gziped /pub/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/ranma.fotns.return-of-the-fist.gz anandr@earthlink.net (Anand Rao) Return of the Fist - Part 1 --------------------------- A Ranma 1/2 and Fist of the North Star cross-over. The rights to Ranma 1/2 are owned to Rumiko Takahashi. and the rights to Fist of the North Star are owned by.... Tetsuo Hara? (I think...) -------------------------------- "It's hard to believe the old freak owned a place like this...", Ranma said as he looked around the spacious dojo. The dojo in question was located on Mt. Fugi and was owned by Happosai, at least he _said_ he owned it. The fact that dusty bras and panties were strewn all over the dojo's floor, shrine, and outer porch lent some credibility to Happosai's claim, but one could never tell when the "master" was involved. "Ranma!, stop dragging your feet boy, and start cleaning this place! We cannot start training until the dojo is back in shape", Genma said in righteous anger as he sat against the wall on the west side of the dojo, scarfing down the food Kasumi and Nodoka had prepared for them for the trip. "What about you, pop! I don't see _you_ helping with the chores!", Ranma returned. "Foolish boy! Training you to become my heir is work enough! Now get-" *WHAM* "There pop, you're gonna need that for what you're shoveling!", Ranma stated as the large metal bucket he had thrown at Genma found its mark. "You boys finished cleaning yet?", Happosai asked as he entered the dojo carrying a large knapsack. "Not yet, old man. Besides, if you think I'm gonna touch all this old underwear, you gotta be dreaming!" "Why Ranma," Happosai looked hurt, "these beauties are all antiques. Why don't ya try one on for old Happy?" "Get real, old man, I'm a guy!!!!" ***needless to say the training began BEFORE the dojo was cleaned*** Later that evening, Ranma was finally putting the finishing touches on the dojo. As he was wiping away years of accumulated dust and grime off of the floor, he noticed something sticking out from under one of the floor boards. He lifted up the floor board and pulled out what seemed to be a very old scroll. He gently dusted it off and unwrapped it. The writing on the scroll was in Chinese and there were various diagrams of the human body on it. Apparently it was a scroll of martial arts techniques.... "What do have there Ranma?" Happosai asked as he entered the dojo. Ranma came to a quick decision. (After all, remember the -LAST- time Happosai messed with a Chinese scroll?) "Uh.. nothing, just cleaning up! hey! I think I saw a bra out by the well in front of the dojo." "Really!!!", Happosai yelled excitedly as he ran outside. The distraction had worked like a charm. Ranma spent as much time as he could to study the scroll in between his training sessions with Genma and Happosai. From what he could tell, all the techniques were rather... brutal to say the least. None of the attacks seemed to involve ki, but he really couldn't be sure since he could not read the scroll. By the end of the training trip, Ranma still had not gotten very far with the scroll. He decided to show it to Cologne when he got back home. *************************** A Week Later *************************** Ranma entered Nekohanten with the scroll in hand. Shampoo gathered him up in a fierce hug as soon as he walked through the door. "Shampoo so happy to see you Ranma! You come to take Shampoo on date?" "Uh, no Shampoo. Actually I came to see Cologne." *whew! Thank God Akane didn't come with me!* Ranma tried unsuccessfully to dislodge himself from Shampoo. "Why Ranma come to see Great-Grandmother?" "I need to talk to her about a scroll I found." "Good Afternoon son-in-law. What's this about a scroll?" Cologne said as she entered the main dining area from the kitchen. Ranma _hated_ it when the old ghoul called him her "son-in-law", but seeing as how he was here to ask for a favor, he did not press the point. "Well, I found this old scroll at Happosai's dojo. It has Chinese writing on it and seems to contain special martial arts techniques. I was hoping you could translate it for me." "If Happy had the scroll it is either very important or a complete fake! Let me take a look at it Ranma." Ranma handed the scroll to Cologne who gasped in shock when she looked at it. She quickly recovered, however, and continued to study the scroll. "Well?" Ranma asked impatiently. It was obvious that Cologne had recognized _something_. "I have some idea about what this scroll may contain, but it will take me a few days to translate it, and I don't want to make any judgments until then." "Well, that's fine... Our class is going on a 2-day field trip tomorrow, so I won't be around anyways. I'll come back after I get back, see ya!" And with that, Ranma left before Shampoo could reattach herself to him. Cologne stared after him. It was impossible. Even Happy couldn't have gotten his hands on a scroll like this! Her initial doubts had left, however, as she studied the scroll. To think it was possible after all this time... the teachings of the School of the Great Bear. *************************** The Next Day *************************** Ranma's class had arrived at Tokyo Towers for their class trip. (auth. note: Where _else_ would a class go in an Anime field trip?) Ranma (along with most of his class) thought that the trip was useless and suffered the tour in silence. In fact, Miss Hinako seemed to be the only one enjoying herself. After the tour finished, the students had free reign of the city until dinner, at which time they were expected to meet back at their hotel. "Now remember," little Hinako said, "any students who are late returning to the hotel will be considered diliquents. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Saotome?" "Hey teach! Why are ya pickin' on me?" "She remembers the kind of pervert you are." Akane whispered to Ranma. "Hey! You're one too talk you-" *WHAM* Hinako had just hit Ranma over the head with a clip board "Pay attention when I'm talking to you!" ***** Ranma stalked off by himself down the street. The day had turned out to be rather rotten and he really did not feel like hanging around any of his friends or Akane... especially Akane. He was eager to get back home. He was sure Cologne was finished with the scroll by now. He couldn't wait to learn those new techniques... or could he? If his estimations were correct those techniques were deadly and he's never had to use anything that drastic... Still, with that LAST mess the gang had experienced in China, it wouldn't hurt to diversify his arsenal a bit. Akane had almost died and THAT was unacceptable. No matter what it took, he would make sure that he'd be able to protect her better from now on. After all she was his fiancee, not that he *liked* her or anything... As all these thoughts were swirling in Ranma's head, he noticed something strange in an ally to the left of the street he was walking on. He took a look around, and realized that he was lost; he was so deep in thought that he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. *heh. Now I know how Ryoga feels!