Ranma 1/2
- The Code of Honor
by TKHM
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and Sakura Taisen are owned by their respective
owners.
The Code of Honor
by TKHM
Part 1 - Fallen Samurai (revised)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Little Tatewaki Kunou was practicing kendo with his favorite
bokken. He attempted a turning slash on a small tree, but when he
turned, he lost his balance and ended up on the ground, rubbing his
behind.
"Come on Tatewaki! You can do better than that!" Someone beside
him called. "Concentrate on the tree when you strike! Swinging blindly
is
not going to do you any good!"
Tatewaki picked up his bokken and looked at his companion with
a determined look, then he made a trust towards the tree. It hit the
tree,
and.....it didn't move an inch. Instead his bokken snapped into two.
His companion sighed and walked over to the boy.
"I knew you did you best Tatewaki, someday you will be a great
warrior. An honorable samurai of the Kunou family."
Tatewaki didn't seem to hear the soothing words, however. He
didn't care at all about being a great Kunou samurai. The important
thing
was that his bokken was in two pieces.
"Big Brother..my..my bokken!It...it...snapped! Waaaaaaaaaa!!" He
began crying his eyes out. 'Big brother' just sighed and began
comforting
his little brother.
"Shhhhshhh!! Don't worry okay?" More crying. "Hey! Hey! Stop
crying...Pleeeaaassseee??" More crying. "I will give you my sword ok?"
That had the desired effect of shutting the boy up.
"You will?" Tatewaki looked up with his teary eyes.
"Yes! Yes! I promised okay? You will have my sword someday."
***
"Tatewaki! Watch where you are swinging that bokken!" a voice
called. The sound of something solid smashing into glassware was heard a
second later.
Little Tatewaki looked at the bokken in his hand, then at the
vase which was shattered, and back at his bokken. Then he started to
cry.
His companion quickly rushed to his side and told him that
everything was all right.
"But, what about the vase?" Tatewaki sniffed, and asked.
"Don't worry about that right now, okay? I will take care of
it." His companion told the boy.
"But Dad will kill me if he finds out that I...."
"Ssssshh. Let's talk about it later okay? Don't you want to
be able to be more precise with that bokken?"
"Yes, Big brother."
"Swing your bokken like this." 'Big brother' swang his own
bokken horizontally. "This hit is meant for the opponent's left skde of
the skull. Do NOT try it on your friends at school. Someone would be
seriously injured if you do."
Tatewaki swang his bokken awkwardly and looked back at his
brother. "Was that a good swing?"
"Tatewaki, never use the momentum of your bokken to carry out
your swinging motion. Remember, a bokken is an extension of your arm."
"But why can't I do that? If it can smash things then it is
effective!" the boy protested.
"If you can HIT things, it would be true. But what if you
fail to hit them? The momentum you use would cause you to either lose
balance, or leave you defendless because you can bring your bokken back
to ready stance, or worse, you can lose your grip on your weapon!" He
paused, then continued. "Now swing your bokken at me like you did a
while
ago, like a baseball bat."
Tatewaki swang his bokken towards his companion's waist.
However, before the impact the target ducked to the side. Using his own
bokken, 'Big brother' hit Tatewaki's bokken from its backside, causing
it
to accelerate faster in its direction. The combined momentum was too
much for Tatewaki, and the bokken went flying.
Tatewaki stared wide-eyes at his fallen weapon, and did not
notice when his brother lay his hand on his shoulder.
"You see what I mean? Use your bokken like your arm, and you
can keep that from happening."
Tatewaki looked at his brother face, and saw warmth and
compassion. However, their father chose this moment to enter the scene.
"What is the meaning of this?" The angry man pointed at the
broken vase.
"I..I..." Tatewaki started, but his brother was quicker.
"I did that, father. I am sorry." His brother made a bow
to his father.
The slap was not wholly unexpected, but the sound was
nevertheless disturbing to Tatewaki. His brother rubbed his reddened
cheek, and for a moment he seemed like ready to attack his own father.
The man, noticing that look, backed away a little. However the
elder son seemed to be able to control himself at the last minute. This
was enough encouragement for Principal Kunou to continue his tirade.
