Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ One-Half a Wing and a Prayer ❯ Price of Freedom ( Chapter 19 )

Author’s Note: Ranma’s world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I’m just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn’t for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.
P.S.: still and always for Janice.


Genma stood in the dojo, alone and pensive. He was in the middle of planning for the upcoming fight in the morning against Ranma, and the odds were stacked against him. The boy’s Amazon training had increased his speed threefold, and he still hit like a ton of bricks, and Genma knew he was at the disadvantage.

Genma believed that he still had the boy outclassed in pure skill, but it was a narrow thing, he had trained the boy too well and the challenges that Ranma had faced since coming to Nerima only helped the boy fight outside the box even more. While Genma could be proud that the Saotome School was evolving into a truly formidable art, he found himself only angry that it was slipping out of his control.

The wager with Ranma was a gamble, and one he was not really willing to take, but he knew that if push came to shove he wouldn’t last ten seconds against a pissed off demon, psychic, and Amazon warrior. The odds were definitely against him there.

There was also the fact that his old friend, Soun, was beginning to question Genma’s judgment. The Tendo patriarch had begun to side with his ill behaved daughters, caring more for their happiness then the art, as evidenced by the fact that he had stopped teaching years ago.

It all went to prove Genma’s philosophy that females created weakness.

As for his fight with his son, Genma realized that the boy would fight with a certain style, a style that Genma could take advantage of. The boy believed so strongly in his honor that he always faced his problems with a stubborn determination that battered through opposition. Ranma’s idea of honor was his weakness.

After all, Anything Goes was based on the idea of cheating.


One Half a Wing and a Prayer
By Seth

Chapter 19
Price of Freedom


Ranma lay in bed, rested after a morning of sleep and comfortable with Shampoo on one side and Nabiki on the other. He was amazed at how exhausted he had gotten over the last day and had still managed to make it through. It was a close thing, he knew, and the thought of losing either of the girls snuggled against him caused a shiver of fear to pass through his body.

And here you are, leading them into danger; he berated himself, thinking about the upcoming trip to China.

He pushed the gloomy thoughts aside as he felt Nabiki shift against him. The three teens had retreated to Nabiki’s room, and even if Ranma and Shampoo just wanted more rest, they had decided to sleep in the nude in anticipation of what was to come. Ranma had never been more embarrassed then when he had pulled down his paints in front of the tired, but amorous girls. But when they had both stripped naked in front of him, he had found it difficult not to evidence his arousal. Now, a few hours of sleep later, Ranma once more found himself once more aroused by the forms of the loves of his life.

He looked down to see Nabiki with her eye’s open, looking back up at him. Tilting his head slightly, he kissed her deeply as she caressed his bare chest and arched her back slightly, pressing her breasts into his well muscled side.

“Good morning,” he whispered to her after the kiss.

Nabiki smirked and answered, “That’s good afternoon, sleepyhead. Feeling better?”

“Much,” he said, rubbing his hand along her back as she slid up eye to eye with him. He was about to ask her a question, when she raised one finger to his lips and silenced him.

With an evil grin, she slid a hand down to take hold of his exposed manhood and gave a light squeeze. She then leaned over the smiling young man and ran her hand along Shampoo’s side. In response, Shampoo rolled slightly, turning away from the slightly ticklish sensation and lying on her back, snuggling close to Ranma again in her new position.

Ranma watched as Nabiki slid across him, her nipples dragging across his chest as she lowered her head and flicked her tongue out to lightly tap the Amazon’s dark nipple. The blue haired girl breathed a heavy sigh, and Nabiki took that as an invitation to continue, opening her mouth and capturing the enlarging nub between her lips. Giving Ranma a conspiratorial wink, she pulled his hand out from the blue haired girl and slid it up, so he was holding the Amazon with a firm grip on her other breast.

