Ranma ½ One Half Tenjou, One Half Tenge
- Thread starter Dreamingfox
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Author's Notes –
Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry for the long delay. Enjoy.
X X X X X
Footsteps echoed in the hallway as the small group purposefully made their way towards the president's office. No one stood beside the doorway as few students had business at the school during the summer holiday. Despite the break the student council was required to stay to deal with the unique situations that only the students of Toudou Academy could get into.
"Sir!" slender pinkette cried out as she announced herself.
"Emi." The white haired youth looked far more mature than he should for someone of his age. His broad, muscular back was all that could be seen in the dark room as he stood before the window. "There's been an attack."
"Sir?" Emi replied, startled by the fact that he had anticipated what she was about to announce to him.
"That's why you're here, right?" he asked. "Why you're all here?"
"Yes, sir."
"Call in all the teams," he ordered.
"Will you be leading the teams?" the vice president asked.
"No, we're not going to do anything."
Years of service to the masterful tactician had taught the pinkette to maintain her composure at all times. As vice president it was not her duty to question his decisions regardless of how she felt or thought about them. "Yes sir."
A moment of silence passed between the two before Mitsuomi finally glanced at Emi's reflection. "Is there something else you wished to talk about?"
"The training camp for our team," Emi stated clearly. "Team Anything Goes is clearly a threat, and the Juken Club is improving even with the loss of Masataka to Team Anything Goes – if we're to secure our position the team is going to need to practice."
Their eyes met in the window, all signs of her practiced argument gone from her lips. Like a chess player the white haired youth clearly had anticipated why she had come to his office. "Bunshichi's a fifth year senior, I'm a true senior…"
"That's never bothered you before," Emi objected.
Shaking his head, Mitsuomi glared at his own reflection. "I figured you'd break decorum. You've got the most to lose here."
"It's not just about my position!"
"No, it's not," he ceded. "Everything I've worked for the last two years will be for naught if I lose here." Her reflection nodded once in agreement. "But you think that Saotome is enough to unseat me?"
"Well…," scrambling to annunciate her thoughts and desires Emi found that she couldn't without admitting the truth – she was afraid of Ranma Saotome. "Yes," her voice trembled. "You saw what he did to the Juken Club, and at the bowling alley."
Turning around, Mitsuomi nodded. "I did indeed. He's strong, but he can't beat all of us. You forget that there are the second and third squads as well."
Seeing him standing firm despite the precarious situation they were in reassured the pinkette.
"And there's 'F'," he added. "I may not have their loyalties, but they have never failed to assist me since I took control of things."
X X X X X
Of those who knew Ranma Saotome few would ever claim that he was a patient or calm person. Words like impulsive, unthinking, and inconsiderate were often used instead, yet such words were not completely accurate. Ranma Saotome was a man of action, often coming up with his best ideas while fighting. That did not mean that he was incapable of thinking ahead while standing still, though the ideas generated while idle were not always his best ones. No one knew this better than the grandmaster. As the focus of many of Ranma's plots and ploys, it was clear to the shriveled old man that the young heir to his teachings was capable of thinking things up on the fly. What wasn't clear was if it had anything to do with the talent bred into his mother's family or if it was a result of his upbringing. Either way it mattered not at the moment.
Anyone who knew Ranma from his days in Nerima might have mistaken the current incarnation of the boy as his older brother. Lean but noticeable muscles were evident beneath the now tight black tank top, stretching the red silk Chinese style shirt that he favored. Gone was the carefree air that he once exuded replaced with a maturity that suggested a keen and cunning mind that calculated everything about him as he fought against both Ryu-Mask and Akuma-Mask.
"Your best bet is to get your opponent to ground and use your Ju Jitsu and wrestling skills to make them submit," the team leader advised as he swept Ryu-Mask's feet out from under him. Simply, expertly he slipped into a modified STF that forced his opponent to tap out. Springing to his feet he motioned for Akuma-Mask to step forward. Grabbing hold of the smaller boy's arms he dropped onto his back, kicking his feet out even as he pulled the other boy towards him. The resulting flip sent Akuma-Mask flying out of the designated fighting area. "You're getting stronger and harder for me to throw out, but we're in the middle of the arena. Be wary of anyone trying to lure you towards the edge because they're probably going to force you out."
Nodding in agreement Happosai wondered just how much longer Ranma would last. For much of the day he'd managed to keep his cool, but there were still three more weeks left before they returned to school.
The sound of metal sinking into wood interrupted the training session only enough for Ranma to motion for Masataka to continue working with the masked wrestlers on how to defend against their glaring weaknesses.
Extracting the three-pronged throwing star from the beam, Ranma eyed the message left by Konatsu. Who but the cross-dressing ninja would be able to obtain the information that Ranma was seeking.
"What is it?" Saga Mask asked as he approached his friend.
Shot a quick glance at the shriveled grandmaster before turning to the taller boy, "I might have found someone for us to spar against."
All eyes turned to the pigtailed boy.
"Who?"
"Don't worry Masataka," Ranma said as he turned to the other upperclassman, "I'm sure they'll be of use to us."
The old grandmaster caught the quick glance that Ranma shot him before he exited the warehouse.
The attacks on the fighters from Nerima were meant to throw him off his game but had only served to push Ranma all the harder. This was not the desperate Ranma who wanted to avenge himself against Saffron and save Akane, nor was this the scheming, sulking Ranma who worked allied himself with his enemy's greatest rivals – this was a completely different Ranma Saotome. Seeing him actually lead his team was uncanny. At best the Nerima fighters had been a loose alliance with each of the other male fighters willing to stab Ranma in the back if and when the opportunity presented itself.
Man to man the individual fighters on Team Anything Goes failed to stand out beyond the top three members, but as a team they were more than a match for the Nerima fighters. Yet the obstacles before them were nearly insurmountable.
Though each team needed five active fighters and five reserve fighters Team Anything Goes currently had five. The numbers were against them, which was why Ranma had hoped to recruit Ukyo and Konatsu. The Juken Club fielded a full squad, but only four were reliable fighters, the other six were questionable.
A team needed only three wins to advance, but with six teams per pod the two remaining matches would determine the seed that the team earned in the tournament. Most teams opted to rest their primary fighters, others to give their reserve fighters some experience, but only after securing the third win. Some even forfeited after receiving the third, just to give all of their fighters some measure of respite. It didn't help that each team save the current Executive Council participated in round robin. Five matches in two weeks would push any team. Ranma's pride would probably demand that he participate in each match, perhaps allowing Akuma-Mask and Ryu-Mask to stand in just for some experience and resting Masataka and Saga-Mask.
If Sohaku was smart, and clearly he was, then he'd offer a sacrificial lamb in the first match, allowing the other teams in their pod to test and perhaps weaken Team Anything Goes. With only five fighters it would not take much to press the thinly stretched team. The hidden puppeteer would do his damnedest to give the Mitsuomi and his allied teams the easiest path, and the Juken Club would be worked hard just so that the boy would be 'fed'… That meant that the Juken Club would be in the same pod as Team Anything Goes, perhaps even the sacrificial lamb.
Yes, defeating them would perhaps make them overconfident and make the Juken Club work all the harder, setting both teams up for the remainder of their pod and perhaps the tournament. But if Sohaku thought that Ranma would become overconfident then clearly he knew nothing of Ranma Saotome.
The gentle blue-grey electronic glow of the monitor held the attention of the gathered fighters, baring the fruits of their labors.
"This is the list?" the slender boy asked, his voice finally breaking the silence.
The eldest of the group shrugged, "Apparently."
"I have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed," the first speaker stated.
"Who are they?" the youngest of the group asked, her soft voice a stark contrast to the gruffness of the others.
"Nobodies," the lean blond stated. "But they're going to be somebodies once the tournament is over."
"How come?" the girl asked, clearly bewildered by the answer.
"The Master has a plan," the blond replied. "And you're going to play a part in it." He patted her head gently. "We all are."
"Yes, we will," she replied confidently. "But what do we do?"
"We make sure that each of them who isn't on the Enforcement Committee is ready for the Master's gift," the eldest member stated. "I've still got to get the punk ready, so I'll leave those on the list to the rest of you."
The others nodded.
"Remember, push them but don't rough them up too much," the elder reiterated as she left them to their own devices.
"That's easy," the man wearing sunglasses smirked, "all the teams are getting ready for the Election Tournament, we'll just set up some 'friendly' sparring for them. That way no one gets seriously hurt and they'll be ready to be thrown at the Juken Club or at Saotome's Team if needed."
"Since that's taken care of," the blond said, drawing the others' attention to himself, "I guess no one is going to mind if I test Saotome."
Three sets of eyes turned on him, unsurprisingly only the youngest of the group failed to take note of his words. "He may not be on the list, but if he's drawn even Mituomi's interest I can't help but wonder why? Even members of the first squad are concerned."
"He's ordered"
"That we not challenge him," the blond finished, cutting off the muscular boy. "But he did say that if Saotome were to initiate things…."
The others considered the blonds words carefully.
"And how do you expect to force his hand?" the sunglass adorned man asked. "The Master and Noriko have already targeted everyone from Nerima that have any ties to Saotome."
"But what about his friends here?" Tessen suggested.
Katsumi shook his head, "Team Anything Goes is off limits, as are the students."
"But what if she's not a student?"
For a moment the well-dressed student considered the blond. "I'd tread carefully if I were you."
"Why?" the blond asked, his voice barely audible as he exited the room, unconcerned with his companion's answer. "Mitsuomi knows that I do what I do because ultimately it's in his best interests."
Again Katsumi shook his head, 'It's not Mitsuomi that you'll have to deal with.' "Whatever," he replied dismissively as he turned to those that remained. "Now, about the students on the list."
X X X X X
The sound of flesh hitting flesh mixed with the heavy breathes filled the dojo, interspersed with the occasional cry or shout as the lilac haired teen eyed her team. The addition of Kagesada's Heavenly Divas and Sugano Bodyguards allowed the Juken Club's main members to spar against a variety of skills, styles, and weapons.
Driven to fight/spar constantly so as not to think about their missing member, Bob and Aya threw themselves tirelessly at their opponents, taking on four to six of the Sugano Bodyguards at a time, only stopping to allow the other girls to tag in when the last group was exhausted.
Physically they were improving, pressing their muscles into remembering various new counters and attacks, but mentally and emotionally they were running on empty. That was what Maya was concerned about.
Bob and Aya both expected Nagi to return, their faith in him unshakable. What concerned them though was their own limitations. Though Aya recalled what had happened to her, she had not realized the full extent of her potential. The fights she'd endured while under the control of the Dragon's Cry had opened her mind to her body's limits. Though she'd fought Tagami and beaten him savagely at the bowling alley, she'd assumed that it was the building Dragon's Eye that had allowed her to do so. But her fights with Ukyo, Kodachi, and the others in Nerima had proven to her that even without her eye active she could match the others. Even robbed of the eye as she currently was she was more than capable of dealing with the Sugano Bodyguards, even against six of them armed with their various weapons.
For Bob the realization that he was just a physical fighter frightened him. His size gave him great strength and reach, training gave him conditioning, speed, and durability that far exceeded what anyone else with his frame was capable of. Yet it was the spiritual side of the battle that daunted him. Unlike the others he did not come from a family with long traditions or histories of fighters. That combined with his limited chi reserves made him one of the weakest members of the team.
Maya grimaced as she watched him bat aside a bokken with his bare hand. Durable as he was, his body was already showing the signs of fatigue. Welts and bruises covered his arms and legs, and that was against the considerably weaker Sugano girls' non-chi enhanced attacks. She already knew what would happen when he was pitted against fighters like Saga-Mask and Ranma, but what about the other fighters in the school who knew how to use chi enhancement?
It was times like this that Maya missed having Masataka around. Though the younger Takayangi brother lacked the physically intimidating physique of the President of the Student Council, he perhaps had the largest chi reserves in the club. If Bob could at least spar against someone with chi enhanced strikes his body would at least begin to start healing faster by forcing his near stagnant chi reserves to stir. The handful of spars he had against either Natsume sibling did little but send ripples over the surface of his reserves. He definitely needed to be pushed further and harder, and more often by higher caliber fighters than what he currently faced.
"That's enough!" she found herself proclaiming, calling an end to the sparring. "Aya, show the girls to the baths, Bob, Kagesada, clean up the dojo. Once the girls are done you can use the baths."
Leaning against the wall of the dojo she sighed once the others were out of earshot, "Why aren't you here Masataka? You should be here, not with Saotome and his team."
X X X X X
Deep shadows filled the abused dojo and destroyed complex, giving the gathered masters plenty of room as they hid from each other.
"They have the chip?" a deep voice grumbled from the darkness.
"They have the chip," another male voice answered.
"It matters not," a female voice proclaimed. "What we need to know is why he's crafted such a list."
Silence filled the compound as the gathered masters contemplated. Finally one of the masters spoke up, "He seeks to create an army."
"An army?" the astonishment in the speakers voice was evident as the outrageous claim "Why would he need an army when he has the boy?"
A single figure emerged from the shadows, his mask hiding his face though the other masters clearly recognized him. "Reunion."
Silence filled the compound as each of the masters considered the situation.
"We have nothing to fear from the north," one of the other masters stated.
"Not yet," another replied. "Those brought up naturally will always be better than those brought up unnaturally."
"But with enough of the later the former can be brought down."
"Their elders will never allow it."
"Who is to say what their elders will allow," the masked master stated. "We once thought we controlled things here. Who is to say that they will not be usurped by their successors as well?"
Again the others considered his words.
"What do we do?"
"Let him have the boy for now," the masked man stated. "The boy is still unprepared. Even if his plan succeeds he'll need to convince the others to flock to his banner. It will take time. Time we can use to find out what names are on that list."
Their concerns soothed, the gathered masters vanished, leaving no trace that they were ever at the Enmi Shrine.
X X X X X
The sound of flesh hitting flesh mixed with the heavy breathes once filled the tiny apartment. The smell of sex was still in the air, though taking another whiff it was evident to the inexperienced young man that it had been at least a day or two since the last time that anyone had had sex here. It had been nearly as long since anyone had dwelled in this abode.
"Thank you," the soft, feminine voice said huskily, her breath brushing against his ear, bringing forth a slight blush to his face.
"Y-you're welcome," his voice cracked.
The mischievous glint in the buxom young woman's eye sent a shiver up and down Masataka's spine. His appreciation and respect for Ranma only increased as he closed the door behind him. If any of his team leader's fiancées flirted with him as much as Chika did Ranma clearly had better control of his hormones than any boy in, well, all of Toudou Academy. Which boy amongst them could resist a woman with such charms?
"I'm glad you're the one who walked me home," the young beauty stated as she led him further into the apartment.
"What? Why?" he snapped reflexively.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about Aya."
Muscles sore from a day of constant exertion froze at the mention of his former teammate.
"Ah, I was right about you," Chika sighed, her tone resigned and lacking the playfulness. Sitting down on her couch, she patted the empty spot beside her.
He didn't know why or how, but Masataka found himself sitting on the couch beside her.
"You love her, don't you?"
Blood rushed to his face, bringing with it an unanticipated heat.
"I see the way you look at her," she stated. "I know that look; it's not the look that I get from most of the boys, only a few… It's the same look that she has when she looks at Nagi."
Like a knife through the heart, or at least what he thought the feeling would be as he had never experienced it before. "Part of me hopes that he doesn't come back because then she can't look at him."
Her gentle hand on his shoulder seemed to ease the burden of his words. "Do you think she'll win against anyone on your team?"
"No," he replied, caught off guard. "Yes," he corrected. "As she was when I was still on the team, she was capable of beating Akuma-Mask and Ryu-Mask. With just a bokken she probably can't beat them as she is, but with a real blade she could."
"So you don't have faith in her ability?"
"No," he stammered. "Well, yes… I know that she's capable of, and I thought I knew what the masks were capable of, but seeing them in action I think that they could endure any beating she'd give them and eventually time her strikes so that they could counter. A good punch from them could put her down." Rattling off an answer he did not even bother to wonder why she of all people would be asking. She clearly wasn't a fighter, but had she managed to pick up something while dating Bob?
"What do you think she's thinking now that Nagi's gone?"
He blinked, unsure what Aya thought. "She's shaken, confused"
Chika shook her head, cutting him off. "She knows he'll return. Her faith in him is still unshaken – regardless of the facts of the situation.
"You on the other hand still look at her situation logically; your faith in her is shaken."
He exhaled, unsure what to think.
"I used to think that Bob would be able to win eventually," she added, sighing as she leaned back into the couch. "But I used to think that he'd be faithful to me until the end. My faith in him, and my love for him, is gone."
Though her voice had been calm and even, her emotions clearly surfaced. Tears streamed down her cheek and neck.
Gulping, he placed his hand on her shoulder as he sought to sooth her just as she'd done with him moments before. "It's not easy, is it?"
Chika shook her head, "No, it's not. Getting over your last love is never easy."
X X X X X
To the casual observer the sound of the rustling leaves suggested a gentle summer breeze, but to one who was used to the subtleties of moving unnoticed it was the sound masking movement if not the movement itself. It was something Ranma would keep track of as he waited for his guests. It was possible that the ninja prodigy was responsible as the cross-dresser would scout the area, prior to the meeting, but could it be someone else?
"Saotome," a familiar voice called out. The speaker's accent noticeable was refreshing to the Nerima outcast.
"Mousse." It occasionally amazed him that the other cursed boy was able to speak Japanese so fluently whereas the girl that he pursued often struggled.
"The others aren't coming."
Ranma nodded once. "All this to call me out? That's not really your style."
"I'm not here to challenge you."
"Then why are you here?"
"I want in."
The rustling leaves filled the silence as both boys glanced at the clearing around them.
"We didn't leave just because you disappeared," Mousse stated. "Cologne was ordered to return. She knew that without her aid Shampoo had no chance of winning you back, and if she returns without you she's going to be stripped of her status and thus her rights as an Amazon warrior."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Though he wanted out of his engagement to the proud Amazon, Ranma had never wanted her to lose everything that she held dear to her.
"So Cologne sent Shampoo away." The pair locked eyes. "The old ghoul told me that the only way for me to be reunited with her is if I help you here."
Ranma nodded while maintaining eye contact.
"There are things, bigger things, than you and I here," Mousse stated. "I'm sure your grandmaster knows this too."
"Things in the works for over three hundred years," Ranma finished.
It was Mousse's turn to nod. "Something's happening here that has the Masters in China and Korea…"
"Afraid," Ranma suggested.
For a moment Mousse considered it, "Concerned."
Again Ranma nodded, "Enough that the old ghoul is willing to sacrifice her granddaughter' honor and station?"
"Enough that she's willing to sacrifice all of her granddaughters," Mousse answered. "But with great risk comes greater rewards."
"So this team of yours"
"Is not made up of Amazons," Mousse finished. "Konatsu will bring us to your training grounds."
"Sounds good."
Their brief discussion over, Mousse turned to go. "Be safe Saotome – I need you alive if I'm to fulfill my mission here."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry for the long delay. Enjoy.
X X X X X
Footsteps echoed in the hallway as the small group purposefully made their way towards the president's office. No one stood beside the doorway as few students had business at the school during the summer holiday. Despite the break the student council was required to stay to deal with the unique situations that only the students of Toudou Academy could get into.
"Sir!" slender pinkette cried out as she announced herself.
"Emi." The white haired youth looked far more mature than he should for someone of his age. His broad, muscular back was all that could be seen in the dark room as he stood before the window. "There's been an attack."
"Sir?" Emi replied, startled by the fact that he had anticipated what she was about to announce to him.
"That's why you're here, right?" he asked. "Why you're all here?"
"Yes, sir."
"Call in all the teams," he ordered.
"Will you be leading the teams?" the vice president asked.
"No, we're not going to do anything."
Years of service to the masterful tactician had taught the pinkette to maintain her composure at all times. As vice president it was not her duty to question his decisions regardless of how she felt or thought about them. "Yes sir."
A moment of silence passed between the two before Mitsuomi finally glanced at Emi's reflection. "Is there something else you wished to talk about?"
"The training camp for our team," Emi stated clearly. "Team Anything Goes is clearly a threat, and the Juken Club is improving even with the loss of Masataka to Team Anything Goes – if we're to secure our position the team is going to need to practice."
Their eyes met in the window, all signs of her practiced argument gone from her lips. Like a chess player the white haired youth clearly had anticipated why she had come to his office. "Bunshichi's a fifth year senior, I'm a true senior…"
"That's never bothered you before," Emi objected.
Shaking his head, Mitsuomi glared at his own reflection. "I figured you'd break decorum. You've got the most to lose here."
"It's not just about my position!"
"No, it's not," he ceded. "Everything I've worked for the last two years will be for naught if I lose here." Her reflection nodded once in agreement. "But you think that Saotome is enough to unseat me?"
"Well…," scrambling to annunciate her thoughts and desires Emi found that she couldn't without admitting the truth – she was afraid of Ranma Saotome. "Yes," her voice trembled. "You saw what he did to the Juken Club, and at the bowling alley."
Turning around, Mitsuomi nodded. "I did indeed. He's strong, but he can't beat all of us. You forget that there are the second and third squads as well."
Seeing him standing firm despite the precarious situation they were in reassured the pinkette.
"And there's 'F'," he added. "I may not have their loyalties, but they have never failed to assist me since I took control of things."
X X X X X
Of those who knew Ranma Saotome few would ever claim that he was a patient or calm person. Words like impulsive, unthinking, and inconsiderate were often used instead, yet such words were not completely accurate. Ranma Saotome was a man of action, often coming up with his best ideas while fighting. That did not mean that he was incapable of thinking ahead while standing still, though the ideas generated while idle were not always his best ones. No one knew this better than the grandmaster. As the focus of many of Ranma's plots and ploys, it was clear to the shriveled old man that the young heir to his teachings was capable of thinking things up on the fly. What wasn't clear was if it had anything to do with the talent bred into his mother's family or if it was a result of his upbringing. Either way it mattered not at the moment.
Anyone who knew Ranma from his days in Nerima might have mistaken the current incarnation of the boy as his older brother. Lean but noticeable muscles were evident beneath the now tight black tank top, stretching the red silk Chinese style shirt that he favored. Gone was the carefree air that he once exuded replaced with a maturity that suggested a keen and cunning mind that calculated everything about him as he fought against both Ryu-Mask and Akuma-Mask.
"Your best bet is to get your opponent to ground and use your Ju Jitsu and wrestling skills to make them submit," the team leader advised as he swept Ryu-Mask's feet out from under him. Simply, expertly he slipped into a modified STF that forced his opponent to tap out. Springing to his feet he motioned for Akuma-Mask to step forward. Grabbing hold of the smaller boy's arms he dropped onto his back, kicking his feet out even as he pulled the other boy towards him. The resulting flip sent Akuma-Mask flying out of the designated fighting area. "You're getting stronger and harder for me to throw out, but we're in the middle of the arena. Be wary of anyone trying to lure you towards the edge because they're probably going to force you out."
Nodding in agreement Happosai wondered just how much longer Ranma would last. For much of the day he'd managed to keep his cool, but there were still three more weeks left before they returned to school.
The sound of metal sinking into wood interrupted the training session only enough for Ranma to motion for Masataka to continue working with the masked wrestlers on how to defend against their glaring weaknesses.
Extracting the three-pronged throwing star from the beam, Ranma eyed the message left by Konatsu. Who but the cross-dressing ninja would be able to obtain the information that Ranma was seeking.
"What is it?" Saga Mask asked as he approached his friend.
Shot a quick glance at the shriveled grandmaster before turning to the taller boy, "I might have found someone for us to spar against."
All eyes turned to the pigtailed boy.
"Who?"
"Don't worry Masataka," Ranma said as he turned to the other upperclassman, "I'm sure they'll be of use to us."
The old grandmaster caught the quick glance that Ranma shot him before he exited the warehouse.
The attacks on the fighters from Nerima were meant to throw him off his game but had only served to push Ranma all the harder. This was not the desperate Ranma who wanted to avenge himself against Saffron and save Akane, nor was this the scheming, sulking Ranma who worked allied himself with his enemy's greatest rivals – this was a completely different Ranma Saotome. Seeing him actually lead his team was uncanny. At best the Nerima fighters had been a loose alliance with each of the other male fighters willing to stab Ranma in the back if and when the opportunity presented itself.
Man to man the individual fighters on Team Anything Goes failed to stand out beyond the top three members, but as a team they were more than a match for the Nerima fighters. Yet the obstacles before them were nearly insurmountable.
Though each team needed five active fighters and five reserve fighters Team Anything Goes currently had five. The numbers were against them, which was why Ranma had hoped to recruit Ukyo and Konatsu. The Juken Club fielded a full squad, but only four were reliable fighters, the other six were questionable.
A team needed only three wins to advance, but with six teams per pod the two remaining matches would determine the seed that the team earned in the tournament. Most teams opted to rest their primary fighters, others to give their reserve fighters some experience, but only after securing the third win. Some even forfeited after receiving the third, just to give all of their fighters some measure of respite. It didn't help that each team save the current Executive Council participated in round robin. Five matches in two weeks would push any team. Ranma's pride would probably demand that he participate in each match, perhaps allowing Akuma-Mask and Ryu-Mask to stand in just for some experience and resting Masataka and Saga-Mask.
If Sohaku was smart, and clearly he was, then he'd offer a sacrificial lamb in the first match, allowing the other teams in their pod to test and perhaps weaken Team Anything Goes. With only five fighters it would not take much to press the thinly stretched team. The hidden puppeteer would do his damnedest to give the Mitsuomi and his allied teams the easiest path, and the Juken Club would be worked hard just so that the boy would be 'fed'… That meant that the Juken Club would be in the same pod as Team Anything Goes, perhaps even the sacrificial lamb.
Yes, defeating them would perhaps make them overconfident and make the Juken Club work all the harder, setting both teams up for the remainder of their pod and perhaps the tournament. But if Sohaku thought that Ranma would become overconfident then clearly he knew nothing of Ranma Saotome.
The gentle blue-grey electronic glow of the monitor held the attention of the gathered fighters, baring the fruits of their labors.
"This is the list?" the slender boy asked, his voice finally breaking the silence.
The eldest of the group shrugged, "Apparently."
"I have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed," the first speaker stated.
"Who are they?" the youngest of the group asked, her soft voice a stark contrast to the gruffness of the others.
"Nobodies," the lean blond stated. "But they're going to be somebodies once the tournament is over."
"How come?" the girl asked, clearly bewildered by the answer.
"The Master has a plan," the blond replied. "And you're going to play a part in it." He patted her head gently. "We all are."
"Yes, we will," she replied confidently. "But what do we do?"
"We make sure that each of them who isn't on the Enforcement Committee is ready for the Master's gift," the eldest member stated. "I've still got to get the punk ready, so I'll leave those on the list to the rest of you."
The others nodded.
"Remember, push them but don't rough them up too much," the elder reiterated as she left them to their own devices.
"That's easy," the man wearing sunglasses smirked, "all the teams are getting ready for the Election Tournament, we'll just set up some 'friendly' sparring for them. That way no one gets seriously hurt and they'll be ready to be thrown at the Juken Club or at Saotome's Team if needed."
"Since that's taken care of," the blond said, drawing the others' attention to himself, "I guess no one is going to mind if I test Saotome."
Three sets of eyes turned on him, unsurprisingly only the youngest of the group failed to take note of his words. "He may not be on the list, but if he's drawn even Mituomi's interest I can't help but wonder why? Even members of the first squad are concerned."
"He's ordered"
"That we not challenge him," the blond finished, cutting off the muscular boy. "But he did say that if Saotome were to initiate things…."
The others considered the blonds words carefully.
"And how do you expect to force his hand?" the sunglass adorned man asked. "The Master and Noriko have already targeted everyone from Nerima that have any ties to Saotome."
"But what about his friends here?" Tessen suggested.
Katsumi shook his head, "Team Anything Goes is off limits, as are the students."
"But what if she's not a student?"
For a moment the well-dressed student considered the blond. "I'd tread carefully if I were you."
"Why?" the blond asked, his voice barely audible as he exited the room, unconcerned with his companion's answer. "Mitsuomi knows that I do what I do because ultimately it's in his best interests."
Again Katsumi shook his head, 'It's not Mitsuomi that you'll have to deal with.' "Whatever," he replied dismissively as he turned to those that remained. "Now, about the students on the list."
X X X X X
The sound of flesh hitting flesh mixed with the heavy breathes filled the dojo, interspersed with the occasional cry or shout as the lilac haired teen eyed her team. The addition of Kagesada's Heavenly Divas and Sugano Bodyguards allowed the Juken Club's main members to spar against a variety of skills, styles, and weapons.
Driven to fight/spar constantly so as not to think about their missing member, Bob and Aya threw themselves tirelessly at their opponents, taking on four to six of the Sugano Bodyguards at a time, only stopping to allow the other girls to tag in when the last group was exhausted.
Physically they were improving, pressing their muscles into remembering various new counters and attacks, but mentally and emotionally they were running on empty. That was what Maya was concerned about.
Bob and Aya both expected Nagi to return, their faith in him unshakable. What concerned them though was their own limitations. Though Aya recalled what had happened to her, she had not realized the full extent of her potential. The fights she'd endured while under the control of the Dragon's Cry had opened her mind to her body's limits. Though she'd fought Tagami and beaten him savagely at the bowling alley, she'd assumed that it was the building Dragon's Eye that had allowed her to do so. But her fights with Ukyo, Kodachi, and the others in Nerima had proven to her that even without her eye active she could match the others. Even robbed of the eye as she currently was she was more than capable of dealing with the Sugano Bodyguards, even against six of them armed with their various weapons.
For Bob the realization that he was just a physical fighter frightened him. His size gave him great strength and reach, training gave him conditioning, speed, and durability that far exceeded what anyone else with his frame was capable of. Yet it was the spiritual side of the battle that daunted him. Unlike the others he did not come from a family with long traditions or histories of fighters. That combined with his limited chi reserves made him one of the weakest members of the team.
Maya grimaced as she watched him bat aside a bokken with his bare hand. Durable as he was, his body was already showing the signs of fatigue. Welts and bruises covered his arms and legs, and that was against the considerably weaker Sugano girls' non-chi enhanced attacks. She already knew what would happen when he was pitted against fighters like Saga-Mask and Ranma, but what about the other fighters in the school who knew how to use chi enhancement?
It was times like this that Maya missed having Masataka around. Though the younger Takayangi brother lacked the physically intimidating physique of the President of the Student Council, he perhaps had the largest chi reserves in the club. If Bob could at least spar against someone with chi enhanced strikes his body would at least begin to start healing faster by forcing his near stagnant chi reserves to stir. The handful of spars he had against either Natsume sibling did little but send ripples over the surface of his reserves. He definitely needed to be pushed further and harder, and more often by higher caliber fighters than what he currently faced.
"That's enough!" she found herself proclaiming, calling an end to the sparring. "Aya, show the girls to the baths, Bob, Kagesada, clean up the dojo. Once the girls are done you can use the baths."
Leaning against the wall of the dojo she sighed once the others were out of earshot, "Why aren't you here Masataka? You should be here, not with Saotome and his team."
X X X X X
Deep shadows filled the abused dojo and destroyed complex, giving the gathered masters plenty of room as they hid from each other.
"They have the chip?" a deep voice grumbled from the darkness.
"They have the chip," another male voice answered.
"It matters not," a female voice proclaimed. "What we need to know is why he's crafted such a list."
Silence filled the compound as the gathered masters contemplated. Finally one of the masters spoke up, "He seeks to create an army."
"An army?" the astonishment in the speakers voice was evident as the outrageous claim "Why would he need an army when he has the boy?"
