Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ China Girl ❯ Visions in Her Head ( Chapter 3 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: SaotomeRanchan 
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Martial Arts | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.25.2001 | Pages: 7 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 983 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Martial Arts | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.25.2001 | Pages: 7 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 983 | Status: Work In Progress
China Girl
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Saotome Ranchan
SaotomeRanchan@allaboutranma.com
http://www.allaboutranma.c om/fanfics/China_Girl/
[ Chinese ]
* italics *
Author's notes, acknowledgements, and disclaimers to
follow. Who wants to read that first when there's a story
waiting?
What's happened previously:
A dangerously depressed and newly cursed Ranma is
brought to the Joketsukozu village, Nyuuchiezu Genjudi,
where he is given into the care of Pao Da, an Amazon elder
highly experienced in aiding Jusenkyo victims. Pao Da
begins helping Ranma accept his female side and lose his
sexist beliefs by having him train with both the Amazon girls
and men. However, the elder had not expected Ranma to
be such a talented martial artist ...
--------------------------------------------
Boo k One: Learning to Accept
Chapter Three: Visions in Her Head
--------------------------------------------
That night, once Ranma was asleep, Pao Da left her cottage
and headed for the Council Hall. When she and the cursed
youth had returned from their afternoon with the village men,
the elder had found a note summoning her to the Hall as
soon as her guest was settled in for the evening. Pao Da
chuckled as she remembered Ranma's dismay upon hearing
that he had to revert to his girl form. Pao Da had explained
that it was simply unseemly for her, a village elder, to have a
young male staying with her unless he were her husband.
Ranma had practically thrown himself under the faucet when
he'd heard that. Pao Da had been too amused to be
offended. .
As she reached the path leading to the Council Hall entrance,
a small figure stepped out of the shadows. Pao Da bowed.
[Respected Elder].
The short woman inclined her head. [Pao Da. We have much
to discuss. Follow me]. Turning, she led the taller female into
the Hall, hitting the light switch with a flick of her gnarled staff.
Pao Da took her customary seat at the council table and
waited until the Chief Elder had clambered into her chair.
[What is it you wish to discuss with me, Respected Elder?]
CLONK!! Pao Da winced, rubbing her head where the
wooden staff had struck her.
[Don't play coy with me, girl. You know perfectly well you're
here because of the boy. What is his name?]
[Saotome Ranma, Elder].
[He's not like the other Jusenkyo cursed you've helped in
the past, is he?]
Pao Da shook her head. [He is extremely skilled in the Art,
Elder. I haven't seen him demonstrate his abilities to the
fullest, but from what he has told me, and from what I've
seen, he should be very formidable indeed].
[He could wipe the floor with that girls' class and have Sei Lin
for lunch. I observed him, with the girls *and* with the men,
Pao Da. The boy is a true warrior].
[Elder, he asked if he could train in the Way of Hidden
Weapons].
The Chief Elder cackled. [Did he now? Interesting. He would
certainly give Mu Tsu a run for his money].
[With that boy's eyesight, I sincerely doubt he could run
anywhere, Elder].
[True, true]. The two women sat quietly, Pao Da waiting for
the Chief Elder to continue, the elder Amazon mulling things
over. [How do you feel he is adjusting to his curse?] the old
woman finally asked.
Pao Da arched an eyebrow. [It is too soon to tell. In male
form, he seems confident, inquisitive, almost full of himself.
As a female, well, he will do better once I dispel his rather
chauvinistic notions].
The Chief Elder sighed. [One of those, is he?]
[Unfortunately. It seems he was raised with the notion that
women are weak, meek homemakers. He was certainly
shocked to learn that Amazon warriors are women].
The old woman cackled, remembering the pole-axed look
on Ranma's face. [That he was!]
[I am going to continue exposing him, in his female form, to
our ways. I believe it will do him a world of good to realize
that women aren't helpless. Once he accepts that, I feel he'll
start accepting his curse].
[He didn't have much difficulty adapting his moves to
compensate for his shorter, fuller, female form,] the Chief
Elder noted.
[No, he has a remarkable ability to adapt,] Pao Da agreed.
[He claims that adaptability is key to his style of martial arts.
However, I believe his skill at adapting to change has more
to do with him than with his school.]
[I would like to see what he is capable of].
[Shall I have him work with one of the married warriors
tomorrow, Elder?]
The wizened woman shook her head. [No. Have him train
with his father, so that he doesn't feel the need to hold back].
Pao Da's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. [In the park,
Elder?! We would offend a lot of warriors if the Saotomes
trained there!]
[Not if they only saw a girl and her pet panda, Pao Da].
The younger Amazon nodded slowly. [I will arrange for
Saotome Genma to meet with us tomorrow morning, then].
