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Oyu no Ranma
Chapter 2: Oyu no Genma
By Zorknot
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ranma1/2. This fic is based on the
comics by Rumiko Takahashi (published by Viz Comics) and on
the TV anime series produced by Hidenori Taga and directed by
Tomomitsu Mochizuki with music by Eiji Mori and character
design by Atsuko Nakajima. The director of photography for the
series was Mitsunobu Yoshida, and it was produced by Fuji TV
and Kitty Film. The executive producer for the Viz Video release
of the series was Seiji Horibuchi, the production coordinators were
Toshifume Yoshida who translated and Trish Ledoux, who also
wrote the English screenplay and lyrics. These people shall
heretofore be referred to as �The army of the undead�
WHAT HAS COME BEFORE: Previous chapters can be found
here:
http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=101834
Ranma heard Akane before she opened the door on him in the
bath and impulsively drank a potion that locked him in girl form.
They took a bath together, Nabiki took some pictures, one thing
led to another and now Genma is supposed to train the Tendo
daughters in Anything Goes, Ranma is supposed to teach Akane
how to cook among other things, and Akane is supposed to teach
Ranma to be more of a girl. Later, Soun will dive fourteen stories
into a tiny glass of water...
~~~~~[BEGIN]~~~~~
The men at the public bathhouse are silent as they watch a panda
walk alongside a man with shoulder length black hair and an
impressive mustache. The few who continue to talk join the others
in astonishment as they see the panda, after stepping into the bath,
turn almost instantly into a bald man of stout stature and serious
demeanor.
�I really wish you would stop practicing that MAGIC TRICK,
Saotome,� the mustachioed man admonishes his companion loudly
while handing him some low-tech sports glasses. �It never fails to
attract UNWANTED attention.�
The stout, bald, man takes the glasses and shoves his ears through
the wire loops of the earpieces. He remains silent as he takes the
extra towel that his friend is carrying and wraps it around his waist.
Then he takes a bandana and ties it on his head. Finally, sitting
down in the hot water, he speaks through a sigh as his friend joins
him. �I know, Tendo, but I just can�t help myself.�
The other men at the bath hold various expressions of confusion,
amazement, and mirth and then start talking again, returning the
gurgling of background conversation back to its previous levels.
The two men are, of course, Tendo Soun and Saotome Genma.
They are here because the hot water at the Tendo home is out, and
Kasumi is using the range to cook supper. Rather than build
another fire out in the backyard, they both opted to enjoy
themselves in this modest, yet well run establishment. The reason
why they, and in particular, Genma are seeking hot water is that
Ranma, tired of Genma�s lecturing, doused Genma with a bucket
of water, turning him into a panda. Since nothing in the
evolutionary history of pandas equipped the animals for giving
passionate lectures on the finer points of the Art, Genma had to
end his talk a little early. And he still has one or two things to say
to his son turned daughter.
Genma tries to think. Where exactly did he go wrong? Was it
leaving Nodoka? Was it the training...the Nekoken? Or does
Ranma�s rebelliousness stem from Jusenkyo? Could it be...that the
boy really is turning into a girl? What if that blasted potion made
the curse permanent? Genma shakes his head free of these fears. I
must focus, he cautions himself, a martial artist must deal only in
the now, not in the to be or has been...
�You know,� Soun speaks, interrupting Genma�s chain of
thought, �I�m really a terrible father.�
Genma turns his head in surprise: �Don�t be ridiculous, Tendo!
Your daughters are fine young women!�
�I know, Saotome. It amazes me everyday. I swear that every bit
of good that they have in them must have come from...� Soun trails
off as his eyes mist over, �but she was...in their lives such a short
time. So short...� Soun starts weeping freely.
Genma places a firm calloused hand on his friend�s shoulder.
�Tendo, I was there last night. You handled that situation
admirably. I don�t know what I would have done... If any of us is a
bad father...it�s me.�
Soun wipes the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.
�Saotome, you�ve gone through a lot. It can�t have been easy to be
a father while dealing with a strange curse.� Soun splashes his face
with the bath water and sighs. �I suppose it�s pointless worrying
about whether we�re good fathers or not...it would be great if it
were like the Art, where you can practice...and learn...and become
better, and be good or bad, but parenthood... It�s a tough lesson for
me, but I�m learning...it�s not at all the same thing.�
Genma releases Soun�s shoulder and rubs his forehead and
temples slowly, �I know what you mean, Tendo. I tried to raise
Ranma differently from how the Master raised us...� Genma lifts
his hand from his head and gazes at the lines in his palm, �but I
ended up just doing the same things. I tried to train Ranma to be
the best. I wanted the big prize. I wanted to win the parent game.�
Genma�s hand becomes a fist, �Tendo, my friend, I can�t help
feeling that I failed.� The hand drops into the water with a splash
and Genma looks away.
�Mm hm. Mm hm,� Soun nods sagely, �I felt exactly the same
way when Kasumi was Ranma�s age.�
�But, Tendo! Kasumi is a marvelous young woman!�
�Yes, yes, but then, so is Ranma.� Genma winces painfully, Soun
continues, �We don�t see the good things do we, Saotome? We
only see the things that need improvement- the weaknesses that
must become strengths...meanwhile our children have lives of their
own, problems that we never had to deal with.� Soun locks eyes
with Genma �Kasumi was going to be the heir to the school.�
Genma sinks deeper into the water. �I see.�
Soun nods, �For seven years after... For seven years I barely
practiced the Art at all. I would do some basic katas, meditate...but
not much else. On Kasumi�s sixteenth birthday I realized that if I
wanted the school to continue, I had to train my daughters. But it
was too late.� Soun is silent for a moment as he looks at the men�s
locker room forlornly. Then he turns back around and settles
against the wall of the public bath. �I need a cigarette.�
�Nasty habit,� Genma says idly, a little shocked. It is in truth one
of the worst habits for a martial artist to get into, air being so
essential to the Art. The Master found a way around it, but then he
found a way around everything. He�ll probably find a way around
the three-meter thick wall of rock that Genma and Soun
imprisoned him in. The thought makes Genma shiver, even in the
steaming water.
Soun gives Genma a sad smile. �I know. It was either smoking or
razor blades. I figured smoking would be easier on the kids.� He
shakes his head. �I�m sorry, I shouldn�t be so morbid. It�s not that
bad now. Now it mostly just helps me forget... You know what she
said to me? My eldest daughter?�
Genma shakes his head though he has a pretty good idea.
�She told me that the Art was too violent, and that it was useless
and that she wanted no part in it. My life! And she dismisses it as
some cruel boyish game. I was devastated! Then Nabiki, at
fourteen, asks me why she couldn�t just carry a loaded gun instead!
Only Akane was interested in training again, and I think she only
wanted to please me. Now she has this �I hate boys� thing stuck in
her head. Saotome, old friend, I don�t think a single one of them
understands. That�s all I�m asking you to do. Make them
understand.�
Genma shakes his head again �Tendo, I have been trying to get
Ranma to do that for ten years. The boy still sees it mostly as a
way to show off.�
One of Soun�s black eyebrows arches up. �The boy...Saotome,
what really happened to Ranma? Why doesn�t she...he change like
you?�
Genma sighs, �He drank some damn fool potion in the furo right
after we got here. He says it might even be permanent. I think
being a girl for awhile might be good for him. Knock his cockiness
down a bit anyway. But I don�t think I could handle Ranma being
my... daughter forever. I wish we could go home, but Nodoka...she
let us leave only under some...severe... conditions. She was out of
her mind when I left her, and I�m not sure how much better she is
now.�
�Yes,� Soun nodded. �I think in her own way she loved her as
much as I did.�
Genma remembers the night Nodoka went insane. She had gotten
a letter...or maybe it was something in the newspaper or a
magazine...whatever it was, it pushed her over the edge. She
started screaming that Ranma was a man... that �they� couldn�t
take Ranma away. That �they� had no right. When Genma asked
who �they� were Nodoka yelled �Help. HELP!� Genma embraced
her and said he was trying to help, but she was hysterical and
adrenaline pumping through her, she threw Genma to the ground
and screamed �You don�t understand!� Then she ran to the dojo
and got out the sword. She was going to kill Ranma rather than
allow him to be taken. Luckily Genma stopped her in time.
After Genma wrenched the sword from her grasp, she ran
screaming into the boy�s room. She started packing things into a
back pack. �Why are you doing this?� Genma remembers asking.
