Chapter 3: Ranma at the Tendo Dojo

     Nabiki shook her head as she observed the childish antics of Genma
Saotome.  She was seated at a rather small table, and had a great time
watching the Saotomes eat dinner.  Ranma had been eating quietly and quickly
as Genma sneaked various pieces of food out of Ranma's plate.  It first
started with some pork, then some chinese broccoli.  Then a nice piece of
fish.  Ranma sat there not aware of Genma's thievery.  Ranma stood up, and
calmly walked over to the kitchen to put away his dishes.

     Nodoka gave Genma a hard stare.  "Ranma's a growing boy!  He needs his
food!  Don't try to sneak food away from him!"  Genma's eyes openned wide,
and he placed his hand on his stomach, assuming an air of innocence.

     "I didn't steal a thing!  Besides, I'm a growing man, and I need my
food!"  Ranma calmly walked out of the kitchen, and he walked down the hall,
going to his bedroom.  "Ranma, my boy!  Did I steal anything?"  Everyone
heard Ranma snicker, and he gave a brief recitation of a list of things
Genma stole, down to the last grain of rice.  Nodoka gave Genma an
all-knowing look.  She knew that Ranma had been aware of her husband's
pilfering.

     Nabiki on the other hand was amazed.  Ranma had completely acted
natural as if he didn't see a thing.  She realized that she was probably
overstaying her welcome, here at the Saotome home.  She stood up, and bowed
to Nodoka and Genma.

     "Thank you for the delicious dinner.  I think my Father's going to be
worried, so I have to go home."  Nabiki walked to the door.  Nodoka, thought
about Soun and his prediciment, and an idea percolated into her head.
'Maybe if Soun got to know Ranma, it would make it easier to ease Soun out
of his pain.'  Nodoka always had a certain faith in her son, for he always
had an uncanny ability of making the impossible happen around him, whether
it be through his actions or his presence.

      'Besides, Nabiki seems like a nice girl, and perhaps Ranma should get
to know her.'  Nodoka managed a small grin.  She always loved playing
matchmaker, although all of her previous attempts to match Ranma to another
girl always failed.  The other girl was usually repulsed by Ranma's
obssession to martial arts.

      Nodoka called out.  "Ranma!  It's a little late, and it would not be
safe for a girl like Nabiki to wander the streets.  You should take her
home!"  Ranma walked out of his room, twirling his blade around his finger.

     Ranma shrugged his shoulders.  "Sure Mom"  He grabbed his coat and went
out with Nabiki.  Both walked silently for a bit, and as if Fate had
conspired against them, it started to rain, hard.  The rain was not a normal
summer sprinkle, but it was a heavy, soaking, bone chilling rain.

     Ranma glanced at Nabiki, who didn't bring a jacket for her, shivering
in the cold, and he felt obligated to help her.  He took off his coat and
put it one her, making sure the hood protected her head.  Nabiki felt Ranma
put the jacket on her, and she was amazed.  He did it expecting nothing in
return, he did it automatically.  There was no obvious profit in his self
sacrifice.  Nabiki watched Ranma shiver a little in the rain, his hair
becoming soaked, and drooping down.

     "Ranma, I don't need your jacket."  Nabiki just felt too guilty taking
advantage of Ranma.  She began to take the jacket off, when she felt Ranma's
hand stop her.  Immediately, she felt her heart do acrobatics in her chest.

     "Never mind.  It isn't that bad.  Keep it."  The brief contact with
Ranma had evoked an emotional response in Nabiki, and she felt afraid.
Afraid of the uncertainty that emotions brought, she tried to attain a
pattern by appealing to her rationality and her logic.  However, Ranma's
presence made this impossible.

     Nabiki felt a yearning to learn all she could about Ranma.  "Ranma, so
what are you interested in?"  Her question evoked a quick smile from Ranma,
who was trying to ignore that his hair was being plastered to his head.

     "Martial arts."  His two word answer provided plenty mystery for
Nabiki.  She just couldn't comprehend Ranma's interest in something that did
not yield a profit.  To Nabiki, her entire life had been focused on the
pursuit of profit.  She silently walked along side Ranma.  Turning her head
to observe Ranma more closely.

      She looked at Ranma's manly face, slim figure.  He just seemed
perfect.  Her eyes trailed around a bit, and she finally saw a large patch
of white sickly scar that was on Ranma's right forearm.  She just had to
ask.  "Ranma, where did that scar come from?"  Ranma's face slightly
hardened, and he shifted a bit to hide the scar.