[It will certainly be interesting to watch these two -- not to
mention entertaining].
Pao Da grinned. [It will certainly be that, Ke Lon].
*****
Something was tickling Ranma. She'd been dreaming about
springtime in Japan, and sitting beneath a tree, watching the
sakura blossoms drift gently to the ground. One must have
landed square on her nose, because the petals were making
her nostrils twitch and wriggle. Sleepily lifting a hand to brush
it away, Ranma jolted out of her dream when her fingers
encountered something solid. Opening her eyes, she found
herself nose to nose with a giant panda.
"AAAAAAAUGH!!!" The redhead vaulted out of bed, her
fingers extended in surprise.
The panda pulled out a wooden sign. "Nice to see you too,
boy," it read.
Ranma climbed down off the curtains and sat back on her
heels. "What's with the sign, Pop?"
Genma flipped the wooden sign around. "It's how I
communicate," the other side read.
Ranma reached out and turned the sign back around.
"How're you doin' that?" she asked, examining the writing
scrawled across the wood.
Genma pulled out another sign. "Very quickly," it read.
Pao Da entered the room to find Genma and Ranma
whacking each other on the head with signs. A pile of
splintered signs lay discarded in a sloppy heap next to the
bed. Shaking her head, the elder cleared her throat, stopping
the two in mid-squabble.
Ranma smiled at seeing her hostess and bounded over to
her, bowing politely. [Ni ha ma, Respected Elder]. Seeing
Pao Da's eyes widen in surprise, Ranma laughed. "Well, I
*did* hear practically everyone say that to you yesterday,"
the teen explained.
Pao Da chuckled, her hair ornaments tinkling. "That's true, isn't
it? For a moment, I thought perhaps you had been holding
out on me."
Ranma grinned, then jerked a thumb back at Genma, who
was retrieving his signs from the floor. "So what's with the
panda-man's signs?" she asked.
Pao Da inclined her head in greeting at the giant panda, who
immediately whipped out a "Good morning, Elder Pao Da"
sign.
"Your father has been staying at the home of Mao T'wazhe,
one of Nyuuchiezu Genjudi's carpenters," she told the
curious redhead. "Mao T'wazhe thought it would help your
father if he could communicate while in his cursed form, so he
assembled some signs for him to use."
Ranma slowly circled her father, poking at his fur every now
and then. "Okay, I give up. Where's Oyaji keepin' 'em?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" read the sign Genma held up.
Several seconds later, Genma nursed a goose egg
between his furry ears.
Pao Da shook her head in amusement. "Mao T'wazhe once
studied the Way of Hidden Weapons," she told the cursed
youth. "My guess is that he taught your father how to store
his signs so that they could be recalled at a moment's
notice."
"Bingo!" Genma's sign proclaimed.
Ranma narrowed her eyes. "Hidden Weapons, huh?" she
said, looking at her father, who suddenly found the ceiling
light fascinating.
"Child, bludgeoning your father with his signs will not cause
him to reveal what he knows," Pao Da remarked. "He has
undoubtedly been sworn to secrecy, anyway."
Genma nodded his head vigorously.
"Anyone who has ever studied the Way of Hidden
Weapons is sworn never to reveal what he knows," the
elder told the disappointed teen. "It simply wouldn't do to
have masters returning home from Jaoyong and teaching the
techniques to just any village male. We'd lose a lot of village
males that way."
Ranma frowned. . "So why'd *he* get to
learn?" she asked, jabbing a finger at the giant panda.
Pao Da rubbed her chin pensively. "I can only assume Chief
Elder Ke Lon granted Mao T'wazhe permission to instruct
him in this one technique," she ventured, looking to Genma
for confirmation. The elder Saotome nodded.
"D'ya think the Chief Elder'll let *me* learn?" Ranma asked
hopefully.
"I informed her of your request," the Amazon replied. "She
would first like to see what you can do. She's expecting us at
the park in an hour."
Taking Genma by the paw, Pao Da handed Ranma a
bundle of fresh clothing. "We'll be waiting for you in the
dining room," she told the teen as she left the bedroom,
tugging the panda behind her. "Incidentally, you *are* sworn
to secrecy upon the pain of death, so don't even consider
teaching the child your sign-stashing technique," Pao Da
warned Genma as they headed down the hall.
"Browr?" the panda replied in all innocence.
Ranma snickered.
*****
Sei Lin sat with her students on a lush stretch of grass,
watching the spectacle before her. Despite her best efforts
to remain professionally aloof, the combat instructor couldn't
help being captivated by the level of skill on display.
Well, that and the panda.