A single figure emerged from the shadows, his mask hiding his face though the other masters clearly recognized him. "Reunion."
Silence filled the compound as each of the masters considered the situation.
"We have nothing to fear from the north," one of the other masters stated.
"Not yet," another replied. "Those brought up naturally will always be better than those brought up unnaturally."
"But with enough of the later the former can be brought down."
"Their elders will never allow it."
"Who is to say what their elders will allow," the masked master stated. "We once thought we controlled things here. Who is to say that they will not be usurped by their successors as well?"
Again the others considered his words.
"What do we do?"
"Let him have the boy for now," the masked man stated. "The boy is still unprepared. Even if his plan succeeds he'll need to convince the others to flock to his banner. It will take time. Time we can use to find out what names are on that list."
Their concerns soothed, the gathered masters vanished, leaving no trace that they were ever at the Enmi Shrine.
X X X X X
The sound of flesh hitting flesh mixed with the heavy breathes once filled the tiny apartment. The smell of sex was still in the air, though taking another whiff it was evident to the inexperienced young man that it had been at least a day or two since the last time that anyone had had sex here. It had been nearly as long since anyone had dwelled in this abode.
"Thank you," the soft, feminine voice said huskily, her breath brushing against his ear, bringing forth a slight blush to his face.
"Y-you're welcome," his voice cracked.
The mischievous glint in the buxom young woman's eye sent a shiver up and down Masataka's spine. His appreciation and respect for Ranma only increased as he closed the door behind him. If any of his team leader's fiancées flirted with him as much as Chika did Ranma clearly had better control of his hormones than any boy in, well, all of Toudou Academy. Which boy amongst them could resist a woman with such charms?
"I'm glad you're the one who walked me home," the young beauty stated as she led him further into the apartment.
"What? Why?" he snapped reflexively.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about Aya."
Muscles sore from a day of constant exertion froze at the mention of his former teammate.
"Ah, I was right about you," Chika sighed, her tone resigned and lacking the playfulness. Sitting down on her couch, she patted the empty spot beside her.
He didn't know why or how, but Masataka found himself sitting on the couch beside her.
"You love her, don't you?"
Blood rushed to his face, bringing with it an unanticipated heat.
"I see the way you look at her," she stated. "I know that look; it's not the look that I get from most of the boys, only a few… It's the same look that she has when she looks at Nagi."
Like a knife through the heart, or at least what he thought the feeling would be as he had never experienced it before. "Part of me hopes that he doesn't come back because then she can't look at him."
Her gentle hand on his shoulder seemed to ease the burden of his words. "Do you think she'll win against anyone on your team?"
"No," he replied, caught off guard. "Yes," he corrected. "As she was when I was still on the team, she was capable of beating Akuma-Mask and Ryu-Mask. With just a bokken she probably can't beat them as she is, but with a real blade she could."
"So you don't have faith in her ability?"
"No," he stammered. "Well, yes… I know that she's capable of, and I thought I knew what the masks were capable of, but seeing them in action I think that they could endure any beating she'd give them and eventually time her strikes so that they could counter. A good punch from them could put her down." Rattling off an answer he did not even bother to wonder why she of all people would be asking. She clearly wasn't a fighter, but had she managed to pick up something while dating Bob?
"What do you think she's thinking now that Nagi's gone?"
He blinked, unsure what Aya thought. "She's shaken, confused"
Chika shook her head, cutting him off. "She knows he'll return. Her faith in him is still unshaken – regardless of the facts of the situation.
"You on the other hand still look at her situation logically; your faith in her is shaken."
He exhaled, unsure what to think.
"I used to think that Bob would be able to win eventually," she added, sighing as she leaned back into the couch. "But I used to think that he'd be faithful to me until the end. My faith in him, and my love for him, is gone."
Though her voice had been calm and even, her emotions clearly surfaced. Tears streamed down her cheek and neck.
Gulping, he placed his hand on her shoulder as he sought to sooth her just as she'd done with him moments before. "It's not easy, is it?"
Chika shook her head, "No, it's not. Getting over your last love is never easy."
X X X X X
To the casual observer the sound of the rustling leaves suggested a gentle summer breeze, but to one who was used to the subtleties of moving unnoticed it was the sound masking movement if not the movement itself. It was something Ranma would keep track of as he waited for his guests. It was possible that the ninja prodigy was responsible as the cross-dresser would scout the area, prior to the meeting, but could it be someone else?
"Saotome," a familiar voice called out. The speaker's accent noticeable was refreshing to the Nerima outcast.
"Mousse." It occasionally amazed him that the other cursed boy was able to speak Japanese so fluently whereas the girl that he pursued often struggled.
"The others aren't coming."
Ranma nodded once. "All this to call me out? That's not really your style."
"I'm not here to challenge you."
"Then why are you here?"
"I want in."
The rustling leaves filled the silence as both boys glanced at the clearing around them.
"We didn't leave just because you disappeared," Mousse stated. "Cologne was ordered to return. She knew that without her aid Shampoo had no chance of winning you back, and if she returns without you she's going to be stripped of her status and thus her rights as an Amazon warrior."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Though he wanted out of his engagement to the proud Amazon, Ranma had never wanted her to lose everything that she held dear to her.
"So Cologne sent Shampoo away." The pair locked eyes. "The old ghoul told me that the only way for me to be reunited with her is if I help you here."
Ranma nodded while maintaining eye contact.
"There are things, bigger things, than you and I here," Mousse stated. "I'm sure your grandmaster knows this too."
"Things in the works for over three hundred years," Ranma finished.
It was Mousse's turn to nod. "Something's happening here that has the Masters in China and Korea…"
"Afraid," Ranma suggested.
For a moment Mousse considered it, "Concerned."
Again Ranma nodded, "Enough that the old ghoul is willing to sacrifice her granddaughter' honor and station?"
"Enough that she's willing to sacrifice all of her granddaughters," Mousse answered. "But with great risk comes greater rewards."
"So this team of yours"
"Is not made up of Amazons," Mousse finished. "Konatsu will bring us to your training grounds."
"Sounds good."
Their brief discussion over, Mousse turned to go. "Be safe Saotome – I need you alive if I'm to fulfill my mission here."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
Author's Notes –
Rented a bunch of movies this weekend – Red Dawn is proving to be interesting, though it reminds me of an Austrailian movie I saw on Netflix. The Wife is getting into Game of Thrones, which isn't half bad.
Anyways, hope you guys like what you've read of this fic. Obviously I don't own the rights to Ranma ½ or Tenjou Tenge. Thanks for staying with me even through this long absence.
X X X X X
The hot water failed to sooth Maya's mind even as it erased the aches in her muscles. Exhausted as she was her mind drifted back, not to the grueling training and sparring, but to the fights in Nerima and the destruction she had wrought. The slight tremble in her hands had nothing to do with the innumerable strikes she had practiced but from the guilt she felt over her uncontrolled actions.
"Do you want to talk about it?" her sister asked though her tone was more commanding than comforting and understanding.
The younger Natsume sibling sighed. She'd been expecting this, though this was the first opportunity since she'd returned the other night for them to actually talk about what happened.
"Here I was, thinking that you finally managed to seduce Nagi," the elder sibling said as she dropped her own towel. "But then you show up here with Akuma-Mask and Ryu-Mask…. What was I to think? Had you finally given up on Nagi?"
This approach had not been what Maya had expected. "They were there when Nagi took the Dragon's Eye from me."
She could hear her sister nearly slip as she entered the baths, stunned by the revelation. "What?"
"We… we were resonating," Maya explained. "They made us fight, and somehow the Eye opened, then he resonated with me, then it was gone. I… I don't know how or why, but I know that he took it from me."
"And Saotome and his gang?"
"They arrived after Nagi had left," she added. "They don't know everything that happened, but they did help me get back here."
For a moment Aya considered her sister's words. "Saotome's smarter than he lets on, he knows something is up."
"Probably," the younger girl ceded "but why would it matter? With or without the Eye he's managed to beat me before. He's probably more concerned with the fact that we were ripping things up in his old stomping grounds."
Were she prone to grind her teeth, Maya would have been grinding them as she pondered her sister's words. Saotome was the one who had stuck the "I'm with Stupid", "Stupid", and "Kick me" signs on members of her club just because one of the members had stiffed him with the bill for a meal – how would he respond to this?
"We'll deal with that later," she finally said. "Right now we need to focus on our training. We still need be ready for when Nagi returns to us."
Her encouraging words eased her sister, bringing back the girl's familiar bubbly bouncing energy. "Right!"
"Now you just have to relax and rest," Maya added. "We've a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
X X X X X
A chill ran through Saotome's spine. Though he was considered an outsider, his years of training on the road both with the Master and his son had led him to cross paths with many of the established martial arts families, even if they were on the lower end of the social ladder. Many of the names on the list he'd seen belonged to more than a few of the long established families in Japan, though not the oldest or those held in highest regard, they were respected by all martial artists.
'The Master was right,' he surmised as he followed the muscular boy out of the room, leaving just the lean boy sitting before the handful of monitors. 'Finding out who was on this list is worth unsealing those techniques. The attacks in Nerima, the disappearances of the several dozen of these martial artists, and this list – it's just as the Master said. If the Master is right the damage caused by these techniques pales in comparison to what They will do with this list. I must return and report this to the Master.'
X X X X X
"I have your word," the speaker's thick Chinese accent reminded Ranma of simpler though more confusing times.
"You have my word," the younger Saotome said plainly. "You help us with this task and Happosai will change your name." As if to prove his words the pigtailed fighter extracted a scroll. Casually he tossed it to the other fighter.
Opening the scroll the older fighter eyed the contents before nodding. "Such a grave matter," he muttered as he stashed the scroll in his shirt.
"The old letch has everyone he can convince helping out in some way or form, probably calling in all the favors owed him," Ranma stated grimly.
Taro nodded, hesitating at the notion that the old man would be willing to take anything seriously or that anyone owed the old man any favors. "I thought the first part was a bit easy," he grumbled. "But if the Amazons aren't helping him it makes sense. I'll be back in a few weeks."
"Um," Ranma interrupted, "what about the fighters?"
The taller boy blinked, "Oh, right." Turning around he nodded at the hulking figure. "I've been told that you've already crossed paths with many of them before…"
Ranma nodded, recalling the gigantic figure and his companions even though he could not recall their names. Unlike Taro, the gathered fighters had come here for a chance to reclaim a part of what they had lost to the Saotome family.
"So, you guys want a piece of me, right?" he sneered. "Before you earn that right, you gotta prove yourself against my team, just like how pops and I had to test our skills against your former students."
"Fine," the largest of the group grunted.
Though the large fighter had been the only fighter of the group not affiliated with any dojo, the man had lost much even if it wasn't at Ranma's hands. From the look of things the fierce dojo destroyer had failed to advance defeat any of the more established dojos or families in the months since his encounter with Akane. Still, he was a formidable foe, and he had first-hand experience fighting against several different styles.
Using his foot Ranma scratched out an address in the dirt. "I'll be here tomorrow morning," he stated. "My team will be there too. If you want me, you got to go through one of them first."
He could see the gleam in their eyes as he announced the terms. For the fallen masters defeating one unaccomplished fighter would be easy, but it wasn't about beating the challengers, it was about the members of his team improving and learning from their fights.
"No lethal weapons," he added. "Practice weapons are acceptable." Each of the fighters nodded, accepting his terms.
"I'll see you before the term begins," Taro stated as he opened a bottle of water. "Good luck."
Ranma flashed the other fighter a half-sneer, "Good luck."
X X X X X
Silver and gold flashed through the air about the blond figure's hand in a display of uncanny dexterity. "He's almost finished feeding," the man stated to his gathered followers.
"But the list"
"Is inconsequential," he said, cutting the other speaker off. "He has had his full, for now. Make sure that the others are kept out of harm's way should he need to feed before the tournament."
X X X X X
There was little for Masataka to do as the various martial artists gathered to test themselves against the three members of the Pro-Wrestling club. The challengers, each either the acting head of a defeated family or the current head of a disgraced family all knew who he was, thus their choice to challenge the others was all the more obvious. Opting for someone without his pedigree, the fighters challenged the young wrestlers.
"You are Masataka Takayanagi," a youthful fighter stated as he approached him. "I am Ryu Kumon; Ranma insisted that I spar with you extensively."
"Me?"Masataka replied skeptically. "Why?"
"You saw Ranma fighting Ryoga Hibiki, right?" the muscular boy asked.
Masataka nodded.
"Do you think you could beat Ryoga?"
He blinked, unsure of what he would say. He'd witnessed Ranma lay waste to many of the highest ranked fighters in the school, yet none of them had managed to so even lay a hand on Ranma. Yet this Ryoga Hibiki had pushed Ranma like no one else. As a member of the Takayanagi family his father had access to countless files on various fighters, schools, and styles, yet none of them mentioned this Ryoga Hibiki. That meant that either Ryoga was self-taught or had learned from a master not associated with Todo Acadamy. To think that the young heir of an upstart school and his self-taught rival could be better than any current student at Todo Acadamy, a school with a distinguished history of educating all of Japan's greatest fighters in the last century, was unsettling to say the least.
"Maybe," he finally answered, surprising himself.
"Have you ever seen a fight where ki was manifested? Aside from Ranma's fight with Ryoga?"
"Ki moves take some time to charge," Masataka surmised. "If I can get to Ranma before he charges up his attack"
Suddenly Ryu lashed out with a kick, interrupting Takayangi's reply.
Though the kick flew well short of him Masataka couldn't help but dodge. He could feel the ki attack fly over his head, cutting through the steel beam behind him.
"Ranma sealed my style," Ryu stated through ground teeth. "He has graciously allowed me to use my style against you in our spars."
"To show me that ki attacks aren't so slow and obvious."
Ryu nodded. "I promised Ranma I wouldn't hurt you… too much at least."
X X X X X
Easy going – it was one of the terms those who knew Ranma Saotome often used to describe him. Egotistical, arrogant, hungry, full of himself, and cock were also used, but right now Ranma was focusing on relaxing. The truth was that despite appearances he never relaxed. Fighting with his hands in his pockets was meant to mislead his opponents into thinking that he was leaving multiple openings for them to take advantage of, yet with his uncanny reflexes he was rarely unguarded.
His instincts cried for him to dodge or at least strike out at the boulder before him, yet he knew that to do so would be counter-productive.
"You have no idea how fun this is," Mousse grinned as he pried Ranma off of the boulder.
"Har-har," he grunted as he shook himself.
The fact that he had wanted to go to Ryoga for assistance was a humbling experience, even more so than when he had been under the weakness moxibustion. At least then he was at a disadvantage and weaker than Ryoga, but now… now he was still in his prime yet his potential opponents worried him. Yet the myopic boy's offer had been too tempting to pass up.
"Maybe I just have to swing you harder," the fanged boy mused.
Ranma shook his head. "Blindfold me."
Ryoga blinked. "You think you're gonna be able to see the Breaking Point while blindfolded?"
"If I see it coming I'm going to dodge," he argued. "I'm not doing this training to be tougher; I just want to see the breaking point. Grab the cinder blocks and chuck them at me."
"You're serious?"
The pigtailed head bobbed once.
"Okay."
X X X X X
A/N
That's all for now. Just be happy that I'm updating this fic at all.
;-p
Dreamingfox
Rented a bunch of movies this weekend – Red Dawn is proving to be interesting, though it reminds me of an Austrailian movie I saw on Netflix. The Wife is getting into Game of Thrones, which isn't half bad.
Anyways, hope you guys like what you've read of this fic. Obviously I don't own the rights to Ranma ½ or Tenjou Tenge. Thanks for staying with me even through this long absence.
X X X X X
The hot water failed to sooth Maya's mind even as it erased the aches in her muscles. Exhausted as she was her mind drifted back, not to the grueling training and sparring, but to the fights in Nerima and the destruction she had wrought. The slight tremble in her hands had nothing to do with the innumerable strikes she had practiced but from the guilt she felt over her uncontrolled actions.
"Do you want to talk about it?" her sister asked though her tone was more commanding than comforting and understanding.
The younger Natsume sibling sighed. She'd been expecting this, though this was the first opportunity since she'd returned the other night for them to actually talk about what happened.
"Here I was, thinking that you finally managed to seduce Nagi," the elder sibling said as she dropped her own towel. "But then you show up here with Akuma-Mask and Ryu-Mask…. What was I to think? Had you finally given up on Nagi?"
This approach had not been what Maya had expected. "They were there when Nagi took the Dragon's Eye from me."
She could hear her sister nearly slip as she entered the baths, stunned by the revelation. "What?"
"We… we were resonating," Maya explained. "They made us fight, and somehow the Eye opened, then he resonated with me, then it was gone. I… I don't know how or why, but I know that he took it from me."
"And Saotome and his gang?"
"They arrived after Nagi had left," she added. "They don't know everything that happened, but they did help me get back here."
For a moment Aya considered her sister's words. "Saotome's smarter than he lets on, he knows something is up."
"Probably," the younger girl ceded "but why would it matter? With or without the Eye he's managed to beat me before. He's probably more concerned with the fact that we were ripping things up in his old stomping grounds."
Were she prone to grind her teeth, Maya would have been grinding them as she pondered her sister's words. Saotome was the one who had stuck the "I'm with Stupid", "Stupid", and "Kick me" signs on members of her club just because one of the members had stiffed him with the bill for a meal – how would he respond to this?
"We'll deal with that later," she finally said. "Right now we need to focus on our training. We still need be ready for when Nagi returns to us."
Her encouraging words eased her sister, bringing back the girl's familiar bubbly bouncing energy. "Right!"
"Now you just have to relax and rest," Maya added. "We've a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
X X X X X
A chill ran through Saotome's spine. Though he was considered an outsider, his years of training on the road both with the Master and his son had led him to cross paths with many of the established martial arts families, even if they were on the lower end of the social ladder. Many of the names on the list he'd seen belonged to more than a few of the long established families in Japan, though not the oldest or those held in highest regard, they were respected by all martial artists.
'The Master was right,' he surmised as he followed the muscular boy out of the room, leaving just the lean boy sitting before the handful of monitors. 'Finding out who was on this list is worth unsealing those techniques. The attacks in Nerima, the disappearances of the several dozen of these martial artists, and this list – it's just as the Master said. If the Master is right the damage caused by these techniques pales in comparison to what They will do with this list. I must return and report this to the Master.'
X X X X X
"I have your word," the speaker's thick Chinese accent reminded Ranma of simpler though more confusing times.
"You have my word," the younger Saotome said plainly. "You help us with this task and Happosai will change your name." As if to prove his words the pigtailed fighter extracted a scroll. Casually he tossed it to the other fighter.
Opening the scroll the older fighter eyed the contents before nodding. "Such a grave matter," he muttered as he stashed the scroll in his shirt.
"The old letch has everyone he can convince helping out in some way or form, probably calling in all the favors owed him," Ranma stated grimly.
Taro nodded, hesitating at the notion that the old man would be willing to take anything seriously or that anyone owed the old man any favors. "I thought the first part was a bit easy," he grumbled. "But if the Amazons aren't helping him it makes sense. I'll be back in a few weeks."
"Um," Ranma interrupted, "what about the fighters?"
The taller boy blinked, "Oh, right." Turning around he nodded at the hulking figure. "I've been told that you've already crossed paths with many of them before…"
Ranma nodded, recalling the gigantic figure and his companions even though he could not recall their names. Unlike Taro, the gathered fighters had come here for a chance to reclaim a part of what they had lost to the Saotome family.
"So, you guys want a piece of me, right?" he sneered. "Before you earn that right, you gotta prove yourself against my team, just like how pops and I had to test our skills against your former students."
"Fine," the largest of the group grunted.
Though the large fighter had been the only fighter of the group not affiliated with any dojo, the man had lost much even if it wasn't at Ranma's hands. From the look of things the fierce dojo destroyer had failed to advance defeat any of the more established dojos or families in the months since his encounter with Akane. Still, he was a formidable foe, and he had first-hand experience fighting against several different styles.
Using his foot Ranma scratched out an address in the dirt. "I'll be here tomorrow morning," he stated. "My team will be there too. If you want me, you got to go through one of them first."
He could see the gleam in their eyes as he announced the terms. For the fallen masters defeating one unaccomplished fighter would be easy, but it wasn't about beating the challengers, it was about the members of his team improving and learning from their fights.
"No lethal weapons," he added. "Practice weapons are acceptable." Each of the fighters nodded, accepting his terms.
"I'll see you before the term begins," Taro stated as he opened a bottle of water. "Good luck."
Ranma flashed the other fighter a half-sneer, "Good luck."
X X X X X
Silver and gold flashed through the air about the blond figure's hand in a display of uncanny dexterity. "He's almost finished feeding," the man stated to his gathered followers.
"But the list"
"Is inconsequential," he said, cutting the other speaker off. "He has had his full, for now. Make sure that the others are kept out of harm's way should he need to feed before the tournament."
X X X X X
There was little for Masataka to do as the various martial artists gathered to test themselves against the three members of the Pro-Wrestling club. The challengers, each either the acting head of a defeated family or the current head of a disgraced family all knew who he was, thus their choice to challenge the others was all the more obvious. Opting for someone without his pedigree, the fighters challenged the young wrestlers.
"You are Masataka Takayanagi," a youthful fighter stated as he approached him. "I am Ryu Kumon; Ranma insisted that I spar with you extensively."
"Me?"Masataka replied skeptically. "Why?"
"You saw Ranma fighting Ryoga Hibiki, right?" the muscular boy asked.
Masataka nodded.
"Do you think you could beat Ryoga?"
He blinked, unsure of what he would say. He'd witnessed Ranma lay waste to many of the highest ranked fighters in the school, yet none of them had managed to so even lay a hand on Ranma. Yet this Ryoga Hibiki had pushed Ranma like no one else. As a member of the Takayanagi family his father had access to countless files on various fighters, schools, and styles, yet none of them mentioned this Ryoga Hibiki. That meant that either Ryoga was self-taught or had learned from a master not associated with Todo Acadamy. To think that the young heir of an upstart school and his self-taught rival could be better than any current student at Todo Acadamy, a school with a distinguished history of educating all of Japan's greatest fighters in the last century, was unsettling to say the least.
"Maybe," he finally answered, surprising himself.
"Have you ever seen a fight where ki was manifested? Aside from Ranma's fight with Ryoga?"
"Ki moves take some time to charge," Masataka surmised. "If I can get to Ranma before he charges up his attack"
Suddenly Ryu lashed out with a kick, interrupting Takayangi's reply.
Though the kick flew well short of him Masataka couldn't help but dodge. He could feel the ki attack fly over his head, cutting through the steel beam behind him.
"Ranma sealed my style," Ryu stated through ground teeth. "He has graciously allowed me to use my style against you in our spars."
"To show me that ki attacks aren't so slow and obvious."
Ryu nodded. "I promised Ranma I wouldn't hurt you… too much at least."
X X X X X
Easy going – it was one of the terms those who knew Ranma Saotome often used to describe him. Egotistical, arrogant, hungry, full of himself, and cock were also used, but right now Ranma was focusing on relaxing. The truth was that despite appearances he never relaxed. Fighting with his hands in his pockets was meant to mislead his opponents into thinking that he was leaving multiple openings for them to take advantage of, yet with his uncanny reflexes he was rarely unguarded.
His instincts cried for him to dodge or at least strike out at the boulder before him, yet he knew that to do so would be counter-productive.
"You have no idea how fun this is," Mousse grinned as he pried Ranma off of the boulder.
"Har-har," he grunted as he shook himself.
The fact that he had wanted to go to Ryoga for assistance was a humbling experience, even more so than when he had been under the weakness moxibustion. At least then he was at a disadvantage and weaker than Ryoga, but now… now he was still in his prime yet his potential opponents worried him. Yet the myopic boy's offer had been too tempting to pass up.
"Maybe I just have to swing you harder," the fanged boy mused.
Ranma shook his head. "Blindfold me."
Ryoga blinked. "You think you're gonna be able to see the Breaking Point while blindfolded?"
"If I see it coming I'm going to dodge," he argued. "I'm not doing this training to be tougher; I just want to see the breaking point. Grab the cinder blocks and chuck them at me."
"You're serious?"
The pigtailed head bobbed once.
"Okay."
X X X X X
A/N
That's all for now. Just be happy that I'm updating this fic at all.
;-p
Dreamingfox
Author's Note –
First of all, thanks to all those who have followed this fic. I know that I haven't been able to update it as often as everyone wanted but I am trying my best and trying to tie everything together as best as I can. Thanks also to everyone who's reviewed this fic – the criticism and encouragement have made writing this fic all the easier to motivate me while I stumble along with the multitude of ideas bouncing around in my head.
Oh, and to TheFanFictionForum guys, I just realized I hadn't updated things here. My bad.
X X X X X
The heavy air hung over Toudou Academy as the students returned to campus after the summer break. Despite secluding his team Ranma knew that word of the fighting between the fringe groups and the attacks on several dojos had reached the ears of his teammates then clearly they had reached the rest of the student body as well.
Though it was a school of martial artists, fights between individuals and groups were actually discouraged. There were always prideful fighters who wished to prove themselves (or their style/school) better than others or those wishing to settle grudges. As the only other sanctioned fights were against rebellious upstarts (such as when the lower level members of the Enforcement Committee had fought against the Knuckle Bombs) opportunities to test themselves were rare. Only the sparing between teams during the preparation for the tournament were allowed, though those teams doing so had to petition the Executive Council jointly before being given permission. The injuries that resulted from inter-club "sparring" weren't uncommon, but the number had been unusually high, as were the challenges issued to the unaffiliated dojos. With the summer break over the inter-club sparring and dojo challenges were now over.
Hundreds of eyes watched him and his team as they made their way through the campus on their way to their classes. But they were not the only ones being watched as both the Executive Council and the Juken Club enjoyed the scrutiny of the young martial artists gathered. The three teams were the most notable to have not sparred with anyone else. While everyone knew about the reigning Executive Council, speculation on the true depth and strengths of the remaining teams, in particular the untested (in terms of fighting in the Election Tournament) members of the two teams – Ranma and Masataka for Team Anything Goes; Bob, Nagi, and Aya for the Juken Club, was rampant.
Slowly tensions eased over the course of the week as the focus shifted to the opening round of the Election Tournament. Unlike other schools that held sports and cultural festivals, Toudou's Election Tournament allowed perspective students to see the strengths and skills of active students and clubs in action. The various teams were funded based on their performance in the tournament, usually by the alumni of said clubs as the former members literally came to pay their respects to those who currently carried the torch for their club.
Every club that could field a minimum of five fighters entered a team, though some teams were made of members from various other clubs were also allowed to form a team, often to sate the egos of the fighters or to allow fighters to settle their personal grudges without endangering their clubs by eliciting the wraith of the Executive Council.
"There were supposed to be forty nine teams," Koji explained during their first class together. "Some of the key players from some of the weaker teams were injured during their inter-club/team sparring though so some of the teams will be relying on their reserve members."
Ranma listened with interest as he contemplated his team's fate. "What teams are in our pod?"
The grim look on Koji's face spoke volumes. "The Juken Club, Karate Masters, Judo All-stars, Kickstarters, and F are in our pod. Only the Juken Club and F don't have any members in the Enforcement Committee."
That explained a lot. From what Ranma could tell none of the Executive Council members were on the Enforcement Committee, though they were called in occasionally to deal with problems such as Nagi and Bob when the Enforcement Committee failed. The fact that none of the members in F were required to be on the E.C. suggested that they were at least on par with the Executive Council if not better.
"The Karate Masters are all senior members of the Karate Club," Koji explained. "It's the same with the Judo All-stars. The Kickstarters are a mixed group of full contact kick boxers and Taekwondo – all of them are at least 3 Dan."
For a moment Ranma considered the information. From what he'd seen of the school's fighters he wasn't impressed. He'd seen some of them in action in the attack on the Juken Club in the bowling alley as well as the fight against the upstarts in the warehouse and none of them had stood out. The only unknowns were the Juken Club's reserves and their fifth. Still, if they weren't better than Maya than they wouldn't be a problem, but how would they match up against the individuals on Team Anything Goes?
Having watched footage of the Shooto fighters against the dojo challengers Ranma was sure that they could each defeat Bob, but only Koji and Masataka could defeat Aya and Nagi as they were during his last fight with them. That left him to fight Maya, Koji or Masataka against either Aya or Nagi, and the masks against the fourth and fifths from the Juken Club. Teams were supposed to rank their fighters, but could switch a starter with a reserve, but once a starter went on the reserve they could replace another starter. It was also possible to leave a single fighter to fight all of the matches in the bout, though that had only happened once two years ago when Mitsuomi had fought each of the fighters from the alliance team.
"It looks like we open things up this weekend," Koji added. As one of the higher ranked enforcers he had inside information on the soon to be listed groupings. "Against the Juken Club."
Ranma smirked. "Good."
"We're still recovering from… training," the big wrestler muttered.
"I've got a plan."
"Nagi!" a familiar if somewhat shrill voice cried out in excitement echoed in the halls.
Ranma's smirk cooled to a casual smile. Clearly someone else had spread the word of the groupings and pairings.
"It's been so long since I was able to make you lunch!" the younger Natsume proclaimed, her voice much closer to the room the second years were in. "Where are you going?!"
"Saotome!" a second recognizable voice called out mere seconds before its owner appeared in the doorway wearing a predatory grin.
"Someone's heard about the matchups," Ranma muttered as he glanced at the blond. A slight shiver ran up his spine as he noted the eye patch over Nagi's left eye.
"Now no one's going to get in our way," Nagi huffed.
Before Ranma could even reply the blond was tackled by his self-proclaimed fiancée. "Nagi!"
"That totally ruined the mood," Koji sighed.
Ranma nodded. "I don't even feel bad for him."
It was a curious remark, but given Ranma's own past issues with his many fiancées it was odd that he wouldn't sympathize with Nagi. Was it a sign that he did not relate to Nagi? Or was it that he no longer cared about the other fighter?
In his seat beside Ranma, Masataka eyed the couple coolly. As the official second, or lieutenant, of Team Anything Goes, the younger Takayanagi sibling had trained for the tournament apart from the others. When he'd returned a few days prior to the end of the summer break it was clear that he was a changed man. No longer was he simply the good soldier loyally following a strong leader. No, the old Masataka would have either trembled in fury as he watched Nagi casually ignoring the beautiful Aya, or at least tried to coolly though unsuccessfully ignore it, but this Masataka had the look of someone who had decided to give up on his first love. The look on his face was of indifference but the look in his eyes was that of sorrow.
"Saotome," a second female voice greeted, a hint of relief in her voice at the fact that Nagi had not called out Ranma.
"Runt," Ranma greeted his counterpart. "I see that your team's a bit banged up – you must have worked them too hard."
"I guess I didn't work mine as hard as you worked yours," Maya replied.
The raven haired fighter smiled, "Hard work can overcome talent if you put in enough hard work. Then again, your team isn't that talented."
"Why" Before Nagi could finish Maya silenced him with a slap to the back of his head before allowing Aya to drag him back into the hallway.
"This is why that idiot shouldn't have come here," Maya whispered just audible enough for Ranma's keen ears to pick up. "He's still a punk that resorts to fists when he can't even keep up with the words."
"He's far too excitable," Ranma seconded. "Best keep your dog on a tighter leash."
"I'm going to enjoy our fight," Nagi ground out, a slightly crazed look in his eye.
"You really are a masochist… I've never particularly enjoyed beating you up…"
"Now who's lying," Koji whispered.
Ranma gave him a reproachful look before turning his attention back to Maya. "Okay, maybe I enjoyed pranking you a bit, but really, you didn't last long enough for me to enjoy it."
