"I don't understand, Saotome," Soun informed his old friend. "Why must Ranma leave? What about the Schools?"
Genma sighed heavily as he considered his response.
"I made a mistake, old friend," Genma said tiredly. "I made a number of them, but it all started with Nodoka."
"I don't understand," Soun repeated.
"When I married Nodoka, I had no idea what she was a part of," Genma explained. "If I had, I would have never gone through with it. It wasn't until just before I began Ranma's training in earnest that I discovered the truth."
"The truth?" Soun asked, mystified. "What horrible secret could she have been hiding from you that you would willingly turn your back on our promise?"
"You are familiar with the novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the history behind it?" Genma asked, receiving a nod from Soun. "Well, old friend, Nodoka informed me that her family and a number of others were destined to reenact that history over and over again, each player possessing a magatama like the one the boy wears even now. Nodoka told me that each of these magatama contains a soul from the Three Kingdoms and the possessor was doomed to act out their part, fighting and many times dying to ensure this history is repeated time and time again."
"But that's insane!" Soun protested.
"Indeed, Tendo," Genma nodded. "I didn't want Ranma to have any part of it, so I took him on the training trip leaving Nodoka and the magatama she insisted on giving Ranma behind. I had hoped that if I could keep him away from Nodoka and her destiny that I could break him free of the cycle, but it seems his destiny has found him anyway."
"I see," Soun said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So what of the pact?"
"You you seriously want your daughter and grandchildren involved with this?" Genma asked. "An endless cycle of brutality and warfare? That's what it is, Tendo. I looked into it when Nodoka showed me Ranma's Sacred Bead and explained the significance. These people, just high school kids, usually, are not just striving for excellence in the Art. The Art is only a tool to them, used to crush and kill their enemies while reenacting a war that was fought 1800 years ago."
Soun looked horrified.
"Indeed, Tendo, you begin to see how badly I blundered," Genma sighed. "If there were some point to it all, some noble goal worth fighting and dying for, I could understand. But from what I've learned, there are seven schools through out the Kanto region involved with this and the only thing these brutal fights decide is who 'rules' over the seven schools. It's not even for the sake of the Art, to produce the strongest warrior, since it's all but predetermined."
"Is there no way to escape it?" Soun asked.
"I had hoped, as I said, but now, with Ranma turning up with the magatama anyway, I suspect that even had I managed to keep Ranma out of it, his children would still become involved," Genma explained.
"I understand, old friend," Soun said solemnly. "What of the schools?"
"I have made Ranma into one of the top martial artists in the country," Genma said with a note of pride in his voice. "Once this foolishness releases him, I see no reason why he cannot carry on the School of Anything Goes, teaching the Art to others. At least the school will live on."
"So that's it?" Ranma blinked in disbelief at his father. "After all the crap you've given me about the schools being joined and I gotta marry Akane and now you're saying forget about it?"
"Things have changed, boy," Genma said as the pair walked toward the Saotome home. "Your mother will explain things to you better than I can."
"What about the others? Ucchan? Shampoo?" Ranma asked.
"What about them, boy?" Genma shrugged. "Do whatever you like."
Ranma was both irritated and relieved at Genma's response. At least the old man hadn't changed that much. Still, it was surprising that his father opted to accompany him to see his mother.
Ranma was still mystified by the old man's sudden turn around. He suspected it had something to do with the gold magatama hanging from his left ear, but what was so special about it that caused Genma to vacate the pact with Mr. Tendo, Ranma had yet to find out.
"Boy," Genma said solemnly. "I want you to remember you're a martial artist."
"Feh, like I could forget," Ranma snorted.
"I'm serious, Ranma," Genma snapped. "I want you to remember the things I've taught you about the Code. You're about to be involved in something that different from anything you've had to deal with before. You may have to...use lethal force to protect yourself and those you care about."
"What are you talkin' about, Pop?" Ranma asked, confused about what his father was trying to tell him.
"There may come a time when you are faced with an enemy you may have to kill in order to protect yourself and others, Ranma," Genma said softly. "If that time comes, I don't want you to hesitate. That is the path of the warrior. But remember the Code and never take ending a life lightly. And most of all, only do so if you have no other option."
"Um...okay," Ranma said uncertainly.
"In spite of our travels, you've led a fairly sheltered life, Ranma," Genma continued. "You've never really had to deal with the sort of people that hold little respect for life. I fear that time is past. I've trained you to be strong and skilled, but if you want to survive what's to come, you are going to have to learn to be hard too. I never taught you that because I had hoped we could avoid the destiny that is now upon you.
"This isn't like the Hibiki-boy jumping out at you and shouting 'Prepare to die'. It isn't even like when the Amazon-girl was hunting your female form. She didn't really want to kill you. The people your mother will tell you about won't have any qualms about ending your life. Some of them might even take pleasure in killing. If you hesitate, you will die, Ranma."
"Pop...?" Ranma asked, somewhat shaken by what his father was telling him. "Why?"
"Because, Son, I fear I didn't prepare you for this," Genma sighed. "In fact, I may have handicapped you by training you to hold back too much. That is your weakness, Ranma. How many times in the last several months have you lost to a weaker opponent simply because you held back the extent of your skill until it was too late?" Ranma started to protest, but Genma held up his hand. "There won't be any rematches against someone that will kill you if you can't beat them the first time."
"Is it that serious, Pop?" Ranma asked.
Genma nodded. "Your mother will explain."
The rest of the trip to the Saotome home passed in silence as Ranma considered what he'd been told.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Iridium Heart
(Posted Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:02)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.