Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Ryoga 1/2 Chronicles ❯ Challange ( Chapter 5 )

The Ryoga 1/2 Chronicles.

[5]. Challenge.

The wind blew softly causing the grass at Kuno's feet to quiver slightly in the evening light. He stared at the five people who had so rudely confronted him and raised his bokken ready for the defence.

"Who are you to so boldly challenge I, Tatewake Kuno rising young star of the high school fencing world. You should know you will not win if you wish to spar with me." Kuno gripped his bokken tighter and waited for their response. The tallest, a young man of about twenty with sandy hair and dressed in the traditional Karate Gi stepped forward.

"We are Team Red Moon, most fierce of all mixedstlye martial arts teams in the world and it is our destiny to conquer the greatest martial artists of every country to prove once and for all we are the greatest. Now we have come to Nerima for we have heard there are many great martial artists here. At noon three days from now we shall return to face your five greatest fighters in combat. You should know, we have fought one hundred and seventy six matches and have never been beaten." And with that they turned and ran off into the distance leaving Kuno with his thoughts.

"I will put an end to their cockiness as sure as my name is Tatiwake Kuno but do not think this is a battle I will win alone.

*

Ryoga was busy patching the last of the holes in the Tendo dojo ready for its reopening when the arrow struck home in the beam above his head. He quickly retrieved the arrow and unfurled the piece of paper that had been wrapped around it. Akane entered the dojo at that moment and saw him reading the note.

"What's that?" She questions trying to read it. "That looks like Kuno's writing. Is it a challenge or a love note for your female side." She said making gooey eyes at him. He gave her a slightly annoyed look.

"Neither, it's a request that you and I meet with him at the school as soon as possible."

"Oh no, not another pathetic attempt to date me. You'd think he has no tact or brains whatever."

"Actually it says Shampoo, Mousse, Kodatchi and Ukyo will be there too. Cologne and Happosie as well, hmm I wonder what he wants."

"Well I don't know about Happosie, I haven't seen him a few days thank goodness. I think he went off on some training exercise or something." Akane said.

"Well you think we should go or not?"

"This time, yes."

A short time later, the two found themselves listening to Kuno explain the challenge he had received to them and the others present. When he finished there was a short silence before anyone spoke.

"Hmm, I have heard of these people before. They aren't exactly dangerous but they are extremely good martial artists. Three boys and two girls?" Cologne asked. Kuno nodded.

"So what do we do great grandmother?" Shampoo asked.

"You fight them of course, it is a matter of pride. Besides you are all very skilled and you should be more than a match for them, though I have to say it's been a while since I saw them fight. No doubt they have gotten better since then." Kuno stepped forward at this.

"Exactly old one. I propose we form our own team to defend the name and pride of our town. The five greatest fighters of the Nerima district together as Team Blue Thunder, we shall be invincible." Kuno bent his head back and launched into a long manic laugh as the others stared in disbelief at him. His laugh was bought to an end as he breathed in a small passing fly which caused him to cough and splutter violently for a good five minutes. Akane gave him a tired look.

"Finished?" Kuno nodded. "Right then, so who are the five greatest fighters in Nerima. In case you hadn't noticed there are seven of us here."

"Yeah honey, just who do you think should be on this team then." Ukyo said staring sternly at Kuno.

"Well I shall of course be your fearless leader but with Ranma and the pig tailed girl gone the rest of the team is a bit tricky." The others shot Kuno an angry glance.

"Not so difficult aye son in law?" Cologne said. It took Ryoga a few moments to realise she was speaking to him.

"What do you mean son in law?" He caught sight of Shampoo making lovely eyes at him as she slowly moved closer. "Oh no, that was Ranma's business not mine, I never defeated her in combat or anything."

"Now son in law, why be so difficult. Shampoo is a strong, beautiful girl and your children would be truly magnificent." Cologne smiled as charmingly as she could.

"Just a minute, what make's you think Ryoga would want to marry one of you crazy Amazons. There are other girls much better suited to him." Ukyo challenged.

"Ha, like you spatula girl? You are weak, I would be much better bride." Shampoo retorted.

"Weak! I'll show you who's weak." With that Ukyo sprang forward to attack Shampoo. Akane stood watching open mouthed, she sidled up to Ryoga who was beginning to look like a rabbit caught in headlights.

"You know I never realised how ridiculous we all looked fighting over Ranma." She said. To Ryoga however Akane's comment was no comfort, for the fact she had not made a bid for him meant that she obviously didn't feel that way for him and though he'd sworn not to pursue her till she had gotten over Ranma, he still felt that same for her.

"Enough!" He shouted. The others all looked at Ryoga shocked. "What is this achieving, I am not Ranma and I do not like being fought over. Who I marry will be my decision but it is not one I plan to make for a while. However who will fight these strangers is a decision we should make now. I guess you should all know, when Ranma died he left a portion of his spirit in me. I now have his martial arts abilities and knowledge as well as my own, which I think makes me a clear choice for the team. As for the rest, Ukyo, Shampoo and Mousse you are the obvious choices."