"I'm ready for you now," Nagi replied.
"And you thought you were ready the last few times too," Ranma finished. "It's up to your captain to see if you're up to facing me. If she's smart she'll match you up against someone else to get an easy win and hope that our teams match up again in the next round. If she's honorable she'll fight me since we're the captains."
He let his words sink in. Those few who believed that Mitsuomi and the current Executive Council were not fair or honorable had silently rallied behind Maya two years ago. They would expect her to at least be honorable in a bout as well. And the fact that two captains were meeting to set terms for their bout weren't unusual. Sometimes such parlays were to allow the use of practice weapons, though often they were to set up line ups beforehand.
"Last Captain Standing," he declared boldly, his words sending a murmur amongst the class and those out in the hallway. Normally a team needed to win three of the five to win the bout, but sometimes, if the teams had grudges against each other, the winning team was determined by the last man/captain standing with both teams fielding all five fighters, selecting one each to start, and the losing fighter of each match being eliminated and replaced by one of his/her teammates. Matches would then continue until all fighters from one team were eliminated. "Masataka will be first for my team."
Again his declaration brought a wave of hushed talks amongst his classmates. Most believed that the younger Takayanagi was the second on Team Anything Goes, making his placement as the first fighter all the more puzzling. Stronger and more versatile fighters were often called upon after one of their teammates were defeated, and seconds/lieutenants were usually second last along with the captain to anchor their team.
"Fine," Maya smirked. "Aya will be our first."
Ranma and Koji watched as Maya watched Masataka's head snap at her announcement. They could hear their teammate grip his desk. This would be his first test and either way, it would not end well.
X X X X X
Word of the challenge laid out by Ranma and his team quickly spread throughout Toudou Academy, just as Ranma had expected. Though his illustrious captain had previously explained some of his thinking to the younger Takayanagi brother, Masataka hadn't paid much attention to it. As a fighter Ranma appeared to be unmatched, at least amongst the fighters at the academy, though his former rivals from Nerima had proven that he was human.
Just as Ranma had shattered Masataka's image of Toudou's fighters, Ryu Kumon had shattered his view of ki attacks. The mysterious vacuum blades that he'd mistaken for blades of air created by the sudden displacement of air by swift strikes were actually blades of air fortified by the user's ki. The stronger ones control of ki the stronger the blades and thus the further they could go. In truth it was a modified version of the iron cloth technique, substituting air for cloth, yet it was an ingenious leap of logic and practice.
Most fighters who could manipulate ki tended to use it to strengthen, harden, or solidify an object, though some could use it to manipulate the elements. Few in Toudou could manage the latter and even fewer knew how to deal with it. Yet again Ranma exceeded his expectations as he was capable of physically manifesting ki into a pure ki attack, something that supposedly no one in Toudou could do.
Despite all that he now knew of ki attacks, it was Ryu and Ranma's private talks with Masataka that had changed him the most. Though Ranma had his own issues with the fairer sex, it was clear that those experiences had left him emotionally scarred. Yet Ranma was not the only one. Though they were loathed to admit it, the others were also scarred, though not broken.
Scarred but not broken… All because they refused to give up on their dreams despite the fact that they could not (at least thus far) overcome the obstacle known as Ranma Saotome. For most of the males it was the fact that they could not defeat Ranma despite or perhaps because of the fact that he rarely ever fought them at full strength. His twisted moral code kept prevented him from fighting all out, yet he always (or usually) defeated them so long as he didn't underestimate them.
What they failed to realize was that even if they could defeat Ranma, the victory would not ensure that the girl that they loved would return their love. Well, the Amazons might allow Mousse to wed Shampoo, but the others were less likely.
For him, he could defeat Nagi. Yet Aya's eyes were firmly locked on Nagi (despite the fact that the blond clearly had his eyes on Maya). It was confusing, and the realization hurt. Accepting that she would never be able to return his love hurt even more.
It had been Ranma's remark that Masataka was akin to Ryoga that had sparked the change in him. Initially he'd thought it a complement, until Ranma explained their similarities. In some ways he was actually likened to Ranma (the better fighter) but in matters of the heart he was like Ryoga (unable to let go of his unrequited love).
It was that remark that had helped Masataka complete Ryu's training. But it was only now that he truly understood what he needed to do to not be like Ryoga Hibiki. "I need to talk to Aya," he muttered loud enough for Koji and Ranma to hear.
For a moment both Koji and Masataka looked to their captain. "What? Do you need my permission to talk to a girl? Maybe if we were dating…"
Koji smiled, shaking his head as he tried to focus on the lesson.
Masataka nodded, forcing a weak smile. "Thanks."
X X X X X
The familiar silhouette of the Natsume residence had once been a warm had once been a warm and inviting place to the dutiful and younger Takayanagi sibling. But that was when he had been a member of the Juken Club. Ranma's coup had changed all that though. Now the Natsume estate was as foreboding and intimidating as his family's estates.
"What brings you here?" the voice of his former captain called out from the roof.
For a moment he froze, unable to say anything.
"I would think it beneath Ranma to send you here to attack us," Maya remarked. "While his methods may be unconventional and his beliefs a bit skewed, he has always struck me as a man of honor."
"I… I'm not here because…. I'm here because I want to talk to Aya."
Even with the darkness and distance between them he could tell that she was considering his request. "She's not here," she finally replied. "She's with Nagi."
For a moment he stood there, considering her words. She no longer had any loyalty to him but… but what? He'd come to Maya in hopes of fighting against his brother, yet she'd kept him from doing so for the entire time he'd been with her. He'd believed that her desire to teach and train Nagi and Bob was because they needed to improve significantly so that the Juken Club could actually face the Executive Council and his brother, but would she have matched him against Mitsuomi? She had her own unresolved issues with his older brother, would she be willing to set aside her grudge so that he could settle things with his brother? Would he have done the same for her?
With Ranma things were clear. As much as Ranma wanted a good fight, he believed that men needed to settle things between them even more.
With Ranma he knew where he stood, but with Maya… well, things were less clear. No longer was he her ally, but did that make him her enemy? Was she being honest with him or was she using her knowledge of him against him?
"Thank you," he finally said, turning around. "Thank you for all you've done for me."
"You've really cast your lot with Saotome?"
Masataka nodded before setting off. "At least he's honest with me."
X X X X X
Talk of the Election Tournament quickly consumed the student body. Only the occasional parley between opposing teams stirred the gossip.
Despite the growing tensions Ranma found that the week flew by as he took solace in his faith in his team. Having overseen much of their training as well as enduring his own training he knew what his team was capable of even if they were trying to keep secrets from him for he had his own secrets as well.
Classes on Friday and Saturday were mere formalities as the students focused more on the opening round of the Election Tournament. While a handful of students focused on their respective teams' matches most were talking about Team Anything Goes versus the Juken Club. Ranma was still considered to be an enigma despite the fact that several dozen had seen Ranma fight. The truth was that they had not actually seen him fight, just the results. Ranma's lightning quick strikes were far faster than even the quickest fighters could see, and the rumors that he could throw more punches than even the highest ranked fighters could keep track of made him all the more formidable.
For his part Ranma ignored the talk, especially when it had to do with the odds of his team winning. In his short life there were few times when he had not been the favorite, or at least he'd thought so. Yes, he had faced an uphill battle against Saffron, Herb, and perhaps a few times with Happosai, but he'd always thought that he'd stood a chance regardless of what the others had thought. As such he knew that he couldn't count out his opponents regardless of the odds they faced.
Looking at his team as they sat in their assigned locker room he couldn't help but smile. "I know, this is the first time each of us has fought in the Election Tournament, but don't worry, Masataka's gonna clean the floor with them."
Takayanagi looked up, startled by Ranma's words. "Wha?"
Smirking, he patted Masataka on the shoulder. "It doesn't matter who is in front of you – they're your opponent. If you care anything for them then do right by them as a martial artist and don't hold back. That goes for all of you."
The others looked at him, nodding their heads.
Ranma knew his limits. He knew that he was not the type to get his team hyped up like some would before a fight. That style just wasn't him, and it wasn't his team. Yes, they might get heated during a fight, but they weren't the type to get heated before a fight. It was best to keep a level head and keep their emotions in check.
"Team Anything Goes!" Danzo called out from the threshold. "You're up!"
X X X X X
To the casual observer a fight between martial artists is just a fight. Most martial artists see fights as chess players see a match as a series of moves and counter moves. What most fail to see is that a fight between martial artists of similar skill is actually a dialogue.
Though Masataka Takayanagi and Aya Natsume exchanged no words their actions spoke volumes. First had been Masataka's apology as he waited for Aya to strike. Her decision to attack without any hesitation said that she thought nothing of him now that he was on another team. The blocked punch and quick counter was him expressing to her that he had feelings for her. The punch to her stomach contained all of his unexpressed feelings for her.
Had it been a simple fight he would have rushed in and finished her off, but as the story went he allowed her to grasp the depth of his emotions. The subtle change in her face told him that she understood. When her eyes darted to Nagi as her teammate watched her fight said that she could not return Masataka's feelings.
The swift overhand right that felled her was his acceptance of the truth. The palm strike was his good bye to her and the knee to her ribs was his declaration that he was walking his own path.
"Match!" Hanzo the classics teacher proclaimed, halting the match and declaring the winner.
Ryu-Mask and Akuma-Mask were brushing tears out of their eyes even as Koji humbly nodded at Masataka.
"You said a lot out there," Ranma said as he approached his teammate.
Masataka nodded. The match had lasted only a few seconds. The sweat on his brow was not from exertion but from him steeling himself to deliver the message. He was Masataka Takayanagi and he was marching forward on the path he had chosen.
X X X X X
"I thought you said Masataka could never hit Aya?!" Bob hissed as he watched his captain tend to her defeated sibling.
"The old Masataka wouldn't have," Asshat replied coolly. "He failed to pass the first test last year. Clearly he's accepted that Aya thought more of him as an older brother type than a potential boyfriend."
"So he hit her?!" Irritated, Nagi stood up. "Just because she turned him down, what a bastard!"
Asshat shook his head. Though both Bob and Nagi had improved by leaps and strides, they still lacked that fundamental understanding and insight that separated a martial artist from a master.
"Saotome's done something that I thought impossible." The three looked to the lone non-combatant in the Juken Club. Though older than each of them, he was significantly smaller. His uncanny wide eyes and unusually shaped head gave everyone the impression that he was of another world. "Masataka's matured – both as a fighter and as a person."
"So what do we do?" Asshat asked.
"How is she doing?" Nagi asked as the Natsume sisters approached their bench.
"She's winded," Maya stated. "No concussion, which is good."
"Who's next?" the lean yet powerful classic literature teacher asked as he approached the Juken Club's bench.
Maya glanced at the club's strategist.
"It's too late," the young genius sighed. "You let him provoke you into a Last Captain standing. You have to fight, though the other four can be anyone on the team."
"You want me to use the divas?" Maya blinked; astonished that he'd given up on them.
"If you lose, you use the divas."
She nodded. "I'm next."
X X X X X
Masataka versus Aya was a confession, short and direct. Masataka versus Maya proved to be a conversation long overdue. Ever since his brother had brutally overthrown his father, the younger Takayanagi had looked up to Maya. Many believed that she was the key to overthrowing and ending Mitsuomi's reign. Things had changed though with Ranma Saotome's arrival.
With a swift chop, Hanzo signaled the start of the match.
A lightning quick kick front kick opened the bout. 'You've improved Masataka.'
The younger fighter sidestepped then countered. 'Are you surprised?'
Her initial attack had been a feint meant to draw him in. 'You are still not my equal.' She threw a straight punch.
Only to have him catch her punch, 'Are you sure about that?' Deflecting her ki, he sent it back into her. She'd clearly expected him to dodge, but in the off chance that she did connect she had prepared a small amount of ki for the reverse strike. The fact that he'd accepted the hit meant that he had seen through her early strategy and anticipated it. He overwhelmed her ki and sent hers back at her.
She pulled back, shaking her hand as she sought to negate his ki. 'You've changed.'
'Yes, I have,' the moment's respite ended abruptly as he closed with a leg sweep. 'You should have realized that when I defeated Aya.'
Leaping over the kick she opted to flex her wrist instead of countering with a kick to his leg. 'So I should have.'
'My path lies with Ranma.' The sweep had merely been a feint, forcing her into the air and setting her up for the powerful roundhouse sent her flying. 'It was a choice you made for me but one I have accepted for myself.'
Flipping once, she landed on her feet. Using the force of his attack against him, she launched herself at him and unleashed a barrage of punches. 'A Takayanagi following rather than leading?'
He parried her attacks. 'I followed you, did I not?' Deflecting a punch he grabbed hold of her wrist. 'I will not lead, not as my brother or my father did.' Catching hold of her gi he slammed her into the ground. 'You may believe that you are honoring your family's traditions, but in truth you are bound by them. I will not be.'
Slipping free of his hold on her wrist, Maya rolled to her feet. The Masataka Takayanagi she'd known was a striker, not a grappler. For him to even incorporate such a move was a significant departure from the Takayanagi's signature fighting style.
A handful of onlookers noted the dramatic move, several looking away from the fight to the elder Takayanagi to see his response.
A series of swift kicks kept him at a respectable distance as Maya reassessed her situation. 'What has Saotome done to you?'
Stepping forward he parried, catching her shin in his palm and discharging ki into her leg. 'He has taught me what it truly means to be strong.' His face was impassive as she pulled her captured leg away from him.
'Has he now?' she asked by way of a front flip kick as she sought to put some distance between them.
Only the briefest flicker of panic registered on her face as he again blocked, hitting her with his modified reverse strike. 'Aya said it herself, though it took a while for me to realize it.' He allowed her to fall as her legs recovered from his strikes. 'You, Nagi, even Mitsuomi – you are all like raging rivers; fearsome and destructive. But a river runs dry if not resupplied. Ranma and I are like tranquil lakes – still and peaceful until it is time to rage yet always maintaining ourselves.'
"Can you continue?" Hanzo asked Maya as he stepped in between the pair. The lilac haired girl nodded, slowly regaining her feet.
Masataka took several steps back, allowing her to compose herself. Once she was ready Hanzo stepped back.
'You cannot win this one.' Feigning a leg kick he waited for her to respond with either a block or her usual sidestep.
'Are you sure about that?' Maya opted to counter with a reverse strike punch to his shin. She was fighting to win, disregarding any sense of courtesy for her former subordinate.
'I am.' Unexpectedly he pulled his kick short, planting it instead so that he could step in with a left overhand punch to her temple.
Maya pulled back. 'Saotome's cockiness is rubbing off on you.'
He pushed his assault with a flurry of jabs. 'Confidence,' he corrected his expression still flat.
Failing to connect with any of those punches he shifted back to his family's traditional stance. 'Tradition is still important to me, but it can unnecessarily hinder progress.' Again he attacked with a series of punches but rather than the straight karate punches he shifted his feet and altered his center of gravity thus changing the line of each punch. Though he appeared to be off balance the strikes were quick and powerful, each sending a shock through Maya's arms whenever she was forced to block.
'I underestimated how much you changed,' she conceded as she disengaged and rubbed her forearms.
He nodded, pausing to let her recover. 'Fight me seriously.'
'Fine.'
A hush filled the arena as both fighters advanced, their arms pulled back as they prepared to trade punches.
The faster of the two, Maya planted her foot and let loose her punch. Few would notice the slight muscle spasm in her biceps, throwing off her concentration just a fraction as she aimed the ki needle.
Masataka countered, not with the traditional ki forged needle, but with a smaller but quicker attack he propelled with a flick of his finger. Unlike the traditional Dragon-Ki Qigong Forged Needle which his family had developed and mastered the release of his ki was not meant to destroy or injure but to disrupt his opponent's ki, thus he did not need to harness as much ki energy and could release the attack quicker. It was the ideal counter to the more powerful ki attacks, slowing if not outright preventing a powerful ki attack.
Committed to her attack, Maya could only watch as Masataka's left fist brushed past her right fist before connecting with her jaw.
X X X X X
"Winner – Masataka Takayanagi of Team Anything Goes!" Hanzo the classic literature teacher declared for the fifth time.
"A clean sweep," the pinkette stated as she sat beside the muscular white haired young man. "I doubt anyone outside of Saotome's crew expected that."
For his part Mitsuomi had not watched the matches beyond his sibling's victory over his friend-turned-rival. His keen eyes had not even shifted to the plain-clothed observers as they took note of his brother. Honestly, the remaining three matches were forgettable as Masataka easily dispatched three of Asshat's Divas. No, what Mitsuomi found interesting was the slightly disturbed look on his father's face.
As a master martial artist himself the old man clearly caught the hidden conversation between the former teammates, but from his vantage point he would not have been able to see the move that had ended the match. Still, the old man had noticed something in how Masataka had fought, adding some unorthodox attacks to his arsenal of moves.
"Keep an eye on F," he ordered the vice president.
Emi's brow raised just a fraction. "Yes, sir."
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Please Review.
Dreamingfox
First of all, thanks to all those who have followed this fic. I know that I haven't been able to update it as often as everyone wanted but I am trying my best and trying to tie everything together as best as I can. Thanks also to everyone who's reviewed this fic – the criticism and encouragement have made writing this fic all the easier to motivate me while I stumble along with the multitude of ideas bouncing around in my head.
Oh, and to TheFanFictionForum guys, I just realized I hadn't updated things here. My bad.
X X X X X
The heavy air hung over Toudou Academy as the students returned to campus after the summer break. Despite secluding his team Ranma knew that word of the fighting between the fringe groups and the attacks on several dojos had reached the ears of his teammates then clearly they had reached the rest of the student body as well.
Though it was a school of martial artists, fights between individuals and groups were actually discouraged. There were always prideful fighters who wished to prove themselves (or their style/school) better than others or those wishing to settle grudges. As the only other sanctioned fights were against rebellious upstarts (such as when the lower level members of the Enforcement Committee had fought against the Knuckle Bombs) opportunities to test themselves were rare. Only the sparing between teams during the preparation for the tournament were allowed, though those teams doing so had to petition the Executive Council jointly before being given permission. The injuries that resulted from inter-club "sparring" weren't uncommon, but the number had been unusually high, as were the challenges issued to the unaffiliated dojos. With the summer break over the inter-club sparring and dojo challenges were now over.
Hundreds of eyes watched him and his team as they made their way through the campus on their way to their classes. But they were not the only ones being watched as both the Executive Council and the Juken Club enjoyed the scrutiny of the young martial artists gathered. The three teams were the most notable to have not sparred with anyone else. While everyone knew about the reigning Executive Council, speculation on the true depth and strengths of the remaining teams, in particular the untested (in terms of fighting in the Election Tournament) members of the two teams – Ranma and Masataka for Team Anything Goes; Bob, Nagi, and Aya for the Juken Club, was rampant.
Slowly tensions eased over the course of the week as the focus shifted to the opening round of the Election Tournament. Unlike other schools that held sports and cultural festivals, Toudou's Election Tournament allowed perspective students to see the strengths and skills of active students and clubs in action. The various teams were funded based on their performance in the tournament, usually by the alumni of said clubs as the former members literally came to pay their respects to those who currently carried the torch for their club.
Every club that could field a minimum of five fighters entered a team, though some teams were made of members from various other clubs were also allowed to form a team, often to sate the egos of the fighters or to allow fighters to settle their personal grudges without endangering their clubs by eliciting the wraith of the Executive Council.
"There were supposed to be forty nine teams," Koji explained during their first class together. "Some of the key players from some of the weaker teams were injured during their inter-club/team sparring though so some of the teams will be relying on their reserve members."
Ranma listened with interest as he contemplated his team's fate. "What teams are in our pod?"
The grim look on Koji's face spoke volumes. "The Juken Club, Karate Masters, Judo All-stars, Kickstarters, and F are in our pod. Only the Juken Club and F don't have any members in the Enforcement Committee."
That explained a lot. From what Ranma could tell none of the Executive Council members were on the Enforcement Committee, though they were called in occasionally to deal with problems such as Nagi and Bob when the Enforcement Committee failed. The fact that none of the members in F were required to be on the E.C. suggested that they were at least on par with the Executive Council if not better.
"The Karate Masters are all senior members of the Karate Club," Koji explained. "It's the same with the Judo All-stars. The Kickstarters are a mixed group of full contact kick boxers and Taekwondo – all of them are at least 3 Dan."
For a moment Ranma considered the information. From what he'd seen of the school's fighters he wasn't impressed. He'd seen some of them in action in the attack on the Juken Club in the bowling alley as well as the fight against the upstarts in the warehouse and none of them had stood out. The only unknowns were the Juken Club's reserves and their fifth. Still, if they weren't better than Maya than they wouldn't be a problem, but how would they match up against the individuals on Team Anything Goes?
Having watched footage of the Shooto fighters against the dojo challengers Ranma was sure that they could each defeat Bob, but only Koji and Masataka could defeat Aya and Nagi as they were during his last fight with them. That left him to fight Maya, Koji or Masataka against either Aya or Nagi, and the masks against the fourth and fifths from the Juken Club. Teams were supposed to rank their fighters, but could switch a starter with a reserve, but once a starter went on the reserve they could replace another starter. It was also possible to leave a single fighter to fight all of the matches in the bout, though that had only happened once two years ago when Mitsuomi had fought each of the fighters from the alliance team.
"It looks like we open things up this weekend," Koji added. As one of the higher ranked enforcers he had inside information on the soon to be listed groupings. "Against the Juken Club."
Ranma smirked. "Good."
"We're still recovering from… training," the big wrestler muttered.
"I've got a plan."
"Nagi!" a familiar if somewhat shrill voice cried out in excitement echoed in the halls.
Ranma's smirk cooled to a casual smile. Clearly someone else had spread the word of the groupings and pairings.
"It's been so long since I was able to make you lunch!" the younger Natsume proclaimed, her voice much closer to the room the second years were in. "Where are you going?!"
"Saotome!" a second recognizable voice called out mere seconds before its owner appeared in the doorway wearing a predatory grin.
"Someone's heard about the matchups," Ranma muttered as he glanced at the blond. A slight shiver ran up his spine as he noted the eye patch over Nagi's left eye.
"Now no one's going to get in our way," Nagi huffed.
Before Ranma could even reply the blond was tackled by his self-proclaimed fiancée. "Nagi!"
"That totally ruined the mood," Koji sighed.
Ranma nodded. "I don't even feel bad for him."
It was a curious remark, but given Ranma's own past issues with his many fiancées it was odd that he wouldn't sympathize with Nagi. Was it a sign that he did not relate to Nagi? Or was it that he no longer cared about the other fighter?
In his seat beside Ranma, Masataka eyed the couple coolly. As the official second, or lieutenant, of Team Anything Goes, the younger Takayanagi sibling had trained for the tournament apart from the others. When he'd returned a few days prior to the end of the summer break it was clear that he was a changed man. No longer was he simply the good soldier loyally following a strong leader. No, the old Masataka would have either trembled in fury as he watched Nagi casually ignoring the beautiful Aya, or at least tried to coolly though unsuccessfully ignore it, but this Masataka had the look of someone who had decided to give up on his first love. The look on his face was of indifference but the look in his eyes was that of sorrow.
"Saotome," a second female voice greeted, a hint of relief in her voice at the fact that Nagi had not called out Ranma.
"Runt," Ranma greeted his counterpart. "I see that your team's a bit banged up – you must have worked them too hard."
"I guess I didn't work mine as hard as you worked yours," Maya replied.
The raven haired fighter smiled, "Hard work can overcome talent if you put in enough hard work. Then again, your team isn't that talented."
"Why" Before Nagi could finish Maya silenced him with a slap to the back of his head before allowing Aya to drag him back into the hallway.
"This is why that idiot shouldn't have come here," Maya whispered just audible enough for Ranma's keen ears to pick up. "He's still a punk that resorts to fists when he can't even keep up with the words."
"He's far too excitable," Ranma seconded. "Best keep your dog on a tighter leash."
"I'm going to enjoy our fight," Nagi ground out, a slightly crazed look in his eye.
"You really are a masochist… I've never particularly enjoyed beating you up…"
"Now who's lying," Koji whispered.
Ranma gave him a reproachful look before turning his attention back to Maya. "Okay, maybe I enjoyed pranking you a bit, but really, you didn't last long enough for me to enjoy it."
"I'm ready for you now," Nagi replied.
"And you thought you were ready the last few times too," Ranma finished. "It's up to your captain to see if you're up to facing me. If she's smart she'll match you up against someone else to get an easy win and hope that our teams match up again in the next round. If she's honorable she'll fight me since we're the captains."
He let his words sink in. Those few who believed that Mitsuomi and the current Executive Council were not fair or honorable had silently rallied behind Maya two years ago. They would expect her to at least be honorable in a bout as well. And the fact that two captains were meeting to set terms for their bout weren't unusual. Sometimes such parlays were to allow the use of practice weapons, though often they were to set up line ups beforehand.
"Last Captain Standing," he declared boldly, his words sending a murmur amongst the class and those out in the hallway. Normally a team needed to win three of the five to win the bout, but sometimes, if the teams had grudges against each other, the winning team was determined by the last man/captain standing with both teams fielding all five fighters, selecting one each to start, and the losing fighter of each match being eliminated and replaced by one of his/her teammates. Matches would then continue until all fighters from one team were eliminated. "Masataka will be first for my team."
Again his declaration brought a wave of hushed talks amongst his classmates. Most believed that the younger Takayanagi was the second on Team Anything Goes, making his placement as the first fighter all the more puzzling. Stronger and more versatile fighters were often called upon after one of their teammates were defeated, and seconds/lieutenants were usually second last along with the captain to anchor their team.
"Fine," Maya smirked. "Aya will be our first."
Ranma and Koji watched as Maya watched Masataka's head snap at her announcement. They could hear their teammate grip his desk. This would be his first test and either way, it would not end well.
X X X X X
Word of the challenge laid out by Ranma and his team quickly spread throughout Toudou Academy, just as Ranma had expected. Though his illustrious captain had previously explained some of his thinking to the younger Takayanagi brother, Masataka hadn't paid much attention to it. As a fighter Ranma appeared to be unmatched, at least amongst the fighters at the academy, though his former rivals from Nerima had proven that he was human.
Just as Ranma had shattered Masataka's image of Toudou's fighters, Ryu Kumon had shattered his view of ki attacks. The mysterious vacuum blades that he'd mistaken for blades of air created by the sudden displacement of air by swift strikes were actually blades of air fortified by the user's ki. The stronger ones control of ki the stronger the blades and thus the further they could go. In truth it was a modified version of the iron cloth technique, substituting air for cloth, yet it was an ingenious leap of logic and practice.
Most fighters who could manipulate ki tended to use it to strengthen, harden, or solidify an object, though some could use it to manipulate the elements. Few in Toudou could manage the latter and even fewer knew how to deal with it. Yet again Ranma exceeded his expectations as he was capable of physically manifesting ki into a pure ki attack, something that supposedly no one in Toudou could do.
Despite all that he now knew of ki attacks, it was Ryu and Ranma's private talks with Masataka that had changed him the most. Though Ranma had his own issues with the fairer sex, it was clear that those experiences had left him emotionally scarred. Yet Ranma was not the only one. Though they were loathed to admit it, the others were also scarred, though not broken.
Scarred but not broken… All because they refused to give up on their dreams despite the fact that they could not (at least thus far) overcome the obstacle known as Ranma Saotome. For most of the males it was the fact that they could not defeat Ranma despite or perhaps because of the fact that he rarely ever fought them at full strength. His twisted moral code kept prevented him from fighting all out, yet he always (or usually) defeated them so long as he didn't underestimate them.
What they failed to realize was that even if they could defeat Ranma, the victory would not ensure that the girl that they loved would return their love. Well, the Amazons might allow Mousse to wed Shampoo, but the others were less likely.
For him, he could defeat Nagi. Yet Aya's eyes were firmly locked on Nagi (despite the fact that the blond clearly had his eyes on Maya). It was confusing, and the realization hurt. Accepting that she would never be able to return his love hurt even more.
It had been Ranma's remark that Masataka was akin to Ryoga that had sparked the change in him. Initially he'd thought it a complement, until Ranma explained their similarities. In some ways he was actually likened to Ranma (the better fighter) but in matters of the heart he was like Ryoga (unable to let go of his unrequited love).
It was that remark that had helped Masataka complete Ryu's training. But it was only now that he truly understood what he needed to do to not be like Ryoga Hibiki. "I need to talk to Aya," he muttered loud enough for Koji and Ranma to hear.
For a moment both Koji and Masataka looked to their captain. "What? Do you need my permission to talk to a girl? Maybe if we were dating…"
Koji smiled, shaking his head as he tried to focus on the lesson.
Masataka nodded, forcing a weak smile. "Thanks."
X X X X X
The familiar silhouette of the Natsume residence had once been a warm had once been a warm and inviting place to the dutiful and younger Takayanagi sibling. But that was when he had been a member of the Juken Club. Ranma's coup had changed all that though. Now the Natsume estate was as foreboding and intimidating as his family's estates.
"What brings you here?" the voice of his former captain called out from the roof.
For a moment he froze, unable to say anything.
"I would think it beneath Ranma to send you here to attack us," Maya remarked. "While his methods may be unconventional and his beliefs a bit skewed, he has always struck me as a man of honor."
"I… I'm not here because…. I'm here because I want to talk to Aya."
Even with the darkness and distance between them he could tell that she was considering his request. "She's not here," she finally replied. "She's with Nagi."
For a moment he stood there, considering her words. She no longer had any loyalty to him but… but what? He'd come to Maya in hopes of fighting against his brother, yet she'd kept him from doing so for the entire time he'd been with her. He'd believed that her desire to teach and train Nagi and Bob was because they needed to improve significantly so that the Juken Club could actually face the Executive Council and his brother, but would she have matched him against Mitsuomi? She had her own unresolved issues with his older brother, would she be willing to set aside her grudge so that he could settle things with his brother? Would he have done the same for her?
With Ranma things were clear. As much as Ranma wanted a good fight, he believed that men needed to settle things between them even more.
With Ranma he knew where he stood, but with Maya… well, things were less clear. No longer was he her ally, but did that make him her enemy? Was she being honest with him or was she using her knowledge of him against him?
"Thank you," he finally said, turning around. "Thank you for all you've done for me."
"You've really cast your lot with Saotome?"
Masataka nodded before setting off. "At least he's honest with me."
X X X X X
Talk of the Election Tournament quickly consumed the student body. Only the occasional parley between opposing teams stirred the gossip.
Despite the growing tensions Ranma found that the week flew by as he took solace in his faith in his team. Having overseen much of their training as well as enduring his own training he knew what his team was capable of even if they were trying to keep secrets from him for he had his own secrets as well.
Classes on Friday and Saturday were mere formalities as the students focused more on the opening round of the Election Tournament. While a handful of students focused on their respective teams' matches most were talking about Team Anything Goes versus the Juken Club. Ranma was still considered to be an enigma despite the fact that several dozen had seen Ranma fight. The truth was that they had not actually seen him fight, just the results. Ranma's lightning quick strikes were far faster than even the quickest fighters could see, and the rumors that he could throw more punches than even the highest ranked fighters could keep track of made him all the more formidable.
For his part Ranma ignored the talk, especially when it had to do with the odds of his team winning. In his short life there were few times when he had not been the favorite, or at least he'd thought so. Yes, he had faced an uphill battle against Saffron, Herb, and perhaps a few times with Happosai, but he'd always thought that he'd stood a chance regardless of what the others had thought. As such he knew that he couldn't count out his opponents regardless of the odds they faced.
