Mastery By Kyokukou Disclaimer : I don't own the characters from Ranma 1/2 only the characters that I write myself . So please don't sue me ! But if you try to use my characters .....there will be ...unpleasant consequences if I find out . Do not repost or reprint this without my permission , however if you do ASK there is a good chance I will let you . [Growing up is hard to do . What makes it even harder is the lack of any defining line between the child and the adult . We no longer have a true age of adulthood or rite or passage . So , when is someone to leave the child behind for the hard life of an adult ?] Waking to the sounds of battle was not something unusual in the least at her house . Not by a long shot . In fact , she hadn't had to resort to using her alarm clock to get up in the morning since Ranma and his father had come to live with them . She did not think it unusual at all . The background noise was almost comforting to her as she soaked in the bath . She wasn't even aware of it as she dressed or even as she made her way to the breakfast table . Akane already sat there , watching the morning sparring with her usual interest disguised as disgust . Kasumi already had her food out and ready for her . So far nothing was out of the normal morning rhythm . Until she heard an unusual amount of conversation post battle . " Yeah right , Oyaji , and next you'll tell me that ya can beat the old Freak with one arm tied behind yer back with a blindfold on ." Ranma , in female form , snorted at her father . " When Tendo-kun and I defeated and imprisoned the Master we then became masters of the art ourselves ." Genma stated proudly after pouring a cup of hot water over his head . " It's true , Ranma-kun ." Soun confirmed from behind his paper . " So then I'm a master too ." Ranma jerked a thumb at her chest . " I've beaten you and tha Freak plenty of times ." " I'm afraid it's not that simple ." Genma took his 'imposing masterful gaze into the distance' look . " Tendo-kun and I had been through the challenge set by the Master and we had formally challenged him ." " Um...actually , the way I remember-" Soun began to lower his paper . " SO-" Genma quickly raised the paper again . "-until you pass the trial of mastery and defeat the Master on his own terms you will remain a student ." She expected Ranma to grin confidently and boast about breezing through the challenges and easily defeating Happosai . She also expected him to set some ridiculously short time limit on himself , like four days or so . However , Ranma surprised her totally . " Oh ." Ranma blinked and looked thoughtful . " Is tha trial set or somethin' decided by tha current ranking master ?" She stared at the young martial artist along with Akane and Kasumi . In stark contrast , both Genma and her father seemed to expect and approve of Ranma's reaction . " It is set and more of a quest than a trial ." Genma nodded to himself and sat down . " Though , I must confess that the ordeal that Tendo-kun and I was different . The Master had altered it considerably to include two ." " So ka ." Ranma nodded to herself and sat down to eat . " Do ya know what tha real trial is ?" " I'm afraid I only know bits and pieces ." Genma sighed . " What I do know was gleamed from hints I received from the Master , it may be inaccurate ." " Is it a real trial or some kinda perverted joke by the Freak ?" Ranma asked , looking off into space , her voice lacking any heat . " A panty raid ain't my idea of a test of mastery ." This was seriously spooking her . Akane seemed to have come to some conclusion that satisfied her . Kasumi was just as befuddled as her , but put a smile on it . " No , it is real ." Genma answered after some emptying a bowl of it's contents . " I believe it was taken from the trial Happosai endured at the hands of the one who taught him ." " Hai ." Ranma nodded in acknowledgement and ate in silence , albeit at her regular breakneck pace . Normally she would have piped up and gotten to the bottom of this right then and there . However , Ranma's apparent change in personality had her too spooked to ask anything , yet . * * * School had gone normally . Only four raving speeches , resulting in four Kuno beatings . Two fights for Ranma , one new crackpot marital artist in town . But this one had mistaken Ranma's female form for Ukyo . This 'master of martial arts candy making' was out to challenge Ukyo . The other fight had been when Ryouga had shown up . The usual day at her school . But on the walk to and from school Ranma had remained thoughtful and unresponsive . Finally , at home she interrupted Akane's homework to get to the bottom of this . She seemed to be happy with Ranma's odd behavior . " Oh that ." Akane dismissed when confronted . " Martial arts is the only thing Ranma takes absolutely seriously . It is his life ." " That explains nothing ." She narrowed her eyes . " Nabiki ," Akane sat on the bed next to her . " do you understand what becoming a master , even a beginning one , means ?" " That he's good ?" Akane sighed and gave her a patient smile . " Mastery is something both measured and indefinable ." Akane began . " It's like a child and an adult . Big difference , but no real set in stone line between them . A blackbelt means someone is ready to truly begin to learn the art . Becoming a master means they are initiated into the higher realms of the art . Not only do they study what no one else could understand , but they can add to the art . " No matter how good he is , Ranma isn't a master of anything right