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Hello everyone! My name is Darklord331 and today we are bringing you a new story! One that I’ve recently discovered a new anime that I really like! Ranma ½! I’m here with my co author Light He’arth/Xarazechi.

Light/Xara: Hello. I’m a really big fan of this series as well.

I’ve got one question, where has this been all my LIFE?!

Light/Xara: … It’s been out since the 80’s or 90’s, depending on the sub or dub, the Manga and the Original Anime. Anyways, what do you have plan for this series?
Well, we’ve seen a lot of times Ranma has been literally screwed by many times with how fucked the life he was in, in fact most of those situation were done by his father.

Light/Xara: (Pinches the bridge of his nose) You don’t have to tell me twice… That man is a menace and a conman… How he ever became a Anything Goes Master… I’ll never know…

It's more like he’s screwed up in the head like a lot of time. And here’s my response for Genma, he’s a fucking asshole. 

Light/Xara: Well, he wants to control his son and keep him ignorant and stupid so he gains everything Ranma will earn.

Which is why in this one, Ranma will actually get PROPER training and a very good guide plus a person who’s actually a good father to Ranma.

Light/Xara: And a few other changes from cannon and a few other people who were screwed over as well, not as Ranma, but still screwed up. Not going to say who, no spoilers.

Agreed, wanna do the disclaimer?

Light/Xara: Sure. We do not own Ranma 1/2 or any other franchises used in this story. We only own our ideas, changes to the story and OCs. Is that good?

It is, now ONTO THE CHAPTER

Chapter 1: A New Start

“GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” A familiar boy in a chinese outfit screamed out in the sky, frustrated, mad, furious and angry. “THAT FUCKING DAMN OLD MAN! THAT'S THE LAST STRAW!” he shouted in fury. “AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN! IS THIS REALLY MY LIFE?! GETTING SCREWED ALL OVER COUNTLESS TIMES?! FUCK!” The boy shouted enraged. 

Who was he? He’s Ranma Saotome and he is pissed, like very much pissed off. Why? The reason is very simple, they were stuck with no food again or the fact they have no money at all due to how his father just keeps using the money without having any shred of money responsibility. So, he devised a plan which involved Ranma. 

There was a lady, a noble young lady who saw Ranma and fell in love with him. A simple quiet love story you think? Well you're wrong!

First his father sold him to the young lady for a week while Ranma literally was stuck with her and was so close to getting married with her before Genma took him away as both he and Ranma were literally running away with their lives. The good news was Genma had got food, bad news he didn’t get the money, more bad news, there was no food for Ranma as Genma only got food for himself. Now they’re wanted and bounties were posted around China and basically their fugitives. Which is why Ranma is pissed and very angry to the point he LITERALLY had enough (Dark: If he wasn’t screwed up by his father, this is ten times worse. Light: I get Genma… But Ranma is a CHILD! Why put him on a wanted poster!? Are people in Ranma’s world COMPLETE idiots!? Xara: Well, it does run on 80’s slapstick comedy logic.)

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS YOURSELF BUT NOT YOUR OWN SON?! AM I SOME SORT OF JUST A CHORE BOY TO YOU? A SLAVE?! YOU’VE BEEN NOTHING BUT A PAIN IN MY ASS! FIRST YOU SOLD ME OFF MANY TIMES, TRICKED A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE AMAZON! AND NOW THIS?!” Ranma shouted while pouring cold water, turning into a girl. “ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR DAMN STUPID PRIDE! SOMETIMES! JUST SOMETIMES!” Ranma slowly shed tears. “I JUST WISH! THAT I WASN’T BORN AS YOUR SOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNN!”

BAAAMMM!

CRACK!

BOOOM!

Throwing her fist at a mountain, cracks spread around the mountain like a disease while unconsciously flaring her KI, destroying a small part of the mountain as it collapses. 

She breaths heavily, ignoring the pain in her hand, shedding tears. “Once, just once, can’t I just……… make a decision……… of my own?” She quietly said, speaking in a low tone. 

“That was quite an impressive strike you did there for your age,” came an unfamiliar voice from behind her, making Ranma turn and getting into a fighting stance to strike down anyone that would try to hurt her to get to her father.

From there stood an old man, who was in a cross leg sitting possession on a rock, an elderly yet very well-built man with a white beard and prayer beads around his neck. He wears a single sleeved, gray-colored karate gi and sports a long, white braid of hair adorned with a single prayer bead.

“Who the hell are you?” Ranma asked defensively. “Are you here to try and beat up my old man like everyone else he’s screwed over?”

“Hmmmm? Who are you talking about, young lady? Are you referring to me?”

“Well we are the only two up here you old geezer.”

The man laughed. “You have spunk and heart young one. But are wild like a horse that’s been hurt a lot.” The old man laughed for a bit. “I am here because I sensed a strong fluctuation of Ki bursting in this area. I thought there was a strong warrior nearby, but I found you, young lady.”

“Ki?” Ranma asked while surprised. “I have……….. Ki?” She repeated herself while looking down at her hands. 

“Indeed so and an impressive amount.” The old man said to Ranma. 

“... Are you just saying that to try and let my guard down?” Ranma asked, still not trusting the old man.

“No, in fact I only came to check around. It is not my place to judge anyone.” The old man said to Ranma and turned around to leave. “However I can sense that you're experiencing lots of pain in your soul, that you have experienced lots of hardships. I do not wish to pry further young lady, but I am willing to lend an ear to let you rant and let all your frustrations out that you’ve been holding in.” He then started to walk off and continue his journey. “Oh, and my name is Gouken. Just thought it would be polite to give you my name, young one.”

Ranma watched the old man slowly walking away, for some reason this old man, Gouken, doesn’t like he’s gonna drag her back to her father. And didn’t sense any malicious intent or threat on him. He seemed like a calm and reasonable person, unlike her damn father. If he sensed that she has Ki, surprising even herself that she has awakened Ki. 

“Wait, Gouken.” She called out to him. “I……………. I’m sorry for being upset, its just, I’ve been through a lot.” She said to him, 

“I see.”

“And it's not the worst part, I’m cursed.” She told him. 

“Cursed?” Gouken said with a raised eyebrow. Not understanding what she meant however a memory was brought on his mind and remembered a familiar topic. “Did you fall into the Cursed Spring of Jusenkyo?”

“You know that place?” Ranma asked Gouken.

“Of course I do, tell me, what spring did you fall into?” Gouken asked Ranma. 

“The cursed Spring of Drowned Girl.”

“Oh…………….. then you are.”
“Yup, I’m a guy.” Ranma said to Gouken with heavy shame. “And it's all thanks to my damn father!” 

Gouken retook a seat on a boulder and pattied to a boulder next to him. “Like I said, you can rant all you want, and I shall lend an ear.”

Sitting next to him as he gently poured hot water on Ramna, not hot to burn her but enough to turn her back to normal. Ranma began to explain his story to the old man. First his father had taken him to a training trip when he was two and never saw his mother. Seems regular to Gouken until he begins to list what has happened to him throughout the years. He was sold off as a baby by his father for just rice before he took him back, gambled his own son many times for food and money their on a run by lots of gamblers, sold him out numerous times that Ranma forgot to tell how many times he was sold off, if that wasn’t worst he told him about the Nekoken, and how he was now scared of cats, (Dark: Who, and I mean who in their RIGHT MIND THROWS THEIR OWN SON INTO A STARVING PIT OF CATS WHEN THEY WEREN’T FEED FOR A WEEK?! AND DONE THIS SO MANY TIMES! Light: The same idiot conman that stole said instructions that were kept guard in the first place so no one was supposed to teach and/or learn it.) got cursed by her father because he couldn’t take his loss like a man and worst of all, got sold off by a noble girl who fell in love with him and now he and his father are wanted by the whole country. 

Gouken was silent but underneath it was boiling rage. If he wasn’t made clear, he was furious, enough to even commit a murder. Not even Akuma was this bad and he has honor. 

“To do such things to a boy like you.” Gouken slowly said to Ramna. “He does not deserve to be called a father or even a man.” he said while narrowing his eyes. It's a miracle he hasn’t exploded in rage. “Such misfortune that has fallen upon you Ranma, no one deserves this kind of fate.”

“Heh, my whole life it's been like this because of my damn dad. I’m even getting hunted by a Chinese Amazon because neither me or my dad could read Chinese.” Ranma chuckled while painfully smirking. “Fate really loves to screw me over.”
“It is not fate that cursed you.” Gouken said to Ranma, placing a hand over his shoulder. “Rather it is being forced by you.”

“................. I just wish I could make a decision of my own. I want to be free, have freedom of my choices and what I get to decide.” Ranma said in a low tone. 

“Then you can have that boy.” Gouken said to Ranma. “Why don't you come with me?” Gouken asked Ranma. 

“Even if I did, my dad would find me and force me back on his training journey,” Ranma said, letting out a defeated sigh. “He won’t let his meal ticket out of his sight.”

“Hahahahaha, you underestimate me boy. You do not need to worry about your father, though it is up to you if you want to come or not.” Gouken chuckled while smiling, putting his hand out to Ramna. “Do you want to leave, make decisions of your own or would you rather stay here, still waiting for the time you want to break out of your cage.” 

Ranma stayed silent while looking at Gouken and his hand as trying to make a decision on going with the old man or stay behind and go through lots of hell with his father again. The choice was very easy for Ranma to make but he was not worried about him, he was worried about Gouken. An internal dilemma went through his mind for what seemed like an eternity, however for the first time he could make a decision of his own. And he made his choice. A decision that forever changed his life.

Placing his hand on Goukens.

“Alright old man, how strong are you exactly?” Ranma asked Gouken.

“Hehehehe, you’ll see soon, Ranma.”

The two of them head out to start a new path for Ranma.

A few minutes after they left, Genma appeared, calling out to Ranma, before getting irritated and going to find him, grumbling that he‘d teach that brat to wander off.

(Timeskip: Gouken’s Dojo)

In the middle of an unremote location, Gouken and Ranma finally made it to their location, a common looking dojo that felt quiet but held an air of power to it. It wasn’t towering or anything, just a simple one story building.

“Huh, quite different from most dojo’s my pops took me too,” Ranma stated.

“It's nothing much but it is a dojo.” Gouken said to Ranma. “Its not something for people to flaunt their status off given how many decorations they have.”

“Oh believe me.” Ramna said to Gouken. “One time me and my dad saw a fancy Dojo and I thought it was a pretty strong one until we found out that the dojo master is but a fake and he wasn’t a good martial artist.” 

Gouken nodded. “I know what you mean, I’ve had my fair share of fighters that thought they were strong, only to have their world view open to show that they were just a frog in a well.”

“... Frog in a well?” Ranma asked, confused.

Gouken grimaced. “... And I’m reminded your father tried to do the same to you… It’s a phrase based on a story where a frog thought its well was the only thing and was ignorant of the world around him, or so it goes.”

“So Am I the frog and pops was the well, or is it the reverse?" Ranma asked, thinking about that.

“We shall ponder the ideas of life later on my student, right now, I wish to see how well you are in a fight, and see if I can’t help teach you things you’ll need to know,” Gouken said, as he opened the paper door to the dojo.

“Wait, you want to spar with me?” Ranma asked Gouken as they entered the dojo.