Shampoo moaned as Nabiki suckled on one breast, and Ranma massaged the other. She felt a light shudder pass through her body, and awoke to see the Tendo girl licking her areola as Ranma leaned in and kissed her. Shampoo raised her arms up, one to caress Nabiki’s dangling breast, the other to embrace Ranma as they explored each other’s mouths. Shampoo gasped into the kiss as Nabiki reached one hand down and began stroking the bald mound between the warrior girl’s legs.

“Is too too good way to wake up,” Shampoo said after Ranma’s kiss. She then pulled gently on Nabiki, bringing her up to straddle her body and gave the Tendo a smoking kiss that left Ranma’s mouth dry. Nabiki was not inactive in the kiss, and soon the two girls were moaning into each other’s mouths as Ranma sat quietly with his jaw hanging open, and his erection poking Nabiki’s leg.

Finally the kiss ended, and Nabiki and Shampoo shared a dreamy look with each other, then Nabiki spoke up, “I have to say that you are as good a kisser as Ranma remembers. I really liked that.”

“Shampoo like to,” the Blue haired girl replied, “You kiss almost as good as Ranma-wife. Maybe she teach you?”

Nabiki smirked at Ranma, “A little, but Ranma has neglected other, more husbandly duties.” She leaned down and whispered into Shampoo’s ear, and the Amazon giggled at what she heard. Nodding, Shampoo whispered something back to Nabiki, and gave her a light lick on the earlobe.

Nabiki slid off Ranma and all the way onto Shampoo, and the two girls once more shared a long, wet kiss. Then Nabiki rolled off the warrior girl, letting Shampoo sit up as she crawled around her back, planting kisses along her shoulders.

Shampoo turned to face Ranma, sliding her hand along his torso and up to cup his face, “Nabiki say you no do duty with her, and before that you never do duty with Shampoo. We know you scared at time, but time up. Shampoo and Nabiki take what rightfully theirs now.” She lifted one leg up and starched it over Ranma, moving to straddle the blushing boy as Nabiki slid up alongside him.

The smirking Nabiki gave Ranma a light kiss on his neck and breathed into his ear, “She wants you now, Ranma. I touched her, and she is so wet, just for you. We are tired of waiting, and I know you have wanted this for a long time. Shampoo is here, and she wants to share herself with you, are you going to turn her down?”

Ranma gulped as Shampoo rocked back and forth, the front of her cleanly shaven sex almost touching his penis with each change in direction. He began to sit up, but Shampoo and Nabiki pushed him down again, each with a twinkle in their eye.

“Husband needs to make choice,” Shampoo said, again brushing him lightly, “We been together many times now, but never as wife and husband. Then you come here, and Nabiki fall in love with you too. Still you hold back. Now Shampoo here, Nabiki here, and we both agree you enough for both of us. Do you agree? Do you want?”

Ranma began to sweat as he waged an internal war with the sensations crawling along his spine. As a demon he had felt the hunger of a succubus craving sex. Several times she had been tempted to give into the hunger, and several times she had given in completely. Now a similar hunger was working its way along his genitals. The sensation was very different, and it created a light headed sensation that he knew he could not overcome.

He managed to get out, “I want this so bad…”

Nabiki nodded to Shampoo, held Ranma’s erect member steady and watched with a little jealousy as the blue haired girl lowered herself onto Ranma’s shaft. Shampoo threw her head back and moaned loudly as she felt Ranma enter her. Soon she felt Nabiki’s hand brush her swollen lips, and let go of the penetrating appendage.

Ranma watched in amazement as he slid deep into his wife. The sensation of her moist tunnel gripping him was unlike anything he had ever felt before, and when she finished her descent he shuddered as the suction seemed to continue. When Shampoo began to lift herself again, his eyes widened as she seemed to grip along him, pulling slightly and wetly rubbing him in an unbelievable manner.

Nabiki watched, one hand lightly holding Ranma’s while the other slid between her legs. The sight of Shampoo slowly moving up and down Ranma’s length and the residual sensations she was picking up from each of the lovers were driving her to distraction, and she began to slide two fingers into herself in time with Shampoo’s downward thrusts. She gasped as she felt Shampoo suffer the first shudders of oncoming climax and pulled Ranma’s hand up to grope the bouncing breast to the Amazon.

