Revelations
The young woman had an expression on her face that closely resembled shock, which was even more unusual for those not accustomed to her composed and aloof demeanor (though not Ranma's case).
"A... family... of ninjas?"
Despite the situation, Ranma allowed himself a smirk.
"Heh, of course, what's so strange about that? After all, isn't that what you already suspected? In fact, judging by your skills, Shigure..."
The pigtailed boy didn't utter a word as he prepared for his next move.
"…it seems like you know quite a bit about ninja stuff yourself!"
As he said this, Ranma jumped backward, throwing the hilt of his broken blade at Shigure, which the Master deflected with ease.
But in doing so, she was distracted for a split second.
In a flash, Ranma performed a sideways roll and, as he stood back up, grabbed a Naginata, pointing it at Shigure while maintaining a defensive stance.
"Hmph! Now we're even again."
"Do you... really... think you're... on par... with me... just because... with a diversion... you retrieved... a weapon?"
"Maybe not, but it's still better than being unarmed and with a blade at your throat, don't you think?
Plus," he teased, "I thought with you Masters... diversions NEVER worked."
Shigure's expression didn't change, but a vein throbbed on her forehead.
Ranma realized he was pushing his luck and changed the subject.
"Anyway, I wasn't lying. What I said is the truth, at least the first part... and the second part too.
Considering your fighting style, I wouldn't be surprised if you knew much more about ninjas than I do, so I don't get all this hostility.
My more recent experience with ninjas was training with people with that ancestry, but that's all.
Do you think I'm some kind of spy trying to infiltrate Ryozampaku? That's not the case, though you'll have to take only my word for it."
Shigure seemed to relax for a moment, as if his reasoning made sense. She lowered her weapon and shrugged, letting out a sigh (but Ranma was careful not to lower his Naginata).
"Alright... then I'll be clearer..."
She pointed her sword handle at him as if it were her finger.
"Have you ever... heard of... the Kuremisago?"
Ranma was genuinely surprised.
"The Kuremisago? No, I... don't know them at all. Well, to be honest, I know a couple of people who are heirs of ancient ninja clans (Ranma was thinking at Ukyo and Konatsu), and I couldn't say for sure which ones they belong to, but... I've never heard that specific name.
I actually know very little about the origins of the Saotome clan too, except that my ancestors were Yamabushi, warrior monks specializing in outdoor living, ascetic practices, and physical and spiritual training, from which it's believed the real ninjas have originated from.
That's where our family's mid-air combat style comes from, developed by monks who jumped from tree to tree to cross regions without being seen.
The last man to follow this tradition was my great-grandfather; all the Saotomes after him studied more modern martial arts-like my father who had to rebuild our style from scratch since we were broke-though a few tricks were passed down... like the substitution technique which, come to think of it, must have sparked your suspicions when you saw me use it against Kenichi."
Shigure seemed satisfied, even a bit surprised at the young man's openness, who was usually so reserved.
"Alright... let's say I... trust you. FOR NOW."
"Oh! It's about time, for crying out loud!
Anyway, I answered your question, now YOU have to answer mine.
Who are these Kuremisago?
And where do your techniques come from?"
Shigure, who was already heading for the exit, turned around with a neutral expression.
"Yes, i guess that's... fair.
The Kosaka style is... a mix of all... the weapons ever... used in Japan... and also all... movement methods... including the more well-known ninja ones... but, as far as I know... my master wasn't... an actual ninja."
Ranma nodded, as if not fully convinced but satisfied enough.
He remembered seeing Shigure walk upside down on the ceiling, using her toes to cling to the beams, so her story seemed believable. Also, methods like that had spread even into non-ninja styles, over time-during peace there was less reason to keep secrets-since Sentaro's grandma of the Way of the Tea style, moved upside down the same way.
"As for the... Kuremisago... it's supposed to be... a secret, but... since the Elder... trusted you... maybe I can trust you... too."
Yeah, right, and you couldn't think of that before pointing a blade at my throat?
"The Kuremisago are... an ancient clan... who used their skills... in warfare... as mercenaries... and to do that... they only married... the strongest people among them... to breed... superhumans."
Ranma had a flash.
Marrying the strongest people.
It was a common mindset among many martial artists he had already encountered, wasn't it?
After all, his engagement to Akane came from his father's and Soun's desire to revive certain traditions in the modern world. Carrying on the dojo, producing strong heirs.
Not to mention the absurd laws of the Amazon Village, where warriors like Shampoo are forced to marry any man who defeats them to ensure strong offspring (and conversely, to kill any foreign woman who defeats them to avoid rivals in the hunt for the best... mating candidate).
Damn, Herb's tribe had even taken this concept to the extreme, transforming beasts like wolves, tigers, even bloody dragons into women in the waters of Joketsuzoku to marry them and pass on their special powers to their descendants.
So, why not, after all?
Shigure didn't miss his moment of realization: "You've already... heard of something like this?"
"Not about the Kuremisago, nope.
But similar…marriage practices exist in many cultures likewised obsessed with martial arts."
"That's... true. But this... particular ninja clan... is a bit different.
They've been linked... to many wrongdoings... by Yami... though nowadays... they're nearly extinct."
Yami. There it was again. How dangerous were these people if even the Masters of Ryozampaku seemed so afraid of them?
"In particular... a certain Senzui... ruined Saiga's life... Miu's father... and even Miu's mother, Shizuha... was part of that... clan."
What?
"And once before... a boy named Kanou Sho... who descended... from them... got close... to Miu, trying... to lead her astray, exploiting... their affinity. So I want... to be sure... you're not... doing the same."
"Oh, come on. I'm not getting close to anyone.
I'm here just to train, that's all.