Looking at his team as they sat in their assigned locker room he couldn't help but smile. "I know, this is the first time each of us has fought in the Election Tournament, but don't worry, Masataka's gonna clean the floor with them."
Takayanagi looked up, startled by Ranma's words. "Wha?"
Smirking, he patted Masataka on the shoulder. "It doesn't matter who is in front of you – they're your opponent. If you care anything for them then do right by them as a martial artist and don't hold back. That goes for all of you."
The others looked at him, nodding their heads.
Ranma knew his limits. He knew that he was not the type to get his team hyped up like some would before a fight. That style just wasn't him, and it wasn't his team. Yes, they might get heated during a fight, but they weren't the type to get heated before a fight. It was best to keep a level head and keep their emotions in check.
"Team Anything Goes!" Danzo called out from the threshold. "You're up!"
X X X X X
To the casual observer a fight between martial artists is just a fight. Most martial artists see fights as chess players see a match as a series of moves and counter moves. What most fail to see is that a fight between martial artists of similar skill is actually a dialogue.
Though Masataka Takayanagi and Aya Natsume exchanged no words their actions spoke volumes. First had been Masataka's apology as he waited for Aya to strike. Her decision to attack without any hesitation said that she thought nothing of him now that he was on another team. The blocked punch and quick counter was him expressing to her that he had feelings for her. The punch to her stomach contained all of his unexpressed feelings for her.
Had it been a simple fight he would have rushed in and finished her off, but as the story went he allowed her to grasp the depth of his emotions. The subtle change in her face told him that she understood. When her eyes darted to Nagi as her teammate watched her fight said that she could not return Masataka's feelings.
The swift overhand right that felled her was his acceptance of the truth. The palm strike was his good bye to her and the knee to her ribs was his declaration that he was walking his own path.
"Match!" Hanzo the classics teacher proclaimed, halting the match and declaring the winner.
Ryu-Mask and Akuma-Mask were brushing tears out of their eyes even as Koji humbly nodded at Masataka.
"You said a lot out there," Ranma said as he approached his teammate.
Masataka nodded. The match had lasted only a few seconds. The sweat on his brow was not from exertion but from him steeling himself to deliver the message. He was Masataka Takayanagi and he was marching forward on the path he had chosen.
X X X X X
"I thought you said Masataka could never hit Aya?!" Bob hissed as he watched his captain tend to her defeated sibling.
"The old Masataka wouldn't have," Asshat replied coolly. "He failed to pass the first test last year. Clearly he's accepted that Aya thought more of him as an older brother type than a potential boyfriend."
"So he hit her?!" Irritated, Nagi stood up. "Just because she turned him down, what a bastard!"
Asshat shook his head. Though both Bob and Nagi had improved by leaps and strides, they still lacked that fundamental understanding and insight that separated a martial artist from a master.
"Saotome's done something that I thought impossible." The three looked to the lone non-combatant in the Juken Club. Though older than each of them, he was significantly smaller. His uncanny wide eyes and unusually shaped head gave everyone the impression that he was of another world. "Masataka's matured – both as a fighter and as a person."
"So what do we do?" Asshat asked.
"How is she doing?" Nagi asked as the Natsume sisters approached their bench.
"She's winded," Maya stated. "No concussion, which is good."
"Who's next?" the lean yet powerful classic literature teacher asked as he approached the Juken Club's bench.
Maya glanced at the club's strategist.
"It's too late," the young genius sighed. "You let him provoke you into a Last Captain standing. You have to fight, though the other four can be anyone on the team."
"You want me to use the divas?" Maya blinked; astonished that he'd given up on them.
"If you lose, you use the divas."
She nodded. "I'm next."
X X X X X
Masataka versus Aya was a confession, short and direct. Masataka versus Maya proved to be a conversation long overdue. Ever since his brother had brutally overthrown his father, the younger Takayanagi had looked up to Maya. Many believed that she was the key to overthrowing and ending Mitsuomi's reign. Things had changed though with Ranma Saotome's arrival.
With a swift chop, Hanzo signaled the start of the match.
A lightning quick kick front kick opened the bout. 'You've improved Masataka.'
The younger fighter sidestepped then countered. 'Are you surprised?'
Her initial attack had been a feint meant to draw him in. 'You are still not my equal.' She threw a straight punch.
Only to have him catch her punch, 'Are you sure about that?' Deflecting her ki, he sent it back into her. She'd clearly expected him to dodge, but in the off chance that she did connect she had prepared a small amount of ki for the reverse strike. The fact that he'd accepted the hit meant that he had seen through her early strategy and anticipated it. He overwhelmed her ki and sent hers back at her.
She pulled back, shaking her hand as she sought to negate his ki. 'You've changed.'
'Yes, I have,' the moment's respite ended abruptly as he closed with a leg sweep. 'You should have realized that when I defeated Aya.'
Leaping over the kick she opted to flex her wrist instead of countering with a kick to his leg. 'So I should have.'
'My path lies with Ranma.' The sweep had merely been a feint, forcing her into the air and setting her up for the powerful roundhouse sent her flying. 'It was a choice you made for me but one I have accepted for myself.'
Flipping once, she landed on her feet. Using the force of his attack against him, she launched herself at him and unleashed a barrage of punches. 'A Takayanagi following rather than leading?'
He parried her attacks. 'I followed you, did I not?' Deflecting a punch he grabbed hold of her wrist. 'I will not lead, not as my brother or my father did.' Catching hold of her gi he slammed her into the ground. 'You may believe that you are honoring your family's traditions, but in truth you are bound by them. I will not be.'
Slipping free of his hold on her wrist, Maya rolled to her feet. The Masataka Takayanagi she'd known was a striker, not a grappler. For him to even incorporate such a move was a significant departure from the Takayanagi's signature fighting style.
A handful of onlookers noted the dramatic move, several looking away from the fight to the elder Takayanagi to see his response.
A series of swift kicks kept him at a respectable distance as Maya reassessed her situation. 'What has Saotome done to you?'
Stepping forward he parried, catching her shin in his palm and discharging ki into her leg. 'He has taught me what it truly means to be strong.' His face was impassive as she pulled her captured leg away from him.
'Has he now?' she asked by way of a front flip kick as she sought to put some distance between them.
Only the briefest flicker of panic registered on her face as he again blocked, hitting her with his modified reverse strike. 'Aya said it herself, though it took a while for me to realize it.' He allowed her to fall as her legs recovered from his strikes. 'You, Nagi, even Mitsuomi – you are all like raging rivers; fearsome and destructive. But a river runs dry if not resupplied. Ranma and I are like tranquil lakes – still and peaceful until it is time to rage yet always maintaining ourselves.'
"Can you continue?" Hanzo asked Maya as he stepped in between the pair. The lilac haired girl nodded, slowly regaining her feet.
Masataka took several steps back, allowing her to compose herself. Once she was ready Hanzo stepped back.
'You cannot win this one.' Feigning a leg kick he waited for her to respond with either a block or her usual sidestep.
'Are you sure about that?' Maya opted to counter with a reverse strike punch to his shin. She was fighting to win, disregarding any sense of courtesy for her former subordinate.
'I am.' Unexpectedly he pulled his kick short, planting it instead so that he could step in with a left overhand punch to her temple.
Maya pulled back. 'Saotome's cockiness is rubbing off on you.'
He pushed his assault with a flurry of jabs. 'Confidence,' he corrected his expression still flat.
Failing to connect with any of those punches he shifted back to his family's traditional stance. 'Tradition is still important to me, but it can unnecessarily hinder progress.' Again he attacked with a series of punches but rather than the straight karate punches he shifted his feet and altered his center of gravity thus changing the line of each punch. Though he appeared to be off balance the strikes were quick and powerful, each sending a shock through Maya's arms whenever she was forced to block.
'I underestimated how much you changed,' she conceded as she disengaged and rubbed her forearms.
He nodded, pausing to let her recover. 'Fight me seriously.'
'Fine.'
A hush filled the arena as both fighters advanced, their arms pulled back as they prepared to trade punches.
The faster of the two, Maya planted her foot and let loose her punch. Few would notice the slight muscle spasm in her biceps, throwing off her concentration just a fraction as she aimed the ki needle.
Masataka countered, not with the traditional ki forged needle, but with a smaller but quicker attack he propelled with a flick of his finger. Unlike the traditional Dragon-Ki Qigong Forged Needle which his family had developed and mastered the release of his ki was not meant to destroy or injure but to disrupt his opponent's ki, thus he did not need to harness as much ki energy and could release the attack quicker. It was the ideal counter to the more powerful ki attacks, slowing if not outright preventing a powerful ki attack.
Committed to her attack, Maya could only watch as Masataka's left fist brushed past her right fist before connecting with her jaw.
X X X X X
"Winner – Masataka Takayanagi of Team Anything Goes!" Hanzo the classic literature teacher declared for the fifth time.
"A clean sweep," the pinkette stated as she sat beside the muscular white haired young man. "I doubt anyone outside of Saotome's crew expected that."
For his part Mitsuomi had not watched the matches beyond his sibling's victory over his friend-turned-rival. His keen eyes had not even shifted to the plain-clothed observers as they took note of his brother. Honestly, the remaining three matches were forgettable as Masataka easily dispatched three of Asshat's Divas. No, what Mitsuomi found interesting was the slightly disturbed look on his father's face.
As a master martial artist himself the old man clearly caught the hidden conversation between the former teammates, but from his vantage point he would not have been able to see the move that had ended the match. Still, the old man had noticed something in how Masataka had fought, adding some unorthodox attacks to his arsenal of moves.
"Keep an eye on F," he ordered the vice president.
Emi's brow raised just a fraction. "Yes, sir."
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Please Review.
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes –
I'm not sure if any of the readers of this fic follow some of my other fics, but I'd like to think there are a few of you. Anyways, I'm sure that some of you have noticed that I've discontinued some of my other fics and even removed a few from here. I have to admit, I'm disappointed in myself for not being able to see some of those fics to the end, especially when I still have so many ideas for those fics. Unfortunately I just don't have the energy or motivation for those fics. Be glad that this fic has not suffered as the others have. Well, I know there are some who wish this fic had died, but I have some grand ideas for this fic.
Thanks to all who have read and mostly reviewed. Your encouragement, feedback, and criticism has helped me through these last two years.
Now, as to the last few chapters, I have to say I'm really proud of the last chapter. I'm sure you've heard of the phrase "Let my fists do the talking." Well, I wanted to take that idea and make it literal for Masataka. I know that Sasuke's mentioned something along those lines when he said that two fighters of equal level can understand each other, and a few other references in other manga/anime, but to make it an entire match/fight and not just a finishing blow or one set of traded punches took a bit to write.
Anyways, on with the story.
X
The gap between knowing and understanding can sometimes be unfathomable. In some cases it is merely a small step but more often than not it is a large divide. Such was the case for youngest Tendo daughter. For much of her life she had thought herself to be the best of her generation. Then Ranma Saotome had entered her life. Because of him she realized that she wasn't the best, but she'd maintained the belief that she was still one of the best. Despite all that she'd been through she honestly believed that she was in his league.
The recent attacks on the martial artists from Nerima over the summer suggested that perhaps they weren't as untouchable as they had once thought, but the fact that Akane had emerged unscathed had suggested to her that the mysterious attackers had perhaps thought her too much to handle. Yet watching the fighters from Toudou Academy in the opening bouts of the Election Tournament had opened her eyes.
Akane Tendo was good, and could even be said to be as good as some of the winners in the matches she'd witnessed, but there was such a gap between the best fighters of the day and everyone else.
She'd come to the tournament accompanying Nodoka Saotome, believing that Ranma in typical fashion would fight all challengers. Yet he hadn't. Yes, the last three challengers from the opposing club would not have posed much of a challenge to Ranma, but the first two girls were much more capable. Akane had to admit that she would have been hard pressed to defeat the first girl, and probably would have lost to her older sister, but the boy, Masataka Takayanagi was at least as good as Ranma was when he'd left Nerima.
Then she'd witnessed the brutally efficient fighters from F as they swiftly defeated the karate team. It was hard to say how good they really were as they ended their fights just as quickly as Masataka had finished the last three girls from the Juken Club, but each of them had the same air about them as Masataka had suggesting that they were at least on par with him.
Of the rest of the fights Akane could honestly say that none of them had impressed her. Yet the opening fights had done their damage.
She'd heard the students and observers around her talking, explaining why one member of Ranma's team had fought all five matches. It made sense, yet the Ranma she knew would have started for his team, thus ensuring a victory. Then she began to hear about Masataka's history with the first girl, Aya, and how Ranma had announced that Masataka would fight first for his team.
It really didn't make sense.
The nagging inconsistencies kept, well, nagging at her as she and Auntie Nodoka left the auditorium Akane found little that she could focus on other than why Ranma hadn't fought. Though he boasted that he didn't fight those weaker than him he always picked on Ryoga… or did he?
"I think this is where Ranma said he and his team was going to go afterwards for their victory party," Nodoka said as she led the pair towards a small café.
Akane barely paid Nodoka any attention as the pair sat in the slowly filling café. Gazing out the window she watched as several dozen Toudou Academy students made their way towards the eatery. She watched as a familiar figure made his way down the street.
The Ranma Saotome she had known was prone to walking on the fences or walls about the street yet here he was walking amidst several figures. There was something else different about her fiancée though, an air that he never had while in Nerima.
It dawned on her then and there – Ranma Saotome was having fun.
Though he was prone to slacking off with several boys in their class there was no one at Furinkan High that he really got along with or could depend on. Yes, he sometimes worked with Kuno and the other rivals, but he didn't hang out with them. But here he was laughing with (not at) the members of his team and their companions.
'He's actually having fun,' she realized. 'Even if these other fighters aren't up to par with him he's treating them as equals and is having fun with them.'
This was a side to him that she'd never seen.
She continued to watch as he critiqued Masataka's technique, throwing a punch to help the group recall the precise moment he was talking about or watching as Masataka threw a punch to prove his point.
'He's actually teaching him and he's not making fun of them.'
The closer he came the more she could make out. The open, honest smile on his face; the sincere laughter; all were signs of a comradely that he never had with anyone in Nerima.
A sudden weight in her breast and stomach made her feel suddenly uncomfortable. "I… I have to go."
X
A jubilant mood surrounded Team Anything Goes. Though they had been favored to win their match-up with the Juken Club no one except Ranma had predicted that they would have swept the other team. Most had expected that the captains would be the ones to settle things. Masataka and Aya were supposed to be the sacrificial lambs of their teams, a few thinking that the younger Takayanagi would not be able to best the younger Natsume.
"That overhand was really devastating," Ranma stated as he threw the exact punch. "And that combo you pulled off… impressive."
Never one to be showered with praise, especially from Ranma, Masataka could only smile meekly as he walked beside his captain.
"And to show you how proud I am of all of you, dinners on me."
The others looked at him skeptically.
"What? I'm proud of you! And I'll cover you guys this one time."
"Shouldn't you say that you'll pay for dinner each time we win so that we're motivated to win?" Koji joked.
"Actually, I was gonna say that anyone who loses is going to treat next time. If we sweep then I'll treat again." His announcement silenced the others as each had seen how much Ranma was capable of eating.
"Fine," Masataka said with a firm nod.
"Okay," the others agreed quickly.
All around them other Toudou students walked, some basking in their own victories (betting) though most were enjoying the jubilant atmosphere around Team Anything Goes. Even without Koji and Masataka, Ranma knew that many of those around them had placed their faith in Ranma and his team. For two years Toudou Academy had been held under Mitsuomi's iron rule as the elder Takayanagi hoped to prevent open fighting by using overwhelming force. Those few who had tried to stand up to Mitsuomi had initially rallied behind Maya yet for two years she had done nothing, prompting some of them throw their lot in with Ranma. Many also believed that even if Maya did win there was little she could do as a graduating senior now that Masataka was no longer on her team. Still, Ranma was an unknown and his ties to the current Executive Council were still undefined making it hard for those from established families and schools to support his team.
Ranma didn't care about politics and he could care less about the support from the other martial artists. If it came down to politics he knew he could rely on Masataka and Koji. In truth he hadn't even considered that winning the tournament would mean that he and the others would become the new heads of the student council. The only thing that had mattered when he'd formed this team was that he get a good fight with Mitsuomi and maybe Maya. He knew that Happosai had hopes for his team, but what exactly it had to do with Souchiro's father mattered little to Ranma.
Catching sight of a figure leaving the Sakura Café Ranma knew that he had some unfinished business to deal with. "You guys go ahead."
Both Masataka and Koji spotted the fleeing figure.
"Are you sure?" Masataka asked.
"We let you take care of your business with Aya," Ranma answered.
The larger boy nodded, wrapping his arm around Masataka before dragging him towards the café.
Few of those around them noticed Ranma disappear.
Even with her head start it only took Ranma a block to catch up and another block to make sure that no unwanted eyes or ears were intruding.
"Hey Akane," he greeted as he appeared on a fences just ahead of her. "What brings you here?"
Startled by his sudden appearance she instinctively assumed a fighter's stance. "Ranma, I, um… I thought you were busy celebrating."
"You saw the fights," he stated rather than asked.
"Your mother wanted to watch you fight."
Unsure what to say he simply nodded.
"Ranma," Akane finally said, breaking the awkward silence, "fight me."
Sliding into her family's stance, Ranma sighed. "Fine."
In a flash Akane was on him, throwing several straight punches as she advanced before unleashing a pair of mid kicks.
He couldn't help but think back to their first and only sparring session. Back then he'd thought that her form was sloppy because she left herself open to his counters had he opted to counter. Even after seeing her fight a few times he'd stuck with that assessment and allowed it to cloud his belief that she was just that far behind him. Actually, it had been his trip back to Nerima over Golden Week that had changed his opinion of her. In his absence it had not taken long for the Hentai Horde to resume their morning challenges, providing Akane with ample opportunity to practice the Musabetsu Kakuto Tendo Ryu.
Watching her fight now he noticed that while she left herself open to a counter attack it was not because she was sloppy it was because she was completely committed to her attack. Unlike Ryoga and Kuno who could rely on either their strength/durability or weapon to cover for their openings, Akane was never overextended or off balanced as she continued to advance.
He couldn't help but imagine their respective fathers learning under Happosai. The image of them fleeing from angry villagers was quickly replaced with that of just their fathers fighting their way out of a village – Mr. Tendo in the lead taking out any obstacles before them with determined focus and his father trailing behind evading their pursuers while taunting them into sloppiness.
It made sense and explained why their styles were so very different - two compatible styles that were dynamically and fundamentally opposite from each other.
"You should train in the Soul of Ice," he suggested as he danced around her kicks.
Akane scowled, "Fight me for real!" A powerful haymaker punctuated her request.
"You could also try learning the Breaking Point," he added opted to meet her fist with his finger. Stepping into her he jabbed his extended finger into her forearm.
Suddenly Akane collapsed her body shutting down as it was overwhelmed with a wave of pain.
Instinctively he caught her in his arms, allowing her to recover and preventing her from falling to the ground. After a minute she was able to stand on her own, pushing off of him and pulling away quickly.
"You've gotten better," he admitted.
"Yeah," she replied. "I don't have you to fight my fights for me now."
He could tell that she regretted it as soon as she realized what she'd said. The old him would have lashed back thoughtlessly. As it was, he found it hard to not respond with a witty quip. "I guess."
Again an awkward silence filled the air between them. Finally, "This is why we're not a good couple."
Akane took a step back as though struck.
"We're too much like our fathers," he explained. "Good, even great friends, but not a good couple."
His words seemed to sooth her, but the blow had been struck.
"I care about you," he admitted. "But I… I don't know that I would say it's the type of love that would lead to marriage."
"You've never been happy in Nerima," she said quickly, redirecting the conversation. "Not like you are here. I saw how you were laughing, honestly laughing, with your teammates. I don't know how good they are as fighters, but it looks like you trust them. With Ryoga and the others you just rely on them when you have to, but you don't trust them, right? It's the same for me with Shampoo and Ukyo."
Neither teen could look at each other, at best they could only look at each other's feet.
"Honestly, I don't think was happy while you were in Nerima either," she admitted. "The last term I realized that I enjoy the morning fights. When it first started again I was pissed as hell. Then I realized that I'd learned to control my temper better. If I'd hit them like I hit you most of those guys would have been hospitalized. After Ukyo and Shampoo stepped in I realized that the guys really weren't much of a challenge as they were, so I sought to improve my time against them, turning it into training and not just practice. Some of the guys even stated that they only challenged me because they needed a good, serious practice."
She was rambling, but she couldn't help it.
"I'm glad, that you're happy," he said, his gaze finally moving up from the ground.
"We can be friends though, right?" she asked, unsure of herself.
He smiled. "Yeah, sure, as long as we're not engaged."
She smiled back. "I'll talk to your mom on the way back to Nerima."
X
The mood around the Natsume estate was far from jubilant as the members of the Juken Club gathered to lick their wounds.
Even though she had expected a loss, Maya had not anticipated such a dramatic and total loss. It had been clear to everyone that after she'd lost her squad had lost.
"Was Masataka always that tough?" Nagi asked as he offered Aya another cold compress.
The brunette shook her head.
"I should have fought him," the blond insisted as he approached Maya.
The lilac haired girl shook her head. "As much as you might have improved he's still better. Don't you remember when he challenged you back at the start of the term?"
Nagi nodded. "Yeah, when I beat him."
"You beat him because he thought you wouldn't be able to land a punch on him," Maya corrected him. "But when you pissed him off it took Saotome to keep him from killing you outright."
Nagi blinked. He didn't recall their fight going that way.
"Masataka's usually pretty timid but when you push the right button he's like the hulk," she added.
"He turns green?" Bob joked.
Asshat glowered.
"Saotome's been able to push his limits further than I'd expected," the captain stated. "He caught me off guard this time. Next time he won't be so lucky."
"Next time?" Bob sat up straight.
The tiny senior nodded as he stood amid them, "This is just the group rounds. As long as we get three wins in this round we can advance to the next round. Teams will be seated according to their record in the group rounds. Just because we lost to them here doesn't mean that that's it. Should both teams get three wins there's a good chance that we'll meet them in the next round."
"So it's like the World Cup?" Bob asked.
Again the tiny figure nodded. "In the next round matches are usually more formal. Using the match ups from the group round fighters will be ranked based on their victories, losses, and how highly ranked their opponents were going into the tournament. For fighters not on a team the exhibition tournament will be held right after the group rounds and then take after school between the team fights.
"The official rankings come in after the Election Tournament is complete. The highest ranked fighters tend to be those who make it to the later rounds of the Election Tournament simply because they tend to be in the most fights.
"Having Masataka fight the divas keeps him from jumping too far up the rankings. Even though the three of you are first years, you each are stronger fighters, and will more likely attain a higher rank after the group round. Had Masataka beaten all three of you his rank would have increased significantly regardless of how he does the rest of the way in the group round.
"The fact that Ranma didn't fight any of you means that he could be listed behind Masataka when it comes to the next round, making it easier for them to win because of favorable matchups."
"I don't know that Ranma's thought that far ahead," Maya replied as she applied a compress to her forearm.
"You give him too little credit," Kurei countered. "He predicted how Nagi would react once he saw the matchups for the opening night, and he goaded you into the Last Captain Standing stipulation. I wouldn't underestimate Saotome if I were you. I bet that even Mitsuomi is concerned about Team Anything Goes. Why else would he put the two teams he fears the most together in the group round?"
Properly chided, Maya slunk back down in her seat. "So, what do we do now?"
"The hard part is over," the vice-captain stated. "We don't have to worry about Team Anything Goes until the next round at best. Our next opponent is Team Kickstarters."
X
Few things kept Happosai from pursuing his greatest pleasures. Angry martial artists failed to hinder him (the exception being Ranma Saotome) but the events of the current Election Tournament were of great interest to the ancient pervert. Watching the footage of the opening night he scanned the crowd for individuals on the List. As he'd feared many of those on the list were students at Toudou Academy. There was nothing he could do for them.
With the way that things stood currently he knew that he could do little to actually aid Ranma and his team. But if he was right, there were things that the youngsters needed to keep an eye on.
"I doubt that you'll make your debut anytime soon," he muttered to his lone companion. "But there is plenty for you to do behind the scenes."
The masked figure nodded in the shadows.
"I've found your father," Happosai stated. "If I'm right they've found out where Ranma and the others have been training. He'll be there, waiting for them to return."
X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Enjoy.
Dreamingfox
I'm not sure if any of the readers of this fic follow some of my other fics, but I'd like to think there are a few of you. Anyways, I'm sure that some of you have noticed that I've discontinued some of my other fics and even removed a few from here. I have to admit, I'm disappointed in myself for not being able to see some of those fics to the end, especially when I still have so many ideas for those fics. Unfortunately I just don't have the energy or motivation for those fics. Be glad that this fic has not suffered as the others have. Well, I know there are some who wish this fic had died, but I have some grand ideas for this fic.
Thanks to all who have read and mostly reviewed. Your encouragement, feedback, and criticism has helped me through these last two years.
Now, as to the last few chapters, I have to say I'm really proud of the last chapter. I'm sure you've heard of the phrase "Let my fists do the talking." Well, I wanted to take that idea and make it literal for Masataka. I know that Sasuke's mentioned something along those lines when he said that two fighters of equal level can understand each other, and a few other references in other manga/anime, but to make it an entire match/fight and not just a finishing blow or one set of traded punches took a bit to write.
Anyways, on with the story.
X
The gap between knowing and understanding can sometimes be unfathomable. In some cases it is merely a small step but more often than not it is a large divide. Such was the case for youngest Tendo daughter. For much of her life she had thought herself to be the best of her generation. Then Ranma Saotome had entered her life. Because of him she realized that she wasn't the best, but she'd maintained the belief that she was still one of the best. Despite all that she'd been through she honestly believed that she was in his league.
The recent attacks on the martial artists from Nerima over the summer suggested that perhaps they weren't as untouchable as they had once thought, but the fact that Akane had emerged unscathed had suggested to her that the mysterious attackers had perhaps thought her too much to handle. Yet watching the fighters from Toudou Academy in the opening bouts of the Election Tournament had opened her eyes.
Akane Tendo was good, and could even be said to be as good as some of the winners in the matches she'd witnessed, but there was such a gap between the best fighters of the day and everyone else.
She'd come to the tournament accompanying Nodoka Saotome, believing that Ranma in typical fashion would fight all challengers. Yet he hadn't. Yes, the last three challengers from the opposing club would not have posed much of a challenge to Ranma, but the first two girls were much more capable. Akane had to admit that she would have been hard pressed to defeat the first girl, and probably would have lost to her older sister, but the boy, Masataka Takayanagi was at least as good as Ranma was when he'd left Nerima.
Then she'd witnessed the brutally efficient fighters from F as they swiftly defeated the karate team. It was hard to say how good they really were as they ended their fights just as quickly as Masataka had finished the last three girls from the Juken Club, but each of them had the same air about them as Masataka had suggesting that they were at least on par with him.
Of the rest of the fights Akane could honestly say that none of them had impressed her. Yet the opening fights had done their damage.
She'd heard the students and observers around her talking, explaining why one member of Ranma's team had fought all five matches. It made sense, yet the Ranma she knew would have started for his team, thus ensuring a victory. Then she began to hear about Masataka's history with the first girl, Aya, and how Ranma had announced that Masataka would fight first for his team.
It really didn't make sense.
The nagging inconsistencies kept, well, nagging at her as she and Auntie Nodoka left the auditorium Akane found little that she could focus on other than why Ranma hadn't fought. Though he boasted that he didn't fight those weaker than him he always picked on Ryoga… or did he?
"I think this is where Ranma said he and his team was going to go afterwards for their victory party," Nodoka said as she led the pair towards a small café.
Akane barely paid Nodoka any attention as the pair sat in the slowly filling café. Gazing out the window she watched as several dozen Toudou Academy students made their way towards the eatery. She watched as a familiar figure made his way down the street.
The Ranma Saotome she had known was prone to walking on the fences or walls about the street yet here he was walking amidst several figures. There was something else different about her fiancée though, an air that he never had while in Nerima.
It dawned on her then and there – Ranma Saotome was having fun.
Though he was prone to slacking off with several boys in their class there was no one at Furinkan High that he really got along with or could depend on. Yes, he sometimes worked with Kuno and the other rivals, but he didn't hang out with them. But here he was laughing with (not at) the members of his team and their companions.
'He's actually having fun,' she realized. 'Even if these other fighters aren't up to par with him he's treating them as equals and is having fun with them.'
This was a side to him that she'd never seen.
She continued to watch as he critiqued Masataka's technique, throwing a punch to help the group recall the precise moment he was talking about or watching as Masataka threw a punch to prove his point.
'He's actually teaching him and he's not making fun of them.'
The closer he came the more she could make out. The open, honest smile on his face; the sincere laughter; all were signs of a comradely that he never had with anyone in Nerima.
A sudden weight in her breast and stomach made her feel suddenly uncomfortable. "I… I have to go."
X
A jubilant mood surrounded Team Anything Goes. Though they had been favored to win their match-up with the Juken Club no one except Ranma had predicted that they would have swept the other team. Most had expected that the captains would be the ones to settle things. Masataka and Aya were supposed to be the sacrificial lambs of their teams, a few thinking that the younger Takayanagi would not be able to best the younger Natsume.
"That overhand was really devastating," Ranma stated as he threw the exact punch. "And that combo you pulled off… impressive."
Never one to be showered with praise, especially from Ranma, Masataka could only smile meekly as he walked beside his captain.
"And to show you how proud I am of all of you, dinners on me."
The others looked at him skeptically.
"What? I'm proud of you! And I'll cover you guys this one time."
"Shouldn't you say that you'll pay for dinner each time we win so that we're motivated to win?" Koji joked.
"Actually, I was gonna say that anyone who loses is going to treat next time. If we sweep then I'll treat again." His announcement silenced the others as each had seen how much Ranma was capable of eating.
"Fine," Masataka said with a firm nod.
"Okay," the others agreed quickly.
All around them other Toudou students walked, some basking in their own victories (betting) though most were enjoying the jubilant atmosphere around Team Anything Goes. Even without Koji and Masataka, Ranma knew that many of those around them had placed their faith in Ranma and his team. For two years Toudou Academy had been held under Mitsuomi's iron rule as the elder Takayanagi hoped to prevent open fighting by using overwhelming force. Those few who had tried to stand up to Mitsuomi had initially rallied behind Maya yet for two years she had done nothing, prompting some of them throw their lot in with Ranma. Many also believed that even if Maya did win there was little she could do as a graduating senior now that Masataka was no longer on her team. Still, Ranma was an unknown and his ties to the current Executive Council were still undefined making it hard for those from established families and schools to support his team.
Ranma didn't care about politics and he could care less about the support from the other martial artists. If it came down to politics he knew he could rely on Masataka and Koji. In truth he hadn't even considered that winning the tournament would mean that he and the others would become the new heads of the student council. The only thing that had mattered when he'd formed this team was that he get a good fight with Mitsuomi and maybe Maya. He knew that Happosai had hopes for his team, but what exactly it had to do with Souchiro's father mattered little to Ranma.
Catching sight of a figure leaving the Sakura Café Ranma knew that he had some unfinished business to deal with. "You guys go ahead."
Both Masataka and Koji spotted the fleeing figure.
"Are you sure?" Masataka asked.
"We let you take care of your business with Aya," Ranma answered.
The larger boy nodded, wrapping his arm around Masataka before dragging him towards the café.
Few of those around them noticed Ranma disappear.
Even with her head start it only took Ranma a block to catch up and another block to make sure that no unwanted eyes or ears were intruding.
"Hey Akane," he greeted as he appeared on a fences just ahead of her. "What brings you here?"