Several feet away, Ranma and Genma were going through
kata after kata, each more complex than the one before. The
lithe teen flowed through the forms with the grace of a dancer,
her strikes precise and powerful. After a while, Genma bowed
out, his cursed form lacking the agility needed for the
highest kata. Ranma continued alone, spinning and jumping,
blocking and kicking, wrapping the exercise up with a tension
move that showcased her remarkable balance.
Backing up, the pigtailed girl turned to face the giant panda.
As one, they bowed and assumed fighting stances.
Sei Lin gawked, her mouth hanging open in amazement, as
the Saotomes leapt into the air, exchanging several punches
and roundhouse kicks before landing and jumping right back
up. Ranma and her father seemed to hover above the
ground, trading blow after blow in mid-air. Ranma appeared
to be constantly airborne, rebounding off of tree trunks, park
benches, even the walls of the Council Hall. The redhead
flipped and twisted with practiced ease, handspringing over
the panda's head and sweeping his legs out from under him.
Grabbing a paw, the girl hip-threw the panda over the
stretch of grass where the Amazon and her class sat. Ranma
then launched herself after her father, landing a flying sidekick
squarely on his massive chest. Genma glared at her but
accepted her outstretched hand, allowing Ranma to pull him
up before sending her flying with a cross punch.
The spectators winced as Ranma impacted against a tree,
but Ranma just bounced right back into the match. "Kuso
oyaji!" she snarled, leaping into the air. "This time you're
stayin' down!" Two minutes later, Genma was out cold on the
ground. Ranma bowed to her unconscious father, although
the self-satisfied smirk on her face belied the formality of her
gesture.
Pao Da turned to Ke Lon as the little redhead trotted over to
them. [The child shows much skill,] she commented.
The Chief Elder snorted. [You have always been one for
understatement, Pao Da. We will discuss this further later
today]. Hopping onto her staff, the aged Amazon pogoed
back into the Council Hall.
"Who was that ... person?" Ranma asked, watching the
shriveled figure disappear into the building.
"Our Chief Elder, Ke Lon," Pao Da replied.
Ranma's jaw dropped. "*That* was the leader of your
village?"
Pao Da gave the stunned martial artist a level look. "Well,
when 300 years old you reach, look as good you will not,"
she said. "Don't be so quick to judge someone by their
appearance, child. Would you want people to dismiss you
and your skill just because you look like a girl?"
Anger flickered through Ranma's sapphire eyes. "No."
The blue-haired Amazon smiled. "I didn't think so.
Remember, child ... what a person looks like does not
change who or what they are, whether they're an Amazon
matriarch or a martial arts master." She placed her hand
companionably on the teen's shoulder. "Now let's go get
your father before Sei Lin's students adopt him as their class
mascot."
*****
Ranma emerged from Pao Da's cottage in a fresh silk top
and carrying a basket. The elder had village matters to attend
to for the rest of the morning, so Ranma was free to explore
the town. It was Pao Da's hope that the cursed youth would
observe -- without her prompting -- that women were not
decorative second-class citizens but strong, capable, and
respected members of society. Before she left, she'd provided
Ranma with a packed lunch and two canteens, one with hot
water and one with cold. Her only stipulation: that Ranma remain
a girl for at least half the morning.
To Ranma's surprise, she hadn't protested the Amazon's condition.
She chalked it up to free eats, free time, and the fact that the
hot-water canteen was ready and waiting, but deep inside, a part
of her wondered if perhaps she was indeed getting used to her
new ... look. Not in the mood for introspection, Ranma
squelched the thought and headed out the door.
"C'mon, Pop, let's go check out the town!" she called out to
the bulky panda, who'd curled up in the shade beside the
cottage.
The odd pair meandered through the village streets, Ranma
taking in everything she saw, Genma grumpily shuffling
behind. In the decade since their training trip had begun, the
Saotomes had stayed in an actual town less than half a
dozen times, since Genma claimed camping in the
wilderness made a martial artist stronger. Ranma suspected
the real reason was that her father simply didn't want to fork
over the money for a hotel. They'd actually rented a room
from a sweet elderly lady a year or so ago, in a town in the
foothills of Mt. Fuji, but Ranma knew that their extended stay
was due only to Genma's having to work off the damages to
a storefront he'd accidentally demolished. Still, it had given
Ranma a chance to attend school and even become friends
Ñ well, sort of Ñ with a classmate who lived nearby.
Nyuuchiezu Genjudi was the first town they'd been in since
they'd left for China, and Ranma was interested in seeing the
sights, as limited as they were.