* "Where in the world am I now?", Ranma jokingly said to himself. He headed towards the ally and noticed two men talking. They looked very rich and important. There were several other men standing around them as well. They looked like guards. As Ranma got closer to the ally, he recognized what had drawn him there. Someone in the ally had an incrediably strong battle aura. The strongest he had ever felt! He hid behind a trash can in the ally and watched the men as they talked. One of the men, a tall man with long blonde hair was saying, "-and I plan to control all of drug and weapons distributions in Japan from now on. The Yakuza will have to bow to the Southern Cross if they want to stay in business." "You're playing a dangerous game Shin," the other man replied, "but we stand with you. The rest of your Chinese operatives are in place. Its only a matter of time before all the pieces fall together." "Thank you Nakamora. I always reward those who serve me well. But first, we have some business to take care of... One of you here is a traitor." Shin looked around at the group of men who surrounded him. He quickly nodded at two of his henchmen and they grabbed a third man and brought him in front of Shin. "Mr Rickten here," Shin said, indicating the man held helplessly in front of him, "who has been part of my organization for the past year, is actually an agent in Interpol. Really, Nathan, did you think that I would never discover your treachery?" Shin punched Nathan so swiftly that Ranma didn't even see his arm move. Nathan flew back several feet and hit the ground. He slowly got up, took a step, then suddenly put his hands on his head and screamed in pain. Two seconds later, his head exploded. That's the only way Ranma could describe what he saw. Resisting the urge to throw up, Ranma slowly backed away, but in doing so inadvertently tipped over the garbage can he hiding behind. All the men in the ally immediately turned in his direction, guns drawn. Ranma's reflexes kicked in and he suddenly went into a fighting stance. Shin signalled the men around him and they put away their firearms. He stepped forward and took a good look at Ranma. "Well, what do we have here? A boy who wants to be a warrior. Are you going to challenge me boy?" Ranma's pride and anger swelled, his fear and shock forgotten. "Bastard. I'm Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts!" "Really? I'm impressed. I destroyed countless schools in the Art. I am Shin, the Fist of the Southern Cross and my constellation rules the heavens!" Ranma almost snickered, *Geez, this guy sounds like Kuno!* Shin continued, "If you are going to fight me, be fully prepared for the consequences. After I kill you, I will destroy your school." "Enough talkin' already", Ranma replied as he ran towards Shin and jumped up for an arial attack. Shin smiled, ran towards Ranma, and met his jump in the air. The two combatants seemingly passed by each other. Ranma landed on his feet and turned towards Shin. "Is that all you've got, you didn't even-AUGHHHH!" Ranma screamed as the blood vessels in his wrists, arms, shoulders, and knees exploded with pain and blood. He fell to his hands and knees as his blood flowed freely onto the ground. Shin turned around and wiped the blood from a small cut on his face. "You were able to cut me, I _AM_ impressed. You do have _some_ potential, so I'll make you a deal. I will let you live, if you tell me who sent you here." Ranma tried to focus and concentrate his ki, but he just could not get past the pain. "No- Nobody sent me here....", Ranma replied. Two of Shin's men grabbed Ranma and dragged him to his feet. They then tore his shirt off. Shin smilingly stepped in front of Ranma and said, "Ranma, here I am trying to be nice and fair, and you have to be stubborn... Well, I'm sure I can *convince* you to talk." Shin pointed a finger at Ranma and slowly thrust it into Ranma's chest, twisting it as he punctured skin, flesh, and muscle. Ranma screamed in agony. Shin pulled out his finger and blood flowed from the wound like a fountain. "Now Ranma, once again. *Who* sent you here?" At this point Ranma could have told Shin the truth, and perhaps Shin might have even believed him. But Ranma knew he was going to die and he was not going to die without his dignity. His mother would be proud. With his remaining strength he spit in Shin's face and said "I'm not gonna tell you anything you sick bastard!" Shin looked at Ranma, the amusement gone from face, and said "Then die." He thrust his finger into Ranma's chest again and again. Shin looked at Ranma once more and said, "And your School will die with you." just before stabbing Ranma in the stomache with four fingers of his right hand. The last thing Ranma remembered as he drifted off into unconsciousness was Shin's cold, evil, laughter. ******************** End part 1. ******************* Yes, and another fanfic is underway. I like a story that has lots of character development and this one will have plenty, at least I hope it will. It is considerably more violent than most Ranma stories. Sorry. I have NO idea how to choreograph a fight scene, any advice on the subject will be appreciated. C&C is welcome (anandr@earthlink.net) Note to Fist of the North Star fans: if you know where I can get a list of the tsubo points that Ken uses, please tell me. thanks. About the school field trip, I have no idea where Nerima is in relation to the Tokyo Towers, so if this was unreasonble for a 2-day trip let me know. (then again, irrational and illogical actions work out quite well in Ranma 1/2) OK here's part 2... First things first, All Ranma 1/2 characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and the rights to Fist of the North Star are owned by Tetsuo Hara (art work) and Buronson (story). Thank you to everyone who C&C'd me after part one! I appreciate it and I thrive on e-mail. Special thanks go to James Jones: The Blood Phoenix. You really motivated me to continue with the story and (unknowingly) gave me some new ideas and directions to take while writing it. thanks much. ==========================Return of the Fist - Part 2 ========================== It was a beautiful spring day. Ranma was sitting in the park with his parents and the Tendos. They had all decided to go on a picnic. His mother and Kasumi had prepared the most wonderful meal he had ever eaten. He and Akane had not even had one fight the whole day. Ranma sighed contentedly; yes, it was turning out to be a perfect day. All of a sudden several men fell from the sky and surrounded them. Ranma tried to get to his feet but he couldn't move. His father, Mr. Tendo, and Akane all got into fighting stances. His mother drew her katana. Even Kasumi and Nabiki had risen into fighting positions. When had they learned the art? Ranma still couldn't move. He looked up at one of the men who fallen from the sky, it was Shin! All of a sudden Ranma's chest hurt. He looked down at himself, and found seven bloody wounds on his chest and stomach. When did they get there? Why couldn't he stand? Why was he so weak? The men in front of Nabiki and Kasumi attacked, ripping their bodies apart. Ranma looked at the two men in horror. They were both Shin! But wasn't Shin standing in front of him? The two Shins spoke, "Your School is dead." The man in front of his mother took her katana and impaled her with it. He turned around to face Ranma. Shin again! He said, "Your school is dead." Suddenly his father and Mr. Tendo fell, blood pouring from fatal wounds on their bodies. The Shins who had killed them turned toward Ranma and said, "Your school is dead." Suddenly, he heard Akane scream behind him. He turned around to see Shin holding Akane in the air, with his hand impaled into her stomach and sticking out her back. "Your school is dead.", Shin said. Then he started laughing, a cold evil laugh, and all the other Shins joined with him. Ranma screamed, "Stop it! Stop it! Nooooooooo-" ********************** Ranma woke up. He looked around, he was feeling rather disoriented. His chest was bandaged up tightly, and there were several tubes and wires connected to his body. Ranma had been in enough hospitals to realize when he was in one. His chest hurt every time he took a breath. He turned his head to the side and saw his mother, asleep on a chair pulled up next to his bed. He suddenly remembered his dream. "Mom..." he croaked. He tried to get up, but he was too weak and in too much pain. Nodoka woke up and quickly kneeled in front of Ranma's bed. "Calm down, please, everything's going to be alright." she soothed. Ranma tried to get up again. "A-Akane.... gotta protect..." "Ranma, Akane is alright. She's at school right now. She will be here this evening. She's been sleeping here every night with you for the past week." "I've been asleep for a week?" Nodoka fell silent and gently caressed her son's face. The tears that had been building up for the past week gently started streaming down her face. "I knew you would come back to us, my son. I knew you were too strong to die." "What happened?" Ranma asked weakly. Nodoka dried her eyes. "Actually, Ranma-chan, that's something