      "It was a training accident."  Nabiki felt sick.  She had just said
something wrong.  'Oh no!  Before I even tried, I just got Ranma to hate
me.'  However her fears were assuaged by Ranma placing his arm around her
shoulders.

     "Hey!  It wasn't your fault."  Ranma made a small smile.  "It was my
fault.  I wasn't careful."  She glanced at Ranma, and his acceptance of his
situation.  'If I were him, I would have quitted martial arts a long time
ago.'  Her mind reminded herself that she did, in fact quitted martial arts
10 years ago.  She remembered the pain that was in her father's face, and
afterwards, he began lavish his attention on Akane, and prepared her to be
the legitimate heir to the School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

* * *

     Finally the two reached the Tendo Dojo, and as Nabiki entered her home,
she turned around, and saw the sorry state that Ranma was in.  His
completely soaked shirt stuck to his body, revealing more of his figure.
His hair was plastered to his forehead, and his pig tail which normally
stuck out, drooped down, completely soaked.  Nabiki shooked her head.

     "Come in, Ranma.  You look really soaked."  Ranma was going to protest,
but Nabiki feeling a bit generous, pulled Ranma into the house, and shut the
door after him.  Ranma stood there his clothes dripping water on to the floor.

     "Nabiki!  Your home.  Oh, who's your friend?"  Kasumi had heard the
front door open, and she left the kitchen to welcome Nabiki.  Nabiki blushed
slightly, as she tried to say Ranma's name.  She didn't have to try, since
Akane had just came down the stairs.

     "Ranma!  What are you doing here?"  In another room in the Tendo Dojo,
a set of eyes snapped open.

      "Shhh!  Akane!"  Nabiki hissed.  "You don't want to wake up Father!
He would go nuts if he found that a Saotome was in his house!"  In a
bedroom, Soun Tendo fumbled around with his clothes, his mind completely
consumed with hatred.

     Kasumi shook her head disapprovingly at Ranma.  "What made you walk in
the rain like that?  Come, you need to warm up.  Do you want some tea?"
Ranma looked around, feeling within him that something was going to happen
if he stayed.

     "I think I should go."  Ranma went to the door, ignoring the heavy
pitter-patter of the rain outside, and the wind that howled loudly.  Nabiki
stopped Ranma.

     "I don't think you should go outsied right now.  It's terrible."  Akane
and Kasumi nodded.  Ranma shrugged his shoulders, his sixth sense tingling
like crazy.  'Something's going to happen, I just know it.'  Back in the
other room, Soun Tendo stood, his eyes gleaming, like the bright katana that
was in his hands.  Chuckling, he added a couple drops of a clear liquid to
his blade from a very small bottle.  'Saotome!  Today is the day I start my
revenge.  You turned my life into a living hell!  I shall send you and your
son to the gates of hell.'  

     His mind twisted with anger, Soun started out of his room.

* * *

     Nabiki finally took off Ranma's jacket, and carefully hanged it up in
the closet.  Akane's eyes narrowed slightly as she realized that Nabiki
didn't have a jacket like that.  "Nabiki, is that your jacket?"  Nabiki
smiled a bit.

     "No, it's Ranma's.  He gave it to me because it was raining hard."
Akane paled.  Since she first met Ranma, she had a faint interest that was
growing, that was beginning to displace her interest in Dr. Tofu.  'Besides,
Dr. Tofu's already interested in someone else.'  Her mind started to think
and speculate about what Nabiki really did with Ranma for the entire day.
'She was out for a really long time...'

     "Nabiki, why don't you tell me about what you did today?"  Nabiki gave
no response, she pointed at Soun Tendo, who was standing wild haired at the
top of the stairs.  Akane gasped.

     Meanwhile, Kasumi poured Ranma a cup of freshly brewed tea.  Ranma
smiled.  "Thank you."  And he brought the steaming cup to his lips, and
carefully swallowed the tea, which wasn't too weak or too strong.  However,
he had only moments to savor the taste.

      "Kasumi!"  Kasumi dashed out of the kitchen.  Ranma stood up and
slowly followed, curious.  'They all seem to be very nice.'  Ranma commented
to himself.

      "Oh my!  Father stop!"  Ranma stopped thinking, and ran out of the
kitchen.

     Soun ignored to pleadings of his daughters.  He ignored Kasumi who
walking up the stairs.  He was focused on one and only one thing, making
Genma suffer for the rest of his life.  He slowly walked down the stairs,
and he almost rejoiced when Ranma entered the room.

