Makoto knocked against the door. "Excuse me... can I come in?"
Within the room, three men of different body sizes were sitting around a table, drinking sake. A thin man with long hair and a moustache, a pudgy man wearing glasses and a kerchief upon his bald head, and a diminutive gnome of an old man, who was sitting in-between them.
The old man's eyes seemed to bug out as soon as Makoto entered the room. "Sweeto..." he mumbled while taking another sip of his sake.
"Welcome to the Tendo Dojo," the man with the moustache said. "Can we help you?"
"My name is Makoto Kino and I'd like to be your pupil, sirs!"
"Why bother us?" the pudgy man muttered. You think we would take a female student? Girls are weak fighters, after all..."
Makoto fumed silently. "Excuse me?"
The old man grinned. "Now now, boys... let's give the poor lady at least a fair chance..." He hopped forward, his gaze fixated on Makoto... or perhaps more on her bosom?
"Welcome to the School of Anything Goes..." he smirked. "I am Master Happosai, and those are my students, Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome... While Soun is the rightful owner of this Dojo, I am the true master of the school." Then he sighed. "Well, I HAVE BEEN the master... until that rascal Ranma defeated me in battle..."
'Wait a minute...' Makoto wondered in confusion. 'I thought Ranma was a girl...'
Genma couldn't help but grin. "Yes, that's my boy... he's really the pride of our school. And he's the martial arts master of Nerima!"
Makoto's eyes sparkled in excitement. "Where is he? Can I train under him?"
"Now slow down there, girl..." Happosai grinned. "You can't just train under the best just by asking... You have to earn the right to do so."
"That's correct, master!" Soun nodded. "You have to pass..."
And together, they shouted: "THE THREE TRIALS!"
Makoto blinked. "Ummm... what kind of trials?"
"Well, the master has prepared three trials to test the abilities of anyone that wants to enter our school... You have to master everyone of those tests, and we'll welcome you to the school of Anything Goes!" Soun smiled proudly. "And afterwards, you have to return with proof that you've done it."
"And then you have to drink sake with us," Genma grinned.
And together, they chorused: "SAKE! SAKE! SAKE!"
Makoto sweatdropped. "Okay... I think I got it..."
"Well then," Happosai said. "About those tests... You have to find my long-lost treasure..."
"Then you have to bring us something special, something that someone took from us," Soun explained.
"And finally, you have to prove your skills in battle by defeating my... (shudder) wife. Don't be fooled by her appearances, she's deadly with the katana."
"Katana?" Makoto asked. "I thought I was going to become a martial artist?"
"That's true," Soun nodded. "But every martial artist has to be able to beat any opponent, may he be armed or not."
"And what about that treasure you mentioned...?"
"I once owned a special treasure..." Happosai sniffed. "I loved it dearly... but then, someone... someone who's name I don't want to mention, a certain someone who usually wears his hair in a pigtail... stole it from me and buried it in the woods. Your job is it to bring it back to me."
Makoto nodded. "Okay, I got it... And what was the third test again?"
"That's actually a very serious matter," Soun said with a serious voice. "You have to retrieve a special artifact, an old family heirloom, that has been stolen by the Kuno family."
'Kuno?' Makoto wondered. 'Isn't that the guy from Kasumi's story?'
"Yes, Tendo," Genma nodded. Tatewaki Kuno stole it from my Ranma after a battle... and it's your job to find a way into their mansion to retrieve the artifact."
Makoto frowned. "I dunno... Isn't that thievery?"
"Oh no, my dear," Happosai shook his head. "The Kunos were the first to steal it, right? So we just take back what rightfully belongs to us. Also, Kuno isn't such a strong fighter... it shouldn't be too difficult."
"Okay," Makoto sighed. "I guess I'll have no choice then..."
"Good girl!" Happosai grinned. "Now go and leave us to our sake."
"Come back later and tell us how you're doing," Genma added after taking a gulp.
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(Posted Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:39)
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