Night had fallen across the place that Tarou had called home for several years now. He watched silently at the two sleeping forms of Aoshi and Kitsune, who had cried themselves to sleep.
With a sigh, Tarou shook his head ruefully. What had possessed him to accept to take care of the two children was beyond him. He had no love for the Crossdresser and Weasel Girl annoyed the heck out of him.
Smiling slightly, Tarou remembered when the two met; after all, it was his fault. He had a perfect plan to get the old pervert to finally relent and change his accursed name; but, as to be expected, the Femboy had interrupted his plan and the two of them got into a fight that spanned the entire district. Tarou had finally gotten the upper hand and had sent Femboy flying a good two or three blocks. When he had caught up, he saw the Crossdresser arguing with a rather cute looking girl with short dark hair dressed in a modified Ninja outfit.
Not that Tarou remembered much else of that first meeting. As soon as he bellowed his challenge to the Femboy, he was knocked out by some short, red-haired guy with a cross shaped scar on his cheek.
When he came to (back in his human form), Tarou noticed several things immediately. First, he hurt like hell (which surprised him, after all, there were few people that could hurt him seriously in his cursed form). Second, Ranma was now sporting red hair and a big rack. Third, apparently the ninja girl and Femboy were still arguing; with the girl punctuating here points with kicks to Femboy's head. And Fourth, the small group of people who were apparently friends with the Weasel Girl (he found out later that her name was Misao, but he felt that Weasel Girl fit her better) were watching what was going on with a bemused happiness; almost as if they were happy that she was trying to kick the crap out of the Crossdresser.
Tarou liked them immediately.
Since that day, Tarou became cautious friends with the so called 'Kenshin Group'. He would still come around to beat the crap out of the old pervert and play his favorite game...Kick the Femboy. And he wasn't surprised in the least that every time he would come around that the Femboy was in the presence of the Weasel Girl.
It also came as no surprise to him when he heard news that the two were to be wed.
Tarou came out of his musings with a start and was moving towards the exit of his home. Not even pausing he grabbed a bucket of water that he kept by the door as he rushed outside.
"Who's there?" He growled out, scanning the forest around him for the faint Ki signature he had felt a moment ago.
Not hearing anything, he raised the bucket above him in order to trigger his curse. If he couldn't find the interloper with his human senses, he knew he would with his other form's.
Just before he doused himself, a match was struck a few feet away from him. "Is that anyway to greet your Godfater, Pantyhose m'boy?"
With a low snarl, Tarou looked over at the bane of his existence as he lounged against the trunk of a nearby tree calmly lighting his pipe. "What do YOU want, you Freak?"
"Who, me?" Happosai asked innocently. "I just happened to be wandering around."
Tarou stood there silently gritting his teeth. He knew, deep in his heart of hearts, that if the old pervert really wanted to take Aoshi and Kitsune from him there was little he could do. Before he could say anything, the Pervert sighed and, to the amazement of Tarou, he truly looked like the 300 year old man that he was.
"A week ago," Happosai said without preamble, his voice thick with tiredness. "There existed three branches of the Ryu that I had spent nearly two and a half centuries creating. The Tendou-Ryu, the Saotomoe-Ryu, and the original Ryu. Three combined were perhaps the most powerful styles of Martial Arts ever created. It was so powerful that there were only seven practiceiners; three...no, four Masters and three students." The old man paused and took a puff of his pipe before continuing on wearily. "Today, there is only three...myself and my two students, Kurumi and Natsume. The Saotome-Ryu no longer has anyone worthy of continuing with the school and..."
To Tarou's surprise, he could see a few tears in the old Master's eyes as he continued speaking, his voice taking on an air of command. "...and as for the Tendou-Ryu...as of today, there is no longer a Tendou-Ryu. For the crimes they have committed against the Art, my chosen Heir, his wife, and there two living children and there unborn child and, most importantly, against my sweet Ranma-chan, I declare that the Tendou-Ryu is forever disbanded."
With a flick of his wrist, Happosai threw a bundle of scrolls at Tarou. He caught them and looked at them a moment before Happosai began to speak again. "Despite the short comings of its former practinishers, I cannot bare the thought of loosing the precious knowledge that was once in that nu-named-Ryu. Take those scrolls and combine them with the knowledge of the senken that Ranma left you. Take those and combine them with the knowledge of the Saotome-Ryu and the Oinwa Ninjitsu that you also possess. Take them and create the Makimachi-Ryu. Give those children the knowledge and skills they need for them to find there vengeance. Do all this..." Happosai paused and gave Tarou a piercing stare and said in all seriousness "...do all this and I'll give you your name."
It was quite for a moment before Tarou asked softly, "Why?"
Taking another puff of his pipe, Happosai said just as softly "Because my chosen Heir deserved his happiness."
Happosai rose to his feet and began to walk away before he paused and looked over his shoulder. "One more thing."
"What?"
With the old gleam in his eye, the old pervert said, "When they are ready, I'll test them. Especially Kitsune-chan. If she's anything like her father, I plan on giving her my 'special' greeting." With that, the old pervert leapt into the trees with a cackle.
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(Posted Mon, 21 Jul 2003 21:18)
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