Destiny Strikes Again
Things at Ryozanpaku seemed to have returned to normal. It was a Wednesday afternoon at the end of November. Kenichi was training with Renka under Kensei's guidance, and Ranma was watching them, munching on chips while lying on his stomach atop a large stone wheel used for training. Shigure was doing the same, though from the gutter. The autumn colors painted the landscape with fallen leaves.
For the day, "Ranko" had imposed on Kisara to spend the entire afternoon kicking inside a pool, to overcome the resistance of the water, so there was no need to supervise her training. However, while watching his friends' exercises, he couldn't help but think back to everything that had happened at the port. TWO Grand Masters with their respective Disciples called in as escorts. Two-on-one fights. Two-on-fifteen battles. A Grand Master versus Grand Master duel. The police showing up in force as if there were a riot. Three helicopters. The risk of him being seen in female form. The bandit with his shoulder pierced by a bullet. The perfect teamwork of the two Fist of Destruction disciples. And then... that technique Hermit couldn't execute on him, but that seemed lethal.
A lot to process. But at least the mission had been successful.
At that moment, almost as if responding to his thoughts, Hayato arrived, strolling along, followed by Miu in training attire. Soon, the other Masters gathered around to hear what he had to say. The Ryozanpaku Elder raised his voice slightly.
"As you all know, the mission the other day ended in great success. Once again, I extend my compliments to all the participants. And I also congratulate Kensei and Renka for quelling the gang war in the Chinese district." With that said, however, he exchanged a quick glance with Kensei and Akisame.
Ranma (as well as most of the others present) didn't miss the hidden meaning behind that look: someone had caused those disturbances to keep father and daughter occupied and ensure that they, at least, did not head to the port. The reason was undoubtedly to prevent the two brothers from meeting. Whoever had hired Sougetsu feared Ryozanpaku might interfere with the smuggling operation and knew that the bond between the two practitioners, though divided by their ideals, would make it more difficult for the Chinese mercenary to do his job. How did the masterminds know so much?
This, combined with the oddity that two Grand Masters had been hired to protect a single shipment, cast a sinister shadow over the true meaning of the adventure, who was behind it, and raised the unsettling question of whether the story was really over. But Hayato didn't say any of that.
"However," he continued, "the battles at the port have once again demonstrated the importance of teamwork. Both the excellent collaboration of Miu and Kenichi in defeating no fewer than fifteen armed opponents and the fact that even Ranma was held off for several minutes by two Yomi Disciples without being able to counterattack show that, from now on, the battles you will face will rarely be one-on-one duels. Often, you won't be able to hope to make it on your own; you'll need to rely on your companions.
"Therefore, I believe it is imperative for our Disciples to train not only for duels but also for real battles. And since you often won't be able to choose who to face them with, I want you to practice working in pairs, with all possible combinations: Miu with Kenichi, Renka with Kenichi, Miu with Renka."
"What?" The Disciples seemed surprised.
"I haven't finished," Hayato continued. "To best understand each other's abilities and fully develop your own, it's also necessary for you to fight each other. Ranma's program already included a monthly duel between Miu and Kenichi, but... I think we'll need to speed it up. Let's say that instead of Sunday, we'll organize the duels on Saturday afternoons after training... and every week, there will be a different opponent: first Kenichi versus Renka, then Miu versus Renka, then Miu versus Kenichi."
The teens were even more shocked.
"But... Elder," Kenichi tried to protest.
"I know what you're going to say, Kenichi-kun, that it's against your principles to fight women. Even though you've often sparred with Miu in training. However, this belief of yours is becoming a real weakness. Not only do your enemies know about it and can exploit it... but as you advance to higher levels, you'll encounter many opponents from the Fist of Destruction... and quite a few of them are women."
Ah! That's true—Kenichi thought of the members of the Eight Shining Executioner Blades, some of their Disciples, and even Kushinada Mikumo, Chikage's Master—indeed, sooner or later... I might have to face one of them.
"Everyone has weaknesses," the Elder concluded. "However, you must work to overcome them because, at high levels, weak points cannot be afforded."
It seemed to Ranma that the old man was looking at him.
Has he discovered my fear of cats?
"But I don't understand one thing," Renka interjected. She and Miu had exchanged embarrassed glances several times when they heard the Elder's intentions. "Where does Ranma fit into this new training scheme? It's true he's at a different level than us, but..."
"A smart observation, Renka," Hayato conceded. "Indeed, Ranma should also learn to fight in concert with an ally, but for now, he is more likely than you to be attacked by multiple opponents at once, and even though he has managed well recently, partly thanks to my... intervention"—and here he grinned, thinking of the hellish training he had imparted—"he needs more practice perfecting his skills against multiple adversaries rather than teamwork itself.
"Moreover, I also want to take advantage of HIS availability to train you better."
I never offered any availability, the pigtailed boy thought, frowning.
"In fact, while for three consecutive Saturdays, you'll duel each other one-on-one, in the fourth week, one of your teams will have to face Ranma in a two-on-one match."
"WHAT?"
"Isn't it a brilliant idea?" the Elder continued, clearly very pleased with himself. "This way, we'll hit two birds with one stone: you'll learn teamwork, and he'll practice defending against multiple opponents. It's perfect. And you won't be at great risk: only one of the pairs will face him once a month, so three months will pass before the same pair faces him again. You really can't complain about my magnanimity."
The teens all reacted with various expressions to the "magnanimity" extended to them.
Then Koetsuji spoke up: "Additionally, it's been decided that to prepare you, each week, for two days, from Monday to Saturday, you'll sacrifice half an hour of normal training to practice with your partner. Kenichi and Renka can use the two days a week they already train together for this."
A web of glances and conflicting thoughts passed among the three Disciples.
"Of course, I hope your personal feelings never interfere with your training. And now... back to work!"
Ranma, in female form, was training solo at the training field, awaiting Kisara's arrival. She had made it a habit not to neglect training her female form (shorter, lighter, more agile, and faster than the male form, but weaker, with less Ki and strike range) to better exploit its peculiarities and keep up with the progress made in male form, especially since she had been rapidly evolving thanks to Ryozanpaku's training.
