"No need to freak out. I'm just carrying you down to breakfast." Ranma
for breakfast, I think.
Ranma shook his head and smiled in wonderment. "I have a friend you
should
meet. He's sort of an information expert."
"I look forward to it."
...
Nasty bit ^^
"What did you find?" Akane asked impatiently.
Nabiki picked up the topmost sheet of paper on the stack she had brought.
"Ranma Saotome, son of Nodoka and Genma Saotome. You were born in Kyoto
but
raised out here. You're sixteen years old."
Akane turned towards Ranma, a look of confusion on her face. "I don't get
it. I though you were hundreds and hundreds of years old."
Ranma ignored her. "Nice cover, don't you think, Nabiki-chan?"
"Almost," Nabiki admitted. "You did make one minor error, however."
I think this could've been funnier if Nabiki was still ignorant about
Ranma's true age. I'd love to see a scene where Nabs discovers
it.
"How are you doing this?" Akane asked, her voice slightly trembling.
"Doing what?"
"Hopping around from roof to roof."
"Oh." Deciding that the quickest route between two points was a straight
line, Ranma decided to forego the streets and sidewalks. "It's just
another
advantage of learning the Art. You'll be able to do as well one day."
Ranma finally landed in front of Doctor Tofu's office. "See? It was
quick,
and no one saw us. Your virtue is intact."
... I think Akane gained enough hopping abilities in the Manga somewhere
around vol 18. She certainly sees capable enough in the Orochi story.
(Orochi=great serpent?)
Nice description, though. In the Xi Fa Xiang Gao story Akane recognizes
Ranma's jumping abilities as extraordinary, but still within her views of
what
a truly great martial artist is capable of. During the first few volumes,
the capable
grasshoppers shown are Ranma, Genma, Kodachi, Shampoo and Ryoga.
...
Btw, are we going to see Ryoga in this story? A friend? Foe? Another
immortal?
Another descendant?
"One thing at a time, student," Ranma chuckled. "You still haven't
managed
to even hit me yet." They entered the clinic and were immediately greeted
by Doctor Tofu.
...
Roof-hopping would be easier...
Still, I'm sure it's a good training...
"Sounds good, Doc. I'll see you later."
...I wonder what good ole Doc thinks about all this.
Of course it would be interesting if this was the DarkTofu(tm).
I believe *that* consept began with the Anime Hiryuushotenha
story, in which Tofu says something like "I haven't seen this in fifty
years" or something like that :p. Then again, he disappeared after
the Hiryuushotenha story and was NEVER mentioned again...
Hmm.
After leaving the clinic and once again traveling over the rooftops, Ranma
decided to comment on Akane's somber disposition. "What's bothering you,
student?"
"Nothing you'd understand, Sensei."
That's pretty rude. Was Sachiko Ranma's descendant?
Akane certainly inherited the Foot-in-Mouth gene in this
one ^^
"We're home!" Ranma called out. "Yes it was, but I had other reasons for
leaving. Tomoe was only small part of it."
Tomoe? Ouch...
They reached Akane's bedroom and went inside. "Akane, like all Tendo
women,
you're beautiful and passionate, and one day, you will find someone to
love,
someone who will love you very much."
...Wonder who was the first Tendo Ranma fell in love with ^^
"I got married." Soun smiled wistfully. "The Art was everything until I
met Sachiko. I didn't even know anything was missing from my life until
we
got married and Kasumi was born."
RANMA:"Bah! You just never bothered to learn the Married-Life Martial Arts!"
"But it's different for me, Ranma. I have fewer years ahead than behind
and
all I want to do is live to see my children grow and have kids of their
own.
The Art -is- making me stronger, but it's not an end in itself." Soun
paused. "Not like it is for you."
...Ah.
Getting answers into the "Why-Ranma-Dodges-When-He's-Immortal" - thingy
a while back.
"It's the effort that counts."
A sweet thought... Does not apply often enough, IMO.
Sad.
"Oh, so it was an older man?"
Just a few hundred years <snicker>.
"He was so nice, and strong, and romantic, and just. . ."
"I get the picture," Akane said dryly. "Are you still in love with him?"
Kasumi's smile was relaxed and easy. "No, that was a long time ago.
<sing-song voice>:Ka-su-mii- is ly-ing! Ka-su-mii is ly-ing!
Sheesh!
<copy/paste>:
"He was so nice, and strong, and romantic, and just. . ."
Snicker.
Besides, he will never age. I want to be able to grow old with whomever I
marry."
Ah. the REAL reason ^^
"You don't have any idea -how- strong," Akane agreed. "I'd love to have
200
years to perfect my skills in the Art."
