Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful
Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North
America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans.
No copyright infringement is intended.
==========================
The Loving Arts
Chapter 2
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by TeW
Last Update Sep 17, 2000
==========================
Ranma slunk down the street, his hands in his pockets and head down.
He'd felt so different when he'd arrived home the night before. It
seemed like the world should have seen the difference somehow. Instead
this morning had been more of the same. Malleted by Akane, landed on by
Shampoo's tire, and attacked by Ryoga, Kuno, and Mousse.
He hadn't realized how much he needed the change he'd been expecting.
Somehow everything remaining the same had both depressed him and made
him understand how horrible his life had become. Somehow the home he'd
never had and the people who he'd thought of as friends had slowly been
transformed into something intollerable. When had it hapened? It wasn't
as if he didn't know there were problems, but when had the problems in
his life *become* his life?
He sighed and looked up to see where he was - might as well go visit
Ucchan and find out if things were as bad there as it seemed they were
everywhere else. When he saw the sign for Dr. Tofu's new clinic, he
decided that maybe a talk with someone who wasn't a fiancee or rival
would be better.
Fortunately Dr. Tofu wasn't busy. He still hadn't fully reestablished
himself with his old clientel. A lot of them were probably unwilling to
travel the extra distance. His old clinic had been in a convient
location near the market and shopping areas. Ranma was quickly escorted
into the doctors new office.
"I take it Master Happosai is no longer with us?" Tofu said.
"Yeah, he died a couple days ago. I burried him with his family like he
asked."
"I'm glad you got to spend some time with him. He certainly had his
faults, but he was a top-notch martial artist. And he *was* the grand
master of your school." The light emphsis was a question, one Ranma
hadn't quite come to grips with himself.
"Yeah, he made me Grand Master. Of course pop and maybe Mr. Tendo will
challenge it."
"You're not worried." It was a statement, not a question.
"Of course not. I know all pop's moves already. Mr. Tendo hasn't really
kept in practice, so he shouldn't be a problem."
Dr. Tofu leaned back and gave Ranma a serious look. "Ranma, I know
something is bothering you. I think I even know what it is. Do you want
to talk about it?"
"I...don't know. It just seems like everything has kinda gone to hell
the last year or so. I'd kinda hoped things would be different when I
got back."
"I think you're going to have to make the changes yourself, Ranma.
Maybe the only change has been that you're willing to make those
changes."
Ranma thought about that for a bit. One of the nice things about
talking to Dr. Tofu was that he was willing to give you time to think.
"Guess so." He finally said. "And maybe a few new ways to handle them.
Thanks sensee, talking to you always seems to help."
"Ranma? Before you go, I'd like to talk to you about something." Dr.
Tofu said.
Ranma leaned back. With Dr. Tofu a statement like that usually meant
you were about to get a lecture. Somehow though, this seemed different.
Dr. Tofu seemed uncertain and wasn't projecting that aura of calm wisdom
he usually had.
"Sure, what's up?"
"It's about Kasumi."
Dr. Tofu didn't go crazy at the very mention of Kasumi's name, Ranma
noticed. He must be getting better.
"We...talked before I left. Came to a sort of understanding..."
"It's about time."
"Yes, well that's sort of the problem." Dr. Tofu said, then gave Ranma
a hard look before continuing.
"Ranma, do you know anything about Japanese inheritance laws?"
"Huh? No, why?"
"I want to ask Kasumi to marry me."
"Great! I've been hoping you two would get together." Ranma said.
"But she won't marry me yet."
"Why not? She's crazy about you!"
"Maybe. But because of the inheritance laws and how Kasumi sees her
duty to her family, she wont get married until after you and Akane."
"Why not?" Ranma said, sitting up straight.
"Because then either she would have to inherit the house and dojo or
the usual estate taxes would kick in and the family would probably end
up losing the dojo." Tofu said in an almost angry voice.
"Uhhh...."
"So what I want to talk to you about is if and when you plan on
marrying Akane."
"Uhhh..."
"Ranma, this is important to me. Possibly the most important thing in
my life. I *need* to know." Tofu spoke with a quite urgency. Ranma just
couldn't deny him, he liked and owed the doctor too much.