The teen quickly bypassed the various tanners' shops, the
strong smell of fresh hides threatening to bring up her
breakfast. The musty scents at the herbalist's weren't much
better, but Ranma tolerated them enough to poke around
the store. Her Chinese was nowhere near good enough to
decipher the labels on the hundreds of jars, pots, packets,
and pouches; she *did* recognize the yuan symbols,
though, and she almost swallowed her tongue upon seeing
how much some ordinary-looking soap cost. Smiling
nervously at the approaching shopkeeper, Ranma quickly
backed out of the store before the language barrier made
her the new owner of who knows what expensive and
exotic spice.
A nearby weaver's caught her eye, and Ranma headed in
that direction, dragging the panda behind her. Having worn
plain cotton gis almost all her life, Ranma'd never given much
thought to fabrics, or clothes for that matter. What she saw in
the window completely captured her attention. A middle-
aged man sat at a loom, his fingers flying back and forth
along the massive frame. As if by magic, intricately detailed
golden dragons appeared on the red silk the man almost
effortlessly wove. A nearby loom displayed silver pagodas
on royal blue silk, while bolts of completed fabric lined the
shelves of one wall. Squinting, Ranma could make out
elaborate phoenixes, nightingales, and chrysanthemums on
the rolls of silk, and she nodded her head appreciatively.
Ranma recognized a master when she saw one, even when
the art practiced wasn't martial.
A furry paw slowly snaking its way into the basket she held
brought Ranma's attention back to her father. She slapped
the paw away, turning to glare at the giant panda.
"Kuso oyaji," she grumbled. "If you wanted somethin' to eat,
you coulda just asked!"
"I DID ask!" Genma brandished a sign. "But you couldn't hear
my sign," read the flip side.
Rolling her eyes, Ranma tossed the panda a pork bun and
helped herself to one as well. "C'mon," she told him,
"There're still plenty of things to see." She started down the
street, absently munching on her bun and completely
missing the "More?" sign Genma forlornly held up after
polishing his snack off in one gulp.
*****
[I would like you to train Ranma].
Only Pao Da's well-honed control kept her jaw from hitting
the Council Hall floor. [Train him, Elder?]
Ke Lon's large eyes locked with Pao Da's silver ones. [Yes,
Pao Da, train him. Did you not notice something about the
boy during this morning's exhibition?]
The younger Amazon replayed the demonstration in her
mind. [The child is extremely talented. His agility, speed, and
abilities are beyond what one would expect from even a
warrior of Sei Lin's skill].
Ke Lon narrowed her eyes. [Do you know why?] She
watched as realization came to the junior elder.
[But ... how is that possible? Only a handful of Joketsukozu
can do that ...]
[And Ranma can, as well. The difference is that Ranma taps
into his ki subconsciously to boost his abilities, instead of
accessing it on purpose. This is why he must be trained.
Without an experienced teacher showing him how to actively
manipulate his life force, who knows what harm the boy could
do to himself ... or to others].
Pao Da's mind reeled. Never had an outsider learned
Amazon techniques and lived. What Ke Lon was asking her
to do was unprecedented. [Will he be forced to remain in
Genjudi, then?]
The Chief Elder shook her head. [I am well aware that he has
a life and a future awaiting him in Japan. That is why it is
imperative for him to learn to control his ki -- to ensure that he
*has* a life and future].
[His life force is that great?] Pao Da asked, stunned.
[To be able to accomplish what he can do without actively
channeling his ki? Yes, his life force is that great. Greater than
any I've encountered, anywhere. It's clear he is destined for
some sort of greatness. It is *our* destiny to help him reach
his].
Pao Da nodded, accepting her assignment. [Simple ki
exercises, aura control, self-healing techniques ...]
[No ki attacks. Should he choose to develop these on his
own in the future, that is his prerogative. There are only so
many of our secrets I wish to share].
[I will begin immediately, Elder]. With a bow, Pao Da
excused herself and left the Hall.
Ke Lon remained in her seat, watching the azure-haired
woman stride into the park. [There *are* only so many
techniques I wish to share with an outsider,] she thought. [But
once Saotome Ranma realizes that his destiny is with us,
then I myself will train him to be the greatest warrior the
Joketsukozu have ever known!]
(to be continued)
--------------------------------------------
A cknowledgements:
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my tale!
Arigato ... xiexie!
Author's Notes:
So what has Genma been doing all this time, besides learning
that nifty sign trick? He's been sleeping, eating, and playing
board games. What else would he be doing?
Disclaimers:
Ranma 1/2 is a creation of Takahashi Rumiko. All rights
belong to Takahashi-san, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz, and
countless other entities with the power to sue me for
borrowing them for a little while. Please don't -- I'm a
starving, penniless otaku!
All original characters belong to me... if you'd like them to visit
your fanfics, just ask! Their travel rucksacks are always packed
and ready to go.
--------------------------------------------
Chapter Four coming soon!
