss blades (11*).
Mousse, for the first time, faced an unarmed fighter, a Mongolian giant.
"Well thought out," reflected Sakaki."They've worn them out with opponents at their level and matching styles, only to surprise them with a completely different opponent in the final round.
If these four don't make it, the betting base will have to reset, and even without guessing the final winner, the arena will lose very little.
But if all four survive, since there's a big gap in level between Ranma and Mousse and the other two, they already know one of them will definitely win, and they can minimize the damage.
Even better… they'll push the audience to bet on one of the clear losers, Rachel or Takeda, pretending the match is rigged to let them win.
The Arena would lose too much if the winner were guessed too easily. The bets would concentrate on them, everyone would win, but only small sums.
Instead, if almost the entire audience falls for it, betting on Rachel and Takeda, the arena could participate in the bets through some proxies… bet 50% on Ranma and Mousse and make a big profit without losing anything… it's better to disappoint the public with a negative result than to let them win small amounts predictably… that's how gamblers think.
After all, no one would want to admit they were tricked, and the next time, they'll come back to bet again to try and win back their losses.
But to influence the betting, they must have agents among the crowd. Let's see if I can spot them… Ah-ha!"
Sakaki caught James Shiba's eye and nodded to signal the disruptors. The boxer signaled that he understood, and both went quietly to deal with them.
Ranma managed to defeat his opponent by delivering a series of elbows to the torso to break free from the hold, then turned and finished him with an upward elbow to the face.
Mousse had pushed the giant back with a flurry of quick kicks, then threw a weighted rope at him, wrapping it around his neck and slamming the weight down on his skull.
Rachel had lured her opponent's dagger strikes until, in a lunge, he hit the cage and got his arms stuck, then she finished him with a jumping knee strike.
Takeda had dodged all his opponent's attacks by a hair's breadth and countered with punches to his joints, until at some point the guy couldn't move his legs to jump anymore and was approached and defeated with an uppercut to the chin.
All four were out of breath, but overall, they were doing fine.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…THE WINNERS! AGAINST ALL ODDS, THEY DID IT! THEY TRULY ARE THE STARS OF THIS NIGHT!
AND NOW…THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! THE FINAL BATTLE ROYALE!"
The four rings were sucked under the floor, and the final one emerged.
It was the strangest of them all.
No ropes and elevated, but only by a couple of meters, like Ranma's. Eight sides.
With four curved poles extending from four of the corners, meeting several meters above, like a birdcage with few bars. And all around, instead of the usual corner posts for the ropes… sharp spikes jutted out from the edges.
It was a combination of all four previous rings.
You could use the bars to hang on and perform aerial moves, but it was also possible to fall out and be eliminated. You could move in many directions, but had to watch out for the spikes.
So, it's almost over thought Ranma, nodding at Mousse as if to say, "let's give it our all," which the Chinese boy reciprocated.
Takeda entered with enthusiasm, but also a bit of fear, knowing he was up against an incredibly tough challenge, but also that his Master wouldn't tolerate giving up.
Rachel Stanley ascended the steps like a queen rising to her throne.
"Winning or losing doesn't matter, but entertaining the crowd and standing out more than the others, even in defeat. That is Diego Quality."
When the four youths faced each other, amid the deafening roar of the crowd, their expressions were very different.
Mousse's face was a mask of wax. Takeda appeared both excited and worried. Rachel seemed to savor the moment as if she had a slice of cake in front of her. Ranma was serious and frowning. He spoke first to Takeda and Rachel.
"Guys, I know I'm probably wasting my breath, but… how about you withdraw?"
"Umph! Do you want the spotlight all to yourself? You remind me of a girl I met recently… you're not related by any chance?" asked the luchadora, disdainful.
"I'm sorry Ranma, but I can't do that," confirmed Takeda. "I know I'm outclassed, but… I have to at least try. My Master wouldn't forgive me if I withdrew. Heck, I wouldn't forgive myself for missing the chance to fight in such a battle. However it ends, I'll learn something. And besides," he added with his best smile, "my life was changed by Kenichi. He's my example. And he's someone who never gives up."