“More like a test.” Gouken said, walking ahead before turning to Ranma. “This martial arts you were trained with, Anything That Goes, correct? It's a mix of martial arts together to flow into each other seamlessly.”

“Yes, but a lot of other dojos and masters don’t like it because they think they’re stealing their moves and… what was the word they used… bast-ter-dized them…?”

“Well that seems stupid,” came the voice of a boy that walked in. They were a teen around 18 years old, in a white martial arts uniform, red bandana and belt around his head and waist, martial arts gloves on his hands and was barefoot.  “Martial arts are meant to be learned and passed on, and improved.” He turned to Gouken. “Isn’t that right, master?”

“Yes, it is,” Gouken nodded.

“... Uh… Who are you?” Ranma asked.

“Oh, yes, Ranma, this is one of my two students, Ryu,” Gouken introduced one of his students. “Ryu, this is my newest student, Ranma Saotome.”

Ryu bowed to Ranma. “It is an honor to meet you, Ranma.”

Ranma was surprised by this. “Uh… T-Thanks…” Ranma said, bowing to Ryu, not used to others being nice to him. “It’s… nice to meet you as well… Ryu was it?”

“It is a pleasure to meet new students of master Gouken.” Ryu said to Ranma. “Welcome to the dojo.” 

“Glad to be here.” 

“Anyway, show me your Anything Goes style.” Gouken said while crossing his arms. 

“Alright old man.” Ranma said while getting into his martial arts position. “Don’t complain to me when you get too hurt or get a cramp because of me.”

“Hahahahahahahaha! Why not put that to the test boy?” Gouken chuckled at Ranma before putting on a serious expression. “Now, COME AT ME!”

Ranma was quick on the draw, and went for a punch to Gouken gut, but smoothly transitioned it to a faint and a leg sweep.

Gouken saw the seamless transition, and was impressed by the fluidity of a punch turned into a faint at the last second to try and catch him off guard for the leg sweep. Before Ranma could sweep his legs, Gouken jumped up over it and brought a downward punch down on Ranma.

Ranma’s eyes bugged out as he dodged by back flipping away. “Okay old man, you’re more of a challenge then my pops,” Ranma stated after making a three point landing after flipping.

“You’re no sloth yourself young Ranma,” Gouken said. “If I were a normal fighter, you would have caught me off guard with that split second change up.”

“I know I’d have been tripped up,” Ryu said, sounding impressed.

“... Never been complemented on my fighting before…” Ranma said, not sure how to feel about that. “Useally I trash talk my opponents to try and make them angry.”

“Ah, yes, an angered foe is a clumsy foe,” Gouken said, nodding. “But still, I wish to see more.”

Ranma nodded, and gave a genuine smile. “Yes, I’m gonna put you on your-”

“THERE YOU ARE YOU BRAT!” came the voice of someone Ranma HOPED never to hear again, as Genma broke through the paper door, looking irritated.

Ryu got on guard. “Who are you!? Why have you entered our Dojo uninvited?”

“I’m that brat’s father and master!” Genma stated. “And I want my son ba-”

“HYA!” can the cry of a blond haired teen in a red martial arts uniform, and black belt around his waist, and brown martial arts gloves on his hand, kicking Genma in the face, his foot on fire, sending the man flying. “That’s for trespassing on our dojo, bud!”

“Oh great! How in the living fuck are you able to find me?!” Ranma shouted to Genma.

“There’s no where you can hide from me boy!” Genma shouted, jumping up and glared at Ranma. “No matter where you are there’s no place you can get away from Ranma-”

“You placed a tracking device on him didn’t you?” Gouken said to Genma, crossing his arms, and unamused with the man.

Genma stiffened up and sweated. “I-I-That is not true! I am a master of tracking! Who are you calling me a frau-”

“Then what do you call this?” Gouken asked while holding up a small mechanical device.

“HOW DID YOU FIND THAT?!” Genma shouted in panic. 

“During our spar with your son I noticed there was something hidden within his shirt. I did not know what it was until you answered my question.”

“All this time, the time I tried to hide from you, run away and get away from you, you had this? On me?! THE WHOLE FREAKING TIME?!” Ranma shouted to Genma with anger. “IS THAT HOW YOU KEEP FINDING ME? PLACING A TRACKING DEVICE! ON YOUR OWN SON!?”

“Oh don’t give me that crap! You always run away when I try my best and go against my decisio-!”

“YOU RUINED HALF OF MY LIFE AND UNLIKE OTHERS! I HAD A LEGIT REASON WHY I WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!” 

“Geez, the hell did your pops do to you?” Ken asked, looking confused but could see the pure anger on Ranma’s face.

“Trusdt me you two, this man has done a LOT of horrible things to his son,” Gouken said, after getting in front of Genma, towering over and glaring at him. “And you will NOT have him back. You are no teacher, you are a poor excuse of a father and a mentor.”

“I’ve never seen Master Gouken this upset before,” Ryu said in surprise.

“Who are you to judge me?” Genma narrowed his eyes at Gouken.

“Ranma has told me all about what you have done, I have never seen such a man who completely derives and uses their own son for their selfish gain but you, you are no man, you are less than a scum itself and even criminals have more honor.” 

“I will NOT take this slander!” Genma shouted at the taller and buffer fighter. Normally he'd be trying to find a way out of this and take his son back, but he was too irritated to think straight. “I can train MY son anyway I see fit! He’s my disciple!”

“Then we shall see.” Gouken said while uncrossing his arms and getting into his fighting position. “Let's settle this, if you win I’ll let you take your son away but if I win, you will never step in this dojo or come near him.” 

“And when I win, I get every scroll on your fighting style, all your money, and food,” Genma said, getting into his own fighting pose.

“You want to do what?!” Ken shouted in anger. Jumping while getting into a fighting position along with Ryu. 

“Ken, Ryu, stay out of this.” Gouken said to his students. “This will not take long.” Gouken said to them.

“We’ll see about that,” Genma said before it looked like he disappeared.

“What the!? Where’d he go?” Ken shouted in shock after seeing the man vanish in plain sight.

“That’s my pop’s ability, and how he’s been able to keep us from being found out by others who hunted us,” Ranma said.

“Guess he never trained you in it so you wouldn’t get away, or know its weaknesses,” Ryu said.

Gouken did not look panicked or upset. In fact, he looked calm. He took a few deep breaths before his body was enveloped in a white aura and his eyes glowed white.

“You try to hide in nothingness to sneak around, trying to evade the world and responsibility," Gouken said in a calm voice devoid of emotions. “When in truth you must flow with the world and accept your shortcomings and overcome them.” He then brought his arm up and blocked a strike that the others didn’t see.

Gemma was so shocked that his concentration broke for a second, as he reappeared. “What the!? How did you sense me!? I should be devoid from all your senses!?”

“The Power of Nothingness allows me to tap into Nothingness itself, allowing me to sense everything,” Gouken stated. “Even things that try to blend into said nothingness.”

Genma was starting to sweat now, but didn’t give up. He was not letting his meal tic- he meant his son out of his grasp.

Ranma’s jaw dropped seeing this. “He can actually found him while he was using damn technique of his that others had trouble getting past…?”

“Guess Master Gouken still has a lot to teach us,” Ken said.

Genma’s attack came from behind, fast, ugly, aimed straight for Gouken’s kidney. Genma expected a flinch. A stumble. Anything.

Gouken stepped half an inch to the side and caught the strike on his forearm like he’d been waiting for it. There was a dull thud, not from impact, but from Genma’s confidence slamming into a wall.

Genma’s invisibility snapped. He reappeared mid-punch, sweating, eyes wide.

Gouken’s palm shot forward and tapped Genma’s chest. Not a big hit. Just… clean.

Genma flew back anyway, skidding across the wooden floor on his heels like he’d been hit by a truck. He barely stopped himself from crashing into the dojo wall.

Ranma’s mouth actually opened. “Holy-!”

Ken grinned like a kid watching a highlight reel. “YES!”

Genma shook out his arms, trying to play it off. “Tch. Lucky hit.”

Gouken rolled his shoulders once, calm as ever. “No. You’re simply used to attacking from behind.”

Genma’s face twisted in rage. “Shut up!”

He reached into his gi and whipped out a handful of little pellets smoke bombs. He slammed them down.

POOF.

The room was filled with thick gray smoke.

Ken coughed. “Seriously!?”

Ranma waved a hand in front of his face. “Classic.”

Ryu lowered his stance, eyes narrowed. “He’s trying to hide his breathing.”

In the smoke, Genma moved. You could hear it, barely. A shift of cloth. A foot sliding. A breath that didn’t match the others.

Then a blur shot out of the smoke, Genma came in low, trying to tackle Gouken’s legs. Gouken didn’t retreat. He dropped his weight and slammed his heel down.

THUMP.

The floor cracked.

Genma’s rush died instantly as the shock stopped his forward momentum, like he ran into an invisible curb. Before he could recover, Gouken’s fist snapped out, not wild, not angry, just a straight punch.

The smoke split as Genma got launched out of it like a kicked ball, tumbling and rolling until he hit the ground hard.

Ken laughed once. “Ohhh, he’s getting WORKED.”

Genma sprang up, furious, spitting through his teeth. “I trained that brat for YEARS! You think you can just steal him from me!?”

“I didn’t steal anything,” Gouken said. “He chose.”

That word hit Ranma like a punch of its own. Ranma didn’t say anything, but his hands flexed at his sides. Like he was trying to remember what it felt like for his choice to actually matter.

Genma noticed. His gaze snapped to Ranma, sharp, possessive.

“Ranma!” Genma shouted. “Get over here! Right now!”

Ranma didn’t move.

Ken took a step forward. “He’s not going anywhere.”

Genma’s eyes went feral. “Then I’ll BREAK this dojo, take everything, and drag him out myself!”

He lunged again, not vanishing this time. Pure speed, pure desperation. Genma threw a flurry: a jab, a hook, a knee, then a sudden low kick aimed at Gouken’s ankle.

Gouken blocked all of it like it was practice.

Tap. Forearm.

Tap. Palm.

Tap. Shin.

Tap. Elbow.

Genma tried to change the rhythm, went for a grab.

Gouken let him. Genma’s hands clasped the gi—he grinned like he finally got control.

Then Gouken’s body flashed with that white aura again. Genma’s grin died.

Gouken’s hands moved, one on Genma’s wrist, the other on his elbow, and Genma suddenly found himself turning, feet leaving the floor.

A clean, brutal throw that slammed Genma down hard enough to make the dojo tremble. Genma groaned, face pressed to wood.

Gouken didn’t follow up with a stomp. Didn’t kick him while he was down. He simply stood there, looking at Genma like he was tired of even sharing air with him.

“Get up,” Gouken said.

Genma pushed himself up, shaking. His pride was cracking, and that made him dangerous. “You think you’re so damn righteous,” Genma hissed. “Fine. You want to play the wise master?” He suddenly grinned again, meaner this time. “Let’s see how wise you are when you can’t move.”

Genma’s fingers flicked forward, fast as a snake. A pressure-point strike aimed for Gouken’s shoulder joint.

It was a cheap shot. It would’ve worked on a normal fighter. Gouken turned his torso just enough that Genma’s fingers struck empty air.

Genma blinked. “What-!?”

Gouken’s stance shifted. He didn’t attack. He waited.

Genma swung anyway, an angry, overcommitted punch.