She didn't want to suddenly transform only to fight clumsily and waste all the hard work. Her female form progressed proportionately to her male one—less powerful, but when her strength increased by 10%, it increased in both forms, as did speed, and so on. At the same time, unlike Kenichi, Ranma had been granted, due to the peculiar nature of his style, the freedom to autonomously mix the different martial arts he was learning into a hybrid style. She realized that in girl form, she often made different choices about which techniques to use.
With closed eyes, she performed a series of rapid yet precise and elegant moves, focusing deeply. She improvised on the spot, imagining specific situations to face. A barrage of punches to the left, then a block, a foot sweep, and an elbow strike to the right, returning to a frontal position, and a jumping kick upward, ending with a spin to land in guard facing the opposite direction.
She heard clapping.
"Oh, you're already here." said, noticing her disciple.
"Sorry, did i interrupt you?" Kisara said.
"Nah, don't worry, I was done anyway. More importantly, you did a good job of erasing your presence."
Kisara smiled with satisfaction. It was rare for her master to compliment her.
"Well, after all, I draw inspiration from cats in everything I do, and they're discreet. Plus, today I brought this little treasure to keep me company during training." From a basket she had placed on the ground, she pulled out an adorable brown kitten. "Right? You're going to behave and watch me quietly, aren't you, MY DEAR?"
A distinct "swoosh" could be heard in the air.
Kisara turned and saw her master sitting on a wall about ten meters away, hands in her pockets, intently looking at something with apparent great interest.
"Uh? Master, is something wrong?"
"Uhm… no, nothing, nothing, I was just noticing… ooh, but you know, that cloud really does look like a unicorn," she exclaimed with overly exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Really? From here it doesn't seem so," replied the girl, puzzled.
But from up there, Ranko noticed something else.
In a small street a few dozen meters away, Kaname Kugatachi, also known as Freya, and Kozo Ukita from the Shinpaku were walking side by side. It seemed to Ranma that their training had made both of them even fitter, but more importantly… they were chatting pleasantly.
So, you've finally sorted out your feelings, eh, Freya? And as for Kisara… does she know? Did she bring the cat to training because she was feeling down?
"I'm coming up there to get a better look," Kisara continued, approaching with the kitten in her arms.
"EH? Uh? No, YOU CAN'T! I mean, what I meant to say…"
Faced with her student's confused face, Ranko had to give in and sighed, placing a hand over her eyes.
"The truth is that I…" she began solemnly, clenching a fist and looking at the sky.
Kisara watched her without understanding, petting the cat.
"… am TERRIBLY ALLERGIC TO CATS!" she declared, with fake tears streaming down her face, shouting into a microphone she had pulled from who-knows-where, while a spotlight illuminated her.
Her student's look of shock was priceless. "Oh, but… but I didn't know, but… does that mean… Brown can't stay here?" she asked, making PUPPY DOG EYES, with tears streaming down her face.
Ranma couldn't bear to see a woman cry, not even when he was a woman himself.
"Cough, cough… well… actually… if you leave him there in the basket at the far end… maybe with a bowl of milk so he doesn't move… he might be able to stay."
"Thank you so much, Master! I knew you'd be understanding," the student exclaimed, beaming.
Meanwhile, the master had a drop of embarrassment on her temple.
Pfft… I keep getting tricked… all it takes is a woman crying to manipulate me… I still have a long way to go…
Then, she remembered the lovebirds.
But, at least, Kisara… this way you didn't see them.
In the end, it's better this way… love only brings suffering in the end.
It's best to leave the past behind.
For good.
Early on a Sunday morning, something very strange happened at the Ryozanpaku.
The computer that controlled the dojo's defenses and alarms started flashing and sounding like a Christmas tree, but no one could figure out what was going on, because Akisame had gone to manage his clinic (like Kensei). Sakaki was nursing a hangover from the night before, and Hayato had sneaked off to buy his lollipops.
Only a couple of Masters were alert and active at the Ryozanpaku.
Shigure found Apachai frantically running around the central computer.
"What… are you… doing?" asked the woman in her usual slow rhythm.
"APA! It's not Apachai's fault! Apachai didn't do anything!" exclaimed the giant Thai. "The computer started flashing and making noises on its own! And I can't turn it off!"
"According… to Akisame… this is… the signal… of an intrusion…"
Just then, an explosion occurred in a part of the courtyard.
The ground lifted from below, falling back down all around.
Amid the settling dust, a crater and a tunnel could be seen.
From the tunnel emerged a boy's head.
"Where did I end up?"
SOMETIME LATER, THAT AFTERNOON
Ranma and Kenichi were casually walking home from an outing. Both were dressed in civilian clothes, the latter wearing a green shirt and the former in one of his Chinese-style outfits, but in blue. They both had jackets on because it was starting to get cold.
They had spent the entire day, from morning onward, with Miu, Renka, and the members of the Shinpaku Alliance.
It was already the second time they had gone out as a normal group of friends, and while the first time the Shinpaku members had been a bit embarrassed to see Ranma, after the fight at their headquarters, the relaxed attitude of the pigtailed boy had quickly eased the tension.
Ranma had also realized that he hadn't often done things like this — going out with people his age, without any particular motivation or ulterior motives, let alone with such a large group — and he realized that, on one hand, he had sacrificed many things in his life, but on the other, that… he enjoyed a bit of lightheartedness. He even needed it.
He was, therefore, grateful to Kenichi for insisting so much, both times.
The first time they had gone out was a Saturday evening at a pub, and they had ended the night at karaoke.
The second time, Ranma needed less convincing, having gotten used to the idea and wanting to spend more time with his Ryozanpaku companions.
Moreover, he had come to realize that Kenichi truly had a special light inside him. He could understand it even better seeing him interact with others.
The boy was like a beacon that illuminated everything around him, and for all the Shinpaku members, despite their "strong" personalities, he was a point of reference.
Everyone was happy to see him, grateful that he had changed their lives… yet he maintained an open and relaxed demeanor, as if the thing he wanted most in the world was just that, not winning battles, not training to become the Mightiest Disciple in History, but being with them, having friends.
Yes, friends. How long had it been since Ranma had any?
Or could he even say he had ever really had any?
He thought about his past with sadness, then pushed the thought away.