"I-I guess I haven't decided yet, exactly. I mean...well I'd really
like...She's just not... Oh hell! I'd like to marry her, but she still
treats me like shit." Ranma said, rubbing the spot on his head where
he'd been malleted only an hour earlier.
"I've known Akane since she was very small. She doesn't express her
feelings well and doesn't like being forced into things. I'm quite sure
that's all that's keeping her from letting you know how she really
feels."
"What if what she really feels is hate?"
"I don't think that's the case, but if it is, then you should still
find out. Isn't it better to know now and bring this to some kind of
closure? Get the engagment called off? Something?"
Dr. Tofu got up and turned to look out the window. After a moment he
started speaking again.
"I've always held myself back from all the crazyness around your life
Ranma. I thought it best to have a dispassionate viewpoint. Now...I'm
not sure I can continue that. I've considered getting actively involved
just to try to force some kind of answer to my own problem."
The doctor turned and looked at Ranma steadily.
"For now I can say that I'm ready to help you sort this all out. More
than just advice if that's what you need."
"Thanks...I can't really think of anything..." Ranma's voice faded as
he realized that Dr. Tofu *could* help him.
"Actually, now that you mention it, there's a book of techniques
Happosai gave me. A lot of them are based on pressure points, and a lot
of them have some kinda strange effects. I'd like to ask you some
questions about how they might work and how I can practice them without
killing someone if I make a mistake."
Dr. Tofu sat back down and leaned over toward Ranma. "Gladly Ranma,
what would you like to know?"
* * * *
"So this book is filled with techniques that only work on women? And
the amazons are trying to track down and destroy it?' Dr. Tofu asked.
Ranma had started by asking specific questions about some of the
techniques, then ended up simply explaining the whole situation.
"Yeah, that's what Happosai said anyway."
Instead of answering, the doctor pulled over a pad of paper and wrote
some Kanji on it. Then he spun the pad so it faced Ranma.
"Where these characters on the cover?"
Ranma traced them with his finger "I think so, but I don't know what
they mean."
"A rough translation would be 'The loving arts'. It's book of
techniques that were thought lost over two hundred years ago. The
Amazons weren't the only powerful group of women who wanted it
destroyed. The last known copy was thought to have been destoryed in a
fire in the late seventeenth century, though rumors of other copies
have poped up from time to time."
"Well it doesn't surprise me that the old man had a copy, considering
his talent for 'collecting' things and his other hobbies."
"I'd like to see this book someday. There may be techniques that are
useful in medicine. Actually some of the techniques you mentioned could
be useful in treating my female patients."
"I left it at Happosai's house. Bringing it anywhere near Cologne
seemed like a bad idea."
"Wise of you. I would still like to see it someday."
"Hey, no problem. Were going to be part of the same family right? As
long as Akane doesn't kill me first anyway." Ranma said jokingly.
"Ranma...I almost hesitate to suggest this, but there are things you
can do about your relationship to Akane that you couldn't before." Tofu
said quietly.
"Like?" Ranma was pretty sure where this was going, and wasn't sure he
liked it.
"Two things come to mind. The first is your status as Grandmaster of
the school. It is now up to you to decide who is and who isn't a
student. And also your reponsibility to make sure that the students are
adequately trained."
"Hey, I hadn't thought of that! The Tomboy could definitely use more
training."
"Also, it seems as if some of the techniques you've learned might be
used when Akane goes overboard."
"I don't like the idea of using those on her." Ranma was already
feeling too tempted by some of the things he'd learned. He didn't need
Dr. Tofu telling him it was okay.
Tofu nodded. "You'll have to decide that of course. You might want to
set some limits. Behavior that is beyond what she should be allowed.
Her habit getting violent when she gets jealous comes to mind. When she
oversteps those bounds, then you can use your new techniques to stop
her."
"That might work. I could warn her before hand." Ranma said slowly. It
wouldn't be so bad then, would it? Some of the less nasty techniques to
calm her down, or some such.
"You can use that same approach with pretty much everyone. Set some
limits and enforce them. Don't let people continue doing things that
you can't tollerate."
Ranma looked up at the slight edge in Tofu's voice. "In other words
stop being such a wimp and letting everyone walk all over you?" Ranma
said sourly.