I've had more than enough romantic troubles in my life, and now I just want to focus on martial arts.
Besides," he added, a bit offended, "I'm not the type who seduces girls with ulterior motives.
Weren't you supposed to know when someone is lying? Don't you think I'm being sincere now?"
Shigure studied him for a moment, then tilted her head slightly, a hint of a smile on her face.
"Yeah, maybe. Anyway... I warn you... if your relationship with her... changes, you'll have... much to... regret."
What does she mean? Is she referring to Kenichi?
At that moment, the woman turned her back to him and headed for the exit.
"Hey, where are you going? Training's not over yet!"
"Yes, it... is."
And with that, Ranma heard supersonic slashes, and the Naginata he was holding shattered into a thousand pieces.
Whaaat? How the heck...?
Shigure, swaying as she walked away, tilted her head from side to side thoughtfully.
Ranma Saotome... it was just for a moment, but... he managed to surprise me.
Twice, actually. Not... bad.
"Hey, one last thing!" he shouted after her.
"Yes?"
"This Senzui, Shizuha, and Kanou Sho... where are they now?"
The woman turned her head, expressionless, and said in a flat tone, "They're... all... dead."
Then she left the room without another word.
The following Monday, Ranma went to Ryozampaku in the afternoon instead of his usual morning—his mother had needed help cleaning the house, and he had offered to do it on the condition that he could be in his female form, so as not to "diminish his masculinity."
For the first time since school had restarted, he, Kenichi, and Miu were all training at the same time, though in different parts of the yard.
The pigtailed boy was practicing some forms during his training with Kensei, who, apparently engrossed in a porn magazine, casually asked him a question.
"So, Ranma... when did you learn the Legendary Chestnut Fist Technique?"
Ranma was surprised for a moment and turned to him.
"Huh? But how…?"
Oh, OF COURSE. The fight with Kenichi.
It's just like with Shigure.
The techniques they see me use are like breadcrumbs leading them to my past. What a hassle.
"Come on, don't beat around the bush. I'm right, aren't I?"
"Uhm. Maybe. I do tend to forget that you're the master of all Chinese kung fu. Or at least all the soft styles. And as such, you've heard of many things that normally aren't taught to just anyone."
"Heh, we can say that's true. But the fact that you've come into contact with techniques considered pure legend and even mastered them is something remarkable. You can understand my curiosity."
Ranma paused for a moment to organize his thoughts, choosing how to tell the story.
"It was shortly after my father and I were at Jusenkyo. We had run out of food, and the guide led us to a nearby village of women martial artists."
"The Mythical Village of the Amazons? It actually exists?" The Master's eyes sparkled.
Ranma smirked with satisfaction.
He was getting used to being surprised by the Masters, and it was a pleasure to occasionally score a point with something even they didn't know about.
"Yes, it really exists, and Joketsuzoku is a place where time seems to have stopped. With all the pros and cons that come with it."
Ranma then proceeded to briefly tell the story-without going into detail-of how he had crossed paths with Shampoo, how she had followed him to Japan for revenge, and how he later met her incredibly powerful great-grandmother, Cologne, who everyone called Obaba ("venerable grandmother").
The damned old woman had pressed a secret pressure point on him to prevent him from turning back into a man, making him extremely sensitive to hot water.
To get his hands on the legendary Phoenix Pills, which would have solved the problem, Ranma had to face the old hag, who, sportingly, had given him clues on how to learn the technique.
He was then able to complete it on his own and later modify it for combat use.
[However, the boy omitted dangerous details, such as the fact that Amazon women had to marry the man who defeated them or kill the woman who did the same.
Definetely the kind of thing NOT to tell the old leecher.
He also left out that, to ultimately face the old woman, he had resorted to the Neko Ken, a condition he wasn't proud of, rooted in his phobia of cats—another secret he preferred to keep.]
Kensei ignored, or pretended to ignore, the gaps in the story and instead asked,
"So, tell me, is this Shampoo… quite pretty? They say the women of the Amazon Tribe are real beauties."
"Well, I wouldn't say that about all the women of the tribe… at least not from what I've seen… but yes, Shampoo is very beautiful," the young man admitted, blushing.
It all happened in a flash.
Kensei appeared fully dressed next to Ranma, complete with a coat, hat, suitcase already packed in one hand, and a pipe in his mouth. With a grave expression, he placed his other hand on his student's shoulder.
"Very well, Ranma-kun. I believe, for your own good, it's necessary to continue your training directly in China. Now, where did you say this… Joketsuzoku is?"
Suddenly, a scorching aura could be felt behind them.
An unfamiliar voice started speaking, tensy and full of scorn.
"Yeah, maybe you'll fall into a spring and turn into a pig. Well, at least outwardly, because inside, you already are one, perv."
That voice…
A beautiful girl in a Chinese-style outfit that left quite a bit of her ample chest and legs exposed was glaring at Kensei with a furious expression.
She had a complex hairstyle with two odango buns, ending in strands that seemed to move on their own like cat ears. The aura she emanated left no doubt that she practiced martial arts.
"Oh, ehm… my dear Renka, what a pleasure to see you. Have you come to visit your dear dad?" Kensei said, clearly embarrassed.
Dad? THIS Kensei is married? Is that possible? And he has such a beautiful daughter? Is this some kind of prank? A candid camera?
"Yeah, and after years of trying to drag you back to China… now you want to go back on your own, to chase skirts, and defy Mom?" finished the girl, practically shouting as she chased her perverted father, trying to strike him with a guandao.
Kensei ran in zigzags to avoid her, sweating from embarrassment and trying to justify himself.