Gouken’s aura flared.

“KONGOSHIN.”

Genma’s fist hit Gouken’s guard and Genma’s whole body jolted like he punched a steel wall with a bad wrist. His arm went numb instantly.

Genma screamed. “AH-!”

Before he could stumble back, Gouken’s hands shot forward in a double palm thrust.

“SENKUGOSHOHA!”

A wave of compressed energy blasted Genma square in the chest, sending him flying across the dojo and slamming him into the paper doors so hard they exploded outward.

Wood splintered.

Paper shredded.

Genma tumbled outside, rolling across the dirt like he got thrown by a hurricane.

Ranma stared at the destroyed door. “That… was my dad.”

Ken leaned back with a satisfied exhale. “Correction: that was your dad getting humbled.”

Ryu didn’t smile, but there was approval in his eyes. “Master Gouken ended it without cruelty.” 

Ranma swallowed. “Yeah… but he could’ve ended it way worse.”

Outside, Genma groaned and tried to push himself up. Gouken walked out through the ruined doorway, calm as ever, as if he hadn’t just turned the dojo entrance into confetti.

Genma spat dirt. “You… You damn-!” He tried to stand. His legs wobbled. He forced himself up anyway, shaking with anger and humiliation. “This isn’t over!” Genma snapped. “You hear me!? I’m his father! He belongs to me!”

Gouken’s eyes narrowed, aura still faintly present. “No one belongs to you.”

Genma’s jaw tightened. He looked past Gouken, straight to Ranma.

“Ranma!” Genma yelled again. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not! You’re my disciple!”

Ranma finally spoke, voice low and sharp. “No.”

Genma froze like he’d been slapped.

Ranma stepped forward into view, not hiding behind Gouken, not shrinking away.

“I said no,” Ranma repeated. “I’m done.”

Genma’s fists trembled. “You ungrateful brat! After everything I did-!?”

“After everything you did to me,” Ranma shot back. “Yeah. I’m done.”

“You still have your duty and your rightful Marriage Contract to fulfill, and you are not abandoning the Anything Goes for THIS shabby little dojo. You can train in their arts on the road. Or are you abandoning your honor as a fighter and giving up?” Genma said, going for the low blow in Ranma’s pride.

“Honor? HAH! You're one to talk about honor! Lets count how many times you have honor, lets see, first, you had sold me off like I was nothing! You had gambled me away, traded me, promised me to people just so you could get out of trouble! And every time it blew up, you had called it ‘training’ like that made it okay! Second: Jusenkyo.” Ranma’s teeth had clenched so hard it looked like it hurt. “You had dragged me there chasing some stupid story, and you hadn’t listened to a single warning! You had rushed in like you always did, because you never thought about what happened after! And I had fallen in. I had gotten cursed. I had to live with it every day, cold water, hot water, people laughing, people staring, while you had treated it like some joke you could use whenever it was convenient! Third: those marriage contracts.” Ranma’s laugh had been harsh, almost choking. “YOU HAD SIGNED MY LIFE AWAY LIKE IT WAS A BARGAIN AT A MARKET! YOU HADN’T ASKED ME. YOU DIDN’T CARE WHAT I WANTED. YOU HAD JUST DONE IT, BECAUSE IT HELPED YOU! AND YOU STILL HAD THE NERVE TO ACT LIKE I WAS THE ONE WITHOUT HONOR! Fourth: you had run from everything!” Ranma had shouted. “EVERY TIME YOU HAD MADE AN ENEMY, YOU HAD MADE ME DEAL WITH IT! EVERY TIME YOU HAD OWED SOMEONE MONEY, YOU HAD DRAGGED ME ALONG SO I’D TAKE THE HIT FIRST! EVERY TIME YOU HAD GOTTEN IN TROUBLE, YOU HAD HIDDEN BEHIND ME AND CALLED IT ‘SURVIVAL’! HOW MANY HONOR IS THAT?! ZERO!” Ranma shouted to his father, letting out his anger and rage that was bottled up inside of him. “AND I’M WANTED BY AN ENTIRE COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU SOLD ME OFF TO A NOBLE GIRL AND THEIR HUNTING ME DOWN! CAUSE OF YOU!”

“... Why is Ranma getting hunted when it was his deadbeat dad that broke the promise?” Ken asked, shocked.

“They might have thought he was in on the con,” Ryu said, glaring at Genma. “He might have conned it that way.”

“It's not up to your choice boy! You’re coming with me right this insta-!”

BAM!

Genma was interrupted when Gouken delivered a strong right hook on Genma's face and flew away from him. Gouken was never this mad before, not since after Akuma had killed their master. “He has made his choice and now he lives with it. You are hereby no longer welcomed in his life. Goodbye.” Gouken said while pulling back both his fist and charging up his Ki surrounding his arms and a ball of Ki manifested between his palms. 

“Shinku… HADOOOOUUKKEEEEEEENNNN!”

BAM!

BOOM!

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” Genma shouted, getting hit with the beam of Ki and was sent rocketing far away over the forest.

Gouken turned to Ranma with a calm expression. “He won’t be much of a problem but I believe your times of suffering are over young man. If you're worried about your father, you do not need to worry or be concerned.”

“I hope so,” Ranma said, in awe at seeing his old man get the punishment he deserved. Ranma stared down the path where Genma had vanished- no, where he had been launched, and his hands stayed clenched like they didn’t know how to unclench yet. “…So what now?” Ranma asked. 

Gouken’s eyes were steady. “Now, you rest. Your mind is loud right now. If you train like that, you will hurt yourself. Tomorrow, we will begin your training young man.” 

“............. Thank you…………….. for everything sir.” He said with deep gratitude, very thankful for the old man to help him after getting rid of his father. After all this time and hardships, he deserves some rest.

“Welcome to our Dojo Ranma!” Ken said while wrapping his arm around Ranma’s shoulder and smiling. “And about what you said about Jusenkyo?” 

“Let me just show you.” Ranma said before getting a glass of cold water and sprayed it around him and turned into a girl.

“WOAH!!!” Ken shouted in surprise and Ryu widened his eyes in shock, and was taken back. 

“Short answer, I got cursed and fell into the Spring of Drowned Girl.” Ranma said in a simple tone. 

“... Geez,” Ken said, scratching the back of his head. He then shrugged. “Eh, it could have been worse. And honestly, you could be more noble and flexible in this form.”

Ranma blinked. “... So you don’t think it makes me less of a guy?”

Ken groans. “Your father's words?” He got a nod of confirmation. “No it does not, and it wasn’t your fault you were cursed to be a girl.”

“And like Ken said, you might be more flexible and noble in this form, try and find the good with the bad, like Master Gouken told us,” Ryu said, putting a comforting hand on Ranma’s shoulder.

Ranma let out a sigh. “Thank, and sorry, it’s going to take me time to get used to having kind words at me and not think everyone wants to insult or curse my name due to my pops.”

“Hey, it’s no issue,” Ken said, giving Ranma a thumbs up. “We got your back. And I’m interested to see this Anything Goes style and how you’ll mix our Art with it.”

“Thanks guys and just for the record, just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I always act like it. I’m a guy. There’s no way in hell I would try to act more girly.” Ranma said to Ken and Ryu. 

“... So a tomboy?” Ken asked.

(Timeskip - 2 years later)

After being taken in by Gouken, Ranma trained under his tuition for years, studying under him and learning the martial arts he taught which was the Ansatsuken or in English Assassin Fist. It was an art style with the intention of slaying their opponents; however Gouken’s version was more of a peaceful and spiritual aspect of the arts. 

Ranma had also made friends with Ryu and Ken. Ryu was a great sparring partner while Ken helped Ranma catch up on things he should have been taught but his father decided not to. It was hard at first, but Ken made it easy by using Martial Arts as a good way to make it stick easier.

Ranma was doing katas in the forest, trying to get Ansatsuken to mesh better with his Anything Goes style. It felt like the style was somehow trying not to mesh at times. But Ranma was stubborn and wouldn’t let whatever was blocking him stop him.

Gouken saw the style and spoke it with him.

(Flashback)

“You’re doing it wrong.” Gouken said to Ranma.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Ranma asked in confusion to his master. 

“The Martial Arts Anything That Goes is derived from techniques of multiple martial arts mixed in it. Tai Chi, Choy Li Fut, Baguazhang, Muay Thai, Kyokushin, Northern Shaolin–type, Choy Li Fut and other techniques. However, you only use the ones that are more compelling and throw other martial art types of techniques away to suit the one that's best for you.” Gouken explains to Ranma. “There is a reason why other martial artists train under those styles. They have their pros and its cons but thats what it is, your’s has countless cons in it. Your style is a collection,” Gouken said. “Pieces taken from everywhere. But you did not study those arts.”

“... The Old Man just stole the scrolls and taught me from them…” Ranma admitted. “I barely saw the fighting styles in person.”

Gouken sighs and shakes his head. “Your father taught you to use whatever worked immediately,” Gouken said. “He did not teach you the foundations because foundations take time. They take patience. They take humility.”

“... And that’s something he never had or seemed to learn,” Ranma said, sighing. “And that’s something I need to take in even though I have a hard time being patient myself.”

“Anything Goes taught you to adapt,” Gouken said. “But it also taught yo.u to cut corners. There is one thing that all martial artists have, patience.”

“Even for a wild horse like me?” he asked.

“Yes, even a wild horse like you can learn it,” Gouken said. “The one thing that this style is lacking is foundations. You need to learn not just one martial art but others that you cut corners. Learn all the martial arts that you missed so you can understand and its foundation.” 

Ranma sighs, but gets up. “Guess I should get started then.”

(Flashback end)

After his master lecture he began to retrain himself with the other martial arts that were in the Anything That Goes. The more he trained each style the more solid foundations he understood with it. It even made his fighting style flow even smoother than before. What would take a second to transition, become a nano second. It might not seem like much, but to a fighter, every second counted.

Soon Gouken has called Ranma in and brought a surprise for him. 

(Gouken Dojo)

“YOU WHAT?!” Ranma shouted in shock. 

“You heard me Ranma. I have enrolled you into a high school.” Gouken said to Ranma, crossing his arms. 

“But master, why?” Ranma asked Gouken in confusion, it's not like he hates education, it was just so boring! All the lectures and the stuff they teach, it was all too boring for him! He’d rather study and practice martial arts.

“I know Ken has been tutoring you, but he can’t teach you everything you need to know,” Gouken stated. “But there’s another reason for it. You need to see the world outside of my Dojo and what your father wanted to show you. And actually make friends outside of Ryu and Ken. Think of it as a training journey.”

Ranma lowered his head while feeling a bit sad.

Gouken sighs and continues. “Ranma, you're 16, a teenager at this point. Not everything is about fighting or martial arts. There is a life outside for you. My point is that I’m giving you something that your father hasn’t for the last few years, the pleasure of growing up. Education is important because it will help you in life.”

Ranma let out a sigh, but knew Gouken was only looking out for him. He did have one concern though. “... And if I run into any of my ‘betroves’ with a grudge? What should I do about that if that happens?”

“Then it's up to you how you wish to handle them.” Gouken said to Ranma. “Fight them, make them enemies, befriend them, it's your choice.”