The day had been splendid. The morning was spent between the botanical garden (where Kenichi named all the plants for everyone) and the zoo.
Then lunch at a fast-food place. Afterward, they played pool, went bowling, and ended the day with drinks and ice cream at another bar.
Everyone was cheerful, even enthusiastic. They never ran out of things to talk about, exchanging jokes, stories, and anecdotes. They brought up the story of Takeda's underground fights, which he recounted with passion.
Ranma also noticed that Ukita and Kaname often stayed close, but discreetly, as if they hadn't yet decided to tell the others. Takeda, however, seemed to have figured it out, but it didn't seem to bother him: he was just happy that his best friend was with his ex, because they were important to him and he wanted their happiness, or maybe it was also because he was already seeing someone else?
Ranma found himself worried about Kisara, but he couldn't let it show. To his relief, the girl talked a lot with Miu and the other Valkyries and didn't seem to care that the person she admired most in the world was with her ex.
Has she accepted it? Is she happy for them?
The girl, however, had a somewhat ambivalent attitude towards him, or rather his male form, being unaware of the curse: at the Shinpaku headquarters, they had parted on bad terms, but now she acted around the pigtailed boy as if she didn't care, even with a challenging attitude (and only Ranma knew the real reason, feeling glad to have still, "in defiance of him," as she thought, gotten what she wanted, but he couldn't say it).
Meanwhile, everyone else talked about countless things — school, for those who still attended, their first jobs, outings with people outside the group, their training, of course, family, their favorite manga, anime, singers, and TV shows, and a thousand other topics.
Ranma wasn't used to that kind of chaos, but it was… joyful chaos. He found himself exchanging a few words with each of them.
Of course, he spent a lot of time with Miu and Kenichi, but he also ended up talking quite a bit with Renka.
The Chinese girl had a lot in common with him, in a similar yet different way compared to Miu. They understood each other instantly, both being practical people, attentive to details. And although they were both attractive, they didn't pay attention to each other in that way. It felt a bit like talking to Ukyo again.
The pigtailed boy was thinking about all of this as he strolled along with Kenichi, walking back to the Ryozanpaku at five in the afternoon on a beautiful sunny day.
Miu, Renka, and Kisara had all gone to the abandoned cat shelter and wouldn't be back until dinnertime. They were busy filling the little shelter they had set up at Ryozanpaku with as many strays as possible, but it was still never enough for their affection.
Kenichi was saying something about how much fun they had had and let it slip that he was happy Ranma had joined them. He felt like everything had gotten better since then, as many of his friends now trained at Ryozanpaku in one way or another.
Ranma suddenly stopped on the sidewalk, surprised. It was practically a novelty for him to hear that someone was happy to have him around. Kenichi turned to look at him, confused.
The pigtailed young man lit up with a warm smile and said, "I… thank you, Kenichi. For me… it's rare to do these things. To live a normal life, I mean. And it's even rarer… to have friends. Or, at least, to spend time with them in a normal way. I am...grateful to you for that, for real."
Shirahama was taken aback, but then he gave a knowing smile.
Oh right, I almost forgot, he's… lived a life like Miu's, huh… he hasn't had time for… normal human connections.
"There's nothing to thank me for, Ranma-kun."
The two boys looked at each other for a long moment, smiling. After all, battles really can lead to beautiful friendships.
Ranma stretched his arms behind his head.
"Aah, what a splendid day. It's rare to have one this peaceful. For once, I think… nothing could possibly ruin it."
A FEW HOURS EARLIER, THAT SAME MORNING, AT RYOZANPAKU
A boy with black hair, a yellow bandana, and a massive backpack struggled to climb out of the hole he had created.
"What a strange place… it looks like a dojo, but the walls have bizarre statues, and the garden is way too neat… and why do I hear alarms going off?"
At that moment, Shigure appeared on the roof like lightning. "I've found him!" she shouted, more to herself than anything, or maybe to Tochoumaru, who followed her, carrying a sword the size of a toothpick.
Seven shurikens glinted in the morning sun and shot toward the intruder.
But he frowned, pulled out a large red Chinese-style umbrella from behind his back, opened it, and began running sideways, using it to shield himself from the incoming projectiles.
"Hmm… he's skilled," the ninja woman assessed.
The boy—he looked Ranma's age and had a similar build and hairstyle—quickly grabbed something from behind his head, where he kept his bandana, and hurled it forward, shouting, "Lady, you're going to regret to underestimate Ryoga Hibiki!"
Suddenly, five spinning objects with erratic trajectories hurtled toward her and Tochoumaru.
The little mouse sliced one in half with his tiny sword, while Shigure dodged two, deflected a third with her hand, and caught the last one.
"But… are these more… bandanas?"
Don't tell me… he used his ki to stiffen them and throw them like boomerangs?
The boy took advantage of her distraction to round the corner. Shigure swiftly flung her weighted chain, making it curve around.
"You won't… escape me!"
Indeed, she felt the chain catch his ankle, and the tug indicated she had pulled him down. But when she pulled again, there was no weight, as if nothing was there. She quickly rounded the corner and… witnessed a bizarre scene.
Akisame's automated sprinkler system had turned on as usual that morning, watering the entire lawn. One of the things getting soaked was… the boy's clothes, lying crumpled on the ground, still shaped as if he were inside them, with the chain wrapped around the left pant leg. Next to them were his heavy backpack, umbrella, and what appeared to be at least a dozen more bandanas.
"But… where… did he go?" the woman wondered, genuinely puzzled.
"And also… he's… naked… could he be… a pervert?"
Meanwhile, Tochoumaru had donned a Sherlock Holmes-style hat and was examining the ground with a magnifying glass, soon squeaking animatedly.
His owner approached to observe some small animal tracks leading toward the forest behind the Ryozanpaku.
"But… Tochoumaru, he… was a boy… unless… he's a Youkai…"
Then she remembered something and let out an "Oh."
"Anyway… when we split up… Apachai went… that way."
She sighed a moment later. "It's a shame… that intruder… could have become strong… but unfortunately… he'll die today."
P-Chan was scurrying frantically, zigzagging through the tropical jungle behind the Ryozanpaku, understandably bewildered to be there. Despite his total lack of a sense of direction, not even HE could have disappeared from the outskirts of Tokyo and ended up in Okinawa… or Malaysia… right?