�Take, him, Genma Leave! Go! Don�t let them get him! You
must make him a man! More than a man....a man�s man, a man
among men! Maybe they won�t find him then. Maybe he�ll be safe.
But you have to promise me! In writing! You got to promise...�
She went on like that until finally, exasperated, Genma wrote up
the contract, and signed it. Ranma, of course, didn�t know that the
hand prints he patted on the paper would resign him to ten years on
the road. At five, he still thought his Dad knew everything and that
Mom knew more.
That night was the last Genma saw of Nodoka.
It was only a few days after the death of Kimiko, the woman who
was Soun�s wife and Nodoka�s best friend.
�So many terrible things happened that year,� Genma says above
the echo of Nodoka�s screams �what is the English expression?
�When it rains, it pours?��
�Mmm hmm. Tragedies never happen when you want them
to...She was so perfect, Saotome. She was a lot of things for a lot
of people...but she was everything to me.�
Genma looked down through the steaming water to the tiled floor
of the bath. �I wish I knew her better before...�
�She was amazing, Saotome. She could do anything...and she did!
And she did it with a smile and a carefree attitude. It�s odd, but
Ranma reminds me of her a little bit...�
Genma finds himself imagining Ranma grown up and a woman.
He doesn�t like it. Still even as he pushes the picture away
disgustedly, he can almost see now why Soun and Nodoka were so
affected when Kimiko passed. There�s something about
Ranma...some spark of life that persisted even through Genma�s
many mistakes, and Genma made quite a few... �You know I still
have a weakness for food, Tendo. I never got over it. I know a lot
of it was the master�s fault, but still, it�s no excuse for what I did.�
�What did you do, my friend?� Soun asks, relieved for the change
in subject but still grim.
�I...� Genma falters. He realizes that Soun won�t take the
information he is about to reveal well. However, seeing as the
engagement is thrown into doubt now anyway, he decides to
continue. �I sold Ranma. Countless times. For food. For FOOD! I
engaged him to so many girls...and even one or two boys...�
Soun�s expression darkens for a bit, but then his features relax
into weary sadness. �It�s okay, my friend...I know how you get
when you�re hungry. You had to do it or someone might have
died...�
Genma remembers the master�s training...
�In order to progress in the Art,� the old, lecherous midget had
said blowing smoke rings from his pipe into the air, �you must find
your weakness. You must come to terms with the thing that could
bring you down unequivocally. You must find this, and make it
your strength. Do you know your weakness, Genma my boy?�
�Food?� Genma, Ranma�s age at the time, had answered.
�Yes. Do you know how we�re going to make it you�re strength?�
�No...�
Happosai cackled evilly, �You�re going on a diet, pudge boy!�
For four long years the demonic old man made Genma train and
fast. He dangled a roasted chicken just out of Genma�s reach,
making Genma fight him for it, only he would never let Genma
near it and would later eat it himself with exaggerated gusto.
Whenever Genma passed out, and he did often, Happosai would
toss him over a cliff into the icy waters of the Pacific. Soun would
have to fish him out then usually, something he hated to do,
because there were whales in the ocean...
After the first month, Genma began stealing food. He developed
the Umisenken almost accidentally from trying to sneak past
Happosai. The first time he had managed it, Genma was so
surprised he made it past the unearthly munchkin he almost blew
it. Once he realized he had found a technique he developed it and
the Yamasenken in secret, over a period of three years. Genma was
sure that Happosai would figure out the technique if he performed
it too many times; so he only saved it for a last resort. It was
therefore not enough to keep the training from affecting him.
One night Genma had managed to sneak past Happosai and into a
small town. He broke into a modest marketplace and was picking
out what he was going to eat when the owner, an Asagiri Genji,
confronted him. With a shotgun. Something clicked just
then...something other than the re-chambering of the shotgun,
though it was just as ominous.
Genma still doesn�t remember what happened. He woke up in a
jail cell covered in dried blood. It was not his own. He was aware
of a familiar metallic taste on his tongue...
It wasn�t the first time Genma had had a blackout. He was so
malnourished after the first year that there�d be many times his
memory completely failed him and he had no idea what he had
been doing. Often this happened during training, or when he was
running or basically doing anything he didn�t have the energy for.
He never wound up in quite this situation though.
Happosai came with Soun shortly after Genma woke up. The
midget had a wide smile on his face. Soun�s face, by contrast, was
ashen, and he seemed almost scared of his long time friend. �You
did it, boy!� Happosai exclaimed, �You learned a new technique!
Now I can stop watching your sorry ass all the time!�
Genma stiffened. He thought Happosai had found out about the
Umisenken and Yamasenken. �Wh- what do you mean?� Genma
was still a little groggy and, he was just realizing, his stomach was
upset. A wicked gurgling illustrated this last fact further. His
stomach wasn�t just upset, it was furious.
�You�re a fool if you don�t know what I�m talking about,� the
master declared. The white metal bars rolled to the side and Genma
shuffled out holding his stomach. There were some forms that had
to be signed that Genma was dimly aware of, some questions
which he answered without much thought, and then he was
outside, the noonday sun blinding after the fluorescent pallor of the
jail.
Happosai bounced off ahead of Genma and Soun. Soun picked
his pace up making Genma walk faster to keep up with him,
something his stomach didn�t like one bit. Finally he couldn�t take
it. He grabbed Soun�s shoulder. He could feel Soun stiffen. When
he turned around his eyes were wide. �What happened, Tendo?�
Genma asked.
�You... that man...� Soun was eighteen then, almost a year
younger than Genma. He didn�t have a mustache, just a thin layer
of stubble. His hair was in a simple ponytail instead of falling to
his shoulders regally the way it does now. His muscles and
gracefulness barely saved him from looking like an awkward,
gangly teen. When he spoke to Genma then, he looked even
younger. He was at that moment a small boy, on the verge of tears,
who had just seen something truly terrible.
He had seen the writhing, twisted body of Asagiri Genji. Three
ribs were fractured, one of them poking through the man�s lung.
The left forearm was broken in a greenstick fracture, one of the
bones protruding out of the skin. The left leg didn�t have a foot so
much as a battered mush. The right leg was bent the wrong way,
the kneecap shattered. As for the right arm it was obscenely
dislocated and...a huge chunk was bitten out of it.
It was sitting in Genma�s stomach.
When Soun saw Genji, the paramedics were trying to figure out
how to remove the shotgun wrapped around the man�s neck.
Back in the public bath, Genma shakes his head. �You know it
never happened again. In all this time...not once.�
�Saotome... would you really want to risk it? Especially with your
child with you?�
�No...and I�d like to think that was why I sold Ranma. To get him
away from me while I found something to eat, but when I get
hungry...Tendo I just don�t think about anyone but myself.�
Soun nods. After an uncomfortable silence Soun straightens up
and takes a breath. �So...how�s the training going?�
Genma smiled slightly, �I forgot just how much fun being a
sensei could be...�
That morning after breakfast, Genma prepared Ranma�s book bag
for school, which is to say he put paper and pencils in it along with
a book of martial arts techniques. When he approached Ranma
with the school bag, she...as of course Ranma was female and
would be for awhile... took it with solemnity but no fuss. �You�re
okay with this, son?�
Ranma sighed, �Yeah, I guess so. I mean even you can be right
once in awhile. I was real stupid. Now I just gotta make up for it...�
�But you hate school.�
�Yeah, I do, but I�ve done it before.�
�Not as a girl.�
Ranma turned toward Genma �Pops, do you want me to kick your
ass? �Cuz I will you know.�
Just then Nabiki passed them both in her school uniform. She
smiled as she passed Ranma �You�ll be going to the same school
as Akane and me. See ya there!�
�Nabiki!� Akane called from inside �Wait! We�ll go with you!�
Nabiki stopped on the porch and turned to say �What are you
talking about? I wouldn�t want to come between you and Ranma.
After all she�s your fianc�e.�
Genma felt a rush of heat come out of the door followed shortly
by Akane wielding the dining room table as a weapon with
startling effectiveness �NABIKI NO BAKA!�
�Just what are you planning to do, little sister? Hit me?
Hmm...that doesn�t sound like something Daddy would approve
of...�
Genma wasn�t sure if it was just his child�s presence that was
causing this or if it happened all the time, but his friend had
entrusted both Nabiki�s and Akane�s training to him, and he for
one could not stand this any longer. �STOP!� He bellowed.
