Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ The Adventures of Jusenkyo Man ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

The Adventures of Jusenkyo Man

By Lord Raa

Chapter 6

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There is nothing too shocking planned for this arc, but you never know how things will pan out. Apologies for those that really wanted this chapter sooner; and/or to those that wanted more of "All About Eva" or "Imperial Horse" or anything else, but there is only so much time I can spend writing vaguely entertaining stories, you know.

Oh, who am I trying to fool? We all know I'm an untalented hack.

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Ranma strolled down the road, admiring the clean air and quiet of a late Shogunate-era Japan.

His mission to find and train under the 12th master of the Hiten Mitsurugi sword style had gone well. In fact Ranma had gotten along with his master so well that he was a little reluctant to learn the last attacks, as Seijuro Hiko had warned him that there can only be one master of Hiten Mitsurugi at any one time.

Still it had been a long few years.

While this style could have been mastered in just over a year, had Ranma really been motivated, he forced himself to train afresh with the sword to remove any taint from Kuno. And still it had taken him half the time it took his master. Normally, he would have taken everything he knew about martial arts and incorporated them to his training, but he took Setsuna's advice and kept the style pure.

Modification would come later, after he had trained his apprentice, Kenshin Himura. He had several ideas for slight alterations with regards to the use of two swords, which he kept to himself out of respect for his sensei.

He'd been forced to take Setsuna back to her timeline in order to prevent any suspicion by the others there. But there had been a catch to this - several conjugal visits to Crystal Tokyo.

Seijuro had warned Ranma about leaving to visit his girlfriend and how it could lead to trouble.

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*Flush Back Time!*

"Sensei, I would like your permission to visit town for a short while."

"Again? What for Ranma?" Master Hiko asked his student. "You've been asking to do this every few weeks, if I recall correctly."

Ranma was a little reluctant to answer with the whole truth as he would have trouble explaining extra-dimensional travel to a man that hadn't even left Japan.

Instead, he blushed shyly mumbled something about a girl. Part of it was an act, yet part of it was in memory of the things Setsuna promised that they would do once they were reunited.

"What was that Ranma? A girl?" Hiko teased.

Knowing that the master is obligated to keep the apprentice's ego under check, Ranma nodded.

"Do be careful, Ranma. You have the potential to be the best swordsman I have seen. That includes and me my master."

"Master?" Ranma gestured for his teacher to continue.

"There is something I want you to know about the Hiten Style," Seijuro Hiko continued. "It is the ultimate method of sword combat, but it has a few downsides with the package. First of all, you may find yourself gauging other's combat potential. This is not surprising as I know you assessed me when we met. What is likely to cause you trouble is that you look at someone the wrong way and cause offence."

Ranma knew this, having seen several fights on his travels with his father break out because of wrong looks and huge egos. Usually this mistake was made by a younger, though not unskilled, fighter thinking he could take another that didn't seem as dangerous.

As the saying goes, "a wise man learns from his mistakes, but it's a bloody fool that doesn't learn from other people's." Anything Goes has a doctrine of misdirection and deception that had caused the downfall of many opponents.

"Yes master," Ranma nodded in acknowledgment.

"The other problem is women tend to find Hiten Mitsurugi swordsmen irresistible," Hiko mentioned with an amused smile.

Ranma nearly laughed at this. Ever since his trip to Jusenkyo, he'd attracted the attention of women. Men too, but that was mostly because he turned into a highly attractive red headed girl. Though it did explain why Setsuna had torn his clothes off when he visited last time.

He quickly lost his mirth as he remembered that Setsuna had nearly knocked Minako unconscious when she had snuck into Ranma's bathroom at the palace. Increased sex appeal always went hand-in-hand with increased jealousy.

Seijuro noted the change in Ranma's facial expressions. "I see that you understand the consequences of being highly desirable. Make sure that you don't attempt to seduce the wrong lady."

"I shall be careful," Ranma promised.

##########

Continuing his journey to the secluded spot where he would signal Jenny, Ranma saw a young lady surrounded by bandits.

"Now, miss, I'm sure you realise that we own this road and as such, we require a toll," the leader of the thugs casually informed the panic stricken woman.