"I've always known that you are an ingrate! Breaking
furniture like that! You are trying to beat it aren't you? Well,
a young man without honor like you would try that someday anyway,
so why don't you just hit me now?"
Tatewaki was now too ashamed to raise his head, therefore
he could not see his brother's expression.
The father then picked up Tatewaki's fallen weapon and walked
towards his brother.
"Akira! Stand still while you receive your punishment!" Then
he started to hit the elder son on the back.
Tatewaki was there, watching as his brother suffered for him.
His father's swings had no form, no skill. The bokken was not an
extension
of the arm to his father. It was merely a tool to inflict maximum pain
to
the elder son.
Tatewaki gritted his teeth as he saw his brother's back slowly
became bloody. Tatewaki hated his father, and nothing in this world
could
change this fact.
***
"Tatewaki."
Tatewaki Kunou turned around. It was his elder brother.
"Big brother? How..how is your back?"
"I am okay, Tatewaki." His brother gave him a smile, but it
seemed forced and pretentious. "I am here to tell you a few things."
"huh?"
"You know I have been training you ro use your bokken for
a while, right."
"Yeah."
"But using the bokken means you have to follow the code of
honor. First of all, and most important of all, you must not attack
defenseless people with you skill. It is legal to challenge the
other martial artists, but never attack the ones that samurais vow
to protect. Second of all, never attack an opponent from the back. This
is widely used by the ninjas, but we are not those assasins. Third of
all, martial arts is not a way to fight and defeat the others. It is
merely an exercise to push your body to its limits. Afterall, there
are better ways to defeat an opponent. Guns, bombs..." His brother
continued on. Tatewaki had never be that bored in his entire life.
***
Tatewaki Kunou opened his eyes after a long and stressful
meditation. He carefully reached into his robe and pulled out a small
box. The photo album of his beloved Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl
rested on his hands as Kunou pondered again. Something was bothering
him.
Something was terribly wrong.
"Akane Tendo or the Pig-tailed goddess? That is the question."
"Master Kunou! Master Kunou!" Sasuke, the little ninja/servant
of the Kunou family, called out from the hallway.
"What troubles you? Loyal Sasuke." Kunou replied. "I am in a
meditation, searching for the ultimate truth. Do not disturb me any
further!." He resumed starring at his photos of his beloved.
"But Master! If you don't hurry now, you will be late for
school!" Sasuke protested. "Madame Kodachi has already left!"
Kunou looked at the clock behind and realized that his servant
was right. "Indeed Sasuke. Even though school is unfitted for a great
samurai like myself, I shall make haste so I will be able to meet my
two true loves!"
Kunou quickly put his album back into his robe. Picking up
his bokken that lay beside him, he ran through the front door. Then, as
if forgetting something, he ran into his backyard.
"Ah! The beauties of these flowers pale against my loves, but
the ladies would be heartbroken if I don't fulfill their wishes by
giving
them this and permitting them to ask me for a date!" With that Kunou
grabbed a bunch of roses and ran off. It was a good thing the roses
supply
never ran out. Kodachi Kuno made certain of that.
***
The gods must be on his side! As soon as he reached the school
gates, he spotted his love Akane walking towards his position. Alas, at
last, he could confess his love to sweet Akane. Surely she would be
touched by his charm and would cry out in joy to be able to date the
great Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! With that in mind, Kunou ran
towards
Akane Tendo with roses in his hand, arms opened wide to embrace his
love.
Then he stopped on his tracks.
The pig-tailed goddess was walking towards the school too.
Truly heaven was smiling upon him. But which one should he choose? Akane
or the pig-tailed goddess? That was the question which prevented him
from
getting any sleep the night before. No matter. He should have BOTH! YES!
That would solve the problem perfectly. He resumed opening his arms wide
while running zig-zag between both Akane and the pig-tailed goddess.
The last thing he saw was the pig-tailed girl's fist.
