Legends 2c (this time the real one)

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     Sorry about the earlier confusion, I accidently put 2c down for 2b.  Ah 
well.  Also, I'm sorry that this took so long, but I've been waiting for 
word from my prereaders, and since I haven't heard much of anything from 
them, I figured everything was Ok, and decided to send this out.  Three 
weeks 'is' long enough, don't you think?
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     At the same time Nabiki was contemplating her families future, Ryouga 
and Ranma were standing outside.  Xian pu and Khu Lon were sleeping in.  
�I�ve spent most of my life getting up early for council meetings, martial 
arts training, or whatnot, I�m not going to do it when I have nothing I need 
doing at that time of day.!�  She had stated.  Ranma had insisted that Xian 
pu sleep in and take it easy.  Which Xian pu hotly argued about.  The taking 
it easy, not the sleeping in.  �I am an Amazon, I don�t need to be treated 
like a sickly child!�  Ranma would just say, �Yes dear,� and keep on doing 
it.
     �Well, what is it going to be?�  Ryouga asked.  �Basic sparring, 
warmup, or the usual?�
     �Warmup, but no projectiles, exploding techniques like the Breaking 
Point, or shapeshifting, don�t want to have them asking too many questions 
yet.�
     �Not to mention the fact that we don�t want to do too much damage to 
this place.  After all, I don�t think we want to call Herb just to get the 
funds to repair it.�  Ryouga said, laughing.
     The blood brothers bowed to each other, and settled into their stances. 
  Ryouga started things off with a flying chi punch, which Ranma easily 
jumped over, nailing Ryouga with a punch to the back.  Ryouga quickly spun 
to his feet, and summoned a blazing battle aura, while Ranma leaped into the 
air, and split into two people.  One landed on the ground, while the other 
did a flying dragon kick to Ryouga�s head.  Ryouga through his hand up to 
block, but was startled when Ranma passed right through it.  The Ranma on 
the ground took advantage of his startlement and rushed at him, striking 
with kicks and punches fast enough to be invisible to the naked eye.  The 
force was enough to hurl Ryouga several feet away.  Ranma paused as Ryouga 
picked himself up, dusted his clothing off, and resumed his stance.
     �Neat trick.�  He said as he tried a simple pressure point attack.  
Ranma easily blocked it, and countered with a leg sweep that Ryouga easily 
jumped over, and attacked with Descending Thunderbolt Kick (a powerful 
flying chi kick that is performed from above the opponent) which Ranma 
barely dodged.  Ranma was thrown a short distance by the shock wave.
     �Keep it down will ya?�  Ranma said.  �I don�t want to wake anyone up!�
     �Sorry�  Ryouga said.  He went into a complex pattern of punches and 
kicks, all the time chatting away.
     �So, what was that new technique you pulled on me?  Combining the 
Roasting Chestnut Fist and a modified Lightning Kick with some speed 
techniques.  Never thought of that!�
     �Just a little something I thought of.  Don�t know why they never 
thought of it before.�  Ranma said as he went into a Hurricane Kick.  Ryouga 
blocked it, and grabbed Ranma for a suplex.
     �What about that illusionary attack technique?  I�ve never seen even 
Khu Lon or the other Elders use the technique like that.�  Ranma flipped 
onto his hands from the fall, and spun in a leg sweep to catch Ryouga off 
guard.
     �Just combined the Splitting Cat Hairs and some of the Sea of a 
Thousands Fists to split my images up like that.  About all it�s good for is 
a distraction.�  Ranma said.  The two of them got up, and began to trade chi 
punches and Roasting Chestnut Fists.
     Genma watched from the sidelines.  It did his heart good to see the two 
of them playing like that.
     �Boys!�  He yelled.  The two of them stopped in the middle of their 
attempts to pound each other into a paste.  �Come in, it�s time for 
breakfast!�  The two nodded, and got up to dust themselves off.
     �By the way,�  Genma said as the trio walked to the dining room.  �the 
girls called and said that they would be here about nine.  They arrived late 
and didn�t want to disturb the children, so they slept on the plane.�

