Legends 2c
That night, the others returned from the hospital looking very
concerned.
�Doctor Ono said that he may be able to help,� Nodoka said, as she sat
beside Genma, a cup of hot tea in her hand. � but he doesn�t know if he can
completely repair the damage to both her body and her chi. He also
mentioned that he would like to talk with you, Khu Lon, and maybe ask that
you act as a special consultant with the hospital.�
�I would be honored,� the Elder said, �to aid others in gaining wisdom,
especially, when it may well save lives.� She looked around.
�Now that we are all here, I believe that it would be best if we
introduced everyone.� Ranma nodded.
�Very well, Elder.� He stood. �This is my blood brother, and
brother-in-law, Ryouga Hibiki,� He said, nodding toward Ryouga, �of the
Saotome ryu.�
�Brother-in-law? Ranma, you don�t have a sister.� Nodoka said,
confused. �So how can he be your brother-in-law?�
Ranma sighed. <This is getting harder than I thought!> he mused.
<Trying to know what to tell, and what to keep secret.> He shook his head.
�Mother, I�ll explain in a moment. Now, as I was about to say, you already
know Khu Lon, Elder of the Amazon Village, and Grandmaster of their art.�
He then reached out to Xian pu. �And this is Xian pu, Khu Lon�s
great-granddaughter, heir, and my wife .�
�WHAT!� Akane, Nodoka, and Kasumi yelled. Nabiki winced. She hadn�t
had a chance to warn the others about the possibility of it being a double
marriage, what with the injuring of Hikaru. The group from China just
shrugged mentally.
�But, Ranma . . . what about the agreement?� Nodoka asked, startled.
She was the CEO of the largest corporation in history, used to making split
second decisions that would affect millions of people worldwide, but the
surprises that were popping up, kept throwing her off balance, and she had
yet to regain her mental equilibrium. <Well, at least I now know how the
man can be his brother-in-law.> A part of her whispered. Then, Nodoka
exerted the iron will that allowed her to rise to her present position of
power. <Be confused later, for now, just listen!>
�Pops didn�t tell me about it until *after* I got married.� Ranma
said.
�I would have, if the two of you hadn�t eloped like that when you were
drunk.� Genma retorted. Ranma just glanced at his father.
�In fact, he didn�t mention it until about a month ago. Not that it
matters. I was given Chinese citizenship just after we got Herb on the
throne, and he legalized polygamy.� Ranma chuckled. �Actually Herb�s been
trying to get me to take a second wife, and Ryouga a third for the past year
now.� Only Nabiki noticed that the name Ranma said. <The ruler of China!>
She thought to herself.
Nodoka had more important matters on her mind. She walked over to Xian
pu and hugged her, with tears in her eyes..
�Welcome to the family my dear.� Xian pu hugged Nodoka back, smiling.
�I hope Mother will be as glad when family grows even larger soon.�
Xian pu said, putting a hand on her stomach. Ranma just got a silly grin on
his face. Nodoka embraced her again, crying even harder.
Meanwhile, Akane was looking at the group strangely.
�You already have *one* wife, and you expect to marry one of us as
well?� She questioned Ranma, an edge in her voice.
�Expect, no. I *am* willing to give the agreement between our families
a chance. If it doesn�t work out, well at least we tried.� Akane just
shook her head. Nabiki decided to ask Ranma a few questions.
�Ranma, you said you know the Emperor, Herb.�
�Yes.� Ranma said warily. From what he could sense about Nabiki, she
was in no way a martial artist, but she had a quality that reminded him of
some of the older Amazonian Elders, such as Khu Lon. An ability to see more
than you would want her to see, and when she found information she wanted,
nothing would stop her, he felt.