Ranma nods his head to Gouken. “Fine, I’ll do what you ask of me. … I just hope all the crazy that’s been lacking these last two years doesn’t come back in force…” He muttered that last part to himself.

“Hahahahahahahaha!” Gouken laughs at Ranma. 

Ranma gave his master a flat look. “Glad my suffering amuses you master…”

(Timeskip)

Ranma looked up to the sky, while he was out hunting. He might not have to anymore, but it was still good training to fight wild animals. But today… something felt… off… It was too quiet in the forest.

Just then, Ranma felt a dark menacing aura behind him. He then turned and dodged an attack that barely grazed him.

Ranma flipped back a few feet, a man wearing a dark-colored gi with the sleeves removed (similar to Ryu and Ken). He has red hair with a topknot, sharp, pointed teeth, and was bare-footed. He either wears a black belt at his waist. Over his hands, he wears brown training gauntlets. He has tanned skin and crimson eyes, and wears prayer beads around his neck, with a visible black "heaven" (天, ten) kanji on the center bead.

“So you managed to dodge that, impressive.” The man said with a dark tone. “I expected no less from someone who trained under Gouken.”

“Who the hell are you?” Ranma said while in his fighting position as he could feel Ki surrounding the man, dark and malicious Ki from him. 

“My name is Akuma and I’ve come to see Gouken. I have heard he has lived in these forests for a while but I have heard he has taken students under his wing.” Akuma said to Ranma. “Tell me, what do you know of the Assassin Fist?” 

Ranma didn’t know this guy’s game, but went along with it to see where he was getting at. “That it was an art to kill, hence the name, but Master Gouken made his version to be less lethal than the one I presume you take in?”

“Then he is a fool! That is not the true version of the Assassin Fist! To be the strongest, one must kill their opponent," Akuma stated.

“Well, I guess you won’t like me then, since I use Goukern’s version with my Anything Goes Fighting Style, incorporating other fighting styles into it,” Ranma said, trying to make this Akuma riled up and sloppy with his taunting.

Akuma… looked both irritated and intrigued at the same time. Ranma guessed he hated how he was bastardizing the Ansatsuken, but also intrigued if it could make it more lethal.

‘... I feel like I gained the notice of a Devil…’ Ranma, though.

“Anything That Goes, that martial art.” Akuma said while speaking of its name. “You're a practitioner of that style?”

“You know about it?”

“It's a complete disgrace.” Akuma said, narrowing his eyes. “I have heard of how a master has taught two students of a style that is a combination of mixed arts. However, when I fought two of his students, they didn’t last a second and used cheap tricks. They weren’t worth my time.” Akuma answered to Ranma. 

Ranma groaned. ‘Great, my old man is screwing me over even when he’s not around.’ He thought to himself. He then said out loud. “I’m nothing like them. Unlike those two, I ACTUALLY train to fight my opponents head on.”

Akuma raised an eyebrow. “You have more spine than those two ever did for that art. … Yes, you’re like a wild horse that’s not afraid to fight a lion.”

“Thats what my master said.”

“Then let's put that TO THE TEST!”

WHOOSH!

In the blink of an eye, Akuma was right in front of Ranma, a punch heading to his face. In a split second, Ranma put up his arms to guard, but was sent skidding back from the force of the blow.

Ranma could feel that his arms were shaking from that hit. ‘He hits like a freaking mountain…’ he thought. ‘I can’t let my guard down for a second!’

Ranma then sensed that Akuma had appeared behind him, ready to strike again, but Ranma counted by weaving around Akuma’s blow and bringing in a hard palm strike to Akuma’s abdomen. Akuma barely even flinched from the strike.

“Impressive boy,” Akuma said, bringing his elbow down to hit him on the head.

Ranma went with the attack’s inertia to lessen the blow and go into a leg sweep that made Akuma trip. But Akuma recovered by back flipping with his fall and getting black in his fighting stance.

Ranma quickly got back into his fighting stance, not letting down his guard. “Damn, you hit like an avalanche," he said to Akuma. If he wasn’t in a life or death fight, he would be enjoying this.

“Your style is much more refined. Yes, this is what I was expecting!” Akuma said with a smile. “SHOW ME MORE BOY!”

“Fine, you want me to kick your ass, I’ll gladly do so,” Ranma stated. Ranma then ran at Akuma, going for an elbow thrust. Akuma saw this was going to counter with a down fist. In a split second, Ranma fluidly made it into a faint that made Akuma over reach. Ranma took this time to use a Shoryuken right to Akuma’s jaw. This sent Akuma reeling back.

Ramna landed on his feet, smirking. “How’s that?”

Akuma didn’t speak back. Ranma shot forward, low and fast, Ranma’s lead hand snapped out like a whip, feint, then the real hit came as a tight elbow toward Akuma’s ribs.

He just tilted his torso.

Ranma’s elbow passed an inch from flesh. That inch felt like a mile.

And then Akuma’s fist came up from below.

THUD!

Ranma barely got both forearms down in time. The impact crawled through his bones like an electric shock. His boots carved two lines in the dirt as he slid back.

“…Okay,” Ranma hissed, teeth clenched. “Yeah. Still hits like an avalanche.”

Akuma’s grin sharpened, teeth a little too pointed to be comforting. “Good. You understand.”

He vanished.

Not invisibility like Genma’s cheap “nothingness” trick.

This was worse.

This was speed that made the world lag behind him.

Ranma’s eyes snapped wide, ‘Right side!’ he twisted, bringing a knee up and an arm across-

BAM!

Akuma’s shin crashed into his guard anyway, and Ranma’s whole body jolted sideways. He hit a tree shoulder-first, bark exploding in splinters.

Ranma sucked in air. “Ghk-!”

Akuma didn’t give him a second to breathe.

Another step. Another strike.

A straight punch that came like a falling boulder.

Ranma dipped under it, barely, rolled with the wind of it cutting his hair, and fired back with a palm strike to the sternum.

WHAP!

Akuma finally moved, a tiny shift of weight.

Ranma felt it like a victory.

Then Akuma’s elbow dropped down again.

Ranma tried to flow with it like he did before, letting the inertia carry him-

CRACK!

Pain flashed behind his eyes. The blow still clipped him hard enough to rattle his skull. His knees hit dirt.

‘Damn it…’ Ranma thought as his vision was getting blurry from that blow to the head. He felt something warm and wet running down his head.

“You’re still conscious after that blow I see,” Akuma stated, almost sounding impressed.

Ranma gave a smug smile, even though it hurt. “Guess I’m a lot tougher than you thought.”

Ranma rolled, forcing himself to his feet before Akuma could follow up. His ribs burned. His arms were shaking again. He hated that. He hated feeling his own body betray him.

Akuma took one step forward and the air went hot.

Not heat like summer.

Heat like a furnace door cracking open.

Ranma’s skin prickled. “Wait… what the hell are you-?”

Akuma drew his hands back, palms cupped like Gouken’s… but the Ki was different.

Dark. Dense. Violent.

A sphere of energy pulsed between his hands like a beating heart.

Ranma’s eyes widened. “Oh, you’ve gotta be ki-!”

“GOHADOKEN.”

The blast tore through the forest.

A roaring wave of compressed force and heat, shredding leaves off branches as it ripped forward.

Ranma was in shock, but grimaced. He couldn’t dodge it in time, so he had to try and counter it. He hadn’t mastered it yet, but he had no choice. He then did the same thing, using his Ki to try and make his own. “HADOOUKEN!” He shouted, firing his own version of the Ki blast.

It struck the Gohadoken, and held it back for a few seconds. It looked like both would cancel each other out.

But to Ranma’s horror, it only diminished Akuma’s attack and it was still heading right at him. Ranma quickly crossed his arms.

BOOOOOMMMMM! 

A massive explosion nearly covered the forest as Akuma stood still, the winds blowing through him as he watched the explosion.

Gradually, it halted, and the dust settled, leaving Ranma grateful to be alive, though it looked worse than it was. Half of his shirt was ripped, and most of his clothing was stained with blood. Blood covered his left eye, and his arms were blackened and steaming with smoke. Still, he sat up on his knees, breathing heavily. “I’ll admit… that actually… stung…" Ranma began to fall forward. 

"You've impressed me, boy. Tell me, what is your name?” Akuma asked Ranma. ".............. Ranma............."

"Ranma, you have shown me the true principles of Anything That Goes; you are a worthy opponent. I will remember this forever! Be glad to die at my hands, Ranma! DIE!” Akuma yelled, thrusting his fist toward Ranma.

BAM!

Just before Akuma’s fist could reach Ranma, it was blocked by an open palm that gripped it, blocking his attack.

“So……… you finally showed up……………. Gouken.” Akuma spoke as Gouken stood in front of him, blocking his fist with a hardened expression. 

“So, instead of confronting me directly, you targeted one of my students,” Goken said, glaring at his brother. 

"Your student has shown more potential than I expected, Gouken,” Akuma responded to Gouken. “He has achieved this level and proves to be a worthy rival of Anything That Goes." 

"What are you doing here, Akuma?” Gouken asked his brother. “I told you, you’re not welcome here," he added. 

“I wanted to test your strength brother but when I heard of your student. I had to check and test them. Your student, Ranma, didn't fail my expectations.” 

“Ranma doesn’t need any more misfortune placed on him,” Gouken stated, putting pressure on Akuma's fist. “I shall not allow you to taint him or his fighting. Nor will I allow you to kill him.”

“I am not interested in killing your student, rather he has caught my interest.” Akuma answered Gouken. 

“And what makes you think I’d allow you to even lay a hand on him?” Gouken asked him. “Let alone try and corrupt him into your ways?”

“You cannot protect him forever,” Akuma stated. “Sooner or later, the darkness of the Satsui no Hado will infect him.”

“That will never happen, Akuma. Leave here now or else!”

“Hmph! Listen carefully boy! You will never tap into the true form of the Assassin Fist if you never learn its real potential.” Akuma said. 

Ranma scoffed and kept his smile. “I’ll take… the Power of Nothingness… over a raging killing tecneck… anyday…” He said though labored breathing.

“We shall see if that resolve of yours stands after you had a taste of the Satsui no Hado, farewell. We will meet again.” Akuma stated, jumping back away from Gouken and vanishing into the forest.

Ranma exhaustion and fatigue finally took hold of him after his adrenalin wore off as he lost consciousness and fell. 

(Later)

Ranma's eyes slowly fluttered, slowly opening them before groaning. Sitting up while wincing, looking down to see bandages wrapped around him and his arms.

“You are awake, Ranma.” He heard his teacher speaking to him, turning to see him standing at the doorway with his arms crossed. “Ryu and Ken were worried about what had happened to you. I will admit, it was foolish to go against someone who was clearly too strong for you to handle. You would’ve died had not I intervened." Gouken strictly said to Ranma. 

Ranma groaned. “Well he didn’t give me a choice,” he said. “... And I wanted to prove him wrong that my Anything Goes fighting style wasn’t just for cowards like my father. Hell… turns out my old man and I guess his friend fought Akuma before and were cowards before him…”

“I know and I’m also proud of you.” Gouken smiled at Ranma. “Not many people can stand against Akuma and you have shown enough that you are capable of your own. You have proven enough that you have what it takes.”
Ranma smiled at his master, appreciating what he said to him. “I still have a long way to go, Sensei, before I catch up to you. I also have a question, who was he? Akuma? I heard him call him your brother, is………… he is related to you?”

