Ten Months In Tokyo

An Original work by Josh Heistman

2001 Script G Productions

Chapter Seven: Blast from the Past

The hooded boy glared menacingly at the eldest Tendo daughter. “Who are you to assume I am here to visit this Ranma, wench?’ he hissed, causing Kasumi to recoil from the insult. “I do not even know this Ranma…’

Ranma, Soun, and Akane rounded the corner to see an unlikely sight: Kasumi getting angry. She stomped up to the stranger. “How dare you insult your hostess? You are extremely rude, young man! Why, I should—“

Kasumi´s uncharacteristic tirade was cut short by a backhand shot to the mouth from the boy, which sent her crashing into the nearby wall. With cries of concern, her sisters and her father rushed to her aid. Ranma and Alex stormed up to the boy, who only grinned at them.

“Now, boys… what can I do for you?’ the stranger asked, his voice an unusual-sounding amused growl. “Certainly nothing we can´t work out.’

Alex gritted his teeth, raising his fist, but Ranma grabbed his wrist. The pigtailed boy looked over at the hooded invader. “Why did you do that? She has nothing to do with whatever problem you have with me…’

The stranger laughed a little. “My problem is not with you…’ His gaze shifted over to the Tendo father, who was sobbing wildly over the mildly injured Kasumi. The stranger chuckled lightly, pointing at him. “He… is who I´ve come for.’

The room went silent, as everyone stared in wide-eyed disbelief at the boy. Nabiki rose from her kneeling position, shaking her head. “You have to be mistaken… no one is looking for my father… he´s harmless.’

The boy just shook his head, once again giving that sinister chuckle. “Oh, no… that is indeed who I seek. I have come for Soun Tendo!’

Alex blinked. “Okay, regardless of why you´re here for Mr. Tendo…’ he began, giving the boy a quizzical look, “… why don´t you just use the front door like a normal human being?’

“I was about to…’ Began the stranger, with a malicious grin, “…but then I noticed the sign out front. And since I intend to defeat the owner of this dojo in savage combat, I have used the rear door.’

Nabiki frowned, turning to face her now slack-jawed father. “Daddy, I told you to take that stupid macho sign down. Those things always catch up to you in the end…’

The stranger reached into his cloak, pulling out a small envelope. Grinning, he flipped it in the direction of Soun. “Indeed they do… as I have finally caught up to you. And now, Soun Tendo, you will pay for the suffering which you have caused me! I will avenge my father, and regain all that you have stolen from him!’

Soun´s eyes went wide, as if coming to a realization. “You!! You´re…’

The boy interrupted Soun mid-stutter. “Meet me at the appointed place at the appointed time, Soun Tendo… so that I may succeed where my father once failed. I will reclaim my birthright…’ And with that, the stranger whirled around and exited, leaving five very confused people, and one person who looked as if he´d seen a ghost, behind.

After everyone had mostly recovered from their experience, they all sat down for tea, and Soun´s explanation.

“I had nearly forgotten about Shu Yenrai… back when Saotome were still training under the master, he ran a training school here…’ Soun began, sipping his tea.

His gazed swept over the youngsters, who were listening to his table. “And by ‘here´, I mean here in this very training hall…’

Everyone gave a gasp of shock. Soun shook his head, lowering his gaze to the floor. “So that´s what that maniac meant…’ Ranma quipped. “You stole this training hall from his father?’

Soun shook his head. “No! I have never stolen anything in my life!’ His daughters all coughed in unison. “Please, let me explain… it all happened over twenty years ago…’

(Unnecessarily long flashback sequence that´s vital to the storyline)

“Hey! You come back here!!’ yelled an angry merchant, as a young, slightly balding man sped away from his cart, armloads of food his payload. His master had promised a terrible fate for him if he did not return with a decent meal. But it would be their first decent meal in weeks, so the risk of capture was worth it. And besides, nothing the police could do to him could be worse than what the master was capable of.

As he rounded the corner, he nodded at his accomplice with a grin. The young man with long, dark hair grinned back as he waited for his friend´s pursuer to come around. As expected, it wasn´t long before the burly man came screaming around the corner, causing the man to spring into action. He gingerly stuck a leg out in front of the hapless merchant, who tumbled to the sidewalk. The dark-haired man put on his best act.

“Oh, damn… sorry about that, sir…’ he said, aiding the merchant to his feet, “I didn´t see you there. I was stretching, you see, legs were cramping up…’

The merchant grumbled a bit, seeing that Genma was long gone. “Ah, its all right, sonny boy… damn hooligans in this town. What is the world coming to?’