The boy with the pigtail was touched and said nothing more. It was Mousse who spoke next.
"Umph, you're both real idiots. Don't you get it? This soft-hearted fool wants to avoid doing you too much harm. But know that I don't have the same scruples. My goal is to fight only him. But if you get in my way, you'll regret it," and with that, he drew a weapon and lunged at Ranma.
It was a telescopic staff, made of lightweight metal, like aluminum. But Mousse wielded it skillfully, spinning it at great speed like a helicopter's blades. Ranma found himself backing up on the defensive.
Rachel let out a battle cry, jumped up toward the pipes, grabbed them with her arms, and then acrobatically dropped down onto the two fighters. Takeda, not wanting to be left behind, dove forward, aiming to strike Mousse in the kidneys.
Ranma dealt with Rachel. He shifted his feet to make sure she landed on him instead of Mousse and his weapons. At the same time, Mousse, while seemingly attacking Ranma, blindly extended his staff behind him, striking Takeda in the side and knocking him to the ground before he could attack.
Then he gave him a disdainful glance, as if to say, "It'll take you another 100 years…"
Rachel landed on Ranma, launching a barrage of kicks, which the boy with the pigtail blocked with his forearms. The American girl was making one of her proclamations when the boy, to get her out of the way as Mousse came charging back, grabbed one of her boots while she was mid-air and hurled her toward the ground, making sure she didn't hit the spikes.
He's fighting… protecting me? Unforgivable! the blonde thought.
So, as Ranma dealt with Mousse, the girl stretched out a leg from the ground to sweep his legs out from under him as he backed away: the boy with the pigtail found himself falling toward the floor, with his rival taking advantage.
But, just before being struck, with perfect timing, he grabbed Mousse's staff, stopping its movement. Mousse fell on top of him, but Ranma bucked, and with a backward somersault, flipped him to the ground, ending up on top of him. Mousse countered with a barrage of kicks to his stomach, but in doing so, realized that Ranma had snatched the staff from his hand, which he then threw out of the ring.
Mousse stood up proudly, getting into a stance, inviting Ranma to fight bare-handed. The latter eagerly accepted.
But Mousse unleashed a rapid barrage of kicks, more precise and flexible than Ranma's own, which he could only block with his forearms.
"Well done, Mousse, you've improved again."
"I didn't go to Ryozampaku to play around."
While the two faced off, Takeda was paralyzed by the sight of their level of technique, when Rachel attacked him furiously with a barrage of knee strikes.
At his expression of surprise, she said, in a low voice, "Well, we can't let them steal the show, right? If the fight splits into two separate duels, the audience will be able to follow better, and we'll have our own space too."
"But… but I…," the boxer protested, "I can't fight full strength against a girl!"
"Too bad for you!" declared Rachel, slamming him to the ground with a hurricanrana, then continuing to hold him in a leg lock around his neck even as they were on the ground.
"That kind of sexist thinking irritated me even when it was Kenichi doing it, but I've come to realize in his case it's a deep belief. I think with you, it's just shyness."
"Cough! What are… you… saying? Cough!"
Ranma and Mousse continued to move along the platform, exchanging techniques at high speed: now leaping into the air, intercepting each other's flurries of kicks, now confronting each other in the center of the ring, with Ranma trying to land a few powerful blows to break through Mousse's defenses and Mousse trying to strike with knife-hand blows to the weak points of Ranma's body, with rapid and fluid movements. But while, on the surface, they seemed to be moving without a plan, they soon approached where Rachel and Takeda were fighting.
Takeda was precision-punching the luchadora's boots as she kicked at him, intercepting her strikes, when…
…the human tornado of Ranma and Mousse spun between them, almost by chance…
…the two younger fighters jumped backward simultaneously to avoid being caught up in it…
…and the two older boys took advantage of this to strike them blindly from behind with their palms (Ranma hitting Ikki and Mousse hitting Rachel), knocking both backward…
…causing them to fall out of the ring and be eliminated.