now . He's still a child in the art . If he becomes a master that's a whole different story than what he's been doing for the past ten years and more . It's kinda like marriage , something permanent and life changing . I know he wants it so bad it hurts , but he's still scared of the unknown ." Her little sister smiled then . " I'm just glad I finally get to see this side of him ." " So is he going to go through with whatever that trial thing is ?" She asked , trying to digest what Akane had told her . " It's a matter of when ." Akane nodded with a smile . She had left her little sister's room with a sense that more questions had been added than answered . Checking in on the Dojo she found Ranma . But instead of a furious kata or sparring with someone . The young martial artist was merely standing there . Staring into a full length mirror , his face the epitome of focus . She called to him several times in vain . Whatever he was doing , it sure wasn't in this world . He had dreaded this time . He knew that Ranma's destiny included mastery of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu , and eventually Grandmastery . Neither his son nor him would have it any other way . But , he feared this was too soon . Yet , he had seen that look on Ranma's face before . There was no turning back now , it was only a question of when Ranma approached Happosai . He wished he had kept his fat mouth shut . Or that he had swallowed his pride and let Soun tell Ranma that they had totally skipped their modified trial and caught Happosai by surprise . However , telling Ranma those things now would only harden the boy's resolve to take the path he and Soun had avoided . " Tendo-kun , I fear I may not have had enough time to prepare him ." He began , out of the blue . " I wish I could contradict you on that point , Saotome-kun ." Soun sighed , and made his move in their current game of Shogi . " Is Ranma-kun in some kind of danger ?" Kasumi uncharacteristically interrupted their game and conversation . " I fear he is , Kasumi-chan ." Soun nodded gravely . " There are many points in the trial that I fear my son may not be able to handle ." He admitted with a heartfelt sigh . " But he is a amazing marital artist ." " For the most part it is not his skill that I am concerned with ." He explained , making his own move . " Oh my . What do you mean ?" She asked with great concern . " The trial tests much of a person ." He began . " I fear Ranma's mind and spirit may not be ready to face such hardship at his young age ." Kasumi swallowed fearfully . " Could he die ?" " Hai ." He nodded , making another move in response to Soun's . " But Ranma is set in his decision now . It is only a matter of time ." Worried , but placing a brave front on , Kasumi continued her household duties . He continued his silent game of Shogi with Soun . " I've already started to make arrangements with the school ." Soun broke the silence . " Arigato , my old friend ." * * * He knew the final decision had been made long ago . He knew that this was only a formality , simply deciding on the exact time . None of that made it any easier . So he had exited the Dojo and gone to the roof . It offered no comfort there . He tried his room . Still he could not find any more focus than he had in the Dojo . After a few more tries he found himself sitting upon a flat stone that bordered the Tendo koi pond . He took a deep breath and let his gaze fall upon the still water . The world mirrored and distorted at once in the reflection . His own visage wavering and indistinct . He forced his eyes to become unfocused like his reflection . He let his presence drop from his own perceptions , seeking to become nothing in all that surrounded him . His senses merged into one whole . Above him the sky had grown dark , the clouds marked only by the hidden stars . The air was still , the heat of the day climbing out from the ground . The sounds of the city remained , but muted by the time as the colors were by the night . For a time he could not determine he had sat there , being only what his senses perceived . Then , to some signal unseen and unknown , self awareness snapped back into him . He had quieted his mind enough to hear the acknowledgement of what lay deeper within him than his consciousness . He knew it's answer now . It was time . More aware of himself and all that existed around him than perhaps ever before he stood and made his way back into the house . A goal , a purpose filled him , and no earthly force could dissuade him now . She always tried to maintain a cheerful and blissfully oblivious persona in the face of life for the sake of others . Life with Ranma in residence had only exercised and strengthened it . However , after Happosai showed up in such a normal and civil fashion she found herself unable to keep the fearfully confused expression from her face . Happosai had just calmly walked through the door , greeted her politely , and ignored an opportunity to glomp Nabiki . Instead he had stood in the living room , staring expectantly at the closed patio door . After a moment Ranma , with a composed look she had never seen on his face before , slid the patio door open and walked up to the small man . " You knew ." Ranma stated calmly . " For all the misconceptions abounding about me I do know such things ." The small man nodded . " I , Saotome Ranma , student of Saotome Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu , request to attain mastery ." Ranma stated formally and bowed to the small man with equal formality . " Your