The dark-haired man chuckled a bit, patting the merchant on the back and sweeping his arm back down into his pocket. “I hear you, sir… well, I hope that you don´t have any more trouble today. It would be a shame for you to suffer two thefts in one day…’

The merchant nodded. “Thanks for the help, sir…’

The dark-haired young man grinned. “Its not a problem. Anytime…’ With a nod, the merchant turned back around the corner, only to see that his cart had been cleared of all his goods. A look of full-blown fury in his eyes, he turned to face the young man again, but he was gone.

Laughing, the two young men ran down the street to their hideout. The shorter, balding man grinned up at his friend. “You sure know how to play the innocent, Soun Tendo… it such a shame our talents are wasted stealing food and underwear…’

Soun nodded back, a stern look on his face. “Indeed… we could be among the greatest, if we weren´t hampered by the master. But he is capable of terrible things, Saotome… I dare not defy him.’

Genma just kept on grinning. “Well, he´ll be happy with the haul we got from that cart. He told me we´d meet back up at the hideout…’ Genma couldn´t help but notice the grin that had sprouted on Soun´s face as he placed his hand in his pocket. “Okay, Tendo… what else did you get?’

The tall, dark-haired man pulled the grifted goods from his pocket, looking them over. “Looks like a wallet, a pocket watch (with chain!), a wedding ring, a few yen in loose change, and a belt buckle…’

Genma shook his head, laughing. “Poor bastard… talk about a rough day at the office.’

The two men ran down a path in the woods to a small, obscured cave. Pushing a branch to the side, they both hopped into the entrance, sliding down a makeshift chute into the main chamber. A small old man awaited them, sitting at a table piled with food. He grinned at them, and they grinned back.

The man hopped down from the chair, taking the food from Genma. “Oh boy! What a haul! You done good today, boys!’ He cackled gleefully.

“Indeed, master, indeed…’ Genma responded, glancing over at Soun. Soun nodded at Genma. “Uh… master… is there anything else you´d like us to do today?’

The old man looked up at them. “My dear boys… we have a feast here fit for a king! Why don´t you enjoy a little before I send you off on your next mission?’

The two men shrugged. They had never known their master to be kind often, so why not take advantage of it in the event that he actually was? They sat at the table, partaking of the stolen food before them. Between mouthfuls, they listened to their master lay out the next plan.

“My boys…’ he began, gulping down some sake, “Are you as sick as I am of living in this cave? I think that it´s about time we open up a school of our own right here in Nerima.’

Shu Yenrai looked out over the students in the dojo as they went through the warm up kata for the class. Following them as they kicked, punched and defended against their sparing partner before the lessons of the day. Effectively picking out the student that had problems with the kata, he made a mental note to give them some homework to help them cover the problems when the class was over. Clapping his hands, he bowed formally to the students of his class before crossing his arms across his chest “Ladies, today we´ll start putting the last 3 months of practice into a fighting form. You will learn how to properly put your abilities into an art form.’

As the student nodded at his words, he inwardly groaned. Looking from one student to the other he took in the young eager faces and hopeful eyes. This place would have been his grates joy, but thanks to that idiot old woman he met all those years ago, he had a terrible curse placed on him, the curse to always lose in a fight with a man. Closing his eyes he blocked out the view of a dojo full of happy young girls. “WHY MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!’

“Uh Sensei, are you okay?’

Snapping open his eyes, Shu jumped up and hid the shame in his eyes “Sorry, I was just remembering a bad thing that happened a year ago. Now go practice with your partner, while I get out the weapons for your training. Opening a door next to the dojo alter, he stopped for a few moments to send up a prayer for greater control of himself, feeling better a peace. He entered the small room and began to gather up the brokkens for the lesson he wanted to teach them.

“SWEEEEEETOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!’

“EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!’

Stopping, Shu dropped most of the equipment and turned around at the screams and the sudden sounds of chaos. Storming towards the door, he lifted a brokken and prepared to defend his students, only to stop at the sight of what looked like a little midget dressed in black molesting his students. “Hold it vile monster, How dare you attack the noble Shu Yenrai dojo and its students. Prepare to defend yourself’

The master stopped molesting the girls and landed right in the middle of the dojo “Well, well sonny boy. I must say you have a fine dojo and such healthy young students. You won´t mind if I hang around for the rest of the lesson, will you sonny?’ Jumping into the air, the old man grabbed onto the chest of a young girl running past while she screamed, “Ah young girls are the best, Hotca would look at this little beauty’

The girl stopped, as she felt something important missing. Looking down she saw the old man holding onto her left breast and looking at her… “PERVERT!!!’ *SMASH* The floor exploded from the force of her punch, as she buried her left arm in it up to her shoulder. Breathing heavily as she stood up, she gasped, as the old man jumped back out of the hole and held up her bra as well “ARGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!’ More of the floor met an untimely demise as she tried to pound the freak of nature.