we wanted to ask you. After you failed to return to your Hotel, the night of your field trip, Akane and her friends looked for you. They could not find you anywhere. That night we got a call at the Tendo dojo; someone had found you in some ally near your Hotel and had immediately called for an ambulance. You had lost a lot of blood and one of your lungs was punctured. They just took you off the respirator last night. Your wounds were terrible, y-you nearly died." The tears started flowing again. Nodoka had not told Ranma everything, nor would she. The first night Ranma had spent in the hospital, his heart had stopped. The minute it took to get his heart beating again was the worst moment of her life. "What happened to you my son?" Everything that happened that night in the ally suddenly flooded back into Ranma's mind. He paled visibly then said, "I got into a fight.... and I lost." Obviously there was more that Ranma was not telling her, but Nodoka decided not to stress the point. Her son seemed to be reliving what had happened. "Just rest, Ranma-chan. Akane will be here later. She'll be mad if you are not awake to greet her." Nodoka smiled and started caressing Ranma's face again. He slowly drifted off into sleep. ************** When Ranma woke up hours later, Akane was sitting on the chair that his mother had occupied earlier. As he looked at her he noticed that her eyes were red and she had big puffy bags under them. She looked so tired. "Man Akane, you look like hell." Ranma joked. Akane, startled, looked at him. She had not realized that he had awoke. "Baka! You almost die, and here I am worried about you and the first thing out your mouth is an insult! Ranma I-" At this point Akane grabbed Ranma's hand beneath his blanket and continued, "I, I'm glad you're going to be alright..." "Ranma, what happened to you? Your mom mentioned that you were in a fight, but who did this to you?" "It's none of your business!" Ranma replied, a little more coldly than he wanted. "I'm sorry Ranma, I was just worried about you!" Akane tried to get up to leave, but Ranma squeezed her hand. "Akane, I'm sorry.... I'm just tired, that's all." Akane looked mollified, "OK, I'll let you rest then." As Akane left, Ranma sighed and tried to bury himself in his bed. *How could he tell her?* He had been utterly defeated, probably doomed _anyone_ associated with the Anything Goes school, and to top off everything, he was feeling real fear. For the first time in his life he was afraid of a fighter. *No, he wouldn't tell her. He wouldn't tell anyone. Why couldn't he have just died?* ********** Ranma, as usual, recovered very quickly. Within a week of waking up, he was able to walk around and his breathing was regular and considerably less painful. He really didn't need any kind of physical therapy, so he spent all of his time sleeping or walking around the hospital. His doctors were amazed at his at his rapid recovery, at the rate he was healing he would be able to return home in a couple of days. Ranma's mental state was another matter entirely. He did not talk to anyone beyond answering simple questions and he never initiated any sort of conversation. If anyone tried to talk to him about his fight in the ally, he would shut down completely until the subject was dropped. No one seemed to be able to cheer him up; not even his mother or Akane. One time, Akane even tried to get into an argument with Ranma, calling him an idiot, pervert, half-man, and whatever else she could think of. Ranma did not insult her back even once. The fight seemed to have just gone out of him, and that scared everyone more than anything else. Akane, grudgingly, decided to let Ukyo and Shampoo have a try at cheering Ranma up. They had not been by to see him since he was admitted into the hospital. Ranma's doctors had said that too much excitement and stress might cause Ranma's lung to get reinjured, and three fiancees is more excitement than even a healthy man needs. As soon as Shampoo and Ukyo saw him, they recognized his change in demeanor. His shoulders were slightly slumped and he looked away from them almost shyly. Ranma was sitting up in his bed as Shampoo and Ukyo walked over to him. "Airen... you OK, yes?" Shampoo asked. "Hai." "Ranchan," Ukyo started, "I know how much you hate hospital food, so a brought you an Okanomiakyi." Ukyo pulled out a dish that she was hiding behind her back and placed it in front of Ranma. "Thanks." Ranma said, without touching or even looking at the plate. Ukyo and Shampoo glanced at each other. If there was one thing that excited Ranma more than anything, it was good food. Especially good _free_ food. Both girls made several more attempts at starting a conversation with Ranma, and after failing, decided to leave. Akane had been waiting outside Ranma's room. When Shampoo and Ukyo came out of the room she asked, "Any luck?" Ukyo shook her head and said, "He's really out of it. I've never seen him like this." Shampoo had a thoughtful look on her face, "Maybe Great-grandmother can help, when Shampoo return to China after not killing Ranma, great-grandmother helped me train. Not just body, but mind as well." Akane looked at Shampoo with new respect in her eyes, she never considered how hard it must have been for Shampoo to return home after her failure. In many ways, Shampoo was similar to Ranma. Failure is never easy, but it was especially difficult for people like Shampoo and Ranma. Akane decided that she did not want Cologne talking to Ranma in the condition he was in; she would probably try to manipulate him in some way. "Thanks for the offer Shampoo, but I think Ranma will be OK once he gets home and starts training again..." Shampoo didn't look very convinced. ********** A few days later Ranma returned home. His parents had not found a new place yet, so they were still living at the Tendo home. The family threw a small 'Welcome Home' party for Ranma; they were desperate to cheer him up. His mother and Kasumi cooked all his favorite foods for dinner. Unfortunately, Ranma's mood set the tone for the rest of the room. Ranma slowly picked at his food, and no one was able to break the uneasy silence that had crept upon them. Finally Ranma's mother decided to act, "Ranma-chan? Since you just got back home, and are still recovering from your injuries, why don't you skip school tomorrow? There's a martial arts tournament in town tomorrow, your father and you can go to it." Nodoka glanced at Genma, who caught on and start speaking, "That's right, my boy! We can go to the tournament and maybe pick up a few pointers! After all, you're going to need to learn some new techniques if-" At that point Ranma looked sharply at his father. "If I'm going to what?" "Well, if you're going to... going to..." One look at Ranma's face and Genma could not continue. Ranma stood up and walked away from the table saying, "If you'll excuse me, I'm feeling kinda sleepy." When Ranma left the room, Akane spoke up, "What are we going to do? He's never been like this before. He's shutting everyone out." "I think, that this is something my son needs to work out himself. Don't worry Akane-chan, Ranma is a strong person; he'll get through this." Nodoka said hopefully. ********** The next morning, Ranma woke up and got dressed for school. His father was waiting for him downstairs wearing a practice gi. "Ranma, I know you are still healing, but would you like to spar this morning?" "Maybe tomorrow..." Ranma replied as he started for the front door. "Ranma-kun? What about breakfast?" "Don't worry about it Kasumi, I'm not really hungry." "But-" Ranma left before Kasumi could remind him to take his lunch. Over the next few days, Ranma's mental and emotional state digressed. He didn't talk to anyone. While in school, he avoided getting into fights, even with Kuno. He seemed to ignore everything around him. He refused to spar with his father in the mornings, in fact, since he returned from the hospital, he never once entered the dojo. Everytime Genma approached Ranma about sparring or training, Ranma replied "Maybe tomorrow." Finally, one morning, Genma snapped. (its amazing