“Yes, and he is the one that killed our master,” Gouken stated. “I chose to try and reform our fighting style while he kept it the way it was. He wants to prove that my way is weak and a disgrace to the art.”

“I say it takes a master to try and rework a fighting style from one form to a new one,” Ranma complemented. “But I take it that the Power of Nothingness is the counter to this Satsui no Hado Akuma told me.”

“It is, it is to try and purify its corrupting force,” Gouken stated.

“Almost like that Yin and Yang thing I heard about,” Ranma said. He was thinking about if he could mess the two toge-

BONK!

Gouken hit Ranma over the head, not too hard to reopen his head wound, but enough to get his attention. “I know that look on your face, Ranma, and I’m warning you, do not try to force yourself to learn Satsui no Hado. And you are not to try and mix it with the Power of Nothingness. I know the Anything Goes is to mix fighting styles together, but what you’re trying to do might kill you.”

Ranma was about to shout at his master, but saw the worry in his eyes. Ranma grumbled but sighs. “... Sorry… I guess I still have a tendency to jump head first into stuff.”

Gouken placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know you want to prove yourself, and show what your art can really be, but you need time and a stable foundation to make it truly masterful.”

Ranma sighs and slumps back in his futon. “I know… It still sucks to be this slow at times…”
“You will need to be careful in the future, Akuma has his eyes on you.” Gouken said to Ranma. “What I suggest for you is that you keep yourself hidden and do not make any attentions ‘cause even if Akuma finds you, there will be other strong opponents that are on his level.” 

“... Does that mean I have to stop training…?” Ranma asked, shooting up and looking panicked.

"No, not in the least. You may continue your training, but you must proceed with caution, as I have advised," Gouken responded. "The essential strategy is to exercise greater discernment regarding those whom you challenge or engage in combat. Furthermore, you should refrain from immediately displaying the full extent of your abilities."

Ranma's tone was measured. "I have no intention of employing deceptive maneuvers to secure victory, Master..."

"These are not deceptive maneuvers," Gouken refuted. "Consider it a form of discipline to assess your own strength, determining the necessary force for your strikes without instantly resorting to excessive power."

“I understand.” Ranma said, actually intrigued by the idea. “So learn to measure my strikes… And where to strike…”

“But for now, you need to rest and recuperate your strength.” Gouken ordered. “Your body needs time to recover from the beating it took. You were lucky enough the head wound didn’t kill you. Along with all the beating your body took.”

“Was that a compliment or sarcasm?”

“Both.”

“That’s what’s known as a Backhanded Complement," came the voice of Ken, walking in with food and water. “Master thought you’d be hungry, so I was asked to bring you food when you woke up.”
“Heh, thanks Ken.” Ranma said to his friend.

(Timeskip) 

After resting up for a bit, Ranma was healed enough to walk. And his wounds were recovered, the beating he had with Akuma plus his Ki attack nearly messed him up had Gouken not healed him with the Power of Nothingness. Ranma had a sack over his shoulder while he headed to one of the places that he would be staying for a while. 

Ranma looked up as he stared at a house before him. “Teacher said I would be staying at his friend's house but I wonder who it is?” Ranma said before walking to it and knocking the door.

“Be right there!”
He heard someone speaking from the house, hearing some shuffling before the door opened. The door opened and a guy that had the same outfit as Ryu and Ken, wearing a traditional karate gi, but it was bright pink, with a black undershirt, and purple fighting gloves. He has brown eyes and brown hair in a ponytail.

“And you are…?” the guy asked.

“... Wondering what Master Gouken was thinking, sending me to someone who is as lame as you…” Ranma said in a deadpan.

"Lame!? I'll have you know I'm the great Dan Habiki! Creator of The Saikyo Style!” the now named Dan shouted at Ranma.

In another part of the world, a ‘samurai’ teen sneezed.

Back to Ranma and Dan, Ranma looked at him, unimpressed. “... I know Master Gouken told me I need to lay low… but I think this is too low…”

Tickmarks were forming on Dan’s head. “So did my old master send you here to try and stop me from getting revenge?”

“What revenge?” 

"... Did he not tell you why he kicked me out?" Dan asked, confused.

“I think…? He said you had evil in you and that your training methods were sorely lacking, and barely trained to handle his training,” Ranma stated. “I didn’t really pay that much attention, more annoyed that I had to leave for my safety…”

Dan's eye twitched. “Well I went to Gouken’s dojo to learn to fight to kill the man who killed my father,” Dan stated.

Ranma looked him up, not impressed with his build, barely any muscles and an attitude that was too arrogant. “... Yeah… I don’t see you winning any fight that wasn’t out of pity…”

Dan was grinding his teeth. "Oi! If I’m supposed to keep you hidden, you should lose that high and mighty attitude you brat! I can refuse to keep you here.” Dan paused. “Why are you in hiding anyway?”

“... I got the attention of Gouken’s brother Akuma,” Ranma admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

“... How the HELL did you manage that!?” Dan shouted in shock.

“If you wanna know, why don't you invite me in.” Ranma said to Dan.

Dan grumbled but opened the door fully to let in Ranma. 

“Nice place you got.” Ranma said to Dan. “You run a Dojo?” 

“Trying to… The only person I have around is-”

“Ranma!” came a feral sounding voice as a green skinned orange dreadlocked hair man in a ragged cargo pants dropped from the ceiling.

Ranma was shocked, but looked at the man creature, and got into a fight stance.

The man beast smiled warmly at Ranma. “Is Ranma! Blanka friend back~!”

The name Blanka seemed to suture something in Ranma’s memories. “.. Wait… Blanka…!?” His eyes widened in realization. A training trip in the amazonian jungle with his pops. He was around 8 when he first ran into Blanka as a kid. Blanka was a few shades lighter on green color and was half the size he was back then. They became good friends and hunted together. Heck, Ranma helped him with his Animal Based fighting style… before Genma took him away and left his friend still stranded in the forest.

Ranma was worried that Blanka was going to be mad at him, but instead the big green giant gave him a hug. “Good see Ranma again! Glad Ranma left bad man~!”

“... Wait, you’re not mad I left you in the forest due to my pops?” Ranma asked in shock.

“Not Ranma fault, sense good in Ranma, not in Ranma dad. Me no blame Ranma for father doing.” This made Ranma breathe a sigh of relief.

Dan looked between Ranma and Blanka. “You two know each other?"

“Long story short, my old man took me on a training trip to the amazonian jungle. I found Blanka when I was eight, and wanted to get him out…. But my old man didn’t want ‘dead weight’ slowing me down…” Ranma’s eye twitched at remembering what his old man called one of the few friends he had.

“Really? No offence man.” Dan said to Blanka. “Deadweight? How can he be deadweight if he was your friend? That's below even for me.”

“That's my dad.” Ranma said to Dan. “He didn’t want me reliant on anyone but him… Because he wanted to use me to make him rich off MY hard work.”

“... I’m starting to get a pit in my stomach for some reason and I don’t know why…” Dan said, shivering.

“Blanka wants to stay with Ranma! Can Me be with friend? Want to show Ranma how training go.” 

Dan sighs, shaking his head. “You can stay but there is one rule! If you want to stay at my Dojo! You must first pass the test!” Dan said to them while in a fighting position. “You must try and defeat me!”

BAM!

BAM!

No less than a second Dan was uppercut by both Ranma and Blanka with just only a single move, causing him to fly up, out of the room and to the ground with his head on the dirt.

“... Wow… When Gouken said your training methods were poor… I didn’t think they were THIS bad…” Ranma said in a deadpan. “I BARELY put any force in that punch…”

“FAtheR I waNt TO gO on THe MeRRy Go RounD…” Dan said in a daze.

“Can Blanka stay?”

“YeS, sO lOnG yOu DoN’t MaKe A mEsS iN tHe HoUsE.” 

“... I’m going to train you up as well…” Ranma stated. “I am NOT going to stay with someone that doesn't take martial arts seriously.”

“BUt tHIs iS My DOjo…”

“And I’ll act as your teacher, starting tomorrow.” 

(Timeskip)

Not long after settling in with Dan and his friend Blanka, Dan told him which school that Gouken had signed him up in, Sainan Metropolitan High School. Ranma let out a sigh, hoping that Akuma’s attack would sway Gouken from sending him to school, but no.

Just then, he heard multiple people shouting as a girl cried out a battle cry. One goon was sent flying out of the alley way he heard the fighting.

Ranma looked to see a girl in a short-skirted sailor uniform (seifuku) with the collar popped, and red bloomers, usually with white lining on each side, underneath her skirt. She also wears red Converse-esque shoes, a midriff-baring red top under her uniform, red sparring gloves, a yellow neckerchief, and a white headband. She has short brown hair and brown eyes. Her fuku is blue with single white linings on each side and white socks.

Ranma was impressed, she seemed self taught… and was she imitating the Ansatsuken?

“... Huh… A bit crude on how she’s handling it… but it’s impressive she was able to learn it on her own,” Ranma said, impressed.

“And that's what you get for trying to hit on me asshole!” The girl shouted at them with anger. She then turned around to see Ranma standing there with an impressed expression. “You!”

“Who, me-”

WHOOSH!

“?!”

BAM!

Immediately Ranma blocked an attack from Sakura when she all of a sudden threw a punch at him. 

“Hey! What gives lady!? I’m not with them!” 

“I saw you many times with Ryu! What's your relationship with him?”

“Ryu?” Ranma asked in surprise. “He’s my friend and fellow student of the Ansatsuken. … Wait, how do you know Ryu? Did he teach you some of the Ansatsuken style you used?”

“Wait, you train with Ryu?” Sakura asked in surprise.

“Him and Ken,” Ranma answered. 

“You train with them? Wait a minute, that means! YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM!”

“Take it easy lady I-hold on a second!” Ranma was about to say something until he remembered something that clicked his mind. “Are you the girl that Ryu keeps talking about that wouldn’t leave him alone and keeps stalking him?” 

“HEY! I AM NOT A STALKER!” Sakura shouted, her face going neon red. “I’M HIS BIGGEST FAN!”

Ranma looked up and down at Sakura, raising an eyebrow. “More like an obsessed fan.”

“WHY YOU! THATS IT! LETS FIGHT! HERE AND NOW!”

“Lady, school's almost starting and it's the first day. I don’t want to be late before class sta-”

WHOOSH!

BAM!

“....... Alright you know what, I guess I can spare some time.” Ranma said, blocking another attack from her, throwing his bag away and getting into his fighting position. “Lets see what you got lady.”
“The names Sakura, Sakura Kasugano, and when I beat you! You tell me where Ryu is!” 

“I’m Ranma, Ranma Saotome, and I normally don’t fight women, but I’ll make sure you stop stalking my friend,” Ranma stated, taunting Sakura.

“I ALREADY TOLD YOU I’M NOT STALKING HIM! I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE HE IS! HE WASN’T IN THE FOREST LIKE USUAL DURING SUNRISE! NOT IN THE DOJO FOR 2 HOURS AND NOT BEEN SLEEPING FOR 6 HOURS!”

“......... Lady, that's basically what a stalker does.” Ranma said to her while sweatdropping. 

Sakura choked on air. “... It’s not that weird… is it…?” She asked, trying to keep strong.