He was always rather proud of his deep, resonating, voice. He
always thought that was his best feature, which was one of the
reasons he incorporated it into the Yamasenken. Genma fought
down the sudden urge to steal something and spoke as calmly and
evenly as he could. �My friend, your father, has given both you
girls over to me as students. As your sensei, I expressly forbid any
more of this nonsense. Akane, you will not, under any
circumstances attack Nabiki outside of training. She, as I
understand it, is not as skilled as you, and you should never attack
the weak...�
Akane grew defensive. �I KNOW that, Uncle, but...�
�I am your SENSEI!�
�No you�re not! Ran...� Akane nodded her head at Ranma, who
was waving her hands and shaking her head, her face wide eyed
and mouthing the word �no.�
Akane relaxed, carrying the table with the top of her head now
rather than her arms, �Yes, sensei.� With that, she sullenly
returned the table to its previous place in the dining room, and
came back outside.
Genma grunted in approval and turned toward Nabiki. �And
Nabiki, I want to make this perfectly clear. There...� Genma had to
fight to say the next words �is no engagement. We are here
because I am friends with your father and we intend to pay our
way. Your comments about your sister show a lack of honor
unbecoming of a Tendo. I don�t know what you�ve been able to get
away with in the past, but as long as you�re in my sight...� Genma
stepped up to Nabiki letting his girth and height become more
apparent to the girl. He looked down at her head. She wasn�t
looking at him. Her eyes were on the koi pond. Genma took the
collar of her blouse and shook. Now Nabiki�s eyes were wide.
Now she was paying attention. �As long as you�re in my sight you
are MINE!� Genma released Nabiki. �I answer to your father and
no one else on this matter. If you have a problem, discuss it with
him.�
�Jeez, Pops, you�re layin� it on a little thick ain�t ya?� Ranma
spoke out of the corner of her mouth, �I mean, she was only teasin,
right?�
Genma came within a breath of striking his own son in anger. It
was true that Genma often struck his son in anger, but as much as
it would make him feel better, and even though he wouldn�t hit
near full force, it would eventually lead to Ranma kicking him into
the pond and Genma being a panda, which really wouldn�t gain
him any respect as a sensei. Genma took that breath. He decided to
exploit the teacher/student situation a little further. �Are you
challenging me, Ranma?�
Ranma�s eyes went wide again. �No, Pops! Just... makin a
comment is all.�
Genma nodded. He wondered why he hadn�t tried that earlier...in
China. But of course he knew the reason. Guilt. Guilt and
exhaustion. Genma turned to Nabiki with a grim expression. �If it
were only teasing I would not take offense. But you seem to think
my s- daughter and your own sister are not fit to walk with you.�
�Hey, yeah! Where do you get off bein so high and mighty?�
Ranma added.
�High and mighty? Me? I would never dream of acting that way.
I was simply allowing you and my little sister some privacy.�
Nabiki rebuked with a smirk.
�A martial artist must learn humility,� Genma continued, �For
sometimes he must look at an opponent�s feet, before he...or
she...can know where they stand.�
Akane smiled and bowed nervously, �Uncle...I mean, Sensei, I
don�t mean to be rude but it�s Ranma�s first day and we really
ought to be early...�
�Fine. You may leave.�
They all prepared to make a run for it.
�But you leave together.� They froze comically just before their
first step. �Holding hands.�
�Aw man! I don�t wanna hold anyone�s hand!� Ranma pouted.
�Um...Unc- Sensei? That�s going to slow us down quite a
bit...�Akane noted.
�I can�t believe this!� Nabiki exclaimed.
Genma smiled, and tilted his head, causing the sun to glare off his
glasses. �Consider it training.�
After Genma recounts this much to his friend, Soun laughs. �I
must say, Saotome; that was genius.� Soun slaps Genma on the
back.
�Yes, well I shouldn�t have blown up at Nabiki like that...�
�No, my friend, I think that�s exactly what you should have
done.� Soun takes the small towelette off his head and soaks it in
the furo water. �I have been too lenient on them all I think. I can�t
stand hurting them, you understand. Before...she would always be
the disciplinarian, when she... left...I just couldn�t do it. It wasn�t in
me.� Soun folds the towel back and puts it on his head, �Saotome,
to be able to raise your child the way you did, to be her sensei as
well as her father- I think it takes a special kind of love, a love
mixed with courage... and faith.�
Genma�s eyes mist over as he remembers his son, tied up and
covered with fishcakes. He remembers how he felt then. He was
going to do it! He was going to make his son a man among men!
Ranma would learn this technique and become the best martial
artist in the world. Then they could go home... back to Nodoka.
Ranma was progressing so quickly, he was so good already,
Genma just wanted to yell out how proud of him he was, how
much he loved him, but he kept it inside. He had to make Ranma
strong. After he learned this technique...maybe he could be a father
for a little while. He would get Ranma a nice big sundae; maybe
take him to a movie...
Keeping his excitement to himself, Genma pushed Ranma into
the pit...
�It�s a stupid kind of love, Tendo,� Genma says solemnly wiping
at the tears behind his glasses, �I should have stayed, got help for
Nodoka...at least then Ranma would have had a home...�
�Saotome, you did what you thought was right. Besides,� Soun
crosses his arms resolutely, �she has a home now.�
�Yes,� Genma says looking at his friend with new respect. The
worried, na�ve teenager is still in there, but now only within a
strong, solid, and mature, if maybe a little sad outer casing. The
past ten years have changed Soun. And they have changed Genma
as well. �Thank you, Tendo. Maybe Ranma does have a home
now...he and Nabiki are even getting along a little better.�
�Oh? That�s right. You hadn�t finished telling me how today
went... What did you find out at school?� Soun�s face was serious.
�You knew I snuck out after them?� Genma asks, surprised.
�Yes. I watched you after the girls left for school... I only saw
you do what you did one time before...when we defeated the
master.�
Genma slapped a hand on his forehead �You saw me start the
technique.�
�You told me you were never going to use the Umisenken again.
That it was sealed as tightly as the old master.�
�Yes, well...a couple times on the road I came pretty close to
starving, and today...I just wanted to make sure the boy didn�t do
anything stupid.�
�Saotome, if the technique is not sealed, then you must teach it to
me. If the schools are to be joined their must be no secrets between
them.�
�Tendo, some things should not be taught. The �Sea of a
Thousand Fists� is one of them.�
�I�m not suggesting you give away your secrets to anyone who
gives you shelter...�
Genma grimaces. He doesn�t know what he was thinking when he
gave that scroll to Kumon...
�You did give the Umisenken away, didn�t you,� Soun crossed
his arms.
�No...�
Soun�s head turns purple and grows enormous. Steam shoots out
of Soun�s ears and his tongue flickers snake like out of his mouth.
�DON�T LIE TO ME, SAOTOME!!!!�
Genma stammers for a moment unable to speak, he forgot about
his friend�s demon head. Genma can see where Akane must have
got her temper. �I...I...assure I am not lying, my friend. I did not
give away the Umisenken...�
Soun�s head retracts to normal size.
�I gave away the Yamasenken.�
�You have ANOTHER secret technique?...And you gave it
away???�
�I was hungry...�
�Yes, of course you were.� Soun sighs. �Forgive me,
Saotome...your secrets are your own to keep or give away as you
please. It�s just frustrating...you were always the master�s
favorite...�
�Be glad of that, my friend. I would not wish his attentions on the
wickedest of oni...�
�True...So why did you ran around town using a secret invisibility
technique if I may ask?�
�Ranma hasn�t been in school for almost two years. And now
he�s going as a girl...�
�You were worried.�
�Yes, I was worried. I still am.�
�So...what happened?��
Genma smiles, remembering. �Yes, well, as you know I love
eavesdropping on people. Especially when they�re talking about
me...�
Genma walked, unseen, by the three girls holding hands. He was
closest to Nabiki, and as she said some rather un-nice things about
him he couldn�t help but make the occasional face at her. She
seemed to get angrier as time wore on though. Genma was worried
he might have to step in...
�You don�t understand, Nabiki.� Ranma explained, her left hand
tightly holding Nabiki�s right as the middle Tendo daughter tried to
jerk her arm free. �Pops�ll know if ya stop holdin my hand. Believe
me. Ore don�t know how he does it, it�s almost like he�s got a
technique that turns him invisible or somethin, but just when ya
think you�re free of him, he runs up ta ya out of nowhere ta give ya
a lecture about somethin ya just did that was wrong. Most the time,
its just annoyin...but you get him mad and he�s the sensei from
Hell.�
�Ranma, you used �Ore� again,� Akane admonished.