"Hey! That's not fair!" protested Rachel.
Darn… I'd understand Ranma… but even that Chinese guy executed this plan without them talking—Takeda reflected—those two must really know each other well…
Ranma and Mousse exchanged a quick smile and resumed fighting: they were locked in a clinch, but the boy with the pigtail turned it into a judo throw, slamming the Chinese boy on his back.
Mousse, however, counterattacked with a quick kick from below, striking him in the shoulder. He leaped to his feet and used the weighted rope to grab onto the upper pipes: he soared through the ring like Tarzan, gathering momentum to strike Ranma with both feet.
The boy with the pigtail blocked, but was knocked onto his back. He quickly sprang back to his feet with a kip-up and counterattacked in a flash, spinning, lowering onto his legs, and dodging Mousse's counterstrike to land an elbow to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The rope with the weight unraveled and fell to the ground.
Meanwhile, Sakaki and Shiba had taken care of all the people meddling with the bets. The Karate Master approached the ring to inform Ranma of the situation.
"HEY RANMA! The fight's rigged! They wanted to decide who could win, to cash in on the bets! Know that now, since they can't do that anymore, they won't let you leave here alive!"
"What?" asked Ranma and Mousse simultaneously, still grappling with each other.
Indeed, unknown to the crowd, dozens of armed thugs were swarming to block all the exits.
"What do we do, Saotome?" asked Mousse.
"Leave it to me, I've got an idea. We need to create a distraction."
The two pushed each other away again, but Ranma snatched a short, wide-bladed knife from Mousse's outfit. Mousse picked up the weighted rope from the ground and, in a fluid motion, hurled it at him. The boy with the pigtail deflected it with the knife, but the weight shot off like a missile and hit the large lighting apparatus that illuminated the arena, damaging it and spraying millions of sparks...
Hmm! Clever, Sakaki thought.
…except that the sparks spread to the other lights, and then to the others, until ALL of them exploded, and some of the rigs began crashing to the ground, as the terrified crowd began to flee.
"YOU OVERDID IT, SAOTOME!" screamed Mousse.
"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW?"
Rachel was signing autographs for a group of bettors, so she didn't immediately notice one of the rigs was falling on her.
"LOOK OUT!"
Ikki dove forward and pushed her aside just before the crash.
"But… but you… saved me?" uttered the girl, surprised.
The other fallen lights hadn't hurt anyone, but EVERYONE was fleeing toward the exits in total chaos.
The lights that had crashed to the ground were also causing a fire, which was spreading more and more.
In that mayhem, for the henchmen who hadn't fled as well, it was impossible to spot their targets.
Shiba grabbed his student under his arm, like a child, and began running toward one of the exits. While Takeda was in that position, a paper airplane shot into his hand, swift as if powered by a jet engine. Unfolding the paper, it had a phone number written on it.
He turned and saw Rachel Stanley, Castor of Yomi, standing in the shadow cast by the flames, calmly walking toward one of the exits on the opposite side. She turned her head toward him and simply said,
"Call me."
In one corner, the arena's owner was crying in despair: "Boohoo, my beautiful venue, how could this happen..."
The three members of Ryozampaku were walking down the street, a little smoky.
"Everywhere you go, Saotome, trouble always follows."
"How is this my fault? It was my first time there."
"Exactly. All the other times, nothing like this ever happened."
"Alright, calm down, boys, calm down. After all, you had a useful experience and didn't get hurt."
"Yeah, sure—scoffed Ranma, disappointed—we came to make money, and instead..."
"Oh, but we DID make money," stated the Master, pulling out the largest wads of cash Ranma had ever seen.
"What do you think, that I don't know places like this?—he explained, seeing Ranma's amazement—When I realized they were trying to rig the outcome, I stopped betting right before the final match. Sure, I didn't multiply our winnings further, but I didn't lose any of what we had earned up until that point.