     "Spawn of Saotome.  Prepare to die!"  On his last word, he thrust his
sword forward, and charged, completely ignoring the fact that Kasumi was on
the stairs.  Paralysed with fear, Kasumi stared helplessly at her father.
Suddenly, before the sword could impale her, she felt herself shoved out the
way, and a very short blade flashed in front of her, deflecting the sword
from her.

     Turning her head quickly, she saw the sword pass by her only
centimeters.  She also saw Ranma's face grimace as Soun's katana sliced
through Ranma's skin, and he dropped his short sword onto the ground.
Ignoring the blood, Ranma pushed Kasumi back with his right hand, and he
lunged at Soun.  Soun howled as he rapidly crashed his sword down onto Ranma.

     Ranma ducked and dodged Soun's unwithering attacks.  With each attack,
Ranma was surprised to find that his reactions were gradually slowing down,
and finally it dawned on him, Soun had poisoned the katana.  His mind
thinking quickly, he formulated a plan.  'I need to take him out now, before
I stop moving.'  Summoning all of his strength, he launched an attack of his
own.

     His arm arced perfectly, forcing Soun to block.  Soun gasped in
astonishment.  'I didn't even see his arm move!'  Ranma stumbled, feeling
the effects of the paralysis poison seep through his legs, giving Soun the
perfect openning.  He raised his sword above his head, and swung down,
expecting to cleave Ranma's head into two.  Instead, he stared stupidly at
the grip of his katana.  The blade was on the floor in front of him.  

     Ranma ignoring the paralysis, pushed himself up at Soun with his left
arm against the railing, and then smashed his fist onto Soun's head,
instantly knocking Soun out.  Ranma landed, and finally the paralysis poison
reached his head, and he collapsed, and he fell backwards down the stairs.
Fortunately, Kasumi caught him.

* * *

     "Do you think he's alive?"  Ranma groaned for a moment, and he pushed
himself up.  However, the poison still had an effect on him, and his
strength gave out.  Ranma collapsed back into the bed, and he lost
consciousness again.  Soun was in the corner crying his eyes out.  He
realized how he allowed his hatred and desire for revenge to take control of
him and turn him into a monster.

     'I almost killed Kasumi.  I almost killed Kasumi'  echoed in his mind.
After waking up from Ranma's blow, he was able to review the events with a
clear mind.  He remembered the fear that was etched into Kasumi's face, and
that was enough to make him realize that he should forget his anger.  'Anger
turned me into a monster.  I almost killed Kasumi.'  He looked up, and saw
Kasumi in front of him.  He looked at his daughter, who had never raised her
voice in anger, his daughter who never ever harmed a single being in her
life.  'How could I have almost killed her!'

      Kasumi lovingly comforted her father.  She knew that her father would
never intentionally hurt anyone.  "Father, I don't blame you.  You were just
angry that's all.  See.  The Saotome's are not that bad, Ranma saved my
life."  Kasumi layed her hands against Soun's shoulder.  Soun stared at
Ranma who was unconsious because of his lack of honor.  Soun shuddered as he
remembered his psychotic rationalization for using the poison.  'Anger
completely transformed me!'  He started to cry again.

* * *

      Nodoka was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.  Her husband was next
to her, blissfully snoring like a giant that was sneezing.  Nodoka took one
look at the clock, 11:30 pm, and she became worried.  'Ranma's never out
that late.'  Turning to her husband, she shook him.  "Genma!  Genma!  Ranma
isn't home yet!  I think we should go and find him."  

      Genma groaned as he awaked from his pleasant dreams, fumbling around
blind for a moment, Genma donned his glasses.  He placed his hand on
Nodoka's shoulder, and he smiled.  "Nodoka, Ranma's a growing boy.  He knows
how to take care of himself.  I think he's just fine.  Besides, no one in
Nerima would want to kill him."  Nodoka sat silently, and regretted not
telling her husband the story that was told by Nabiki.

     She decided to fill in Genma on the details.

* * *

     Kasumi patiently dabbed Ranma's forehead with a cool damp cloth.
Groaning a bit, Ranma tossed and turned, and he constantly moaned.  Kasumi
tried not to pay attention, but from the bits and pieces that she heard,
Ranma was having a terrible nightmare.  Instinctively, like a mother, Kasumi
embraced Ranma, and rocked him gently.  A few minutes later, he began to
calm down, and continued, peacefully.  