C&C welcome at saotomeranchan@allaboutranma.com. No
flames, please ... I'm as sensitive as Tendo Soun!
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by Saotome Ranchan
SaotomeRanchan@allaboutranma.com
http://www.allaboutranma.c om/fanfics/China_Girl/
[ Chinese ]
* italics *
Author's notes, acknowledgements, and disclaimers to
follow. Who wants to read that first when there's a story
waiting?
What's happened previously:
A dangerously depressed and newly cursed Ranma is
brought to the Joketsukozu village, Nyuuchiezu Genjudi,
where he is given into the care of Pao Da, an Amazon elder
highly experienced in aiding Jusenkyo victims. Pao Da
begins helping Ranma accept his female side and lose his
sexist beliefs by having him train with both the Amazon girls
and men. However, the elder had not expected Ranma to
be such a talented martial artist ...
--------------------------------------------
Boo k One: Learning to Accept
Chapter Three: Visions in Her Head
--------------------------------------------
That night, once Ranma was asleep, Pao Da left her cottage
and headed for the Council Hall. When she and the cursed
youth had returned from their afternoon with the village men,
the elder had found a note summoning her to the Hall as
soon as her guest was settled in for the evening. Pao Da
chuckled as she remembered Ranma's dismay upon hearing
that he had to revert to his girl form. Pao Da had explained
that it was simply unseemly for her, a village elder, to have a
young male staying with her unless he were her husband.
Ranma had practically thrown himself under the faucet when
he'd heard that. Pao Da had been too amused to be
offended. .
As she reached the path leading to the Council Hall entrance,
a small figure stepped out of the shadows. Pao Da bowed.
[Respected Elder].
The short woman inclined her head. [Pao Da. We have much
to discuss. Follow me]. Turning, she led the taller female into
the Hall, hitting the light switch with a flick of her gnarled staff.
Pao Da took her customary seat at the council table and
waited until the Chief Elder had clambered into her chair.
[What is it you wish to discuss with me, Respected Elder?]
CLONK!! Pao Da winced, rubbing her head where the
wooden staff had struck her.
[Don't play coy with me, girl. You know perfectly well you're
here because of the boy. What is his name?]
[Saotome Ranma, Elder].
[He's not like the other Jusenkyo cursed you've helped in
the past, is he?]
Pao Da shook her head. [He is extremely skilled in the Art,
Elder. I haven't seen him demonstrate his abilities to the
fullest, but from what he has told me, and from what I've
seen, he should be very formidable indeed].
[He could wipe the floor with that girls' class and have Sei Lin
for lunch. I observed him, with the girls *and* with the men,
Pao Da. The boy is a true warrior].
[Elder, he asked if he could train in the Way of Hidden
Weapons].
The Chief Elder cackled. [Did he now? Interesting. He would
certainly give Mu Tsu a run for his money].
[With that boy's eyesight, I sincerely doubt he could run
anywhere, Elder].
[True, true]. The two women sat quietly, Pao Da waiting for
the Chief Elder to continue, the elder Amazon mulling things
over. [How do you feel he is adjusting to his curse?] the old
woman finally asked.
Pao Da arched an eyebrow. [It is too soon to tell. In male
form, he seems confident, inquisitive, almost full of himself.
As a female, well, he will do better once I dispel his rather
chauvinistic notions].
The Chief Elder sighed. [One of those, is he?]
[Unfortunately. It seems he was raised with the notion that
women are weak, meek homemakers. He was certainly
shocked to learn that Amazon warriors are women].
The old woman cackled, remembering the pole-axed look
on Ranma's face. [That he was!]
[I am going to continue exposing him, in his female form, to
our ways. I believe it will do him a world of good to realize
that women aren't helpless. Once he accepts that, I feel he'll
start accepting his curse].
[He didn't have much difficulty adapting his moves to
compensate for his shorter, fuller, female form,] the Chief
Elder noted.
[No, he has a remarkable ability to adapt,] Pao Da agreed.
[He claims that adaptability is key to his style of martial arts.
However, I believe his skill at adapting to change has more
to do with him than with his school.]
[I would like to see what he is capable of].
[Shall I have him work with one of the married warriors
tomorrow, Elder?]
The wizened woman shook her head. [No. Have him train
with his father, so that he doesn't feel the need to hold back].
Pao Da's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. [In the park,
Elder?! We would offend a lot of warriors if the Saotomes
trained there!]
[Not if they only saw a girl and her pet panda, Pao Da].
The younger Amazon nodded slowly. [I will arrange for
Saotome Genma to meet with us tomorrow morning, then].
[It will certainly be interesting to watch these two -- not to
mention entertaining].