he lasted a week, don't you think?) "Maybe tomorrow???" Genma replied, "No my son, we will train TODAY!" Genma proceeded to grab Ranma by his shirt front and threw him into the pond. Ranma's response was to get up, and walk out of the yard and into the bathroom. Genma was too shocked and depressed to be angry. He looked at his wife, who had seen the exchange from the dining table. "I give up... I just don't know what to do about that boy..." Genma said as he entered the house and sat down for breakfast. That night, after dinner, Cologne and Shampoo visited the Tendo home. Akane had gotten desperate and had told Cologne everything she knew. Even if she manipulated Ranma into something, it would have to be an improvement over his current state of mind. "So," Cologne started after pleasantries were exchanged, "where is my son-in-law?" "He's upstairs in his room, he rarely spends time anywhere else these days." "Call him down here, you all are going to need to hear this." Nodoka went upstairs and after a few minutes was able to coax Ranma into coming downstairs. Ranma and Nodoka sat down at the dinner table and waited for Cologne to speak. "Ranma, I heard about you injuries, may I see your wounds?" The request startled Ranma, and for a few moments he was like his old self again. "What for, you old ghoul?" Cologne smiled and said, "I want to see what we're up against." Everyone looked at Ranma as he sighed and slowly took off his shirt. There were several gasps around the room as everyone stared at the seven wounds on his chest. Cologne hopped over to Ranma and started inspecting the wounds. Ranma shivered as she touched him. "Hmmmmm. Interesting technique... The man who did this to you, he used his fingers, yes?" Cologne asked. "H-Hai." "I've never seen a technique like this before, I wonder what school he trained under?" Akane exploded, "Who CARES what school he trained under? Ranma-" She was interrupted by Ranma who mumbled something. "What was that son-in-law?" Ranma took a deep breath. This had been building up for days, and it was time to tell someone what had happened. "I said, 'Southern Cross'; he called himself the Fist of the Southern Cross." Cologne hopped back away from Ranma, her face pale. "The Fist of the Southern Cross. Son-in-law, you are a good warrior, you have the potential to be one of the best in the world. But you will not be able to defeat this man, only the Fist of the North Star can defeat the Fist of the Southern Star, and if the legends are true, the two Fists never fight." "Who is the Fist of the North Star?" Ranma asked. "It's funny you should mention that. Ranma, do you remember the scroll you gave me to translate for you?" "Yes... It had a bunch of weird techniques on it..." "Well, not really... the scroll is more a contract between the Fist of the North Star and a some village in China. The scroll is at least 300 hundred years old, apparently it was common for renegade soldiers to terrorize villages at the time. Some of these villages posted scrolls such as this one as a warning that they were protected by the Fist of the North Star. Whether they were truly protected or not is another story, but the threat alone protected some of the villages. The diagrams on the scroll were not techniques at all, rather they described in detail what the Fist of the North Star would do to anyone who harmed the villages he was protecting." Ranma didn't look impressed. "So what does that have to do with Shin and the Southern Cross?" "The Fist of the North Star is the master of the School of the Great Bear. Both the Great Bear and the Southern Cross are schools of assassination. It is said that their techniques differ greatly, but they are equally powerful. Only one can counter the other." For the first time in many days, Ranma looked hopeful. "So all I have to do is find this North Star guy and have him teach me a technique or two so I can defeat Shin!" Cologne shook her head sadly, "I'm afraid its not that easy son-in-law. First off, no one knows where the school of the Great Bear is located. Some rumors say that their dojo is located some where in the Kunlun Shan mountain range, but no one knows for sure. Secondly, the techniques of the Great Bear are not taught to just anyone. It is said that the techniques are passed on from a father to only one son. That's why I was surprised when I first saw the scroll. Even if you were to find the Fist of the North Star, he would not teach you anything." Ranma dropped his head, sighed, and slowly got up and went upstairs to his room. ******** Ranma layed out on his futon and stared at the ceiling. He felt lost, he really didn't know what to do. There was a knock at his door and his mother walked in. "Ranma-chan, are you feeling all right?" "I don't know... I just, just don't want to fight any more... Would you be ashamed of me if I became a doctor?" Ranma asked half-jokingly. "My dear son, I am your mother. I would love you no matter what you decided to do with your life... but I know, deep down, you will never be happy being anything but a martial artist. Can you admit to yourself why you want to stop practicing the art? Why you refuse to even enter the dojo?" "Because....because I'M AFRAID! I can't beat him, it's HOPELESS! If I face him again, he'll kill me...and then-" Nodoka bent down and gently cupped her son's face. "Ranma-chan, nothing is impossible for you. You are Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes martial arts. You just need to remember that. Through the loss, the pain, and the fear, you've forgotten who you are. Find yourself Ranma. Here or on a training trip, but find yourself, and nothing will be able to stop you." Nodoka looked her son straight in the eyes, and she could see the resolve start to build there. Ranma grabbed his mother in a hug. "Thank you Mom, I know what I have to do now." Nodoka released Ranma and smiled knowingly, "I'll go tell everyone that you'll be leaving tonight." As soon as she left, Ranma started packing. ************ When Ranma went downstairs, everyone was waiting for him. Genma looked excited. "That's the spirit, Ranma! Your mother just told me that you decided to go on a training trip. Give me a few minutes to get ready, then we'll be on our way." Ranma looked at his father for a moment. He walked out in front of him and slowly bowed. "Forgive me father, but this... is something I need to do on my own." Genma stood silently for a few moments then returned Ranma's bow. "I understand my son, there are some things that a man must do for himself." The people standing around Genma looked surprised; it was the most mature thing the man had ever said! Ranma headed for the door, but Akane stopped him. "Ranma, w-where are you going?" That wasn't what Akane _really_ wanted to say, but it was the _safest_ thing to say. Ranma turned towards Akane and his family and said, "I'm going to China; I'm going to find the school of the Great Bear." ******************************** End Part 2 ******************************** Whew! this was hard to write! My mind had definitely moved beyond Ranma's recovery period and onto his training in China, so coming back to this was kinda a chore. Well, part 3 is coming soon, and so are some new characters. C&C is welcome and encouraged (anandr@earthlink.net) Once again, thanks to everyone who wrote to me after part 1! Return of the Fist: Part 3 - final ************************** Well here's part three (finally) enjoy! *warning: this part gets kinda dark* Standard fanfic legend ---------------------- _word_ = emphasis *word* = thought = spoken in Chinese ******************************************************************** For about the thousandth time since Ranma came to China, he wondered if this quest was really worth the effort. It had been two months since he left his home and swam to China. He did not feel any closer to finding the School of the Great Bear than he was when he left the Tendo dojo. Everyone he had talked to ignored him, had no information, or laughed at him like he was crazy. He felt like he was on a wild goose chase. He sighed, the trip had not been a total loss. He