At that moment, he spotted someone who looked like a local, turning and smiling at him.
"APA! A black piglet! How cute! Apachai loves animals, even if they never let him keep any here…"
He emanated an aura that seemed calming, but when he reached out with his enormous hands, Pi-Chan suddenly found him terrifying. He slipped away like an eel, bolting deeper into the jungle. The giant followed him.
"APA! What are you doing, little one? Don't you want to stay with Apachai? Hey… don't go that way, it's dangerous!"
And it really was. A series of deadly traps began activating as the piglet passed: poisoned arrows whizzed over his head, a bamboo cage nearly trapped him, a log tied with ropes barely missed crushing him, and a massive boulder rolled close by… The poor piglet, nearly losing his mind from shock and fear, could only zigzag around and keep running even faster.
"APA! He's impressive! See, piglet, Shigure sets these traps to catch Kensei when he tries to spy on her while she's bathing in the…"
SPLASH!
"… hot spring! Oops… the piglet fell in… hmm… I wonder if it tastes good cooked? Miu could make Katsudon* tonight when she gets back…"
But then, a twenty-something man, boiled like a lobster, practically flew out of the water, screaming in shock from the heat and fear of being eaten.
"AAAAAH!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Apachai echoed, clutching his face in terror.
Then he and the intruder both ran away, zigzagging in opposite directions, the Muay Thai practitioner shouting, "The Katsudon is a man! No, the guy is a katsudon! I mean, I meant…"
A bit later, Shigure spotted him, breathless, hammering a voodoo doll against one of the walls.
"Apachai, what... are you doing?"
"APA! The Elder said I shouldn't damage the trees, but he didn't say anything about the walls! That one wants to curse me! The man-pig, or the pig-man, I didn't get it..."
"Did you... find the intruder?"
"Yes, it's a kind... of pig that transforms into a man. After he fell into the hot springs."
"Ah... I understand... so, like a... Youkai."
"APA! Oh, right, Shigure! If he's a Youkai... Apachai can defeat him.
After all, Apachai... is the GOD OF DEATH OF UNDERGROUND MUAY THAI!"
With eyes glowing with excitement, he began searching, calling out, "Yoo-hoo, Mr. Youkai-katsudon... come out..."
Shigure calmly walked away, thinking, "Well, I just hope... he doesn't beat him... too badly. The others will want... to question him."
Then a thought flashed in her mind.
Turned into a man after falling into the hot spring? So, in hot water. Just like...
She turned and began running. "APACHAI!"
Ryoga was hurriedly getting dressed, taking advantage of the ninja woman's absence, and was furious. "If I get my hands on that Thai guy who wanted to roast me... I'll give him what he deserves, or my name isn't..."
"PIGGY!" someone shouted.
It was the giant, cracking his knuckles, looking ready for a fight.
"Oh, just who I was looking for, giant! NOW YOU'RE GONNA PAY!"
He leapt at him, glowing with golden ki.
But every strike missed. The mountain of muscle moved with the grace of a dancer, even giving him tips while dodging.
"OH! The Youkai isn't very skilled! He's strong but doesn't strike fast enough or with good form! And he uses Dou like Apachai, but he... lets it possess him and doesn't control it well. Not like Apachai, who is always careful around Kenichi!"
Just then, Shigure arrived, breathless. She started to say:
"Wait, Apachai! Don't kill him! I think he's..."
But the words caught in her throat.
The boy was being consumed by his Dou Ki, as if his frustration from failing to land a hit was accelerating the process.
His eyes turned blank, his canines seemed to elongate, and his Ki grew more intense as he snarled, frothing at the mouth.
Is that... Ashura mode?
"APA! Apachai must punish the evil Youkai! And he will do it with a technique he cannot use when the Disciples are around!" His eyes gleamed with sadistic excitement.
Ryoga lunged at him savagely.
The Thai giant declared:
"THE PUNCH YOU CAN'T SHOW TO GOOD CHILDREN!"
A merciless barrage of dozens of punches struck the intruder like a wall, from head to toe.
The boy flew backward, smashed one of Akisame's statues, and embedded deep into the wall, cracks spreading out like a pressed button in a snowman. His Ki entirely dissipated.
He fell, unconscious.
Apachai, smiling, turned to his friend. "What were you saying, Shigure? Who do you think he is?"
"A... friend... of... Ranma."
"APAAAA?"
BACK TO FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON
When Ranma saw him, he couldn't believe his eyes. It was like seeing a ghost, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
Yet there he was, unmistakably. Bandaged like a mummy, lying on a futon asleep in the center of the room. All the Masters were sitting in seiza on cushions around him.
Ryoga Hibiki.
Ranma flinched.
Hayato began, "So, the hypothesis was correct. You know him."
Ranma lowered his gaze, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. Kenichi could have sworn he saw tears in his eyes, and he couldn't even imagine why.
"Tsk! Yeah, you could say I know him," he spat, voice full of contempt.
"That man is named Ryoga Hibiki," he declared, trembling, pointing at him, "and he's the one who RUINED MY LIFE.
If I lost everything I had... it's all because of him."
About fifteen minutes later, Ranma stood leaning on one of the wooden pillars of the dojo, watching the fiery sunset with a distant expression.
Life really does play strange tricks.
Meanwhile, Kensei was placing acupuncture needles on the unconscious boy, helping him wake up to tell his side of the story.
"So," Sakaki started, trying to lighten the mood while sipping a beer, "it was just by chance he snuck in here. I mean, he isn't a spy for Yami, right?"
"No," Ranma replied, "unless they've lowered their standards and started recruiting idiots."
"I'm almost done," Kensei said. "He should wake up soon and be able to talk, though I make no guarantees. The boy is very resilient, even more than Ranma, but he took a beating."
"Seriously, every time someone new shows up at the dojo, this always happens..." Akisame sighed.
"APA! It's not Apachai's fault! The boy scared Apachai and attacked me first!
And besides, Apachai went very easy on him!
Unlike Sakaki, who almost killed Ranma fighting at 40%, Apachai held back.
I only punched at 30%!"
"YEAH, EXCEPT I THREW ONE PUNCH; YOU THREW THIRTY!"