Pao Da grinned. [It will certainly be that, Ke Lon].
*****
Something was tickling Ranma. She'd been dreaming about
springtime in Japan, and sitting beneath a tree, watching the
sakura blossoms drift gently to the ground. One must have
landed square on her nose, because the petals were making
her nostrils twitch and wriggle. Sleepily lifting a hand to brush
it away, Ranma jolted out of her dream when her fingers
encountered something solid. Opening her eyes, she found
herself nose to nose with a giant panda.
"AAAAAAAUGH!!!" The redhead vaulted out of bed, her
fingers extended in surprise.
The panda pulled out a wooden sign. "Nice to see you too,
boy," it read.
Ranma climbed down off the curtains and sat back on her
heels. "What's with the sign, Pop?"
Genma flipped the wooden sign around. "It's how I
communicate," the other side read.
Ranma reached out and turned the sign back around.
"How're you doin' that?" she asked, examining the writing
scrawled across the wood.
Genma pulled out another sign. "Very quickly," it read.
Pao Da entered the room to find Genma and Ranma
whacking each other on the head with signs. A pile of
splintered signs lay discarded in a sloppy heap next to the
bed. Shaking her head, the elder cleared her throat, stopping
the two in mid-squabble.
Ranma smiled at seeing her hostess and bounded over to
her, bowing politely. [Ni ha ma, Respected Elder]. Seeing
Pao Da's eyes widen in surprise, Ranma laughed. "Well, I
*did* hear practically everyone say that to you yesterday,"
the teen explained.
Pao Da chuckled, her hair ornaments tinkling. "That's true, isn't
it? For a moment, I thought perhaps you had been holding
out on me."
Ranma grinned, then jerked a thumb back at Genma, who
was retrieving his signs from the floor. "So what's with the
panda-man's signs?" she asked.
Pao Da inclined her head in greeting at the giant panda, who
immediately whipped out a "Good morning, Elder Pao Da"
sign.
"Your father has been staying at the home of Mao T'wazhe,
one of Nyuuchiezu Genjudi's carpenters," she told the
curious redhead. "Mao T'wazhe thought it would help your
father if he could communicate while in his cursed form, so he
assembled some signs for him to use."
Ranma slowly circled her father, poking at his fur every now
and then. "Okay, I give up. Where's Oyaji keepin' 'em?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" read the sign Genma held up.
Several seconds later, Genma nursed a goose egg
between his furry ears.
Pao Da shook her head in amusement. "Mao T'wazhe once
studied the Way of Hidden Weapons," she told the cursed
youth. "My guess is that he taught your father how to store
his signs so that they could be recalled at a moment's
notice."
"Bingo!" Genma's sign proclaimed.
Ranma narrowed her eyes. "Hidden Weapons, huh?" she
said, looking at her father, who suddenly found the ceiling
light fascinating.
"Child, bludgeoning your father with his signs will not cause
him to reveal what he knows," Pao Da remarked. "He has
undoubtedly been sworn to secrecy, anyway."
Genma nodded his head vigorously.
"Anyone who has ever studied the Way of Hidden
Weapons is sworn never to reveal what he knows," the
elder told the disappointed teen. "It simply wouldn't do to
have masters returning home from Jaoyong and teaching the
techniques to just any village male. We'd lose a lot of village
males that way."
Ranma frowned. . "So why'd *he* get to
learn?" she asked, jabbing a finger at the giant panda.
Pao Da rubbed her chin pensively. "I can only assume Chief
Elder Ke Lon granted Mao T'wazhe permission to instruct
him in this one technique," she ventured, looking to Genma
for confirmation. The elder Saotome nodded.
"D'ya think the Chief Elder'll let *me* learn?" Ranma asked
hopefully.
"I informed her of your request," the Amazon replied. "She
would first like to see what you can do. She's expecting us at
the park in an hour."
Taking Genma by the paw, Pao Da handed Ranma a
bundle of fresh clothing. "We'll be waiting for you in the
dining room," she told the teen as she left the bedroom,
tugging the panda behind her. "Incidentally, you *are* sworn
to secrecy upon the pain of death, so don't even consider
teaching the child your sign-stashing technique," Pao Da
warned Genma as they headed down the hall.
"Browr?" the panda replied in all innocence.
Ranma snickered.
*****
Sei Lin sat with her students on a lush stretch of grass,
watching the spectacle before her. Despite her best efforts
to remain professionally aloof, the combat instructor couldn't
help being captivated by the level of skill on display.
Well, that and the panda.
Several feet away, Ranma and Genma were going through
kata after kata, each more complex than the one before. The
lithe teen flowed through the forms with the grace of a dancer,
her strikes precise and powerful. After a while, Genma bowed
out, his cursed form lacking the agility needed for the
highest kata. Ranma continued alone, spinning and jumping,
blocking and kicking, wrapping the exercise up with a tension
move that showcased her remarkable balance.