had even picked up a little of the Chinese language. Ranma, never one to learn _anything_ new that was not martial arts related, was forced to do some fast learning now. He needed to talk to the local people, even if they couldn't tell him anything useful yet. Besides, if he knew the langauge, he might be able to avoid hazardous situations similar to ones he encountered the _first_ time he was in China. The swim to and trek across China had been good for him. After weeks of inactivity coupled with mental and physical injury, he had started to go a _little_ soft. Now, he was in better shape than ever. He was able to breathe with ease now; it was like his lung was never injured. All that remained of his fight with Shin was the seven wounds on his chest and of course, his memories... He, was glad though, that the wounds were there. They served as a reminder of his failure. A failure he hope to rectify... a failure that would never happen again. Ranma grit his teeth as he walked up a dirt road towards the next village. ******************** This particular village looked any of the other dozens of villages Ranma had visited. Most of the villagers were farmers or shepherds of some type. "It doesn't look like I'll get much information here." Ranma said to himself. He looked around and then smiled as he recognized one of the buildings in the village. It was a building he had not seen in two months; it was a dojo. Ranma walked up to the dojo and looked inside. A short, old man with a bald head was sitting in the middle of the floor, apparently in meditation. Ranma stood several feet away from the man and waited...and waited. Ranma, never one to have much patience, decided to interrupt the old man. "", Ranma asked in broken Chinese. The old man slowly looked up at Ranma and smiled. He started speaking very quickly in Chinese as he stood up and faced Ranma. "", Ranma repeated. *could this be it?* The old man stepped back away from Ranma and assumed a fighting stance. Ranma immediately prepared himself. The old man quickly stepped up towards Ranma and tried to connect with a right jab. Ranma ducked under the punch and swung at the man with an upper-cut. The old man dodged the hit and quickly caught Ranma in the face with a spin kick. Ranma stumbled backwards, but was able to resume a defensive position. The old man sailed at Ranma with a jump-kick. *Now!* Ranma caught the man's leg with his right hand as it reached his head. Ranma spun around and threw the man into the dojo wall. The old man slammed into the wall and crumpled onto the floor. Ranma was breathing heavily with exhilaration. He had forgotten how good it felt to get into a fight. His mother was right, he couldn't be happy if he wasn't doing THIS. The old man shook his head and slowly stood up. Ranma got ready for his attack, but the old man just smiled at Ranma and started chattering in Chinese again. He looked expectantly at Ranma. *What now?* Ranma thought to himself. "" Ranma asked again. The old man sighed and walked outside, motioning for Ranma to follow him. Ranma exited the dojo and stood next to the old man. The old man pointed at a mountain top to the east of the village. Ranma got excited. He knew he was somewhere in the Kunlun Shan mountain range. He was finally getting close. Ranma pointed to the mountain. "" Ranma asked hopefully. The old man smiled and nodded. "Arigat- I mean, ", Ranma said hurriedly as he ran towards the mountain. Six hours later, after much walking and climbing, Ranma prayed that the old man at the dojo had understood what he had been asking. The sun had started to set just as Ranma saw the cave. At least, it looked like a cave. As Ranma got closer, he realized that he had found a man-made opening in the side of the mountain. The top and sides of the opening were too clean cut to be natural. Ranma slowly walked up to the opening and looked inside. He was able to see for about ten feet in front of him. Apparently, someone had left some torches lit along the walls. Ranma stepped inside. The opening was six feet wide and about eight feet high. The walls and ceiling were decorated with various drawings and paintings In several places on the ceilings, there were murals of the sky at night. The stars and moon were drawn in intricate detail; one constellation in particular had caught his attention, but he could not place it. After a few minutes of walking, the hallway opened up into a huge room. It was a dojo. Right then, Ranma knew that he had found what he was looking for. As Ranma walked into the dojo, he noticed a person kneeling on the floor in the middle of the dojo. Ranma crept up to the person, not wanting to disturb him. "If you've come here to challenge me, don't bother; I don't fight anymore." a female voice said. Ranma jumped up, startled. "Y-You speak Japanese?" Ranma asked. The woman had not left from her kneeling position. "Every village in a fifty mile radius is talking about you. The Japanese boy who is looking for the School of the Great Bear. Most people think that you are crazy." Ranma decided that he did not like the tone of her voice. "Look," he said patiently, "I didn't come here to challenge anybody. I'm looking for the Fist of the North Star. Can you tell me where I could find him?" The woman stood up and faced Ranma. She had long brown hair that was speckled with grey. Ranma judged her to be about as old as his mother. What drew him to her, however, was her eyes. They seemed to be cold, yet filled with pain. "Why are you looking for the Fist?" "Because, I want him to teach me the techniques of the school of the Great Bear." The woman stepped closer to Ranma. "Heh! The techniques of the school of the Great Bear are secret. They are passed down from one father to only one son, or in my case, one _daughter_. You've wasted you're time." The woman turned away from Ranma. "W-Wait! You're the Fist of the North Star!?", Ranma asked. He was still trying to gather his wits. "Look, you _have_ to teach me what you know, it's the only way I can defeat Shin, the Fist of the Southern Cross!" The woman turned back towards Ranma. "You challenged Shin!? That was foolish." "Actually, I already had a fight with him. I lost." The woman looked at Ranma with respect. "You were able to survive. That's what counts. Perhaps you have some potential after all. But I can't help you. My techniques can only be passed on to my heir, and I am the last of my line." The woman started to turn away again, but Ranma jumped in front of her. "Look what that bastard did to me!" Ranma yelled as he ripped open his shirt. The woman stared at Ranma, her eyes widening in recognition. She gently touched one of the wounds on his chest. "He marked you. He marked you in mockery of me..." "I don't understand, whaddya me he marked me?" The woman turned away from Ranma. "I need... to think about this. Go back to the last village you came from, I'll find you when I come to a decision." Then the woman walked deeper into the dojo and out of Ranma's sight. ************************** Ranma landed on the dojo floor after completing his kick. His opponent was groaning on the dojo floor. Ranma's face was flushed with adrenaline as he turned around towards his fallen opponent. The past week had flown by for Ranma, despite his impatience to meet with the Fist of the North Star. That night, one week ago, he returned to the old man's dojo in the village near the mountain. The old man was quite understanding and took Ranma in without any hesitation. Ranma stayed at the dojo, helped with some of the chores, and sparred with all the dojo's students. He also practiced his Chinese, which apparently needed a _lot_ of work. The first night, when he returned to the dojo, the old man, who's name was Dai-Chin, asked Ranma if he had found the panda bear that he was looking for. Ranma looked at Dai-Chin, embarrassed, then laughed and said that he already had one at home. Ranma smiled at the memory. His mind returned to the present as Dai-Chin walked up to Ranma and his opponent. "", Dai-Chin congratulated Ranma. His face took on a slightly sterner expression as he turned towards Ranma's opponent. "" "," (Dai-Chin always had his students call him by name, being called "Master" made him feel old) "", Viet continued, "" Viet smiled at Ranma, letting him know that there were no hard feelings. In fact, Ranma got along well with all the students. None of them had travelled very far out of their village, and Ranma had made quite an impression on them. They felt no racial prejudice towards him and enjoyed watching him fight. "", Dai-Chin agreed, "" "" Viet said proudly. Ranma's eyes lost some of their luster and he turned away from the two men. "Yeah... the best." "" a female voice said behind the three men. Ranma quickly turned around, and standing at the dojo entrance was the Fist of the North Star. The woman waited until Viet and Dai-Chin left before she approached Ranma. She seemed to be struggling with something internally. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and said, "I will... train you in my techniques. Let's go." The woman turned around abruptly and walked out of the dojo. "YES!" Ranma yelled as he ran after the woman. As he caught up with her she quickly turned towards him and said. "IF. you ever use my techniques to hurt innocent people, I will kill you." The woman turned around again and walked towards her mountain dojo. "By the way, my name is Ti Lin." Ranma gulped and followed the strange woman called Ti Lin. "Man, what have I gotten myself into?!" ******************** "OK, now Toi." Ti Lin said. Ranma's thumbs quickly went to the sides of the head of the practice dummy in front of him. "Like this?" "Very good. Now, try the hundred crack fist." Ranma took a deep breath and started hitting the practice dummy faster than the eye could see. "Haaaaaa!" "How was that?" Ranma asked when he finished. "Hmmm... You missed the 8th, 17th, and the 74th points. Close, but not perfect." "Damn!" Ranma yelled as he smashed his hand on to the top of the metal practice dummy. He left a big dent in the top of the head. Ti Lin sighed, "Well, at least you got the Fissure Wave right." Ti Lin had gotten to know Ranma rather well over the past three months. It amazed, and frightened her, how quickly Ranma learned the techniques of the school of the Great Bear. Moves and techniques that should have taken months, and even years to learn were being mastered in a matter of weeks! Ranma was a quick study, and a good student. He awoke before she did and practiced long into the night. The problem was that Ranma was also a very impatient young man and had a _very_ quick temper. She hoped that she was not creating another Shin. She hated Shin; no one had more reason to hate that monster than she did, but was this right? Was her need for vengeance over-riding her common sense? It no longer mattered, she reasoned, at this rate, Ranma would be better than her in a few years... As if she _had_ a few years. After that, any threats she made to him would be meaningless. She prayed that she was doing the right thing. Of course, Ranma was also a very honorable person. His integrity and sense of duty was astounding. When she first started training Ranma, they used to spar every day. She beat Ranma easily, every time. That in itself didn't surprise her, but she was winning a little _too_ easily. She had watched Ranma train in Dai Chin's dojo and knew that he was holding back when fighting her. It took her a few weeks to realize why. Ranma did not want to take the chance that he might hurt her because she was a woman! She wanted to laugh every time she thought of that. Perhaps things would work out after all... "Ok Ranma. Try Meimon..." Ti Lin continued. ************************** Later that night, Ti Lin watched as Ranma continued his training. She had to admit, he was almost ready. A few more weeks, and Ranma would probably be Shin's equal. His drive and resourcefulness would see him through the rest of the way. She would have liked to keep Ranma around longer, but he _was_ impatient. He would leave soon on his own anyway. Dai Chin walked into the dojo with Ranma's and Ti Lin's dinner. He had the utmost respect for the school of the Great Bear and enjoyed pampering its two students. He was truly a god-send for Ti Lin and Ranma; he was able to lighten the mood just by his presence. "" Dai-Chin asked. "" Dai-Chin looked at Ti Lin in surprise. "" Ti Lin understood immediately. "" "", Dai-Chin agreed, "" This was a problem that Ti Lin had not forseen. She had to take care of it, and quick. ********************** The next morning Ti Lin still had not thought of a solution for Ranma's "problem". A solution did come however, when Dai Chin came to the dojo with their breakfast. Dai Chin always kept Ti Lin up-to-date on what was going on in the region. Ti Lin was something of a hermit. After he had told her the latest news, she got an idea. "Ranma", Ti Lin called him away from his practice, "Come here, you should hear this." "What?" Ranma asked, walking over to the pair. "" "" "Nani?! " "" Ti Lin was watching Ranma closely, he was definitely angry enough for this to work. She hoped he would forgive her some day. She took a deep breath and said, "Ranma, I think its time for you to put what you learned into practice. How would you like to help out the people around here by taking on this guy?" Ranma stood up, he was practically shaking with rage. "Just tell me where he is, I'll take care of him." He looked at Dai-Chin. "" Ti Lin sighed again, this time in relief. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. "" ******************** Ranma followed the path laid out to him by Dai-Chin and Ti Lin. After a while, he found the hut. It looked like a small shack really, and was not very clean. A foul smell drifted over from it. Ranma did not want to think about what it might be. *I wonder if this bastard's home?* "" Ranma called out. "" A voice bellowed from the hut. "" The door of the hut slammed open and a _huge_ man walked outside. Ranma was amazed. The guy was at least nine feet tall. *geez! He really _is_ a monster!* "" Ranma was ready to explode. He let out a horrible battle cry and sailed to the man with a jump kick. The man caught Ranma by the leg in mid-air. "" The man swung Ranma around by his leg and threw him onto the ground; hard. Ranma quickly got back up, ignoring the pain. A large part of Ti Lin's training was strength building and pain tolerance. That was one of Ranma's main problems when he had fought Shin. He was blinded by the pain Shin caused him from his opening attack. He never got oriented after that. Ranma charged towards the man again. "Katu-tenshin-amiguriken!" Ranma yelled out. He hit the man 120 times then stepped back. The man just laughed and swatted at Ranma with his open hand. Ranma blocked the attack with his right forearm. At this point, Ranma was feeling frustrated and _very_ angry. His reflexes, coupled with his rage, caused him to hit a Tsubo point in the man's head without even thinking. Ranma stepped back and watched in horror as the man's head slowly expanded. "" the man yelled out. Ranma stepped towards the man saying "" But it was too late, the man's head exploded. Ranma watched helplessly as the blood shot out the man's neck and his corpse fell to the ground. Ranma fell to his hands and knees and threw up. ************************** Ranma could not move. He was still on his hands and knees, kneeling in front of the man he had just killed. *Killed. Dead. MY GOD! I KILLED A MAN! KILLED! KILLED! DEAD! KIL-* "There you are! When you didn't come back, I got worried." Ranma turned around towards Ti Lin. Her words had not quite registered yet. He looked around and saw that it was already dark. How long had he been out here? How long since he- *NO! Don't think about that NOW!