"But dear Renka… OOPS! You don't understand… OUCH! As a Master, I have to think about my student's well-being… GASP! I assure you, you've misunderstood…"
"Oh, really, your student's well-being? And what about Kenichi? Isn't he your student too? Would you leave him here while you go gallivanting around? Or would you take him along to turn him into a pervert like you? I won't allow it!"
Ranma watched the scene, somewhat bewildered, realizing it must be a common occurrence.
This reminds me of scenes I used to see (or be involved in) back in Nerima…odd to be on the other side of it, for once…
At that moment, the center of the argument, Kenichi, perhaps drawn by the commotion, appeared.
"What's going on...? Oh, Renka-san, you've come to visit us."
"KENICHI!" the girl shouted, abandoning her depraved father, and with a sudden change in expression, she pounced on him, purring like a cat.
Ranma was even more surprised.
Is this girl interested in Kenichi? Kensei's daughter? Such a beauty?
The guy's full of surprises, that's for sure. More power to him.
Kenichi was quite embarrassed but didn't seem entirely aware of his good fortune.
"B-but Renka-san. We're in front of guests."
Ranma suddenly had a flashback. Seeing Kenichi smothered in such an embrace reminded him of how he must have looked when his suitors overwhelmed him—especially Shampoo, who this girl resembled in character and behavior, not to mention being another busty Chinese warrior.
Yet, at the same time, there was something indefinable in Renka's demeanor that didn't attract him but rather evoked a mixed feeling of discomfort and repulsion.
At that moment, a powerful aura of pure hatred seemed to emanate from the back of the dojo, where Miu was training with Hayato.
Renka, still clinging to Kenichi, turned her head in that direction and, far from worried, seemed instead be grinning with satisfaction at that discomfort.
Finally, she detached herself from the Strongest Disciple in History and shifted her attention to the newcomer.
She initially eyed him warily, as if trying to assess him, but then approached him cordially, extending her hand.
"You must be the new student at Ryozampaku that my uncle Hakubi, from the Chinese quarter, told me about. Apparently, my dear father couldn't keep his mouth shut the last time he visited him, and after having a bit too much to drink, he started talking about the person training with Kenichi and Miu.
I'm Ma Renka, Kensei's eldest daughter. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Ranma Saotome," he replied, shaking her hand. "Heir to the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Martial Arts. A pleasure."
"Indiscriminate Martial Arts? So you don't practice just one style? You want to learn multiple martial arts, like Kenichi?"
"Actually, I've ALREADY learned various martial arts, and I'm at Ryozampaku to refine my knowledge. Let's say my school tends not to exclude anything, merging the best systems together or creating a personal style from them. In other words, rather than mixed martial arts like Kenichi, I practice hybrid martial arts, like the Elder."
"Hmm… interesting," Renka remarked, though her gaze seemed to linger on Ranma's toned body, as he suddenly realized he was shirtless.
Oh, kami, not again…
"Eh-ehm, you said you're Kensei's eldest daughter? So he has other children? I had heard about his connection to this… Phoenix Alliance, but I didn't know he was married until today."
Renka seemed annoyed.
"Of course he's married, and he has two other children, a boy and a girl. But he's been neglecting his duties as head of the family and as the leader of the Phoenix Alliance—the largest martial arts organization in China, with 100,000 members—for years now, staying here lazing around at Ryozampaku and leaving Mom to handle everything on her own!"
Ranma glanced at Kensei, who had been captured by Shigure, tied up like a sausage with her chain, and was whining like a child, squirming and declaring,
"I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE! NO WAY!"
So Kensei is REALLY a big deal. Well, he sure hides it well...
"Although," Renka continued, her voice suddenly sultry, "I must admit that Renka has decided to leave baba here for the time being... Ryozanpaku needs him to fight against Yami, and more importantly,"
here she batted her eyelashes in Kenichi's direction, "his student needs... all the support he can get."
Suddenly, an aura of pure fire seemed to flare up from around the corner. For a moment, both Ranma and Kenichi were equally terrified.
Miu appeared, dressed in her training gear, her hair floating in the air, supported by her Ki, like Medusa's snakes, while her eyes were reduced to slits.
Then, in an instant, it was over, and she and Renka exchanged polite and totally hypocrite greetings, with only a twitching vein on each of their foreheads revealing their actual discontent.
"Renka-san, darling! What a surprise to see you! I heard you spent your vacation with the Shinpaku Alliance, everything good?"
"Miu, my dear friend! Yes, everything's fine. We missed you, but don't worry, I kept Kenichi good company in your absence."
Kenichi gave Ranma a troubled look, as if trying to communicate through some sixth sense.
I don't understand girls, I really don't…
Ranma responded the same way.
Oh, trust me, I've seen scenes like this far too many times. I understand them all too well, but it would be better not to...
At the same time, the scene annoyed him a bit for reasons he couldn't fully grasp.
So is Miu actually jealous of Kenichi?
But then, something bizarre happened.
Without warning, Miu started waving catnip in front of Renka, who instinctively got down on all fours, meowing and trying to grab it.
THUMP.
Ranma's heartbeat was distinctly audible. The pigtailed boy had stepped back half a step, drenched in sweat.
Like a cat. She behaves like a cat.
Kenichi noticed it out of the corner of his eye.
Uh? What's going on?
Renka snapped out of it quickly. "WHAT DID YOU MAKE ME DOOO?"
"Oops, sorry, Renka-san, it was just a reflex!"
"Ugh! Anyway, I came here for another reason, besides meeting the new Ryozampaku student!"
"Uh? And what's that?"
"Isn't it obvious? If the Ryozampaku has another student of this caliber, it'd be a waste to leave him out of the fight against Yomi. You need to introduce Ranma to the Shimpaku Alliance."