Ranma took hold of the soft orb, enjoying the sensation of his rougher male skin gliding across familiar soft flesh. Taking her nipples between his fingers, he lightly pinched and was rewarded with an intensified squeezing of his phallus. He felt Shampoo’s inner walls begin to twitch around him, and he rolled his head back, thrusting deeper inside her.

The thrust overcame Shampoo’s resistance, and her eyes rolled back as she came, body shuddering. The pressure along Ranma’s shaft once more increased and he felt the spastic movements of the girl riding him. With a groan, he felt the sharp impact of his first male orgasm as he poured himself into his blue haired wife.

Nabiki also shuddered as she felt the hormonal rush from her fiancé and his wife and leaned heavily on Ranma as the three of them came down. Shampoo rolled forward, lying on Ranma, trying to find her breath again.

Sharing a smile with Nabiki, she said, “That worth wait. He not bad.”

“I just hope he has enough in him for me,” Nabiki smirked.

“He is right here you know, “Ranma groaned, slowly lifting his head up to look at the two girls, “That…was intense. Problem is, I also feel like I just ran a hundred miles, and my groin is a little numb.”

Shampoo and Nabiki laughed at this and the Amazon added, “I still feel it in me. He soft now, but all men have problem like that. No can keep up with women in bed.”

“Just give the poor boy a few minutes, Shampoo. Then I get to break him in,” Nabiki said, giving Ranma a kiss on the cheek.

Shampoo slid off Ranma, moving beside him and said, “Nabiki should not have to wait. Shampoo make husband ready for soon-wife.” With this she slid down the bed until her head came to rest between Ranma’s legs. Taking his limp member, she began using short licks to clean it off. After she was sure that the last of their combined essence was removed from the shaft, she took him into her mouth. Swirling her tongue around his semi-flaccid form, she began to slowly encourage him to return to erection.

Nabiki watched as Ranma shivered at the blue haired girl’s ministrations, and gave him another kiss before moving down to lightly kiss Shampoo’s head as the other girl worked. Shampoo let Ranma out of her mouth and tilted her head up to give Nabiki a deep kiss, passing on what she had tasted to Nabiki while continuing to massage Ranma with her hand.

The girls then put on a show for the recovering Ranma, kissing deeply and fondling each other’s breasts as Shampoo slowly worked him back upright. After a few minutes, Ranma was once more hard in Shampoo’s hand, and the Amazon let her other hand drift down to make sure that Nabiki was ready for him. Bringing her fingers up from between Nabiki’s legs, Shampoo tasted what she had found there, and nodded in satisfaction.

“You both ready now,” she concluded. She then helped Nabiki lower herself back down to the bed, while using her other hand to lightly pull Ranma up into a sitting position. With her guidance, Ranma turned to see Nabiki lying on the bed, her legs spread wide and an anticipatory smile on her face.

Ranma lowered himself down, kissing Nabiki deeply and moving forward until he touched her lower lips, “Are you sure about this?”

She simply responded by lifting her legs and wrapping them around his waist, drawing him into her. Nabiki sighed at the penetration, feeling his length pulled into her, and Ranma moaned as he was once more engulfed in the wet warmth of a lover. Slowly he began rocking back and forth, pulling up to his knees to aid in the motion as Nabiki held him with her legs.

Shampoo slid behind Ranma and pressed herself into his back while running her hands along the long legs of the panting Tendo. She watched over Ranma’s shoulder as Nabiki arched her back, slowly matching Ranma’s thrusts and hissing in delight as fire coursed through her body.

Ranma sped up as he felt the soft skin of Shampoo along his back. The sensations from being sandwiched between two girls were driving him mad, and soon his thrusting became animalistic in intensity and speed. As he grunted in time with Nabiki’s gasps, he felt his fiancé tighten around him. The pressure on his already used rod bordering on pain, he found himself unable to control himself and began emptying long pulses into Nabiki.