Startled by his sudden appearance she instinctively assumed a fighter's stance. "Ranma, I, um… I thought you were busy celebrating."
"You saw the fights," he stated rather than asked.
"Your mother wanted to watch you fight."
Unsure what to say he simply nodded.
"Ranma," Akane finally said, breaking the awkward silence, "fight me."
Sliding into her family's stance, Ranma sighed. "Fine."
In a flash Akane was on him, throwing several straight punches as she advanced before unleashing a pair of mid kicks.
He couldn't help but think back to their first and only sparring session. Back then he'd thought that her form was sloppy because she left herself open to his counters had he opted to counter. Even after seeing her fight a few times he'd stuck with that assessment and allowed it to cloud his belief that she was just that far behind him. Actually, it had been his trip back to Nerima over Golden Week that had changed his opinion of her. In his absence it had not taken long for the Hentai Horde to resume their morning challenges, providing Akane with ample opportunity to practice the Musabetsu Kakuto Tendo Ryu.
Watching her fight now he noticed that while she left herself open to a counter attack it was not because she was sloppy it was because she was completely committed to her attack. Unlike Ryoga and Kuno who could rely on either their strength/durability or weapon to cover for their openings, Akane was never overextended or off balanced as she continued to advance.
He couldn't help but imagine their respective fathers learning under Happosai. The image of them fleeing from angry villagers was quickly replaced with that of just their fathers fighting their way out of a village – Mr. Tendo in the lead taking out any obstacles before them with determined focus and his father trailing behind evading their pursuers while taunting them into sloppiness.
It made sense and explained why their styles were so very different - two compatible styles that were dynamically and fundamentally opposite from each other.
"You should train in the Soul of Ice," he suggested as he danced around her kicks.
Akane scowled, "Fight me for real!" A powerful haymaker punctuated her request.
"You could also try learning the Breaking Point," he added opted to meet her fist with his finger. Stepping into her he jabbed his extended finger into her forearm.
Suddenly Akane collapsed her body shutting down as it was overwhelmed with a wave of pain.
Instinctively he caught her in his arms, allowing her to recover and preventing her from falling to the ground. After a minute she was able to stand on her own, pushing off of him and pulling away quickly.
"You've gotten better," he admitted.
"Yeah," she replied. "I don't have you to fight my fights for me now."
He could tell that she regretted it as soon as she realized what she'd said. The old him would have lashed back thoughtlessly. As it was, he found it hard to not respond with a witty quip. "I guess."
Again an awkward silence filled the air between them. Finally, "This is why we're not a good couple."
Akane took a step back as though struck.
"We're too much like our fathers," he explained. "Good, even great friends, but not a good couple."
His words seemed to sooth her, but the blow had been struck.
"I care about you," he admitted. "But I… I don't know that I would say it's the type of love that would lead to marriage."
"You've never been happy in Nerima," she said quickly, redirecting the conversation. "Not like you are here. I saw how you were laughing, honestly laughing, with your teammates. I don't know how good they are as fighters, but it looks like you trust them. With Ryoga and the others you just rely on them when you have to, but you don't trust them, right? It's the same for me with Shampoo and Ukyo."
Neither teen could look at each other, at best they could only look at each other's feet.
"Honestly, I don't think was happy while you were in Nerima either," she admitted. "The last term I realized that I enjoy the morning fights. When it first started again I was pissed as hell. Then I realized that I'd learned to control my temper better. If I'd hit them like I hit you most of those guys would have been hospitalized. After Ukyo and Shampoo stepped in I realized that the guys really weren't much of a challenge as they were, so I sought to improve my time against them, turning it into training and not just practice. Some of the guys even stated that they only challenged me because they needed a good, serious practice."
She was rambling, but she couldn't help it.
"I'm glad, that you're happy," he said, his gaze finally moving up from the ground.
"We can be friends though, right?" she asked, unsure of herself.
He smiled. "Yeah, sure, as long as we're not engaged."
She smiled back. "I'll talk to your mom on the way back to Nerima."
X
The mood around the Natsume estate was far from jubilant as the members of the Juken Club gathered to lick their wounds.
Even though she had expected a loss, Maya had not anticipated such a dramatic and total loss. It had been clear to everyone that after she'd lost her squad had lost.
"Was Masataka always that tough?" Nagi asked as he offered Aya another cold compress.
The brunette shook her head.
"I should have fought him," the blond insisted as he approached Maya.
The lilac haired girl shook her head. "As much as you might have improved he's still better. Don't you remember when he challenged you back at the start of the term?"
Nagi nodded. "Yeah, when I beat him."
"You beat him because he thought you wouldn't be able to land a punch on him," Maya corrected him. "But when you pissed him off it took Saotome to keep him from killing you outright."
Nagi blinked. He didn't recall their fight going that way.
"Masataka's usually pretty timid but when you push the right button he's like the hulk," she added.
"He turns green?" Bob joked.
Asshat glowered.
"Saotome's been able to push his limits further than I'd expected," the captain stated. "He caught me off guard this time. Next time he won't be so lucky."
"Next time?" Bob sat up straight.
The tiny senior nodded as he stood amid them, "This is just the group rounds. As long as we get three wins in this round we can advance to the next round. Teams will be seated according to their record in the group rounds. Just because we lost to them here doesn't mean that that's it. Should both teams get three wins there's a good chance that we'll meet them in the next round."
"So it's like the World Cup?" Bob asked.
Again the tiny figure nodded. "In the next round matches are usually more formal. Using the match ups from the group round fighters will be ranked based on their victories, losses, and how highly ranked their opponents were going into the tournament. For fighters not on a team the exhibition tournament will be held right after the group rounds and then take after school between the team fights.
"The official rankings come in after the Election Tournament is complete. The highest ranked fighters tend to be those who make it to the later rounds of the Election Tournament simply because they tend to be in the most fights.
"Having Masataka fight the divas keeps him from jumping too far up the rankings. Even though the three of you are first years, you each are stronger fighters, and will more likely attain a higher rank after the group round. Had Masataka beaten all three of you his rank would have increased significantly regardless of how he does the rest of the way in the group round.
"The fact that Ranma didn't fight any of you means that he could be listed behind Masataka when it comes to the next round, making it easier for them to win because of favorable matchups."
"I don't know that Ranma's thought that far ahead," Maya replied as she applied a compress to her forearm.
"You give him too little credit," Kurei countered. "He predicted how Nagi would react once he saw the matchups for the opening night, and he goaded you into the Last Captain Standing stipulation. I wouldn't underestimate Saotome if I were you. I bet that even Mitsuomi is concerned about Team Anything Goes. Why else would he put the two teams he fears the most together in the group round?"
Properly chided, Maya slunk back down in her seat. "So, what do we do now?"
"The hard part is over," the vice-captain stated. "We don't have to worry about Team Anything Goes until the next round at best. Our next opponent is Team Kickstarters."
X
Few things kept Happosai from pursuing his greatest pleasures. Angry martial artists failed to hinder him (the exception being Ranma Saotome) but the events of the current Election Tournament were of great interest to the ancient pervert. Watching the footage of the opening night he scanned the crowd for individuals on the List. As he'd feared many of those on the list were students at Toudou Academy. There was nothing he could do for them.
With the way that things stood currently he knew that he could do little to actually aid Ranma and his team. But if he was right, there were things that the youngsters needed to keep an eye on.
"I doubt that you'll make your debut anytime soon," he muttered to his lone companion. "But there is plenty for you to do behind the scenes."
The masked figure nodded in the shadows.
"I've found your father," Happosai stated. "If I'm right they've found out where Ranma and the others have been training. He'll be there, waiting for them to return."
X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Enjoy.
Dreamingfox
As a FYI... I currently track 3 of your stories, though one is finished (The Ranma/Negima one with him a ghost at end) so it is not like I expect updates to it. Sadly I do not care about the sequel, so am not bothering to read it.
Leaving 2.
This one is one, the other is your Ranma/FMP/LH/Negima multicross with him jumping between the two worlds. While the last few chapters were a bit more confusing than I'd like, it kept my interest... been hoping for an update to that one...
Leaving 2.
This one is one, the other is your Ranma/FMP/LH/Negima multicross with him jumping between the two worlds. While the last few chapters were a bit more confusing than I'd like, it kept my interest... been hoping for an update to that one...
Stygian darkness filled the hidden training hall giving the false impression of the supposedly abandoned warehouse being vacant.
"You've confirmed that the target entered the premises?" The speaker wore a custom fitted western business suit the revealed his lean and muscular build. The other men around the street were similarly adorned, each with their own black suit and sunglasses making them nearly indistinguishable.
One such figure nodded in response, "Yes, sir. We believe that he knew we were watching him, so he made attempts to conceal himself, but my men followed him here. Who else could it be but the target?"
Logic dictated that it was the mysterious Ranma Saotome inside of the warehouse. Yet even with logic supposedly on his side he couldn't help but think that something was wrong. Still, there was no reason why he shouldn't execute the orders given to him. "Let the old man go."
X
"You sure about this?" Ranma asked his near-sighted companion.
A simple, determined nod was all the answer Mousse needed to give his former rival before Ranma slipped out of sight. Though the elder Saotome's technique allowed Ranma to appear as though he had vanished the male Amazon knew better. The technique simply masked Ranma's presence to the human senses, not that it mattered to the near-sighted Mousse. No, Ranma would hide, but his role here tonight was just to lure the prey into the trap, something that he had done masterfully.
Getting him to promise that he wouldn't interfere in the impending fight had been surprisingly easy. The usually brash and arrogant martial artist was the best in Nerima and perhaps of their generation, thus it was easy for him to overlook how accomplished everyone else was. Though Mousse was no Akane Tendo, it was clear to most that Ranma was leaps and bounds beyond the Amazon's grasp. Even with the stakes so high, Mousse had insisted that no one interfere with this fight. It had been hard for Ranma to accept, even harder for him to stow his pride, but he had relented.
It was unusual for Ranma to walk away from a fight, though here he was doing just that even after allowing his second to carry their team through the first bout of the Election Tournament.
'You've matured, Saotome,' the myopic youth thought as he steeled himself for his fight.
The sound of sharpened steel shredding aluminum was a sufficient reminder of the issue at hand. He waited for the heavily robed figure to make his way through the now tattered makeshift entrance before announcing himself with a barrage of throwing knives.
Neither said a word before closing – Mousse leaping off of an I-beam and the robed man off the ground. Steel clashed with steel sending sparks into the air as they engaged in an aerial exchange.
He did not need to see or even sense the other man's attacks to avoid them, his muscles having already accustomed to this familiar dance even though it had been half a decade since he had last fought anyone who used three wrist mounted double edged claws. The design of the weapon forced the user to rely on slashes and swipes and eliminated thrusts and stabbing while leaving the hands free to grapple in close.
Swords in hand, Mousse parried the attacks before countering with his own thrusting stab that forced his opponent to retreat. Unrelenting, he chased the older martial artist while also being mindful of his opponent's footwork.
Again their blades clashed, sending more sparks into the air. Arches of numbing electrical energy surged through his swords and into his hands and forearms. Instinctively he dropped the blades as he retreated. Shaking his hands to relieve the numbness he extracted a weighted chain. Kicking the weight even as he managed to dodge a strike he caught his opponent's left leg in the chain. Pulling hard he disrupted the man's footwork and thus his ability to properly access his lightning attacks.
His face hidden by the deep hood, the other martial artist slashed at the chain, running lightning through the blades as he sliced through the chains.
Quickly switching to a Quandao he resumed his attack. Enforcing his weapon with ki he closed again. The fire hardened wood protected him from the electric attack while the length of the weapon provided him with power and range, minimizing the effectiveness of the fragile claws. While intimidating, they were only good for offense. Twirling the weapon he forced his opponent to block. The power behind the strike shattered the thin blades, forcing the taller fighter to retreat as he discarded his weapon and sought a replacement weapon.
Metal tonfas with spikes at the end spun menacingly by the other fighter dared Mousse to close again.
From his hidden vantage Ranma watched the slowly intensifying fight. His mother's gift had slowly opened the world to him revealing more than he believed possible. He could see the fighters' battle auras as well as the strength and depth of their ki reserves. Each fighter was enveloped by a flaming aura of varying brightness, the brighter they were the higher their potential strength. The color of their flame indicated either their mood or elemental affinity – Ranma wasn't sure yet as he had yet to see anyone employ their elemental ki, but colors like yellow and dark green weren't covered on his emotional color scheme.
Even without employing elemental ki Mousse was clearly winning the fight as he negated his opponent's attacks with weapons that didn't conduct electricity or attacked the older fighter's feet keeping him from employing the necessary footwork needed to tap into his electric powers. Ranma knew from firsthand experience that the nearsighted fighter could be relentless and ruthless but he had been unprepared to see Mousse fighting so brutally as he targeted the man's shins and knees, eventually breaking the man's leg.
Defeated, the older martial artist pulled back his hood, revealing a cloth that still hid his face. Emitting strange clicks he appeared to be looking at the masked boy.
To anyone else the clicks would have been indiscernible, but to the myopic fighter it was Morse code. "Hello father."
"Mao Xu," his father returned. "Why are you here?"
"To put you to rest." A swift strike decapitated the defeated fighter. Yet Mousse was respectful of his fallen father's body, catching the slumping body and gently setting it down even as he caught his head. No fluid flowed from the deceased despite the nature of the injury.
"You alright?" Ranma asked as he landed beside his former rival.
Mousse simply nodded, setting his father's head beside his corpse.
"You're not curious?" the tactless fighter asked.
"I don't need to see his face to know what he's become," the other boy sighed.
Glancing down Ranma shrugged. He'd have been curious. Still, he respected his friend's decision even if he didn't agree with it. "You're sure that no one is going to make the connection?"
Mousse shook his head. "Amazons trace their family lineage through the mother, not the father. My parents were never married, so I doubt that anyone would make the connection between us."
The pair stood in silence, neither sure what else needed to be said. Finally, "We stick to the plan then."
The male Amazon nodded in agreement. "Good luck in the second bout."
X
Monday's bouts proved to be less entertaining to Ranma. The three weekday matches consisted of two brackets or groups, whereas the Saturday bout showcased all six pods. Having watched all of the fights on Saturday Ranma had a good idea of the relative strengths of each team and of those who had competed over the weekend. His latent ability did little for him as his perceptive and experienced eyes had already picked out the best fighters. Unfortunately the best fighters were all in his pod/grouping. Only the fighters on the Executive Council interested him, though he had yet to see any of them in action.
The Judo All-stars failed to perk Ranma's interest prompting him to put the three masked members of his team up against the five All-stars. Ranma's instincts had proven correct as the two smaller masked fighters managed to defeat two apiece before allowing Saga-Mask to complete the sweep for Team Anything Goes. After two matches they were undefeated while the All-stars were 1-1.
Only one member of F appeared for their team, swiftly defeating the Kickstarters, putting them at 2-0 as well while the other team was 0-2. The Juken Club also managed a clean sweep as all five of their stars participated in a one-sided dismantling of the Karate Masters. Now 1-1, Nagi and Bob walked with a little more swagger.
Group B's matches were more competitive, though the level of the fighters was much more balanced than Group A's, there were several upsets as fighters with what Ranma thought were higher power levels were bested by more experienced and patient fighters. The fact that several matches were between teams with history added to their crowd appeal as the official fights allowed members of their respective teams to settle things on the matt.
True to his word, Ranma treated his teammates to their well-deserved dinner. As the others enjoyed their sushi or sashimi, the team captain couldn't help but steal glances at the crowd about them, spotting several figures that paid a bit too much attention to his teammates as the merriment continued off of campus. Several well-dressed and groomed men and women stood in the distance, keeping tabs on the five of them and making note of everyone they talked with. It was only while they were at school that the suited men and women did not tail them, though Ranma was sure that they were looking into any possible injuries or weaknesses the individuals on his team might have as well as any possible hint as to whom their reserve fighters might be.
Finding the time or a place to practice became much more difficult as the weekday matches on Tuesday and Wednesday drew much of the school's resources, added to the official policy that no team be allowed to use the school facilities during the tournament forced each team and the handful of individuals fighting to find facilities off of campus. With the suited men following his team though Ranma knew that they could not practice together though they could train in smaller groups of two or three.
Still, practice, or the lack thereof, was the least of Ranma's concerns.
X
The results of the night's bouts and matches were of little interest to Mitsuomi Takayanagi. Like his contemporaries on Team Anything Goes and the Juken Club, the current Student Council President had gauged the abilities of the fighters fairly accurately. Slipping away during the final Group B matches he headed up to his office to oversee the individual match ups for Friday. The system itself was automated as the computer had already scheduled the third round of the round robin groupings. The hard part would be after the round robins were over and the brackets needed to be set.
Experience told him that his office wasn't empty. "Noriko," he said as he passed the threshold.
"Mitsuomi," the ageless woman replied from the shadows.
Both waited for the gentle click of the lock indicating that the soundproof door was completely closed before saying anything else.
"I'm surprised that you didn't bring others with you." Not even bothering to look at her as she stepped out of the shadows he took his seat.
"I'm not here for you."
Casually he turned on his monitor, watching as the night's results were posted on the school's website. "Then what are you here for – Saotome?"
"He is an enigma," she remarked as she seated herself in the couch. "I wonder how his team will do without him."
His eyes finally set on the raven haired woman, "You think Saotome will be that easy to take care of?" Waiting for her answer he shook his head before returning his attention to the monitor. "Did he not defeat that bag of bones your master keeps around?"
Her displeasure was obvious. There really shouldn't have been any way for him to know what had transpired. "He told you – why?"
"Have your men seen him talking to me?"
Again she paused.
"I wonder what it is that he has on your master that would prompt him to send the zombie," he added. "Or is it the fact that your master does not believe he can control him that makes him nervous?"
"The boy is but a brute," she snapped viciously. "He'll learn his role soon enough."
The white haired youth chuckled.
"You doubt us?"
He continued to chuckle, not even bothering to turn his attention back to her as Group A's results were finally posted. "You've never fought, so you wouldn't understand," he finally said as he contained his laughter. "Whatever powers you throw at him will mean all the fewer meals for your master."
He could feel her malice as he pointed out the apparent flaw in their plan. Saotome was an unknown despite their best efforts at testing him. "Team Anything Goes will face F this Saturday," she stated coolly. "We'll see if there's anything left of them after this weekend's match."
Mitsuomi eyed the schedule. Even he could not change the groupings once they had come out. Team Anything Goes vs F was just as inevitable as their match against the Juken Club. "We'll see."
X
It was a rare atmosphere about Toudou Academy as the student body focused on the first bouts and matches of the round robin. Individual matches seemed to draw most of the attention though some focused on the pending bouts as the gathered martial artists waited for their chances to settle their differences. Long standing rivalries between different schools or dojos as well as individual rivalries were highlighted as the students considered the results of the initial matches. Those in the know though focused on another significant matchup in Group A – Team Anything Goes vs F.
Despite the seemingly carefree air of the campus Ranma could not help but sense a hidden hostility and tension directed at himself and his team. Something beneath the surface of the school and perhaps in Japan's martial arts culture viewed the team as a threat.
Ranma knew the truth, though the illusion was that he as the heir to an upstart school of martial arts and his team of "Professional Wrestlers" did not belong with the illustrious and accomplished martial artists that hailed from historic schools or styles. Yes, the three masked fighters had long been considered outsiders, viewed with even more contempt then he was for at least he was a traditional martial artist and not someone presenting a farce as reality.
Their shortsightedness was in overlooking the second part of "martial arts". Every martial art told the story of the combatants, but pro-wrestling told a simplified story to those who watched the fight. While it was not Ranma's preferred medium, he still respected their art even though others looked down on it.
The true source of the hostility towards his team was not a result of the style employed by the fighters but by the fact that they as a team were a threat to the system. The unseen and faceless administrators, alumni, founders and funders were the true threat. While they might not be able to attack the team openly on campus, they could make things difficult when they were away from school.
Team practices had been put on hold as they sought to find a new place to meet, a task made all the more difficult as the warehouse they had been using had been purchased by some business and no one else was willing to rent to them. Practicing in a park was out of the question for too many reasons.
With his daily routine disrupted Ranma was at least thankful for the rare treat of having dinner with the Takayanagi family. They were a prime example of what could happen if the shadow forces behind Toudou Academy ever felt that someone was on the wrong side of things. Unfortunately the wrong side meant whatever side that they weren't on. Fortunately for Ranma there was little that he could lose. As an established outsider there was nothing they could take from him save his life.
"Do not underestimate them," the elder Takayanagi stated as he set down his tea. "It might be best if you forfeited the match."
Ranma blinked, the food on his chopstick frozen before him as he absorbed the old man's words.
"What?!"
Masataka's outburst brought Ranma back to his senses. Eating the bit of tuna he chewed it then swallowed purposely before speaking. "I never back down from a fight."
"Then you might die."
He wanted to say that he wasn't afraid, but the truth was he wasn't sure if he actually was or wasn't. "I won't back down."
"Neither will they." Dugan locked eyes with Ranma.
"If you don't want me to die then you need to tell me what you know about them," Ranma said as he picked up another piece of tuna. "Not that I can't kick their asses the way I am now."
Masataka found himself in an odd situation. Normally he would have sided with his father, but he knew that he couldn't leave Ranma hanging just as he had left Maya.
"I'll order the team to stay away on Saturday," Ranma added as he finished another bite of food. "I'll take on F by myself."
Both Takayanagi men blinked at his audacious statement.
Finally Dugan smirked. "I know very little of them actually, only that most of them are far older than they appear."
"Old, I've fought old," the pigtailed fighter remarked offhandedly.
"They are Sohaku's personal guard," the elder Takayanagi added. "Most were enrolled once Mitsuomi took control of the school. Each is the head or the acting head of one of the feathers. If they want to get rid of you they'll get to you before Saturday."
"So I have to go looking for them before they come for me?"
Masataka eyed his captain and friend, unsure of the depths of Ranma's folly. "You're not serious?"
"You have no idea how many guys came looking for me in Nerima. You remember that fight with Ryoga I had?"
The other boy nodded.
"Things like that happened daily back in Nerima. What's the worst these F guys can do?"
"It seems like you'll get your chance," the smaller Takayanagi said with a sigh. "It appears that two of them are outside."
Setting his chopsticks down Ranma offered a polite bow. "I guess I'm going to have to cut dinner short. Stay with your old man," he added as he got up.
Both Takayanagi men watched him depart calmly, neither noting the absence of their meal on the now desolate table until he had gone.
"This is why I didn't want him over for dinner," Masataka sighed as he began stacking the dishes.
Dugan blinked, "I only saw him take a few bites."
"I'll finish these when I come back," the younger Takayanagi stated as he dismissed himself.
Opting to follow Ranma's lead he hopped over the railing. The feel of the evening air rushing past him as he gracefully descended the four flights added to the exhilaration. 'No wonder Ranma loves roof-hopping.'
Unlike his captain, Masataka's landing left a slight crater in the soft soil. Still, it would have been impressive had Ranma not done the same thing without even bending a blade of grass.
"There is no need to rush," the groomed man stated as he tightened his tie. "We're not here to fight."
"Of course you're not," Ranma agreed, "but that doesn't mean that we're inclined to listen to anything you say."
The blond youth smiled beside his companion. "Why don't we take this conversation somewhere more discreet? Say the Peninsula? I hear that they serve some of the best ramen in the district."
"We'll pay," the dark man added.
Takayanagi opened his mouth to object. They had just had dinner, though only Ranma had eaten.
"Works for me," Ranma replied. "Just don't expect us to say much."
"Of course," the blonde's false smile suggested that he'd heard of Ranma's ravenous appetite and was not looking forward to footing the bill.
"Is that a Thunderace?" Ranma remarked as he drew Takayanagi's attention to the squad of enforcers that accompanied the two fighters.
The older fighter eyed his subordinate. "Yes, it is."
"Mind if I take it for a ride?"
The three fighters eyed Ranma. "I suppose that would be acceptable." Nodding at the rider, he indicated for the rider to find some other means of transportation for now.
"Sweet," Ranma grinned before glancing at Masataka. "Wanna race?"
It took the brunette a second to consider as he eyed the other bikes. He knew nothing of them, and the fact that Ranma had some knowledge of them had caught him off guard, but he couldn't resist taking up his captain's challenge. "Sure, I'll ride that one" he pointed to the closest bike.
The well-dressed man nodded, glanced at the bike's owner, and then walked towards the black sedan.
"I think I'll join you," the blond smirked, his interest in Ranma and Masataka perked.
"Losers take two shots," Ranma stated as he hopped on the bike he claimed.
"You've ridden one of these before?" Masataka asked curiously.
"Never," Saotome replied. "But they look like fun."
The blonde's smile grew. "And you?"
"Never had time for them," Masataka replied as he straddled his claimed ride. "Anything goes?"
Ranma smirked, "Anything goes."
X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Next Chapter – Team Anything Goes vs F
Dreamingfox
"You've confirmed that the target entered the premises?" The speaker wore a custom fitted western business suit the revealed his lean and muscular build. The other men around the street were similarly adorned, each with their own black suit and sunglasses making them nearly indistinguishable.
One such figure nodded in response, "Yes, sir. We believe that he knew we were watching him, so he made attempts to conceal himself, but my men followed him here. Who else could it be but the target?"
Logic dictated that it was the mysterious Ranma Saotome inside of the warehouse. Yet even with logic supposedly on his side he couldn't help but think that something was wrong. Still, there was no reason why he shouldn't execute the orders given to him. "Let the old man go."
X
"You sure about this?" Ranma asked his near-sighted companion.
A simple, determined nod was all the answer Mousse needed to give his former rival before Ranma slipped out of sight. Though the elder Saotome's technique allowed Ranma to appear as though he had vanished the male Amazon knew better. The technique simply masked Ranma's presence to the human senses, not that it mattered to the near-sighted Mousse. No, Ranma would hide, but his role here tonight was just to lure the prey into the trap, something that he had done masterfully.
Getting him to promise that he wouldn't interfere in the impending fight had been surprisingly easy. The usually brash and arrogant martial artist was the best in Nerima and perhaps of their generation, thus it was easy for him to overlook how accomplished everyone else was. Though Mousse was no Akane Tendo, it was clear to most that Ranma was leaps and bounds beyond the Amazon's grasp. Even with the stakes so high, Mousse had insisted that no one interfere with this fight. It had been hard for Ranma to accept, even harder for him to stow his pride, but he had relented.
It was unusual for Ranma to walk away from a fight, though here he was doing just that even after allowing his second to carry their team through the first bout of the Election Tournament.
'You've matured, Saotome,' the myopic youth thought as he steeled himself for his fight.
The sound of sharpened steel shredding aluminum was a sufficient reminder of the issue at hand. He waited for the heavily robed figure to make his way through the now tattered makeshift entrance before announcing himself with a barrage of throwing knives.
Neither said a word before closing – Mousse leaping off of an I-beam and the robed man off the ground. Steel clashed with steel sending sparks into the air as they engaged in an aerial exchange.
He did not need to see or even sense the other man's attacks to avoid them, his muscles having already accustomed to this familiar dance even though it had been half a decade since he had last fought anyone who used three wrist mounted double edged claws. The design of the weapon forced the user to rely on slashes and swipes and eliminated thrusts and stabbing while leaving the hands free to grapple in close.
Swords in hand, Mousse parried the attacks before countering with his own thrusting stab that forced his opponent to retreat. Unrelenting, he chased the older martial artist while also being mindful of his opponent's footwork.
Again their blades clashed, sending more sparks into the air. Arches of numbing electrical energy surged through his swords and into his hands and forearms. Instinctively he dropped the blades as he retreated. Shaking his hands to relieve the numbness he extracted a weighted chain. Kicking the weight even as he managed to dodge a strike he caught his opponent's left leg in the chain. Pulling hard he disrupted the man's footwork and thus his ability to properly access his lightning attacks.
His face hidden by the deep hood, the other martial artist slashed at the chain, running lightning through the blades as he sliced through the chains.
Quickly switching to a Quandao he resumed his attack. Enforcing his weapon with ki he closed again. The fire hardened wood protected him from the electric attack while the length of the weapon provided him with power and range, minimizing the effectiveness of the fragile claws. While intimidating, they were only good for offense. Twirling the weapon he forced his opponent to block. The power behind the strike shattered the thin blades, forcing the taller fighter to retreat as he discarded his weapon and sought a replacement weapon.
Metal tonfas with spikes at the end spun menacingly by the other fighter dared Mousse to close again.
From his hidden vantage Ranma watched the slowly intensifying fight. His mother's gift had slowly opened the world to him revealing more than he believed possible. He could see the fighters' battle auras as well as the strength and depth of their ki reserves. Each fighter was enveloped by a flaming aura of varying brightness, the brighter they were the higher their potential strength. The color of their flame indicated either their mood or elemental affinity – Ranma wasn't sure yet as he had yet to see anyone employ their elemental ki, but colors like yellow and dark green weren't covered on his emotional color scheme.
Even without employing elemental ki Mousse was clearly winning the fight as he negated his opponent's attacks with weapons that didn't conduct electricity or attacked the older fighter's feet keeping him from employing the necessary footwork needed to tap into his electric powers. Ranma knew from firsthand experience that the nearsighted fighter could be relentless and ruthless but he had been unprepared to see Mousse fighting so brutally as he targeted the man's shins and knees, eventually breaking the man's leg.
Defeated, the older martial artist pulled back his hood, revealing a cloth that still hid his face. Emitting strange clicks he appeared to be looking at the masked boy.
To anyone else the clicks would have been indiscernible, but to the myopic fighter it was Morse code. "Hello father."
"Mao Xu," his father returned. "Why are you here?"
"To put you to rest." A swift strike decapitated the defeated fighter. Yet Mousse was respectful of his fallen father's body, catching the slumping body and gently setting it down even as he caught his head. No fluid flowed from the deceased despite the nature of the injury.
"You alright?" Ranma asked as he landed beside his former rival.
Mousse simply nodded, setting his father's head beside his corpse.
"You're not curious?" the tactless fighter asked.
"I don't need to see his face to know what he's become," the other boy sighed.
Glancing down Ranma shrugged. He'd have been curious. Still, he respected his friend's decision even if he didn't agree with it. "You're sure that no one is going to make the connection?"
Mousse shook his head. "Amazons trace their family lineage through the mother, not the father. My parents were never married, so I doubt that anyone would make the connection between us."
The pair stood in silence, neither sure what else needed to be said. Finally, "We stick to the plan then."
The male Amazon nodded in agreement. "Good luck in the second bout."
X
Monday's bouts proved to be less entertaining to Ranma. The three weekday matches consisted of two brackets or groups, whereas the Saturday bout showcased all six pods. Having watched all of the fights on Saturday Ranma had a good idea of the relative strengths of each team and of those who had competed over the weekend. His latent ability did little for him as his perceptive and experienced eyes had already picked out the best fighters. Unfortunately the best fighters were all in his pod/grouping. Only the fighters on the Executive Council interested him, though he had yet to see any of them in action.
The Judo All-stars failed to perk Ranma's interest prompting him to put the three masked members of his team up against the five All-stars. Ranma's instincts had proven correct as the two smaller masked fighters managed to defeat two apiece before allowing Saga-Mask to complete the sweep for Team Anything Goes. After two matches they were undefeated while the All-stars were 1-1.
Only one member of F appeared for their team, swiftly defeating the Kickstarters, putting them at 2-0 as well while the other team was 0-2. The Juken Club also managed a clean sweep as all five of their stars participated in a one-sided dismantling of the Karate Masters. Now 1-1, Nagi and Bob walked with a little more swagger.
