Fighting Blind

Ranma Saotome and the gang are Rumiko Takahashi's creation. Nuff 
said.

<>: Thoughts
<"">: Chinese language

                          Chapter Two
                          Unseen Path

     It was a cold and windy afternoon at the Training Grounds of 
Cursed Springs. The Guide had just lit his pipe as he sat near a 
campfire when he saw a group of people approach the main entrance 
to the valley. He nodded as he recognized the group.
     "Many Amazons come to Jusenkyo today. Must be very 
important if Elder come here too."
     Ranma and Mousse led the group as they approached the edge of 
the pools which had many bamboo poles scattered about each 
spring. Behind them, Koga, Shampoo, Jasmine, Cologne and several 
other Amazons followed them, as they would serve as witnesses for 
the duel.
     <"Mother, I don't like the feel of this place. Itseems as if I'm 
feeling the cries of a hundred tortured souls calling out to me.">
     Jasmine regarded her adopted child with a thoughtful look. She 
had remembered Koga mentioning that Ranma's abilities were 
sensitive enough to detect energies that pertained to the 
supernatural. <"You are very perceptive Ranma. I'm not surprised 
that you feel this way. Jusenkyo is a place of many tragedies and 
more than a hundred unfortunate people and animals have met their 
doom here. Each spring has had something or someone drown in it, 
leaving a terrible curse in their waters. I would advise you to be very 
careful here! As this is a duel of honor, I cannot interfere. I can give 
you this warning however. Do not fall into any of the springs! Your 
blindness is burden enough without having to worry about a 
Jusenkyo curse!">
     As soon as the group reached the center of the training grounds, 
Mousse strutted forward and regarded his rival. <"Now I will prove 
to all that I am the only one worthy to receive Shampoo's love!"> 
Mousse said as he leapt up to perch on one of the poles. He then 
looked down at his hated rival and sneered. <"Come on you coward! 
Face your end!">
     Ranma turned to give Shampoo and the others a reassuring smile 
as he leapt up to land on a pole opposite to Mousse. The Amazons 
took a seat on a nearby log as Cologne began stating the terms of the 
match.
     <"There will be no time limit! No outside interference will be 
tolerated! Victory can be achieved by knocking your opponent into a 
spring, submission. or death! When I give the signal to begin, you 
will start fighting! The result of the match will determine Ranma's 
rights as an Amazon! Prepare yourselves!">
     Ranma began focusing his ki for the imminent battle. His aura 
began to glow as he extended all of his enhanced senses at Mousse 
and his surroundings. His seventh sense gave him an image of each 
of the poles and the location of the cursed springs in his mind. He 
then thrust out his staff in a ready position and waited.
     <"BEGIN!">
     Mousse wasted no time as he leapt toward his opponent and 
threw his sleeves forward. A barrage of poison-tipped daggers flew 
toward Ranma.
     Ranma's nostrils flared a bit as he recognized the kind of poison 
Mousse was using. It was a rare herbal extract that was even more 
lethal than curare. His sixth sense had already warned him about the 
threat and he had gauged Mousse's ki energy when he had thrown 
the daggers. His seventh sense tracked the trajectory of the daggers 
as they streaked toward him. All this sensory input was received in 
an instant and Ranma reacted accordingly.
     Instead of leaping to avoid the blades, Ranma began spinning his 
staff like a propeller. Each dagger was deflected away with ease. Not 
a single one touched him. As the last knife fell, Ranma then threw out 
an arm and launched his own counterattack. His seventh sense had 
already located Mousse as he was landing on a pole to his right.
     The Hidden Weapons fighter was more than shocked when he 
saw his opponent suddenly make a hundred throwing stars appear. 
He had to get off his perch quickly in order to avoid the shurikens as 
they cut to pieces the pole he had been on a moment before. He 
landed on another pole while cursing.
     <"Thatcan't be! You can't know Hidden Weapon techniques!">
     Ranma smiled as he pivoted on one foot. <"Just because I'm blind, 
doesn't mean that I'm helpless!">
     <"I will not tolerate this insult!"> Mousse roared as he leapt to 
attack him again, this time pulling out a longsword.
     Ranma ducked under Mousse's slash, then swung his staff in an 
arc that smacked into Mousse's side and sent him flying. Mousse 
had to twist and reach out toward a pole to avoid falling into a spring. 
He was barely able to use the pole to spring him up and flip toward 
another perch. He began breathing hard as he saw how close he had 
come to losing the match.
     <Damn him! I've got to separate him from that staff of his! He's got 
a longer reach and my weapons can't get close enough!> Mousse 
decided to change his tactics as he threw out a length of chain, 
hoping to ensnare Ranma's weapon away from him.
     Ranma's sixth sense measured the amount of ki that Mousse had 
used to throw the chain and his radar-sense tracked the links as they 
streaked toward the end of his staff. Just as the chain wrapped 
around one end of his staff, Ranma used this opportunity to turn the 
tables. He gave a mighty pull and 'yanked Mousse's chain!' (Pardon 
the pun). 
     Mousse was unprepared at the sudden movement and 
unfortunately for him, he was still attached to the chain. He found 
himself pulled off his perch and making an arc toward a spring. He 
released his weapon, then brought forth a staff of his own. He thrust 
it forward and used it to pole-vault himself back up to another 
bamboo pole.
     Ranma leapt forward guided by his sense of hearing. He stabbed 
out with his staff and hit Mousse's inverted form in the chest, just as 
he was heading up toward a safe landing spot. Mousse was knocked 
back, dropping his weapon and just missed another spring. The two 
leapt back and faced each other off.