The Shimpaku Alliance. There was that name again.
"Oh, but…"
"Renka-san, Ranma just arrived, and he's here just to train. I don't think it's fair to drag him into fights that don't concern him, especially if he doesn't want to," Miu interjected.
"Sooner or later, these fights will concern him, whether he likes it or not," the Chinese girl replied, shaking her head.
"You know that better than I do, Miu. You and Kenichi are a TARGET for those people. Sooner or later, they'll come back to challenge you, and Ranma will get caught in the crossfire.
If that's bound to happen anyway," she continued, shooting a glance directly at Ranma, "don't you think it's better for him to meet his future comrades?"
For a moment, all three of them looked at Ranma in silence. In the end, he spoke up.
"Honestly, I have no objections to lending a hand if someone comes to challenge you.
But I'm used to acting alone. I've worked with other martial artists before,"—here his gaze grew distant and slightly sad—"but only on special occasions, not on a regular basis.
Truth be told, I don't plan on joining this... little club you call the Shimpaku Alliance. But I don't mind meeting its members since they're your friends, and it might come in handy to sometimes train or fight together."
Miu and Kenichi had reactions that were hard to read, while Renka lit up, her eyes like those of a predator who had just caught its prey.
"Very well! That's enough for me! We can easily arrange a meeting! Let's say... tomorrow evening after dinner at the Shimpaku Alliance headquarters? Sounds good, Kenichi? Perfect, see you tomorrow then!"
With a leap, she vaulted over the wall and disappeared.
Ranma was puzzled. "I'm not sure I understand what just happened."
Miu held her head in her hand. "Renka has some hidden agenda, that's what."
Kenichi, looking the most confused, ventured a guess. "It's true, I had thought of asking Ranma-kun to help us in the fight against Yomi, but it seems too soon. Sure, Renka-san tends to act impulsively, but she also has a strategic mind, always thinking through all angles. The thing is, I hope…someone else isn't behind this. What if Nijima asked her? He's capable of anything!"
"Oh, you think Nijima might have asked her to recruit Ranma into the Shimpaku Alliance?"
"It's definitely a possibility. That alien has eyes and ears everywhere. I'm sure he knows about Ranma arriving at Ryozampaku. There's no way he wouldn't want to recruit someone as strong as him.
Be careful, Ranma-kun! That guy might seem human, but he's a devil alien from space, and if you look him in the eye and listen to him, he'll brainwash you!"
"Who's this guy?" asked the pigtailed boy, as Miu, embarrassed by Kenichi's description of their classmate, took over and gave a more coherent explanation.
"He's... let's say he's our friend—"
"A 'bad friend,'" Kenichi interjected.
"—who doesn't practice martial arts but has organized the Shimpaku Alliance I mentioned. It's made up of fighters who oppose gangs—though most of its members were former delinquents themselves.
They're all our friends and have helped us more than once against Yomi. Let's just say Nijima…is someone with few scruples.
He wants to turn the Shimpaku into a profitable organization, taking advantage of his members' talents.
He has strong leadership skills, is great with computers, an effective strategist, and understands people's deepest motives and desires. Plus, he's really good at persuasion…and always knows everything about everyone."
"Just say it, Miu-san. Nijima is a filthy spy, an opportunist, and a blackmailer!" Kenichi clarified. "He contaminates everything he touches."
Umph! This guy sounds a bit like Nabiki, though she never operated on such a large scale...
"Alright! You've convinced me!"
"EEEH?" both Miu and Kenichi exclaimed in unison.
"Well, if this guy wants to meet me, it would be rude to refuse, right? I prefer to face problems head-on whenever possible. Besides, I'm curious to meet your friends and see if they're as skilled in martial arts as you say. Tomorrow evening, we'll all go to that meeting together."
Tuesday had flown by, at least for Ranma. After the morning training with Koetsuji (who had tossed him around A HUNDRED TIMES after the pigtailed boy boasted about being "unthrowable"), and the lunch at home, he didn't have much to do until the evening meeting with the Shimpaku.
So, after informing his mother Nodoka that he'd have dinner at the dojo and sleep over, he figured the best way to spend his time was to wander around Miu and Kenichi's high school to gather some info on the members of the alliance, who, according to Miu, mostly attended their same school.
If his calculations were correct, both Miu and Kenichi would be busy at this hour—she with the gymnastics club and he with the gardening club. What better chance to snoop around... uh, investigate in peace?
As he approached Kouryo High, a brief wave of nostalgia washed over Ranma.
It had been just over a year since he'd graduated from Furinkan High and officially became part of society. Watching students come and go, loiter, gossip, and focus on their clubs and sports brought back memories of his time at school with Akane, and consequently, everything that had happened in Nerima…
He brushed those thoughts aside and leaped onto the wall, making sure to stay hidden behind the branches of a tree. It soon became clear that, in following a spontaneous impulse without much planning, he had made a slight miscalculation: he had no idea what the Shimpaku Alliance members looked like and only remembered a couple of their names.
"Oh well, I've managed to do more with less," he muttered, leaping again to the roof of the main building.
From there, using his stealth skills (which had already aroused Shigure's suspicions), he began quietly inspecting various classrooms, sticking to the walls like Spider-Man. He overheard a lot of chatter that didn't interest him at all, but still didn't recognize the names he remembered: Takeda, Ukita, Kisara, and Nijima.
At one point, however, he noticed a flyer on the wall that read:
Getting bullied?
Life sucks?
Want to become somebody?
Join the Shimpaku Alliance!
If HE could do it
(a rather poorly taken picture of Kenichi followed)
Then Anyone can!