Checking that his sword was in clear view, Ranma walked up to the group.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Not at all, well that is assuming that we get our contribution for the upkeep of the road from the pair of you."

"May I see you tax collector credentials, please," Ranma raised a valid point.

Seeing the look on the faces of the extortionists, Ranma knew that this was not going to end peacefully.

"No? Then unless I see evidence that you work for the government, I must end this insult to the Shogun," he said with steel in his voice and hand on the hilt of his doutanuki.

"If you think that you can take us, then you're welcome to try."

The bandits drew their swords and grinned evilly.

Ranma's expression turned icy cold. This was one of his concerns about taking this duty; it was also the great dilemma for the hero: if I take the lives of others, am I no better than those I'm trying to stop?

"Having second thoughts, Girly-man?" one taunted him.

A quick flash, one that everybody witnessing would dismiss as a hallucination later, and Ranma's face developed a smirk.

"The tough talk works best when you're clothed in a fight."

An unseasonably chilly breeze punctuated Ranma's remark nicely.

"Now you die."

"Bring it on."

The girl thought that Ranma's assault was surprisingly efficient, in that he managed to avoid getting blood everywhere. When she saw that Ranma's blade was clean, she questioned his actions.

"My master always said that just because I can do something, it doesn't mean that I should," Ranma explained. "Would you like me to escort you to town?"

"No thank you, I only need to go here," she gestured to the nearby cottage.

"I see," Ranma nodded. `Oh well,' he thought, `I best get to Setsuna's.'

##########

Several years later…

"Now Yahiko, Miss Kaoru I should warn you about my master. He might seem a little strange, but his heart is in the right place," Kenshin Himura warned his travelling companions.

"What you mean, Kenshin?" asked Yahiko Miyojin.

"Spreading lies about me?" a voice rang out from behind them.

Kaoru leapt behind Kenshin in fright while Yahiko took a very basic defensive stance with his bamboo practice sword.

"You've not grown much, Kenshin. And you've dyed your hair," the tall man approached the three people from Tokyo. "No, you can't be Kenshin; he'd never try to fend off an opponent of my calibre with such a poor choice of stances. You didn't visit Jusenkyo, did you?"

"Who's Jusenkyo?" Kaoru asked, puzzled by the foreign sounding word.

"No, the lady is not my apprentice. That means it must be you," Seijuro Hiko the thirteenth gestured to the scarred swordsman. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"I need a favour, master," Kenshin asked as he bowed.

"What? You want me to babysit your son here?" he asked with a laugh as he remembered how poorly his student interacted with women under his tutelage.

Kenshin managed not to blush at his teacher's question. "Yahiko is not my son, master."

"Oops. Well, even the greats make mistakes from time to time. Is it something to do with the fact that you didn't finish your training?"

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, master."

"Kenshin didn't finish his training?" Yahiko asked. It didn't seem right to him that someone of Kenshin's skill was not a certified master of his art.

"No, the little idiot ran off before I could finish it. Of course, if he had learned the style as quickly I did, then he'd the master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style."

"Oh," was all Kaoru could say.

"But, in a way, I'm glad that he didn't finish it." Seijuro Hiko smiled with pride as he told his one time apprentice's friends his reasoning. "He fought for what he believed in - social justice."

Kenshin was taken aback by his teacher's words. "Thank you."

"That doesn't mean that I'm going to teach you the final attacks to defeat Makoto Shishio in Kyoto."

Kaoru's face dropped. "How did you know about him?"

Hiko laughed arrogantly. "My dear, there's very little I don't know. You didn't think I spent the last ten years waiting for you to visit, did you Kenshin?"

"…" was all Kenshin could respond with.

"You idiot, Kenshin. Give me a good reason why I should teach you these last attacks?"

"So Kenshin can beat Shishio!" Yahiko insisted.

"I could do that myself with minimal blood shed," Hiko bragged. He turned serious, "I know about your allies for this. You should watch out for that Saito, he'll be the one that raises the body count on your side."

Kenshin nodded in understanding.

"You didn't get hurt by him did you?" Hiko asked mockingly.