“Girl, I might not be the smartest, but I know what a stalker acts like…” Ranma said in a deadpan remembering a purple haired amazon girl.

“.....Ok but still! SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!” She said before dashing towards Ranma. 

Ranma let her get in close before blocking and catching her punch and pushing her past him.

Sakura nearly fumbled and fell from the manover. “Hey, what’s the big idea!? I thought we were fighting!?”

“Sorry, old habit I'm still trying to get past,” Ranma said, groaning, as his old instincts took over. “My old man said I should never fight women because they are weaker, but Master Gouken has been putting it in my head that man or woman, you should not dishonor them by thinking they are weak and fighting them properly. Still trying to get it through the honor part of my head.”

“... Guess I’m the first girl you’ve sparred with in a while then?” Sakura asked, getting back in her fighting stance.

Ranma nodded, getting back in his. “Yeah, so sorry if I go easy, I’m not doing it to offend you or your honor, I’m just getting… 14 years of bad habits out of my head.”

Sakura laughed and smiled at him, actually liking his honesty. “None taken, just means if you go easy on me, I just find a weakness to exploit~”

Ranma burst out laughing. “Man, it’s nice to find someone that knows that in a fight, you actually have to find weakness in armor to exploit~ Shall we continue Sakura~?”

“Let’s go, Ranma!”

The two went to fight… when they heard their school bells start ringing. This caused the two to do an anime faceplant. 

“Crap, I’m late for school!” both shouted.

“Where do you go, Ranma? I go to Tamagawa Minami High School,” Sakura informed.

“Sainan Metropolitan High School,” Ranma answered. “And like I said before, it’s my first day, and I don’t want to be late.”

“Well, our schools are close by,” Sakura said. “Continue our duel after school?"

“Yeah,” Ranma agreed as the two got up and grabbed their things. “Maybe at the dojo I’m staying at.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you at your school's entrance after classes then,” Sakura stated as she ran off in the direction of her school.

(Sainan Metropolitan High School: Classroom)

WHOOSH!

“I’m not late am I?” Ranma apologized after sliding his classroom door open.

“No, you're just on time.” The teacher said to Ranma. 

Ranma blinked. “I am? … I thought for sure I was running late.” He muttered under his breath.

“Go ahead and take a seat with your classmates.” The teacher said to Ranma. 

Ranma did so and went towards the seat next to a boy that had golden brown eyes and orange-brown hair that was spikey. His hair was sharp and seemingly sticking out. He is shown to be of average height.

“PHEW! I made it! I thought I was gonna be late for sure.” Ranma sighed in relief. 

“Are you new around here?” The orange-brown hair boy asked Ranma. 

“Yeah, I just moved in a week ago.” Ranma said to the student before him. “Names Ranma Saotome.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Yuki Rita. Hope we get along with each other.” Rito introduced himself to Ranma. 

(Timeskip)

After going through the whole day of class, Ranma thought he was gonna lose it from the boring talks and keeping himself from falling asleep, the bell which was a miracle sent to him. 

“Oh man! Never thought that lessons would be THIS boring! If I knew about this I would’ve not gone to school.” Ranma mutters under his breath and walks through the hall, passing by some students. Ahead he saw Rito peeking out from the wall as if he was looking at something.

“Hey Rito!”

“AAAAHHHH!” Rito jumped in surprise and was frightened. Turning around to see Ranma standing there. “Oh Ranma! You scared me there!”

“What are you looking at?”

“Uhhhhh! I-I-I-ITS NOTHING!” Rito stuttered to Ranma.

“Really? Cause I did see you were looking at something.”

“No! I swear! I wasn’t doing anything-”

“He’s just looking at his sweet beloved crush!” Another boy said to the both of them. 

“... Crush?” Ranma asked, looking confused. 

“SAURYAMA!” Rito shouted to his friend in embarrassment, going full body red. 

“Yup! My friend here has a crush with the sweetest girl in school!” Sauryama said to Ranma. 

Ranma turned to see the girl walking with a group of girls, she has blue hair and purple eyes, wears the school uniform and has a red vertical hair clip on the left of her head.

“Huh, she is kinda pretty.” Ranma said while glancing at Haruna.

“Yeah, she is. And my friend here has been trying to confess to her but fails everytime.” Saruyama wraps his hand around Rito's shoulder. “Though I am too scared to even talk with her.”

“Hey I’ll let you know that I’ve gathered enough courage today!” Rito said to his friend. “Today is the day! That I confess to her!”

“Hmmmmm? What was that?” Haruna said in confusion.

“AAAAHHHHHH!” Rito screamed in panic and hid behind the wall when Haruna glanced at them and only saw Ranma there. 

“Oh! I didn’t see you around here.” Haruna said to Ranma. “Are you new here in school?” Haruna asked Ranma.

“Uhhhhh, yeah I am. Today’s my first day here.” Ranma said to Haruna. “My name’s Ranma, nice to meet you Haruna.”

“Nice to meet you too Ranma-wait. Those muscles.” Haruna said before glancing at Ranma’s biceps and his clothes. “Why are you wearing a chinese outfit? Are you a martial artist?”

“I am actually.” Ranma said to Haruna. “How did you know?”

“Because I also practice martial arts.” Haruna said to Ranma. “My grandfather has been teaching me for a while.”

“Is that so?” Ranma said with interest. “What martial arts do you study?” 

“I do both Capoeira and Aikido,” she answered.

“... I know Aikido, we have a club for that, but what’s Capoeira?” Rito asked, peeking out. 

“Oh, it's a fighting style that incorporates dance, acrobatics, music, and ritual into a martial art,” she answered.

“Is that why you're good at gymnastics?” Saruyama asked.

“Yup and you know about Aikido?” Haruna asked Rito.

“I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-” Rito spoke in a broken tone, unable to say what he was gonna say.

WHACK!

“AAHHHH! I MEAN! Yes I know Aikido! I also trained a bit of martial arts with my grandfather!” Rito said while wincing his head when Saruyama hit his head. 

“Oh so you know martial arts as well?”

“Yup! And here’s something else!” Sauryama said with a cheeky grin. “He wants to talk to you about something in private.”

“WHAT?!” Rito shouted to his friend in shock and in red. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAY-”

“Sure I can talk with him, is the storage room a good place to meet?” Haruna asked Rito.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

“That means yes!” Sauryama said while still smiling. 

“Great! I’ll meet you there Rito!” Haruna said before walking away. 

Rito glared at Sauryama after Haruna left. “Why did you do that?”

“Dude! It was the perfect opportunity for you! I did you a favor!”

“I WAS PREPARED TO CONFESS TO HER!” 

“And you would’ve chickened out at the last second.” Sauryama said to his friend. “Or the amount of bad luck that keeps coming.”

“Oh come on! Its not like its that ba-
“You nearly got run over by a stampede of elephants, a truck, almost landed in a pit of tigers, literally, and the list goes on. Which I have here.” Sauryama said while having a notepad with him.

“Were you taking notes this whole time?!”

“Yup.” Sauryama nodded his head to Rito. 

Ranma looked bewildered. “... And I thought MY luck was bad… Does that happen every time you try to confess to her?”

“Every time.” Sauryama said to Ranma. “Like this guy is a walking bad luck magnet whenever he tries to get to confess to her. And it doesn’t help that this guy is too much of a coward to talk with her.” 

Rito sighs sadly. “And it's true, as much as I hate it, I get too scared to confess to her.” 

“Just say it to her without thinking,” Ranma said like it was the most simplest thing in the world.

“You think that's easy for me?!”

“Hmmmmm,” Ranma hummed under his breath, thinking for some seconds before snapping his fingers. “I think I have an idea.”

“Whats that?”

“Oh you're gonna love this!”

“What is it that your possibly think that it’ll wor-”

(Storage room)

“ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!” Rito shouted enraged and scared.

“What? What's the big deal? Isn’t this supposed to help get you to confess to Haruna?”

“Oh sure, it would help BY TYING ME UP LIKE A HOSTAGE?!” Rito shouted as he was tied up in ropes by Ranma. 

“I gotta say, I didn’t think of this idea as well.” Sauryama said while rubbing his chin in interest.

“DON’T GIVE HIM COMPLIMENTS!” 

“Since you're scared, the only way to conquer your fear is by facing it.” Ranma said to Rito. “My master told me the best way to have someone face their fear is by trapping them in what they fear the most.”

“... Did he ALSO tell you to tie them up against their will…” Rito asked in a flat voice.

Ranma didn’t say anything and looked away, whistling innocently.

Sauryama was actually having a hard time holding back his laughter. This was better than anything on television.

Rito’s eye was twitching. “THEN UNTIE ME NOW!”

KNOCK! KNOCK!

“Rito? Are you there? I heard something.” 

“AAAAAHHHH!” Rito screamed in fear. “UNTIE ME! UNTIE ME PLEASE!”

“Nope, this is your one time opportunity and you're not gonna mess this up.” His friend said to Rito. “And don’t worry about the windows, I just glued them and replaced them with rubber.” 

“We’ll leave you to your talk,” Ranma said as the two left to let him FINALLY confess to her.

“YOU TRAITORS!” Rito called out to the two.

Ranma and Sauryama opened the door, seeing Haruna standing outside. “Hey, Haruna, Rito’s inside,” Sauryama greeted as they left. “He just wanted us to bring him something before you two talked.”

“We’ll leave you two to talk,” Ranma said. They both then walked off.

“QUICK! LOCK THE DOOR!”

WHOOSH!

CLICK!

CLICK!

Both Ranma and Sauryama closed and wrapped the door with chains and locks around it, sealing it tight. 

“That should do it.” Sauryama said while patting his hands.

“Let’s just wait out here in case something misfortune tries to interrupt this confession,” Ranma said.

“Hey Ranma, there you are!” Came the voice of Sakura, waving at him. “What’s taking so long? I thought we were going to meet at the front of your school after you were done with class?”

Sauryama looked at Ranma. “Friend of yours?”

“Sort of…?” Ranma said. “This is Sakura, we met before school and were going to have a spar, but classes were about to start and we held it off until after school.”

“So…? What’s the hold up?” Sakura asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“Helping a new friend of mine by confessing his feelings for a girl he likes, and hoping his bad luck does affect him in the room he’s in,” Ranma simplified his explanation.

“Is it Rito?” Sakura asked them.

“Yup. … Wait, you know Rito?”

“About time time.” Sakura said. “It's so obvious when I saw him glancing at Haruna more often, I even saw him try to confess to him but he got run over by elephants, fell into a pithole, bad luck always followed him for some reason.” 

“... Guess it happened next to your school… Tamagawa Minami High School was it?” Ranma asked her.

“Yep, never seen a worse case of bad luck in my life,” Sakura said. “If he could, I’d think he’d make a fighting style out of it, something like the Drunken Fist but with Bad Luck.”

“... Huh… I don’t know how that would work… maybe go with the flow of bad luck…?” Ranma said, thinking about it.

“Either that or he really has the worst luck.” Sakura said to Ranma. 

“YES~! FINALLY~1 I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO WAIT FOREVER FOR YOU TO TELL ME~” Came the loud and joyful cheer of Haruna’s voice from the door. “I’VE LIKED YOU FOR FOREVER YOU DORK~!”

“... It seems he finally did it…” All three said with sheepish smiles and sweat drops.