When she felt his release, Nabiki wondered at the filling sensation and let her own barriers down, feeding the pleasure she was feeling back into Ranma, and through contact with him, Shampoo. The three of them loudly moaned in unison as Nabiki shuddered with her own orgasm, and soon the teens were once more lying on the bed, cuddled together and exhausted.

“Usually after something like that I feel like a million yen,” Ranma panted, “I still feel really good, but I don’t think I can move now.”

Nabiki smirked as Shampoo helped her from under Ranma’s mass, “Now you know how one of us feels after feeding time.” She leaned against the Amazon, resting her head lightly on Shampoo’s large chest.

“Not that Shampoo want to do cartwheels at moment,” the warrior girl replied, giving a tired laugh. She held Nabiki and continued, “Nabiki is fierce in bed, that good for Amazon trainee. Shampoo hope you make good warrior woman, hate to lose bedmate like you, good for tag team on male.”

“I feel so used,” Ranma said sarcastically, and the girls laughed with him and the three held on to each other, sharing in the glow.

Dinner that night was much more awkward. As Kasumi served the meal, which Shampoo complimented as superior cooking; Akane only stared down at her plate as Mister Tendo picked at his food with a worried expression. Genma did not even join them, which Ranma took immediate notice of.

Before he could ask, however, Soun told him, “Your father is still out in the dojo, readying himself for the match tomorrow. He has been in deep meditation all afternoon.”

Ranma grunted, taking up his rice and commenting, “He’s probably scheming to try and embarrass me tomorrow.”

“I don’t think you are taking this seriously, son,” Soun snapped.

“I’m being dead serious,” Ranma answered, “Look Mister Tendo; you’ve done pretty well by your daughters. Sure, the edges are rough, but Kasumi is a more kind soul then I have ever met, and Akane is as tough as they come.” Akane blinked at the off handed compliment, but still refused to look up from her plate.

Ranma continued, “As for Nabiki, she’s one of the most important people in my life, and one of two who really understand me. In my opinion, you’re ok. But my father…I’ve been dragged across the globe against my will, abused in ways I refuse to describe at this table, and had my manhood…and almost my humanity, ripped away from me by his ideas for training. He’s a thief, a liar, and worse, so trust me when I say that I’m going to be ready for every dirty trick he can come up with.”

Ranma took a deep breath and looked the Tendo patriarch in the eye, “Where will you stand when his plans hit the fan?”

The three Tendo sisters looked surprised at the challenging tone of Ranma’s voice, and Shampoo seemed nonplussed by the sudden tension in the air and continued to eat. Soun met Ranma’s determined gaze, and in the boy’s eyes he could almost make out the small light of someone looking for an anchor in a storm.

With more strength in his voice then he had in a long time, Soun answered, “I stand as the referee of the match, and my judgment will be based solely on the actions of the competitors. I will follow what honor demands, which is something I think you understand.”

Ranma hid a smile, and bowed formally to the older man, “Thank you sir. And I apologize if I was out of line.”

“Think nothing of it, my boy,” Soun answered. He thought, I’m glad the boy is willing to stand up for what he believes in. I see Nabiki’s influence in that. Maybe this unusual union will turn out for the best. He looked over and saw Shampoo and Nabiki sharing a quick kiss as the warrior girl got up to help Kasumi, and added, Then again, maybe not.

It was not until the next morning that Soun saw just how serious Ranma was. The boy came down for a small breakfast wearing a plain white gi. Ranma was silent as he ate, and Nabiki and Shampoo gave him distance. As Ranma finished and moved out to the porch to clear his mind, Akane pulled Nabiki aside.

“I’ve been thinking,” she started, “about what you’ve been trying to tell me for the last few weeks.” Nabiki silently nodded for Akane to continue, “I’m going to keep going to see that doctor friend of Dad’s because…well, I’m beginning to see that there is more around me then I realized.”