Group B's matches were more competitive, though the level of the fighters was much more balanced than Group A's, there were several upsets as fighters with what Ranma thought were higher power levels were bested by more experienced and patient fighters. The fact that several matches were between teams with history added to their crowd appeal as the official fights allowed members of their respective teams to settle things on the matt.
True to his word, Ranma treated his teammates to their well-deserved dinner. As the others enjoyed their sushi or sashimi, the team captain couldn't help but steal glances at the crowd about them, spotting several figures that paid a bit too much attention to his teammates as the merriment continued off of campus. Several well-dressed and groomed men and women stood in the distance, keeping tabs on the five of them and making note of everyone they talked with. It was only while they were at school that the suited men and women did not tail them, though Ranma was sure that they were looking into any possible injuries or weaknesses the individuals on his team might have as well as any possible hint as to whom their reserve fighters might be.
Finding the time or a place to practice became much more difficult as the weekday matches on Tuesday and Wednesday drew much of the school's resources, added to the official policy that no team be allowed to use the school facilities during the tournament forced each team and the handful of individuals fighting to find facilities off of campus. With the suited men following his team though Ranma knew that they could not practice together though they could train in smaller groups of two or three.
Still, practice, or the lack thereof, was the least of Ranma's concerns.
X
The results of the night's bouts and matches were of little interest to Mitsuomi Takayanagi. Like his contemporaries on Team Anything Goes and the Juken Club, the current Student Council President had gauged the abilities of the fighters fairly accurately. Slipping away during the final Group B matches he headed up to his office to oversee the individual match ups for Friday. The system itself was automated as the computer had already scheduled the third round of the round robin groupings. The hard part would be after the round robins were over and the brackets needed to be set.
Experience told him that his office wasn't empty. "Noriko," he said as he passed the threshold.
"Mitsuomi," the ageless woman replied from the shadows.
Both waited for the gentle click of the lock indicating that the soundproof door was completely closed before saying anything else.
"I'm surprised that you didn't bring others with you." Not even bothering to look at her as she stepped out of the shadows he took his seat.
"I'm not here for you."
Casually he turned on his monitor, watching as the night's results were posted on the school's website. "Then what are you here for – Saotome?"
"He is an enigma," she remarked as she seated herself in the couch. "I wonder how his team will do without him."
His eyes finally set on the raven haired woman, "You think Saotome will be that easy to take care of?" Waiting for her answer he shook his head before returning his attention to the monitor. "Did he not defeat that bag of bones your master keeps around?"
Her displeasure was obvious. There really shouldn't have been any way for him to know what had transpired. "He told you – why?"
"Have your men seen him talking to me?"
Again she paused.
"I wonder what it is that he has on your master that would prompt him to send the zombie," he added. "Or is it the fact that your master does not believe he can control him that makes him nervous?"
"The boy is but a brute," she snapped viciously. "He'll learn his role soon enough."
The white haired youth chuckled.
"You doubt us?"
He continued to chuckle, not even bothering to turn his attention back to her as Group A's results were finally posted. "You've never fought, so you wouldn't understand," he finally said as he contained his laughter. "Whatever powers you throw at him will mean all the fewer meals for your master."
He could feel her malice as he pointed out the apparent flaw in their plan. Saotome was an unknown despite their best efforts at testing him. "Team Anything Goes will face F this Saturday," she stated coolly. "We'll see if there's anything left of them after this weekend's match."
Mitsuomi eyed the schedule. Even he could not change the groupings once they had come out. Team Anything Goes vs F was just as inevitable as their match against the Juken Club. "We'll see."
X
It was a rare atmosphere about Toudou Academy as the student body focused on the first bouts and matches of the round robin. Individual matches seemed to draw most of the attention though some focused on the pending bouts as the gathered martial artists waited for their chances to settle their differences. Long standing rivalries between different schools or dojos as well as individual rivalries were highlighted as the students considered the results of the initial matches. Those in the know though focused on another significant matchup in Group A – Team Anything Goes vs F.
Despite the seemingly carefree air of the campus Ranma could not help but sense a hidden hostility and tension directed at himself and his team. Something beneath the surface of the school and perhaps in Japan's martial arts culture viewed the team as a threat.
Ranma knew the truth, though the illusion was that he as the heir to an upstart school of martial arts and his team of "Professional Wrestlers" did not belong with the illustrious and accomplished martial artists that hailed from historic schools or styles. Yes, the three masked fighters had long been considered outsiders, viewed with even more contempt then he was for at least he was a traditional martial artist and not someone presenting a farce as reality.
Their shortsightedness was in overlooking the second part of "martial arts". Every martial art told the story of the combatants, but pro-wrestling told a simplified story to those who watched the fight. While it was not Ranma's preferred medium, he still respected their art even though others looked down on it.
The true source of the hostility towards his team was not a result of the style employed by the fighters but by the fact that they as a team were a threat to the system. The unseen and faceless administrators, alumni, founders and funders were the true threat. While they might not be able to attack the team openly on campus, they could make things difficult when they were away from school.
Team practices had been put on hold as they sought to find a new place to meet, a task made all the more difficult as the warehouse they had been using had been purchased by some business and no one else was willing to rent to them. Practicing in a park was out of the question for too many reasons.
With his daily routine disrupted Ranma was at least thankful for the rare treat of having dinner with the Takayanagi family. They were a prime example of what could happen if the shadow forces behind Toudou Academy ever felt that someone was on the wrong side of things. Unfortunately the wrong side meant whatever side that they weren't on. Fortunately for Ranma there was little that he could lose. As an established outsider there was nothing they could take from him save his life.
"Do not underestimate them," the elder Takayanagi stated as he set down his tea. "It might be best if you forfeited the match."
Ranma blinked, the food on his chopstick frozen before him as he absorbed the old man's words.
"What?!"
Masataka's outburst brought Ranma back to his senses. Eating the bit of tuna he chewed it then swallowed purposely before speaking. "I never back down from a fight."
"Then you might die."
He wanted to say that he wasn't afraid, but the truth was he wasn't sure if he actually was or wasn't. "I won't back down."
"Neither will they." Dugan locked eyes with Ranma.
"If you don't want me to die then you need to tell me what you know about them," Ranma said as he picked up another piece of tuna. "Not that I can't kick their asses the way I am now."
Masataka found himself in an odd situation. Normally he would have sided with his father, but he knew that he couldn't leave Ranma hanging just as he had left Maya.
"I'll order the team to stay away on Saturday," Ranma added as he finished another bite of food. "I'll take on F by myself."
Both Takayanagi men blinked at his audacious statement.
Finally Dugan smirked. "I know very little of them actually, only that most of them are far older than they appear."
"Old, I've fought old," the pigtailed fighter remarked offhandedly.
"They are Sohaku's personal guard," the elder Takayanagi added. "Most were enrolled once Mitsuomi took control of the school. Each is the head or the acting head of one of the feathers. If they want to get rid of you they'll get to you before Saturday."
"So I have to go looking for them before they come for me?"
Masataka eyed his captain and friend, unsure of the depths of Ranma's folly. "You're not serious?"
"You have no idea how many guys came looking for me in Nerima. You remember that fight with Ryoga I had?"
The other boy nodded.
"Things like that happened daily back in Nerima. What's the worst these F guys can do?"
"It seems like you'll get your chance," the smaller Takayanagi said with a sigh. "It appears that two of them are outside."
Setting his chopsticks down Ranma offered a polite bow. "I guess I'm going to have to cut dinner short. Stay with your old man," he added as he got up.
Both Takayanagi men watched him depart calmly, neither noting the absence of their meal on the now desolate table until he had gone.
"This is why I didn't want him over for dinner," Masataka sighed as he began stacking the dishes.
Dugan blinked, "I only saw him take a few bites."
"I'll finish these when I come back," the younger Takayanagi stated as he dismissed himself.
Opting to follow Ranma's lead he hopped over the railing. The feel of the evening air rushing past him as he gracefully descended the four flights added to the exhilaration. 'No wonder Ranma loves roof-hopping.'
Unlike his captain, Masataka's landing left a slight crater in the soft soil. Still, it would have been impressive had Ranma not done the same thing without even bending a blade of grass.
"There is no need to rush," the groomed man stated as he tightened his tie. "We're not here to fight."
"Of course you're not," Ranma agreed, "but that doesn't mean that we're inclined to listen to anything you say."
The blond youth smiled beside his companion. "Why don't we take this conversation somewhere more discreet? Say the Peninsula? I hear that they serve some of the best ramen in the district."
"We'll pay," the dark man added.
Takayanagi opened his mouth to object. They had just had dinner, though only Ranma had eaten.
"Works for me," Ranma replied. "Just don't expect us to say much."
"Of course," the blonde's false smile suggested that he'd heard of Ranma's ravenous appetite and was not looking forward to footing the bill.
"Is that a Thunderace?" Ranma remarked as he drew Takayanagi's attention to the squad of enforcers that accompanied the two fighters.
The older fighter eyed his subordinate. "Yes, it is."
"Mind if I take it for a ride?"
The three fighters eyed Ranma. "I suppose that would be acceptable." Nodding at the rider, he indicated for the rider to find some other means of transportation for now.
"Sweet," Ranma grinned before glancing at Masataka. "Wanna race?"
It took the brunette a second to consider as he eyed the other bikes. He knew nothing of them, and the fact that Ranma had some knowledge of them had caught him off guard, but he couldn't resist taking up his captain's challenge. "Sure, I'll ride that one" he pointed to the closest bike.
The well-dressed man nodded, glanced at the bike's owner, and then walked towards the black sedan.
"I think I'll join you," the blond smirked, his interest in Ranma and Masataka perked.
"Losers take two shots," Ranma stated as he hopped on the bike he claimed.
"You've ridden one of these before?" Masataka asked curiously.
"Never," Saotome replied. "But they look like fun."
The blonde's smile grew. "And you?"
"Never had time for them," Masataka replied as he straddled his claimed ride. "Anything goes?"
Ranma smirked, "Anything goes."
X
A/N
I think I'll leave things here for now.
Next Chapter – Team Anything Goes vs F
Dreamingfox
Deep shadows peppered the dark street as Maya made her way towards the school. The teams scheduled for tonight had little interest to her even though she had ordered the others to observe the matches before she met up with them at the café.
"You can come out now," she stated as she gripped the hilt of her sword. Though she lacked the power to use the sword's full potential , her skill with the blade was unmatched by anyone at Toudou Academy.
"It's rare to see you without your team," Mitsuomi's familiar voice proclaimed as he stepped out of the shadows.
"I could say the same about you." Her grip on Reiki tightened despite his apparent calmness and lack of hostility. "Don't tell me this is your way of settling things now that Saotome's team appears to have eliminated my team as a threat to your reign."
"This has nothing to do with the tournament," the white haired fighter stated. "Don't you ever wonder why Nagi vanished? Or why he came back?"
She could feel the muscles in her hand tensing at his words. "Of course I do, but"
"But the runt doesn't remember anything, does he? Or at least that's what he says," Mitsuomi interrupted. "He may not know, but I'm sure that there's someone that does. And his guard is not with him right now because they're out dealing with Saotome."
Maya weighed her options. Yes, she wanted answers, and she knew that this was her best lead. "How much time do we have?"
"I believe that they're taking Saotome out to eat," he replied.
"Then we don't have much time," she muttered disappointedly.
"You've never seen Saotome eat when someone else is paying, have you?" he replied with a slight smirk.
She shook her head. The most she'd seen him eat was at lunch or occasionally at the Sakura Café. "Are you sure about that?"
"I know that I would not want to take Saotome out to eat," he replied. "But if we're going to do this, we need to go now."
Again she took a moment to gage her rival. "You know where he is then?"
"Of course I do," he replied as he moved towards his bike. "You're wasting time. I'll do this with or without you. I'd prefer to do it with you though."
Rivals they were, but they had been friends once. They had trusted in each other once, before they had taken different paths three years ago. "Fine."
X
"Sorry about the bikes," Ranma said as he used a napkin to wipe off the dirt and grim from the brief race.
The blond shrugged, "They'll be fully reimbursed for the replacements so don't worry about it."
Masataka sighed. "I don't' know that those things could go that fast."
"They're not that fast," the pigtailed martial artist shrugged.
"Says the guy who lugged his machine three blocks and still won," Masataka sighed again.
"Does that really count as his win though?" the blond asked. "I was the first to get here on my bike."
"We agreed that Anything Goes," Ranma said as he motioned for the waitress to bring several menus. "I was the first one here"
"On a demolished bike," the blond stated.
Ranma glanced at him.
"Ranma wants to know what your name is," the ever tactful Masataka said as he took a seat beside his captain.
"I apologize, where are my manors," the blond said politely. "I am Tessen Ishiyumi."
"And I am Katsumi Kabuto," the well-dressed man added as he entered the restaurant.
Ranma noted that the people in the restaurant were slowly clearing out even as they were being replaced by other suited men and women. Both Katsumi and Tessen claimed seats across from Ranma and Masataka, placing themselves directly between the boys and the front door.
"Four warm sake," Ranma said as the waitress arrived for their orders. "One beef ramen, one chicken, one pork, and one miso – everything on all of them."
"Appetizers?" the woman asked as she eyed the others.
"Six Gyoza, two edamame, four vegetable tempura, two orders of fried calamari, and four orders of harumaki," Ranma replied with a smile. "You guys want anything?"
Tessen blinked.
"I'll have one house special, and an order of edamame," Masataka added. "And a Coke."
For a second Tessen turned his attention to Katsumi. "Tempura bowl, and an order of shrimp tempura."
Katsumi took his sun glasses off and set it on the table before turning to the waitress, "Beef bowl, extra beef."
The waitress nodded before moving to take the menus, only Ranma opted to keep his menu, "I'll probably get some more once I've finished with the appetizers."
Only Masataka was unfazed by Ranma's statement.
Relaxed as he appeared to be Ranma knew that he was sitting in a room full of blooded warriors, though only Tessen and Katsumi were a real threat.
"There will be one more joining us," Tessen stated as he pulled a fifth seat to the table. "He'll have the house combo with everything."
They sat in relative silence as the waitress brought their drinks and then their appetizers. Finally, as their entrees were brought to them, the third member of F appeared. Standing nearly a full head taller than Ranma the man exuded an aura of power. Rippling muscles moved with each step he took, eerily reminiscent of Herb. Though his hair was up in a Mohawk and his features suggested that he was in his late teens or early twenties, the look in his eyes suggested otherwise.
"Ranma Saotome," he inclined his head towards Ranma "Masataka Takayanagi" he nodded at the other boy, "I am Tetsuhito Kagiroi and I speak for F."
Both Ranma and Masataka nodded in acknowledgement as the powerful fighter sat down. Ranma quickly re-evaluated their odds. Even with their training and the information that Happosai had provided him he knew that the odds were not in their favor. "So, talk."
"You killed our man," Tetsuhito stated as he took out his chopsticks.
Masataka froze has he prepared to taste his meal.
"You sent him to kill me, did you not?" Ranma countered.
"True," Katsumi shrugged.
"Your boss thinks I'm a threat to him," Ranma stated.
"Mitsuomi sent someone to kill you?" Masataka inquired.
Ranma shook his head, "They don't work for Mitsuomi. Not directly anyways.
"Wow, this is great. I haven't had anything this good in a while."
"He's right," Tessen agreed. "We don't work for your brother, but we do assist him when he needs it."
"Your brother's merely a puppet king." Ranma explained as he moved onto a plate of tempura.
Tetsuhito nodded even as he took note of the speed at which Ranma demolished his food. "He's about to graduate, and no one on the current council is worth backing, but you" he pointed first at Ranma then at Masataka "are the future. You've seen everyone else fight, you know that no one else can compare to either of you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," the pigtailed fighter remarked as he waved down the waitress and moved to start on the miso ramen.
"More calamari, shrimp tempura, house combo, grilled pork ramen, beef ramen, and pork ramen – each with everything."
The pretty waitress nodded then cleared his empty dishes, marveling at how he had finished off half of his appetizers and two bowls of ramen already.
"When you take over you'll need help," Katsumi stated. "Assistance that we can provide."
Shoving the empty bowl aside he moved onto another, enjoying some of the appetizers he had ordered. "I thought Tetshuito was speaking for F, not you."
Katsumi eyed the big man, resigning himself to his untouched ramen.
"I do," he said firmly, "but I am simply here to accept your agreement while they are here to hammer out the details with you."
For a moment there was only the sound of Ranma enjoying his bowl of ramen as he waited for the others to speak. When it was clear that they had nothing else to say he set aside the empty bowl. "So," he said finally as he reached for the fourth bowl, "your offer is that we accept your help in winning the election and agree to become your boss' puppet?"
The big man nodded solemnly.
"You'll have your answer when I'm done with dinner," the pigtailed youth said as he eyed his companion.
A noticeable tension filled the air even as the suited men and women slowly filed in and out of the restaurant. A slight chill ran down Ranma's spine. It was the same feeling he'd had before he'd fought the fully grown Saffron. Tetsuhito was far more powerful than he was, just as the immortal phoenix was, yet he'd fought and somehow prevailed. Could he do the same against this man?
X
The trip out of the city had been quick, far quicker than Maya thought possible; then again he would never want to be too far from Toudou and the heart of his little empire.
"We head down the subway," Mitsuomi instructed her as he maneuvered his bike down an abandoned subway station.
Cautiously she gripped him tighter, pushing her ample bosom into his back as they descended the stairs.
"We wait for the next train to pass"
"Then we hop onto the tracks," she finished. 'Is this a hidden passage or did he simply want to hide his lair where no one would think to find it?'
Their timing was impeccable as a train passed just as they reached the platform.
In all they rode for less than half an hour in total before disembarking from Mitsuomi's bike. The noise from the train allowed them some leeway in the hidden passage as another train sped past them almost as soon as they turned into it.
Dripping and running water echoed off the walls, masking the sound of their progress. The reward for their travels finally appeared as the vast cavern with carved stairs appeared. The subterranean castle was a marvel in and of itself, yet the ominous stagnant air made the cavern all the more menacing.
"He's in there?" she asked, her voice trembling from the chill air.
The white haired young man nodded. "F is busy with Saotome, so we only have to worry about the shrine maidens."
X
"She's not coming," Bob sighed as he eyed the menu before him. "We should just order something for you to bring back to her."
The younger Natsume sibling scowled slightly. Of the two of them it was her sister who was always punctual. Had she planned to do something while the rest of the Juken Club was attending the matches at the school? 'I wish Masataka were here,' she lamented. 'He'd know what to do.'
"She knows what she's doing," the tiny youth stated as he stood upon his chair. "Trust her."
The brunette nodded. "He's right." Her voice was hollow; lacking the confidence needed to inspire the others. Still, it was enough to sway ally but Nagi.
"We have to find her," the blond urged the others.
Bob shook his head, "She's the toughest of all of us – if she needed help she'd have let us know."
"What if that bastard Saotome ambushed her?!" Nagi plead.
"There is to be no fighting between any factions during the tournament outside of the tournament itself," Kurei stated. "I doubt anyone would start any trouble with her, even Saotome's not above the law. He might be untouchable, but if he starts a fight he will still be held responsible, plus he doesn't strike me as the type to resort to something like that and his team already has a win against us."
Glancing around, he eyed the other occupants of the restaurant, "It's likely that she's meeting with the captains of other teams who aren't fully in Mitsuomi's camp. With the tournament even the Enforcement Committee will be reluctant to take any action."
Unable to sway the others, Nagi slumped into his seat defeated and dejected. "Just get me my usual order."
X
The importance of his decision did no favors to the splendid meal before him. Unable to enjoy the rich balance of flavors and textures he wondered if he would be able to enjoy such wonderful ramen again even as he finished off the second round of bowls. Some would have thought that the fact that he had slowed down as he ate his meal that he was getting full, but in truth Ranma had slowed down in hopes of allowing Masataka's stomach time to digest dinner.
Pushing his empty bowls to the middle of the table he waited for the waitress to take them away before finally looking at Tetsuhito. "You say that we can rule the school, but only with your help."
F's designated spokesman nodded.
"But we're already set to win the tournament," Ranma said defiantly. "It doesn't matter if you help us out or not, we're going to win."
For a moment the three fighters from F shared a glance.
Finally, "That's your answer?"
Ranma nodded, prompting Tetsuhito to stand up. "You have until you leave the restaurant to reconsider."
Ranma and Masataka sat even as their dinner companions got up. Katsumi quickly paid for the meal, leaving a generous tip at the bar before the trio exited the restaurant together.
"We're really going to do this?" his friend and companion asked.
The pigtailed fighter nodded.
"Why now?"
Leaning back in his seat Ranma glanced at the remaining occupants of the restaurant. "Remember when I said I was the best at Toudou?"
The other boy nodded.
"I want to prove that I'm the best, not have something handed to me."
Masataka shrugged.
"To be strong, you have to be willing to test your strength against others to see how strong you really are."
Again Masataka nodded.
"We might lose," Ranma admitted. "But learn from your mistakes, see what they can do, but don't go all out unless they start getting really serious."
Masataka barely reacted to the order.
Standing up, Ranma leaned over the table. "If it gets to that point our reserve members will step in." The hushed tone was audible only to Masataka, reassuring him of the importance of this fight. This was but another move in the grand strategy. "This is when we see if we are more than just fighters – this is our test to see if we're warriors."
Masataka stood up, grim determination on his face. "Let's do this," he said as he held out his fist.
Bumping fists, Ranma lead his teammate out. "I'll take the big guy - you should be able to take the other two easily. Take out the suit first then work on the blond."
They finished the walk out, noting the empty street and the vacant park that stood across the way from the restaurant. Well, vacant save for the small army of well-dressed men and women standing guard in a soft perimeter beyond the boundary of the park.
"So, what is your answer?"
"It looks like the time of using our words is over," Ranma stated as he casually strolled into the park.
In a flash Tetsuhito was on him, somehow closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Ranma's counter was just as faster though as he planted his foot in the man's face and burying him in the cement as he finished the axe kick.
Rather than waiting for his opponents to attack, Masataka took the fight to them, taking the remains of the broken Thunderace and hurtling it at Tessen before closing with the larger Katsumi. His outside leg kick connected with hardened muscles, absorbing the physical damage while also containing enough ki to stymie any ki infused attack.
The kick, while impressive, was but a feint, allowing him to step into his opponent's guard as he set up a knee to Katsumi's stomach with a strong overhand punch to the temple that floored the older fighter. With the hidden dragon-form backing his strikes he was sure that his opponent was at least incapacitated, though the fight was far from over.
"Impressive," Tessen stated as he emerged from the wreckage of the Thunderace. "Divide and conquer, right? Taking out the weakest of us so that you can focus on your true opponent – it's a sound strategy."
Pushing off the limp form of Katsumi, Masataka barely managed to avoid the dart that Tessen launched from the strange bands around his wrist.
"I'm glad that Saotome rejected us," the blond stated as he launched a pair of darts at Masataka. "I actually like your brother. He'll be displeased with us for beating you two to a pulp, but at least no one will threaten his reign."
Nimbly dodging the barrage, the brunette tried to close the distance.
"You think that getting in close is going to help?" Tessen taunted as he unleashed more darts. "At least you're not trying to make me use up my darts."
'He's drawing me towards the fountain.' Slipping between several shots he noted his opponent's footwork, waiting for an opening as he closed the distance. With greater alacrity the missile barrage continued as Tessen retreated towards the fountain. Every time he saw the opening, he opted to forego the attack, recalling Ranma's advice before the fight. Though he had used the attack against Maya in their fight he doubted that anyone save Ranma had the eye to see such an attack. Tessen was the type of fighter who would notice if something cut the bands about his wrist.
Across the park Ranma was quickly getting a sense of just how powerful Tetsuhito truly was. The rainbow of colors that his aura radiated hinted at the multitude of powers he could employ, yet the larger fighter refused to employ any elemental powers. The swift attacks were all ki enhanced, adding some version of the dragon form attacks that the white feathers favored, tearing up the ground about the pigtailed martial artist as he deftly avoided the attacks. A few though were elementally charged attacks – fire and lightning mostly.
"Too slow," Ranma taunted as he vaulted over a barrage of kicks that sent a half dozen dragons soaring at him. Even airborne as he was he nimbly dodged the attacks, parrying with just enough ki to allow him to kick off of the manifestations so as to allow him to steal the force of the attacks and keep him airborne. "I heard that you were supposed to be this nearly perfect wielder of red feather powers, yet all you're doing is pulling off lame attacks that even Masataka could do."
Tetsuhito grunted as he set his feet, waiting for Ranma to land. "You cannot hope to anger me," he advised his opponent. "I am not one to feel remotely upset about your cowardice."
Landing gently, Ranma eyed his chosen opponent. "Well, you're never going to convince me to fight if that's all you can do. Like I've told everyone at school – I don't fight those weaker than me. Then again, you never show up at school, do you?"
"You think I'm weaker than you?" His reply lacked any emotion.
Ranma shrugged, "If the shoe fits."
Before Tetsuhito could reply he found himself airborne. A swift low kick had connected with the back of his knee while a palm strike to his jaw had sent him flying into the fountain. The unbelievably quick combo had clearly caught him off guard. Still, with his ability to take a hit the blows meant nothing to him.
Pulling himself out of the water he quickly found Saotome standing some ten meters away idly sitting on a park bench. "I must admit," the big man said as he shook the excess water out of his hair. "You are perhaps the closest to being a true warrior of the white feather. Your technique is deceptively effective, your speed is unbelievable and your accuracy is astounding – yet you clearly cannot defeat me still."
"And you can't defeat me," Ranma shot back. "For all your vaunted power you're just a glorified punching bag. If you're the 'lite' version of what your boss wants to be, I'd have to say he's setting the bar pretty low."
As a sign of his confidence, Ranma reached into his pocket. Pulling out his cell phone he quickly texted a message, blatantly ignoring Tetsuhito as he did so. Suddenly he was flipping through the air, casually avoiding an overhand right that obliterated the concrete bench. "What did the bench ever do to you?"
Calmly, Tetsuhito walked over to Katsumi. Picking up the still staggered man he punched him in the shoulder.
"Thanks," the other man said as he stood steadily. Rolling his neck so that an audible cracking could be heard he eyed his broken sun glasses.
"Call the others," Tetsuhito ordered. "Give them the order."
Crushing the broken shades Katsumi nodded as he pulled out his own phone. "You're sure about this?"
"Time to end this," the powerful warrior stated. "We've wasted enough time as it is."
For his part Masataka barely heard a word of what the others had said as he focused on his opponent. The sound of darts whizzing by his ear easily drowned out the conversation shouted on the other side of the fountain.
Seeing Katsumi back on his feet though irked the younger Takayanagi as he contemplated how effective Katsumi and Tessen could be.
Suddenly the dynamics of the fight changed as another figure rushed in to engage him, forcing him to break away from Tessen. The lithe girl and her giant blade cut into the air forcing him away from the fountain. He couldn't help but marvel at her ability to wield such a heavy weapon despite her petite frame. But it was the almost blank look in her eyes that really caught his attention.
"Mitsuomi's not going to be happy," Katsumi stated as he eyed Masataka. "Surrender and you live to be king of the school. Refusing us means you and your old man are dead."
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a black sedan, or rather another one, pull up.
"You got lucky last time," Katsumi stated as he closed with Masataka. A series of swift jabs combined with thrusting stabs by the emotionless girl kept the youngest Takayanagi pinned down despite his nimble footwork.
Ranma's speed availed him even as Tessen's volley of darts assailed him. Like his teammate he had also spotted the now parked sedan. "You've brought friends," he guessed as he slipped between several darts. "I guess you need all the help you can get."
Dancing around a series of punches from Tetsuhito he eyed the slick raven haired woman in a traditional kimono as she emerged from the sedan. Judging from the way she moved it was clear to him that she was not a fighter. Slipping under a straight right he grabbed hold of the big man's over extended arm and pulled down. Using the force of his opponent's momentum he threw Tetsuhito towards Tessen as he rushed towards the woman.
The sudden appearance of an eight armed figure before the woman proved that she was not a fighter.
Eight lightning quick spears forced Ranma back. Stab, slash, slash, stab, stab, slash, slash, thrust – the sequence of attacks kept him at bay, unable to offer up any counter. Spinning about he deftly avoided the string of attacks even as he caught sight of the volley of darts unleashed at him by Tessen. The experience was something akin to facing eight Kunos and a barrage of Ryoga's bandanas only worse. Unlike his Nerima rivals the fighters from F were coordinating their attacks, leaving him no openings to exploit.
'They're just trying to pin me down.' Stepping over a spear thrust, he twisted to avoid a pair of darts.
"Well boys," the woman said, her voice carrying as a result of some ki amplification. "Time to end this."
'Ki amplifying her voice.'
"Stop!" the woman commanded them.
To his great reluctance Ranma found that his body had was no longer his own to control.
"Looks like you're time is up," Tetsuhito stated, his voice devoid of any joy. "Saotome's useless. We can at least use Masataka."
Brow furrowed, the spear wielder looked displeased at the sudden intervention. "Use your vaunted powers to finish him," he stated. "I will not dirty my hands with this."
Loading a dart Tessen let fly.
Years of training won out though as Ranma instinctively dodged. Though his was no longer in control of his body his body knew to dodge. Identifying the true threat he found himself rushing towards the woman.
"Inue!" Tessen cried out in alarm.
Quick as he was Ranma was not the first to reach the short haired woman. "Having problems?" a masked figure asked as he appeared behind Inue. Donning a midnight black outfit similar to a three-piece dogi, he held a katana in one hand and a tanto in the other.
Still under the woman's command, Ranma said nothing as Inue fell to her knees, a trickle of blood escaping her mouth. A quick slash from the masked man silenced her forever, ending her control of Ranma and Masataka.
Freed of the woman's control, Ranma turned to face his opponents. "I had hoped to fight all of you during the tournament," he sighed as he stretched his shoulders and back. "But I guess we've gone too far for that."
A second figure emerged, this one standing atop the black sedan that had brought Inue and the spear-wielder. His three piece outfit consisted of three distinct shades of gray.
"Who are you to interfere with our business?" Tetsuhito demanded as he eyed the two masked men.
"They're the reserve members of Team Anything Goes," Ranma stated. "Four on five should even things up."
Tessen smirked. "You're forgetting…." His voice trailed off as he noticed that the well-dressed men and women were no longer at their stations. The few that he could see were slumped over.
"I'll take the big guy," Ranma instructed. "Masataka can take his two, and you guys can figure out which ones you want."
The two masked men glanced at each other before moving to their chosen opponents – black against Tessen and Grey against the spear-wielder.
Free of the woman's control, Masataka took advantage of their distraction. Closing with the girl, he struck the pendant about her neck with a forged needle attack, destroying the bauble and sending the girl flying.
Katsumi closed, delivering a thundering punch that sundered the ground where Masataka had stood a fraction of a second earlier. "You're technique is sound," he remarked as he set his feet. "And your footwork is superb. I had not expected you to master the formless dragon yet. You managed to catch me off-guard before, but I assure you, it won't happen again."
Rather than trading banter, Masataka rushed his opponent, throwing a series of swift kicks, testing his opponent's guard.
Stepping back, Katsumi set his feet, waiting for Masataka to leave an opening for him so that he could start his own offensive. He took a step into his younger opponent's guard, throwing a fierce five punch combo to the ribs and stomach before ducking to avoid a spinning roundhouse kick. The counter low to mid kick Masataka threw connected with his temple, forcing Katsumi to retreat and put his hands up in a guarded position.
Two knees to the ribs connected, forcing Katsum's hands to come down in an attempt to protect his midsection. The powerful head kick finished Katsumi, taking him out of the fight again.
His fight over, Masataka gathered his defeated foes, placing their limp forms on the ground before him before turning to watch the other fights.