Backing up, the pigtailed girl turned to face the giant panda.
As one, they bowed and assumed fighting stances.
Sei Lin gawked, her mouth hanging open in amazement, as
the Saotomes leapt into the air, exchanging several punches
and roundhouse kicks before landing and jumping right back
up. Ranma and her father seemed to hover above the
ground, trading blow after blow in mid-air. Ranma appeared
to be constantly airborne, rebounding off of tree trunks, park
benches, even the walls of the Council Hall. The redhead
flipped and twisted with practiced ease, handspringing over
the panda's head and sweeping his legs out from under him.
Grabbing a paw, the girl hip-threw the panda over the
stretch of grass where the Amazon and her class sat. Ranma
then launched herself after her father, landing a flying sidekick
squarely on his massive chest. Genma glared at her but
accepted her outstretched hand, allowing Ranma to pull him
up before sending her flying with a cross punch.
The spectators winced as Ranma impacted against a tree,
but Ranma just bounced right back into the match. "Kuso
oyaji!" she snarled, leaping into the air. "This time you're
stayin' down!" Two minutes later, Genma was out cold on the
ground. Ranma bowed to her unconscious father, although
the self-satisfied smirk on her face belied the formality of her
gesture.
Pao Da turned to Ke Lon as the little redhead trotted over to
them. [The child shows much skill,] she commented.
The Chief Elder snorted. [You have always been one for
understatement, Pao Da. We will discuss this further later
today]. Hopping onto her staff, the aged Amazon pogoed
back into the Council Hall.
"Who was that ... person?" Ranma asked, watching the
shriveled figure disappear into the building.
"Our Chief Elder, Ke Lon," Pao Da replied.
Ranma's jaw dropped. "*That* was the leader of your
village?"
Pao Da gave the stunned martial artist a level look. "Well,
when 300 years old you reach, look as good you will not,"
she said. "Don't be so quick to judge someone by their
appearance, child. Would you want people to dismiss you
and your skill just because you look like a girl?"
Anger flickered through Ranma's sapphire eyes. "No."
The blue-haired Amazon smiled. "I didn't think so.
Remember, child ... what a person looks like does not
change who or what they are, whether they're an Amazon
matriarch or a martial arts master." She placed her hand
companionably on the teen's shoulder. "Now let's go get
your father before Sei Lin's students adopt him as their class
mascot."
*****
Ranma emerged from Pao Da's cottage in a fresh silk top
and carrying a basket. The elder had village matters to attend
to for the rest of the morning, so Ranma was free to explore
the town. It was Pao Da's hope that the cursed youth would
observe -- without her prompting -- that women were not
decorative second-class citizens but strong, capable, and
respected members of society. Before she left, she'd provided
Ranma with a packed lunch and two canteens, one with hot
water and one with cold. Her only stipulation: that Ranma remain
a girl for at least half the morning.
To Ranma's surprise, she hadn't protested the Amazon's condition.
She chalked it up to free eats, free time, and the fact that the
hot-water canteen was ready and waiting, but deep inside, a part
of her wondered if perhaps she was indeed getting used to her
new ... look. Not in the mood for introspection, Ranma
squelched the thought and headed out the door.
"C'mon, Pop, let's go check out the town!" she called out to
the bulky panda, who'd curled up in the shade beside the
cottage.
The odd pair meandered through the village streets, Ranma
taking in everything she saw, Genma grumpily shuffling
behind. In the decade since their training trip had begun, the
Saotomes had stayed in an actual town less than half a
dozen times, since Genma claimed camping in the
wilderness made a martial artist stronger. Ranma suspected
the real reason was that her father simply didn't want to fork
over the money for a hotel. They'd actually rented a room
from a sweet elderly lady a year or so ago, in a town in the
foothills of Mt. Fuji, but Ranma knew that their extended stay
was due only to Genma's having to work off the damages to
a storefront he'd accidentally demolished. Still, it had given
Ranma a chance to attend school and even become friends
Ñ well, sort of Ñ with a classmate who lived nearby.
Nyuuchiezu Genjudi was the first town they'd been in since
they'd left for China, and Ranma was interested in seeing the
sights, as limited as they were.
The teen quickly bypassed the various tanners' shops, the
strong smell of fresh hides threatening to bring up her
breakfast. The musty scents at the herbalist's weren't much
better, but Ranma tolerated them enough to poke around
the store. Her Chinese was nowhere near good enough to
decipher the labels on the hundreds of jars, pots, packets,
and pouches; she *did* recognize the yuan symbols,
though, and she almost swallowed her tongue upon seeing
how much some ordinary-looking soap cost. Smiling
nervously at the approaching shopkeeper, Ranma quickly
backed out of the store before the language barrier made
her the new owner of who knows what expensive and
exotic spice.