�So, what is he like? I mean, he came out of practically no where, and
we�ve all heard rumors about him, how he�s one of the most powerful
martial artists alive. That he�s got dragon�s blood and is like a living
nuclear generator for chi. I just want to know a bit about him.�
�To be honest, Herb isn�t that hot a martial artist.� Ryouga said,
sipping from a cup of tea. �He�s a chi master.�
�What�s the difference?� Akane asked, curious. She wanted to learn
anything she could about Herb, though not for the same reasons that Nabiki
did. Nabiki wanted to learn about him as a means of advancing herself, both
socially, and in her job. Akane wanted to learn about him because, both he
and the Dragon, were such heroes to all the martial artists in the world,
the paragon that everyone wanted to become She hoped to use any information
she could get to improve her martial arts skills. �I mean, I�m a martial
artist, and I can use my chi pretty well, so what makes a person a chi
master, and not a martial artist?�
�Direction. A martial artist trains themselves to channel chi through
their body, using it to enhance their strength, speed, endurance, etc. A
chi master, on the other hand, channels their chi through their battle aura,
which allows them to project the chi energy, like a chi bolt.� He took a
sip of tea. �A lot of the time, a martial artist will learn or develop some
of the skills of a chi master, like chi bolts, controlling their battle
aura, and a few other things, but a chi master won�t develop the skills of a
martial artist.� Akane sat for a moment, digesting this information. Then
she turned back to him with another question.
�So, which are you two?�
Ryouga looked at the others, and Ranma looked like he was trying to
keep his face under control.
�Both, though we focus mostly on martial arts.�
�That�s very interesting,� Nabiki said, trying to get things back on
track. �But what is he like as a person?�
Ranma thought on that for a moment.
�It�s difficult to say. When we first met, Herb was one of the biggest
jerks I had ever known. He thought, just because he was a prince and chi
master, who was the descendent of a dragon, he could do anything he wanted.
�A while after I first came to the Amazon Village, Herb tried to take
the place over. Just him, and his two personal retainers, a pair of idiots
named Lime and Mint. Lime is super strong, and Mint is extremely fast.
They were all so powerful, even individually, that only the Elders could
take them on, one on one, especially Herb. As a chi master, Herb could face
*groups* of Elders.� Ranma chuckled. �I was a bit arrogant in those days .
. . �
�A bit he says.� Ryouga joked.
�Shut up T-chan, or Xian pu and I are going to have a nice tiger-skin
rug. Anyway, as I was saying, I was arrogant, and challenged him. He saw
me as a nobody, and accepted. I quickly discovered that I was in over my
head against him. He was toying with me, and I could barely hold my own.
What neither of us realized was that all of our fighting was triggering an
earthquake. To make a long story short, I ended up saving the big lug�s
life. He told me that he had a life debt to me, and as part of it, he would
halt all the fighting with the Amazons. He even signed a nonaggression
treaty with them, and repaid them for all the damages.
�A month or so later, he came to us under a flag of truce, and asked
to train with me. He told me that ever since he was a boy, no one could
equal him. Then he reaches what he believes to be the very pinnacle of his
power, and *I* defeated him. Someone with only a fraction of his power.
Not only that, but I have the gall to save his life as well! It just made
him rethink things.
�We started to train together, first me and Herb, then Ryouga, Xian pu,
Mu tsu, and a few others in the Village. Even Pops joined in eventually.
The group of us progressed quickly for the next few months, and we became
good friends too. Then the terrorists attacked.� Everybody got a solemn
look. How else do you react after being reminded of the near-destruction of
the entire world? �Even in the Village we heard of Judgment Day. Many of
the Villagers had distant relatives in the outside world. Herb provided us
with a direction, and a purpose, to destroy the terrorists, and help save
as many people as we could. It took a lot of work, and we needed to take
over an entire country to do it, but we did it. Unfortunately, Mu tsu and
Xian pu were caught in the biological agent attack. Neither of them had
developed their chi to the point where they couldn�t be affected by it, but
somehow, Mu tsu was able to protect Xian pu, but only at the cost of his
life. That�s when the group of us decided to do something about it.�
�That�s when the Dragon and Emperor Herb lead the attack on the
terrorists, and saved the world.� Nabiki finished. Ranma nodded.