     Kasumi smiled, and she carefully placed Ranma back down onto the bed.
Glancing up, she heard someone knock furiously on the door.  She went to
answer the door.  Openning the door, she was greeted with two strangers.
One bearing a katana on her back, and the other, a very stout man who wore
glasses.  The woman stated, her nervousness apparent.  "Where's Ranma?"

* * *

     "Oh Ranma!"  Nodoka was panicking over Ranma, who was still quite
asleep.  Genma was kneeling next to Nodoka begging her to calm down.  The
Tendo's were also present.  Soun stood in the door frame, his giant frame
crouched in evident guilt.  All three sisters stared silently at the scene
that was unfolding in front of them.  After Nodoka had stopped her sobbing,
Genma stood up and slowly approached Soun.

     Soun started to talk.  "Genma, I'm so sorry for what..."  He was
stopped by Genma's hand, which landed on Soun's shoulder.  

     "Soun, old friend, not to worry.  My boy Ranma's been through worse.  A
lot worse."  Genma paused, unintentionally building suspense in his mini
speech.  All of the Tendo's began to think what Genma could have meant by
that.  "Soun, why didn't you tell me?  Why didn't you tell me that you loved
Nodoka?  At the time, I would have willingly given to her, with my
blessings!"  Soun stared at Genma, his eye twitching.

      "You idiot!  What did you say?"  Nodoka loomed over Genma, as she
entered a shouting match with him.  Soun stared at the two, and he shook his
head, for the scene had brought a smile to his somber face.  'It's got to be
love.'  Watching Genma and Nodoka interact with one another brought sad
memories of his dear wife.  Soun couldn't help but allow a tear trickle down
from his eyes.

       Genma managed to extridite himself from Nodoka, and he placed his arm
around his friend's shoulder.  "Soun, I'm going to allow the past stay in
the past.  Any I want us to be good friends.  Besides, what's the use in
playing shogi without a friend.  Come, let's catch up on the past twenty
years."  Soun smiled, and the two great friends left, with a new
understanding of each other.

* * *

      "Wake up!  Ranma, wake up!"  Ranma groaned as he pushed himself up
from a bed in a strange room.  Looking around, his eyes finally focused on
the cheerful face of Kasumi, who didn't look as if the events of the
previous night had affected her.  Shaking off the groginess, Ranma struggled
down the hall, and with Kasumi's aid, he entered the bathroom, where he
allowed the warm shower to convince him to awaken.

      'What a headache!'  Ranma leaned against the tiled wall, clutching his
head, which was still pounding.  'It feels like an elephant is tapdancing in
there!'  Minutes later, Ranma left the bathroom, and rapidly climbed down
the stairs.  However with every jarring step, Ranma's mind began to haze
over, and he found himself pitching forward, and collapsing into Kasumi.

      "Oh my!"  Kasumi stood shocked.  Obviously, Ranma still hadn't fully
recovered, and he accidently fell down the stairs, and ended up hugging her
tightly for support.  Kasumi blushed a bit, and she helped Ranma up.  In the
room, everyone stared at Ranma and Kasumi, and each reacted in their own way.

      Soun shook his head as he watched.  'Nah!  Kasumi would never go for
him.  He's too young.  But he does act mature...'  Akane, on the other hand
thought nothing of it.  'Wow!  Ranma must be really out of it today.  Good
thing that Kasumi was there to catch him.'  Nabiki, as usual placed her
belief in the improbable.  'Kasumi better not start liking him, ohhhh!  I
wish he'd hug me like that!  I'd pay anything for that.'  Nodoka stared, and
she managed to smile.  'I guess Ranma won't have a single problem finding a
suitable wife.'  Genma scarcely heeded what happened to Ranma, he was too
busy eating the breakfast Kasumi had prepared.

       After some breakfast, Ranma was relieved that his head was clearing
up a little.  Stretching his muscles, he called out to his father.  "Hey
Pop!  You want to spar?"  Genma gave Soun a wink, and he went outside after
Ranma.  The three Tendo daughters shifted their attentions to outside.

       "Ranma! Prepare to loose!"  Finishing his prologue, Genma sprang at
Ranma, and the battle was met.  For five long minutes, father and son
clashed, each unable to make a decisive resolution.  The Tendo's, even Soun,
were held in awe of the techniques that were being displayed in front of
them.  Ranma's attacks were as fast as lightning, his body becoming a large
blur.  Genma's attacks were as strong as a meteor crashing down, his fists
destroying things around the elusive Ranma.