     By now, Mousse was getting angrier. He had yet to score a single 
hit on his adversary, while Ranma was mocking both him and his 
techniques. Weren't his Hidden Weapon skills more formidable than 
that weak Unseen Light? It was almost as if he knew what weapons 
he was going to pull out. Then, he realized what was going on. His 
opponent was blind, right? That must mean that his other senses 
were far sharper than his, especially his sense of hearing. With this in 
mind, he came up with a plan to defeat Ranma.
     Mousse made another leap with his sleeves held at the ready. Just 
as Ranma prepared to counter with a thrust, Mousse pulled out a pair 
of cymbals and slammed them together.
     Ranma screamed as the loud noise echoed against his sensitive 
eardrums. Mousse took advantage of his disorientation and lashed 
forward with a hand blade. Ranma's sixth sense barely had enough 
time to warn him and his body reacted on reflex. Ranma leapt back, 
almost evading the blade completely. The weapon just barely nicked 
his chest as Ranma landed on another pole. Mousse was grinning as 
he landed on another perch.
     Ranma was shaking his head to clear it as his foe laughed. When 
the ringing stopped, he tuned into what his opponent was saying.
     <"HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! I've got you now Ranma! That blade I 
used was poison-tipped! All I had to do was scratch you! In less 
than a minute, you'll be dead! I have won! Shampoo is mine!">
     Ranma began to feel numbness in his legs and arms as the poison 
began to spread all over him. It was taking all of his strength just to 
remain balanced on his pole. His hands started to lose their strength 
and he couldn't hold onto his staff. The weapon dropped down and 
splashed down in one of the pools below.
     Shampoo watched in horror as her childhood friend began to 
become pale and unsteady. She took a step forward, but was stopped 
by a cane held out in front of her. She looked down and saw her 
great-grandmother giving her a stern look. She looked back up at 
Ranma then down at Cologne. The Elder shook her head, telling 
Shampoo with her eyes that interference was not permitted. This was 
a duel of honor and she would see it through. Shampoo bit back her 
tears as she waited for the inevitable.
     Ranma began to feel dizzy as the poison increased its effect on 
him. As he began to lose consciousness, he began hearing Jasmine's 
voice in his head. A memory of his younger days came back to him as 
he thought back to a time when he was twelve and his adopted 
mother was telling him about a technique in which one could speed 
up one's own healing.
     <Ranma, it is just as important to heal yourself as it is to heal 
others! By striking these specific pressure points on your arms and 
chest, your ki energy will be stimulated enough to stop the spread of 
poison and begin the healing process that much sooner! But you 
must take care! Missing these spots by even the slightest fraction 
would cause great and permanent harm to your body!>
     Ranma then remembered what Master Koga had told him about the 
sixth sense.
     <Ranma my boy, the sixth sense can not only detect the ki of 
others, but it can also detect the ki in one's self. If for some reason 
that your physical senses should fail, you can still rely on it to 'feel' 
your own body!>
     Ranma nodded, as he knew what to do. With only ten seconds of 
his life left, he began to focus his sixth sense onto himself. His 
skeletal muscles were locking up and his skin was growing cold. 
Within two seconds, he had located the correct pressure points with 
his sixth sense, since the poison was affecting his sense of touch. 
With a final gasp, he stabbed at each pressure point with the index 
and middle fingers of each hand.
     A moment of silence passed. Then another and another. Mousse 
became very confused. Ranma should have keeled over dead by now. 
Why hadn't he?
     Ranma breathed out a sigh of relief as he felt his body beginning 
to warm up again. His muscles began to unlock and some of his 
strength returned. It was just through sheer willpower that he had 
managed to keep his balance during that time. Ranma straightened up 
and faced his opponent once more.
     <"Impossible! You should be dead by now!">
     Ranma mouth turned up in a smirk as he said, <"Well, I guess they 
don't make poison the way they used to!">
     <"DIE!"> Mousse screamed as he leapt toward him with the same 
hand blade, thinking that Ranma didn't get enough of the poison in 
his body the first time around.
     Ranma sensed Mousse's approach and leapt out of the way. He 
landed on another pole unsteadily and realized that even though the 
poison inside him wasn't going to kill him, it had still made him too 
weak to fight off Mousse's attack effectively. Furthermore, Mousse 
still had those cymbals and could still use them to his advantage 
against him. Ranma had to end this fight and fast.
     Mousse jumped from pole to pole, maneuvering to get into a good 
position to attack. Ranma didn't have his staff so he wouldn't be able 
to fight unless he was at close range. Mousse also knew that Ranma 
was sensitive to sound. As he came at Ranma again, he took out the 
cymbals and clanged them together.
     However, to the Hidden Weapons master's surprise, Ranma did 
not react to the noise as he leapt up and delivered a downward punch 
to Mousse's head, sending him down toward a cursed spring. It was 
though sheer luck that he managed to grab hold of a shorter pole and 
swing over to another. He turned to look at his opponent, who was 
taking a crane stance ten feet away.
     Ranma smiled as he thought back to another skill that Koga had 
taught him.
     <Ranma, there will be times in which having sharp hearing and a 
sense of smell would be a hindrance. I shall teach you a way to 
temporarily tune out noises and smells. Do not worry, since you will 
still be able to use your sixth and seventh sense to guide you 
through.>
     As of now, Ranma was deaf as well as blind, so Mousse's sound 
attack had no effect on him. His sixth sense had warned him about his 
approach and his seventh sense guided him to where he should 
strike. He could already sense the anger building up in his foe as he 
rushed toward him once more to finish off the fight. Ranma waited on 
his perch and reached out with his two extra senses. When Mousse 
was almost on top of him, he launched his final attack.