Dr. Tofu grinned. "More or less. Just make sure you think it out
beforehand, so you aren't just forcing people to do what you want. I
think you can handle this without becoming a bully."
Having the doctor understand the reason for not doing something like
this sooner somehow made it all seem more reasonable.
"Okay, I'll give it a try."
"Keep me posted on how it's going. Since I suggested it I feel I should
make sure things don't get out of hand."
"Thanks sensee. I'd appreciate your help. As a mater of fact, if you
got time we could talk about what kind of behavior you think is out of
bounds for Akane..."
* * * *
Ranma took a deep breath and walked through the dojo gates. He'd ended
up being at Dr. Tofu's clnic for hours. Between patients they'd managed
to come up with a rough plan.
The planning had been tough going until he'd mentioned his growing
ability to read the emotions of women. It turned out that Dr. Tofu had
a similar ability that worked for everyone. Ranma's seemed to give more
detailed information while Dr. Tofu's technique worked on everyone and
didn't require as much concentration. Using that technique he could
judge the intentions as well as the actions of people, or at least half
of them. While Dr. Tofu had started to learn his version of the
technique, Ranma had no luck learning to read the aura's of men.
Ranma took a quick look around before walking in. He didn't bother
announcing his arrival as was the custom, as everyone would know he was
here soon enough. He made his way to the kitchen, carefully avoiding his
father and Mr. Tendo playing Shogi in the main room.
"Kasumi?" He said. She was there, of course, since it was getting close
to dinner time.
"Yes Ranma?" She said.
Ranma didn't answer right away. He had shifted his vision to look at
her emotional aura. Even with the warning Dr. Tofu had given him he was
stunned. No wonder the doctor was in love with her. He realized he was
staring open mouthed at her when a bit of embaressment crept in to her
aura. Ranma regretfully stopped viewing her aura and managed a weak
smile.
"Sorry Kasumi, I spaced out for a second there. I was wondering if
there was time for a family meeting before dinner."
"I suppose so. Is it important?"
"I think..." Ranma shook himself. He had to be a little more forceful
or this wasn't going to work. "Yes. It's very important."
"Just give me a moment to do a few things and then we can start."
Kasumi busied herself turning down and checking a number of pots on the
stove and covering some bowls.
On a sudden impulse Ranma stopped Kasumi. Maybe it was time to give
both Kasumi and Tofu some payback for all their help.
"Hey Kasumi, I think you're going to be busy tomorrow night. Why don't
I make dinner?"
"Why do you think I'm going to be buzy?" Kasumi said with a puzzled
look.
"A certain doctor is going to ask you out." Ranma said.
"He is?" She said with a dazzeling smile. "When is he going to ask me?"
"As soon as he finds out your free tomorrow." Ranma said, returning her
smile.
"Now, Ranma. You shouldn't be playing matchmaker like that. He might
not want to ask me out."
"I just had a long talk with him. He does want to, trust me on this
one."
"All right Ranma. And thank you."
"No problem, now let's start that meeting."
* * * *
Ranma had assumed that Kasumi and he would go get everyone together.
Instead she stood by the table and yelled. "Family meeting!"
Soun and Genma, sitting almost right next to them, winced at the volume
and looked startled. Nabiki came down from upstairs and Akane came
running in from the dojo wearing her gi. In less than a minute everyone
was seated around the dinning room table.
"What's up sis?" Nabiki asked.
"I have no idea. Ranma asked me to call the meeting." Kasumi said.
Nabiki snorted and Akane scowled. Both started to get up.
"Sit." Ranma commanded in a low voice with a hint of menace that he
hadn't planned putting into it. It worked though, both sat immediately
Akane staring at him with a surprised look and Nabiki with her usual
bored expression.
"I have important news. News that I woulda told you this morning if it
wasn't for some interruptions." He carefully did not look at Akane when
he said that, though he saw her flinch out of the corner of his eye.
"My trip with Master Happosai was for a reason. One he didn't want me
to tell you about beforehand. The Master was dying." Ranma said. He
hoped the news would stun them long enough to get the master's letters
handed out. It seemed to be working, too.
"He died a few days ago. I buried him next to his sister and mother."