�Amazons have a very strict code of conduct, and if one of their
numbers is killed by assassination, poison, or treachery, then their family
and friends, and often the whole Village, will seek out the killers, and
destroy them. We didn�t know what those bastards had done to the rest of
the world, at least not yet. That first attack, that was for vengeance. It
was only afterwards that we decided we were going to take them out, or die
trying.� A tired look crossed his face, and he looked toward Nabiki.
�Excuse me, but those memories are not that pleasant.� He said.
Nabiki and the rest nodded, understandingly.
�Were you very close to him?� Kasumi asked.
�He was my first husband.� Xian pu whispered. The Tendos and Nodoka
were startled by this news, what do you say after that kind of revelation?
Conversation dragged for a few minutes, then Nabiki decided to try and get
everyone�s minds off the past.
�Akane�s just opened her 25 dojo.� The China group made congratulatory
noises in her direction.
�That is quite an accomplishment child.� Khu Lon said.
�Thank you, but I haven�t been able to get a new sensei for it.� Akane
said. �And with Hikaru laid up, I need someone to stand in for her, too.�
�Ranma,� Nodoka said hesitantly. �I was wondering if you would be
interested in the position. At least as something to do while you�re here.�
Ranma, Ryouga, and Xian pu looked at each other, a silent
communication passing between them.
�The three of us *could* teach, at least until Xian pu�s pregnancy
advances too far.� Ranma said. �We may not be familiar with the Tendo ryu,
but I�ve been taught in Saotome ryu and the founding school of Anything Goes
since I could walk, and my wife and Ryouga have both learned a great deal
about it.�
�That would be a great help, but I�d like to see you three in action
first, just to be sure.� Akane said.
�Of course.� Ranma said.
�If you�ll excuse me, I�ll go and change, and meet you in the dojo.�
Akane said. Ranma and Ryouga just looked at each other and shrugged.
A few minutes later, the group gathered in the dojo again. Ranma, and
Ryouga were dressed in the same clothing that they had on before, while Xian
pu had changed into a silk blouse with pants similar to her husbands, mainly
because, while nice to look at, she didn�t want to give everyone a show by
kicking in her dress. Akane was dressed in a pale yellow gi, with the kanji
for Tendo embroidered on the back. Ranma looked at Akane�s clothing with a
skeptical eye.
�Did you want this to be armed or unarmed sparring?� Ranma asked.
�Unarmed.� Xian pu nodded at this, and pulled out a pair of bonborii,
setting them by Ryouga. Akane looked at them startled. <Where did she get
those?> Xian pu noticed her bewilderment, and shrugged.
�Mu tsu was Master of Hidden Weapons. He taught me much of his style
during our marriage.� She went to the wall and sat down.
Ranma and Akane moved to the center of the dojo, where Akane took a
fighting stance, while Ranma just stood there, wide open. Akane frowned at
this, not taking her eyes off of Ranma. Then, with a mental shrug, she
lunged at him, punching with great speed, only to find Ranma wasn�t there.
Akane spun around, to find Ranma right behind her. Akane went into a complex
series of punches and kicks, which were easily blocked or evaded by Ranma,
even though they were moving with a speed that left Nabiki and Kasumi
breathless. Akane frowned. She could tell Ranma wasn�t going all out, but
he was able to match her move for move. Then, just as she thought she had
found an opening in his defense, Akane felt three, nearly simultaneous,
touches along her body, each one at a point that could have easily disabled
her.
�End.� Khu Lon said. Akane and Ranma pulled back, and bowed to each
other.
�Well, you�re definitely good enough to train my students.� Akane said
grimacing. �In fact, I just might have to ask you to train *me.*� Ranma
smiled.
�Oh I wouldn�t go *that* far.� He said. Xian pu looked at the pair
with a measure of trepidation. Akane, Kasumi and Nabiki were competition
for Ranma. Even though she had agreed to this dual marriage, she was still
not completely happy about it.
�Well, did you want to spar with Ryouga and Xian pu?� Ranma asked.