       Finally, Genma was able to trick Ranma, and he slammed Ranma into the
fence, which splintered under impact.  Ranma managed to laugh as he grabbed
his father and flipped him into the pond.  Ranma offered Genma his hand to
help him out of the pond.  "Hey Pop, you want to get out now?"  

     Genma's hand slowly snaked out of the pond, latched onto Ranma's right
hand, and yanked him in.  Genma stood up.  "Ranma!  Never underestimate your
enemy!"  Ranma came spluttering to the surface, and despite his urge to beat
the stuffing out of his father.  Ranma shrugged his shoulders, and went in.

      Ranma sloshed his way through the backyard, and he thoughtfully took
off his soaked shoes and socks before entering the house.  "Um, I have to
wash this mud off.  I'll be back."  Ranma made off for the bathroom.  Genma
entered soon afterwards, and he sat outside on the porch.

      "So, Soun!  What do you think?"  Soun shook his head in amazement.  He
had a brief sample of Ranma's abilities the previous night, and he was
surprised then.  Now he was completely in awe of Ranma's mastery.  'He's
very good!  He will be a great heir to the Anything Goes School of Martial
Arts.'

       "Ranma's certainly impressive.  So how long has he been training?"
Soun carefully ate some rice.

      Genma's chest puffed out with pride.  "Ranma's been training as soon
as he could move."  Everyone, except the Saotome's, stopped their activities
and took a long hard stare at Genma.  "Every technique that he has been
exposed to, he has successfully mastered."  Nodoka sighed as she listened to
her husband go on his power trip.  "Of course, it's because he takes after
his father."

      Nodoka looked up.  "Genma!  The reason Ranma's succeeded is that he is
completely obsessed with martial arts.  Why can't he be normal like other
kids his age?  I know he has fun, but he doesn't explore his emotions!  He
doesn't have a girlfriend, like a normal teenager."  Nodoka felt that Ranma
was on a destined path to be a loner for the rest of his life.  She sighed
again.

     Everyone saw Genma's act die down a little.  Deep within Genma's mind,
he felt that Nodoka was somewhat right.  Ranma was just too obsessed with
martial arts and that he should try to have fun once in awhile.  

      "Hey, why the gloomy looks?"  Ranma had returned after taking a quick
bath, and cleaning his clothes off.  Ranma looked around, hardly aware that
the people were watching him.  Akane sat fidgeting, she really wanted to
spar with Ranma again.  'I know I can beat him!  I just need to work harder.'  

      "Say Ranma, I'm interested in martial arts too.  Do you want to have a
little match?"  Akane cheerfully asked.  Nodoka's head jerked up.  'She's
interested in martial arts, too?  Perhaps she and Ranma...'

       "Sure, I guess so."  Ranma followed Akane, who led him to the dojo.
Nabiki followed.  'I've got to see this.  And Akane better behave herself.'
Kasumi stood up and cleared the tables.

* * *

      Akane wiped the sweat from her brow, and stared at Ranma who wasn't
even showing a single sign of fatigue.  For the past hour, Akane had used
every technique she knew against Ranma, but every time, he managed to dodge
the attack.  Most frustrating was the fact that Ranma did not even bother to
attack her.  Nabiki was standing in the doorway, watching the whole match,
and behind her was Kasumi.

       Nabiki shook her head in wonder as she watched the match.  'Ranma's
really good!  And I thought Akane was the best.  She can't land a blow on
him!'  Finally Ranma catapulted himself over Akane, pivoting on her head
with his index finger.  He landed on behind Akane, dodged her backwards
kick, and tapped her with his finger.

       "Got you!"  Ranma laughed, and he went outside, leaving a frustrated
Akane.  Akane was not angry at Ranma, rather at herself, for being so
incompetent compared to Ranma.  She pounded her fist through a couple
bricks, and after the dust settled, she went outside, after Ranma.  Nabiki
followed Akane outside, and Kasumi, sighed, returned to her duties.

       Kasumi walked into the kitchen, and she started on the huge pile of
dishes that was in the sink.  As she washed and scrubbed the dinnerware to
sparkling perfection, she glanced out the window, her mind lost in thoughts.
'If Ranma were a little older, or I were a little younger.  He is so
mature!'  Kasumi thought of Ranma's ability to keep coolheaded and to take
care of problems with as minimal use of violence as possible.  'Anyways, I'm
sure Ranma's already interested in someone.  He won't be interested in
someone as old as me.'