Shu shook his head and lashed out with his brokken, hoping that for once he would be able to hit this disgusting thing. Grinning, as the midget went down, he stopped suddenly as a powerful aura formed around the little man. Looking with big unbelieving eyes, the aura of the master grew until it filled the room. Stepping back, he ducked as the powerful chi rushed towards him but with no success. As it hit him, he got the feeling of flying backwards very fast, before it all went black.

“Yenrai-Sensei’ The young girl with the black hair screamed, rushing forward, she grabbed the elder man as he slid down the wall and towards the floor. “Nodoka, help me’ Looking over her shoulder, she spotted her best friend as she defending the other students using her unarmed skills. From what she could see of the man, he had stolen all of the girl´s bras and panties as he was jumping around with them in a bag “NODOKA!’

Nodoka stopped her attempts at defeating the old man and turned to see her best friend holding up an unconscious Yenrai-sensei “Kimiko Yenrai-sensei’ Rushing over to them, a black blur passed in front of her and she felt a brief chill and looked to the side to see the old man stuff her underwear into his bag “Perverted old bastard’ Lasing out in a kick, she felt something hook around her leg and then the world rushed past her, only to stop as someone caught her. Looking up. She stared into a pair of eyes behind a set of glasses and black mask. Slowly, she was lowered onto the floor as the large man looked away from her.

Kimiko looked up as another black blur dropped down beside her and held a hand to Shu´s neck “He will be okay, nothing was broken. Sorry about the master, he can a bit impulsive at times’ Standing up, he looked across the room “Genma, my friend. We must hurry and get out of here, the master has distracted them’ Kimiko, blinked as the two men jumped through the dojo holding twin bags, one stuffed with food and sake, the other with all the valuables of the house and dojo.

“Hold it right there’ Nodoka yelled as she jumped through the dojo and smashed her foot into the head of the one closets to her. Silver plates, money and jewelry spilled across the floor as the large man went down, hard. Stomping on the person with a savage streak, she grinned as he began to cover on the floor in front of her “How dare you? What kind of honor less scum are you to attack our sensei and steal everything he owns?’

Genma blinked and covered deeper in front of the women, yes the crouch of the wild tiger had it advantages when it came to avoid a beating, and it also gave his opponent a sense of victory, which he could use to escape. “I´m Sorry, I´m sorry. It was the master idea. He forced me to do it. It all his fault’ Adding fake tears to what could be seen of his face, Genma felt her heart stop for a second as he saw the girl look down at him. She was beautiful, the way her dark red hair spilled down over her eyes and fell down past her shoulder to the low part of her back. Genma gaped like a gold fish; for once in his life he had another feeling other then hunger, greed and arrogance. His heart did a few flips and suddenly, he knew that this beauty had to be his, no matter what.

Nodoka, blinked at the sight of the mixed number of emotions running though the eyes behind the mask. Until it settled on one strong emotion, love. Well, she was not going to have a thief, pervert and savage beast after her. Lifting a brokken, she swung her hands back and tossed though the room as she tried to perform a simple swing with it.

The brokken sailed through the air, and slammed into Soun´s neck. Stumbling, Soun dropped his sack and fell forward. Gasping as the air was knocked out of him, he followed their ill gained goods with his eyes as it spread across the floor. Gasping down a quick breath to refill his lungs, he rolled over and jumped up and blinked at the brokken rushing towards him. Stepping back he lifted his hands to protect him.

“Don´t move’ Kimiko spoke as she held the brokken in an attack position, she was slightly amazed at the way Nodoka had knocked the other thief, and here she had always thought that Nodoka would never learn how to use a weapon in her life. But now, her words failed her, as she looked into a pair of king brown eyes under a long mop of black hair. And here she had always said that she would never think any man was beautiful, but this one. She felt her grip on the brokken loosen as a new powerful emotion ran thought her.

Soun stared at the young women holding a brokken at his throat. By the stars, she was beautiful. The way the sun shone in her long black hair, the way her eyes flashed. He wanted to know her name, her address, her favorite color, if she had a boyfriend. Skillfully, he moved back and swept the wooden sword out of her hands and pulled her closer. “My lady, what is your name? I must know.’