Ranma passed out the letters while everyone was gaping. He understood
their surprise, he still couldn't belive it himself. It had seemed like
the old goat was immortal.
He wrote these and asked me to deliver them. I'll leave you alone to
read them.
He turned to Akane before he left. It was time to begin Dr. Tofu's
plan. Akane was going to be the first one he was going to try it on.
"Akane, when you're done we need to talk. I'll meet you in the dojo."
As he walked out he heard Mr. Tendo break out into a wail.
* * * *
Ranma looked at the two remaining letters - one for his mother and one
for Cologne. Time to take care of those too.
He started by calling his mom.
"Moshi-moshi" She answered.
"Hi mom."
"You're back! How was your trip?"
"Kind of...eventfull. Mom, Happosai is dead. He was dying when we left."
"Oh dear. Are you sure you're all right?"
"Yeah, mom. Happosai left a letter for you, and there's going to be
some stuff happening here that I think I'm going to want to get away
from. Is it okay if I stay there for a day or two?"
"Of course dear! This is your home."
"Thanks mom, I'll be by late tonight I think, or may be early tomorrow."
"That's fine. I'll look forward to seeing you."
"Thanks mom. See ya."
"Goodbye dear."
Ranma hung up the phone. Now he had to deal with Cologne.
* * * *
Forunately Shampoo wasn't around when he got to the Nekohauten. Mousse
was there though, scrubbing the floor with his glasses on. He leveled a
dirty look at Ranma when he walked in.
"I see you're back Saotome." Mousse said flatly.
"Yeah, hi Mousse. I got a message for Cologne."
Mousse grunted and pointed to the kitchen.
Ranma mumbled a thanks and headed into the back room. Cologne was buzy
at the sink washing a large pot.
"So, son-in-law. Is it over?"
"So you knew?"
"Of course. Happosai was using his chi to keep himself alive. That's
rather obvious to someone with my skills."
"Yeah, it's over. A few days ago. He left you a note and a ring."
Cologne turned and raised an eyebrow at him. "He did, did he?"
Ranma handed her the note and dug the ring out of his pocket and handed
that to her too.
Cologne read the note impassively, then looked at the ring. "Now that
brings back memories." She said in a hushed voice..
"So you and Happosai were married?"
To his surprise Cologne laughed. "No, boy. He defeated my older sister.
Though I did have a bit of a crush on him. Both of us were sorry to see
him go.
"He told me why he had to leave and how the law applies to me."
Cologne narrowed her eyes. "I see."
"I don't want to be Shampoo's husband. Don't do anything crazy." Ranma
said in a warning tone.
"If it is true that Happosai trained you in some of the forbidden art,
it doesn't matter." She said, gesturing at the note she held.
"Forbidden art?" Ranma asked. Internally he was worried that Cologne
knew about the book.
"The art of subjegating a woman." Cologne said, eyes still narrowed.
"Umm...yeah, I guess he did." .
"Then I'm not letting Shampoo or any other Amazon maiden anywhere near
you. The marriage is void. I declare you a danger to the tribe. Do not
approach it again on peril of your life." The last words sounded
formal, like they were part of some kind of cerimoney.
Ranma bowed. The formality seemed right somehow. "Very well. I will not
bother you again. Please be sure to keep Shampoo away from me."
Cologne signed and her shoulders drooped. "I will try. She's quite
smitten with you though. Please be gentle if she disobeys me on this."
"That depends on what she does."
Cologne just nodded, then turned back to her clearning.
"Go now, boy. It's been an interesting time here. I expect we will be
gone in a few months. If you need to talk to Mousse or myself, please
call beforehand."
"Okay." Ranma paused at the door. "You don't seem to be worried about
me using what Happosai taught me on you."
Cologne giggled. Not a cackle, but an actual giggle. "Ranma, at my age
that is more of a daydream than a threat."
"Uhh...yeah. Bye." Ranma quickly retreated from the kitchen.
"So, what are you hear for? Going to steal away my Shampoo again?"
Mousse said bitterly.
Ranma grinned. "Nope. Cologne just declared my marriage to Shampoo null
and void. See ya."
Ranma took advantage of Mousses facefault to leave.
* * * *
Akane was waiting in the dojo, going through a complex kata she'd been
working on for the last few weeks. A kata he'd mastered when he was ten.