Main Headquarters: Building B, third floor
Call during meal times at 1245862
(under, in much smaller character, there was this disclaimer):
The Shimpaku Alliance accepts no legal responsibility for any injuries sustained by participants.
"Well, would you look at that, they even advertise themselves. Good, now I know where to look."
As Ranma made his way to the third floor, moving at high speed from one hiding spot to another, his presence was noticed by someone.
An American girl, who had extended her study abroad program.
With the face of an angel and a body made for sin, Rachel Stanley embodied the ideal girl for almost everyone at the school. Her blue eyes, cascade of blonde curls, and her breathtaking figure atop an athletic frame would catch anyone's attention.
But since she was a former member of Yomi, the disciple organization of Yami, and practiced Lucha Libre as a student of Diego Carlo, the Smiling Fist of Steel, this time it was Ranma who caught her attention.
Though she couldn't pinpoint his exact location, thanks to her assassin's training, Rachel could sense his presence and roughly track his movements.
"Well, well... someone interesting has snuck into this school... someone who doesn't want to stand out... which, by itself, is unforgivable. Let's see if I can convince him to play a little..." she said, setting off to follow him.
In the Shimpaku Alliance headquarters, Nijima was arguing heatedly with his associates, especially Matsui (the boy with the flag), Komioka (the one with spiky hair), and Mizunuma (the one with glasses who practices karate).
"What do you mean THEY'RE NOT HERE?! This is desertion!"
"But, Commander General," Matsui tried to explain, "General Ikki Takeda, General Kozo Ukita, and General Nanjo Kisara were third-year students when we were second-year. It's only natural that they've graduated already and don't come to school anymore."
"Tsk! Such little sense of duty towards their Commander General. Clearly, they should've at least gotten themselves rejected again just to keep attending meetings with us. Anyway," he continued with an air of superiority, "did you send out the invitations?"
"Yes, Commander," replied Komioka, "and EVERYONE responded: they'll gather at 8:30 PM at the main headquarters to wait the arrival of Kenichi, Miu, and this Ranma Saotome by 9 PM tonight. That is, IF he decides to come..."
"Oh, he'll come, don't worry," Nijima answered with a serpentine grin, "I sent someone very persuasive to deliver the invitation... There's no way a martial artist wouldn't be curious about the Shimpaku Alliance, not to mention ME, the supreme leader," he said, bursting into a diabolical laugh while donning a kind of cape.
Ranma, who was watching them while hanging upside down outside the window, couldn't help but think,
"This guy isn't normal. No wonder Kenichi warned me about him. And yet... these guys follow him for some reason, and it seems like there are some skilled martial artists among the members... Hey, wait a minute!"
"By the way, have you finished gathering all the information? We're already behind schedule!" the alien croaked.
Three other people were frantically typing on computers in a corner of the room, while a printer kept spitting out sheets.
"Yes, Commander General! Although, to be honest, there's not much… or rather, the information seems confusing. There are no reliable firsthand reports, let alone photographs.
Apparently, in the Nerima district, over the last few years, there have been various incidents that could be linked to martial artists at a level similar to the Ryozanpaku Masters… or at least very high level.
There have been sightings of fighters who can run across rooftops, fight at speeds that break the sound barrier, who are strong enough to uproot lamposts or break through brick walls… in some cases, there were reports of fights in city blocks that resembled old Kung Fu movies… If we didn't already know people capable of similar feats, I'd say... I wouldn't believe it myself..."
"MUAHAHAHAH! I knew something interesting would come out of this. Is there more?"
"Well, actually…"
"Well, actually WHAT?"
"Well, the thing is, some of it is even weirder... like reports of... pandas wandering the neighborhood communicating with signs... giant beings made of energy clashing in the middle of the city like in a Godzilla movie, or sightings of a flying monster resembling a yeti with the head of a bull… and finally... well, beams of light coming from the Furinkan High baseball field during a duel…"
Nijima began whacking Komioka over the head with a folded newspaper.
"Idiots! How many times do I have to tell you that the ABC of information warfare is to spread fake news so they're indistinguishable from the real ones? Obviously, all these absurdities are collective hallucinations or fabricated stories concocted by that Ranma and his friends to distract the public with fairy tales and keep them from investigating the REAL news about their fights!
In hindsight, it's a pretty clever tactic! I may have underestimated that guy…"
From his spot clinging to the outside of the wall, Ranma felt both worried and relieved.
"These guys have done their homework. I never thought about the fact that our little scuffles might reach the general public. I'll need to be more careful from now on. But as for Nijima… well, he's delusional. Good for me. He found out EVERYTHING and understood NOTHING."
As he prepared to scale back down the wall, he sensed a presence at the top of the building.
Someone spotted me? Impossible.
"A-ha! Found you! It's not polite to stay in the shadows spying! Come on, play with me!" exclaimed Rachel Stanley before leaping down from the roof, skating along the smooth wall with her boots to get closer to Ranma, though she still couldn't see him clearly.
The boy with the pigtail, unsure whether the figure approaching him was a friend or foe, a member of the Shimpaku or someone else, and preferring to keep his infiltration secret, chose to flee, seeing no real reason to fight.
Like a flash, he darted away from the window, leaving only a red streak on the various footholds he used to escape.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Rachel protested, frustrated.
That speed... at least an Expert-level opponent...
Meanwhile, inside the club, things were in an uproar, as Rachel's shouts made everyone realize something was wrong, and they crowded toward the window to get a better look.
Just then, the girl landed on the edge of the open window, crouched to gain momentum, and leaped after the stranger... giving Matsui, for just a second, a heavenly close-up of her butt, enough to make him faint with a spray of blood from his nose. No one else noticed, and when the "wounded" boy came to, all he could say was that he'd seen an angel...