�Um...Ore did? Ore mean... Atashi did? Whoops�
Akane had been trying to make Ranma speak more like a girl
with little success. Genma was rather disturbed by the situation,
but he could see the practicality of it.
�Well, you see, Saotome,� Nabiki said, ignoring Ranma and
Akane�s repartee, �that�s where the threat falls apart. Watashi am
not that man�s student. Watashi do not take orders from a panda.�
With that she tugged again, trying to pull her hand free and failing.
Genma was worried. How could he deal with this? If Nabiki truly
didn�t want to learn from him there was no way to make her...
�Hey wait a minute, Akane. Nabiki uses �Watashi� Why can�t Ore
use �Watashi�?�
Akane was thoughtful for a moment. �You could.... But you�re so
unfeminine really you need to use �Atashi� to make up for it.�
�Hello? You�re hurting my hand, Saotome! Let go.� Nabiki said,
trying a different tactic.
�Hmm? But Ore was holdin it tight �cause you kept tryin ta break
free.�
Akane lightly kicked the back of Ranma�s calf. �Ranma you used
�Ore� again.�
�Oops.�
�Look just because you two get a big kick out of holding each
other�s hands, doesn�t mean I have to participate. Let. Me. GO.�
Genma hadn�t realized how calm and composed Nabiki actually
was until she started raising her voice.
�Sorry, Nabiki, if ya wanna get free, yer gonna have ta fight me,�
Ranma smiled. There was silence for awhile as the girls and
Genma walked. Finally Ranma spoke again. �Ya know, Nabiki,
ever since Ore got here...er ever since Atashi got here you�ve
molested me, insulted me, insulted Akane, Kasumi, even your own
dad. You�ve taken pictures of me�n Akane naked, and now ya
wanna break yer promise ta yer father by not doin what Pops
asked. What�s yer beef exactly? Is it me? Why do Ore...why do
Atashi piss ya off so much?�
�Honestly, Nabiki,� Akane added with a frown, �Ranma�s right.
You�ve been acting terrible ever since she got here. Is this still
about Ranma not being a boy? Did you want to get engaged that
badly?�
Nabiki looked stunned for a moment...and then chuckled
sardonically. �You think this is about that? Do you have any idea,
little sister, what I have to go through just to make sure we still
have a roof over our heads the next day?�
�Nabiki,� Akane responded, �I know you do a lot but-�
�You don�t know the half of it, Akane-chan.� Nabiki interrupted.
She held out her free hand as if holding a ball. �There is so much
information, Akane. Information that I...that we ALL need in order
to survive. All sorts of threads tangled up in this mass that only I
seem to be able to comprehend. I have to pull them Akane, I have
to pull these threads, make the ball tighter, compact. And I have to
be careful because one wrong pull, one thread out of place...and
the whole thing can unravel.� She dropped her hand to her side,
dramatically letting the ball fall apart. �If I had more money
though...�
�Look, Ore don�t see why Ore can�t use Watashi if Ore want to.
If Atashi want to. If Watashi want to!� Ranma was starting to get a
little flustered, �Ore...Watashi mean...Nabiki ain�t exactly a
Japanese princess or nothin and she musta used �Watashi� like
forty times just then.�
�Do you care at all about what I said, Saotome, or were you just
counting up all the �Watashi�s?�
�Um...yeah sure. That was a medal for something, right?�
��Metaphor�, Ranma,� Akane supplied, �and if you want to be a
perverted, vengeful girl who scares everyone that knows her, by all
means use �Watashi�� Akane�s free hand was clenched in a fist and
she seemed to stomp more than walk. Apparently Akane still had
some issues with her older sister.
�Good point,� Ranma conceded. She seemed taken aback, and
Genma didn�t blame her. She was coming very close to having two
women mad at her.
�And Nabiki,� Akane added, �if you just wanted a fianc� for
money why didn�t you go after Kuno?�
�Who�s Kuno?� Ranma asked.
�Oh he�s a rich idiot upperclassman from school,� Akane
answered with a wave of her free hand, �Carries a stick and
harasses me. Addresses himself as �Boku��
�Oh.� Ranma frowned for a moment. �So Ore... Atashi can�t use
�Boku� either?�
�I did go out with Kuno.� Nabiki stated coldly before Akane
could respond. �Once. You probably don�t remember. It was near
the end of last school year. You were outside practicing and Kuno
drove up in a limousine.� Nabiki stepped in front of Ranma so she
could address Akane more directly. �A limo, Akane!� Nabiki
looked away towards a small pothole in the road as she fell back in
line. �That was the night he first confessed his undying love for
you.�
An awkward pause, then Akane spoke. �You had something to do
with the boys at school didn�t you Nabiki.� It was not a question.
�The boys at school?� Ranma asked.
�You know that weight set you got for your birthday, little
sister?� Nabiki ignored Ranma, �90,000 yen at least. How do you
think it was paid for? Each of those boys paid me to fight you.
They bet against you and lost. You should be happy about that.
You should thank me. Instead you call me a pervert.�
A red aura coalesced around Akane. �You�re the most
PERVERTED person I KNOW!�
�Hey, Akane, calm down will ya? Getting angry just makes ya
stupid.�
�I am not stupid, Ranma!� Akane yelled at the redhead.
Genma winced. It must be a family curse, he reckoned. Genma
didn�t remember ever teaching the boy how to mess up so badly
with women, but Ranma learned it from him anyway. Of course it
wasn�t just with women. Genma couldn�t count the number of
times he had MEANT to say �I�ll work if you feed me,� but
INSTEAD said something along the lines of �I�ll give you my first
born for a pickle� or �Hey look! A ten yen coin!� Most people
didn�t understand these kinds of flub ups, but everyone could
understand a little nervousness around the ladies. Unfortunately for
Ranma, she WAS a lady right now. How could Ranma be so
stupid? Taking that vial...why would Ranma even accept such a
thing?
Ranma cringed at Akane comment as well. �Woah, Ore didn�t say
ya were stupid.... Ore just said...Ore just said that gettin angry
made ya ACT that way!�
Akane�s anger eased and she smiled. ��Atashi,� Ranma.
Honestly, will you ever learn?�
Genma blinked. That would have never worked if Ranma were
still a boy...
Nabiki smiled, �You�ll have to excuse my little sister, Saotome.
She has a short fuse about some things.�
Ranma turned to Nabiki and beamed. �That�s okay, Nabiki, at
least she ain�t a perverted, backstabbin bitch.�
�Touch� Nabiki conceded.
�What?� Ranma asked confused.
�Touch�...its French...never mind.� Nabiki waved it off with her
free left hand. Suddenly she stopped walking. �Wait.�
Water splashed in the space just in front of the three girls. It came
from the ladle of an elderly lady standing in the entrance of her
house�s garden.
�GOOD MORNING, GRANDMOTHER SHIRATORI!� Nabiki
called out.
Mrs. Shiratori turned around three times counter-clockwise, put
her bucket and ladle down and squinted at Nabiki, Akane, and
Ranma for a few moments before recognition registered on her
face. �Oh, why good morning, Nabiki-chan! It�s been a while since
you�ve been by. Washi thought you had a ride with your friend,
what�s-her-name.�
�Hey,� Ranma whispered to Akane, �She�s a woman and she uses
�Washi,� just like Pops. Why can�t Ore use that?�
�You�re not old enough. Don�t you know ANYTHING?� Akane
whispered back, �And you used �Ore� again.�
Nabiki grimaced, �May I introduce Saotome Ranma?� Nabiki
motioned to Ranma with her free left hand in a wide, sweeping
motion.
�Hi there,� Ranma bowed her head in greeting, a somewhat
confused look on her face.
�She and her father are staying at our home for...� Nabiki turned
her head to Ranma, �How long was it you were planning on
staying?�
�What the hell you askin me for?� Ranma responded.
�At any rate,� Nabiki smiled turning back to Mrs. Shiratori,
�Akane and I thought we�d help Saotome out. You see she�s a little
shy.�
�Ore ain�t shy,� Ranma asserted.
Akane kicked her in the calf again.
�What?� Ranma asked, �Oh...sorry.�
Shiratori hobbled closer to Ranma put a weathered and wrinkled
hand up to the redhead�s brow, and closed her eyes. �I see a boy
with slate-gray eyes...I see him fading away...I see dark forces in
the distance approaching...becoming more distinct...madness...a
woman in a white kimono...death.� The old woman opened her
eyes and the light of the morning sun reflected off them like the
tips of daggers. �These things will come to pass if you continue on
your present path.� She took her hand off Ranma�s forehead.