     "KATCHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"
     Ranma's fists blurred forward and struck Mousse several hundred 
times in the ribs. Although he was not hitting with any considerable 
strength due to the poison, the effect was still devastating! Mousse 
was thrown back and made a short arc toward a cursed spring. He 
threw out a sleeve and a chain whipped out to snag a pole beside 
Ranma's position.
     Ranma crouched down and reached out with a finger. When he 
touched the chain, he focused his ki into it. The energy ran the length 
of the chain and then caused it to disintegrate into metal powder 
before it had a chance to become taut.
     <"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!">
     Mousse screamed in horror, as the only means of saving himself 
was gone. He made a tremendous splash into the spring and 
disappeared under the surface. A moment later, a duck wearing 
Mousse's thick glasses came up and began quacking angrily.
     "Uh oh! He fall into Yazsniichuan!" Said the Guide. "Spring of 
Drowned Duck! Very tragic legend of duck that drown 3000 year ago! 
Now whoever fall in spring take body of duck!"
     The Amazons cheered as Cologne declared Ranma the winner. 
Ranma smiled as his hearing restored itself. He crouched down and 
said weakly, <"Could someone help me get down?"> The Chestnut 
Fist had exhausted almost all of Ranma's remaining strength and he 
was about to drop off into the spring below him. Koga noted Ranma's 
low ki level and leapt up to retrieve his pupil.
     Sometime later, Ranma was still being congratulated as he was 
recovering in Jasmine's house. Shampoo kept on bubbling on about 
Ranma's victory as the healer applied some special lotions to prevent 
infection from the cut on his chest and to help drive out the poison 
faster.
     <"Aiya! You did great Ranma!"> Shampoo glomped onto him and 
gave him a kiss on the cheek.
     Ranma's cheeks took on twin spots of red. Even though he still 
considered Shampoo as his cousin, he was a little more than 
embarrassed by this display of affection.
     <"I am very proud of you, my son!"> Jasmine said with a smile.
     <"As am I."> Koga added. <"You fought well."> The blind master 
addressed Jasmine and Shampoo. <"If you three wouldn't mind, I 
would like to speak with Ranma alone.">
     Jasmine looked at her son, who gave her a reassuring nod. She 
then led Cologne and Shampoo out of the room and closed the door 
behind her.
     Koga smiled as he spoke to his pupil. <"Ranma, I noticed that you 
used that technique I taught you to tune out noises and smells and 
to rely on your sixth and seventh sense.">
     The blind boy nodded. <"Well, I sort of figured that Mousse 
would try to use those cymbals again.">
     <"That technique helped me convince Cologne that the Unseen 
Light Martial Arts was just as good as Amazonian Wu Shu">
     <"Really? Tell me about it.">
     <"I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I haven't told you much about 
myself, have I? Well, my story began more than forty years ago. I 
was about ten years old and was traveling with my parents through 
China. My father was a very good doctor and was part of the groups 
that periodically visited the Amazons. My parents were on good 
terms with the Joketsuzoku. One time, my father helped save this very 
village from a plague that would have killed off most of the tribe. It 
was because of this act that my family was made honorary members 
of the Amazons. However, when I had reached my eleventh birthday, 
their ancient enemies, the Musk Dynasty, attacked the village. My 
parents were killed and the last thing I saw was a Musk warrior's 
knife. The Amazons were able to beat back the attack, but it was too 
late to save my eyesight.">
     <"That's so terrible!">
     Koga nodded. <"Since I was an honorary member of the tribe, the 
Amazons adopted me. A gentle healer named Lily raised me. 
However, my blindness made me seem too weak and helpless in front 
of the others and I was ridiculed and teased daily. Then, when I 
became fourteen, a priest by the name of Shogo Natsurmuri, came to 
the village. Shogo had some distant relatives in the tribe and visited 
them once every few years. Like myself, he was blind, but he didn't 
act like he was. He didn't move as if he had no sight. In fact, very few 
even suspected that he was sightless. His senses enabled him to act 
as if he had perfect eyesight. He was considered a formidable fighter 
among the warriors and the Elders respected his battle prowess.">
     <"No one knew he was blind?">
     <"Except for a few, the Amazons assumed that he still had his 
vision. Despite the fact that he couldn't see, his other senses allowed 
him to detect that I too, was blind. He approached me one day and 
revealed that he was the same. He then took a lonely and sightless 
boy and taught him how to 'see!' In ways I never knew existed!">
     <"The sixth and seventh sense?">
     <"That's right Ranma. My other physical sense of hearing, taste, 
touch and smell were already sharper than normal. Four years of 
being blind can do that. However, Shogo taught me a way not only to 
enhance those senses, but also helped me develop the other two! 
Amazon techniques that I had seen, before I was blinded, became 
very easy to understand with my sixth and seventh senses! I was 
never able to master those skills before with my sight, but now that I 
am able to accurately measure ki energies and determine how they are 
focused, no technique is impossible for me to learn!">
     Ranma nodded. It had been easy for him to learn techniques, even 
though he could not see the technique in front of him! The Chestnuts 
Roasting Over an Open Fire was a good example. Ranma had been 
standing right behind Jasmine when she had accidentally dropped a 
few nuts into the fire while making a stew. When she had used the 
skill to pluck those nuts out of the fire, Ranma's sixth sense had 
gauged the amount of ki used and determined how it was applied. He 
had spent the next few days building up his speed and by the end of 
the week, he was able to duplicate the skill. His adopted mother was 
very shocked to see her son's hands actually move with enough 
speed to catch fish out of a mountain stream without getting them 
wet.