A nearby weaver's caught her eye, and Ranma headed in
that direction, dragging the panda behind her. Having worn
plain cotton gis almost all her life, Ranma'd never given much
thought to fabrics, or clothes for that matter. What she saw in
the window completely captured her attention. A middle-
aged man sat at a loom, his fingers flying back and forth
along the massive frame. As if by magic, intricately detailed
golden dragons appeared on the red silk the man almost
effortlessly wove. A nearby loom displayed silver pagodas
on royal blue silk, while bolts of completed fabric lined the
shelves of one wall. Squinting, Ranma could make out
elaborate phoenixes, nightingales, and chrysanthemums on
the rolls of silk, and she nodded her head appreciatively.
Ranma recognized a master when she saw one, even when
the art practiced wasn't martial.
A furry paw slowly snaking its way into the basket she held
brought Ranma's attention back to her father. She slapped
the paw away, turning to glare at the giant panda.
"Kuso oyaji," she grumbled. "If you wanted somethin' to eat,
you coulda just asked!"
"I DID ask!" Genma brandished a sign. "But you couldn't hear
my sign," read the flip side.
Rolling her eyes, Ranma tossed the panda a pork bun and
helped herself to one as well. "C'mon," she told him,
"There're still plenty of things to see." She started down the
street, absently munching on her bun and completely
missing the "More?" sign Genma forlornly held up after
polishing his snack off in one gulp.
*****
[I would like you to train Ranma].
Only Pao Da's well-honed control kept her jaw from hitting
the Council Hall floor. [Train him, Elder?]
Ke Lon's large eyes locked with Pao Da's silver ones. [Yes,
Pao Da, train him. Did you not notice something about the
boy during this morning's exhibition?]
The younger Amazon replayed the demonstration in her
mind. [The child is extremely talented. His agility, speed, and
abilities are beyond what one would expect from even a
warrior of Sei Lin's skill].
Ke Lon narrowed her eyes. [Do you know why?] She
watched as realization came to the junior elder.
[But ... how is that possible? Only a handful of Joketsukozu
can do that ...]
[And Ranma can, as well. The difference is that Ranma taps
into his ki subconsciously to boost his abilities, instead of
accessing it on purpose. This is why he must be trained.
Without an experienced teacher showing him how to actively
manipulate his life force, who knows what harm the boy could
do to himself ... or to others].
Pao Da's mind reeled. Never had an outsider learned
Amazon techniques and lived. What Ke Lon was asking her
to do was unprecedented. [Will he be forced to remain in
Genjudi, then?]
The Chief Elder shook her head. [I am well aware that he has
a life and a future awaiting him in Japan. That is why it is
imperative for him to learn to control his ki -- to ensure that he
*has* a life and future].
[His life force is that great?] Pao Da asked, stunned.
[To be able to accomplish what he can do without actively
channeling his ki? Yes, his life force is that great. Greater than
any I've encountered, anywhere. It's clear he is destined for
some sort of greatness. It is *our* destiny to help him reach
his].
Pao Da nodded, accepting her assignment. [Simple ki
exercises, aura control, self-healing techniques ...]
[No ki attacks. Should he choose to develop these on his
own in the future, that is his prerogative. There are only so
many of our secrets I wish to share].
[I will begin immediately, Elder]. With a bow, Pao Da
excused herself and left the Hall.
Ke Lon remained in her seat, watching the azure-haired
woman stride into the park. [There *are* only so many
techniques I wish to share with an outsider,] she thought. [But
once Saotome Ranma realizes that his destiny is with us,
then I myself will train him to be the greatest warrior the
Joketsukozu have ever known!]
(to be continued)
--------------------------------------------
A cknowledgements:
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my tale!
Arigato ... xiexie!
Author's Notes:
So what has Genma been doing all this time, besides learning
that nifty sign trick? He's been sleeping, eating, and playing
board games. What else would he be doing?
Disclaimers:
Ranma 1/2 is a creation of Takahashi Rumiko. All rights
belong to Takahashi-san, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz, and
countless other entities with the power to sue me for
borrowing them for a little while. Please don't -- I'm a
starving, penniless otaku!
All original characters belong to me... if you'd like them to visit
your fanfics, just ask! Their travel rucksacks are always packed
and ready to go.
--------------------------------------------
Chapter Four coming soon!
C&C welcome at saotomeranchan@allaboutranma.com. No
flames, please ... I'm as sensitive as Tendo Soun!