“Pervert!’ Kimiko yelled as the spell over her was broken and her knee shot up into Soun´s groin. As a look of pure pain spread over his face, she reeled back her right arm and punched though. Breathing heavily, she watched as the form of Soun Tendo vanished beyond the horizon “I can´t believe that guy, what a creep!’

“Eh, Kimiko?’ Nodoka mumbled as she looked from the cowering form of Genma Saotome at the sounds of her friend going into her crush-all-perverts-mode. Staring at the glowing form of her friend, she nearly missed seeing Genma stand up. “Hold it buster, where do you think you´re going?’ Pulling back her own arm, she prepared to unleash hell on the slight overweight martial artist.

Genma paled at the sight of two angry girls staring at him; jumping back he fell into the stance of his newly invented technique, it was smart, it was brilliant, it was going to save his sore behind from the wrath of hi s goddess, “Saotome final attack. Ready, set, RUN AWAY!!’

Kimiko and Nodoka blinked, as Genma tore down the street in the general direction of his best friend. As the dust settled, Nodoka turned her eyes to Kimiko “That was a special attack?’ Kimiko nodded, before she looked down and spotted the black cloth, Soun had used as a mask lying on the ground. “I can´t believe them, and just who was that disgusting old man anyway?’ Behind her, Kimiko hid the cloth in her bag and bent down to pick up the stolen loot.

The master looked at his two covering student before him “How dare you fail your master?’ Turning to Genma. He lifted his pipe and glared at the slightly bulging martial artist “Saotome final attack, you call running away a final attack. I want you to handle the special chores alone for the rest of the week’ At the whimpering coming from Genma, he grinned. Turning to Soun, he took a drag from his pipe and blew out the smoke “Well Soun my boy. What did you think of the Dojo? Lots of pretty girlies eh’ Glaring closer, the old man noticed the far away look in his students eye “PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR MASTER, BOY!!’ As Soun fell back, he laughed, “Boy, I´ve made up my mind. Shu Yentai´s dojo will become the new home of the Anything Goes Martial Arts. Now go get my some sake while I meditate’

Night had fallen on the Shu Yenrai dojo and it proud master sat on the simple wooden porch running around the house and over to the dojo. Closing his eyes, he thought back to the battle and went over every simple thing he had done. He had managed to hit the old man, but he hadn´t beaten him. It was so frustrating, teaching girls and women because they were the only ones he could beat. He, who was so great, was hit by such an annoying curse. Looking at the door, he smirked. No matter, he would find a way around this problem, and then, the world would tremble at the name Shu Yenrai again.

Unnoticed by him, a black shadow was sitting on the roof above him, and listing very closely at what was going on below him. Lifting a sake bottle, the master grinned. Yes, nothing like a little spying to find out your opponents weakness and then use them to the fullest. That was one of the corner stones of the Anything Goes Style, to do anything to wind. Fondling a brassier in his other hand, he smirked at the sound of footsteps below him. His pervert sense kicked in and he could instantly tell that the one walking was a young woman, no older the 27, healthy, it took all of his willpower to remain on the roof and listen, instead of showing how grateful he was for the woman to lighten up the night.

“Dear, it´s late. The police have left a long time ago. Please come into the house.’ The voice was like honey to the master and he dared to take a peak over the edge of the house. She stood just a little under the owner of the dojo and had long light brown hair, warm eyes the color of the molten chocolate and a body most women would kill for, himself included, almost in a trace, he watch as she kneeled behind Shu and in circled him form behind with her arms “Don´t worry about them, I´m sure they won´t be coming back’

Shu reached up a hand and held his wife´s. “I tried to defeat them, but I failed. Failed because of this damned curse of mine. If only I could find a way. Then they would have been no problem, but my blows failed, failed because I can´t beat any man, be he a child, adult or an old man.’ Sighing he lowered his head, and growled, “No, I refuse to give in, I won´t be beaten down by a cruel world.’

His wife sighed and turned his face to look at him “Forget it dear. I don´t care about that, I love you for who you are’ Slowly, she lowered her head and kissed him on the lips.

The master grinned as he emptied the sake bottle, taking over the dojo would be almost too easy, all he had to do was decided who going to keep the dojo and who was going to continue training under him. Both his students showed potential, but Genma had a drive and the lack of morals to fully understand the fine ways of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts’ Yes, he would make a great student, if only he wasn´t so lazy. “Soun my boy, you´re going to get your wish. You´ll get the dojo and your own school’

Soun looked up from dreaming about the girl he had seen at the dojo and bowed before the master as he entered the cave “Master, you´re back. Should I get you some more sake or maybe a little food’ Daring to look up, he gulped at the sight of the happiness on his master face as he plopped down on the fluffy pillow they had stolen days before. “Master, tell me, did you learn anything about the master of the dojo?’