Nabiki nodded, “That’s good, sis. It’s a sign you’re starting to grow up. Does this have anything to do with what happened after you rescued Ranma?”

“He told you,” Akane asked weakly, and Nabiki nodded in return. Akane shook her head, “He could have…well, you know…and I don’t know if I would have stopped him…er…her. Then there is this whole winning his freedom thing, I kind of understand where he’s coming from.” She took a breath, “Don’t get me wrong, I still think he’s a creep and a pervert…but I’m willing to put up with the jerk if it makes you happy.”

Nabiki looked honestly surprised, and gave Akane a sisterly hug of thanks.

“What about Shampoo,” she asked.

Akane smirked, “Bad enough that Ranma’s better then I am, now this top-heavy bubblehead Amazon strolls in and you’re both making google eyes at her. I’m barely tolerating my sister dating a cross-dressing nut; don’t expect me to be at all happy about this.”

Outside, Shampoo stepped in front of Ranma, and he opened his eyes to see her.

She held a stern look on her face and addressed him, “You no forget you Amazon warrior.”

Ranma simply answered, “No.”

“Then you fight with all your heart and soul,” Shampoo asked, and waited for Ranma to nod, “Then goddesses always watch over you. You strong and fierce and I know you win. Remember you are Amazon, and never forget that pride.”

With that, she stepped back, allowing Ranma to stand. The Tendo sisters came out of the house and Nabiki gave him a small nod and smile of encouragement. He returned it and acknowledged Kasumi’s warm smile at him as well. When Akane gave him thumbs up and a half hearted smile, he didn’t really know how to respond, so he simply returned the gesture, then walked to the dojo.

“Is he ready,” Nabiki asked Shampoo quietly as the girls fell in behind him.

Shampoo considered it for a moment and, finding the right words, she answered, “He kick ass.”

Inside the dojo, Genma sat in a meditative pose facing the far wall. The girls lined in and sat beside Soun who had taken up position as the master of the training hall, and judge of the match. He acknowledged each of them and turned to face Ranma, who had taken a seat facing away from his father on the near side of the dojo.

At an unspoken signal, both Saotomes stood, facing each other. Slowly they bowed, and with a smart half turn faced Soun and bowed again. Facing each other again they locked eyes, each engaging the other in a test of wills, trying to look for any lack of resolve.

From his position, Soun spoke, “Victory will be by knockout or submission. You will break if I signal, and as always, there are no restrictions on technique, save that no lethal blows may be used.” Both men nodded silently. Soun slowly raised a hand, and with a sharp movement brought it down, barking, “BEGIN!”

Ranma braced himself as Genma charged in with a middle kick using Tae Kwan Do. Ranma spun with the impact and countered with Te, rolling along his father’s extended leg to deliver a backhand strike that Genma countered with a Jujitsu wrist hold. Ranma pushed his father’s leg down with his free hand and fired a Li-Chia palm strike to Genma’s upper arm, freeing his caught hand.

The two combatants were a blur of motion that only Soun and Shampoo seemed to be able to follow. Akane drowned out her surroundings entirely and focused on the interwoven moves of Ranma and Genma. She saw flashes of Aikido blocks, Ch’in-Na holds, and Fu-Chao-Pai strikes. Dozens of differing forms few by, and both men seemed to be able to flow them together into a chaotic dance.

When Ranma and Genma suddenly jumped away from each other, she found that she had been holding her breath at the sight of two warriors so far above her in skill.

“Take note, Akane,” Soun said quietly while not turning away from the battle, “The essence of our style is to be versatile, and able to adapt to any style. They have only begun; after all, the true mark of a master of our school is the ability to improvise.”

This time, it was Ranma who charged, sliding in to kick Genma’s ankles, but the older man was already airborne. Ranma rolled, spun on his back, and kicked out, catching his father as he landed on the back of the legs. Genma stumbled forward and spun on one foot as his son kicked up, catching the boy in the chest with a roundhouse kick before rolling away to regain his feet.

