Author:

Ranma 1/2
Master of the Kyoujitsu
Part 1 of the Dawning Chronicles
'The Return'



The lookout spotted the familiar red shirt, as it's wearer trudged up the hilly forest to his home grounds.

"He has returned! The heir has returned home!" He shouted; it was news for all of the house to hear.

"Ranma has returned!"

"He has been gone for a long time still."

"It will be good to have him back home."

"We shall celebrate his return!"

Ranma smirked at the sudden bustle he heard from behind the walls of his feudal village, and waited patiently for the door to be opened to him. The massive iron doors opened slowly for him, as if to present those involved with a dramatic tension.

"Master Ranma, it is good to have you home again." One of the villagers stated as they walked along the traveler.

"I am happy to be back," Ranma replied in badly dubbed English. He waited for the his lips to catch up with what had been said, and continued, "I am anxious to see my parents once again."

"Look! There they practice!" One of Ranma's escorts called out, as they reached the courtyard of the largest building. A balding man in a gi and a woman in a regal kimono stared impassively at each other.

Without a word, they leapt at each other, slightest motions being made as they passed each other in the air. Both landed, having switched opposite sides of the courtyard. The man shifted with a slight discomfort, while the woman rubbed her thighs together from sensation.

"Excellent opening form, dear," Nodoka stated with steel in her voice.

"I am not the master of the Saotome School for nothing," Genma replied, "BE PREPARED!"

"I WILL NOT FALL EASILY!" Nodoka shouted out, as she glided like a ghost across the courtyard to meet her husband. Their hands moved like liquid lightening, stroking each other in their undefended erogenous zones. Finally they broke away after holding each other off in a stalemate.

"HA!" Genma shouted, his hand flashing almost invisibly at his waist. Nodoka sidestepped the gooey projectile.

"YOUR PRECUM WILL NOT DEFEAT ME! VICTORY IS OF MINE!" Nodoka once again rushed her husband.

"Wait, it appears our son has returned to us," Genma stated, while holding up his hand to his aggressing wife.

"Oh, welcome home, son, was your training trip fruitful?"

"Oh yes, mother, I have grown a great deal in my travels" Ranma replied in a stately British accent.

"Please, son, Japanese. Your English is so horribly dubbed." Genma commanded, adjusting the belt on his gi.

"I apologize, Pop," Ranma started again, subtitles appearing below him, Genma and Nodoka nodded in approval, "I've learned a lot on my trip that will benefit both of my forms."

"Ahhhh, that is good!" Genma stated in a mirthful voice, "You must learn to act in unity with all two of your forms, it is our way."

"Yeah, this curse was a bless'n," Ranma agreed, "I had been challenged much try'n to return."

"I trust you were always in victory?" Nodoka asked; it would not due for her clan to lose the title of the greatest practitioners of Kyoujitsu.

Ranma chuckled a bit off sync with his lips, "Was there any doubt?"

"Of course not," Genma cut in, "But now, it is time for you to show us your new skill," he stepped aside, giving view to a bishonen person standing rigid and staring hard at Ranma.

"I too have grown in skill. Do not feel pains from my defeat to you!" Ukyo unsheathed the staff that had been used to battle with Ranma consistently, but never yielding a win.

"Well, I ain't gonna go down easily," Ranma said with a smirk, and preparing himself for confrontation.

"Enough bolstering! BEGIN!" Genma shouted, and then jumped back as if he were gliding on ropes onto a roof of one of the houses surrounding the courtyard. At the same time, Nodoka jumped backwards to another roof with her arms out like a bird's wings. Both parents stood in intimidating poses with their arms crossed as their son and his rival leapt into the air at each other.

Both fighters met in the air, and traded attacks as if they were suspended in space. They both flowed from technique to technique like water over rocks, neither gaining the opening they were looking for. Finally they pushed away.

"You have grown in strength," Ranma congratulated, as he was hunched over slightly and holding his hand on his crotch with his other hand held up in defense.

"It seems that I am to the champion of this outcome," Ukyo began twirling the staff menacingly to posture.

"You underestimate me, I ain't given you but one tenth of my new strength."

"One..." Genma mouthed.