        *                       *                           *

     Akane stood at the front of the dojo, the room filled with students.
     �Class, as you know, Hikaru-sensei was injured, and will be unable to 
teach for a time.  Therefore, Ranma-sensei will continue your training until 
she is able to resume teaching.�  She turned to Ranma, who until now, had 
been unnoticed by the students.  Ranma stepped to center stage, bowed to 
first Akane, then to the students.
     �Thank you.  Now, I will begin today�s class with a very fundamental 
lesson, which will be taught by a question;  what is chi?  If anyone knows 
the answer to that, raise your hand.�  Several hands went up, almost the 
entire class in fact.
     �Now, everyone who is *completely* certain that theirs is the right 
answer, keep your hand up, otherwise you can let them down.�  The students 
looked around nervously, and then, little by little, the hands went down.  
Eventually, about half the hands went back down.  Most of the ones that were 
still raised belonged to the students that Ranma could feel were more 
advanced.  They glanced at the others with slightly superior looks.  �Well, 
I hate to break it to you, but *there is no one answer.*�  Ranma said.  The 
class was surprised at this, and the ones who just a few seconds ago had 
looked smug, were a bit embarrassed.  Ranma continued.
     �Several years ago, scientists trying to resolve the debate over 
whether light was a wave, or made up of little particles called photons, 
came up with the concept of a wavicle.  Meaning, that under certain 
conditions, it acted like one, in other conditions, like the other.  Chi is 
like that as well.  Looked at one way, it is what some would call, life 
force, in another light, it is a power that exists outside of us, 
independently.  Still another, and chi is the power of the spirit, the will. 
  What chi is, how it will act, is dependent on how it is perceived.  
Perceive it one way, that is how it will react, perceive it another, and 
*that�s* how it will act.
     �You can strengthen your ability to use chi in different ways.  
Physical exercise will enhance your lifeforce, and you can enhance your 
abilities through meditation, and the use of your chi.  But always remember, 
chi, like martial arts, is not just of the body, but of the soul.  To be a 
master of either, you must first understand yourself.�
     �Ha!  What a bunch of shit.�  A voice called out from back.  Everyone 
turned to see who it was that had rudely interrupted the sensei, but Akane 
and Ranma both identified the voice easily.
     �Phadron, you�ve got no business here, unless you want to study.  But 
since I never plan on teaching you again, you *still* have no business 
here.�  Akane said.  She was just BARELY holding on to her temper.  She 
hadn�t liked the guy when she first met him, and liked him even less now.
     �So sorry, Akane, but I *do* have business here.�  Phadron countered, 
with his slimy smile.  �You see, I just wanted to challenge this young pup.� 
  He turned to Ranma with a sneer on his face.
     �You caught me off guard with that throw, last time.  This time, it�ll 
be different.�  Phadron said in his usually cocky tone.
     �I really doubt that.�  Ranma said.  His voice was like ice, so cold it 
could freeze you hard enough to shatter.  �However, I have a class to teach, 
and I don�t have time for your games.  If you�ll excuse me.�  With that, he 
turned away.
     <Ignore *me* will you?!>  Phadron thought.  He angrily threw a chi 
blast at Ranma.  <That should get his attention!>  Phadron thought.  
Needless to say, he was startled when his black dart attack was blocked and 
dispersed by an aura that sprang up around Ranma.  The class, and Akane, 
were likewise astounded.  Especially when Ranma just gave Phadron a hard 
stare, and turned back to the class.

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     Just so you know, there *is* a Spring of Drowned Ashura in the manga.  
The woman who fell into it, Rouge, becomes powerful enough to go one on one 
with Taro in cursed form, and beat him, and as far as I know, she isn�t a 
martial artist.  So, I figured that in the hands of a master of the art, 
like Ranma, there might be a whole lot more that the power of Ashura can do.
     For those of you who didn�t catch part 1, Ranma, Genma, and Ryouga have 
been in China for the past few years.  During that time, the Tendo sisters 
moved to America, and Ryouga has been adopted into the Saotome family.  Most 
of the world has been seriously damaged by a large scale terrorist attack, 
which forced China to reveal its ancient legendary secrets.  Nodoka has 
created the largest megacorporation of all time, and is now superrich.  
Ranma has recently returned to visit his mother, and honor the old agreement 
between his father and Soun Tendo.  An agreement which annoys his wife Xian 
Pu to no end.
     Some of the differences in this world are pretty obvious.  The Tendo 
sisters are living in America.  Ranma isn�t *cursed,* though Ranko is still 
around.  Mousse and Xian pu married, though Mousse passed away some time 
ago.  Ranma and Xian pu are married, and Ranma agrees to it.  Ranma has been 
trained by some of the top fighters in the world and can do just about 
anything he wants.
     Akane, in this world, is a lot more mature than in canon.  She�s more 
sure of herself, since she�s one of the top martial artists in America, not 
to mention the world.  Also surviving a worldwide cataclysm will force 
anyone to grow up, if it doesn�t break you.  And, since she doesn�t have the 
horde of boys chasing after her, especially not Kuno, she doesn�t have her 
dislike for the male gender.  Well, except for Phadron, and he�s the 
exception.  Also, she�s a lot better martial artist.
     �What�s up with Genma?�  you�re probably wondering.  �Since when has he 
been a nice guy?�  Basically, what happened was, as part of the Test, Genma 
had to take a good, honest look at himself, and what he saw sickened him.  
So he�s been trying to make himself a better person.  The fact that he got 
splashed with Spring of Drowned Virtuous Man helped.  With the help of Khu 
Lon, and his children, not to mention the example of his Master, Genma has 
improved himself quite a bit.  Making himself into a better person.  At 
least on the surface.  Only time will tell how much of his changing is 
actually real.
     Also, before you ask, Ryouga was talking about how far they should go 
during sparing.  Basic is what they call it when they just use normal 
martial arts techniques, though this includes the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken 
(since the manga says it�s just a training method). Warmup is where they use 
ki techniques, but only the weaker ones, and the �usual� is the two of them 
going all out against each other.  (Think a normal Ranma Ryouga battle with 
a lot more power.)


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:
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*"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                                          *
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Yes I am crazy, I don't just act that way!


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