Ranma was sure he had lost the girl following him and was already wondering who she was, when suddenly, the school's sprinkler system turned on, transforming him into a girl.
The redhead began unleashing a string of curses aimed at whoever had decided to waste public money watering a narrow strip of grass in front of an old baseball field (at that moment, several hundred meters away, Superintendent Yasunaga sneezed*). But in the midst of her rant, she narrowly avoided being hit by a stray ball...
...which she caught nonchalantly.
The problem was that both baseball teams had tried to warn her, and now Ranma found himself surrounded by players, hormones raging, drawn to the new girl.
"Hey, sorry for the throw, beautiful. What do you expect? These guys can't play!"
"THEY can't play?! And by the way, nice catch—ever played catcher?"
"Wow, you're really cute. Never seen you around here before. Are you a freshman? But you look older..."
"Did you come to pick up your younger sister? Is she as cute as you? Maybe I'll call a friend, and we can double date."
"How about we make it up to you for the incident with an ice cream? Can I have your number?"
If there was one thing Rachel Stanley couldn't stand, it was someone drawing more attention than her. She had lost track of her target, but the American had a radar for male attention, especially when it wasn't targeted on her.
She immediately noticed the crowd of players and, upon seeing a short red-haired girl in a red dress awkwardly trying to avoid the attention of two entire baseball teams, she had no doubt that this was her target.
Bingo! Got you, sweetheart. And I see you're doing everything you can to steal the spotlight from me... unforgivable!
While Ranma was trying to shake them off (cursing the tendency of guys to hit on anything that moved), she suddenly sensed a murderous intent. Glancing through the players, she managed to spot her pursuer.
A Western girl in the school uniform, stunning but with an expression that could kill. She looked like a predator who had found her prey.
Tsk! No doubt about it now—she's not part of the Shimpaku Alliance. This is what they call... a Follower of the Killing Fist?
"Sorry, boys, I appreciate the attention..." she said as she leapt over the wall.
"...BUT I'M IN A HURRY!"
"OH NO YOU DON'T! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY AGAIN!" the blonde shouted, following close behind.
Meanwhile, in one of the side streets, Kisara Nanjo, the Tae Kwon Do practitioner, was strolling by.
"I haven't seen Miu in a while... maybe before Nijima bores us to death with his chatter tonight, I could invite her to the animal shelter to pet the kittens... wait, what the?!"
The scene in front of her was incredible. Rachel Stanley, a member of Yomi whose skills she had witnessed many times, was chasing after a petite (but annoyingly busty, she noted) red-haired girl moving with INCREDIBLE speed and fluidity—faster and smoother than even Furinji!
Unbelievable! There's a girl my age with such abilities... who the heck is she? Even Rachel can't keep up with her...
"Hey, you! Stop for a second!" she shouted, joining the chase on an impulse.
Damn! What a hassle! For a moment, I feel like I'm back in Nerima. And who's this new girl? She seems to know the other one, but they're clearly not on good terms.
Bah, I don't feel like explaining anything to strangers.
Indeed, both girls—Rachel and Kisara—were now chasing after her for different reasons, and upon realizing each other's presence, they began bickering and exchanging insults.
The problem is that this place is way more chaotic than Nerima. I can't move at full speed; there are too many obstacles—cars, buses, pedestrians, power lines. To escape, I'd have to jump onto the rooftops, but...
She turned right and found herself in the middle of a bizarre situation.
The girl from the previous day, Renka, the daughter of Kensei, was surrounded by a dozen thugs, half of them armed.
And they definitely weren't asking for her phone number.
"Renka Ma, this time you've fallen into our trap! The Black Tiger and White Dragon Alliance will finally claim the head of Kensei Ma's daughter!
You won't escape this time—we've been spying on you and discovered the one day when Genson and Shokatsu aren't with you! No one's coming to help!"
Renka was in a defensive stance, her tone bold, but her face betrayed concern.
"Big words from someone who hasn't even started fighting. You shouldn't sell the cat's skin before you've killed it!"
This looks bad. Some of them are at Expert level... if only Kenichi and Miu were here...
Ranma had avoided the situation and jumped onto a rooftop to observe, trying to decide wether intervention was necessary.
Meanwhile, as Kisara and Rachel turned the corner, still bickering, they crashed right into the thugs.
"Hey, what are these chicks doing here? This alley's supposed to be quiet!"
"It doesn't matter! They saw us! Eliminate them!"
Kisara quickly assessed the situation. The redhead had vanished, but now she saw the Chinese girl who had fought with them at Eternal Sunset—and a whole lot of trouble.
"Tsk! Looks like we've gotten ourselves into a dangerous situation..."
Rachel, on the other hand, wasn't fazed by such details.
"You don't matter to me, insects! My target is someone else! Get out of my way!
And by the way, no one's killing that Chinese girl but ME! Got it?"
"GET RID OF THEM!" ordered the boss.
Renka saw an opportunity and began to fight, and soon, a full-blown brawl broke out.
Ranma watched from the rooftop, observing the three girls' fighting styles, which were unfamiliar to her.
The girl with the short hair and green outfit was clearly a Tae Kwon Do practitioner—kicking almost exclusively, with lots of high jumps and spins. Her kicks were fast and strong, but lacked something... something sharp to make them truly effective.
The blonde assassin, on the other hand, was fighting... with Lucha Libre? It was the first time Ranma had seen that in a street fight.
And yet, she had just leapt up, wrapped her legs around an opponent's neck, flipped backward, and slammed his head into the ground with a perfect hurricanrana*. No mistake about it.