request is unusual for someone so young and inexperienced in Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu or any art ." Happosai said slowly . " However , you are unusual for a student of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu . You are far more skilled , talented , and strong in the art for your age . Your request shall be granted , you may attempt to survive the trial ." " Arigato , Master ." Ranma bowed again before sitting across from the diminutive man . " Kasumi , Nabiki ." Happosai addressed them without looking at either . " This needs to be discussed in private ." Fearful , but knowing her duty , she ushered her gaping middle sister out of the living room . For the next four hours she kept all other family members from interfering in the meeting of master and student . Finally , Happosai entered the hallway where everyone was gathered . " Be proud of your son ." The small man nodded to Genma . " But pray for him ." With those parting words the small man walked past them and leapt out a window , disappearing into the night . As one they all raced to the living room . Only to find a note where Ranma had been sitting before . She picked it up , unfolded the paper addressed to 'everyone' , and began to read the letter aloud . 'I've left to take the trial for mastery of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu . This is not goodbye . If I survive I will be back in a few months . Oyaji , you were right about this . -Ranma' Folding the letter back into it's original shape she closed her eyes and forced her usual expression on . Opening them , she took in the reactions of the rest of her family . Nabiki looked stunned and somewhat lost . Her father was not crying as she expected , he remained stone faced and withdrawn . Akane was trying to look brave , but tears rolled down her cheeks freely . Genma stood there with his eyes closed , a stoic expression firmly fixed . Knowing her duty , and place , she tucked the letter in her apron and went to comfort her baby sister . [Some say that with pain comes wisdom and power . To an extent this may be true , but only if someone is willing to bear the pain to accept what can be found from it .] Ranma had been gone a week . She felt his absence just as acutely as the time he had left during the incident with the weakness moxibustion . She had even attempted to follow him as she had done last time . But Happosai had stopped her . He had avoided her attacks at him until she had exhausted herself . Then he had explained to her that she had no hope of finding him and that this was something Ranma could only do alone . Nothing was the same without him . School was boring . Kuno had taken the loss of his 'pigtaled goddess' as a sign that he and 'my angel Akane' were destined . She had long since grown bored with malleting him into the ground . Nabiki had seen a tremendous drop in profits , but also in expenses . Ukyo was too busy fighting her crazed new rival to really feel Ranma's absence keenly . The other 'fiancée's' were in mourning for his temporary loss . In the back of her mind she knew this was what she had been yelling at Ranma that she wanted . Things to go back to basically the way they were before he ever showed up . But now that she had it she found she did not enjoy her old life one bit . The dullness of it was not her main complaint . It was the odd emptiness that she felt in every activity . It was almost like after her mother had died . Something felt missing at all times but none of it was really tangible . That evening she sat alongside Nabiki and watched the news for anything that might smack of a typical Ranma incident . So far the week's news had been decidedly mundane . " I don't get it ." She began gesturing to the talking head babbling about trade relations with Indonesia . " Weirdness and fights go hand in hand with Ranma no matter where he goes ." " So what gives with the lull ?" Nabiki finished for her . " Yeah ." She nodded . " There's no way he could go an entire week without at least one big weird incident or fight ." " I have no doubt that Ranma has fought every day this past week ." Genma suddenly stood behind them , gazing at the TV . " Against things that would fit quite well into the weird category ." " So why hasn't it made the news ?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow . " When you guys went to Yomogi valley and Ranma learned that Hiryu Shoten thingy the tornadoes made the news ." Genma smiled sadly and turned away from them . " What makes you think that Ranma is anywhere near the prying eyes of civilization ?" The senior martial artist walked away to the kitchen . Nabiki seemed content to sit back and mull that over . She sure as hell wouldn't let it stand as just a cryptic remark . Hopping over the table she rushed into the kitchen to find Genma preparing a rather large quadruple decker sandwich . He did not turn from his snack creation even as he addressed her before she could say anything . " Are you worried about him ?" The burly man asked . " No !" She replied out of knee jerk reflex . " well...I am I suppose ." She admitted . " I thought he would just have to beat you or the old Pervert up to be a master . I just want to know what he's doing ." Genma continued to carefully prepare his snack . " As much as your concern for my son warms my heart I'm afraid that the trial is not so simple . If... ...when Ranma survives the trial he will have to defeat the Master . But , that will be more of a formality than anything ." The large man finished his snack