“YES! ITS ABOUT FUCKING DAMN TIME!” Sauryama shouted in happiness. Unlocking the door and releasing the chain as Haruna was hugging Rito as he was literally red. “YOU DID IT BRO! NOT ONE BAD LUCK HAS HAPPENED!”

As if on cue… there was an explosion outside.

Ranma gave Sauryama a flat look. “You just had to open your mouth… didn’t you…?”

“... At least it was after he confessed after all…” Sauryama said, smiling sheepishly.

“Well that's settled! Come on Ranma!”

“Hold on! I’m coming, I’m coming!” Ranma said to Sakura while following her. 

“... Uh… Weren’t you going to help me unlock the door…?” Sauryama asked, looking at the chained up door, sweating.

“You can handle it,” Ranma said. “Besised, you’re Rito’s friend for longer, and he’ll go easier on you when you untie him.”

“Ah come on!”

“See you later!” Ranma said to Sauryama before leaving.

(Senien street)

“Alright! This time, no distractions.” Sakura said, punching both her fists together and got into position. “Show me what you got Ranma!”

“Heh, we’ll see about that.” Ranma said, getting into his Anything Goes stance. “I’ll try not to go easy on you.”

“Let's put that to the test!” Sakura shouted as they both ran at each other.

“So this is where you were heading in such a hurry,” came a new voice that distracted the two, causing them to collide with each other.

‘... SERIUOSLY…!?’ both shouted in their heads as they turned to see who interrupted their sparring match.

They saw a girl in sailor fuku, almost similar to Sakura’s, except hers is predominantly red and white with a blue bola tie. She stylizes her blonde hair into long, oversized Victorian Europe-style ringlets, with two small forelocks and braids encircling her head, and occasionally wears a blue bow in the back. She wears black shorts and completes her outfit with a matching black top and socks, and short, red boots. She also wears brown fingerless gloves.

“... What do you want, Karin…?” Sakura asked as she and Ranma got up.

“Friend of yours…?” Ranma asked Sakura.

“More like she says she is my rival,” Sakura stated, annoyed with all the interruptions.

“Ohohohohoho~! My, my, who is this handsome young man?” Karin said while getting close to Ranma.
“Uhhhh, its Ranma.”

“Ranma, where have I heard that name before?” Karin said, putting her finger on her cheek while thinking. “Are you related to a person named Saotome who’s wanted in Monaco?”

Ranma sweats while looking nervous. “I-uhhhhh, have no idea what you're talking about?” Ranma nervously said to her. 

“Hmnmmmm, well no matter! You seem to be a pretty handsome boy like you, why are you hanging out with a commoner like her? She is too brash and not that great to be with.”

“Oi! Watch it, Karin!” 

“Hey, I like that about Sakura,” Ranma said, coming to his friend’s defence. “I actually get along with her. And I won’t let you dishonor my friend like that.” Ranma then turned to Sakura. “Anyways, me and Sakura have a spar to get back to.”

“Oh, maybe I can be more of a challenge then her~” Karin said, smiling. “I ACTUALLY have my own fighting style I created, unlike this girl that copied someone else's fighting techniques~”

Sakura’s eye started to twitch at Karin’s trying to one up her.

“What, you made ballet into a fighting style or something and gave it a name?” Ranma asked, unimpressed.

Sakura quickly covered her mouth to hide the snort of laughter.

Karin sputtered in indignation, her face flushing red. “How dare you! My Kanzuki-ryu Kakutojutsu is not just a recoat of ballet! I took time and effort to make it!”

Ranma raised an eyebrow at her. “If that's good, then let’s see how good you are if you think your Kanzuki-ryu Kakutojutsu is strong.” 

“Fine,” Karin said, getting into her stance, smiling smugly. “I’ll show you just how refine my style is~”

“Hey! I was here first!” Sakura shouted. “I still have to fight him!”

“OHOHOHOHOHO~! I’m just the better chose, and I do need to prove my style is better~”

Ranma groaned. “You know what… You BOTH can fight me at the same time."

“Wouldn’t that be unfair to you Ranma?” Sakura asked Ranma. 

“Eh, I’ve faced multiple fighters before due to pops, and I need to make sure I don’t get rusty just fighting one on one.” Ranma said to Sakura. 

“If you say so.” Sakura got into her fighting position. 

“OHOHOHOHO! Two against one? Seems a bit unfair but lets see how you fair against this noble one~.” Karin laughed before she too got into her fighting position. 

Ranma smirked, giving the ‘come at me’ hand wave. “Well, if you two are so sure, why don’t you try~? As they say, ladies first~ I’ll even use one arm if you like~?”

Karin’s eye twitched at Ranma’s nonchalant attitude. “Are you looking down on me…?”

Sakura knew Ranma was just trying to rile them up to make them slopy… but it was working.

“You will regret those words,” Karin declared, the way people declare wars.

Ranma’s smirk widened. “Oh? Then show me.”

Karin’s heel clicked once against the pavement. Then-

WHOOM!

She launched. Not a stumble. Not a scramble. A clean, explosive dash that made the onlookers gasp like someone had fired a starting pistol.

“Kanzuki-ryuu-!”

Her kick snapped toward Ranma’s head like a whip. Ranma didn’t even move his feet. He tilted his head a fraction.

SWISH!

The kick missed by a hair. Karin spun into a second kick, then a third—each one sharp, elegant, deadly. Ranma lifted his promised “one arm” and blocked them all with minimal motion, palm and forearm redirecting impact like he was guiding water.

THOK! THOK! THOK!

Karin’s eyes widened. He wasn’t just defending. He was controlling the rhythm. Sakura’s gut clenched. He’s making her chase…

Karin flipped back, landing clean, then snapped her hand forward with a sharp, slicing gesture.

“Guren-KEN!”

A burst of pressure shot out, more force than finesse, but still dangerous. Students shrieked and ducked. Ranma casually swept his arm across like he was brushing dust off his sleeve-

FWUMP!

The pressure split and scattered, slamming into the fence and rattling it like a giant shook it.

Ranma yawned. Actually yawned. “C’mon,” he said, voice smug as sugar. “That’s the famous Kanzuki style? I’ve seen scarier paper fans.”

Karin’s smile tightened. The kind of smile people wear right before they commit a crime.

Sakura stepped in fast, palms up.

“Karin, don’t, he’s trying to-”

Karin didn’t even look at her. “You.” Karin pointed at Ranma, finger trembling with righteous fury. “You think you can mock me…? You think you can mock Kanzuki Karin and walk away?”

Ranma’s hand wave returned, slow and insulting. “Try me.”

Sakura felt it… the snap.

Karin’s pride fully ignited, and now the fight was no longer just about winning.

It was about making Ranma eat that smirk.

Sakura clenched her fists.

This is exactly what he wants…

And she hated that her own pulse was rising too, because Ranma’s bait wasn’t just aimed at Karin. It was aimed at both of them. Ranma’s eyes flicked to Sakura, just for a moment, like he’d been waiting. Like he’d known she’d get drawn in anyway. His smirk softened into something sharper.

“Your turn, Kasugano.”

Sakura’s teeth grit. “… Fine.”

She dropped into stance. And the moment she did, the atmosphere changed completely—

Because now it wasn’t one hothead charging into a trap. It was two fighters, stepping into a ring that Ranma had already measured, mapped, and rigged in his head. Ranma lifted his single arm again.

“Ladies first,” he repeated, almost kindly… Which somehow felt even more insulting.

Sakura lunged. Karin lunged.

And for a split second the whole world narrowed down to three bodies, one stretch of cracked asphalt, and the sound of the air getting cut to pieces.

WHOOSH!!

Sakura came in first, straight line, honest speed, fists up, eyes locked.

Karin came in like a missile, sharp angle, feet slicing, pride blazing so hot you could’ve fried an egg on it.

Ranma didn’t move his feet. He just lifted that one arm again like he was politely receiving an offer at a tea party.

“Perfect,” he said.

Sakura’s fist snapped toward his face.

Karin’s kick snapped toward his ribs.

Ranma stepped between the lines. Not back. Not away. IN. He turned his shoulder just enough that Sakura’s punch skimmed past his cheek…… and Karin’s kick hissed past his back.

Then Ranma’s open palm tapped Sakura’s wrist. Not hard. Just enough to redirect.

Sakura’s punch changed course by inches. And those inches were enough.

THWACK!!

Sakura’s knuckles clipped Karin’s sleeve. It wasn’t even a solid hit. But Karin heard the sound. And Karin saw it. And Karin interpreted it as treason.

“KASUGANO!”

Sakura’s eyes went huge. “WAIT, THAT WASN’T-!”

Ranma smiled with the calm of a man watching two people argue over who bumped the shopping cart. “Oh no,” he said, voice dripping innocence, “friendly fire already? That was fast.”

Karin snapped her foot down, furious, and Sakura spun away, flustered, and Ranma took the only opening he needed.He slid one step, and his “one arm” hooked Karin’s incoming strike.

Karin’s wrist froze in his grip. Her eyes widened. “H-How-?!”

Ranma leaned in, still smiling. “You’re strong,” he said, almost conversational, “but you fight like you’ve never been told ‘no’ in your life.”

Karin’s rage spiked to nuclear levels.

“I WILL-!” She tried to rip free. Ranma didn’t let her. He pivoted, hips, shoulder, one clean turn.

WHUMP!

Karin went airborne in a perfect arc like someone had turned off gravity for her specifically.

“WAH-?!”

She landed, still controlled, still not slammed, but she hit the ground hard enough to skid and kick up dust.

Sakura flinched. “KARIN!”

Karin popped up instantly, furious, hair whipping like a banner. “DON’T PITY ME!”

Sakura clenched her fists and dashed again, this time smarter, tighter. She didn’t chant. She didn’t rush. She watched.

Ranma noticed. His eyes narrowed just a little.

“Oho?”

Sakura feinted high, stepped low, aimed a sweeping kick at his ankle.

Ranma hopped it, light as nothing.

Sakura followed with an uppercut, cleaner than before Ranma parried with his one arm.

THOK!

And for the first time, Sakura’s punch didn’t just miss.

It almost landed.

Ranma’s smirk twitched.

“Good,” he said. “You’re learning.”

Sakura’s grin flashed even as she fought. “I’m trying!”

Karin came back in, furious and fast, attacking from the side like she was determined to erase the last ten seconds from existence.

“STOP TALKING TO HER LIKE YOU’RE HER TEACHER!”

Ranma didn’t even look at Karin.

He listened. Karin’s heel cut in, Ranma shifted his stance, Sakura’s punch came in, Ranma caught Sakura’s forearm with his palm, and guided it sideways like he was guiding a dance.

“Eh?!”

Sakura stumbled half a step, Karin’s kick whiffed again, and Karin’s momentum carried her right into Sakura’s space.

Sakura’s eyes widened. “Karin, behind you-!”

Karin’s eyes widened. “MOVE!”

They both reacted at the same time. They both moved the wrong way… And they collided shoulder-to-shoulder.

BONK!!

“Down,” he said.

Karin froze, teeth clenched so hard you could hear it.

Sakura hesitated, then charged anyway, because she couldn’t help it.

Ranma turned to her.

Sakura threw everything, fast hands, better footwork, a sharp burst of Ki… Ranma raised his one arm, palm forward. He didn’t blast back. He didn’t flare. He just released a compact pulse of pressure, like a door being shut in your face.