"Ranma, there you are. Daddy and Uncle Saotome are angry with you about
something, but they wouldn't say what. Daddy's actually practicing with
your dad in the yard."
he thought.
"What are you staring at Baka?" Akane said crossly.
Ranma took a deep breath. Now was the time. One of the changes he was
going to make was to stop lying to her, and to himself.
"I'm looking at you." He said gently.
Ranma smiled internally as Akane blushed and looked away.
"I wanted to talk to you about some things. I did a lot of thinking on
this trip and...some things have to change."
"Like what." Akane said, still not looking at him."
"Like us treating each other better. No more name-calling, no more
hitting or malleting, and no more running away when the other wants to
talk." Ranma wasn't so sure about that last one, but Dr. Tofu insisted
it was necessary.
"Hmmph. And what if you deserve a malleting?"
"Tough. Figure out something else if you really think I need it, though
I can't think of *anything* that deserves abuse like that."
"Abuse?" Akane said angrily.
"Yeah, abuse. What would you call it if I hit you every time I was
unhappy?"
"That's different!"
Ranma took a deep breath. "Whatever. Just don't do it anymore."
"What if I don't agree?"
"I wasn't asking, I was telling you how things need to be." Ranma said.
"You...jerk!" Akane pulled out her mallet and swung it at him.
Ranma ducked under the swing and got behind her, hitting a pressure
point that would knock her out for about two minutes. Since this was
one Dr. Tofu had shown him, it didn't have any interesting side effects.
Ranma wasn't so sure about this next part. Dr. Tofu had been the one to
sugest it, or he would never have considered it at all.
Her gi top and loose pants were easy, though he noticed that the pants
weren't all that loose around the hips anymore. The sports bra took a
bit more effort. He left her lying naked, except for her panties, on a
mat with her cloths neatly piled alongside her.
He admired the view before quickly heading into the house. The
pressure point would wear off in a minute or so and he didn't want to
be around when it did.
As he left he found himself smiling. Some of this might actually be fun.
Ranma's smile fled quickly when he reached the house and was confronted
by the two fathers.
"So what's this about you being the Grandmaster of the school, boy."
Genma said, crossing his arms and doing his best 'you're in deep
trouble' look.
"Happosai wanted to name a successor. Since *you* insisted that I be
his heir, I guess he felt I was the best one for the job.
"The job of Grandmaster is too difficult for someone as young as you
son." Soun said.
"So if you renounce the position Soun and I will decide who's the best
person is for the job." Genma said.
"I don't back down, you should know that by now." Ranma said. "So get
on with the challenge if you're going to and quite wastin' time if
you're not." Ranma said in an irritated tone. He'd wanted to pack a few
things before this happened, so he wouldn't have to stick around and
listen to the old men complain when he beat them (or hear their boasts
on the off chance they beat him). Well he could always slip in through
the window and grab what he needed.
"If that's the way it has to be boy." Genma said. "I challenge you for
the position of Grandmaster of the school of Anything Goes Martial
Arts."
"As do I" Soun said.
"So which one of you wants to get beaten first?" Ranma said, moving
into a defensive stance.
"Oh, my." Came Kasumi's voice from behind his father (Who was plenty
wide enough to hide her). "You'll get dirty and dinner is in a
half-hour. Maybe you should wait until afterwards."
Ranma dropped his stance when the two fathers relaxed. "Sure, Kasumi."
"Ranma, do you know where Akane is? I wanted her to set the table."
Kasumi asked.
"She's in the..." Ranma started to say before he was interrupted by a
shreik from the dojo.
"Never mind, Thank you, Ranma." Kasumi said, heading for the walkway
connecting the house to the dojo.
After she left Ranma edged past the still-hostile older men and went
upstairs to pack.
* * * *
Ranma hid the small pack in the bushes by the wall around the house.
Then went up to the roof to wait until dinner, there wasn't anyone he
really wanted to see right now anyway.
He watched the stars come out for a few minutes before he heard
Kasumi's call of 'Dinner' and headed over to the edge of the roof and
dropped down.