Ranma�s jaw was slack, her eyes wide, her skin pale.
Genma was sure his own face, were it visible, would look much
the same. Who was this Shiratori woman? Was what she said true?
Was Ranma�s male side going to fade away? And how did she
know about Nodoka?
�I see you got back �Martinique�� Nabiki said loudly, gesturing to
the ladle by the entrance of Shiratori�s home.
The old woman�s somber features softened to a smile, as she
turned toward Nabiki again. �Yes, Asuza-chan gave it back after
some cajoling.�
�Really? That�s all it took?� Nabiki asked in her raised voice
smirking.
Shiratori cackled, �I might have said one or two nasty things
about her marriage prospects...�
�You�re an evil old woman, you know that?� Nabiki smiled.
�And you�re a malicious, perverse, and money hungry little girl.�
Shiratori rejoindered.
�We know each other so well don�t we?� Nabiki laughed. �It�s
been nice talking with you again. I have to see these two idiots to
school now.�
�I am NOT an IDIOT!� Akane protested.
Ranma lightly kicked her in the calf.
�WHAT DO YOU WANT?...oh sorry.� Akane smiled sheepishly,
calming down.
�Still hot tempered as ever, eh Akane-chan?� Shiratori jeered,
�Such a tomboy. It�s no wonder you don�t ever bother to say hello
to a lonely old woman. Just like a man.�
Akane shook her free fist at the wizened face. �MAYBE if such a
lonely old woman would stop INSULTING me every chance she
got, I�d make more of an EFFORT!�
Shiratori cackled again, �And what would be the fun in that,
young one?� There was a small pause as Akane tried to assimilate
this, then Shiratori spoke again. �Go, child, before something
unpleasant flies in that gaping mouth of yours.� The girls left
Shiratori to mutter to herself, smiling. �The youth are so uncouth.
Uncouth youth. Forsooth...�
Genma stayed behind. He had to find out what this Shiratori
knew. There was however the small matter of getting out of the
Umisenken without revealing it to anyone...
�That girl, Saotome...� Shiratori spoke loudly looking off into the
distance, �Her future troubles you.�
Genma started. She had sensed him?
�Yes, I know you are here. I�m blind as a bat, but I can see as
long as wills collide. Your will is strong enough to read by. You
didn�t like what I said about the red-haired girl.�
Genma dropped all pretense of hiding and spoke. �He�s my son.�
�I see... That explains a lot then.� The old woman turned around
three times clockwise and picked up the bucket of water and the
ladle. She began splashing the street pensively. The pace was slow
and random, yet somehow soothingly rhythmic, like waves
crashing on the beach. Genma was about to speak again when
Shiratori stopped. �I have a small gift. I can see the paths that
people are on. I know a little of what lay ahead. But people change
paths all the time. They go in new directions based on the choices
they make.�
A young couple walked by arguing vehemently about some
rumor one had heard about the other. Shiratori smiled, dipped her
ladle in the bucket, and splashed the girl.
�Aw jeez,� the boyfriend responded, �I knew we should�ve taken
the other way. Hey look it�s chilly. Why don�t you put on my over-
shirt? Then you can change clothes once we get to school.� The
girl nodded and accepted the shirt with a hesitant smile.
When they left, they were holding hands.
Shiratori nodded. �You can exert a force in this, but you must be
careful which way you push.� She turned toward Genma and held
out her bucket and ladle. Her gaze was disturbingly off target.
Genma supposed he should have been used to that sort of thing
from his experiences with the Umisenken, but with Shiratori, more
than with anyone before, her intense focus on something beyond
Genma made him feel as if he didn�t really exist. �Take these, you
will need them.�
Genma hesitantly accepted the proffered bucket and ladle with a
quizzical look. �What could I do with this?� Genma asked.
In response, the old woman turned three times widdershins and
stepped backward with her left foot, bringing her right even with it.
She continued toward the entrance of her house in this manner, as
if part of some backwards wedding procession. She had made five
strides along the gravel pathway before saying, �Remember,
Saotome Genma, it is often unwise to blaze new trails. Wait for a
crossroads before changing directions.�
Genma bowed his head in thought for a while, than lifted and
nodded sagely. As Shiratori evanesced into the shadows of her
domicile Genma smiled and wondered if the old biddy knew he
understood exactly what she said. He had, after all, been subjected
to years full of obscure sayings and vague prophetic warnings due
to his dealings with the old master. All she was saying was that
sometimes it was better to use a fork.
Genma had to admit that was true, although he was rather fond of
chopsticks.
He couldn�t quite figure out, though, what that had to do with
Ranma. He also wondered if maybe he should find a quick snack.
The bamboo earlier that morning had been surprisingly edible, but
somehow it just wasn�t very filling...This led Genma to question
how it was that the bamboo that he ate as a panda wasn�t making
him sick as a man. Could it have been converted to something
else? Fish and rice perhaps? Mmmm....fish and rice....with
mayonnaise, some soy sauce and a raw egg to finish it off...that
would be heaven right about now...
Genma shook his head. As delicious as that sounded, he could not
head back to the dojo, he had students to watch over. He wasn�t
even hungry. Couldn�t be. He ate a whole platter full of that
bamboo. Then again how much do pandas eat? Maybe he
should...Genma sniffed. Was someone cooking chicken? His
mouth watered...He could hear the laughter of the Master in the
tinkling of the canal water past the fence. He shuddered and
gripped the bucket and ladle tightly. No. Ranma and the girls first.
Then chicken.
Carrying the ladle and bucket, Genma reestablished the
Umisenken and hurried to catch up with his students.
When he reached them, Nabiki was once again trying to get
Ranma to let go of her hand. �Listen, Saotome, I propose a
wager...a challenge, if you will.�
�Oh yeah? What kinda challenge?�
�I don�t think you want to be holding my hand any more than I
want to be holding yours. I propose we both let go. If your father
shows up knowing about it, I will agree to what your father AND
you say as a sensei for a week. If the panda is clueless however,
you have to agree to pose for some pictures.�
Genma smiled. He was going to get to punish someone again! He
crouched behind a bush in someone�s backyard and let the two and
a half girls walk a little ahead.
�Don�t do it, Ranma� Akane warned �She hardly ever makes a
bet unless she�s sure she�s going to win.�
�Maybe. But she don�t know my Pops.� Ranma turned to Nabiki,
�You�re on.� Ranma smirked. �On the count of three. One.�
Genma stopped using the Umisenken and crept out from behind
the bush.
�Two.�
Smirking, Genma readied the ladle and bucket.
�Three.� Ranma released Nabiki�s hand with a flourish.
Genma gave them a good five seconds before splashing Nabiki
and Ranma with the freezing cold water.
�Well, it looks like- GAH!� Nabiki exclaimed.
The two girls and Ranma whirled around. Strangely enough,
Ranma didn�t seem to be wet at all. �Unless your father says
otherwise, I am your sensei. You must learn respect, Nabiki.�
�See,� Ranma said with a smirk, �Ore toldja, Nabiki.�
�Ranma... �Atashi�...�
�Oh right. Sorry �kane.�
�Don�t think you are exempt, Ranma. You let go of Nabiki�s
hand just as much as she let go of yours.� Genma aimed another
water balloon sized ladle blast at Ranma again. The water
somehow bent away from Ranma and splashed into Nabiki again
full force.
�Aw c�mon, Pops.� Ranma protested, apparently ignorant of the
water�s acrobatics, �Ore am still holdin Akane�s hand ain�t Ore?
Atashi. Whatever.�
�Th-th-there�s no way...� Nabiki shivered, soaking wet, her eyes
wide.
Looking at Nabiki�s surprised expression was enough to make
Genma forget the oddness with the water. He smiled. �You have
to learn your limits, girl. You cannot know everything about your
environment no matter how keen your senses.� There was a flash
of light and a rumbling. Genma ignored it. �You have to be ready
for any situation, regardless of how it looks.� Several rain drops
fell from the sky landing on Genma�s gi. �Even now there might
be an assassin lurking unseen behind a bush or maybe in that canal
waiting to attack.� Genma pointed to the canal of rushing water
behind the chain link fence as a sudden gust of wind blew more
rain drops in his face. �You must keep your senses sharp watch for
things behind you above you and to your sides as well as in front.
But always be prepared because growf ga growfer row
grop...Growf!� Genma had forgotten about the curse... he hadn�t
even noticed the change.