Ranma clutched his chest from the impact and was caught off guard as Genma broke into his defense and delivered a two fingered strike to his right shoulder. Pain shot across Ranma, but he managed to deflect a second strike to the left side, but he already felt numbness spreading along his right arm.

Jumping, Ranma avoided a snap kick, and using Genma’s extended leg as leverage, he spun himself forward to kick at his father’s head. Genma had already dropped his kick however and widened his stance slightly, allowing him to easily duck Ranma’s attack. Flipping over the larger man, Ranma shot a series of left hand punches, followed by a stomp at Genma’s foot in his wide stance, but the crafty old man got out of the way and caught Ranma’s foot under his own.

Twisting around, Ranma planted his other foot inside Genma’s stance and the two fighters locked wrists in a close grapple. Ranma used his pinned foot as an anchor, and levered forward, tipping Genma off balance and spilling them both on the floor. Ranma flipped over Genma again, landing on his feet as his father shot his arms out, grabbing Ranma by the ankles.

The experienced fighter pulled hard, and Ranma found his footing once more yanked out from under him. Extending his arms, he landed on his open palms with a loud smack and pulled out of Genma’s grip.

The combatants once more rolled to their feet, and Genma pulled a small lump out from his gi and lashed out with a swipe, crushing it in his hand and sending a cloud of dust into Ranma’s eyes. Instantly, Ranma closed his eyes, but not before some of the dust got in, sending fire under his eyelids. Jumping back, he executed a defensive sweep kick to give himself room as he tried to blink his eyes open.

A line of pain was suddenly stitched across his back as Genma closed in and raked him with a claw strike. On the sidelines, Shampoo saw a glint of metal in Genma’s hand and was about to jump in, but suddenly a loud voice echoed in her head.

“Don’t.”

She looked over and saw that Nabiki’s face was a portrait of worry, but the middle Tendo daughter managed, “Ranma doesn’t want our help. I already tried when Genma blinded him, but he slammed his mind closed to me. If you jump in and save him now, I don’t think he’ll ever forgive you.”

Shampoo fought down her impulse and turned to Soun, “Fat man use blade, you no disqualify?”

Soun continued watching the match, and in a low voice that hid all emotion he answered, “Battle is often unfair. I can not disqualify Genma for that because it is a lesson that Ranma should already have learned.”

Meanwhile, Ranma had blindly spun, but luckily made contact with his father’s hand as he was closing for another attack, knocking a small razor out of his hand. Then Ranma executed a blinding fast attack, landing fifty left hand punches on his father in only a few seconds and forcing him back, giving the young man breathing room.

Ranma shook his right arm, trying to restore feeling while keeping the watery blur that was his father in sight. Judging by the sensations, he knew his father had missed a crippling blow by less then a centimeter, and soon his arm would return to normal. He also judged that his eyesight was not going to recover before the end of this match, and closed his eyes to let the tears slowly wash away the dust. Instead, he focused on what he could hear.

He’s pulling out every dirty trick, Ranma thought, I have to try and anticipate what he’ll do next. I have to think like him. He suddenly heard a slight rustle behind him and spun to deliver an elbow to the side of Genma’s head as the older man snuck up behind him preparing to place a choke hold on the young fighter.

Ranma then jumped up and spun, kicking Genma against crossed arms and sending him back several paces. Ranma then dropped low, forcing his breathing down and trying to find his father once more.

From against the wall, Genma watched his son take a wide stance that offered the best defense from all multiple attack angles, the boy’s head swiveling back and forth, searching for any sound. Slowly, the elder Saotome worked his way so that he was in front of the seated girls, and deliberately stomped his foot.

Ranma leaped into action, launching a fist right at Genma, but the older man ducked and rolled out of the way, leaving Ranma’s fist on a collision course with Shampoo.

Before she could speak however, Ranma smelled the whiff of lavender coming from her hair, halted his attack and lashed out with a side kick that caught the returning Genma under the chin, making him fly across the room. Giving Shampoo a quick smile, Ranma spun and jumped after his father.