Oh, by the way, Mousse, these are yours too—he added, tossing him another large bundle of cash—These are the winnings from your matches up to the final. One of the cashiers kindly advanced them to me."
"Ooh, thanks!"
"Alright—concluded Ranma—today's lesson is: from now on, stay away from gamble and bets. Like, forever."
Glossary
Alphabets: In Japan, three distinct alphabets are used, called Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji. The first two are syllabic, meaning they represent sounds like syllables to be combined together, while the third is made up of ideograms (derived from Chinese characters but different) each with its own meaning. A sentence can be written in a combination of the three, though Hiragana is used most frequently. Even the Japanese spend years learning to use them all!
Shogi and Go: are games from the Far East. Shogi is similar to chess, although the meaning of the pieces varies depending on the symbol engraved on them, and all the pieces are shaped like tiles. Go is the most complex game that exists, like checkers but with hundreds of pieces and almost infinite combinations, with the aim of "trapping" the opponent's pieces, preventing them from moving, like on a battlefield.
Budo: Literally, the "Way of the Warrior," that is, the set of ethical behaviors (like the code of ancient knights) and practical and mental training followed by the samurai.
Nak Muay: means a Muay Thai practitioner, in Thai.
Hiken Hissatsu: is the concept in traditional Karate where every strike delivered must be a decisive one, meaning you must be capable of potentially killing an opponent with a single blow.
Luchador (6): means a practitioner of Lucha Libre ("Free Wrestling"), the Mexican version, which is very spectacular and acrobatic, of professional wrestling (like WWE), practiced by Rachel Stanley and her Master, Diego Carlo.
*Hurracanrana, Diving Cross Body, Dropkick (7): Pro wrestling moves. Hurracanrana is a flying head scissors where you trap the opponent's neck between your legs and then perform a sort of backflip, dragging the opponent forward and slamming them into the ground, either on their back or head. Diving Cross Body is a jump from the third rope, purposely crashing into the opponent with your body. With Dropkick, you leap while remaining horizontal in the air, delivering a double-footed kick to the opponent's face.
*Kali (8): A Filipino martial art that primarily uses weapons, like a pair of short sticks, knives, and the curved and short dagger known as a Karambit.
German Suplex (9): A pro wrestling move. If your opponent has their back to you, you wrap your arms around their waist and execute a backward throw, arching into a bridge, slamming them down hard on the upper back, shoulder blades, or the base of the neck.
*Rear Naked Choke (10): A chokehold performed with both forearms if the opponent has their back to you. Sometimes the attacker also wraps their legs around the enemy's torso to prevent movement.
*Kriss (11): A knife with a wavy, curvy blade rather than a straight one, typical of Borneo and Malaysia.
Author's Note:
So here we are, the surprise character has remain hidden, nobody guessed it right
My hope was for people to think at Akane or Ryoga, only to be surprised it was Mousse.
As you might have guessed, i think he's a character with a lot of potential that is not usually expressed, and, like for many other things, i wanted to correct it.
This being said, there's a double line here: Mousse seems to have a new relationship with Ranma, due to the fact something occurred in the past, but he still holds some secrets…that we will have to uncover.
The gradual inclusion of characters from Nerima was something i was not thinking about in the beginning, but it only makes sense…
I LOVED the Underground Fighting Arena in the Kenichi manga, so i HAD to include it.
This also gave me the chance to add Rachel and Takeda, and to create the opportunity for them to get closer. I think they can be interesting together. Takeda had a crush on Miu, Rachel is a different type of blonde, but he probably is good with a "dangerous" woman.
There's also some hints, about people who do immerse themselves in the "dark side" and about the doubts of Hayato about Ranma's future…that people, when they are in difficult situations, live on the edge. And they might change for the worse.
Ranma is getting trained and trained by Sakaki in various things and has doubts about his life, that maybe his new experiences can help resolve.
Next week, him, sakaki, Kenichi and Miu will solve the smuggling plot…if that does not open a much bigger can of worms!