Dinner was strained. Neither Genma or Soun said a word to him, though
his father growled at him every now and then. Akane and Nabiki gave the
older men a few strange looks, but didn't comment. Not that Akane looked
like she was likely to talk to him for a long time. She wouldn't even
aknowledge his presence.
Once they were finished Genma looked at him sternly. "All right boy,
it's time. Unless you want to give up this foolish notion."
"Not *my* idea pop, it was yours and Happosai's. You just don't want to
live up to your decisions, like usual." Ranma said. This really was
their idea. It would be kind of nice to be Grandmaster, but he didn't
think it would be worth the trouble. That didn't matter though. He'd
told Happosai he'd do it, and he would follow through with that.
"I think I should go first." Soun said.
"Very well, Tendo." Genma said, not taking his eyes off of Ranma.
"What *is* going on with you three?" Nabiki asked.
"They're challenging me for the position of Grandmaster of the school."
Ranma got to his feet and turned to Soun.
"Where do you want to do this?" He asked the older man.
Akane blinked. "But I thought Happosai...oh yeah."
"Let's take this to the Dojo son."
"Okay."
Ranma followed Soun to the Dojo, followed shortly by Genma.
"I've *got* to see this." Nabiki said.
* * * *
Soun, Ranma decided, was better than he'd expected.
It wasn't that he was in any better shape than Ranma expected, or even
any less rusty in performing his moves. What the older man did have
going for him was that he was one sneaky bastard.
It seemed as if every move was a feint or bluff, until Ranma decided to
ignore it and then it was a full blown strike hitting with suprising
power. After a bit Ranma realized that the moves were all multilayered,
with the block from one move being the setup for a new sequence, while
his other hand was performing the strike from yet a third move.
Even with Ranma's edge in speed and strength he'd have been hard
pressed if Soun had kept up his practice. As it was his moves were
often slightly off, leaving many small openings for Ranma to exploit.
It took almost two minutes before Soun was unconsious at Ranma's feet.
Ranma hadn't gotten away unscathed either, he'd taken several blows,
two of which still hurt.
Akane and Kasumi ran up and checked their father. Akane gave him a
glare before they carried him off to the side of the room.
Nabiki was standing their looking at her father with a small smile on
her face. It occurred to him suddenly that he now knew where Nabiki had
gotten her devious streak from. Akane had said that she'd practiced the
art when she was younger, maybe she knew some of what Soun had just
used against him.
He shook that thought off when Genma stepped up. "Ready boy?"
"I'm ready. From now on you will address me as 'master' in matters
realting to the school." Ranma said coldly. It was mostly a ploy to
make his father angry. Still, if he was stuck with the position, he
should at least get a little of the respect it should carry.
"Foolish boy!" Genma yelled. "You aren't the master of the school until
you've beaten me!"
"Oh, is that all? Then let's get on with it." Ranma said in a bored
tone.
As Ranma hoped, Genma lept at him with muder in his eyes. His father
fighting smart was a difficult opponent. His father fighting mad and
stupid left himself wide open.
Ranma got in three good hits before his father calmed down and got his
defenses back up. Ranma had no illusions about this fight. He'd win,
unless the old man got lucky, but it was going to be brutal.
It was. They fought for an impossibly long fifteen minutes before
Genma, almost drunk with fatigue and pain, made a sloppy kick, leaving
an opening that Ranma had enough energy to exploit.
Genma flew through the air and smashed against the dojo wall, sliding
down in an unmoving heap. Ranma watched him long enogh to make sure it
wasn't a trick, then he started to sag to his knees.
He stopped then and stood straight, wincing slightly at the many aches
and pains that made themselves known when he did so.
He looked over at Akane who was looking at him with an odd expression.
"How about you Akane?" Ranma asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"You're belt rated in Anything Goes, do you challenge my position?"
"No..." Akane answered, looking at the floor and swollowing hard.
"...master." she addeded grudgingly.
"Right. Please tell our fathers that I'd like to meet with them on
Saturday to discuss School business, and that they should arrange for
all the school's students to meet here on Sunday."
"Okay." Akane said, still looking at the floor.
Ranma walked slowly out the dojo doors, sagging down only when he was
out of sight of anyone in the dojo. This being Grandmaster of the
school was a bit tougher than he'd thought.
=== End Chapter 2 ===
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