"Hey, I'd like to see you fight off someone from the Shinsengumi without a scratch," Yahiko continued his defence of Kenshin.

Seijuro laughed again. "Birds of a feather, eh Kenshin? I take it you didn't tell them about the time you pushed me into the hive of spitting hornets?"

"Spitting hornets?" Kaoru was aghast.

"Kenshin tell them how many times I was stung."

"Zero. Master Hiko pulled out both of his swords and sliced them all before they could sting him. He made me count up how many had been killed as I cleaned up the mess. I counted two thousand of them."

Seijuro smirked at Yahiko. "Still think I'm putting Kenshin down? You've seen him do the sword clap, right? Kenshin come at me."

Sighing like a long suffering lackey, Kenshin prepared to attack his master with a Ryu-Tsui-Sen.

The smirk never left the master's face as he caught the blade between his thumb and forefinger, stopping the attack instantly.

"Oro?"

"This is my `off' hand. I'm stronger than before, aren't I Kenshin?"

"Yes master. Can I please have my sword back, master?"

There was more laughter; it was beginning to annoy Yahiko immensely.

"Think you're so tough, why don't you take me on!" Yahiko yelled as he charged the older man.

"Yahiko, no!" Kaoru tried to warn her student.

A quick flash of metal and Yahiko found himself unarmed and contemplating the breeze.

Kenshin's blade was still restrained by his teacher, making the feat even more impressive.

"I never could get on with a blade that heavy, master," Kenshin admitted when he recognised the weapon of choice of the finest swordsman he knew.

"Well, you know have often trouble found me, Kenshin. You have a fine blade there; you must have made an impression on the swordsmith in order to secure that weapon."

"Yes, master Hiko, that I did."

"Well, let's get inside, I'm sure that the kid wants some clothes and I want some tea. Kenshin, go get some water."

##########

Inside Seijuro Hiko's home, he turned to face Kaoru after handing Yahiko a fresh set of clothes. "I take it you and Kenshin are in some kind of relationship."

Kaoru blushed as she tried to figure out just what was going on with Kenshin.

Yahiko really wanted to take Hiko down a peg or two, but had no idea how to do it.

Sensing the hostility, Hiko face the freshly dressed boy and explained his behaviour. "I know it seems that I keep pushing Kenshin, but it's because I wanted him to be the best. It's what my father wanted for me; well he wanted to live off my hard work, too, but, you know."

Yahiko nodded, but still didn't trust the older man.

"So what's my apprentice been up to since he settled down in Tokyo?"

Kaoru and Yahiko sat down and informed Seijuro of the Kenshin's life in Tokyo.

They got up to the point where Saito had shown up when Kenshin returned with the water.

"Kenshin, I now see that you were hoping to put your days as a manslayer behind you and atone for actions by helping others. I'm sorry for behaving the way I did."

Kenshin was not sure how to take this as his master had rarely apologised to anyone.

Of course, his master was rarely wrong, but it was nice to see that he was capable of admitting his mistakes.

"Rest well: I will test your skills in the morning, Kenshin." Hiko gestured for everybody to be quiet. "Who's at my door?"

"It's me, Setsuna."

Hiko's face acquired a broad smile. "Well come on in, Setsuna. I want you to meet my apprentice's friends."

When the door opened, Yahiko eyes widened when he saw the green haired beauty wearing a tight fitting yellow kimono. A kimono that came half way down her thigh and exposed a generous amount of cleavage.

"Hello, Kenshin-kun," Setsuna greeted the former manslayer. "You've grown up since I last saw you. Are these your friends?"

"Yes, Setsuna-dono. That's Miss Kaoru Kamiya, assistant master of the Kamiya Kashin style. This is her apprentice, Yahiko Miyojin," Kenshin gestured as appropriate.

Kaoru bowed and kept an eye on Kenshin to make sure that he was not interested in Hiko's friend.

"So what brings you back to this neck of the woods, Kenshin-kun?"

"I need a favour from Master Hiko," Kenshin replied.

Setsuna nodded, but said nothing as she sat in Ranma's lap. She turned to face Kaoru. "Miss Kamiya, you shouldn't worry, I only have eyes for one man."