"Be careful what you wish for, Akane." Kasumi smiled and stood up. "I'll
leave you to your studying. Be sure to get some rest though, okay?"
...
Foreshadowing?
Akane+Bloodworms+Immortal Ranma=Happily ever after?
"Sachiko was like a daughter to me, Soun. We weren't related by blood,
but
I helped raise her, damn it! She was beautiful and perfect and produced
three wonderful children. She should not have died."
...
Ah.
Scratch the Foot-In-Mouth gene, though.
"Yes, I am," Soun sighed. "I often wonder what my life would be like if I
had never met you. Heh. Perhaps Genma and I would still be running around
the countryside with the Master."
...
"After all this time, you still speak of him with fear and respect," Ranma
said in irritation.
Soun shuddered. "You did not truly know him, Ranma. He was a monster."
... Depending on the source, Happosai is either 100 years older OR younger
than
Ranma... Hmmm...
BTW, why does it seem there's a slight error in Ranma's age?
He was around 46 in the Kyoto story which was a little over 10
years before Kenshin TV series.. So Ranma's age should be around 160 or so,
definitely less than 180 years, with a wide margin for error.. Am I making a
mistake
here, somewhere?
"Thanks, but no. This dojo has one master. You. One day, Akane will
carry
on. That's my goal." Ranma's eyes became distant. "Too many people are
forgetting our Art these days, Soun. At this rate, it will be lost
forever." His eyes flashed. "I won't let that happen, Soun. I won't."
Ah. More insight into Ranma's psyche.
"Find Akira-san's killer, this. . . Battousai. Destroy him. I know you
can
do it, Ranma-san."
...I wouldn't count on it...
She whirled towards him and Ranma's heart wrenched at the dead look in her
eyes. "I have lost the one I loved. What use is there for grief?"
...This Tomoe seems different than the one in OAV:s...
Of course, If this is immediately after she got the news, it fits.
"I know of your feelings for me, Ranma-san. You never voiced them, but I
know. If you truly love me, then be my instrument of revenge."
Nasty.
Then again, Ranma's obviously Tomoe's friend, with whom she is more
open with. Still, I's kinda "Kick the love-sick puppy".
"That is no longer possible, Ranma-san." A touch of the old gentleness
entered her voice.
...Luckily, for herself, she's wrong. Although, she doesn't have much time
for happiness ..
Ranma looked at her once more and gently traced his fingers over her face.
(You are lost to me.) He sighed and managed a weary smile. "I will do as
you ask, Tomoe."
...I think this Ranma(who didn't go through Nerima Madness Martial Arts
Training)
is going to feel a lot of PAIN ^^
He's definitely not going to beat the Hitokiri Battosai at this point. Might
put up
a good fight, though. Of course that's just my opinion. And Kenshin might
learn
a thing or two about underestimating unarmed fighters ^^
I think we'll have a situation where Kenshin's fighting spirit and speed are
superior,
while Ranma might have a slight skill advantage.
Kinda like Inji's and Genma's fight in Pastpresent:tourism part 3 ^^
Of course, in real fight, it's the fighting spirit which has the greatest
effect on
who'll win. Then again, Ranma ain't lacking in this department, either. But
He's
not the killer Battosai is. Hmm.
I think I'm starting to contradict myself. I'll just stop now. ^^
"Soun, old friend. . . that is one long, convoluted, sad, and horribly
ironic story. One I will share at another time," Ranma replied.
Damn!
"The only honorable way out for people like us is to either die of old
age,
in battle, or seppuku. All three options are pretty much closed to me,
and
Dying because of a disease is less honorable?
Foot in mouth insert. Ouch!
Soun, I refuse to be among the walking dead. You see, that's what a
person
without passion becomes."
Hear, hear!
Actually, that's pretty much my current situation. I'm trying to get better,
though.
Genma Saotome sneezed, but was still able to dodge the bonbori strike that
was aimed for his head. "Look, Shampoo, I don't know where Ranma is right
now!"
Cute.
"Hey! I'm not fat!" Genma exclaimed indignantly.
This Genma reminds me of Ranma in the original series more than Ranma does.
Makes sense, I guess.
"Enough of this. Where is my son-in-law?" A tiny withered old woman
carrying a wooden staff three times her size jumped in front of him.
Uh-oh. Miss "If I were a hundred years younger" is here... ^^
"I can leave you stuck like that while Shampoo beats some sense into you,
if
you wish." Genma found her tone of voice to be most reasonable.
Ooh! Endurance training!
Genma gulped again, and as the two women finally left, he found himself
hoping that his wife would return home soon.
Also a difference from the Canon Genma ^^
Heh.