***
Nabiki sighed. Why wouldn't Kunou learn? He had been beaten
off by either Akane or Ranma for the entire school year and he was still
trying to get close to them. She slowly dragged the unconscious kendo
champion into the nurse office. She wouldn't want to have her money
supply
lying on the ground like that. If there was one thing that was good
about
Kunou, it was his money. He was loaded.
Nabiki again had taken some pictures of Akane and Ranma (girl)
for Kunou for a price. With the amount of money Kunou gave her everyday,
she could support her family since all her father Soun Tendo did
everyday
was reading newspaper and playing shogi with his best friend Genma
Saotome.
***
"Tatewaki, grab your bokken like this, then swing it upward."
'Big brother' was teaching an older Tatewaki some more advance move.
"Concentrate on your bokken and try to cut that branch."
The young Tatewaki closed his eyes, concentrated, and slashed
upward towards the branch. The branch snapped, much to Tatewaki's
delight.
"Very good Tatewaki, soon I will teach you how to control your
ki."
"Ki?"
"Yes Tatewaki, but first you need to learn how to focus your
power, you tend to lose your focus very easily. Now try to slash the
branch again." 'Big brother' told Tatewaki.
"Okay." Tatewaki slashed to the branch without thinking.
*Snap* The branch snapped in half, but unfortunately, his bokken
snapped too.
"See what I mean? You need to practice focusing some more. Now
get another bokken and..."
A younger Kodachi came running towards the two, holding
something in her hands.
"Look at this! I planted it myself for a school project. It's
beautiful isn't it?" She handed a small plant to her older brothers to
see.
"I'm impressed Kodachi, you showed a lot of talent in planting!"
'Big brother' told his little sister.
"Yea! I am gonna plant red roses, white roses, yellow roses..."
"Black roses perhaps?" an echoing voice suggested.
The Kunous turned back to see a dark energy ball in front ot
them. It sent black lightning bolts towards to Kunous. Tatewaki and his
brother quickly leaped up of the way, but Kodachi, not knowing any
martial
arts, was hit and knocked into unconsciousness.
"Kodachi!" Tatewaki screamed. He picked up an used bokken and
began swinging it wildly at the energy ball.
"Strike! Strike! Strike! Strike!....."
"NO! TATEWAKI! STAY BACK!!" 'Big Brother' yelled. Tatewaki's
bokken touched the energy ball, and exploded into a thousand pieces,
the impact knocked Tatewaki to the ground. The defeated boy had only
enough time to see the dark energy ball sending black lightning bolts
at him. He closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to land.
It never did.
Tatewaki slowly openned his eyes, and discovered that his
older brother had disrupted the dark form's attack. 'Big brother' held
his sword in his hand while looking at the dark energy ball. He was
thinking of something.
"Hahahahahaha! So Akira Kunou, you've just discovered that
your blade has no effect on me?" The echoing voice mocked.
"May be this will!" Akira shouted. "Ko-kuu Zan!" He swinged
his sword and an energy blade shot out, hitting the black energy. He
smiled grimly when he heard the voice screamed in pain.
"And this!" Akira jumped up, doing an uppercut motion. While
in air, lightning hit the blade and he brought the sword down upon the
attacker with lightning on its tip. "Tenchi-raimei-kiri!" Akira let the
lightning hit the black form, but in a way so that the blade didn't
touch
his opponent. Breaking his sword at this moment is not an option.
The black energy was knocked back a couple feet before stopping.
"It seems like I have underestimate you, Akira Kunou, perhaps it's not
my time to take your life yet. Very well." It began fading into the
shadow,
but then it suddenly sent an energy bolt to Akira, Akira rolled to the
ground, dodging it, but what he saw next terrified him.
That Evil being had shot a energy bolt towards Tatewaki while
Akira was distracted. Tatewaki, realizing he was going to be hit, could
only open his mouth in horror, he couldn't even scream.
"NO!!" Akira leaped in front of his brother, and took the hit
himself. He was hit on the stomach and sailed a dozen feet in the air
before landing on his back. He bent over in pain while cursing the
monster's
honorless action. He could barely keep his grip on the blade, let alone
defending himself. Tatewaki was no help, since his left leg seemed to
be broken by the impact.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Now you will be MINE!" The voice laughed. "A
brave attempt to save your brother. Stupid, but brave. You should be
proud of yourself." It mocked. Then it another energy bolt at Akira, and
laughed in satisfaction when the swordsman screamed in pain. Then
another,
and another, until it was sure Akira was knocked unconscious.