     Koga continued on. <"Master Shogo taught me that the world did 
not end when it goes dark. By the time I was eighteen, I had mastered 
the principles of the Unseen Light Martial Arts and used them to 
learn Amazon techniques. I preferred not to show off, but I did try to 
convince the Elders of the advantages of my training. Most of them 
dismissed my abilities as parlor tricks and assumed that I already 
knew the skills before I was rendered blind. Cologne was among the 
disbelievers. She would frequently say that my fighting style was too 
passive and not fit to be noticed. It wasn't until I was twenty-one 
that I proved her wrong!">
     <"What happened?">
     <"I challenged her.">
     <"YOU challenged Cologne?!">
     <"That I did!"> Koga said proudly. <"The Elder couldn't believe 
that I would actually have the gall to fight her. It took some doing but 
I finally had her to agree to duel with me in a secret place in the 
forest.">
     <"What happened?">
     <"Cologne still couldn't believe that a brash and blind male 
upstart would have the nerve to go against a matriarch with almost 
three hundred years worth of experience. Still, she had been 
observing me and thought that I had gained some considerable skill 
during my training with Shogo. She decided to test my skills by 
fighting in a way that would render my physical senses worthless. 
Before she came to the place where we were to duel, she had bathed 
herself in a special soap that totally removed her scent. During our 
fight, she deployed special techniques that distorted the sounds 
around us, while she used stealth maneuvers to mask her attacks. She 
also made certain that her ki energies were tightly focused within 
her.">
     <"What happened?">
     <"Even though I could not hear or smell her, my radar-sense 
always told me where she was. My sixth sense was still sensitive 
enough to detect her ki, despite the fact that it was buried deep 
within her. She couldn't catch me unawares or launch a single attack 
against me without me countering each one. I totally tuned out my 
sense of hearing and smell and relied solely on my sixth and seventh 
sense to fight her. Three hours later, she still couldn't get the upper 
hand on me. The match ended in a draw and Cologne finally admitted 
that my skills as a warrior were as good as the others. Anyone who 
could last that long against a matriarch earned her respect. Of course, 
she didn't tell anyone that she couldn't beat a blind male, but the fact 
that I have earned her respect was enough for me. And now, it seems 
that the Unseen Light Martial Arts is becoming of great interest to 
the other Amazons as well.">
     <"What do you mean?">
     <"Ranma, I am sure that you have noticed that the girls in the 
village have given you a lot more ahem, attention lately?">
     Ranma's cheeks blushed even redder as he remembered the past 
year or so. Many of the girls, especially Shampoo had been getting 
friendlier toward him. Sugar, Spice, Azure, and several others had 
been inviting him over to their homes and asking him out for dates. 
The Elders had also been dropping hints that Ranma should marry 
their heirs. A gentle nudge here, a subtle prod there and so forth. 
And of course, his mother Jasmine would always tell him in a 
roundabout way that he should go forth and multiply. Ranma sighed 
and shook his head bemusedly. He then sensed that his master's ki 
began to wane. A moment later, Koga coughed.
     <"Master? Is something wrong?">
     Koga cleared his throat and said in a reassuring tone, <"No, it's 
nothing for you to be concerned about.">
     Ranma wasn't really convinced that Koga was telling the truth. For 
the past several months, Ranma's senses had been detecting an 
imbalance in Koga's ki. Every nowand then, it would make a severe 
drop in power level, then climb unsteadily back up. His master had 
also been coughing more frequently and every so often, he would 
become easily fatigued. The blind master would keep saying that it 
was just his age starting to catch up with him, he was over sixty after 
all, but deep down, the blind Saotome knew it was something else.
     <"We shall resume your training tomorrow Ranma."> Koga turned 
and exited the room, closing the door behind him.
     A while later, Koga and Cologne were discussing the events of the 
day as they sat near the Challenge Log in the center of the village. 
They smiled as they listened in on the gentle music that came from a 
bamboo flute. Ranma's exceptional hearing had made him gifted in 
music, and he was now sitting on the roof of Jasmine's house, 
playing a soft melody on the flute he had crafted. Many of the other 
villagers paused in their daily lives to listen in on Ranma's playing.
     Ranma had found that his superior hearing allowed him to listen to 
the subtle variances in sound. He could memorize each note, and play 
back any song after only hearing it once. Furthermore, he could 
detect any conflicting dissonance and correct them, making the tunes 
flow together more smoothly. The result was a melody that was so 
perfect, that any listener would find it next to impossible not to be 
moved by such music.
     <"Ranma is very talented, Koga.">
     <"Indeed he is! I couldn't have found a more worthy heir to the 
Unseen Light Martial Arts!"> Koga coughed again, causing Cologne 
to become concerned.
     <"You still haven't told him, have you?">
     Koga cleared his voice and became silent. After a long while of 
just listening to Ranma's playing, he sighed and said, <"I do not wish 
for him to be distracted. He is very close to mastering all that I can 
teach him. I have already started on his final training. It wouldn't do 
for him to lose his focus if he were to know about my problem.">
     <"You can't hide it from Ranma forever you know. Already, the 
boy is beginning to sense your ki is starting to ebb. So how long did 
that doctor give you?">
     Koga paused as he thought back to the time the medical group 
that had visited the village last month. After getting the bad news 
from the physician, he had consulted Jasmine and the other healers 
of the Amazons. They too had come to the same conclusion. The 
cancer within his body was too far into its advanced stages and he 
had been given less than a year to live. There was nothing that could 
be done. Koga took a deep breath and said, <"I'll just have enough 
time to complete Ranma's training and teach him the final techniques 
of the Unseen Light. I had received word that Master Shogo died a 
week ago and I am not long for this world. When I go, Ranma shall 
be the only master of the Unseen Light.">
     <"Are there no others?">
     Koga shook his head. <"Shogo had no heirs. The only surviving 
users of the Unseen Light are Ranma and myself. The techniques of 
our fighting style were so secret that they were never written down. 