As for Renka, she was every bit the daughter of Kensei Ma. She fought with an eclectic mix of Chinese Kung Fu styles, both internal and external, focusing more on strategy, trying to get her pursuers to line up so they'd get in each other's way.
For a few moments, Ranma was fascinated by the fight, but then shook her head.
"Oh well. Looks like the perfect diversion to slip away.
Miu and Kenichi will be at Ryozanpaku soon, and I want to be there, in my male form, with not a soul to testify they ever saw me at school."
She stood up and turned away but didn't move.
She could still hear the sounds of the fight.
Even three against twelve, the girls had their hands full.
"Tsk! This is pointless!" Renka weighed up. "There are eight of them at Disciple level and four at Expert level. And out of twelve, six fight with weapons and six without.
They're coordinated, circling us all. It's only a matter of time before..."
"AAAH!"
It was Kisara who screamed.
"Kisara! Are you okay?"
"It's... nothing," the Valkyrie replied stoically. "One of those with a stick hit my arm, but now I'll make him pay for it."
"You know, i can assert that if we're defeated... you'll be dying first," the blonde assassin said with a hint of sadism.
"Shut up, Rachel!" Renka scolded her.
"But unfortunately, she's right. This time, we need a miracle. Kenichi, where are you?"
Ranma was fuming with frustration, still frozen on the rooftop.
It's none of my business. It's not my problem.
After all, it's not like they run into those guys because they were chasing after me, right?
Well, and who asked them to chase after me, in the first place? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
She lowered her head, eyes closed.
"Oh, Kami…"
Rachel continued fighting, throwing kicks in rapid succession, laughing maniacally.
"Ohohoh! Do you really think you can beat a student of Diego Carlo from One Shadow, Nine Fists? You're aiming way too high."
Still, even if I say that, I won't be able to last long. If only Ethan were here…
Kisara was in the most trouble of all.
Damn... I don't want to die here... without knowing how far I can go in martial arts. Is this really my limit? Freya-sama, Miu... looks like I won't reach you after all...
"HEY, YOU! GORILLAS!"
Hearing that new voice, everyone in the fight paused and turned for a moment.
"Big tough guys, picking on three defenseless girls. Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
Which was particularly odd to say, considering the speaker was a girl with red hair, just a little over five feet tall.
"And who's that? Come on, grab her before anyone else shows up!"
Renka: "Hey, kid! Watch out, these guys aren't messing around!"
Rachel: "Defenseless, huh? I see you never miss a chance to show off, Mistery Girl."
Kisara: "W-who's your size? You're shorter than me! The only thing big about you are your boobs! And that's not something to brag about, you dairy cow!"
The disciplined bandits split into groups of three again, each facing a single opponent.
The last three broke away and rushed toward the new person, who was a bit farther away, at the entrance of the alley.
The girl clenched her fists at her sides and seemed to smile.
"Modified version of the Chestnut Fist!"
A barrage of rapid punches rained down on the unlucky thugs.
All the other girls saw was the three thugs flying backward within seconds, crashing to the ground in a heap.
WHAT?
At that point, a red blur shot through the chaos.
First, she tackled Kisara's group: she delivered a low kick to one of the three's kneecaps, forcing him to kneel. Then she jumped into the air, finishing him off with a spinning kick to the back of his neck. The giant collapsed to the ground without a sound.
The redhead then dashed over to Renka, dodging the sword strike of one of the three with supersonic speed and kicking the blade from his hand, sending it spinning into the air.
She then jumped on him, knees first, hitting him in the sternum, and finished him off with an elbow to the temple.
At that point, she turned toward the group fighting Rachel (who noticed she had been intentionally left for last) to face the leader, who attacked with an iron staff.
But the girl with the pigtail had perfectly timed the sword's fall: she caught it midair, just in time to intercept the blow, blocking the attack.
For a brief moment, she stared down the bandit, then pushed him away with surprising force and counterattacked with a series of supersonic slashes that shredded the staff into pieces.
Not bad. But i'm still miles away from Shigure's speed
Before the bandit could recover from the shock, he was hit with a front kick to the groin. Doubled over in pain, he was finished off with an upward kick to the chin.
The girl then let out a yell and broke the blade she was holding in half, striking it with the side of her hand with a karate chop, and tossed the pieces aside.
Renka was stunned: where did such a fighter come from?
At that point, though the battle wasn't over, the girl with the pigtail gracefully avoided the remaining fighters and stepped out of the brawl, leaping onto a rooftop with a single jump.
"Hey, what are you doing? We're not done here!" protested Rachel.
"No, but I halved their numbers and took out the strongest of each group. From what I see, you should be able to handle the rest. Sayonara! And don't try to follow me, it'd be pointless!"
"W-wait, what are you saying? You saved us, at least tell us your name!" Kisara shouted after her.
The girl with the pigtail turned one last time, her expression neutral, as if unsure whether to respond. Finally, she said:
"My name is Ranko.
But you don't need to know it, because we'll never meet again anyway."
With four leaps, she disappeared from view.
"D-damn it!" Kisara cursed.
When the last of her opponents was down (the others had already finished), Kisara collapsed to the ground, panting.
They were all exhausted, sweaty, and covered in dust, but none of them had serious injuries, just a few minor scratches at most.
"But... who the hell was that girl?" Renka wondered aloud.
"Whoever she is, she sure likes showing off," the American responded, "and yet, at the same time, she seems really shy."
"Enough with the bullcrap, Rachel!" snapped Kisara.
"My, how vulgar. A proper young lady shouldn't speak like that," the former Yomi member teased. "Anyway, I have some information for you: that girl visited your former high school this afternoon, and she seemed very interested in your beloved Shimpaku Alliance meeting…"
What? That makes no sense!