�Are you sure that�s wise? Sparring when you�re pregnant?� Nodoka
asked, looking uncertainly at Xian pu. She didn�t want to loose her first
grandchild before he was even born.
�My Great-granddaughter has gone through the Breaking Point training.
So long as neither one uses any advanced techniques, or get *too* rough, she
and her child will be fine.� Khu Lon said. �But a wise person takes as few
chances as possible. Xian pu, Ms. Tendo, both of you hold yourselves to the
basics.� The two women agreed to this stipulation, and moved to the
center of the room. They bowed, and quickly assumed combat stances, Khu Lon
standing between them. Khu Lon raised her hand, glanced at the each of
them, and then brought it down.
�Begin!�
As the two women squared off, Nabiki went over to sit by Ranma, who was
with his parents.
�So, she�s Ryouga�s sister?� She said, nodding at Xian pu, who was
systematically countering, and counterstriking Akane�s every move. �They
don�t look that much alike.�
�That�s because they aren�t. Actually, he married *my* sister.� Ranma
said absently.
�WHAT!!!� Nodoka screamed. Then turned to grab her husband by his
collar.
�What have you been up to while taking our son on a *Training Voyage?*�
She asked, yelling in his face. �Ranma says Ryouga is married to his
sister, and I know *I* never had any other children, so answer me!� This
was enough to get the attention of the two combatants, who called a
time-out. Ranma began to rub his temples. <I�d been hoping to put this off
for a few days, until I could find a way to mention it that wouldn�t cause
even more problems. Damn.> He cursed.
�If you�ll put Pops down, I can explain, Mother.� Nodoka let go of her
erstwhile husband, but watched him, to make sure that he wouldn�t try his
favorite mode of arguing, by running away. Ranma looked at the two ladies.
�Sorry to disturb your sparring session . . . � He began. Akane waved
his apology off.
�No problem. I realized she was more than capable almost at the
beginning. I just wanted to see how good the both of us really were.� She
grinned. �I guess I�m not too shabby.�
Xian pu nodded. �Akane make good Amazon.�
Ranma gestured for everyone to sit down.
�What I�m going to say is probably going to shock you, but here it
goes. When I first went to China, it was because Pops had heard about all
the great martial artists and *legendary training grounds* there. We did a
lot of traveling, only staying in one place long enough to learn something
new, or train where the great martial artists trained. Anyway, one of the
*legendary training grounds,* was a place called, the Cursed Springs of
Jusenkyo.� Ranma gave his father a wry glance. �Of course, at the time
Pops couldn�t read anything in Chinese except a Chinese menu. So we didn�t
know about it being cursed.�
The Tendo sisters stared at Ranma. Just like everyone else in the
civilized world, they had heard the stories of magic, curses, dragons, and
the like that had come out of China. In fact, it had spawned a new life
into the slowly dying New Age movement. Also, other places around the world
were attempting to revive their mythical heritage. However, even with the
growing popularity of the more advanced martial arts, few people *really*
believed in all the magic.
�We got to Jusenkyo, and sparred a bit. You see, Jusenkyo has over a
hundred springs, all of them with bamboo poles sticking out of them, and
each of them with a different curse on it. The object is to knock your
opponent into a spring, without being knocked in yourself. If you fall into
a pool, it changes your body or personality to fit the profile.� Ranma
chuckled. �I landed a good hit, and knocked Pops into a spring. When he
came out looking like somebody had put him in the wash to shrink, I was
startled enough that he could knock me into one too.�
�But Ranma,� Nodoka interrupted. �Both you and Genma look like
yourselves. How can the springs have changed you?�
�The change can be reverse easily, at least temporarily.� Genma said.
�Hot water returns you to your normal form, until you are splashed with cold
water, which returns you to your other form. This continues on, until you
either find a way to prevent the transformation, or you pass the Test of
Jusenkyo.�
�What is the *Test of Jusenkyo?*� Nabiki asked, with a slight
suspicion. She knew that Nodoka was usually a tough minded business woman,
but she was also extremely generous with people she considered family, as
her own position in the company indicated. While she did believe, barely,
that the two of them were really Nodoka�s long lost son and husband, she
wasn�t so sure that they didn�t have some alternate motive for being there,
besides merely fulfilling family honor.