They were only passed down from teacher to student.">
     <"I see."> Cologne paused for a moment, then said, <"You do 
realize that once you are gone, then the Unseen Light techniques 
shall be viewed as belonging to the Amazons.">
     Koga nodded. <"Yes, now that Ranma has proven his rights as an 
Amazon, the skills and knowledge that he has are considered 
property of the tribe. He is aware of it and has promised me that he 
will not teach what he knows to an outsider.">
     In the months that followed, Ranma's training became ever more 
intense as his skills were pushed to their limits. The training was not 
with out hardship and the blind boy soon discovered that though 
Genma no longer raised him, he was still causing him trouble.

A few months after the duel
     <"Ranma! You have a visitor!">
     <"I'm coming Mother! So who is errk!">
     The blind teenager was unable to finish as some stranger 
suddenly put him into a bear hug.
     "Ranma! It's me, your Dad! At last I've found you!"
     "D-Dad?!" Although he hadn't heard from Genma in over seven 
years, he knew for certain that this visitor wasn't him. 
     "Yes my boy, once you marry my daughter then you'll become my 
true heir!"
     "Say what?!"
     "You can come out now Kaori!" The strange man called out to 
someone who was waiting in the next room. Ranma's sixth and 
seventh sense detected the strong presence of someone entering. By 
the scent, he could tell that she was female. He also sensed an 
exceptional amount of control over her ki. He could see in his mind by 
way of his seventh sense, of the girl kneeling down and presenting 
herself to him.
     "Greetings, future husband." The voice was soft and a bit melodic.
     "Well son, she's a beauty isn't she? She makes a lovely bride!"
     "Huh?"
     "Excuse me?" Jasmine decided to intervene at this time. "Just what 
is going on?"
     "Oh." The strange man released his hold on Ranma and turned to 
face her. "And who might you be?"
     "I am Jasmine. I am Ranma's mother. Now would you mind 
explaining to me what is going on?"
     "Certainly. Your son Ranma will be marrying my daughter."
     "What?!" Jasmine's expression became a bit sterner. "Are you 
saying that my son is engaged to a girl that neither he nor I have ever 
met, much less approved of?!" 
     "Errr" The strange man began explaining. "Well, I'm afraid that it 
is a matter of family honor that he marry my daughter Kaori. For the 
sake of the Daijkoku clan, the promise that Genma had made to me 
must be fulfilled."
     "And exactly what promise was this?"
     The father of Kaori began recounting his little encounter with 
Genma Saotome that had occurred some three years ago. When he 
finished his story, Jasmine's temper had begun to rise to a fast boil. 
Ranma was also miffed.
     "Ranma was sold for a fish?!"
     "I also threw in the rice and two pickles." The man said with a bit 
of pride.
     "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of!" Jasmine 
exclaimed. By now, she was mad enough to go to search for Genma 
and correct that little error she made years ago. The error being in not 
ending his life. The fat martial artist had actually offered to exchange 
his child's future for a small meal, even though he no longer raised 
him. Jasmine looked ready to explode. Then suddenly, she instantly 
became calm as she addressed the head of the Daijkoku family. 
"Would you please excuse me for a moment?"
     Jasmine went into the kitchen while Ranma and the others waited. 
As they waited for Jasmine to return, Kaori took a good look at her 
fiance. Ranma was very handsome; there was no doubt about it. He 
had a muscular frame and moved with uncanny grace. He seemed to 
radiate warmth. He was a good catch. The girl decided that she would 
take him.
     Jasmine returned with a small sack and placed it on the table in 
front of the man. "Here. Take it and go!"
     "What's this?" 
     "That's a day's supply of fish, rice and pickles! Take it and leave! 
My son will marry whomever he chooses, and not because of some 
idiotic promise made by his worthless father!"
     "But it is a matter of honor! An agreement made between his father 
and me!" The man protested.
     "It is the best deal that you are going to get." Another voice said 
calmly.
     The group turned toward the door and saw Cologne, Sugar, Spice 
and Shampoo standing with weapons unsheathed. Ranma had 
already detected their presence when they came to the house, and he 
didn't even need to use his enhanced senses to feel what their 
emotions were at the moment. They had heard the whole thing and 
they weren't the tiniest bit pleased. Battle auras were flaring and 
Ranma was especially surprised at the intensity of his adopted 
mother's. Jasmine rarely had to show her battle aura, but the blind 
boy knew that getting on her bad side was something to be avoided. 
It was at the top of his list of things not to do.
     The father of Kaori assessed the situation and didn't like what he 
saw. His daughter may have mastered the techniques of the Daijkoku 
School of Martial Arts Takeout, but they were badly outnumbered 
and not just from the people in the house. When he and Kaori had 
arrived at the village, they had seen the many warriors and the 
weapons they carried. Even if they did manage to fight their way out 
of the house, their chances of making it out of the village alive were 
close to nil. 
     In this situation, Kaori's father did the only thing he could do. He 
silently took the bag and led his protesting daughter out of the 
house. When they reached the gates, they were firmly escorted by a 
pair of guards to the path that led them out of the area.