"Wait," Renka thought aloud, "so she's a spy? But if that's the case, why would she help us? I can't figure out the logic… Rachel, do you think she's part of Yomi?"
"From what I saw, honestly, she could be high-ranking enough to be in Yami, in the adult division… but no, I don't think so.
For two good reasons: FIRST, even though I've only been out of Yomi for a few months, I would've heard of her, and even if she were new, I doubt someone like her would've just shown up out of nowhere… you don't find someone like that every day.
And SECOND, because… well, look at them," she pointed at the unconscious bodies of the Chinese bandits.
"As much as she decisively and ruthlessly defeated them, hitting vital points to bring them down quickly with minimal effort, SHE DIDN'T KILL ANY OF THEM…"
That's true...so, she's of the Life Saving Fist?
With that, the Lucha Libre practitioner turned and left, but not without adding:
"Renka, remember, we still have to finish our duel… don't let anyone else kill you in the meanwhile."
The daughter of Kensei replied: "Count on it. Whenever and wherever you want. Oh, and… for today… I'm sorry you got caught up in this. And… thank you."
The American simply waved in response as she walked away.
Renka turned to Kisara, who was still on the ground.
"Kisara, are you okay?"
But she noticed the girl was trembling with excitement.
"Can you believe it, Renka? A girl our age… so strong. She defeated all those bandits… with such ease. There was no difference between her and the men. In fact, she was far superior to them!"
The Valkyrie looked up at the sky, her eyes shining.
Like her. I want to be like her. I have to find her, no matter what.
Ranma left the bar where he had gone to return to his usual appearance, dousing himself with hot water in the bathroom, and resumed strolling through the alleys.
"Phew! And now this crazy day should be over. I need to ask Miu for some info on those girls, without letting her know what happened."
But just then, disaster struck.
As Miu and Kenichi were walking home from school, they didn't have a care in the world and were chatting happily.
"You know, Miu-san, I have to admit I don't mind the new routine at Ryozampaku. Although, it's almost strange to have such a long stretch of peace lately."
"You're right, let's hope it lasts."
"I've thought about it, maybe you were right: in the end, tomorrow's invitation for Ranma probably won't be anything special. Nijima is always trying to recruit strong people. Ranma will likely say NO, and that'll be the end of it."
"That's true, but I'd still be curious to tag along for… oh! Honoka! It's been so long!"
Kenichi's younger sister was running toward them, crying her eyes out.
"Boohoo, Big Boobs, you have to help me!"
"Honoka, what happened? Are you okay?" Kenichi asked.
"Boohoo, I… I was trying to do you a favor, Big Boobs… I heard you'd set up a shelter for stray kittens at Ryozampaku… so I went out to find some to bring to you… Honoka always wanted to play with a kitten, but Mom and Dad say there's no room at home…"
"Of course, Honoka, and then what happened? Couldn't you find any? Or did they scratch you?"
"No… I did find them, about half a dozen… it's just that… while i was carrying them in a box, i slipped and they all ran away from me! Boohoo!"
"Don't cry, Honoka. We'll find them again," her older brother reassured her. "So, where did you last see them?"
A few minutes later, thanks to Miu's supernatural experience with cats, the three of them had found the trail of the missing kittens.
They heard a chorus of intense meowing coming from around the corner of an alley.
"There they are, it's them!" Honoka squealed with joy.
But when they turned the corner, they didn't find what they were expecting.
Yes, the cats were there, but they were all on top of a single person, lying on the ground in shock.
That person was Ranma.
GLOSSARY
Naginata: A Japanese halberd with a curved blade
Baba: Dad, in Chinese, said in a colloquial way
Odango: The twin buns often worn by Chinese girls, like Shampoo's hairstyle
Guandao: A Chinese halberd, similar to the Japanese naginata, but with a wider, larger blade
Wuxia: A genre of Chinese martial arts films, often with fantastical elements, like characters flying with high jumps, as seen in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"
Yasunaga: Kenichi's bald high school teacher; in Japan, it's believed that when someone talks about you, you sneeze (instead of your ears ringing, like in other cultures)
Hurracanrana: A wrestling move where you jump onto an opponent's shoulders, wrap your legs around their neck, and flip backward to slam them down. Rachel interrupts the move halfway, slamming enemies headfirst into the ground instead of onto their backs, like in choreographed matches.
Author's Note:
Here we are! My favorite chapter so far.
Shigure is satisfied of Ranma's explanation, and it only made sense she was doubtful of him, after everything they went through.
Furthermore, many common practices in Ranma's and Kenichi's universes could have a similar meaning, like the "marrying the strong" (or think at Karura Kure who wants to marry Tokita Ohma in Kengan Ashura).
Finally, she left him with an ominous prediction…
Introduction of Renka was necessary, and Nijima is always funny, after all.
Now, Rachel Stanley (whom i adore) and Kisara Nanjo will become more important later, one more than another…i'm not gonna tell you which one.
It was therefore NECESSARY, for some development of the story, that for many Ranma's secret stayed that way…you may ask why he's not so keen on telling people, since back in Nerima everyone knew…well, that's PART of the mistery, too.
THAT CERTAIN SOMETHING that happened that made Ranma leave Nerima, also made him less keen on telling people about his curse (mind you, even in the original series, he did not explain his transformation to most people, or only told them AFTER they've seen it, anyway).
So, the mistery of his departure from Nerima WILL be solved…much later on.
And the secret of his curse will create chaos in the meanwhile.
Misunderstandings, as any Ranma story should get.
Many of you wondered about Neko Ken and Ranma's phobia, and here's a small preview.
Now, people wants Ranma to join Shimpaku's alliance: will he, though?