�I can�t give any real specifics, mainly because I don�t remember, but
according to legend, if you pass the test, the form you take is now yours
forever, you are able to assume it at will, without hot or cold water
providing a catalyst. Thus, it ceases being a curse, and becomes a
blessing.� With that, Genma became a little man who bowed to them, then
switched back again. The China group chuckled at the looks on Nodoka and
the Tendo�s faces.
�Well,� Ranma continued. �when I fell in, apparently, I somehow
adsorbed the soul of the woman who died there.�
�Died!?�
�Yeah. The curse is triggered when a person or creature drowns in one
of the pools. When they drown in the pool, it forms the template for the
curse, and they take the form of what drowned there. No two pools can have
exactly the same curse, so if a creature drowns in a pool, and there�s
already a curse that turns people into that creature, than the curse would
cause its victim to assume other characteristics. Those are called,
personality pools, since they cause a person to assume not only the form,
but the personality of the person who drowned.
�Anyway, I fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl, while Pops fell into
Spring of Drowned Virtuous Man. Needless to say, Pops and I weren�t happy
with each other, though it was a bit hard to tell with Pops, with the
effects of the Virtuous Man curse. Well, we found out about the way to
reverse the curse from the Jusenkyo Guide, this guy who is supposed to be
the caretaker of Jusenkyo, and help to prevent people from getting cursed
accidentally. If they know about it, and want to take the Test, that�s
fine, he�s just there to make sure you know what you�re doing. He told us
that we might be able to get some help from the Amazons, since they lived so
close to Jusenkyo. Actually, there are two other groups who live there,
besides the Amazons; the Musk, and the Jusendo. Both have interacted with
the Springs a lot more than the Amazons have, but were less tolerant of
outsiders. Considering how short tempered the Amazons were, we decided that
they would be the best choice.
�We ended up in the Village during a celebration. You see, the Village
Champion had just been married to the men�s champion, the most skilled man
in the Village. They looked at us with suspicion, since we had managed,
barely, to stay in our natural forms. After all, we weren�t just outsiders,
we were *men*! Fortunately, one of the people who could understand Japanese
was able to get everyone calmed down when he heard that all we wanted to do
was find out some information about Jusenkyo. That�s when we first met Mu
tsu, Khu Lon, and Xian pu. They were the only ones who knew enough Japanese
to really talk to, which was fortunate as Khu Lon is the wisest and most
knowledgeable of the elders of the Village. We talked, and it turned out
that the reason Pops had taken us there, was because he had heard that
Jusenkyo could give magical powers. He just didn�t know *how* we got those
powers.�
�Genma!� Nodoka yelled. �How dare you involve our son in something
like this! After all the problems with your master, I would think you would
have sense enough not to meddle in affairs of magic! Now our son is cursed
to turn into a girl, and you become a panda!� At the mention of *the
Master,* Khu Lon, Xian pu, and Genma, all got a wary look in their eyes.
�Nodoka-chan, can�t we talk about this later?� Genma asked. Ranma
nodded.
�Mother, it isn�t that bad. Pops and I�ve passed the Test, so it isn�t
a curse anymore. Though we *did* have to do some interesting things to get
him worthy enough to pass.� He muses, Genma throws a mock punch at his son,
which doesn�t even come close, seeing as how they were several feet away
from each other.
�You see, when you go to Jusenkyo, unless you are strong-willed, and
prepared, you will fall into the cursed spring which best resembles your
inner nature, or which will provide something your lacking. If you pass the
test, you usually gain a different form. Or you can choose to keep the form
you were cursed with originally. Pops kept the priest form for various
reasons, and Ryouga got a tiger form that Sis likes to call T-chan.�
�So my son is a woman, and my husband a saint?� Nodoka asked,
skeptically. She remembered what life was like before they had gotten
married. Not to mention her oath to her parents to make sure her son was
worthy to be called a man, and the contract she made with her husband to
make sure he was a man among men. Could a man that turned into a woman *be*
a man among men? Her son was married, with a child on the way, and from the
way he talked, obviously close to the Emperor. But still . . .