     Ranma and the Amazons breathed out a sigh of relief when it was 
clear that there would be no violence. When everyone had calmed 
down, Jasmine made a comment, which reflected everyone else's 
opinion of a certain martial artist. "Ranma's father is a total IDIOT!"
     Unfortunately, this was not the only incident in which Genma had 
used his son to feed his fat belly. For the next four months, Ranma 
was visited by no less than a dozen would-be fiances, as one girl 
after another came to claim him. Soon, the entire village was in 
agreement that Genma Saotome had all the brains of an overcooked 
cabbage.

Ranma at age sixteen
     As the training in the Unseen Light neared its end, Ranma's status 
as an Amazon rose even further. His enhanced senses not only made 
him a great fighter and healer, but it had also given him excellent 
tracking skills. He was good enough to give some serious 
competition to Tiger, the village's best tracker. Tiger was a bit of a 
loner. Her father had been a tiger that had fallen into the Spring of 
Drowned Man in Jusenkyo. She had slightly pointed ears, slitted 
pupils, fangs and her body was lightly furred. Her tracking abilities 
were nothing to be sneezed at though. She was able to track a fly 
across a marsh and could tell a person's identity, no matter how one 
disguised his or her appearance. When Ranma displayed his amazing 
sense of hearing, smell and ki detection, Tiger found herself hard-
pressed to keep up. Fortunately, the two became fast friends and 
eventually, Ranma's innate charm and good looks soon made Tiger 
join the ranks of those who desired to have him as a husband, 
despite the fact that she was four years younger than he was.
     His fellow Amazons also enjoyed his aptitude for music and many 
would request for impromptu concerts, especially among the younger 
generations. Two girls in particular were Ling Ling and Lung Lung. 
The two would always ask their 'Big Brother Ranma' to play his flute 
for them. Ranma's senses allowed him to project the melodies in their 
purest tones, coming up with tunes that would have made the great 
musicians weep with joy.
     Razor, the village weaponsmith was very impressed by the way 
Ranma could use his senses to detect the weaknesses and structural 
flaws of any material. The blind boy would come by his forge every 
now and then to help in his work. Weak points in metals were 
hammered out. Edges were made more smother and sharper. Mistakes 
and flaws were pointed out and corrected. The results were weapons 
of extraordinary quality and durability. Products made by both Razor 
and Ranma were highly sought out. 
     The blind boy's abilities soon made him a Jack of Many Trades. By 
this time, the village began treating Ranma as an irreplaceable 
treasure of the Amazons.

One fine day
     Ranma was standing in a forest clearing, his feet spread apart and 
his staff held out of front of him. A short distance away, Koga was 
sitting on a log and instructing him.
     <"Reach out with your senses and feelings, Ranma. Let your ki 
flow out and touch your surroundings!">
     Ranma nodded as concentrated. His body glowed with a soft blue 
aura, which began to intensify itself as he slowly focused on the 
trees, the ground and the air around him. 
     <"Excellent! Now remember what I had taught you earlier Ranma! 
Don't force your ki into nature! Cooperate with it! Become one with 
it!">
     Ranma took a deep breath and let his senses take in each detail of 
his environment. Every odor was smelled. Every air current was felt. 
Every sound was heard. Then, Ranma's senses extended themselves 
beyond the physical realm. Mystic forces that were the basis of all 
magic were detected. Ranma could feel the distant power of Jusenkyo 
beckoning to him. Ranma could feel the spirits that roamed the astral 
plane. He could sense the power of the Almighty in heaven and the 
dark evil of Lucifer in hell. All that was, all that is and all that ever will 
be on Earth was now a part of Ranma in a way in which he couldn't 
even begin to describe.
     Koga smiled as he sensed Ranma's aura reach a certain level. 
<"Now my student, absorb what you sense. Gather the energy within 
yourself. Focus it and make it a part of you!">
     The blind adolescent's brow furrowed in intense concentration. 
Unnoticed by him, tiny pinpricks of energy began to appear around 
him. These dots of energy floated beside him like fireflies and then 
were absorbed into him, causing his aura to become the purest white. 
His power level began to build as more energy was gathered. Soon, 
Ranma was radiating enough power to light the entire forest on a 
moon-less night.
     The villagers were a little more than surprised to see the forest 
glow with an eerie light. At first they thought it was a forest fire, but 
the absence of smoke dismissed that idea from their heads. The 
Elders were especially fascinated by this event as they detected the 
huge amount of ki energy being focused. One matriarch in particular 
watched with her great-granddaughter.
     <"Great-grandmother, what is happening?">
     <"If I am not mistaken Shampoo, I believe that Koga is teaching 
Ranma the final technique of the Unseen Light.">
     Back in the forest, Koga braced himself against a tree as he sensed 
that Ranma's power had peaked. He then called out to him. <"NOW 
RANMA!">
     Ranma inhaled as he pointed his staff to the sky. The wooden pole 
suddenly glowed white just as his aura transferred all the 
accumulated energy into it. 
     "SPIRIT BEAM!"
     A small ball of energy appeared at the end of the staff and then a 
thin beam of energy shot upward. The resulting discharge of all that 
energy at once caused a massive shockwave to erupt from where 
Ranma was standing. The circle of ki energy rippled outward and 
shook the massive trees as if they were saplings. Koga was knocked 
off his feet as the tree he was holding onto toppled over. In the 
village, the Amazons were similarly started as the shockwave rumbled 
through their homes and rattled their windows. 
     The beam of energy streaked upward into the heavens and became 
a distant dot in the sky. A moment later, the sky lit up as a huge flash 
of energy exploded. All those who had been watching the beam's 
trajectory were temporarily blinded. A moment later, the brightness 
faded away. 