�Hey Pops!� Ranma taunted, �Guess ya shoulda been more
prepared huh? Guess ya shoulda been payin attention to what was
above ya, huh? Like for instance the big ass rain cloud?�
�Um... Ranma?� Akane tugged at the sleeve of her new friend�s
red silk Chinese over-shirt with her free hand.
�Yeah?�
�Why aren�t we wet? It�s raining pretty hard...�
Genma�s fur kept the cold of the chilly spring rain off his body,
but the water did make his fur rather heavy and uncomfortable.
Nabiki was much worse off. Her hair was plastered to her head and
her uniform was dark with rainwater. Ranma and Akane, by
contrast, were dry as desert flowers. The boy turned girl, showing
as much need to review her surroundings as Genma had, was only
just now becoming aware of this.
�Hey yeah! Woah this is cool! Must be some sorta weird side
affect from that vial Ore drank...�
�What vial?� Akane asked.
Genma made a good show of burying his furry forehead in his
paw.
�Er...� Ranma elucidated, fingering her pigtail with her free hand.
�Um...� she continued. �Well, ya see...� she expanded. Finally she
brought her stunning oration to a close with, �I�ll tell ya later
�kay?�
Akane nodded slowly, a furrow of confusion clouding her brow.
Her eyes widened as she looked over Nabiki�s shoulder at the
billboard with the green digital time display. Genma followed her
gaze, thankful that his curse didn�t affect his sight that much, he
read 8:32. Seeing as school started at 8:30, this was not a good
thing. �Oh no! We�re late!� Akane exclaimed
�Well Nabiki kinda held us back, complainin and chattin with
that weird old lady...� Ranma pointed out.
Nabiki looked like she had a few things to say about that, but she
was shivering too hard to respond. Now that Nabiki was officially
his student, Genma would have to subject her to some vigorous
environmental training. It was a good twenty degrees Celsius.
Even in heavy rain, that should be plenty warm enough for any
martial artist. Still Genma didn�t want Nabiki getting sick or
anything, �Growfer growf growf growf growfer growf growfer
growf growf,� Genma suggested.
�Thanks, Pops, I think that was the best advice ya ever gave,�
Ranma said with half-lidded eyes.
Akane raised her head as her eyes brightened, �Well, as long as
we�re late, we might as well stop by Tofu�s. Nabiki can warm up
there and we might even get passes for school!�
Ranma nodded. �Sounds good ta me... Nabiki, ya gonna get outta
the rain?� Ranma offered her hand.
Grimacing, Nabiki accepted. �You�ll b-be s-sorry ab-bout th-
this.�
�Yeah well, when Ore am Ore�ll let ya know.�
Nabiki was still wet but the rain didn�t go through the field that
Ranma seemed to generate. It just bent away from him as if he
were a reverse magnet for the water. Of course, ever since the
curse, Ranma had been a water magnet, but this was a little more
literal than Genma would have thought. As for Genma, for some
reason water never sought him out as much. Of course, half the
time he was in his cursed form anyway; so it didn�t matter, but
Genma wondered why water was attracted to Ranma so much
more sometimes. Now apparently water was doing the opposite.
Shrugging Genma decided he was sick of having his pelt pelted
by rain and grabbed Nabiki�s wrist with his paw. Almost instantly,
the rain seemed to stop...only it didn�t. It gave Genma a feeling of
being a disembodied spirit. His panda countenance would betray
none of it, but the truth was, Genma found this a tad unsettling.
Nabiki looked up at Genma, startled. Then she turned her head
toward Ranma. Then she sighed and looked ahead, her eyes no
doubt burning a path through the rain ahead of them.
�So this doctor Tofu, he�s pretty good huh?� Ranma asked.
�Oh he�s great,� Akane insured, �He�s so good at medicine and
acupuncture he�s practically a wizard.�
And with that Akane, the scare-cat, the tin woman, and the
cowardly panda went off to see this �wizard.�
Genma pauses to stretch a bit in the furo waters. He notices a
young man listening to a waterproof walkman. Genma and Soun
are sitting fairly close to one corner of the public bath and the short
haired young man sits across from them against the edge adjacent
to theirs. When Genma sees him, he looks away, as if he had been
staring at Genma for a while. He has a sort of ratty complexion
with small eyes that seem to glare mischievously while his mouth
curls in a slight smile. Genma wonders if the boy is gay. This
brings him alarmingly to the subject of his own child�s sexuality.
As long as Ranma still changed with water, Genma was sure he�d
just be attracted to girls and there�d be no problem. But now...
what if Ranma�s a girl forever? Genma didn�t want a daughter of
his to be a lesbian, but what could he do? What if the boy across
from Genma is a girl cursed to be in a boy�s body?
�So... Ranma is waterproof?� Soun asks, distracting Genma from
his disturbing thoughts.
�Yes, as far as I�ve been able to tell. Hot water hits him just fine
but cold water just bends around him and anyone he�s holding
hands with.�
�That�s odd. What did Dr. Tofu have to say about that?�
�He said something about water being polar, but he wasn�t sure
how a potion could manipulate it like that.� Genma leaned back.
�Tendo, how can such a young boy know so much?�
�It was his father,� Soun replied somberly, �They were very
close.�
�What happened?�
�For the longest time it was a mystery. Tofu�s father was a
doctor, a good one, but neither he nor any other professional could
figure out what was wrong with him. He just got weaker and
weaker until...� Soun swallowed, �Tofu�s father died when the boy
was sixteen. He had been sick for two years. After that, Tofu flew
through school, he was determined to make his father proud. And
I�m sure he has. The boy is already a fine doctor. Don�t call him
Doctor Ono though. He jokes around, but he�s still a little sensitive
about being called the same thing his father was.�
�Did he ever figure out what killed his father?�
�Yes.�
�What was it?�
�A curse.�
�You mean magic?�
�Yes. It was a fairly simple curse as I understand it. But still...it
almost killed Kasumi.�
�Kasumi was cursed too?�
Soun�s eyes grew watery, �Tofu saved my baby, Saotome. That
boy�s a saint. I�d give him almost anything just for that, but he
won�t accept it. Not one yen. And he�s been our family doctor ever
since then. He�s never charged us for anything, and I tell you he�s
the best doctor you could ever hope to find.�
�Hmm...I guess I shouldn�t feel so embarrassed about working for
him then.�
�You�re working for him?�
�Yes, starting tomorrow. I was asking for Ranma, but Tofu said
that he needed an assistant that could work during school hours.�
�Saotome...I�m glad you�re helping Tofu out, but...aren�t you a
little over qualified?�
�Tendo, I�m forty-two years old, I have no formal education, the
only thing I really know how to do well is steal things and beat
people up. What else am I going to do?�
�You could help me in the dojo...�
�Yes and I�m going to, but the only students you have right now
are your own children and two of them dropped out.�
Soun starts to stand out of the water, �Saotome that�s low...�
�Calm down, Tendo. I�m just stating the facts. We�ve got to face
it, my friend. Unless we do something about it, Anything Goes is
going to fade away, and all that pain, all that suffering that the
demon put us through is going to be for nothing.�
Soun sits on the edge, out of the water. Genma joins him as he
finds the heat of the water a little stifling himself.
�You�re right of course,� Soun sighs, �I really have been
depending on Nabiki too much these past few years. Grandmother
Shiratori...she may be a little... eccentric but she really helped out
after...that year. She actually managed to amass a great deal of
wealth in her younger days, despite being a woman of low birth.
Nabiki talked with her everyday... she used to do things like that,
you know. She always had a knack for knowing when people
needed company... When it happened...I wasn�t worth much I�m
afraid. Shiratori started paying Nabiki for doing odd jobs for her,
and somehow we always had enough to get by. Akane and Kasumi
find Grandmother Shiratori to be difficult, but Nabiki...she loves
that old woman to death. Had I known she�d be such a bad
influence... but then what could I have done? Nabiki�s been the
real bread winner for our family since she was seven. I feel like
I�ve been sleeping all this time, and I�m only just now waking up.�
�You�ve done nothing all this time?�
�It�s not as bad as that really. I go to parent teacher meetings, I do
odd jobs for people...Sometimes I�ll find out about some robbery
or assault and I�ll help catch the criminal responsible. Some people
seem to think I should run for some kind of office, but I don�t
know if they�re joking or not.�
�Tendo, that would be perfect for you! Even when you were a
scraggly punk kid you always got the girls. Even when we both got
caught on a raid, you could get out of it much quicker than I ever
could.�
�What are you saying, Saotome?�
�You have charisma, Tendo! That�s something I could never
manage.�
�Maybe you�re right. It�s worth a try anyway. I�ve been going to
the town meetings more often recently and I think I might have a
few connections...�
Genma thinks of something. �Tendo...Is Shiratori really
psychic?�
Soun eases himself back into the water. �That�s not an easy
question to answer, my friend. Some of the things she says...