The old ma nodded as he grabbed the last bottle of sake, preparing to speak, he stopped and looked around the dimly lit cave “Where´s Genma? I thought I told you both to wait for me here until I returned’ Putting down the bottle he looked at the covering form before him “Tell me sonny boy, where's Genma. He better not be trying something stupid again.’

Soun gulped and looked around the cave, trying to think up an excuse for his friend, stopping at the simple thought that his friend wouldn´t make up any excuse for him, if he were the one who had snuck out. He returned his attention to the master “He went out to look for a girl he saw at the dojo. He wouldn´t stop talking about her.’

The master closed his eyes and hummed. “Disobeying my orders, running off to chase after a girl.’ Nodding he sat up “That boy make me so proud, way I remember when I snuck out to chase my own girl when I was young. Maybe I should join him, make sure that he doesn´t make a fool of himself’ Rubbing his chin, the old man shook his head “No, this is a special moment, the first hunt after a girl, the firsts steps towards becoming a great martial artist like me’ Turning his eyes to the wide eyes of Soun he grinned “Listen up sonny boy, I have decided that you are going to fight Shu Yenrai for his dojo tomorrow.’ Grinning, he gulped down his sake “When you have won the match, I´ll take Genma on a long training trip. When I return, you will have turned the dojo in the official home of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. Got it.’ The master laughed as his student covered before him.

(End of the unnecessarily long flashback sequence that´s vital to the storyline)

All the person´s in the dojo stared at the two men as they smiled smugly. “After I won the battle, I started to pursue your mother while building the dojo, your mother eventually gave in to me and we got married, and settled down to run the dojo together.’ Soun looked at Ranma with calm eyes “Ranma, The fate of this dojo now rest on your shoulders, I fear that my daughters will be no match for the son of Shu Yenrai’

“What´s that supposed to mean, are you telling me that I´m weak?!!’ Akane yelled, as she slammed her hands down on the table and knocking over all the teacups “I´m a martial artist too, I refuse to let someone outside our family handle this’ Standing up, Akane turned around and began to march towards the dojo.

“Akane Tendo, you´ll stop this instance’ Towering over his youngest girl, Soun looked down at her with fierce eyes “You are no match for that boy, you haven´t had the proper training. Ranma is our only chance at winning this.’ At the hurt look in his daughters eyes, Soun grabbed her shoulders in a tight grip “Listen to me, A good martial artist is always ready to fight, yet he will also know his limits, you know as well as I do, that you can´t defeat this boy with out help.’

Akane looked up confused along with Nabiki. They had been to young to remember this version of their father, the one who would move mountains to protect his family, and the one who would stop at nothing for the once he love. Unbreakable, strong, not the weak, pitiful shell he had become since the death of his beloved Kimiko. Kasumi blinked and wiped a tear from her eyes and almost cried at the sight of someone both she and her mother had always admired, “Oh father.’

Akane stepped back and gave a half hearted sob, before she ran out of the room “Kasumi, follow her.’ As the oldest of his daughters left, he sat down in front of Ranma. “Son, as head of the Tendo School. I ask for you to fight this challenger for my family. I haven´t used the art in years and I no longer posses the skill I once did.’ Bowing formally in front of the pigtailed boy, he looked up at him “Make this old man proud and help him in his hour off need’

Alex grinned as he watched the display between the two. He had been shocked to hear the way the two had trained under their master, and the way they had broken all the codes of a martial artist, yet, at this pure display of a strong fatherly love, the will to stop his daughter and damage his own honor by asking another for help. “Go for it Ranma, do it. Besides, don´t tell me you´ll let him get away with hitting Kasumi

Ranma looked down at the body of Soun, as he still bowed before him. Remember the hurt look in Kasumi´s eyes he gritted his teeth. No one hit Kasumi, she was the symbol of all that was pure and like a big sister to him, she had never yelled at him, never hit him. “I´ll do it Mr. Tendo, I´ll make him regret hitting Kasumi.’ Standing up, he cracked his knuckles, making them sound like pistol shots “I´ll teach him never to hurt another girl as long as he lives.’

Tbc:

Dak´s Notes: Well that was fun, a little hard to do, but fun. It wasn´t easy to sit down and write on a story you have only been reading before. But I like to think I pulled it off. So don´t hold back. Tell Gyzzmo how much you like the story and that you all want him to continue it.

Dak.