The mysterious man in black was closest, pairing off with Tessen. Like a phantom in the night the masked man slipped from shadow to shadow, evading the darts in an attempt to force Tessen to exhaust his supply.
"Why don't we make this a fair fight," Tessen suggested, dropping the remainder of his darts and removing the elastic bands from his wrist.
Sheathing his blades, the masked man nodded, waiting for his opponent to be ready.
As one they charged at each other. The masked man was first to react, going low as he threw a left uppercut.
Even from some twenty meters off Masataka could see Tessen's victorious grin as he leapt over his opponent, a sphere of water between the two fighters. The water hit the man in black, sending him crashing into the ground. Landing, Tessen's grin widened as he turned his gaze to Masataka. "I win."
"I think not," the nearly naked masked man said as he appeared behind the blond. The flash of motion was the only indication that the masked man had struck before Tessen slumped to the ground.
"Despite all your vaunted powers you were defeated," the spear-wielding youth remarked snidely even as he faced the man in gray.
"And your toys are better how?" the gray masked man taunted as he pulled out two straight swords out of nowhere.
"Because I know how to use them." To prove his point he attacked with a thrusting stab then a diagonal slash that forced the swordsman to parry then block. In a flash the tempo of the fight increased dramatically as both warriors attacked with such speed that few could follow the attacks. The sound of metal hitting metal filled the park.
"He won't last," the man in black said as Masataka moved to stand beside him. Though he had initially thought that the man had escaped his fight uninjured it was clear that Masataka had been wrong. A bloody wound marred the man's nearly flawless back.
"Who are you?"
"That's not important right now. Right now you need to help him."
Masataka took a moment to consider his mysterious teammate's request. "How?"
"Find the truck," the masked man instructed. "The arms are robotic. He needs a supercomputer to coordinate them."
Scanning the area for a truck Masataka failed to see anything. 'Robotic.' The word stuck in his mind. Rushing behind the fountain, he set his feet then struck, obliterating the fountain and sending a spray of water over towards the two combatants.
Both fighters retreated, neither willing to get wet. 'I was right, but it didn't help.'
"So, you caught on?" the spear-wielding youth said with a smirk.
"It was fairly obvious," Masataka said as his eyes rested on the arms that Ranma had crushed.
Taking advantage of his opponent's distraction, the gray clad man struck, stabbing his sword into the wet ground he sent a surge of electricity through it. The stunning surprise attack brought the unnamed member of F to his knees. While not enough to knock him out it was enough to short his electronic arms. Trembling, he could only watch as his opponent rushed in and finished him off with a kick to the face.
"Looks like you guys can't do much," Ranma taunted his opponent even as he dodged yet another attack powered attack, this time flaming tunnel of fire. "You boy was right, even with your vaunted powers you can't beat us."
For the first time in ages Tetsuhito felt a wave a panic creeping up his spine. Though Ranma had scored a few kicks against him, the pigtailed fighter's attacks were meant to throw Tetsuhito off balance and not to injure him.
"Let me guess," Ranma said as he slipped in and connected with a palm strike to the big man's ribs. "Your boss told you that with your powers you would be unbeatable, right? It's probably been a while since someone's lasted this long against you too."
"Only because you're a coward." Ranma simply rolled under his overhand left, tagging him with another knick to the back of his knee.
"Only a fool rushes in," Ranma chided him as he added a kick to the back of the head that sent the already off balance Tetsuhito forward. "You'd probably beat Ryoga – he's the type of guy who'd rush into a fight. You're tougher than he is, but his reserves are larger than yours. Still, he can't dodge like I can and you've got an impressive array of powers."
Getting back to his feet the big man eyed his evasive foe. "You can't hurt me," he stated more for his own benefit as he pushed back the odd sensation.
"Do I need to hurt you to beat you?" Ranma shot back. "Fine."
Rushing in, Ranma feigned to his right, throwing a left jab. Tetsuhito refused to fall for the ploy, countering with a powerful right cross. Using his left hand Ranma grabbed hold of the other fighter's wrist, sending a jolt of freezing cold through the limb. A stiff right chop shattered the limb at the elbow.
For the first time in ages fear graced Tetsuhito's expression. Pain failed to register in his shocked mind as he watched his hand fall to the ground then shatter. "H-how?"
"You said it yourself, we are the closest thing to being 'true warriors'. We may not have grown up with powers, but our training and trials have allowed us to tap into them. We may not be as refined or advanced as some of the Red Feather families, but every family had to start somewhere.
"Your mistake was thinking that just having powers made you better than us. Failing to push yourself to be better; to strive to be better, was your downfall."
Gritting his teeth, Tetsuhito tried to fight through the shock and pain.
"Your master will join you soon," Ranma promised as he placed his hands on Tetsuhito's other arm and shoulder.
Drowning out the uneasiness he felt at killing a defenseless opponent, Ranma focused. The Soul of Ice was more than just a means of staying calm during battle, it was also employed to remove emotion. He knew that by taking things this far he could never go back. "Run back to your master. Tell him not to interfere at Toudou or else he's going to have to deal with me."
X
A/N
I watched TT and I have to say, other than the opening fight between Masataka and Nagi, you really don't see many actual fights. Sure, they fight, but most of the time it's a few punches or kicks, and no real footwork or technique involved, just a powerful punch or kick or a "powered" attack. There's Shin vs Bunshichi, but even that pales in comparison to Masatak vs Nagi.
I just couldn't have Ranma murder someone. It's one thing to kill someone in battle, but he had Tetsuhito beat here.
Dreamingfox
"You can come out now," she stated as she gripped the hilt of her sword. Though she lacked the power to use the sword's full potential , her skill with the blade was unmatched by anyone at Toudou Academy.
"It's rare to see you without your team," Mitsuomi's familiar voice proclaimed as he stepped out of the shadows.
"I could say the same about you." Her grip on Reiki tightened despite his apparent calmness and lack of hostility. "Don't tell me this is your way of settling things now that Saotome's team appears to have eliminated my team as a threat to your reign."
"This has nothing to do with the tournament," the white haired fighter stated. "Don't you ever wonder why Nagi vanished? Or why he came back?"
She could feel the muscles in her hand tensing at his words. "Of course I do, but"
"But the runt doesn't remember anything, does he? Or at least that's what he says," Mitsuomi interrupted. "He may not know, but I'm sure that there's someone that does. And his guard is not with him right now because they're out dealing with Saotome."
Maya weighed her options. Yes, she wanted answers, and she knew that this was her best lead. "How much time do we have?"
"I believe that they're taking Saotome out to eat," he replied.
"Then we don't have much time," she muttered disappointedly.
"You've never seen Saotome eat when someone else is paying, have you?" he replied with a slight smirk.
She shook her head. The most she'd seen him eat was at lunch or occasionally at the Sakura Café. "Are you sure about that?"
"I know that I would not want to take Saotome out to eat," he replied. "But if we're going to do this, we need to go now."
Again she took a moment to gage her rival. "You know where he is then?"
"Of course I do," he replied as he moved towards his bike. "You're wasting time. I'll do this with or without you. I'd prefer to do it with you though."
Rivals they were, but they had been friends once. They had trusted in each other once, before they had taken different paths three years ago. "Fine."
X
"Sorry about the bikes," Ranma said as he used a napkin to wipe off the dirt and grim from the brief race.
The blond shrugged, "They'll be fully reimbursed for the replacements so don't worry about it."
Masataka sighed. "I don't' know that those things could go that fast."
"They're not that fast," the pigtailed martial artist shrugged.
"Says the guy who lugged his machine three blocks and still won," Masataka sighed again.
"Does that really count as his win though?" the blond asked. "I was the first to get here on my bike."
"We agreed that Anything Goes," Ranma said as he motioned for the waitress to bring several menus. "I was the first one here"
"On a demolished bike," the blond stated.
Ranma glanced at him.
"Ranma wants to know what your name is," the ever tactful Masataka said as he took a seat beside his captain.
"I apologize, where are my manors," the blond said politely. "I am Tessen Ishiyumi."
"And I am Katsumi Kabuto," the well-dressed man added as he entered the restaurant.
Ranma noted that the people in the restaurant were slowly clearing out even as they were being replaced by other suited men and women. Both Katsumi and Tessen claimed seats across from Ranma and Masataka, placing themselves directly between the boys and the front door.
"Four warm sake," Ranma said as the waitress arrived for their orders. "One beef ramen, one chicken, one pork, and one miso – everything on all of them."
"Appetizers?" the woman asked as she eyed the others.
"Six Gyoza, two edamame, four vegetable tempura, two orders of fried calamari, and four orders of harumaki," Ranma replied with a smile. "You guys want anything?"
Tessen blinked.
"I'll have one house special, and an order of edamame," Masataka added. "And a Coke."
For a second Tessen turned his attention to Katsumi. "Tempura bowl, and an order of shrimp tempura."
Katsumi took his sun glasses off and set it on the table before turning to the waitress, "Beef bowl, extra beef."
The waitress nodded before moving to take the menus, only Ranma opted to keep his menu, "I'll probably get some more once I've finished with the appetizers."
Only Masataka was unfazed by Ranma's statement.
Relaxed as he appeared to be Ranma knew that he was sitting in a room full of blooded warriors, though only Tessen and Katsumi were a real threat.
"There will be one more joining us," Tessen stated as he pulled a fifth seat to the table. "He'll have the house combo with everything."
They sat in relative silence as the waitress brought their drinks and then their appetizers. Finally, as their entrees were brought to them, the third member of F appeared. Standing nearly a full head taller than Ranma the man exuded an aura of power. Rippling muscles moved with each step he took, eerily reminiscent of Herb. Though his hair was up in a Mohawk and his features suggested that he was in his late teens or early twenties, the look in his eyes suggested otherwise.
"Ranma Saotome," he inclined his head towards Ranma "Masataka Takayanagi" he nodded at the other boy, "I am Tetsuhito Kagiroi and I speak for F."
Both Ranma and Masataka nodded in acknowledgement as the powerful fighter sat down. Ranma quickly re-evaluated their odds. Even with their training and the information that Happosai had provided him he knew that the odds were not in their favor. "So, talk."
"You killed our man," Tetsuhito stated as he took out his chopsticks.
Masataka froze has he prepared to taste his meal.
"You sent him to kill me, did you not?" Ranma countered.
"True," Katsumi shrugged.
"Your boss thinks I'm a threat to him," Ranma stated.
"Mitsuomi sent someone to kill you?" Masataka inquired.
Ranma shook his head, "They don't work for Mitsuomi. Not directly anyways.
"Wow, this is great. I haven't had anything this good in a while."
"He's right," Tessen agreed. "We don't work for your brother, but we do assist him when he needs it."
"Your brother's merely a puppet king." Ranma explained as he moved onto a plate of tempura.
Tetsuhito nodded even as he took note of the speed at which Ranma demolished his food. "He's about to graduate, and no one on the current council is worth backing, but you" he pointed first at Ranma then at Masataka "are the future. You've seen everyone else fight, you know that no one else can compare to either of you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," the pigtailed fighter remarked as he waved down the waitress and moved to start on the miso ramen.
"More calamari, shrimp tempura, house combo, grilled pork ramen, beef ramen, and pork ramen – each with everything."
The pretty waitress nodded then cleared his empty dishes, marveling at how he had finished off half of his appetizers and two bowls of ramen already.
"When you take over you'll need help," Katsumi stated. "Assistance that we can provide."
Shoving the empty bowl aside he moved onto another, enjoying some of the appetizers he had ordered. "I thought Tetshuito was speaking for F, not you."
Katsumi eyed the big man, resigning himself to his untouched ramen.
"I do," he said firmly, "but I am simply here to accept your agreement while they are here to hammer out the details with you."
For a moment there was only the sound of Ranma enjoying his bowl of ramen as he waited for the others to speak. When it was clear that they had nothing else to say he set aside the empty bowl. "So," he said finally as he reached for the fourth bowl, "your offer is that we accept your help in winning the election and agree to become your boss' puppet?"
The big man nodded solemnly.
"You'll have your answer when I'm done with dinner," the pigtailed youth said as he eyed his companion.
A noticeable tension filled the air even as the suited men and women slowly filed in and out of the restaurant. A slight chill ran down Ranma's spine. It was the same feeling he'd had before he'd fought the fully grown Saffron. Tetsuhito was far more powerful than he was, just as the immortal phoenix was, yet he'd fought and somehow prevailed. Could he do the same against this man?
X
The trip out of the city had been quick, far quicker than Maya thought possible; then again he would never want to be too far from Toudou and the heart of his little empire.
"We head down the subway," Mitsuomi instructed her as he maneuvered his bike down an abandoned subway station.
Cautiously she gripped him tighter, pushing her ample bosom into his back as they descended the stairs.
"We wait for the next train to pass"
"Then we hop onto the tracks," she finished. 'Is this a hidden passage or did he simply want to hide his lair where no one would think to find it?'
Their timing was impeccable as a train passed just as they reached the platform.
In all they rode for less than half an hour in total before disembarking from Mitsuomi's bike. The noise from the train allowed them some leeway in the hidden passage as another train sped past them almost as soon as they turned into it.
Dripping and running water echoed off the walls, masking the sound of their progress. The reward for their travels finally appeared as the vast cavern with carved stairs appeared. The subterranean castle was a marvel in and of itself, yet the ominous stagnant air made the cavern all the more menacing.
"He's in there?" she asked, her voice trembling from the chill air.
The white haired young man nodded. "F is busy with Saotome, so we only have to worry about the shrine maidens."
X
"She's not coming," Bob sighed as he eyed the menu before him. "We should just order something for you to bring back to her."
The younger Natsume sibling scowled slightly. Of the two of them it was her sister who was always punctual. Had she planned to do something while the rest of the Juken Club was attending the matches at the school? 'I wish Masataka were here,' she lamented. 'He'd know what to do.'
"She knows what she's doing," the tiny youth stated as he stood upon his chair. "Trust her."
The brunette nodded. "He's right." Her voice was hollow; lacking the confidence needed to inspire the others. Still, it was enough to sway ally but Nagi.
"We have to find her," the blond urged the others.
Bob shook his head, "She's the toughest of all of us – if she needed help she'd have let us know."
"What if that bastard Saotome ambushed her?!" Nagi plead.
"There is to be no fighting between any factions during the tournament outside of the tournament itself," Kurei stated. "I doubt anyone would start any trouble with her, even Saotome's not above the law. He might be untouchable, but if he starts a fight he will still be held responsible, plus he doesn't strike me as the type to resort to something like that and his team already has a win against us."
Glancing around, he eyed the other occupants of the restaurant, "It's likely that she's meeting with the captains of other teams who aren't fully in Mitsuomi's camp. With the tournament even the Enforcement Committee will be reluctant to take any action."
Unable to sway the others, Nagi slumped into his seat defeated and dejected. "Just get me my usual order."
X
The importance of his decision did no favors to the splendid meal before him. Unable to enjoy the rich balance of flavors and textures he wondered if he would be able to enjoy such wonderful ramen again even as he finished off the second round of bowls. Some would have thought that the fact that he had slowed down as he ate his meal that he was getting full, but in truth Ranma had slowed down in hopes of allowing Masataka's stomach time to digest dinner.
Pushing his empty bowls to the middle of the table he waited for the waitress to take them away before finally looking at Tetsuhito. "You say that we can rule the school, but only with your help."
F's designated spokesman nodded.
"But we're already set to win the tournament," Ranma said defiantly. "It doesn't matter if you help us out or not, we're going to win."
For a moment the three fighters from F shared a glance.
Finally, "That's your answer?"
Ranma nodded, prompting Tetsuhito to stand up. "You have until you leave the restaurant to reconsider."
Ranma and Masataka sat even as their dinner companions got up. Katsumi quickly paid for the meal, leaving a generous tip at the bar before the trio exited the restaurant together.
"We're really going to do this?" his friend and companion asked.
The pigtailed fighter nodded.
"Why now?"
Leaning back in his seat Ranma glanced at the remaining occupants of the restaurant. "Remember when I said I was the best at Toudou?"
The other boy nodded.
"I want to prove that I'm the best, not have something handed to me."
Masataka shrugged.
"To be strong, you have to be willing to test your strength against others to see how strong you really are."
Again Masataka nodded.
"We might lose," Ranma admitted. "But learn from your mistakes, see what they can do, but don't go all out unless they start getting really serious."
Masataka barely reacted to the order.
Standing up, Ranma leaned over the table. "If it gets to that point our reserve members will step in." The hushed tone was audible only to Masataka, reassuring him of the importance of this fight. This was but another move in the grand strategy. "This is when we see if we are more than just fighters – this is our test to see if we're warriors."
Masataka stood up, grim determination on his face. "Let's do this," he said as he held out his fist.
Bumping fists, Ranma lead his teammate out. "I'll take the big guy - you should be able to take the other two easily. Take out the suit first then work on the blond."
They finished the walk out, noting the empty street and the vacant park that stood across the way from the restaurant. Well, vacant save for the small army of well-dressed men and women standing guard in a soft perimeter beyond the boundary of the park.
"So, what is your answer?"
"It looks like the time of using our words is over," Ranma stated as he casually strolled into the park.
In a flash Tetsuhito was on him, somehow closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Ranma's counter was just as faster though as he planted his foot in the man's face and burying him in the cement as he finished the axe kick.
Rather than waiting for his opponents to attack, Masataka took the fight to them, taking the remains of the broken Thunderace and hurtling it at Tessen before closing with the larger Katsumi. His outside leg kick connected with hardened muscles, absorbing the physical damage while also containing enough ki to stymie any ki infused attack.
The kick, while impressive, was but a feint, allowing him to step into his opponent's guard as he set up a knee to Katsumi's stomach with a strong overhand punch to the temple that floored the older fighter. With the hidden dragon-form backing his strikes he was sure that his opponent was at least incapacitated, though the fight was far from over.
"Impressive," Tessen stated as he emerged from the wreckage of the Thunderace. "Divide and conquer, right? Taking out the weakest of us so that you can focus on your true opponent – it's a sound strategy."
Pushing off the limp form of Katsumi, Masataka barely managed to avoid the dart that Tessen launched from the strange bands around his wrist.
"I'm glad that Saotome rejected us," the blond stated as he launched a pair of darts at Masataka. "I actually like your brother. He'll be displeased with us for beating you two to a pulp, but at least no one will threaten his reign."
Nimbly dodging the barrage, the brunette tried to close the distance.
"You think that getting in close is going to help?" Tessen taunted as he unleashed more darts. "At least you're not trying to make me use up my darts."
'He's drawing me towards the fountain.' Slipping between several shots he noted his opponent's footwork, waiting for an opening as he closed the distance. With greater alacrity the missile barrage continued as Tessen retreated towards the fountain. Every time he saw the opening, he opted to forego the attack, recalling Ranma's advice before the fight. Though he had used the attack against Maya in their fight he doubted that anyone save Ranma had the eye to see such an attack. Tessen was the type of fighter who would notice if something cut the bands about his wrist.
Across the park Ranma was quickly getting a sense of just how powerful Tetsuhito truly was. The rainbow of colors that his aura radiated hinted at the multitude of powers he could employ, yet the larger fighter refused to employ any elemental powers. The swift attacks were all ki enhanced, adding some version of the dragon form attacks that the white feathers favored, tearing up the ground about the pigtailed martial artist as he deftly avoided the attacks. A few though were elementally charged attacks – fire and lightning mostly.
"Too slow," Ranma taunted as he vaulted over a barrage of kicks that sent a half dozen dragons soaring at him. Even airborne as he was he nimbly dodged the attacks, parrying with just enough ki to allow him to kick off of the manifestations so as to allow him to steal the force of the attacks and keep him airborne. "I heard that you were supposed to be this nearly perfect wielder of red feather powers, yet all you're doing is pulling off lame attacks that even Masataka could do."
Tetsuhito grunted as he set his feet, waiting for Ranma to land. "You cannot hope to anger me," he advised his opponent. "I am not one to feel remotely upset about your cowardice."
Landing gently, Ranma eyed his chosen opponent. "Well, you're never going to convince me to fight if that's all you can do. Like I've told everyone at school – I don't fight those weaker than me. Then again, you never show up at school, do you?"
"You think I'm weaker than you?" His reply lacked any emotion.
Ranma shrugged, "If the shoe fits."
Before Tetsuhito could reply he found himself airborne. A swift low kick had connected with the back of his knee while a palm strike to his jaw had sent him flying into the fountain. The unbelievably quick combo had clearly caught him off guard. Still, with his ability to take a hit the blows meant nothing to him.
Pulling himself out of the water he quickly found Saotome standing some ten meters away idly sitting on a park bench. "I must admit," the big man said as he shook the excess water out of his hair. "You are perhaps the closest to being a true warrior of the white feather. Your technique is deceptively effective, your speed is unbelievable and your accuracy is astounding – yet you clearly cannot defeat me still."
"And you can't defeat me," Ranma shot back. "For all your vaunted power you're just a glorified punching bag. If you're the 'lite' version of what your boss wants to be, I'd have to say he's setting the bar pretty low."
As a sign of his confidence, Ranma reached into his pocket. Pulling out his cell phone he quickly texted a message, blatantly ignoring Tetsuhito as he did so. Suddenly he was flipping through the air, casually avoiding an overhand right that obliterated the concrete bench. "What did the bench ever do to you?"
Calmly, Tetsuhito walked over to Katsumi. Picking up the still staggered man he punched him in the shoulder.
"Thanks," the other man said as he stood steadily. Rolling his neck so that an audible cracking could be heard he eyed his broken sun glasses.
"Call the others," Tetsuhito ordered. "Give them the order."
Crushing the broken shades Katsumi nodded as he pulled out his own phone. "You're sure about this?"
"Time to end this," the powerful warrior stated. "We've wasted enough time as it is."
For his part Masataka barely heard a word of what the others had said as he focused on his opponent. The sound of darts whizzing by his ear easily drowned out the conversation shouted on the other side of the fountain.
Seeing Katsumi back on his feet though irked the younger Takayanagi as he contemplated how effective Katsumi and Tessen could be.
Suddenly the dynamics of the fight changed as another figure rushed in to engage him, forcing him to break away from Tessen. The lithe girl and her giant blade cut into the air forcing him away from the fountain. He couldn't help but marvel at her ability to wield such a heavy weapon despite her petite frame. But it was the almost blank look in her eyes that really caught his attention.
"Mitsuomi's not going to be happy," Katsumi stated as he eyed Masataka. "Surrender and you live to be king of the school. Refusing us means you and your old man are dead."
Out of the corner of his eye he saw a black sedan, or rather another one, pull up.
"You got lucky last time," Katsumi stated as he closed with Masataka. A series of swift jabs combined with thrusting stabs by the emotionless girl kept the youngest Takayanagi pinned down despite his nimble footwork.
Ranma's speed availed him even as Tessen's volley of darts assailed him. Like his teammate he had also spotted the now parked sedan. "You've brought friends," he guessed as he slipped between several darts. "I guess you need all the help you can get."
Dancing around a series of punches from Tetsuhito he eyed the slick raven haired woman in a traditional kimono as she emerged from the sedan. Judging from the way she moved it was clear to him that she was not a fighter. Slipping under a straight right he grabbed hold of the big man's over extended arm and pulled down. Using the force of his opponent's momentum he threw Tetsuhito towards Tessen as he rushed towards the woman.
The sudden appearance of an eight armed figure before the woman proved that she was not a fighter.
Eight lightning quick spears forced Ranma back. Stab, slash, slash, stab, stab, slash, slash, thrust – the sequence of attacks kept him at bay, unable to offer up any counter. Spinning about he deftly avoided the string of attacks even as he caught sight of the volley of darts unleashed at him by Tessen. The experience was something akin to facing eight Kunos and a barrage of Ryoga's bandanas only worse. Unlike his Nerima rivals the fighters from F were coordinating their attacks, leaving him no openings to exploit.
'They're just trying to pin me down.' Stepping over a spear thrust, he twisted to avoid a pair of darts.
"Well boys," the woman said, her voice carrying as a result of some ki amplification. "Time to end this."
'Ki amplifying her voice.'
"Stop!" the woman commanded them.
To his great reluctance Ranma found that his body had was no longer his own to control.
"Looks like you're time is up," Tetsuhito stated, his voice devoid of any joy. "Saotome's useless. We can at least use Masataka."
Brow furrowed, the spear wielder looked displeased at the sudden intervention. "Use your vaunted powers to finish him," he stated. "I will not dirty my hands with this."
Loading a dart Tessen let fly.
Years of training won out though as Ranma instinctively dodged. Though his was no longer in control of his body his body knew to dodge. Identifying the true threat he found himself rushing towards the woman.
"Inue!" Tessen cried out in alarm.
Quick as he was Ranma was not the first to reach the short haired woman. "Having problems?" a masked figure asked as he appeared behind Inue. Donning a midnight black outfit similar to a three-piece dogi, he held a katana in one hand and a tanto in the other.
Still under the woman's command, Ranma said nothing as Inue fell to her knees, a trickle of blood escaping her mouth. A quick slash from the masked man silenced her forever, ending her control of Ranma and Masataka.
Freed of the woman's control, Ranma turned to face his opponents. "I had hoped to fight all of you during the tournament," he sighed as he stretched his shoulders and back. "But I guess we've gone too far for that."
A second figure emerged, this one standing atop the black sedan that had brought Inue and the spear-wielder. His three piece outfit consisted of three distinct shades of gray.
"Who are you to interfere with our business?" Tetsuhito demanded as he eyed the two masked men.
"They're the reserve members of Team Anything Goes," Ranma stated. "Four on five should even things up."
Tessen smirked. "You're forgetting…." His voice trailed off as he noticed that the well-dressed men and women were no longer at their stations. The few that he could see were slumped over.
"I'll take the big guy," Ranma instructed. "Masataka can take his two, and you guys can figure out which ones you want."
The two masked men glanced at each other before moving to their chosen opponents – black against Tessen and Grey against the spear-wielder.
Free of the woman's control, Masataka took advantage of their distraction. Closing with the girl, he struck the pendant about her neck with a forged needle attack, destroying the bauble and sending the girl flying.
Katsumi closed, delivering a thundering punch that sundered the ground where Masataka had stood a fraction of a second earlier. "You're technique is sound," he remarked as he set his feet. "And your footwork is superb. I had not expected you to master the formless dragon yet. You managed to catch me off-guard before, but I assure you, it won't happen again."
Rather than trading banter, Masataka rushed his opponent, throwing a series of swift kicks, testing his opponent's guard.
Stepping back, Katsumi set his feet, waiting for Masataka to leave an opening for him so that he could start his own offensive. He took a step into his younger opponent's guard, throwing a fierce five punch combo to the ribs and stomach before ducking to avoid a spinning roundhouse kick. The counter low to mid kick Masataka threw connected with his temple, forcing Katsumi to retreat and put his hands up in a guarded position.
Two knees to the ribs connected, forcing Katsum's hands to come down in an attempt to protect his midsection. The powerful head kick finished Katsumi, taking him out of the fight again.
His fight over, Masataka gathered his defeated foes, placing their limp forms on the ground before him before turning to watch the other fights.
The mysterious man in black was closest, pairing off with Tessen. Like a phantom in the night the masked man slipped from shadow to shadow, evading the darts in an attempt to force Tessen to exhaust his supply.
"Why don't we make this a fair fight," Tessen suggested, dropping the remainder of his darts and removing the elastic bands from his wrist.
Sheathing his blades, the masked man nodded, waiting for his opponent to be ready.
As one they charged at each other. The masked man was first to react, going low as he threw a left uppercut.
Even from some twenty meters off Masataka could see Tessen's victorious grin as he leapt over his opponent, a sphere of water between the two fighters. The water hit the man in black, sending him crashing into the ground. Landing, Tessen's grin widened as he turned his gaze to Masataka. "I win."
"I think not," the nearly naked masked man said as he appeared behind the blond. The flash of motion was the only indication that the masked man had struck before Tessen slumped to the ground.
"Despite all your vaunted powers you were defeated," the spear-wielding youth remarked snidely even as he faced the man in gray.
"And your toys are better how?" the gray masked man taunted as he pulled out two straight swords out of nowhere.
"Because I know how to use them." To prove his point he attacked with a thrusting stab then a diagonal slash that forced the swordsman to parry then block. In a flash the tempo of the fight increased dramatically as both warriors attacked with such speed that few could follow the attacks. The sound of metal hitting metal filled the park.
"He won't last," the man in black said as Masataka moved to stand beside him. Though he had initially thought that the man had escaped his fight uninjured it was clear that Masataka had been wrong. A bloody wound marred the man's nearly flawless back.
"Who are you?"
"That's not important right now. Right now you need to help him."
Masataka took a moment to consider his mysterious teammate's request. "How?"
"Find the truck," the masked man instructed. "The arms are robotic. He needs a supercomputer to coordinate them."
Scanning the area for a truck Masataka failed to see anything. 'Robotic.' The word stuck in his mind. Rushing behind the fountain, he set his feet then struck, obliterating the fountain and sending a spray of water over towards the two combatants.
Both fighters retreated, neither willing to get wet. 'I was right, but it didn't help.'
"So, you caught on?" the spear-wielding youth said with a smirk.
"It was fairly obvious," Masataka said as his eyes rested on the arms that Ranma had crushed.
Taking advantage of his opponent's distraction, the gray clad man struck, stabbing his sword into the wet ground he sent a surge of electricity through it. The stunning surprise attack brought the unnamed member of F to his knees. While not enough to knock him out it was enough to short his electronic arms. Trembling, he could only watch as his opponent rushed in and finished him off with a kick to the face.
"Looks like you guys can't do much," Ranma taunted his opponent even as he dodged yet another attack powered attack, this time flaming tunnel of fire. "You boy was right, even with your vaunted powers you can't beat us."
For the first time in ages Tetsuhito felt a wave a panic creeping up his spine. Though Ranma had scored a few kicks against him, the pigtailed fighter's attacks were meant to throw Tetsuhito off balance and not to injure him.
"Let me guess," Ranma said as he slipped in and connected with a palm strike to the big man's ribs. "Your boss told you that with your powers you would be unbeatable, right? It's probably been a while since someone's lasted this long against you too."
"Only because you're a coward." Ranma simply rolled under his overhand left, tagging him with another knick to the back of his knee.
"Only a fool rushes in," Ranma chided him as he added a kick to the back of the head that sent the already off balance Tetsuhito forward. "You'd probably beat Ryoga – he's the type of guy who'd rush into a fight. You're tougher than he is, but his reserves are larger than yours. Still, he can't dodge like I can and you've got an impressive array of powers."
Getting back to his feet the big man eyed his evasive foe. "You can't hurt me," he stated more for his own benefit as he pushed back the odd sensation.
"Do I need to hurt you to beat you?" Ranma shot back. "Fine."
Rushing in, Ranma feigned to his right, throwing a left jab. Tetsuhito refused to fall for the ploy, countering with a powerful right cross. Using his left hand Ranma grabbed hold of the other fighter's wrist, sending a jolt of freezing cold through the limb. A stiff right chop shattered the limb at the elbow.
For the first time in ages fear graced Tetsuhito's expression. Pain failed to register in his shocked mind as he watched his hand fall to the ground then shatter. "H-how?"
"You said it yourself, we are the closest thing to being 'true warriors'. We may not have grown up with powers, but our training and trials have allowed us to tap into them. We may not be as refined or advanced as some of the Red Feather families, but every family had to start somewhere.
"Your mistake was thinking that just having powers made you better than us. Failing to push yourself to be better; to strive to be better, was your downfall."
Gritting his teeth, Tetsuhito tried to fight through the shock and pain.