Something you ought to know though is she likes to mess with
people. Sometimes she�ll say things just to get a reaction. It�s no
use trying to understand that woman. She�s said things to me I
wouldn�t dare repeat even under threat of death they were so
vulgar.�
�Come now, no one could be as crass as the master.�
Soun looks up at Genma and it seems coals are burning in his
eyes. �The master never knew my wife.�
Genma can say nothing to that. He lowers himself back into the
water. He notices the boy with the walkman is staring at him again.
Genma tries to imagine that the boy is a beautiful woman, but
shortly comes to the decision that even if it were a woman staring
at him it would be disturbing. In fact the effort in trying to imagine
that the rat-faced boy could be a girl is disturbing in itself. Genma
is about to ask the boy to find something else to occupy his
attention when Soun speaks.
�What happened when they got to school?�
Genma is rather glad for the distraction. �I allowed them to stop
holding hands but they still arrived at school more or less together.
I stayed a little longer at Tofu�s discussing employment, so I�m not
sure of how it happened, but when I caught up to them at school,
this Kuno character was keeping them from entering the school...�
�Yes, yes...Kuno. Tell me, what�s the boy really like? I get such a
negative impression from Akane.�
�Well, I�ll say this...the boy is determined. And he has some
measure of skill. And he IS somewhat chivalrous in a backwards
sort of way but...�
�But?�
�He�s a buffoon.�
Kuno barred Akane�s way with his outstretched bokken.
Strangely enough Akane giggled. �Kuno...honestly... you�re late to
class. I have got a pass so I don�t care how long you keep me out
here, but you�re going to have to stand in the hall.�
�Such a meager sacrifice I would gladly pay to banter with one of
such fierce beauty.� A breeze blew past, which might have been
properly dramatic except Kuno was rather soaked from the earlier
downpour and the breeze just caused him to shiver.
�I don�t have time for this,� Nabiki declared and walked past the
tableau, further breaking the tension.
�Go then, wench. I have no need of your presence,� Kuno
retorted. �But hark! Who is this maiden that doth accompany
Diana on the hunt?�
Akane nudged Ranma in the ribs. �He�s talking about you.�
�Huh?�
�Fair maid of the fiery hair,� Kuno got on one knee and grabbed
Ranma�s hand, �Tell me how I may address you!�
�Um...well Ore am...�
�Wait! Is it not customary to give one�s own name first?�
�Um...�
Kuno stood up, clasping Ranma�s hand to his heart. �Very well!
Mine I shall give! Know that it is the rising star of Furinken High
School and leader of its Kendo team, Kuno Tatewaki, the Blue
Thunder who speaks to you now.� Kuno had his bokken raised up
into the air. It would have been really impressive if there had been
a crack of lightening or something, but alas, the shower that might
have produced such special effects was long gone.
Ranma jerked her hand out of Kuno�s grasp and got in a fighting
stance. �Watch it buddy, Ore ain�t real interested in gettin ta know
you better. In fact, why doncha just shut yer pie hole and get out of
my face before Ore rearrange yours?�
�Ranma...�Akane muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
�Diana�s companion has zest as well! Very well, Boku will
engage you in combat, pigtailed one, but Boku would have the
name of my opponent.�
�Name�s Saotome Ranma of the Saotome school of Anything
Goes Martial Arts, and Ore am gonna...�
�Ranma!� Akane yelled.
�Sorry...Atashi am gonna kick yer ass!�
Genma watched unseen from a bush, coming out of the
Umisenken so he could concentrate fully on the fight. Ranma
almost lunged at Kuno, but then stopped herself. Genma nodded,
whispering the words he told the boy many times. Don�t make the
first move hastily. Watch your opponent, note his strengths and
weaknesses. If he attacks, respond, but otherwise be calm and
reveal nothing.
�Your move, Kuno, I�m ready when you are,� Ranma growled.
Akane yelled again but Ranma didn�t seem to care.
Kuno went from holding his weapon two handed in front of him
to standing sideways with the bokken over his head. This marked
Kuno as being largely restricted to his own style. In sword
fighting, a win came often after a few, well placed hits, so the
beginning stance was much more important. This was only true,
however, in refereed matches and with bladed weapons. Kuno was
using a wooden bokken and his opponent was completely
unarmed. These exaggerated stances were completely useless and
dangerously limiting unless... Genma looked closer. The stances
weren�t just good. They were perfect. The feet were at the exact
optimum angle, the �blade� of the bokken at just the right cant.
Even though Kendo was not Genma�s focus in the Art, he was
impressed. To enter even a simple stance so flawlessly required
great discipline, and Kuno did it so naturally it would have seemed
second nature, were he not so obviously using the stances to show
off.
�Nay, I must insist beauty come before brawn,� Kuno said over
his shoulder before moving his bokken to his side, its point as still
as a rock in cement oriented in Ranma�s direction.
Genma knew this comment was winding Ranma up to no end. He
could see her face twitch in the effort to stay focused. He also
knew that Ranma hardly ever trained in his girl body, despite his
agreeing that it was a good idea. The fight would be harder than
Ranma might think. Looking between the two of them, he could
feel the tension mount. Everything slowed to a crawl. Noises
melted into the background until it seemed that all that existed
were Kuno, Ranma, Akane, and himself.
Finally, taking her cue from somewhere within herself, or perhaps
a higher power, Ranma charged.
Genma grimaced. So much for Ranma�s training.
Ranma jumped into a flying sidekick that would have impacted
Kuno�s face quite painfully, except the move was so obvious that
Kuno would have had to be brain dead to miss it. Stepping to the
side in a flourish, he lightly whacked Ranma on the back with the
bokken. �I have smote thee, fair maiden. As my prize...�
�You ain�t smote shit, stick boy!� And Ranma swung her leg
around in a high hook kick that caught Kuno at the base of the
skull.
Kuno staggered forward and his eyes widened a moment before
he turned around his bokken straight in front of him again. �A hit!
Albeit fowl. Mayhap I needs must demonstrate my prowess
further.�
�I don�t want nothin ta do with your �prowess�!� Ranma
exclaimed but kept herself from lashing out again.
Kuno swung lazily at Ranma with the bokken. Ranma dodged
easily. Kuno smiled and swung again, this time making a side
swipe across Ranma�s middle. Ranma jumped over the swing and
somersaulted in the air before landing behind Kuno and executing
a powerful roundhouse to the kendoist�s temple.
Kuno staggered to the side and then righted himself, shaking his
head to help clear his vision. �Certes, thou art a nimble nymph. I
have dallied long enough. It is time this battle cease.� With that
Kuno became a whirlwind of motion, his blade a wooden blur in
space as he attacked Ranma.
Ranma dodged every blow with ease, her body jerking one way
then the other. Every other swing Ranma punched Kuno in a new
location until finally she nailed him in the solar plexus causing the
boy to gasp for breath. Ranma followed up with a snap kick to the
chin a hook kick to the eardrum, an axe kick to the collarbone and
finally a throw to the ground. Ranma straddled Kuno and put her
hand around the boy�s throat, fire dancing in her eyes. �Don�t ya
EVER touch me again. Ya got that? I don�t even wanna catch ya
LOOKIN at me! Cuz if ya do, we�re gonna finish this and ya ain�t
gonna like the endin.�
�Very well,� wheezed Kuno. �I shall allow you to date...me.�
And with that he fell unconscious.
�Huh?� Ranma asked no one in particular.
�I tried to warn you,� Akane sighed, putting a hand on Ranma�s
shoulder, �Kuno has this...thing for girls who fight. Ask Nabiki to
tell you about Linda sometime.�
�Linda?�
�American exchange student. Female boxer. She was only here a
week before she transferred back. Best thing she could have done
really...the mental hospitals are better in America.�
�Akane?�
�Yes, Ranma?�
�Do ya think if we go inside right now he�ll forget what I look
like?�
�Doubt it, but I guess It�s worth a shot,� Akane shrugged. And
with that the two ran into the school�
�The boy has an interesting pick up line,� Soun remarks with a
smile as he sits in the bath.
�A buffoon, I believe I said,� Genma nods.
�Yes, I recall...still I wouldn�t say he�s completely moronic...�
�He was holding back. I imagine even if Ranma hadn�t dodged
those whirlwind swings they wouldn�t have even caused a bruise.