The giant Thai sat in a corner, depressed by the scolding.
Kenichi couldn't imagine what had happened between those two that was so unpleasant.
But he didn't have to wait long because the boy began to wake up.
"Ooh... that hurts... but... where am I?"
He opened his eyes and blinked. Then he saw several strange faces surrounding him.
In a corner, a boy he didn't know.
And in the back... no, it couldn't be.
"R-Ranma? Is... is it really you?"
The boy with the pigtail turned to look at him with a stern expression.
"Yes, it's me. I've been training for a few months at this dojo, the Ryozanpaku, where you snuck in like an intruder and got properly beaten up."
"I... oh yeah, I kind of remember... ouch."
"What I want to understand," Ranma said, stepping closer and narrowing his eyes, "is WHY you came here. Is it some kind of coincidence? Or were you looking for me?
And if so, why? Don't you think you've done enough damage the last time?"
Ryoga gave him a remorseful look, then lowered his head and tried to sit up despite his groans and Akisame's protests.
"No, Ranma," he finally said, "I didn't know you were here, though... actually, I was looking for you. I was looking to apologize."
Ranma, usually composed, exploded, shocking everyone present.
"OH! YOUR APOLOGIES, HUH? AND YOU THINK THAT'S ENOUGH? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT? I LOST EVERYTHING I HAD BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU DAMN BASTARD!"
For those who knew him, it would have been equally strange to see Ryoga quietly taking a scolding. He seemed deeply remorseful.
"Ranma-kun," Akisame began calmly, "I don't know what happened between you two, but maybe you should talk it out calmly, don't you think? And if necessary... we can leave you some privacy."
"Oh no, Akisame-shishou, that's not necessary. I'd rather everyone here know what kind of person they're dealing with. After all, you all are part of my life now... and you already know many of my secrets, so you might as well know this one, too. In fact," he added sadly, "it's because of secrets that this whole mess began."
Kenichi couldn't help but think that, in this way, Miu and Renka would remain the only ones still unaware of the truth, just as they were about Ranma's transformation.
But that was purely coincidental, and it wasn't his place to force others to reveal their secrets.
At the same time, if this guy transformed into a pig... how were they supposed to explain that without revealing Ranma's secret too?
"Let's see, where do I start... as you know, my father and I have spent our lives wandering across Japan to train... but I still attended school regularly, though in a different place each year. My last year of middle school, I attended an all-boys school and met this guy..."
"Ryoga Hibiki," the injured boy introduced himself with a slight bow. "Pleased to meet you all, and I apologize for the incident this morning."
Ranma then briefly explained the story: how Ryoga had challenged him to a duel, how, because of his nonexistent sense of direction, he arrived four days late at the appointed spot, and how he had the audacity to blame Ranma for it and pursued him all the way to China to seek revenge.
The boy with the pigtail made sure to mention that Ryoga—who, as everyone now knew, transformed into a small black pig—ended up in the Cursed Springs because of him, though it had been an accident.
"Yeah, sure, whatever," the boy with the bandana scoffed.
"You shouldn't have even been there in the first place, you moron!"
That's how Kenichi first learned that Ranma had settled in the Nerima district to live at the Tendo dojo.
His father and the patriarch of that family had arranged a marriage between him and one of the man's daughters, Akane Tendo, to unite their respective Martial Arts Schools and ensure their prosperity—or, as Ranma claimed, so they could continue living without working.
Kenichi was aghasted
An arranged marriage? In the 20th century? At sixteen years old?
No wonder Ranma and Akane were irritated.
Ranma continued, explaining that Ryoga had shown up in Nerima intending—not omitting this detail—to kill him to avenge the curse.
He also explained that, in his piglet form, Ryoga had met Akane. Finding him adorable, she named him P-Chan and adopted him as her pet, even letting him sleep with her.
After this revelation, Ranma paused strategically, allowing the Masters to process the information and direct a rightful dose of disdain at the boy with the bandana.
Ryoga, for his part, stared at his futon, turning a deep shade of purple, as though wishing he could sink into the ground.
"But... what kind of..." Sakaki began, wide-eyed.
Kenichi was quite shocked. This boy didn't seem capable of such a thing.
Kensei pretended to be surprised, but then had an obvious fantasy about transforming into a piglet to snuggle up to Miu or Shigure, only to stop abruptly when Shigure unsheathed a mere five centimeters of her sword, giving the boy with the bandana a murderous look.
"I... have no excuse..." Ryoga admitted, starting to cry. "I'm a worm, and I deserve all this contempt."
"Yeah, how convenient to say that TODAY, huh?" Ranma interjected.
"Too bad you did it for a long time. And me—and here Ranma looked deeply conflicted—fool that I am, even though I tried everything to stop you... I never did the simplest thing: I never told Akane the truth.
I never exposed you because, believe it or not, I felt sorry for you. I pitied you. I keep thinking about all the times I could've solved problems in my life by being less considerate from the start."
"Anyway," he continued after a pause, "since Ryoga spent most of his time away, training, he was rarely around Akane. And I have to admit... over the years... we were good rivals... and we even fought side by side against common enemies... and, believe it or not, I even fooled myself... into thinking that we were..."
"WE WERE, RANMA! FRIENDS! WE WERE! IT WAS REAL!"
"FRIENDS DON'T DO WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"
Ryoga didn't reply.
Kenichi felt a great deal of sympathy for both, but more for Ranma.
The latter calmed down and continued.
"Anyway, to keep it short, Akane and I... well, our relationship was always rocky. We argued often, but we supported each other a lot, and I could say that...in the end…"
"You can't even say it now, can you?
You loved her, Ranma, why is it so hard?
You loved her just like... I did."
The astonishment of those present could be felt in the absolute silence that fell over the room.
"I don't think so," Ranma retorted coldly. "No one who loves a girl acts the way you did. Are you seriously trying to pass yourself off as the one HONEST about your feelings?"
"No... I can't really say that," Ryoga admitted, shrinking in shame.
"And it doesn't end there," Ranma added, taking an unusual, sadistic pleasure in exposing all of Ryoga's sins to people who would inevitably take his side. "Because this idiot, in the end, even though he never confessed his feelings to Akane... he found another girl. Sweet, adorable, and for reasons I still don't understand, completely in love with him. Akari Unryu."