Genma rolled with his landing, doing a handstand and meeting his son’s double kick with his own. Their feet made contact, and for a moment they both hung in mid air. Ranma was about to jump away, but Genma shifted and launched the boy upwards. Flipping quickly, Genma charged in before his son could land and delivered a powerful haymaker that sent Ranma flying through the open dojo door.

With a loud splash, Ranma landed in the Tendo’s koi pond and instantly switched to his succubus form. Genma stopped at the doorway; leaving room for the other’s to see out and gained a broad grin.

“You have lost, boy,” Genma stated clearly, “Our wager was that you not use your powers, and you let yourself transform.” As Ranma was climbing out of the pool sputtering, Genma dashed in, slapping a large ward on her and bringing her down with a fast arm lock. “Now call the winner Tendo, and the boy will have to do what we tell him.”

Nabiki looked at her father, searching for any sign of this betrayal, but Soun was completely impassive. Slowly Soun stood and walked out to the courtyard, kneeling in front of the downed demoness.

Quietly he spoke, “I never agreed to this condition of the match. The rules are still anything goes.” Genma looked at his friend in shock, and received neutral look in return, “As I said, the winner is judged by knock out or submission. Ranma is still awake, and it doesn’t look like she wants to give up. If you insist, I will allow Ranma to resume his male form and continue the match, but I will not call the match on your say so alone. I have pride in this dojo, and will not tolerate an heir that gives in to adversity.” With that, Soun walked back to the dojo steps and sat, resuming the position of referee.

Suddenly, hot water was splashed onto Genma and Ranma, triggering the younger Saotome’s change and making Genma jump, breaking his hold. The bald martial artist looked up to see Kasumi holding a tea kettle. She gave him a small smile and then looked down at Ranma.

“Tear him in half, would you,” she politely asked the boy.

Ranma slowly stood with a confident smirk on his face and turned to face Genma, who was still on his ass, “I’ve actually got to thank you Pop. Throwing me in the water helped me get that crap out of my eyes. Now what do you say we take it up a notch.” With a flourish, Ranma resumed a fighting stance, this time very aggressive in a style that Genma did not recognize.

“Amazon Wu-Shu, with my grandmother’s stance,” Shampoo told the Tendos when Akane gave a questioning look to her father.

Genma rolled up and fired off an angry punch that Ranma batted out of the way and the pigtailed boy was suddenly inside Genma’s defense. Clawing his fist, Ranma delivered a blur of raking blows across his father’s chest. Stepping back slightly, the young man then flipped the sleeves of his gi top and curled his hands inside. With what seemed like slow movements, he swung his arms back and forth in front of Genma, slow enough for the older man to block. But with every pass, a massive impact was heard and Genma staggered back.

Flipping his hands into sight again, Ranma then launched a blurring Amaguriken attack into Genma’s stomach, followed by ducking down and executing a thunderous jumping uppercut to his father’s jaw.

As Genma was launched into the air, Ranma leapt up after him. Meeting the Saotome elder in mid air, Ranma whipped a powerful ax kick and sent Genma crashing back down to the ground. Following closely, Ranma landed on top of his father, dragging both the man’s arms back and planting his foot at the base of Genma’s spine. Pulling hard, Ranma was rewarded with a cry of pain as he put more pressure on Genma’s shoulders and back.

“You old, fat, stubborn, selfish, bigoted, idiotic, piece of crap,” Ranma yelled, emphasizing with a tug at every insult, “Time and time again, you’ve embarrassed me, abused me, and almost gotten me killed. For once in your worthless life, take responsibility for you fucking actions.” As if to add to his point, Ranma began to turn Genma’s arms, adding a torque pressure to the already overextended shoulder joints.

With a sickening pop, both arms became slack in Ranma’s grip as Genma let lose with another long yell of pain. Ranma still held them, ignoring Genma’s cries and waited for the old man to yield, knowing that it would take some time to reach to stubborn man.