Kaoru nodded with a light blush, embarrassed that she thought so little of the newly arrived woman.

Setsuna has an inkling of what the young lady was thinking of and smiled. She leaned back against her boyfriend's chest and sighed in contentment. "I love you, Ranma."

"I know," Ranma replied. He passionately kissed the emerald haired lovely. When he broke the kiss, it took all of Setsuna's will power not to tear off her and Ranma's clothes to do the nasty.

As Yahiko and Kaoru's faces threatened to explode from the blood pressure in their cheeks, Ranma turned to his visitors from Tokyo. "What? You've never seen two people in love before?"

"That's most improper, Master," Kenshin protested weakly, only now remembering what happened when Setsuna visited during his training.

"Look, Kenshin, if there's a woman you like, then tell her before it's too late or people start interfering," Setsuna advised wisely. "I've seen too many people remain lonely and unhappy because they didn't tell the one they loved how they felt when they had the chance. You deserve better than to live a life of misery."

"You heard the lady, tell Kaoru how you feel about her. NOW!" Hiko unexpectedly bellowed at his student.

Kenshin blushed and stammered as he fought to find the words that described his relationship with Kaoru.

"Is it that hard to tell someone how you feel about them?" Ranma asked his apprentice. "It's not like you'll be married off before the night is out," he added with a smile.

"Ranma?" Setsuna knew that there was more to this that Ranma hadn't told her.

"It's a long story. Something that happened to me a lifetime ago, back when I was half the man I am today."

Kaoru decided to take the initiative and took Kenshin's hand.

Kenshin turned to face the young lady. "Miss Kaoru, I like my life in Tokyo, that I do. I want to spend the rest of my life there with you."

Kaoru's heart soared. "K-kenshin…"

"Good," Ranma interrupted the two before the scene deteriorated into one from a romance novel. "Now I can teach Kenshin the last manoeuvres of the Hiten Style. Miss Kamiya, Yahiko, you are both welcome to stay the night if you wish, but Kenshin's training must be undertaken in private."

Ranma stood up with Setsuna in his arms. "I'm not bothered about what you decide, but make it quick. I want to know how many I'm cooking for."

Setsuna smile grew. "You're cooking tonight?"

"Oh yeah babe, it's a special occasion. I don't see my students often, so I'd thought that I'd treat him to a nice meal before I mistreat him in his training tomorrow," Ranma smiled. He kissed Setsuna again. "Now let's get washed up in the hot spring, shall we?"

"You know just the right thing to say, Ranma," Setsuna purred as she rested her head against Ranma's chest.

"Careful Setsuna, you'll get me excited. Or perhaps that's your plan?"

After Ranma carried Setsuna from the room, a blushing Kaoru turned to Kenshin. "Is he a good cook?"

Kenshin nodded. "That he is, Miss Kaoru. He puts the Akabeko to shame."

Yahiko was torn. On one hand, the Seijuro Hiko person really irritated him, but on the other he was really hungry and Kenshin said he was a good cook.

Luckily for him, his sensei made the decision for him.

"Kenshin, as it is getting late, we shall stay the night."

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To be continued…

Thanks go out to the poor chap I'm forcing to pre-read for me, Chi Vayne.

Any questions, comment, complaints or suggestions?

You know what to do by now.

Email is (lordraa) AT (hotmail.com)

Or (lordraa) AT (digitalpimp.co.uk)

Now, for those that want more crossovers for this silly idea, I give you the teaser for a later "story" arc. Where it fits in is anybody's guess, so stop picking on me!

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"That Saotome is a problem. We can't just get rid of him, it'd be too dangerous. We need public opinion on our side as much as we can get it in the coming months."

"I have an idea, Admiral Mifune: the Soyokaze. It's the dumping ground for the UPSF, isn't it?"

"Excellent idea, Fuji. We `reward' him with a command and those animals will do the dirty work for us."

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Coming, I dunno, err whenever I get around to writing it I suppose, the next arc of The Adventures of Jusenkyo Man - The Irresistible Captain Ranma.