Ryoga visibly flinched at that name.
"And imagine this," Ranma went on, "I even HELPED him get together with her. I was HAPPY for them."
"And I ruined everything," Ryoga concluded bitterly.
"But there's one last part to the story. My father and Akane's father finally tried to arrange our wedding, but the ceremony fell apart because... well, both of us had other suitors who crashed the reception, turning it into a battle just to stop it."
Kenichi realized it was exactly the kind of madness that could happen to one of the Masters.
"Be honest," Ryoga interjected. "It would have fallen apart ANYWAY, because Akane wanted to marry you, but you weren't ready to admit your feelings."
Ranma seemed on the verge of exploding, but then calmed down.
"Well, MAYBE we needed time to figure out what we felt for each other.
MAYBE it wouldn't have been right to get married when, where, and why decided by someone else, and not by us, especially when we were so young.
MAYBE it's none of your damn business!"
Ryoga took the hit.
"And... then?" Akisame ventured. Everyone else was focused and absorbed in the story, with expressions of understanding and melancholy on their faces.
"And then," Ranma resumed with a sigh, "strangely enough, Akane and I started to get closer.
We graduated, I kept training, she studied for her university entrance exams... for once, I thought things would go well."
"But then... THIS GUY ruined everything."
"I... never meant to. I swear!" Ryoga tried to justify himself.
"Ryoga, calmly tell us what happened," Akisame reassured him.
"When they... were supposed to get married, I... was happy for them, really. I truly believed they were meant for each other.
But then... some time later, Akari asked me to marry her.
She proposed to me, not the other way around."
Silence fell once more.
"And in that moment, I... I realized I was deceiving her. I didn't love Akari at all, despite how sweet and kind she was, and she deserved to be with someone who genuinely cherished her, not someone who was using her for convenience. I was still in love with Akane."
"LOVE? You call that love? Passion, obsession, fixation, maybe!" Ranma burst out.
"Do you know," he continued, "that on more than one occasion, this thick-headed moron challenged me with the intent to kill, thinking he'd win Akane as a prize? He really believed that if I disappeared, she'd just magically fall into his arms? He treated her like some object to be won over!"
All the Masters turned their gazes on Ryoga, their disdain even more apparent. The object of their contempt writhed in shame, but he didn't protest; he knew it was all true.
"It's true... I... I was a different person back then... but people change! They can change! You taught me that yourself, Ranma! I've become a different... a better person... mostly because of you, I believe. And... as for Akane... at first, maybe not, but over time... I truly came to appreciate her for who she was. I don't expect you to believe me, but it's the truth," he concluded, crestfallen.
"Alright," Hayato, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "And what happened next?"
"I went to the Tendo dojo to confess my feelings to Akane," Ryoga admitted. "I thought that, since Ranma hadn't confessed yet, no matter how slim my chances, she deserved to know the truth.
That way, she could make a choice knowing everything. And if she rejected me, well, so be it. At least I'd get it off my chest, and I could move on and wish them happiness from the bottom of my heart."
Ranma looked as if he were on the verge of tears. From Ryoga's tone, he believed his sincerity. And that made it hurt even more, knowing what happened afterward.
"And then," the ponytailed boy started, "he and I fought. He challenged me to confess to Akane, saying I was a coward if I didn't, that she deserved someone honest. That time, I saw red. I brought up him being P-Chan, and he attacked me, and..."
Everyone was watching him, waiting for the next part.
"...just as Ryoga declared his love for Akane, she appeared.
She heard him, and as we were grappling, we both fell into the koi pond."
JACKPOT! thought everyone at once.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Ryoga broke the silence.
"I'll never forget that moment, even if I live a hundred years. I see it every night in my nightmares. When we resurfaced—him as a girl, me as... P-Chan... Akane looked at us, bewildered, for what felt like an eternity. Then she wavered and fainted."
"When she came to," he continued, "we had transformed back, but she demanded to know what happened, and we finally confessed everything. The transformations, my feelings, everything."
Ranma's voice cracked as he carried on: "Naturally... she had a lot to take in: the realization that Ryoga had always loved her, that she never noticed his advances; but also that he was P-Chan and had taken advantage of her, even... sleeping beside her, under that pretense. And also... that the person she had often defended, who she'd sometimes sided with in our fights... had tried to kill me multiple times, without her even knowing.
"It's hard to imagine... what she must have felt. How... betrayed... hurt... and deceived she must have been."
At this, Ryoga spoke, his voice trembling, eyes wide with agony.
"Believe me, there is... nothing that... Ranma, or you, or anyone... could ever say or do that would make me feel worse... than seeing Akane's eyes, colder than the ice of the North Pole."
"In the meantime, to make matters worse," Ranma added, "a crowd had gathered around the courtyard—ALL the people involved in our lives: family, friends, rivals, random nuisances... like it often happened, and they witnessed the entire spectacle."
"However," Ranma continued, suppressing a furious growl, "after she laid into Ryoga, Akane turned on ME. And not how I expected.
I was... ashamed, I apologized for not telling her, remembering that I always tried to keep her away from the pig, and that I felt guilty for being part of the reason Ryoga was cursed, but..."
The boy choked back a sob, and Kenichi wondered how it could get any worse.
"Akane told me that... she couldn't believe I hadn't told her. That she thought she could trust me, but now... she couldn't trust me ever again. That she didn't understand how I could put Ryoga's dignity above her own.
"SHE BROKE UP WITH ME BECAUSE OF THIS IDIOT!"
Silence fell once more.
Now, it all made sense. Ranma's reluctance to talk about his past, the fact that he was "supposed to inherit a dojo" but didn't... Kenichi felt an overwhelming sense of pity.
The others, too, expressed their sympathy in their own ways.
So, it really is possible? That doing the right thing... helping a friend... can backfire on you?
"Ranma, I think I speak for all of us when I say we're deeply sorry," said the Elder. "But I believe the story doesn't end there. Do you want to continue?"
Ranma seemed to struggle with an impulse.
"Yes. You have to understand that... something inside me broke at that moment.
In a way, my whole life... had been one long string of disasters. It seemed like fate loved to make everything go wrong for me.