* But it was all he _could_ think about. Ti Lin looked past Ranma and saw the corpse. "Ah! So you got him! Good job. Let's head back to the dojo. I'll make you dinner, you must be hungry." Ti Lin turned around and started walking down the path. Ranma stared at Ti Lin numbly; then he snapped. He jumped off the ground, ran to her, and forcefully turned her around. "I just KILLED a man! How can you take this so lightly?!" "Isn't that what you came here to do?" Ti Lin asked a bit coldly. "No! I just wanted to defeat him. It was you stupid techniques! What the hell did you teach me? What kind of monster did you turn me into?" "I taught you what you wanted to know!" Ti Lin snapped. "This isn't a game Ranma, and this isn't a tournament. The school of the Great Bear is a school of assassination. You knew that before you came here! What were you planning on doing when you fought Shin again? Beat him up and hope he'll walk away honorably? You let him live and he'll destroy you. First he'll kill everyone you love and then he'll kill you. Life is hard Ranma, but its harder for the warriors, welcome to the club." Ti Lin stalked away towards the dojo, leaving Ranma standing alone in the darkness. Later that night, Ranma walked into the dojo and quietly started packing his things. Ti Lin was kneeling on the dojo floor, silently watching him. Ranma finished his packing and turned towards Ti Lin. "I'm going home. I don't know if I could every forgive myself for what I've done. But I _can_ learn to live with it. I'm just going home to my family. I'm not going to fight Shin. He can have the world for all I care. I'm not gonna be like him, and I'm not gonna be like you." Ranma walked out of the dojo and into the night. ********************** The Tendos sat around their dinner table in a somber mood. The past few months had been difficult. Nabiki, Akane, and Soun watched as Kasumi came down the stairs. "How is she, Kasumi?" Akane asked. "Well, she ate a little food. But she won't leave her room. I think the only thing that's kept her going in knowing that Ranma's alive, out there." Akane slammed her hand on the table. "What could be taking him so long! He's never gone on a training trip for this length of time before. He better come back soon, I don't think-" Akane was interrupted as the three of them heard the front door open. Ranma walked into the dining area and looked at them. Akane gasped in surprise. In six short months, Ranma had changed a great deal. His muscles were more defined than they were before. He stood straighter, more confident (if that was possible) and Soun could sense the tremendous battle aura that Ranma now had. What shocked them more than anything, however, was the look in his eyes. Something in him had changed forever. *not too much* Akane hoped. "Hi everyone." Ranma looked around. "Where are my parents, I _really_ need to see them before I do anything else." The Tendos all looked at each other. Some one was going to have to tell him. "Ranma," Akane began, "please sit down for a minute. We need to talk." "Can't it wait, Akane? I'd like to see my parents first." "Well, your mom's upstairs in her room and-" "Great! I'll be right back!" Ranma turned towards the stairs, but Akane grabbed ahold of his arm, looked at him, then embraced him in a tight hug. "Akane! whats-" "Ranma," Akane whispered. "A couple of weeks ago, your father went looking for Shin." Ranma held Akane at arms length, his grip squeezing into her arms. "Where is he?" Akane winced in pain, "Ranma, you're hurting-" "WHERE IS HE?????" Ranma bellowed. Akane looked up at Ranma, tears streaming down her face. I'm so sorry Ranma... I'm so sorry, he died..." Ranma let go of Akane, his arms limply falling to his side. Akane continued, "We tried to reason with him, but he was so stubborn. He didn't want you to have to face Shin again." Ranma barely heard her. Ti Lin's voice was echoing in his head. "He'll destroy you. He'll kill everyone you love, and then he'll kill you." "Shin." Ranma said, barely audible. "SHIN.", he growled out again. Ranma took one step towards the door, then Kasumi's voice stopped him. "Ranma, you should really see your mother before you do anything else. She needs you now more than anything." Ranma's rage was immediately pushed aside. "Mother..." Ranma ran up the stairs to his mother's room. He knocked once and slowly opened the door. His mother was lying on her futon staring up at the ceiling. She turned towards the door and saw her son. "Ranma!", she yelled out in joy. She tried to get up but Ranma was by her side, gently forcing her to stay in bed. He gave her a hug and held her as the tears flowed down her face. After she had calmed down, Ranma let go of her and sat beside her. Nodoka looked up at him and said, "Do you know what happened to your father?" "Yes." Ranma didn't trust himself to continue. He wouldn't break down, not yet. If he mourned, that meant he would be start to heal, and he wasn't ready to heal yet. "Your father stumbled his way through life. But he was a true martial artist, and he died like one. Our family's honor is now your responsibility. I'm scared to let you go, but I know you must. You've changed. You will do what must be done. You will not let your father's murder go unpunished." She left the rest unspoken. The truth was, she didn't want Ranma anywhere _near_ the monster who took her husband and almost took her son. But she saw his eyes when he entered the room. He already knew what he was going to do. She couldn't change that. All she could do is giver him her support. "Don't worry mother, I'll take care of it. You just rest." ********************************** Ranma waited until his mother fell asleep, then he walked downstairs. The Tendos were still sitting at the dining table. "How is she?" Akane asked as Ranma approached them. "She's sleeping." Ranma said flatly. "Ranma-" Akane began, but Ranma held his hand out for her to be quiet. He turned towards Nabiki. "Where can I find Shin?" Nabiki looked uncertainly at Akane and her father. "Don't you think-" "Where, Nabiki?" Ranma asked again. Ranma was not yelling and that unnerved Nabiki more than anything. Nabiki sighed and said, "When your father asked me to check up on Shin, I found out that he owns a dojo in Tokyo. He's the only one who trains there, and there are body guards all around." Nabiki saw that Ranma was still going to pursue this, so she wrote down the address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. Ranma started to leave, but Akane grabbed him again. "I don't want you to go, but I know you have to. Promise me you'll come back." "Akane..." "Promise me. You always keep your promises no matter what, so promise me or I won't let you go." Ranma gently lifted her chin and said, "Akane, I promise, I'll come back." Ranma disengaged himself from Akanes grasp and walked out the door. ****************************** Shin stood in the middle of his dojo, slowing his breathing and relaxing after his workout. Things were working out perfectly. The Yakuza were all but his, and soon he would rule all of Japan from the underground. He had been getting bored lately, though. He worked hard, but things were working out so easily for him. He was pleased, of course, but life had been more fun when he was just a warrior conquering his opponents one-on-one. He hadn't had a real challenge in years... ever since he fought that bitch Ti Lin. "Ah well, I guess I'm just feeling nostalgic today." Shin sighed. "Let me bring you back to the present." Shin quickly turned towards the voice who had called out to him. "You? You managed to stay alive?" *How did he get in here without my noticing his presence??? The last time, he made enough noise to wake the dead!