The boy WANTED Ranma to beat him up. I consider that
sufficiently moronic.�
�I don�t know...that�s more or less how I met...� Soun choked up.
�That was different. You weren�t TRYING to get beat up, you
just were...Why can�t you say her name?�
�Saotome, please...you didn�t know her like I did. She was
precious, beautiful...a goddess. I am not worthy of uttering those
three syllables... not yet. Maybe...once Anything Goes is secure...�
Tendo trailed off looking wistfully at some point in space.
�Tendo, I�m sure she loves you now as she did in life. She would
not think you unworthy...�
�Her love is something I do not yet deserve, Saotome. Regardless
of how you may see it, that�s how I feel, and it�s going to take
more than mere words to change that.�
�Fine, but try to remember, you�re a good man, Tendo Soun.
Maybe you don�t know it, and maybe no one else does either, but I
do. I�ve fought beside you in too many battles not to.�
Soun is silent for a moment, �Saotome...thank you. You�re a good
man too.�
Genma half smiles, half grimaces at that. He has done terrible
things, torn apart families, upset whole cultures, abandoned his
wife and tortured his child. He came to Nerima, not to help out his
friend, but because he was tired of it all, because he had all but
given up on teaching Ranma anything worthwhile, because he
wanted to shirk his responsibility onto someone else and live the
rest of his life in shame. Instead his responsibilities increased
tenfold since he has come here, and truth be told, he�s been looking
for the slightest opportunity to run away. Maybe he was a good
man once... but not anymore. Still, hearing his friend say it, Genma
wonders... Maybe if he stays, maybe if he can somehow do the
impossible and teach Anything Goes to the Tendo daughters,
maybe if he can save his friend from his self doubt and depression,
he can be a good man again. �I hope so, Tendo,� Genma says, �I
hope so.�
�Saotome, I know you have your reasons but I feel I must bring
this up...Nodoka is not dead. You need to at least talk with her. It�s
been ten years...�
�No, Tendo. I�m not ready to see her. And I don�t want Ranma
thinking his mother is anything other than the loving, nurturing
woman she was before that night. I don�t think I can trust her
again...�
�You have to give her a chance...�
�No, Tendo, it�s more than that. When it comes down to it, I
signed a contract. I was to make Ranma a man among men.
Regardless of how good Ranma is, the fact of the matter is that I
failed. If Nodoka finds out about Ranma...It�s true I�ve broken
many contracts but there are two I aim to keep. Someday the
Tendo and Saotome lines will be joined, and someday Ranma will
be a man among men. Until one is secure, I cannot risk failing the
other. That would be the end of the last shred of honor I have left.�
�I understand.� Soun takes in a breath, �Still, I can�t let you waste
any more time away from your wife...I just can�t. In the fall, we
visit the family gravesite...I�ll give you till then. Then I send
Nodoka a letter telling her you�re here.�
Genma sighs, �Fair enough. Maybe by then this business with
Ranma being stuck will be over.� Genma looks at his hands.
�Well, my friend, I suppose it�s time to leave, my hands are
wrinklier than the old master!�
�Nothing�s that wrinkled,� Soun smiles, �I guess you can finish
telling me about today on the way back.�
�Not much to tell really. As far as I saw, Ranma was okay at
school. After he and Akane left, they went shopping... there were
too many people for me to use the Umisenken so I couldn�t get
close to them...I�d rather not tell what I saw...it was too
embarrassing. After they left they went job hunting, and as you
know they were lucky and they both got jobs working in a
restaurant.�
�A miracle is more like it.�
Genma gets out of the bath and speaks dismissively. �Well yes. I
didn�t see the interview because I was a little...distracted.� He
always felt the expression �all you can eat� was something of a
challenge... �At any rate most of the rest you know as well as I
do.�
Genma notices the rat-faced possibly gay boy is getting up too,
turning off a switch on his walkman and carrying it with him out of
the bath blithely by the antenna. Genma pauses, a confused look on
his face.
�What�s wrong, Saotome?�
�Tendo...Have you ever seen a walkman with an antenna before?�
�No...�Soun answers, �can�t say that I have. Why?�
There is one odd scene Genma recalls from his surveillance of
Furinken earlier today. During lunch, Genma saw Nabiki leave the
building with a boy. The boy had seemed nervous at first, then
excited after Nabiki said something to him. After the boy left
Nabiki looked up... and Genma could have sworn she looked
straight at him. He wasn�t in the Umisenken, but still he was so
quiet no one should have noticed him. It made him think maybe
Nabiki had more talent than she had let on.
Perched in a tree so that he was level with the third floor and
could see Ranma in his classroom, Genma wasn�t at the best angle
to see the boy, but still the hairstyle, the body structure... both were
similar to that of the boy currently holding a walkman with a
conspicuous antenna.
Quickly, Genma grabs the boy�s ear, almost forgetting to be
careful not to rip it off the skull.
�YEEEEOOOWTCH!� the boy protests.
�Where is she?� Genma asks.
�ARGH! Stop it man, that hurts! Look, I owed her money okay?
Listening to two old men talk isn�t my idea of a good...AAAAAH!
Look man, Ranma�s secret�s safe with me okay? I�m not telling
anybody!�
Genma hadn�t thought about what he said about Ranma...if
Nabiki was listening... �Where is Nabiki?� Genma repeats with a
pull of the ear.
�YEOW! She�s in the girls� side of the baths okay? Jeez!�
Genma releases the ear and runs to the sinks. Someone just
finished filling a bucket with cold water. Genma takes it and pours
it over his head.
�What are you doing, Saotome?� Soun asks surprised.
�Growf.� Genma says by way of response.
�Hey!� the boy calls out to him as he bounds past, �If Ranma
does go girl, could I date her?�
Genma stops, turns around, raises his paws, and towers over the
boy. �GRAWR!�
�Sorry, man, I just had to ask. She�s just so hot...�
Ignoring the arguably not gay boy�s apology, Genma runs to the
girls� side of the bath. It takes only a few moments before he finds
what he is looking for.
Nabiki stands, smirking, in a two piece bathing suit, towel in one
hand, waterproof radio in the other. �Why hello there, Saotome-
sensei! I believe I have something I want to learn from you after
all. Thanks to my good friend Daisuke, I know all sorts of things
about you and yours...really it�s enough to fill a book! One thing in
particular...I�m quite fascinated by this �Sea of a Thousand Fists�
technique. Maybe you could tell me more about that?�
�Growf.� Genma protests.
�Isn�t that what you wanted? Didn�t you want me to be your
student? Didn�t you want me to �understand�? Well here�s your
chance. You teach me the Umisenken...and I�ll be sure Ranma
doesn�t hear about his poor, mentally unsound mother.�
�Grrrrow,� Genma seethes.
�Please, Saotome-sensei, you�re making a scene!� Nabiki smiles
widely looking from side to side with her eyes to call attention to
the other girls in the public bath who are busy pointing and
wondering if now would be a good time to scream. �Do we have a
deal or not?�
Genma is silent and still for a few moments as he considers his
options. He decides he really doesn�t have any. He turns around
and starts to walk away.
�Was that a yes, sensei? Or should I give Ranma a call?�
In a flash, Genma whips around and backhands Nabiki in the
temple with his paw... just enough to knock her out. Maybe before
Jusenkyo, before the Amazons, even before he found out about this
subterfuge, he would have felt sorry about doing that to a girl, but
his experiences have made him a firm believer in equal rights.
Ignoring the screams and protestations around him, Genma slings
Nabiki on one shoulder and walks out of the public bath. He pays
no mind to Soun�s look of worry and confusion. It�s a long walk to
the Tendo home, but Genma doesn�t feel discouraged, in fact quite
the contrary. As he thinks about it, he realizes Nabiki knowing
Ranma�s true sex will scarcely be a problem, and she would have
found out sometime anyway. Furthermore, there is no way Nabiki
can learn the Umisenken at her level. Even Ranma would find it
difficult. As the initial fear of his secrets being revealed to Ranma
fades, Genma realizes that Nabiki was right. What she was asking
for is EXACTLY what he wants. He finds himself wishing his
panda form could whistle...
~~~~~[END]~~~~
Thanks to everyone who gave a review, and I�m sorry I took so
long getting this out. Apologies as well to anyone who was hoping
to see more of Ranma. I just thought showing Genma�s perspective
on things would be neat.
My prereaders for this chapter were NemesisZero and Lufio.
C&C very much appreciated.
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