And so, instead of crying, screaming, or despairing... I laughed. I laughed like a maniac, realizing... how foolish I had been. To think that, for once, things could work out for me.
After all, it was obvious, wasn't it? Nothing had ever gone right for me. Now that I finally had Akane's love, why wouldn't I lose that too? It seemed like my destiny."
While everyone lowered their gazes, Kensei looked particularly moved.
"Ranma-kun..." he began.
"And when I realized that," the pigtailed boy continued, "I just stopped caring. For a long time... we had all been pretending, living in denial. Carrying on like we were on a stage, playing roles, but... I couldn't do it anymore. For the first time in my life... I snapped. Completely.
I said exactly EVERYTHING I thought about EVERYONE present.
"You have to understand that Nerima had gathered the biggest collection of irresponsible and selfish people to ever walk the earth. And they used this—guilt—to get what they wanted, never admitting to their own faults.
'Ranma, you have to marry me, we were promised as kids!'
'Ranma, it's your fault Shampoo doesn't want me!'
'Ranma, you're always so mean to Akane; why don't you fulfill your old man's wish and give us lots of grandkids?'
"And the worst part is... for so long... foolishly, I let myself be manipulated by these people. I tried to be a decent person, and they took advantage, doing the vilest things while making me out to be a monster. So, I told each of them exactly what I thought of them."
Sakaki let out a whistle that said, "Whoa."
"But, of course," Ranma resumed after catching his breath, "that had consequences for everyone there. When they learned that I had never and could never love any of them, both Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi were devastated... even though they should have realized it long ago."
Shampoo gave up on me for good, and that's why Mousse stopped being my fierce rival—well, he'd actually already stopped for a while—but at the same time, seeing how much she was hurt, he realized he had no chance, that she would never feel as deeply for him as she did for me.
And then I let slip how frustrated I'd been over the fact that my father had trained me for over a dozen years while keeping the existence of my mother a secret from me; only then did she find out, and of course, she was devastated and decided to leave him. I haven't seen him since. He deserved it, naturally, but…well…"
The others in the room remained respectfully silent as words poured out of the usually reserved boy.
Now everything was clear. Even though they knew Ranma had been seeking a "fresh start" when he'd come to them (and although nothing that tragic had happened here), they couldn't have imagined a situation so complex, with things going so catastrophically wrong in so many ways.
"And then," he concluded, "finally, it came down to Akane.
She…often insulted me.
She was always quick to think the worst of me, no matter the situation.
She'd hit me every time I made her mad.
She was spoiled and selfish.
She never admitted her own mistakes.
But despite that… I actually felt something for her.
And i felt guilty for what I'd done to her.
I…begged her for forgiveness.
I tried to make her understand how sorry I was and that I never meant to hurt her so deeply.
But…at some point, a thought crossed my mind.
Something she'd said didn't add up.
'If i were at your place, i could never hide something so important from you.'
I remembered that… it wasn't true.
She HAD hidden something vitally important from me. Just a few months before."
"What was it, if we may ask?" Kensei inquired.
"During the…failed wedding, there was a barrel of water among the gifts. It came from the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo.
A little while before, we'd been to China, and I'd done a huge favor for the guide there, but we couldn't make it to the Springs. So, as a reward, he had the water sent directly to my home.
The water from the Spring of Drowned Man."
Akisame started. "Of course! Even though there's no true cure, if one is doused again with water that would transform them back into their original self…"
"…they'd remain male, whether with cold or hot water, exactly.
Akane… KNEW how badly I wanted that water.
How much I hated turning into a woman and how desperately I wanted to be free of it.
Not only that; there were others who could have benefited from it: my father, who turns into a giant panda, Ryoga—though she didn't know that at the time—and another member of our group…"
"You mean Mousse?"
"Huh? Yeah, how did you know?"
"He transformed one morning, too, thanks to the irrigation system."
"Oh, right, of course. Figures.
Well, to make a long story short, Akane's father KEPT that water hidden from me…deciding to only give it to me if and after I had married his daughter…even lying to my father, his best friend.
And…Akane knew as well. She kept it hidden from me.
And that water was MINE BY RIGHT. IT WAS MEANT FOR ME."
Ranma was trembling with rage.
"So…since you all still transform, I take it…"
"Exactly, Koetsuji-sensei. In the chaos that erupted afterward—the crazies trying to stop the wedding—the water was destroyed.
And so ALL OF US—me, my father, Mousse, and Ryoga—lost the chance to be normal again."
The boy with the pigtail trembled with both anger and regret.
Once again, a heavy silence fell.
Hearing that story was hard enough. Living it must have been a nightmare.
Kenichi felt a deep sense of pity.
"So," Sakaki concluded, "you manned up and told this Akane that she wasn't exactly an innocent lamb either, right?"
"Exactly. And it seemed to hit her hard, for once.
Though…at that point, I knew it was over anyway, and I didn't care anymore.
After all, no one had ever cared enough about me to say things like 'Thank you,' or 'Sorry,' or 'Please,' or anything like that…not until I came here, at least.
So I wanted…to speak my mind, for once."
"And then?" Hayato asked.
Ranma turned to Ryoga with a furious glare.
The bandana-wearing boy was sobbing uncontrollably, ashamed of what he knew was coming next.
"What? There's more?" Kenichi exclaimed.
This is too horrible. Poor Ranma, no wonder he didn't trust anyone when he first arrived here.
"Oh, but Kenichi, now comes THE BEST PART!
Because you see, THIS GUY"—and he pointed angrily at Ryoga—
"Had the…nerve? Audacity? I don't even know what to call it…to BLAME ME FOR TALKING BACK TO AKANE!"
A series of astonished looks appeared on the Masters' faces.
"Exactly, he's always been…emotional. Some of his techniques rely on emotions like rage or depression, using what I now recognize as Dou Ki.
And that time…even though he felt guilty…he still wanted to think of Akane as the poor, helpless, victim, and hearing me yell at her…triggered his Ashura mode.
He turned into a bloodthirsty, uncontrollable beast.
AND HE TRIED TO KILL ME."
The Masters and Kenichi were utterly shocked.
Ryoga had completely broken down, crying his heart out and feeling no shame in his remorse.
His own friend…tried to kill him? No wonder he was so angry at him.