�Actually, Pops has assimilated the curse�s personality. He�s still
himself, but he�s now more responsible.� Ranma said. Genma blushed at
this, but didn�t deny it. �As for me being a woman, well, I�m a special
case. I�ve got a couple of forms I can choose from.� Ranma shifted into
the form of a red-headed young woman, who looked like she could be his
sister. �It helps keep people from bugging you if they don�t know about
your other forms.�
�So how did you get a sister from all that?� Akane asked.
�Well, after a bit of conversation, it was discovered that I was
playing host to the spirit of the woman who drowned. So, using some more
Jusenkyo water, we were able to create a new body for her, and moved her
into it. Eventually, Ryouga showed up, and the two fell in love. We call
her my sister, since we had to use my blood, so her body is what I look like
as a girl.�
�I see.� Nodoka said with a strange look to her eye. She turned to
Ryouga. �So, you are my daughter�s husband?� Ryouga nodded. �Could you
please have her come here as soon as possible? No. Wait. I�ll send a
plane for them!� Everyone smiled.
�Actually, a friend of ours is loaning us his plane. All we have to do
is tell her where to meet up with us.� Ranma said. Nodoka nodded to her
son, and turned back to her newfound son-in-law.
�Call me Auntie, after all, you *are* my son-in-law.� Nodoka smiled,
then, she looked at him with a puzzled expression.
�Did I hear Ranma correctly when he said that the Emperor of China was
attempting to get you to marry a *third* wife?� Ryouga nodded. �May I ask
who is your second wife?�
�Ucchan, Ukyou Kounji Hibiki. She�s an Okanomiyaki chef whom I agreed
to train while we were traveling. I sort of adopted her after she became
Ranma�s best friend on the road.� Genma said. Nodoka nodded at this. <My
husband and only son go on a training voyage, and when they come back, I
have three children.> Nodoka thought to herself. <Life can be so good!>
* *
*
It was early in the morning, the sun was barely up, and Nabiki Tendo
was sitting in her room, staring at the laptop in front of her. She had
plugged into the NRG mainframe server, and initiated a global search for
anything involving the word, Ashura. <Whatever it is,> Nabiki had thought,
<it must be *big* to get the kind of response it did from those guys.> It
had taken less than a moment for the powerful search engine to find the
information. Nabiki looked in amazement as it scrolled down the screen in
front of her.
MYTHOLOGY-ASIAN-INDIAN-ASHURA: A GROUP OF SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, USUALLY
DENOTED AS BEING EQUAL IN POWER TO THE GODS, AND POSSESSING CHARACTERISTICS
OF BOTH GODS AND DEMONS. USUALLY ASHURA ARE DEPICTED AS BEING WINGED
GIANTS, WITH THREE FIRE-BREATHING HEADS, AND SIX ARMS. SOME BELIEVE THEM TO
BE PRE-HINDU DEITIES.
Nabiki looked over the information carefully. <If all those stories
about magical creatures are true, then that means that these creatures may
exist.> The way Ranma had talked about them, and the reactions of the
people from China had suggested that they were *very* real. <What kind of
connection could Ranma have to such a being?>
<snip to 2c>
You can find my stories at:
Stardancers Homepage
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/4630/
RanmaS's Archive
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/3007/fanfics.html
>From the Pen of the DragonBard:
****************************************************
*"There are more things in Heaven and Earth . . . *
*then are dreampt of in your philosiphy." *
*Hamlet *
* *
*Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep!*
* *
*Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man; *
*But will they come when you do call for them? *
*Henry IV *
****************************************************
Yes I am crazy, I don't just act that way!
_______________________________________________________________
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