"Tenth...?" Nodoka mouthed. Indeed if their son's bolster was true, he was indeed impressive.

"You hold back on me?" Ukyo said incredulously, "I SHOW YOU YOUR FOLLY!!!!" The longhaired warrior leapt into the air, quickly followed by the pigtailed fighter.

Once again they were trading attacks while defying gravity, though it did not last as long as previous. Quickly, Ranma gained the upper hand.

"TALONS OF THE FURIOUS PEREGRINE FALCON!" Ranma's clawed hands lashed out at unseeable speeds.

"Ah! Too fast!" Ukyo cried out, as the crotch of the longhaired fighter's clothing was ripped out, and the torso was torn away. Ranma then kicked his opponent in the thigh with a side kick with the inside of his foot, causing Ukyo to spin around.

They fell the ground; Ukyo was on her hands and knees, while Ranma held her from behind by the waist, purposely thrusting.

"You... will... fail... before... me..." Ukyo gritted out, each syllable accompanying a thrust.

"Ha ha ha," Ranma laughed, "But the battle has already been won." He ignored the tattered tunic and breast bindings that collapsed to the ground around them, concentrating only on making the woman before him submit.

Ukyo began to feel light headed, Ranma's technique knew no peer, "I... am defeated." With that, she slumped to the ground, convulsing around her subduer.

Ranma stood up and beamed with victory, "You have promise yet, Ucchan. Don't give up yet!" The woman moaned happily in reply.

"Well done," Genma congratulated, pounding his son on the back with a meaty open hand, "You are definitely the heir to the Saotome School."

"That was a wondrous performance, son," Nodoka added, "I await the day I see your full capabilities."

"Then perhaps we shall spar sometime soon," Ranma suggested.

"I accept." Nodoka replied in a nod.

"Now, son, we have important business to discuss," Genma cut in, "You are now of age for you to claim a wife."

"Ah, but Pops, you know my terms," Ranma interjected, raising a finger, "That is the purpose of Ukyo's continued battles against me."

"Of course, you will only take the hand of one who can defeat you," Genma continued, "That is why it is time for you to meet the daughters of my old training partner."

"Oh, they also practice the School of Anything Goes?"

"Yes, we practiced under the same master, yet their's is the branch of the Tendou School."

"Ah, Tendou Soun, I remember him fondly," Nodoka stated with a nod. Genma motioned for his son to follow him into their home and Nodoka followed; it was one of the stateliest buildings that surrounded the courtyard.

They had served the feudal lord of their land for several generations; not as samurai, but still as defenders. The school of Anything Goes was considered unrivaled by many, as it's practitioners bragged of being undefeated. There were only two families that participated in the style, with one grand master that had disappeared over a decade ago. As such, they were awarded many privileges of the noble families of the land for their honored servitude.

They entered, and walked into a den. Genma walked to a desk and sat down. He picked up a quill and dipped it into the ink tray before him, and began in horrible calligraphy to construct a letter.

"It was a pact of honor made between our two families that we would be joined, it falls upon your honor to complete it."

"This goes against my decree, Pops," Ranma argued, "I cannot honor this unless they are of equal skill." Ranma believed that if he were to enter into a spousal partnership, both partners had to be evenly matched. Matrimony was of equally giving and taking, and it would not be right for him to be the one giving the majority. That was the basis of his philosophy of his own particular style of Anything Goes.

"It is a foolish notion you carry, son," Genma stated, still concentrating on his letter, "But you must not allow it to interfere with your duty to family."

"It is a noble decree," Nodoka said from where she was standing, "and it may be honored yet. I would believe that the three daughters of the Tendou Clan are formidable, if the tales about them are true."

"So, they are of a skilled level?" Ranma asked, perking up at the notion.

"Well, they the other family of Anything Goes." Genma said, as he waved the paper around to dry it, and then rolled it into a scroll, before sealing it, "I know you had just returned from your journey, but we must set out on the hour of the Tiger, they are less than a four day's hike to the north."

"I will not rest if there's a challenge to be met," Ranma stated with a glint in his eye. Possibly three opponents to test his full skill against; it was something he greatly looked forward to.