     Ranma sank to his knees, his body almost totally exhausted from 
the effort. Bracing him self on his staff, he managed to get to a 
standing position. <"How did I do Master?">
     There was no answer.
     <"Master? All you all right?">
     Silence was his only response.
     <"Master?">
     Ranma began to panic as started using his senses to detect Koga's 
presence. However, due to the massive expenditure of energy, his 
sixth and seventh senses were extremely weak and he could only 
detect things that were no more than five feet away from him. Ranma 
stumbled as he tripped over a tree root. Ranma then used his sense of 
smell to detect his mentor. Locking in on his scent, Ranma crawled to 
where Koga was. When he touched his body, Ranma got a shock as 
he used his senses to measure Koga's ki level.
     <"Master! Why didn't you tell me?">
     Sometime later, Ranma and his adopted mother were standing 
beside Koga as he lay on the bed in their house. Cologne and 
Shampoo were on the other side.
     <"Master, why didn't you tell me that you were"> Ranma's voice 
trailed off.
     <"Dying?"> Koga finished in a very weak voice. Koga coughed as 
he continued. <"I did not want you to worry about me during your 
final lessons. I'm proud of you Ranma. You have mastered the Sprit 
Beam!">
     <"Spirit Beam?"> Shampoo asked.
     Ranma nodded. <"Those who practice the Unseen Light Martial 
Arts are able to draw power from the mystical realms as well as the 
physical realms. Our senses are so sharp that we can locate any 
power source and utilize it. But, the Spirit Beam is so draining that I 
can't summon it up too often. Right now, I'm so weak that I couldn't 
beat Mousse."> Ranma then turned to Koga. <"Master, I had been 
sensing that your ki was fading, but I never suspected this!">
     Koga sighed as he replied, <"Last year, the doctors and the 
healers told me that I had cancer and they gave me about ten months 
to live. That is why it was so important that you finished your 
training before I passed on. When I leave this world, you will be the 
only master of the Unseen Light.">
     <"But Master">
     <"Do not grieve for me Ranma! I have lived a good life and I have 
no regrets. You have surpassed me in the skills that I have taught 
you. I know that you will be fine. No teacher could ever be more 
proud of his student than I am of you. You have become a man 
among men and the son that I never had.">
     <"Oh Master.">
     In another part of the village, Mousse had come to a decision. It 
had been almost a year since Jusenkyo had cursed him, but he had 
gotten used to having to turn into a duck with cold water. No, it 
wasn't the curse that angered him. It was the one who caused him to 
be cursed that got his temper to boiling. Ranma was now considered 
a part of the Amazon tribe by all and it seemed that he and Shampoo 
had gotten even closer. Also was the fact that Mousse still could not 
defeat Ranma, even though he had improved in the Hidden Weapons 
style.
     No matter what weapon he used against Ranma, the blind boy 
would counter it and Mousse would be sucking dirt. It was almost as 
if he knew what weapons he was going to use. After seeing that 
display of ki energy manipulation, Mousse finally realized that if he 
wanted to defeat Ranma and win Shampoo's heart, then he was going 
to have to beat Saotome at his own game. He had made up his mind 
to petition Koga to train him as he had with Ranma.
     <If you can use the Hidden Weapons style against me, then why 
shouldn't I use your own techniques against you? I will have my 
revenge Ranma Saotome and Shampoo will be mine!>
     That night, Ranma decided to stay by his master's side until Koga 
became strong enough to get out of bed. The two spent long hours 
in quiet discussion, talking about the future. Eventually, Koga drifted 
off to sleep and Ranma soon followed suit in the chair that was set up 
beside the bed. As the two slept, Koga's ki energy finally gave out as 
his body succumbed to the cancer that ravaged it. At 2:15 am, Koga 
had left this world and Ranma became the sole master of the Unseen 
Light Martial Arts. When the blind boy awoke early the next day, he 
felt a chill wash over him. He began reaching out to detect his 
master's ki, but he could find nothing. He slowly walked toward the 
bed and knelt beside the bed. He reached out with his fingers and 
started feeling the face of the corpse. His sightless eyes began to 
flood with tears as his enhanced sense of touch took in every detail 
of Koga's lifeless face. Ranma sobbed openly as his mind 
constructed an image of what his master looked like, based on what 
his fingers were telling him. He committed the image to memory, then 
laid his head over crossed arms. 
     His sobs soon roused his mother Jasmine from her slumber. She 
walked over to where her son was crying and saw Koga's lifeless 
form. She didn't need to ask what was the matter as she quietly 
approached her grieving child and knelt down to embrace him. She 
said nothing as Ranma wept. 

Later that very same day
     <"No! He can't be dead!"> Mousse shouted at Cologne, who 
immediately bopped him on the head with her cane.
     <"You should learn to talk to your elders with more respect! In any 
case, why should you be upset? You never liked him much 
anyway.">
     <"But he has to be alive! I'm ready to learn his techniques now!">
     <"Oh? So NOW you wish to learn? I thought you considered his 
skills as weak and not fit to be noticed by the Amazons.">
     <"I changed my mind okay?"> Mousse exasperated. <"I have seen 
the error of my way of thinking and I am ready to become his 
student!">
     <"Hmpf! I know why you want to learn now. You've finally realized 
that your Hidden Weapons style is no match for Ranma and you 
want to beat him using the same style that he uses! Well, you are too 
late! Koga is gone, and Ranma is now heir to all of his secrets! And I 
seriously doubt he would agree to train you!">
     <"It's not fair!"> Mousse shouted.