He was shaken out of his rage by Soun placing a hand on his shoulder, tugging him away and yelling, “Enough! Stop it now!” Ranma looked up, somewhat dazed, and guessed by Soun’s expression that he had been yelling for some time. Shaking his head, Ranma dropped Genma’s arms and fell to his knees, suddenly short on air. He found that he was being supported by Nabiki and Shampoo, holding him upright as his body started shaking at the exertion, and the realization that for a moment he wanted to kill his father back there.

After checking Genma, Soun stood and turned to Ranma, “You’ve won. Genma passed out shortly after you dislocated both arms.” He waved Kasumi over, who was carrying a first aid kit, and began to tend to his fallen friend.

Akane also walked over to the scene, and gave Ranma a weak smile, “Remind me to never really piss you off, Saotome.”

Panting, Ranma replied, “You got it, Tendo.”

With that, Akane walked back into the dojo, a look of concentration on her face as she replayed the contest in her mind.

Shampoo and Nabiki helped Ranma up and guided him back into the house, sitting him down at the table where a glass of water was waiting. He greedily drank it down and smiled at the two girls, reassuring them that he was alright.

“You do tribe proud, Airen,” Shampoo said, “You never quit, and you use honor. Grandmother be very proud.”

Nabiki added, “No kidding. I’ve never seen anything like that. I almost wish I had gotten it on film so I could sell it to some producer in Hollywood or Hong Kong. Way to go, Ranma”

Soun soon entered, and pulled a folded paper out of his gi top, “I believe you have earned this, Ranma.” The boy controlled shaking hands and took the paper, unfolding it and slowly reading. It was a formal document, bearing both the Saotome and Tendo emblems, declaring that Ranma Saotome was recognized as a master of the Anything Goes style.

“I’ll be filing it with the ward office later today,” Soun added, giving the boy a proud smile.

“What about Pops,” Ranma asked.

Soun sighed, “He has…departed for the moment. Initially he refused to sign this, but I forced the issue and I believe he is quite upset, both at his defeat and at what he perceives as my betrayal of him. It may be several days before he returns.” Ranma nodded, his face taking a momentary downcast expression, and Soun added, “Do not feel bad about what you have done, son. We all strive to overcome the obstacles in our life, and Genma’s pride has often been an obstacle to him. Do not count your father out yet.”

Ranma nodded and returned the paper to Soun, who took it and headed back out. Sighing, Ranma stretched out and took in the smiling girls sitting with him. All things considered, his days had been improving, and the future was looking bright as well.

“We better get ready then,” he said, “China, here we come.”

Hikaru Gosuinkugi sat quietly behind the fence of the Tendo compound. He had watched the match between father and son with great interest, hoping to find some clue as to the nature of Ranma’s powers.

When Genma had disabled the demon form of Ranma with a simple spirit ward, Hikaru had been amazed. It seemed that even if Ranma was born human, she was still susceptible to attacks that focused on the supernatural side of things. The fact that water temperature was also what controlled the transformation from human male to demon female had also been noted. In fact, Gosuinkugi had spent a great deal of the fight rapidly scribbling notes in a small notebook, jotting down martial arts abilities, connections to the other members of the household, even the fact that Ranma seemed to have very human weaknesses when in human form.

He would give a heavily edited report to Kuno, and then begin his research into the transformational curse Ranma seemed to be under, and the very nature of succubi themselves. He didn’t worry about the kendoist’s timeline, especially since Ranma was already getting ready for some quest of some kind. Hikaru was sure the demon would be back. Even with that, capturing a demon took patience.

And patience was something that Hikaru Gosuinkugi had in abundance.


To be continued.

Endnote: Sorry this took a little longer then usual to put out, but life and all that crap jumps up and bites you in the balls every now and then. While writing the fight here, I used what I consider to be one of the better quick and dirty guides to dramatic martial arts available, so here’s my little shout out for Ninjas and Superspies published by Palladium Books. Now, dear friends, we head for the wilds of China for the next few chapters and leave Gos and Kuno to their plotting. Be well, and long live the fighters.