FWUMP!!

Sakura’s Ki sputtered and burst apart in a harmless spray, like a firework that forgot it was supposed to be scary. Sakura’s momentum died mid-step.

Her eyes widened.

Ranma stepped in. One hand, open palm, tapped her shoulder. Then her hip. Then the back of her knee. Three quick touches. Sakura’s legs locked for a split second.

“Huh-?!”

Ranma gently guided her forward, and Sakura stumbled, tripped, and landed on her hands and knees with a skid.

Sakura blinked at the ground like it had personally betrayed her. Ranma stood behind her, one arm still tucked like he’d promised.

“Match,” he said.

Silence.

Then… Sakura slowly sat back on her heels, panting, cheeks flushed, eyes shining.“…That was AWESOME.”

“... Eh…?” Ranma looked surprised at Sakura’s reaction. “... You actually thought it was awesome?”

“Quite,” Karin said, getting up and dusting herself off. “Even though you taunted us to make mistakes, we shouldn’t have let it get to us. You controlled the flow of the battle from the start. There is still much to learn I suppose.”

“I will admit… Your Kanzuki-ryu Kakutojutsu actually intrigued me… Would you be willing to teach me it so I can add it into my Anything Goes style? I feel like it would help flow attacks better,” Ranma said. “Especially those palm strikes and swift leg sweeps."

“Oh, so you are saying my fighting style is better~?” Karin asked with a smug smile.

Ranma gave her a flat look. “Don’t push it…”

Sakura then got in between them. “Hey, I saw that you used Ansatsuken in some of your moves as well, are you learning that as well? Can you teach me to get better at it?”

“... I’m sorry… What?” Ranma asked, surprised. “You want to be taught by me?”

“Sure~! Besides, I might get to meet Ryu if I’m with you~” Sakura stated. This made Ranma sweatdrop.

“That was awesome!” A familiar voice came from behind the three. They turned to see Rito,  Haruna, and Sauryama, the last one sporting a lump on his head. They had been watching the fight for a while and were in awe.

“Dude, I knew you said you were a martial artist, but I didn’t think you were like an action movie sort,” Rito stated.

“... Action movie?” Ranma asked, unsure what that was.

(Dan’s Dojo)

“Hey Dan! I’m back!”

“HIYAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Dan shouted while flying a kick to Ranma.

BAM!

“Seriously?” Ranma asked with a raised eyebrow while casually gripping Dan’s leg and threw him away.

“......Ow……..” Dan groan in pain before jumping up and pointing at Ranma. “You're late! You're supposed to be here an hour ago!”

“Yeah, I got caught up with some fights but anyway-”

“No excuse! You made me waste an hour waiting for you and you're late for your training! So you’ll have to be punished! By me! HIIIYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

BAM!

Ranma casually upper cutted Dan in the jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

“... Please tell me this… holagon isn’t your master…?” Karin asked.

Dan sat up. “Wait, who are all these people?”

“Friends I made today,” Ranma answered. “They wanted to visit where I’m staying.”

“Ranma home!” Blanka shouted, jumping down from the ceiling, and startling everyone.

“Who, or what, is that!?” Rito shouted in shock.

“Ugh! What kind of a horrible foul beast is that?!” Karn shouted while pointing at Blanka.

“This is my friend Blanka and before you ask, yes he’s like this.” Ranma said to his friends. “Met him from Amazon Forest.” 

“Wait, are you a survivor of the plane crash years ago?” Haruna asked.

“Yes, Blanka surviver. Leveled off eels and fight wild animals to survive.”

“His skin turned green because of the plant mush he covered himself in to stay hidden,” Ranma answered.

“And gained electrical powers from eels~!” Blanka added.

“... That… shouldn’t be possible…” Rito said, looking like his brain was going to fry from the absurdity of Blanka getting electrical powers from eating eels.
“In that case! Welcome to the Saikyō-ryū Dojo! Would you like to sign up to study and learn the greatest martial arts in the world that will guarantee to become the world champion of martial arts?” Dan asked them, his shining teeth.

“Nope.”

“No thanks.”

“Sorry, I already know some martial arts due to practicing with my grandfather,”

“Not a chance.”
“Hmph! As if I would join this low life crummy beaten run down dojo! I would rather spend my time shopping for jewelry than to spend one second in this dump!”

Clutching his heart, which felt heavy with the weight of numerous rejections (symbolized by a frantic flurry of  'NOPE's written in shaky Kanji), Dan dramatically face-planted onto the floor. The final blow, Karin's insult, was so devastating it left him sprawled out in the fetal position, clinging desperately to a single, slightly wilted flower, which, let's be honest, probably also rejected him.

“That’s why I’m trying to whip him into shape as well,” Ranma said. “He’ll only win if it’s out of pity… and then I don’t think he’ll win…”

“I’m not that pathetic…” Dan whined, another symbolic arrow hitting him.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, how about we can say they are students of the dojo so when people hear about them, they’ll consider signing up.” Ranma said to Dan, turning to the girls. “What do you say? Can you help him out a bit, it's just this favor I’m asking.”

“Hmmmmmm, alright sure. Since you're already teaching me, I’ll be a part of the dojo.” Sakura said to Ranma.

“Hmph, as if this noble would ever agree to such a request but for the sake of your agreement, I’ll say I’m sponsoring this rundown place. There’s absolutely no way I will step into this place unless it has a proper clean up and adjustments.”

“R…….. Ranma, you……….. you…………” By now Dan was shedding tears as the flower spring up in life reacting to Dan’s emotion. “THANK YOU RANMA!” Dan said while hugging him. “I’LL NEVER FORGET THIS!”
“Hey! Get off me!” Ranma shouted, trying to shove the man off him.

(Somewhere)

An old man heavily sighs and snarls while crossing his legs. Closing his eyes while gripping his fist. 

“Kazuya, Jin.” The man growled under his breath in anger. This man is Heihachi Mishima, the former CEO of Mishima Zaibatsu (Removed many times).

“I see that you're still here as ever, Heihachi.” Another voice spoke to him. Heihachi turned around to see Gouken standing there with his arms crossed while stoically looking at him.

“What are you doing here Gouken?” Heihachi demanded. 

“I did not come here to already settle things, Heihachi.” Gouken said to him. “I’ve heard that your grandson has taken over your corporations and your son is missing.”

“Don’t I need to be reminded?” Heihachi replied to Gouken. “It won’t be long until I get it back?”

“And plunge the world to further destruction?” Heihachi said to Gouken. “Not after what your son has done for the past years.”

“You talk as if you're innocent, your brother for example.” Heihachi retorted at Gouken. “Not so much like your precious world fighting tournaments.”

“The only reason you're here is because of her promise.” Gouken retorted back at him. “If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be alive Heihachi so I should consider your next words before I send you to her.”

Heihachi growled at him for a bit before sighing. Backing down.

“What is it that you want?”

“Your son, Kazuya, he has risen to become head of G Corporation. And your grandson Jin, I’ve heard plans on making independence.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Because I know that you were visited by general Bison.” Gouken said to Heihachi. “What did you two talk about?”

“And why should I tell you?”

“I don't care about what goes on between your family, I let your family quarrels for too long. You and your damn Devil Genes. When it comes to Bison, that requires my attention.” 

“Heh, getting too worried? Is it because of that new discipline you recruited? Yes I know about him. Ranma is it? Maybe I should pay him a little visi-”

BAM!

Gouken threw a punch to Heihachi, but missed as it destroyed a wall behind him while Gouken got close to Heihachi, glaring at him at eye level. 

“Lay a finger on him Heihachi, and I will make sure that your death would be far worse than getting burned in a volcano.” Gouken threatened Heihachi. 

“For a man that prides himself in a nonleath version of the fighting style that’s made to kill, you’re quick to threaten someone’s life,” Heihachi said, not even fazed by Gouken’s show of force or threats.

“Your Devil Genes has been a curse in this world since it was passed onto your son and your grandson.” Gouken said to Heihachi. “If you're not going to tell me then fine, I won’t pry any further.” He said before turning around and leaving, pausing his steps. “But, if I hear that you have done something to my student……………… I won’t be afraid to stain my fist with your blood Heihachi.” Gouken threatens him as he leaves. 

Heihachi watches as he leaves before smirking.

“Oh you old fool, you say that devil genes are a curse in the world.” He said before walking to a family history tree. “Then what could you say about your student?” trailing down from a list of families, from old family to the Mishima family, his family tree. Sometime ago after his defeat he ordered the company to make the Mishima family tree so he can be sure which one has the devil gene. Soon another family tree branched out from one part of his ancestor which slowly trails down from Mishima to another family and Hachijo family. To a woman who resembles heavily to Ranma girl form but older with Genma next to it as it reaches to… 

Ranma. 

“To know that your precious little student also has something that you despise heavily. HeheheheheheHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Heihachi maliciously chuckled before laughing. Perhaps he can pay his little grandson a little visit, isn’t it time for his grandfather to pay his new favorite grandson?

Only this time, he has more potential than the others.

(Back with Ranma)

“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN I’M MARRIED?!” Ranma shouted to a pink haired girl that literally appeared in his bathroom naked.

To Be Continued…

AN: 

WHAT?! I MEAN WHAT THE HELL?! RANMA HAS DEVIL GENE AS WELL?! HOLY SHIT!

Light/Xara: What’s next? Is he the descendant of an Elder God from Mortal Kombat…? Seriously… I thought Ranma’s life was supposed to get easier… not crazier… And we haven’t gotten to Nerima yet…. That’s the location of the sisters, right?

Yup and I doubt he wants to go there because he’s already has a home that isn’t Nerima with all the crazy shit and shenanigans. But crazy always follows him for some reason.

Light/Xara: True. … We’re sure he doesn’t have Elder God heritage in him… do we? Because everything that’s happened so far is crazy, we don’t need interdimensional Konquerors to add to the mix.

Hell no, also if people are wondering why Ranma has the devil gene? Well it is confirmed in the Tekken Lore Azazel has granted humans its power which is the devil genes as its servants. Which means that the Hachijo family isn’t the only one that has the devil gene but others as well. Why its not activated well its dormant but enough push, they could unlock the devil gene. 

Light/Xara: … Is there an Angel Gene as well? Because I can see Ranma’s luck being that bad to have both… Would make a cool Yin and Yang thing though…

It is possible, considering how Jin has an angel form. But for now, I think this is also what Akuma has sensed, not just Anything That Goes but his devil genes and you know how Akuma likes to see their potential rising.

Light/Xara: (Groans and Facepalms) And adding in the evil side of the fighting style that has a will of its own… That’s just a powder keg ready to blow… And it’s going to be nucular… I just know it…

Yeah, anyway wanna end the chapter? 

Light/Xara: Sure. We hope you enjoyed the story. If you have other fighting games to cross over with, please leave a suggestion in their comments as well as a kudos. We hope you enjoyed it. That good Dark?

Yes sir! Thank you guys for reading our story, be sure to leave a review if you like, that's greatly appreciate it. And we’ll see you all guys later!

Light/Xara … Hey, before we end it, do you think the River City franchise would work here?

Its possible

Light/Xara: (Shruggs) Okay. Keep it in mind for later then, we’ll see you in the next chapter then, see ya.

PEACE OUT!