     <"It's your own fault that you refused to learn sooner. You 
thought that your Hidden Weapons techniques would impress my 
Shampoo, but they did the opposite. Koga had offered to teach you 
the Unseen Light many times and you turned him down repeatedly. 
He had only had to ask Ranma once and he accepted. Now Ranma 
has become a far greater warrior than you as well as an exceptional 
healer. He is a good asset to the village and would be a fitting mate 
for my great-granddaughter!">
     <"Shampoo is mine, not Ranma's!"> Mousse roared, which 
resulted in another bop on the head by Cologne. <"Ow!">
     <"Shampoo was never yours to begin with. Now, I grow tired of 
this discussion. I must see to the preparations for the funeral. 
Goodbye Mousse.">
     By the week's end, Koga's body was placed on an elaborate 
funeral pyre and set ablaze. The site was near the place where Ranma 
had begun training when he was eight. The blind Saotome had told 
Cologne that the spot was a favorite of his former mentor's and she 
arranged the funeral to be held there. The Council of Elders as well as 
many of the Amazons was present to witness the cremation. Ranma 
stood beside Jasmine and Shampoo, his eyes slick with tears as he 
listened to the matriarches bid their final farewells to a great warrior. 
When the fire had burned itself out, Ranma was given the task of 
fulfilling Koga's last request.
     The blind boy carried the small urn, which contained the ashes of 
his sensei up the slope of a cliff that overlooked the valley of the 
Joketsuzoku. Taking a deep breath, he began focusing his ki and let 
his aura flare up. Extending his senses to the winds, he opened the 
urn and let the ashes scatter themselves to the breeze. Ranma let his 
senses flow into the surroundings as he felt his teacher's presence 
one final time as Koga became one with nature. 
     Another week would pass as Ranma went into mourning for the 
man who had raised him like the father he never had. He was 
everything that Genma could never hope to be. He had treated him 
fairly and never used him for personal gain. He had taught him how 
to turn his handicap into a boon and helped him achieve mastery in 
the martial arts that he could have never attained under his real 
father. Jasmine and Koga had sheltered him and protected him from 
Genma and his influence for more than eight years.
     It was this last thought that made Ranma come to a decision.
     <"You're leaving the village?"> Jasmine asked in surprise.
     Ranma nodded. <"Mother, you and the tribe have been good to 
me, but I can't stay here forever. I can't ignore the outside world, 
especially since my senses are so attuned to it. I have to go out there. 
It's I'm not sure how to describe it, but I feel that I have to 
experience the world out there. The Council is letting a few of the 
others to study in Japan and I've asked to go with them.">
     Jasmine shook her head. <"Koga did tell me that you had a 
wanderlust in you when he took you to school.">
     <"It's not just that Mother. It's not that I don't appreciate you and 
Koga for protecting me from that no-good father of mine, but I can't 
keep hiding from him. I have to face him sooner or later. Also, even 
though you're the best mother anyone's ever asked for, I want to 
know who my real mother is and what's she's like.">
     <"I see."> Jasmine's face took on a sorrowful, yet understanding 
look as she said, <"Ranma, you have been my treasure these past 
eight years and I suppose that it's just natural that you would one 
day leave the nest. I will not try to stop you Ranma. You have already 
proven that you are capable of handling yourself. Just promise me 
this. Don't forget about me?">
     <"Never Mother!"> Ranma took Jasmine into his arms and held 
her tight. <"I'll write to you as often as I can!">
     Jasmine smiled as tears ran down her cheeks. <"Just remember 
Ranma, you'll always have a home here and a place in my heart!">
     Ranma smiled as he reached up with his hands and began feeling 
his mother's face with his fingers. He traced every line and the texture 
of her skin. He noted that she had gained a few new wrinkles but her 
ki was still as strong as ever. He committed his adopted mother's face 
to memory.
     By the end of the month, Ranma hefted his backpack over his 
shoulder and boarded the boat that would take him to Japan. He 
would be traveling with a few other Amazons, including Shampoo. 
The top fighters and most promising of his generation were given the 
opportunity to study abroad. Fortunately, Mousse was denied the 
chance to come along. The only way that a male could be given this 
opportunity was if he happened to be the best fighter. Mousse was 
no longer the top male fighter of the village. Ranma had taken that 
spot. As the families of the group bid their farewells, Cologne nodded 
to the skipper to cast off. The boat slowly began chugging its way to 
the Land of the Rising Sun.

To be continued

Author's Notes
     Ranma has now begun his journey back to the place of his birth. 
What will Nodoka say when she sees her son after a ten-year 
absence? Will Genma give up on Ranma and the plan to unite the 
schools of the Anything Goes? How about the rest of the Nerima 
gang? Stay tuned!
     For those of you who are wondering about Ranma's new move, the 
Spirit Beam is sort of like Goku's Spirit Bomb in Dragonball Z. 
Ranma's senses can actually allow him to tap into the forces of nature 
as well as the mystical fields around him. Of course, this technique 
takes a long time to initiate and is extremely draining. You might think 
of it as a desperation or finishing move. 
     This rewrite to mostly to clear up the grammar and spelling 
mistakes. I also wanted to tell more about Ranma's life in the village 
as well as introduce a few more Amazons that we will be seeing again 
in the future As you can see, not having his son with him hasn't 
stopped Genma from selling him off. The ones with money have been 
able to track Ranma down as he stays in one place, the Amazon 
village.
     Well, this is the second rewrite to this chapter and I like it. The 
small added and deleted bits are to clear up any grammar mistakes 
and such.