"Now that you are unconscious, I will be able to cast my spell.
You will be MINE! HAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Tatewaki could only watch while the black form and his brother
faded into the shadows. He could do nothing. So
helpless....helpless......
He just sat there, stunned for hours before he heard footsteps coming
towards him.
"Are you okay?" His father came running to his sobbing son.
"Are you...oh my god!" He noticed Kodachi was lying limp on the ground.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Tatewaki Kunou stared at his father. He
hated his father. His father was a warrior too, but he didn't protect
them. If he was there none of this would happen. It's his fault!
"Tacchi?" His father carried Kodachi in his arms. "I came
here to tell you that...I will go to Hawaii on a business trip...."
Tatewaki looked up in disbelief.
"You are leaving us?" his mother had died only 6 months ago,
and now his father was leaving?
"No! no! Not like that, it's just going to be a short business
trip. Besides, Akira can take care of you while I am gone."
Tatewaki stared at his father with pure hatred in his eyes.
"Brother is gone." he gritted his teeth when he said that.
"What? That ingrate! I should have known he would just run off
like that. Always thinking he's some hotshot samurai and telling me what
to do. I don't need a son like that at all!"
"Tacchi?" His father stopped when he noticed his son started
sobbing. "What's wrong?" Tatewaki closed his eyes and started shaking
his head.
Brother is gone! That's wrong!
You are leaving us! That's wrong!
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!!!!!!!!!!
"Hey hey you okay, Kunou-baby?"
NO!
"Kunou!"
When Tatewaki opened his eyes again, he saw Nabiki standing
over him. He looked around, and saw that he was in the nurse office.
That was just a dream. Yes a dream. His pig-tailed goddess was in love
with him and all was right in the world.
"You okay Kunou-baby?" Nabiki asked with concern in her voice.
Wait. CONCERN in her voice? That wouldn't be right. She wouldn't care if
he had died or something. It was just an illusion. Yes. An
hallucination.
Just like that dream just had.
"Yea I'm fine." Kunou replied, rubbing his head where he had
receive his pig-tailed goddess's punch. Surely his pig-tailed goddess
was too overjoyed to see him and tried to express her love to him. He
himself just tripped and knocked his head into the punch himself. How
Ironic, he was only THIS far away from his love.
"I got some pictures of my sister and the pig-tailed girl for
you. Here." Nabiki offered. It was true that Nabiki was a necessary
evil.
Even though she was devious, he needed her to get the pictures of his
loves.
"Deal!" Kunou then pulled out some bills and handed it to
Nabiki.
"Nice doing business with you." Nabiki said before turning
to leave. "And next time, don't cry your eyes out because you got a
little
bump on your head."
Crying? Of course not! The great Blue Thunder would never cry...
hmm...what's this? ...ah just some sweat! Yes! Sweat. Blue Thunder would
not cry. Now I should go back to my class.
Then Kunou walked towards his classroom. He failed to see a man
in shadow watching him when Kunou stopped and looked into a classroom.
He
saw Ukyo Kuonji carrying his pig-tailed goddess to the redhead's seat,
surely
the goddess had been harmed by that cur Ranma Saotome again. Soon he
would
defeat the evil sorceror for all his crimes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Notes:
So Part one ends here. The moves of Akira are the ones Kunou use
in the SNES game: Ranma Super Battle. I have read a lot of people making
Kunou the local idiot in their fanfictions. I am not saying that is
entirely
false, as Kunou IS an idiot. But what I am trying to do is to ask WHY is
he an idiot? I am trying to put him in a more balanced light.
Revised: I've just cut off some cliche scenes that serve no purpose in
my
plotline. Thanks, David Johnston!
If you have any questions, suggestions
Please email me at:
tkhm@hotmail.com
or ICQ: # 16751025
I don't have that much experience with fanfiction so...well....don't
flame
too much.
TKHM