"I mean, seriously—Ranma clarified—after ALL that mess, after ruining my life in EVERY possible way…HE tried to kill ME."
It was rare to see Ranma so furious at someone, but no one could blame him for it.
Everyone glared at the boy with the bandana with disdain.
Understandably, the Saving Fist school did not take kindly to those who succumbed to the Killing Fist.
Ryoga could barely speak through his tears.
"I…I'm so ashamed… but…recently…I had this problem…where if I summoned Ki to enhance myself…I couldn't…control it anymore…it happened even this morning."
"It's…true," Shigure confirmed.
"And that time…I didn't want to earn Akane's forgiveness or anything, but…so many things had happened…so many emotions swirling inside me that…I just lost it.
I woke up unconscious, in the field, half a day later, and…I remembered nothing."
"And…what did you do afterward, if I may ask?" Akisame inquired.
"Well, I…left that place for good. I spent the last year alone…in the mountains…meditating…realizing how…everything that happened to me was my own fault, and…I came to find Ranma."
"Hmm…I understand," Hayato said thoughtfully. "Well, Ranma-kun, your resentment is fully justified, I won't deny it.
However, since being here, you've learned more about Dou Ki and its effects on untrained individuals, even those…with better judgment than this one.
So perhaps, for this last sin, Ryoga could be, if not forgiven, at least somewhat understood, don't you think?"
Ranma thought back to Miu, on the first day he arrived at the dojo, and his anger softened slightly.
"Yes, maybe," he admitted reluctantly.
Ryoga lifted his head, a glimmer of hope appearing for the first time.
"Are you telling me… that condition… can be cured?"
"Partially, yes," Kensei clarified. "It's possible to prevent it from taking over and eventually become able to harness the power of Dou Ki, like Sakaki and Apachai here, without becoming a bloodthirsty beast."
"Oh, I… Master, please! Help me! I'll do anything!"
"Uhm… we'll see."
"Finish the story, Ranma. I assume we're nearing the end," Akisame prompted him.
"Yeah," the pigtailed boy exhaled.
Telling everything to someone had been therapeutic.
Especially because, for once, these were people who supported him rather than blaming him automatically, as he was used to back in Nerima.
"As you can see, I didn't die.
In fact, I felt my Ki grow ice-cold and… I SMASHED THIS IDIOT'S FACE AT FULL POWER, WITHOUT ANY REGRET.
Then I gathered my things and left Nerima forever."
One last time, silence fell over the room.
The tragedy had finally reached its conclusion.
Everyone needed to digest all they had just learned. And it was a lot.
"Well, now you know everything," Ranma stated. "I wish I could say I'm ashamed of making this scene and that you all know my most disgraceful secrets, but… honestly, it felt surprisingly good talking about it.
Maybe I'm changing in that regard too, up to some months ago…i would've never told my secrets so easily.
Keeping everything inside… isn't healthy.
And you all… are part of my life now.
And now," he continued, pointing at his former friend, "I want to make one thing very clear, Masters: I am grateful to you for everything, and I love it here.
Heck, Kenichi, Miu, Renka, and everyone else are the first real friends I've had… well, ever, come to think of it.
BUT if THIS GUY stays here… I WILL LEAVE."
And he headed for the dojo exit.
"Wait, Ranma-kun," Akisame tried to reason with him. "Don't make an impulsive decision."
"Oh, I assure you I'm not, Akisame-shishou. This is the most thought-out decision I've ever made.
I've simply realized… that ALL the negative things that have happened to me… are MY FAULT.
I ALLOWED them to happen.
I LET people manipulate me and treat me poorly.
But that stops now. For my own well-being, for my mental health, I need to remove toxic people from my life.
Of course, this isn't an ultimatum.
You can do whatever you want with your dojo.
However, I must make clear that this is my decision.
And if you choose to keep him here-to help him, obviously I understand-no hard feelings, really. We'll just part ways sooner than expected, and I'll always have fond memories of all of you."
With a few bounds, he was gone.
Everyone wanted to say something, but just then, Miu and Renka came in, completely cheerful from having cuddled with the kittens all evening, and said:
"Here we are! Sorry, we're a bit late for dinner. What did we miss?"
Glossary
Katsudon: A traditional Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of white rice topped with a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet and a whole egg cooked with the residual heat of the dish.
Author's Note
I suppose this chapter is...hard to read. Hard to digest, even.
Ryoga's arrival at Ryozanpaku was fun, the rest...not so much.
Look, this is where i was heading into.
The drama, the crazy and abusive behaviour of everyone at Nerima...they needed to be called out.
Ranma could have left Nerima and the Tendo's only if there was a really serious reason.
And i've left many hints that he had been sort of traumatized by something happening in the past.
Well, here we are.
It never occurred to reveal Ryoga's secret before, and it's all fun and games...until it isn't, anymore.
And yes, you might have realized by now: i'm a huge Ranma Saotome fan. The poor fella always gets the short end of the stick all the time.
It was time for him to step up and speak for himself.
As for Ryoga, he used to be a villain, prior to becoming the reluctant ally/frenemy/rival of the protagonist. He hasn't always been positive, or hardly ever, but by watching just the anime, we might forget it.
In volume 24, during the Herb saga, he wanted to take advantage of Ranma and kill him.
In volume 29, with the magical fishing rod, he got pissed at Ranma's obsession, and wanted to kill him.
Not exactly at the start of the story.
So, yes, he needed to undertake an ordeal and finally admit his shortcomings. I'm not a fan of being sweet, forgiving and forgetful.
Now, there's an overly complex situation: the girls are UNAWARE of everything, and truth CAN'T be told to them, unless Kenichi and the Masters also wants to out Ranma's secret...
As i said, the transformation SHOULD be a secret to some and SHOULD play a role in the story.
I know i'm hitting hard.
What would happen next?
Plus, i warn you: i'm GOING ON A TRIP FOR TWO WEEKS. IN JAPAN, BTW. DREAM OF MY LIFE. COMING BACK ON 21 ST
THEREFORE, I'M UNSURE WHETHER TO POST THE NEXT CHAPTER THIS WEDNESDAY, OR TO KEEP YOU WAITING...WONDERING WHAT'S COMING NEXT
TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS