The Three Saotomes
Part 5
Genryu's Challenger!
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Ranma sat in front of the Tendos with his legs crossed and frowned at
them. "Because I didn't think you needed to know."
"Son, you are engaged to my daughter, I feel you should have said
something about this," insisted Soun.
Nabiki and Akane just sat off to the side silently while the adults
conversed. Finally after a long silence Kasumi spoke up.
"You never did explain how this happened to you. All we know is that you
went to a place called Jusenkyo."
Genryu frowned at this and remained silent for a long moment. "It's not
something we like to talk about..."
"Wai Mei Kai," said Ranma calmly.
Genma froze and paled at the words.
"What?" said Akane with a sudden interest in the conversation.
"We were forced into the springs by something called Wai Mei Kai," said
Ranma flatly. Genryu shifted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced at his
brother as he said this.
"What the heck is a Wai Mei Kai?" said Nabiki with a suspicious look in
her eyes.
"Pray that you never find out," retorted the boy, he turned back to Soun
and sighed. "We were moving across China while training and Pop was
looking for the place anyway. We stumbled across it while we were running
from it. Pop figured we could stop and put in a bit of training."
"You still haven't told us what..." started Nabiki. She was cut off as
all three Saotomes gave her a dark glare before Ranma continued his
story.
"It's a fairly simple looking training ground. Bamboo shoots are stuck
into the various springs that cover the valley floor. It's basic balance
practice really." He shrugged his shoulders in a somewhat unimpressed
gesture and smiled. "The danger from the valley doesn't come from falling
though, it's the springs that are the real trouble. When you fall into
one you fall into the last thing that drowned there. When we started
sparing I moved a short distance from Pop and my brother into the springs
and let them get in a few rounds before I joined in."
----------------------------
"Hey bro! You gonna watch or fight!" snapped Genryu as he vaulted over
one of his father's kicks and landed on a bamboo shoot across from the
man.
"I'll join you soon enough," replied the boy calmly as he sat back and
looked down at the water below. "Just watch yourself."
Genryu turned his head slightly and saw his father was jumping towards
him with his leg extended. The boy smirked and kicked off the older man's
back sending him into one of the springs. "Ha! Thought I wasn't paying
attention huh Pop?"
"You weren't," commented Ranma from beside him. Genryu jumped in surprise
at his brother's appearance and almost fell. He regained his balance and
frowned. Ranma didn't appear too interested in the whole affair and
jumped towards the edge of the spring. "We've got more important things
to do than fool around here. Come on!"
Genryu paused and looked down at the spring below him. "Hey! Pop hasn't
come up yet!"
Almost in answer the spring exploded with a large furry mass of black and
white bounding out from the water. Genryu stood in shock staring at the
thing before him. "What the hell is that!"
Ranma paused on top of a pole at the edge of the springs. "Looks like a
panda."
Genryu was about to retort when the animal punched him into one of the
springs.
Ranma smirked as a redheaded girl emerged from the water and jumped down
from the pole laughing to himself. "Looks like I managed to get out of
that one." He didn't even see the black and white mass land behind him,
grab the back of his gi, and throw him into one of the springs over its
shoulder.
Genryu and Genma both paused at the sight of a large jet-black stallion
that emerged from the water where the boy had landed. It snorted angrily
and stared at the panda. Both of the now changed individuals paused and
looked down at themselves.
Genryu and Ranma both screamed at the same time. Ranma simply stood
shaking with anger at the stupidity of his father. "That idiot got us all
cursed because he was too stupid to notice that he'd changed?!" He shook
his head and looked up the valley, there was a small hut there with smoke
rising from the chimney. A small portly man dressed in Chinese clothes
rushed out of the home and gasped. "Oh no! I is too late!"
The three of them looked at the man and simply stood there.
"Why you come to Jusenkyo without guide!? Now all is cursed!" exclaimed
the man with a weary sigh as he pulled out a pipe and sat down on the
ground in front of them. "You come with me sirs, I tell about curse."
The trio looked at each other and shrugged before following the man back
to the hut.
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"...and that's how we got cursed," finished Ranma.
"That's..." Kasumi couldn't think of anything to say. She sat for a
moment before looking at the trio again. "Oh my."
"Yeah, well I've had worse," snorted the elder boy as he stood up. "Come
on Genryu, we've got school tomorrow."
Akane and Nabiki both looked up at the clock. "It is getting late I
suppose," commented Akane as she followed the pair towards the bedrooms.
---------------------------
Ranma and Genryu lay on their futons and looked up at the ceiling. Genryu
shifted to his side and watched his brother lay in silence for a moment.
"Ranma, do you think he followed us?"
"I don't know. I hope not, we haven't seen him in a while," said the boy
quietly. "I'm more worried about her showing up though at the moment."
"Do you have to fight her? I mean..." Ranma looked uncomfortable for a
moment as Genryu almost pleaded with him.
"If I don't fight, I'll be killed," it was a simple reply, but one he
wasn't entirely comfortable with himself. "I'd rather we just kept
moving, but Pop is determined to get everyone here killed with us. He
won't go with us."
"We could..." started the younger boy.
His brother cut him off quickly. "No we can't. Trust me on this, if he
wants to get away badly enough, even we can't hold him long."
Genryu lay back flat on his back again and stared at the ceiling. "I
wonder if she's all right? I mean, you know..."
Ranma smiled at he words and remained silent. His thoughts remained
focused though. "I've got to think of something though. If I run away,
he'll just drag me back whining about honor and how unmanly I am. There
has to be a way out of this though." Slowly he drifted off to sleep.
-----------------------------------
Soun sat down across from the table with a bottle of Sake between himself
and his old friend. "Tell me what the boy was talking about Saotome."
The man turned and looked at him quietly. "Some things are best left
unsaid. All I'll say is this; there are things in this world more evil
than even Happosai."
"Saotome! Don't say that..." started Soun in a fluster.
"I have no fear of him Tendo. Believe me, there are fates much worse than
his revival."
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On a mountain overlooking Tokyo a shadowy figure stood watching the city
lights. She was slender and young, with loose fitting clothing. A dark
smile crossed her lips as she looked out over the city. She turned her
head slightly and spoke into the shadows.
"Are you sure this is it this time?"
A low short growl was the only answer.
"Well, at least you finally led me here," commented the girl in a
somewhat sarcastic tone. "You deal with your end, and stay the hell out
of my way."
The bushes rustled as something moved away into the darkness. The woman
turned her attention back to the city again and her smile faded. "Ranma
Saotome. You will pay for your crimes with your life! I swear it!" A low,
pink glow surrounded the gold metal armbands on her wrists for a moment
before fading away.
-----------------------------
Genryu stepped walked across the Furinkan schoolyard lazily with a meat
bread hanging out if his mouth. Life had been fairly peaceful for him
ever since he moved in with the Tendos. It wasn't exactly a normal
existence, but he wasn't complaining at the moment. Of course, as with
the tradition of the Saotome name, all that was about to be shattered.
"Genryu Saotome! Prepare to die!" screamed a voice from above.
The pigtailed boy shifted his weight and stepped back as someone slammed
into the ground in front of him. The boy was wearing a worn and dirty
looking yellow shirt and had a bamboo umbrella in his hands that he used
to aid the first strike. He left a crater where he landed and slowly
stood up.
"So, you're still good at running away Saotome," commented the boy with a
small frown as he stared the boy down.
Genryu did not speak. He merely rushed forward and slammed a punch into
the boy's gut forcing him back. The boy reacted slowly and staggered for
a moment pulling the umbrella up in a defensive position. The pigtailed
boy did not let up his attack though and performed a spinning kick that
slammed into the boy's temple sending him to the ground several feet
away.
The boy staggered to his knees and shook his head. "What the?" He glanced
up and saw the boy rushing towards him with his hands tucked at his sides
with a neutral expression on his face. Genryu charged forward at full
force and slammed his knee into the boy's chin sending him back on the
ground on his back.
The boy shifted as if to jump back onto his feet and froze as his
opponent slid to the ground and managed to put his arm under his neck as
he passed by him and quickly applied a choke hold. Genryu squeezed
tightly and forced him down face first into the dirt.
"Explain yourself."
The boy sputtered into the ground in shock and rage as he struggled. His
air supply was quickly running out and he gasped desperately as the world
slowly began to fade away around him. "Damn you...Saotom..."
Genryu remained as he was for a moment as the boy's body relaxed and
slowly released him. He stood up and dusted himself off with a cool
glance toward the boy's prone form. "He looks familiar..." he commented
under his breath as he stepped back a short way. After a moment he
realized that a small crowd had gathered around him.
"What have you done?" Akane rushed up and moved towards the boy with a
look of shock on her face. Genryu moved quickly and shoved her back away
from him.
"Stay back!" he snarled angrily.
The girl paused and looked at him in disgust. "He could be hurt!"
"He's fine," said Ranma as he walked up and eyed the scene calmly.
"Strike hard and fast. You did well little brother."
Genryu nodded at he praise and looked back at his fallen opponent. "He
looks familiar."
"Ryoga Hibiki I think. Haven't seen him in a while. I'm surprised he
found you." Ranma walked over to the boy and kicked him over so that he
was facing up. "Yup, that's him all right."
Akane paused and looked at the pair. "You know this guy?"
"I certainly hope so. Random strangers don't just show up screaming they
want to kill you around here do they?" said Ranma with a hint of
amusement in his voice. "Let's get him inside and find out what he
wants."
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Ryoga woke up and groaned in pain. His head felt like it had been split
open. He shifted uncomfortably and woke up with a start as memories
flooded back to him. "Genryu!" His shout died down when he saw four
people standing in front of him at the foot of a bed.
Genryu smiled at him and pulled a chair up to the side of the bed. "Hello
Ryoga, are you going to tell me what you want?"
The boy turned and glared at him angrily before noting the other three
people in the room. His enemies elder brother and two strange girls stood
nearby watching the scene carefully. One of the girls had short cut hair
and a sort of impassive stare, and the other had long hair tied back with
a ribbon at the middle of her back. Ranma had that familiar smirk he
always seemed to have, but was relatively quiet.
"Damn you Saotome! I have seen hell because of you!" screamed the boy in
rage as he attempted to jump from the bed only to stop halfway. He jerked
back in surprise and looked down to see his arms were chained to the bed.
"You're going to have to elaborate a bit more than that I'm afraid
Hibiki. We've got enough people out to kill us as it is," said Ranma. The
two girls looked at him and turned their attention back to Ryoga again.
The boy simply growled and turned his head away.
"If you want to be that way fine. You can just stay there until you feel
like talking," said Genryu as he stood up and turned away.
Ryoga didn't look back at him, but spoke anyway. "Just tell me one thing
Saotome. Why did you run out on our fight?"
"Run out? I waited three days for you to show up!" retorted Genryu
angrily.
"Three days?" commented Nabiki lazily.
"And when I showed up on the fourth day you had already run away!"
snarled the boy bitterly.
"And who's fault was that?" asked Ranma.
"You think I was out on a casual stroll for four days? I suffered to meet
up with you!" snapped Ryoga.
"So what? You're the one who didn't show up. Your suffering is
irrelevant."
Genryu and Ryoga looked at him for a moment and then turned back to each
other. "He's right you know. I acted honorably."
Ryoga growled and turned away with a heavy blush on his face. "I..."
"There's no excuse Ryoga. You forfeit the match when you were late for
your own challenge," said Genryu in retort. "Besides, I think we already
settled things outside don't you?"
"The hell we have!" screamed the boy in a rage as he attempted to jump up
again. "You don't know the depths of suffering I've had to endure! This
is far from over Saotome!"
"Well, this isn't going as well as I'd hoped," commented Ranma.
"You stay out of this!" snapped Ryoga.
"He's right Ranma, this is between me and him," said Genryu.
"Suit yourself," said the boy as he walked out of the room followed by
both girls.
"Now, what the hell is this about Ryoga?"
"Because of you I've seen hell!" repeated the boy angrily.
"You're going to have to do better than that I'm afraid."
"Release me and fight like a man damn it!" snarled the boy.
"Not till you tell me exactly what's going on," replied Genryu calmly.
"Are you afraid of me? Is that it?" taunted Ryoga.
"No, but if I don't like your explanation you might not leave here alive.
Start talking."
That got Ryoga's attention. "What?"
"Me and my brother have enough problems following us around. You'd better
have a really good reason for following me here and attacking me. I'm not
going to repeat myself again."
Ryoga's eyes darkened at this and he looked away. "In order to finish our
duel, I followed you."
Genryu paused and raised his eyebrow slightly. "Pardon?"
"All the way to China."
The boy sat back in his chair and sighed. "Well that clears things up a
little. Where exactly did you follow us to?"
"Are you mocking me Saotome?" snarled the boy.
"No," replied the boy simply.
"Jusenkyo," said Ryoga quietly.
"Oh boy," Genryu didn't like the way this conversation was going.
-----------------------------------------
"So who was that guy?" asked Nabiki as she walked with Ranma back to
their class.
"Ryoga Hibiki. Top class martial artist, and old rival to my brother.
Don't put a lot of money on him beating Genryu though."
"You know what his story is?" pried the girl.
"If Genryu wants to tell you he will," said the boy as he opened the door
and walked into the room.
The girl grit her teeth as she took her seat. Kuno glanced up at them as
the entered and frowned. The teacher didn't appear to acknowledge them
and continued the lesson.
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Shampoo kneeled before her great grandmother and looked up at her. "Yes,
I'm sure of what I saw."
"This is most unsettling," said the old woman more to herself than to her
granddaughter. "Are you certain child?"
"I must go...I am already involved. Staying here is out of the question."
"The kiss has been revoked, you need not be involved," said the old woman
with a hint of worry in her voice.
"I cannot turn my back. I am going," said the girl firmly. "As I said
before, I am already involved."
"The girl need not concern us any longer."
"I cannot. The honor of Joketsuko would be damaged by such an act."
Cologne hung her head in a resigned sigh. "Very well. I give you my leave
child. Once your task is completed you will return here. I will see you
off tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? But..."
"I will see you off tomorrow. There is something I want you to take with
you," repeated the elder firmly.
"Yes Great Grandmother," said the girl finally.
After the girl left Cologne sat alone. "The child is foolish. There is no
way he could know that art." She hopped towards a window and looked
outside at the storm that loomed over the horizon. She could see
lightening flashing in the distance. "Still, if there is even the
slightest possibility..."
A young girl dressed in battle armor entered the room and bowed to her
from the doorway. "Elder, the counsel awaits your presence. It is time
for the meeting to begin."
She turned and looked at her for a moment in silence. "Tell them I'll be
along shortly. My granddaughter is leaving tomorrow to fulfill the kiss
of death she gave that outsider."
The woman looked up at her in surprise. "Yes elder." She quickly shuffled
away.
"Things of mere legend," said the old woman in quiet comfort to herself.
-----------------------------------
Ranma looked up at the teacher as she gave the lesson and yawned. Despite
the earlier excitement things had calmed down considerably since Ryoga's
arrival. He knew Genryu could handle himself if it came down to it. Ryoga
could easily free himself of those chains if he wished and they both knew
it. He glanced down at his textbook and tried to keep his eyes open as
the lesson lagged on.
The serene calmness of the room was ended in an instant as an explosion
sounded from outside the building. Everyone reacted instantly, most of
the students jumped beneath their desks. Ranma and Kuno both jumped up
and looked around excitedly. The teacher seemed frozen in place, stopped
midway in writing an equation on the board.
"What the hell was that?" said Ranma as he turned towards Kuno.
"It warrants investigation," commented Kuno as he started towards the
window. Ranma jumped across the room beside him.
The pair watched the yard and saw nothing but grass and pavement. "I was
sure it came from outside," muttered Ranma as he looked for the source of
the disturbance. That's when it hit him. "Genryu!" He turned and rushed
out of the room.
He rushed down the hallways moving towards the nursing station and burst
into the doors. Genryu and Ryoga were both standing in the middle of the
room looking around in confusion.
"What was that noise?" asked the younger Saotome.
"I thought it was you two again," said Ranma as he noticed the room was
undamaged. The room seemed to shake as another explosion ripped through
the air from outside. This time the wall cracked sending pieces of
plaster scattering across the ground. The three martial artist turned
towards the damaged wall and froze. Finally it exploded inward revealing
a shadowy figure standing in the dust behind the debris.
"Ranma Saotome! For the murder of my brother you die!" screamed a
feminine voice.
The two brother's eyes went wide and Ranma backed away from the figure.
"Damn! She's found us!"
Next time: Threat from China!
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com
Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/
Things are not quite as they seem. You'll just have to read the next ch.
to find out what I mean!