* "Oh yeah, I survived." Ranma answered. "You know, I might have let you go, but not anymore. You're gonna pay for murdering my father Shin!" "Your father?" Shin looked confused. "Oh! you mean that old, fat, joke of a man who came to challenge me a few weeks ago? Bah! He was hardly a fighter at all, I killed him right away. Phhhhht. Cut his head right off. Hahahaha!" Ranma screamed in rage and charged towards Shin. He went directly for a Tsubo point on Shin's head, but Shin was too fast. He dodged the strike easily. He slashed at Ranma with his right hand and Ranma jumped back, the hit barely missing his chest. "So, I see you've gotten faster, but not fast enough!" Shin glided towards Ranma, his hands moving a blur. Ranma was able to dodge or block most of the attacks, but not all. Within a few seconds he had half a dozen cuts on his chest and face. Ranma ignored the pain and the blood that flowed down his body. Suddenly, he caught Shin's right hand and squeezed it, hard. "I got a lot stronger too." Shin's shock lasted for less than a second and he lashed out with his left arm and right foot. Ranma let go of Shin's hand and jumped back. Shin gently rubbed his right hand and said, "I guess you've been training." "You could say that." Ranma said, then moved in to attack again. Ranma forced Shin onto the defensive, but was still unable to hit him. "It's amazing!" Shin said after a few minutes, "I haven't had this much of a challenge in years. I _do_ recognize the style you're using though. You went to that bitch for help, didn't you?" "Well, you marked me, didn't you? What could I do but see where it led?" Ranma had not exactly understood how Shin had marked him, but that _was_ what Ti Lin had said. At any rate, his words did get a reaction out of Shin. "_This_ time I won't mark you, I'll _bury_ you! Just like your father." Shin rushed in for an attack. He was moving faster than he had before and Ranma was forced back. More of Shin's attacks connected, and soon Ranma was bleeding profusely from cuts on his legs, arms, chest, and face. He jumped back out of Shin's range and slowly staggered back. He tried focusing through the pain, and pictured a practice dummy super-imposed onto Shin's body. From that perspective, he pictured all the Tsubo points in his mind. An idea suddenly came to him. *This better work, or I'm dead.* Ranma rushed forward using all his remaining strength. "Katu-tenshin Amiguriken!" Ranma finished his attack then jumped back. Shin was not impressed. He stepped forward and smiled. "Was that supposed to-" He stopped in mid-sentence. His eyes widened in shock and he tried to take another step forward, but his legs wouldn't move, either would his arms. He looked like a statue. Ranma stepped forward and smiled. "There are 708 Tsubo points on the human body Shin," Ranma began clinically, "and I just hit 150 of 'em. Your body no longer works. Your arms and legs are already frozen and so is your mouth. A fact that makes me _very_ happy right now because I can't stand to hear you talk. The vital functions will be next. First your lungs and eventually your heart. No grand battle. No bloody death. You will simply stop. You lived your life without any honor, the least you can do is die the same way. Later." Ranma walked out of the dojo, leaving a paralyzed Shin standing alone in his dojo. At that moment, if it was possible, Shin would have screamed. ****************************************** Epilogue ****************************************** Ranma stood at his father's grave, not knowing what to say. It had been a week since he had killed Shin and he had come to the grave every day since. He had mourned, and _was_ starting to heal, but something was left unfinished, unresolved. Killing Shin had not brought about the peace he thought it would. He felt no remorse over killing Shin, and no shame. That alone scared him a little. He was changing... changing in ways that had not been so profound since he fell into a certain cursed spring so long ago. He wished his father was there to give him the idiotic advice that was a trademark of Genma Saotome. He smiled, a bit ruefully. He was a killer now, an assassin, a warrior. "So when did you get to Japan?" he asked out loud without turning around. "_Very_ good Ranma, I didn't make a sound and you still sensed my presence." Ranma turned around and smiled warmly at Ti Lin. "I had a good teacher." It was getting dark, and the two of them walked in silence back to the Tendo dojo. "I killed Shin." Ranma finally said. "I know." They continued walking in silence. Ranma finally stopped and turned towards Ti Lin. "Ti Lin, I'm sorry... for what I said back in China. I made all my own choices, no one made them for me. I had no right to blame you." Ranma suddenly looked startled. "What's wrong?" Ti Lin asked. "I think that's the first time I ever took responsibility for my actions! Heh. I guess killing people tends to make a person grow up." Ti Lin looked at Ranma sadly. "I'm sorry too Ranma, I had no right to do what I did. When I sent you against that guy in China, I _knew_ that you had never killed anyone before. The only way to beat Shin was to kill him, so I had to get you past that. You could have turned back anytime before that, but I didn't give you that option. I was so bent on getting my revenge against Shin that I didn't consider what you were going through. I hope you can forgive me." "Ti Lin, what did Shin do to you?" As an answer, Ti Lin removed her shirt. Ranma started to turn away in embarrassment but the horrible scars on Ti Lin's body had caught his attention. She had several huge scars that covered the width of her stomach and mid-section. "Shin nearly cut me in half when we fought. Somehow I survived, the anger and the training helped me past the pain. But I'll never be completely healed. I'm, I'm barren Ranma. Because of my injuries, I can never have any children. As a warrior, it was an acceptable loss. After all, _I_ survived. But as a woman, and one who had something important to pass on to a heir, I was devastated. I still had my anger against Shin, but I had lost the _will_ to fight. I stopped training after that, and just gave up. Or so I thought, but once you start being the Fist of the North Star, you can't just stop. I didn't realize that until I met you." Ti Lin paused and looked deeply into Ranma's eyes. She continued, "That's another reason why I came here to find you. I don't have a lot of time left. It's time for me to retire and pass on the mantle, and the burden to someone else. You are the Fist of the North Star now Ranma." "What? You gotta be kidding! I couldn't possibly-" "Ranma," Ti Lin interrupted patiently. "Look up at stars, at that constellation over there. Do you see it?" Ranma was confused by this sudden change of topic, he thought she was trying to get him off guard; women seemed to do that to him sometimes. He slowly looked up at the constellation. The pattern looked familiar, he remembered seeing it in Ti Lin's dojo. "Isn't that constellation painted on one of the walls in your dojo?" "Right, but even more important, it is "painted" on your chest." Ranma quickly took off his shirt and stared at the wounds on his chest. "My God, you're right!" "That constellation is the Great Bear, Ranma. It is one of the constellations that rules the heavens. Never forget that." Ti Lin put her shirt back on and started walking away. "You may not realize it now, but you _are_ the Fist, Ranma. You can't run away from your destiny. Believe me, I've tried. Farewell, my student, my friend... my son." Ranma stood and watched as Ti Lin walked away into the night. After she was out of sight, he slowly bowed in her direction and walked back home. ******************************************************************** OK! Its finally done! Sorry it took so long for part three to come out. I've been going through some "life events" recently: quit job, got sick, got new job, dog died (seriously),and so forth. (I really miss my dog) Anyways, this story was a great experience for me and I hope you guys liked it. Sorry if it got a little dark there, but I felt that Ranma needed a _strong_ motivation to kill Shin and Akane's been used as bait way to many times, so... Hmmmm. This one was longer than the first two parts, but it seems kinda short to me. Oh well... When I first started reading/watching Ranma 1/2 I really liked it. It has been my belief that Ranma should be the best martial artist there is, hands down. This story was a vehicle for me to see that happen. I definitely plan on future stories with this version of Ranma, with or without other Fist of North Star characters depends on how much I _learn_ about Fist of the North Star in the intervening months. Anyways, thanks for reading, C&C at anandr@earthlink.net. Once again, special thanks to James Jones, who writes enough C&C to make _any_ writer happy! And to those of you were expecting to see Kenshiro: sorry. -anand r.