"What about me?" Akane shouted indignantly. "I see you inherited Ranma's pig headedness too."

"I'm sorry Akane but they are better martial artists than you. Besides I don't want you to be hurt." Ryoga said hoping he wasn't sounding patronising but Akane only huffed and stormed off. "Damn!" He said under his breath.

"What about great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.

"This is a matter for the young my dear, it's none of my business." Cologne replied.

"I expected you'd say that."

"So what now? Mousse said already planning how he could use this as an excuse to get rid of Ryoga.

"We have two days to prepare. Kuno said.

"Do not take this challenge lightly children. They will be good, I suggest you practice hard." The aged leader of the Chinese amazons said.

"Right then we meet back here at 11:30 in two days time and accept the challenge that has been laid before us." Kuno said raising his bokken to the air.

"Right!" They all said.

As they parted company Cologne restrained Ryoga.

"Ryoga, I have not seen these five fight for a few years but they were good then and they will be better now. I suspect this will all come down to you and I want to know something. You may have Ranma's skill now but do you know how to use it." She gave him a question look then hopped off on her cane after her blue haired young granddaughter.

Ryoga reflected on what she had said and quickly realised that she had had a point. Although he knew Ranma's moves and tactics in is mind, it was totally different to his own. If he was to use his new abilities properly he was going to have to find a way to bring them together. He sighed, first he had to find Akane.

*

As it happened it proved relatively easy to find Akane as Ryoga spotted her sitting on the roof above her room as he approached the Tendo house. He quickly hopped up to join her.

"Akane?"

"What, have you come to tell me how poor my skill is again?" She sniffed.

"I'm sorry Akane, I didn't mean to upset you, honestly." Akane turned to look at him with eyes red from crying. She froze for through the tears, just for a second he had looked like Ranma standing before her.

"It's not your fault Ryoga. I know what you said is true, they are better than me. They've trained hard everyday of their lives to be that good. I guess I'm still a little mad at Ranma for leaving like this." Ryoga sat down next to her.

"Hey Akane if there's one thing I've learnt over the last few days, it's that Ranma is defiantly not gone. He's right here in all of us, not just me. If you search for him you might just be surprised." Akane turned and smiled at him.

"Thank you Ryoga." He just shrugged.

"I made a promise to Ranma you know, to look after you. I know you can look after yourself." He said quickly holding his hands up in defence. "But just so you know, he did care for you and because of that I will always be there for you if you need me. Just try not to make my job to difficult for me ok?" Ryoga said this with a little smile. Akane smiled again and nodded then suddenly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

Ryoga sat frozen in shock and desperately trying to stop the blood gushing from his nose till she released him.

"So I could do with a little help practicing for the match you know." He said in a rather nasal voice.

"Ok." She said much happier.

The two hopped down from the roof and made their way to the dojo. Once their they took up battle positions.

"Ok, so what now?" Akane asked.

"Attack me." Ryoga said. Akane smirked and lunged at Ryoga. She decide if he'd been right about Ranma always holding back, then neither would she. Ryoga jumped clear of Akane's lunge and flipped over her head except his landing wasn't clean and he collapsed in an ungraceful mess o the floor.

"Are you ok Ryoga?" Akane asked.

"Yeah, just getting used to this that's all. I haven't fought against anyone yet."

"Ok, ready for another one?" Ryoga nodded and Akane lunged again, this time bringing her fists to bear on his chest. Ryoga went to side step the attack and found himself once again sprawled on the floor as Akane's foot swept out in a wide ark taking out his legs. Ryoga stood up and stared at his hands.

"This is terrible, I'm worse than I was before. I don't understand."

"What about the other morning, that little display you gave."

"That was different, the earth wasn't trying to attack me. It's like, my style and Ranma's are clashing. Cologne warned me about this."

"This is bad. Like this you're gonna have to let me fight Ryoga."

"It's worse Cologne said she thought it would all be up to me in the end. If I can't master this new style, we're going to lose."

"So what do we do?"

"Practice like mad."

For the next two days Ryoga spent every moment he could in the dojo but even so, 11:30 of the day of the challenge he was still no better than Akane and as he stood with the other five members of Team Blue Thunder he felt a rising sense of panic growing inside him. He knew as he watched the five challengers approach that though they may not have been as dangerous as some of the opponents they had faced in the past, they were opponents that had to be defeated.

The two teams stood facing each other as the sandy haired leader of the challengers approached.

"So who is it that today will be defeated by the greatest mixedstlye martial arts team in the world. Team Red Moon." Kuno stepped forward.

"We are Team Blue Thunder of Nerima and it is you that shall be defeated."

"Hah, a nice dream. Here are the rules. It is battle royal so each will fighter one on one till the opponent is unconscious or unable to continue and the victor may then aid any other team mate he chooses. Do you agree to these rules."

"We do." Kuno replied.

"Very well, why let us waste time. Let battle commence."