"Your master will join you soon," Ranma promised as he placed his hands on Tetsuhito's other arm and shoulder.
Drowning out the uneasiness he felt at killing a defenseless opponent, Ranma focused. The Soul of Ice was more than just a means of staying calm during battle, it was also employed to remove emotion. He knew that by taking things this far he could never go back. "Run back to your master. Tell him not to interfere at Toudou or else he's going to have to deal with me."
X
A/N
I watched TT and I have to say, other than the opening fight between Masataka and Nagi, you really don't see many actual fights. Sure, they fight, but most of the time it's a few punches or kicks, and no real footwork or technique involved, just a powerful punch or kick or a "powered" attack. There's Shin vs Bunshichi, but even that pales in comparison to Masatak vs Nagi.
I just couldn't have Ranma murder someone. It's one thing to kill someone in battle, but he had Tetsuhito beat here.
Dreamingfox
Darkness pervaded the cavern hampering the progress of the two fighters as they ascended the carved stairs towards the hidden castle.
"You dare tread upon sacred ground?" The commanding voice belonged to a woman. A dark light illuminated the five meter tall double doors even as two dozen shrine maidens stood guard. Several bore staffs, some held scabbards, while the rest were adorned with various weapons.
"I am the head of the Takayanagi." Mitsuomi strode into the light. "She is of the Natsume clan."
"The Takayanagi clan holds no sway here. It matters not what clan either of you are from, you are not welcome here."
"I have business with Sohaku," the muscular youth stated as he took another step forward.
"You dare speak the master's name," the apparent leader hissed.
The women glared at the intruders for a moment, taking their measure.
"The master has not summoned you; leave while you still can."
"You know who we are, yet you still choose to stand in our way?" Stepping into the light she made it clear to all that she was not leaving quietly.
In response several of the maidens drew their respective weapons.
Charging in Maya silenced the head maiden, hoping to discourage the others from impeding their way. The solid hit connected with the fire-hardened wood shaft of her yari falling well short of her intended target. "You think yourself so much better than us just because you come from the Natsume clan?" From such a close distance it was clear that the woman was offended by Maya's assumption. "In my time at Toudou I was ranked second."
A stinging kick to her thigh forced Maya back even before the other women drew their weapons. Drawing Reiki, she eyed the unwavering guardians. Deflecting a strike from a katana with the sheath she kept another at bay with her blade even as she stepped into the first attacker's guard to deliver a front kick.
Of the gathered maidens only a few were of note, but their numbers made them formidable. Only that woman with the yari was a threat, but even she ranked below Aya. Still, this would not be over as quickly as she had hoped.
A quick slash with the scabbard to the knee disabled one of the women, but a follow up hit to the temple robbed her of her consciousness. Parrying a high stabbing thrust as she connected with a back middle kick to another woman behind her she kept herself moving. Movement was the key to the Natsume style, allowing a lone warrior to face hordes of enemies despite the odds against them.
Slipping under a slashing attack by a woman with a pair of sai, Maya swept the woman's legs out from beneath her. Spinning around she hit the woman's exposed back with her scabbard.
Unlike Maya, the women had yet to engage Mitsuomi. Instead the dozen that stood before him barring his entry into the castle. "What?" he replied, his eyes not even leaving the gateway. "I didn't attack them."
His surprise attack caught the women about him as he struck the ground, causing it to shake beneath them. Taking advantage of their loss in footing he unleashed a second forged needle attack at the gathered women. It was enough to subdue only those directly in front of him as the attack was aimed at the door.
In a flash she was among them, her scabbard and blade wreaking havoc amid the chaos, disabling a dozen of the remaining women. Even without a weapon Mitsuomi was equally formidable, taking out the remaining women save for the leader.
"I'll take care of her," Maya offered as she eyed the woman.
Mitsuomi shrugged, kicking aside one of the women before making his way through the hole in the door.
"Let us see if you are as good as you say you are," the lilac haired young woman said as she set Reiki's scabbard aside. Though Reiki was unusually long and heavy for a katana it failed to match the range the yari offered her wielder.
A high diagonal slash opened the engagement followed by a low twisting thrust to the side meant to tangle up the katana. Thrust, thrust, stab, slash, slash, feint, twisting thrust, slash, spinning slash – all while keeping her feet firmly beneath her and forcing Maya to retreat.
While it was possible for her to subdue her with a forged needle attack as Mitsuomi had done with the others, Maya knew that the maiden would be wary of such an assault.
Taking three quick steps to her left, Maya leapt at the wall then propelled herself into the air so that she would come down directly atop her opponent. Spinning as she descended waited for her opponent to strike before using Reiki's tip to entangle the yari and overextending its user. Her spinning back kick should have robbed the woman of her weapon.
Years of experience had taught the older woman much. Using the force of the attack she attempted to disarm Maya even as she twirled her weapon and used the blunt end to strike at the younger woman.
Releasing Reiki, the lilac haired fighter skillfully caught hold of the yari, using her weight to further overextend her opponent before crashing down atop the shrine maiden. Two quick knees to the head finished her opponent, leaving her unconscious on the ground.
Gathering her things, Maya set off into the breached door.
X X X X X
The broken remains of the park were clearly evident from the balcony. Many businesses relied on the open park to attract their customers to the area, and the apparent loss of the calm yet open area would definitely affect the amount of foot traffic the businesses would receive in the coming weeks.
Eying the damage a young man sighed. "I guess we should arrange for someone to come and repair this."
"That's all you can think about?" his companion exclaimed irritably. The buxom pinkette's eyes were on the retreating men, fighters from Team Anything Goes.
"They're burning the park," Bunshichi stated. "They're hiding any and all evidence of who the two masked guys are."
"So you're just going to let them go?"
"They defeated F - I doubt that we would be able to stop them if we wanted to. You might have been able to beat the girl, but the others are out of your league. Only Mistuomi and I could have handled the others, and even then we would have been hard pressed to fight them two on or like Ranma and his boys did."
"So we've got no chance of winning?"
Bunshichi shook his head, "The finals aren't for a few weeks. Now that we know what they can do we need to seriously train.
"Mitsuiro, do you think you have a better grasp of Saotome's ability now?"
The pigtailed martial artist nodded. "Yeah, I definitely have a better idea of what he's capable of. But I think he was still holding back."
"Why couldn't you have turned into his girl form?" Bunshichi sighed.
Relieved at the fact that the team's strategist thought that they at least had a chance Emi pulled out her phone. "What do I tell the President?"
Watching as Ranma and Masataka left alone, he couldn't help but wonder just who the masked fighters were. Thus far Team Anything Goes had only five fighters, and while the members of the Pro Wrestling faction were part of their team did wear masks Ryu-mask and Akuma-Mask were wrestlers, not strikers like these two fighters had been. "Tell him that Saotome did not accept their offer and that F has been neutralized."
X X X X X
Floating candles provided little light in the underground meditation room. The sound of running water failed to hide the steps of the approaching messenger.
"Master," the shrine maiden said as she knelt at the foot of the bridge. "I apologize for the intrusion, but"
"Intruders," the robed blond man finished.
The young woman nodded.
He could tell by the look in her eyes that she thought he should evacuate. With the most powerful and loyal of his subjects gone to do his bidding it was clear that the intruders were too much for the shrine maidens to handle. "Tetsuhito knows what to do," he said as he reached into his robes. "He will need this."
Casually he tossed the scroll to her. "Tell your sisters that they are to keep Reiki from entering this room at all costs."
"You're sure about this?" Masataka said as his team captain led him away from the demolished park.
In atypical Ranma Saotome fashion the pigtailed martial artist was actually walking on the sidewalk rather than on a fence or hopping from roof to roof. "Did you have a thing for the girl? You just met her."
"But she was hurt."
"And those other guys weren't?"
"We could have called them an ambulance at least. You did take that guy's arm off"
"And we killed that woman," Ranma added, his voice unusually calm. "She may not have been a fighter, but her power was definitely a threat to all of us. You saw what she could do."
Masataka nodded. "Do you think it was her power that enthralled Aya and Nagi?"
"Maybe," the pigtailed fighter replied. "Probably."
"They were following someone else's orders."
"They probably have been for a while."
"And they wanted us to take over for my brother?"
Ranma nodded.
"Wait, he's not in control of Toudou?"
Ranma shrugged. "He is because they let him be for now. I think they try to back the team most likely to win."
"But they're pretty tough themselves, why don't they just win the tournament."
Again Ranma shrugged. "Your dad might know more about this since he's been around for a while, but my guess is that not everyone is made to lead. They were probably going to put Nagi in as the lead since he's a first year, but then Maya got to him and they figured between you and Maya he might not get to rule. I don't know…."
They walked in silence for several blocks, neither sure what to say. Finally, "So, what do we do now?"
"We prepare for a rematch." The smile he wore was the one that Ranma reserved for when he knew he'd have a good fight.
The smile was infectious. "You really thought we might lose?"
"I thought you might lose."
For a moment Masataka stopped in his tracks, unsure if Ranma actually meant what he'd said. "You really thought I'd lose?"
"Come on man, you're nowhere as good as I am, and I wasn't sure if you could handle those guys. If it was me I could have handled them myself, but since you needed some practice I figured I'd throw you a bone. Do you really think you could have handled spear boy, that girl, and Tessen at once?"
"Of course I could have." Rushing to catch up he fell into step beside Ranma.
"Good job," Ranma smirked, holding out his fist.
Masataka smirked as he bumped fists. "Thanks."
X X X X X
The subterranean maze would have been difficult to navigate had the Takayanagi heir not obtained the blue print of the castle's layout. It also helped that no one bothered to impede his path as the few shrine maidens he'd encountered had backed off, leaving the right way open. Initially he'd thought that they were possibly leading him into a trap and that the information that he'd received was wrong but finding the underground stream and the floating candles he knew that he was on the right track.
"You finally made it."
Following the voice through the echoes and the running water he eyed the regally dressed man standing atop the bridge.
"Do you think you can really kill me?"
Mitsuomi vanished, appearing directly behind the blond man. Powerful arms wrapped around the smaller man's neck as he set his hands on the skull.
"This isn't over."
As quick as it began it was over – the sound of bone breaking added to the sound of the underground stream. "I think it is." Pulling out one a tonto he severed the head, ensuring that the man was dead. Still not satisfied, he crushed the skull before discarding it. "That was for Shin."
Using the cold water of the stream he washed off the blood off of his hands. He knew that killing Sohaku wouldn't give him closure for his friend's death, but the emptiness he felt was not what he'd expected. Should he have felt satisfaction? Or relief at the knowledge that no one else would have to suffer under the man's rule? Yet satisfaction was the furthest from his mind.
"What happened?" Maya's voice broke the silence.
"He's dead," Mitsuomi replied.
Rushing to the bridge she let her eyes adjust to the darkness so that she could see the beheaded corpse. "It's not over."
"What?"
"This doesn't feel right. Something's wrong."
"It's not satisfying," he stated. "Killing him doesn't avenge Shin, it gives us no closure. It just means that we're no longer in his shadow."
For the first time in a while she felt exhausted. The adrenaline rush she'd experienced during the string of fights finally wore off as she realized that this fight was over. "What do we do now?"
"It's not over," Mitsuomi admitted. "There's still Nagi."
"No." She shook her head as she turned to face her rival. "No."
"No one knows what he did to Nagi, or if it's really Nagi in control."
"No!" she refused to believe that it wasn't over.
"She's told you what he can do," he said firmly.
"NO!" Her voice echoed off of the cavern walls. "NO! You just can't let your hate of him go!"
"You can't see past your attraction for the boy!" he countered. "You're attracted to him, and you know it."
She glared at him, her long buried fury and anger at him sustaining her now. "What if I do? What does it matter to you?"
He felt the chill of the hidden cavern, his breath misting before him. "Your judgment is clouded by your feelings for him. If he'd chosen Masataka…" he paused, unsure of himself. "If Masataka was in Nagi's shoes I'd do the same thing. I wouldn't want him controlling Masataka, do you want him to control Nagi?"
"We don't know if he can control him."
"He's controlled all of us for how long now?" he shot back. "He might still be controlling us now. He just stood there, waiting for me to kill him as if he expected to die tonight."
"You're wrong!"
"I… we were wrong about Shin too," he added.
His words stung her, stoking her hatred for him all the more. "This isn't like three years ago."
He stood calmly before her. "I can't take that chance."
Their eyes locked, his cool hers fiery. "The Dragon's Eye has been in your family for how many generations? I know that your ancestor predicted that only someone who could master Reiki could kill him. Yet he 'died' by my hand without Reiki present."
Unsheathing her family's legacy, she walked over to the corpse. Stabbing it repeatedly she waited for blood to stop spraying from it before she finally stopped.
"I know that he took the Eye from Aya." His remark chilled her to the bone. "If he has the eye is it not possible that he foresaw this? That he somehow discovered the prophecy and took some counter measures against us?"
"You're assuming that he's inside of Nagi."
"Which has been his plan all along – why else would he take the boy and then release him? Why do you think Nagi won't talk to you about what happened or how he got back? He knows but he's not willing to tell you."
"No," she said firmly shaking her head. "Nagi's good enough to get away. He's not the same punk that entered Toudou last term."
"But he's still not powerful enough to defeat Sohaku. Even with all the powers he's stolen over the summer, he's not strong enough. Why do you think he's been stealing Red Feather powers? It's because Sohaku wants them." Walking over to her he put his hand on her shoulder. "You know I'm right."
Pulling away she shook her head. "No. You've had it in for Nagi since he came to Toudou."
"He's the one who started the fights. Even after Saotome stopped him the punk kept picking fights. You know that Saotome covered up the fact that Nagi kept challenging him. You know that he's always been obsessed with fighting. Saotome is too, but at least he knows not to disrupt school with his fights. Nagi doesn't care about that, he just wants to prove that he's strongest even when he's not.
"He probably hasn't told you about what happened to him when Sohaku's people had him because he enjoyed beating up all those people. Even now he's itching to fight Ranma and Masataka again. I saw the look in his eyes when you told him he couldn't fight Masataka during the opening bout. I saw how he enjoyed fighting during the last bout. You know it too."
She shook her head again. She couldn't believe that. She wouldn't believe that.
"People fear his bloodline for a reason. It's not just because they steal powers, but because they enjoy beating people up. It's not a fight when you know who's going to win, and when a Souichiro is involved it's often a slaughter.
"Remember why the Feathers were put together."
"To fight Sohaku," she replied hoarsely.
Mitsuomi nodded. "That's right."
"But we've failed. All these years and we've failed. Now the Feathers serve him instead of fight against him."
"Which is why we need new blood."
"Blood like Saotome?" she scoffed.
"Toudou Academy was founded to bring in new blood, to find others with the skills and power to help us put an end to Sohaku, but slowly he's gained control of the school and started weeding out those he felt were a threat to him. Why do you think that those few who vanished over the summer weren't affiliated with any of the families or established dojos? He's used the families' pride against them, turning them into attack dogs that he sends against any upstarts like Saotome. We need to stop it, but we can't unless we stop Sohaku."
"You're wrong! We did stop him. And when the Juken Club wins the tournament I will change things. I will make sure that there are no more Shins or Manas."
He stood tall, his eyes locked with hers again. "I know you want to believe that you can do that, but do you even know how you're going to do that? And do you really think that you can defeat Saotome and Masataka?"
"And you think Saotome can run Toudou Academy?" she shot back angrily. "Or are you just backing him because Masataka's on his team? This is all probably one of your elaborate schemes to put him in control of the school so that you can graduate. You probably brought in Saotome just to take Masataka away from the Juken Club."
"You didn't even want Masataka in the Juken Club," he hissed back. He knew he shouldn't have allowed her to drag him down to her level yet he could not contain himself. "You didn't even want to fight last year because you wanted to buck the system. It wasn't until Aya and Souichiro came along that you decided to compete. It's not because you finally had enough people to field a team, and don't say that it's because you finally have some quality fighters. When I took over there were plenty of capable fighters who wanted to rally behind you, yet you turned them down."
"Because I couldn't trust them," she interjected. "I can trust Nagi and Bob and Aya."
"Even though you're stealing the man that your sister loves from her?"
Again she went cold, her fury drying up as though a snowstorm had put out the flame. Still, a spark remained. "You're just jealous that I've finally moved on."
X X X X X
A/N
Thanks to everyone for your continued support of this fic. I hope you all enjoyed the ride I've taken you on so far.
Please review.
Dreamingfox
"You dare tread upon sacred ground?" The commanding voice belonged to a woman. A dark light illuminated the five meter tall double doors even as two dozen shrine maidens stood guard. Several bore staffs, some held scabbards, while the rest were adorned with various weapons.
"I am the head of the Takayanagi." Mitsuomi strode into the light. "She is of the Natsume clan."
"The Takayanagi clan holds no sway here. It matters not what clan either of you are from, you are not welcome here."
"I have business with Sohaku," the muscular youth stated as he took another step forward.
"You dare speak the master's name," the apparent leader hissed.
The women glared at the intruders for a moment, taking their measure.
"The master has not summoned you; leave while you still can."
"You know who we are, yet you still choose to stand in our way?" Stepping into the light she made it clear to all that she was not leaving quietly.
In response several of the maidens drew their respective weapons.
Charging in Maya silenced the head maiden, hoping to discourage the others from impeding their way. The solid hit connected with the fire-hardened wood shaft of her yari falling well short of her intended target. "You think yourself so much better than us just because you come from the Natsume clan?" From such a close distance it was clear that the woman was offended by Maya's assumption. "In my time at Toudou I was ranked second."
A stinging kick to her thigh forced Maya back even before the other women drew their weapons. Drawing Reiki, she eyed the unwavering guardians. Deflecting a strike from a katana with the sheath she kept another at bay with her blade even as she stepped into the first attacker's guard to deliver a front kick.
Of the gathered maidens only a few were of note, but their numbers made them formidable. Only that woman with the yari was a threat, but even she ranked below Aya. Still, this would not be over as quickly as she had hoped.
A quick slash with the scabbard to the knee disabled one of the women, but a follow up hit to the temple robbed her of her consciousness. Parrying a high stabbing thrust as she connected with a back middle kick to another woman behind her she kept herself moving. Movement was the key to the Natsume style, allowing a lone warrior to face hordes of enemies despite the odds against them.
Slipping under a slashing attack by a woman with a pair of sai, Maya swept the woman's legs out from beneath her. Spinning around she hit the woman's exposed back with her scabbard.
Unlike Maya, the women had yet to engage Mitsuomi. Instead the dozen that stood before him barring his entry into the castle. "What?" he replied, his eyes not even leaving the gateway. "I didn't attack them."
His surprise attack caught the women about him as he struck the ground, causing it to shake beneath them. Taking advantage of their loss in footing he unleashed a second forged needle attack at the gathered women. It was enough to subdue only those directly in front of him as the attack was aimed at the door.
In a flash she was among them, her scabbard and blade wreaking havoc amid the chaos, disabling a dozen of the remaining women. Even without a weapon Mitsuomi was equally formidable, taking out the remaining women save for the leader.
"I'll take care of her," Maya offered as she eyed the woman.
Mitsuomi shrugged, kicking aside one of the women before making his way through the hole in the door.
"Let us see if you are as good as you say you are," the lilac haired young woman said as she set Reiki's scabbard aside. Though Reiki was unusually long and heavy for a katana it failed to match the range the yari offered her wielder.
A high diagonal slash opened the engagement followed by a low twisting thrust to the side meant to tangle up the katana. Thrust, thrust, stab, slash, slash, feint, twisting thrust, slash, spinning slash – all while keeping her feet firmly beneath her and forcing Maya to retreat.
While it was possible for her to subdue her with a forged needle attack as Mitsuomi had done with the others, Maya knew that the maiden would be wary of such an assault.
Taking three quick steps to her left, Maya leapt at the wall then propelled herself into the air so that she would come down directly atop her opponent. Spinning as she descended waited for her opponent to strike before using Reiki's tip to entangle the yari and overextending its user. Her spinning back kick should have robbed the woman of her weapon.
Years of experience had taught the older woman much. Using the force of the attack she attempted to disarm Maya even as she twirled her weapon and used the blunt end to strike at the younger woman.
Releasing Reiki, the lilac haired fighter skillfully caught hold of the yari, using her weight to further overextend her opponent before crashing down atop the shrine maiden. Two quick knees to the head finished her opponent, leaving her unconscious on the ground.
Gathering her things, Maya set off into the breached door.
X X X X X
The broken remains of the park were clearly evident from the balcony. Many businesses relied on the open park to attract their customers to the area, and the apparent loss of the calm yet open area would definitely affect the amount of foot traffic the businesses would receive in the coming weeks.
Eying the damage a young man sighed. "I guess we should arrange for someone to come and repair this."
"That's all you can think about?" his companion exclaimed irritably. The buxom pinkette's eyes were on the retreating men, fighters from Team Anything Goes.
"They're burning the park," Bunshichi stated. "They're hiding any and all evidence of who the two masked guys are."
"So you're just going to let them go?"
"They defeated F - I doubt that we would be able to stop them if we wanted to. You might have been able to beat the girl, but the others are out of your league. Only Mistuomi and I could have handled the others, and even then we would have been hard pressed to fight them two on or like Ranma and his boys did."
"So we've got no chance of winning?"
Bunshichi shook his head, "The finals aren't for a few weeks. Now that we know what they can do we need to seriously train.
"Mitsuiro, do you think you have a better grasp of Saotome's ability now?"
The pigtailed martial artist nodded. "Yeah, I definitely have a better idea of what he's capable of. But I think he was still holding back."
"Why couldn't you have turned into his girl form?" Bunshichi sighed.
Relieved at the fact that the team's strategist thought that they at least had a chance Emi pulled out her phone. "What do I tell the President?"
Watching as Ranma and Masataka left alone, he couldn't help but wonder just who the masked fighters were. Thus far Team Anything Goes had only five fighters, and while the members of the Pro Wrestling faction were part of their team did wear masks Ryu-mask and Akuma-Mask were wrestlers, not strikers like these two fighters had been. "Tell him that Saotome did not accept their offer and that F has been neutralized."
X X X X X
Floating candles provided little light in the underground meditation room. The sound of running water failed to hide the steps of the approaching messenger.
"Master," the shrine maiden said as she knelt at the foot of the bridge. "I apologize for the intrusion, but"
"Intruders," the robed blond man finished.
The young woman nodded.
He could tell by the look in her eyes that she thought he should evacuate. With the most powerful and loyal of his subjects gone to do his bidding it was clear that the intruders were too much for the shrine maidens to handle. "Tetsuhito knows what to do," he said as he reached into his robes. "He will need this."
Casually he tossed the scroll to her. "Tell your sisters that they are to keep Reiki from entering this room at all costs."
"You're sure about this?" Masataka said as his team captain led him away from the demolished park.
In atypical Ranma Saotome fashion the pigtailed martial artist was actually walking on the sidewalk rather than on a fence or hopping from roof to roof. "Did you have a thing for the girl? You just met her."
"But she was hurt."
"And those other guys weren't?"
"We could have called them an ambulance at least. You did take that guy's arm off"
"And we killed that woman," Ranma added, his voice unusually calm. "She may not have been a fighter, but her power was definitely a threat to all of us. You saw what she could do."
Masataka nodded. "Do you think it was her power that enthralled Aya and Nagi?"
"Maybe," the pigtailed fighter replied. "Probably."
"They were following someone else's orders."
"They probably have been for a while."
"And they wanted us to take over for my brother?"
Ranma nodded.
"Wait, he's not in control of Toudou?"
Ranma shrugged. "He is because they let him be for now. I think they try to back the team most likely to win."
"But they're pretty tough themselves, why don't they just win the tournament."
Again Ranma shrugged. "Your dad might know more about this since he's been around for a while, but my guess is that not everyone is made to lead. They were probably going to put Nagi in as the lead since he's a first year, but then Maya got to him and they figured between you and Maya he might not get to rule. I don't know…."
They walked in silence for several blocks, neither sure what to say. Finally, "So, what do we do now?"
"We prepare for a rematch." The smile he wore was the one that Ranma reserved for when he knew he'd have a good fight.
The smile was infectious. "You really thought we might lose?"
"I thought you might lose."
For a moment Masataka stopped in his tracks, unsure if Ranma actually meant what he'd said. "You really thought I'd lose?"
"Come on man, you're nowhere as good as I am, and I wasn't sure if you could handle those guys. If it was me I could have handled them myself, but since you needed some practice I figured I'd throw you a bone. Do you really think you could have handled spear boy, that girl, and Tessen at once?"
"Of course I could have." Rushing to catch up he fell into step beside Ranma.
"Good job," Ranma smirked, holding out his fist.
Masataka smirked as he bumped fists. "Thanks."
X X X X X
The subterranean maze would have been difficult to navigate had the Takayanagi heir not obtained the blue print of the castle's layout. It also helped that no one bothered to impede his path as the few shrine maidens he'd encountered had backed off, leaving the right way open. Initially he'd thought that they were possibly leading him into a trap and that the information that he'd received was wrong but finding the underground stream and the floating candles he knew that he was on the right track.
"You finally made it."
Following the voice through the echoes and the running water he eyed the regally dressed man standing atop the bridge.
"Do you think you can really kill me?"
Mitsuomi vanished, appearing directly behind the blond man. Powerful arms wrapped around the smaller man's neck as he set his hands on the skull.
"This isn't over."
As quick as it began it was over – the sound of bone breaking added to the sound of the underground stream. "I think it is." Pulling out one a tonto he severed the head, ensuring that the man was dead. Still not satisfied, he crushed the skull before discarding it. "That was for Shin."
Using the cold water of the stream he washed off the blood off of his hands. He knew that killing Sohaku wouldn't give him closure for his friend's death, but the emptiness he felt was not what he'd expected. Should he have felt satisfaction? Or relief at the knowledge that no one else would have to suffer under the man's rule? Yet satisfaction was the furthest from his mind.
"What happened?" Maya's voice broke the silence.
"He's dead," Mitsuomi replied.
Rushing to the bridge she let her eyes adjust to the darkness so that she could see the beheaded corpse. "It's not over."
"What?"
"This doesn't feel right. Something's wrong."
"It's not satisfying," he stated. "Killing him doesn't avenge Shin, it gives us no closure. It just means that we're no longer in his shadow."
For the first time in a while she felt exhausted. The adrenaline rush she'd experienced during the string of fights finally wore off as she realized that this fight was over. "What do we do now?"
"It's not over," Mitsuomi admitted. "There's still Nagi."
"No." She shook her head as she turned to face her rival. "No."
"No one knows what he did to Nagi, or if it's really Nagi in control."
"No!" she refused to believe that it wasn't over.
"She's told you what he can do," he said firmly.
"NO!" Her voice echoed off of the cavern walls. "NO! You just can't let your hate of him go!"
"You can't see past your attraction for the boy!" he countered. "You're attracted to him, and you know it."
She glared at him, her long buried fury and anger at him sustaining her now. "What if I do? What does it matter to you?"
He felt the chill of the hidden cavern, his breath misting before him. "Your judgment is clouded by your feelings for him. If he'd chosen Masataka…" he paused, unsure of himself. "If Masataka was in Nagi's shoes I'd do the same thing. I wouldn't want him controlling Masataka, do you want him to control Nagi?"
"We don't know if he can control him."
"He's controlled all of us for how long now?" he shot back. "He might still be controlling us now. He just stood there, waiting for me to kill him as if he expected to die tonight."
"You're wrong!"
"I… we were wrong about Shin too," he added.
His words stung her, stoking her hatred for him all the more. "This isn't like three years ago."
He stood calmly before her. "I can't take that chance."
Their eyes locked, his cool hers fiery. "The Dragon's Eye has been in your family for how many generations? I know that your ancestor predicted that only someone who could master Reiki could kill him. Yet he 'died' by my hand without Reiki present."
Unsheathing her family's legacy, she walked over to the corpse. Stabbing it repeatedly she waited for blood to stop spraying from it before she finally stopped.
"I know that he took the Eye from Aya." His remark chilled her to the bone. "If he has the eye is it not possible that he foresaw this? That he somehow discovered the prophecy and took some counter measures against us?"
"You're assuming that he's inside of Nagi."
"Which has been his plan all along – why else would he take the boy and then release him? Why do you think Nagi won't talk to you about what happened or how he got back? He knows but he's not willing to tell you."
"No," she said firmly shaking her head. "Nagi's good enough to get away. He's not the same punk that entered Toudou last term."
"But he's still not powerful enough to defeat Sohaku. Even with all the powers he's stolen over the summer, he's not strong enough. Why do you think he's been stealing Red Feather powers? It's because Sohaku wants them." Walking over to her he put his hand on her shoulder. "You know I'm right."
Pulling away she shook her head. "No. You've had it in for Nagi since he came to Toudou."
"He's the one who started the fights. Even after Saotome stopped him the punk kept picking fights. You know that Saotome covered up the fact that Nagi kept challenging him. You know that he's always been obsessed with fighting. Saotome is too, but at least he knows not to disrupt school with his fights. Nagi doesn't care about that, he just wants to prove that he's strongest even when he's not.
"He probably hasn't told you about what happened to him when Sohaku's people had him because he enjoyed beating up all those people. Even now he's itching to fight Ranma and Masataka again. I saw the look in his eyes when you told him he couldn't fight Masataka during the opening bout. I saw how he enjoyed fighting during the last bout. You know it too."
She shook her head again. She couldn't believe that. She wouldn't believe that.
"People fear his bloodline for a reason. It's not just because they steal powers, but because they enjoy beating people up. It's not a fight when you know who's going to win, and when a Souichiro is involved it's often a slaughter.
"Remember why the Feathers were put together."
"To fight Sohaku," she replied hoarsely.
Mitsuomi nodded. "That's right."
"But we've failed. All these years and we've failed. Now the Feathers serve him instead of fight against him."
"Which is why we need new blood."
"Blood like Saotome?" she scoffed.
"Toudou Academy was founded to bring in new blood, to find others with the skills and power to help us put an end to Sohaku, but slowly he's gained control of the school and started weeding out those he felt were a threat to him. Why do you think that those few who vanished over the summer weren't affiliated with any of the families or established dojos? He's used the families' pride against them, turning them into attack dogs that he sends against any upstarts like Saotome. We need to stop it, but we can't unless we stop Sohaku."
"You're wrong! We did stop him. And when the Juken Club wins the tournament I will change things. I will make sure that there are no more Shins or Manas."
He stood tall, his eyes locked with hers again. "I know you want to believe that you can do that, but do you even know how you're going to do that? And do you really think that you can defeat Saotome and Masataka?"
"And you think Saotome can run Toudou Academy?" she shot back angrily. "Or are you just backing him because Masataka's on his team? This is all probably one of your elaborate schemes to put him in control of the school so that you can graduate. You probably brought in Saotome just to take Masataka away from the Juken Club."
"You didn't even want Masataka in the Juken Club," he hissed back. He knew he shouldn't have allowed her to drag him down to her level yet he could not contain himself. "You didn't even want to fight last year because you wanted to buck the system. It wasn't until Aya and Souichiro came along that you decided to compete. It's not because you finally had enough people to field a team, and don't say that it's because you finally have some quality fighters. When I took over there were plenty of capable fighters who wanted to rally behind you, yet you turned them down."
"Because I couldn't trust them," she interjected. "I can trust Nagi and Bob and Aya."
"Even though you're stealing the man that your sister loves from her?"
Again she went cold, her fury drying up as though a snowstorm had put out the flame. Still, a spark remained. "You're just jealous that I've finally moved on."
X X X X X
A/N
Thanks to everyone for your continued support of this fic. I hope you all enjoyed the ride I've taken you on so far.
Please review.
Dreamingfox