and uncharacteristically he began to clean up . " I know little of what the actual trial consists of . I do know that it is a complex and multifaceted task . Nothing so simple as 'defeat this demon' or 'find this artifact' . No , this trial will take Ranma to his limits in every aspect of the art and past them . I know he will be broken and rebroken many times before he is finished . However , your father and I survived our trial together . I know Ranma will come back to us ." She left the kitchen feeling all the more fearful than comforted . Yes , her father and Genma had survived their trial . But that was together , and a modified version . What about a younger Ranma , taking it alone ? * * * So far so good . If you based progress on what the trial based it on , mere survival . It had been nearly a month now and he was barely through the beginning . Out of the twenty challenges he was only on the second . It was the challenge of silence . His voice had been taken from him four days ago by the pillar of silence . He had fought for nearly fifty six hours nonstop to reach that pillar . Ironically the mountain that the pillar had capped was in full view of Junsenkyo springs . It had been the same guide of those springs that had directed him to the next pillar . The main problem being this pillar wasn't on any earthly map . So that was why he was currently experiencing how hard it was on the lungs to fight all out on top of a mountain in Nepal . Yes , altitude exceeding five thousand meters combined with sub zero temp really put a crimp in his combat performance . He hissed in pain as the sword cut a thin gash along his leg as he leapt away a fraction of a second too slow . Landing on the body of the first guardian to fall he snatched up the sword from the furry thing's limp talons . There was only one attacker left , the seven others had all met their demise during the short fight . Some he had tricked into falling off the mountain , others had met with accidents born of their own limited intellect . Two he had actually had to kill with his own hands . He charged the remaining guardian . The thing narrowed it's silver eyes to slits and returned his charge . With a grunt he hurled the curved sword blade over hilt at his opponent . Naturally the guardian swiped the blade out of the air with a magnificent slash . But that had left him open . It had only taken forty lightning strikes to it's throat to snap the spinal cord . A powerful roundhouse to the temple made sure to end it's suffering . In the icy wind , heaving for breath , steam rising from his open wounds , he stood and looked about at the aftermath of his battle . Those things had not been human . They had been magical guardians set here to defend the cave he sought from the unworthy . He had proved himself worthy through combat . They had died at his hands , as was their purpose . But none of that annulled the fact that they had each been living , thinking , creatures that he had killed . Not really knowing what to feel he clapped his hands and silently prayed for the fallen . Taking time only to bind his minor wounds and search the bodies for anything he might need he carefully approached the cave . His first step into the mouth felt odd . As if he were pushing his foot through some sort of thin film . Then he stepped through . The howl of the chilling wind was suddenly absent . He whipped his head about to see the same sight outside the cave he had left . Leaning back , pushing his head through the invisible membrane sound returned . Narrowing his eyes he continued further into the cave . The only sounds were his featherlight steps and his own breathing . The cave was unnaturally smooth and cylindrical , almost as if it had been carved in one action . He had not gone more than a few dozen meters when he found a circle on the ending wall . He could feel the ancient magic radiating from the rune disk carved into the stone . The tunnel ended in a perfectly flat wall , marred only by the rune laden circle that covered almost the whole . Even in the sort time since he had left the Tendo Dojo he had learned many things about both magic and prudence thereof . He reached into a fold of his thick jacket and pulled both a live cockroach and a ordinary pebble . First he tossed the insect at the mystic carving . It vanished through the wall without so much as a sound or ripple . Next he tossed the pebble . It too vanished . Not taking his eyes off of the portal he reached into another fold of his jacket . Again he retrieved another insect and rock . This time both were attacked to a thin silk cord . He tossed the pebble first , it vanished . He waited a moment before pulling it back through the portal . He repeated the action with the insect , only this time he pulled back the frayed cord only . Gritting his teeth in frustration he began to back away from the portal . Either the portal did not let living things back through it or there was something waiting on the other side . Considering the strength of the silk cord he knew the latter to be the most likely . Not too long ago he would have flashed a falsely confident grin and leapt through to fight whatever it was . Now he knew such actions to be only the folly of someone confusing false bravado for true bravery . He had already seen and nearly fought things that could kill Happosai or Cologne with an idle effort . On his way out of the cave he felt a presence form and begin to follow him at a discreet , but closing , distance . He did not tense in any way , not yet . Instead he formed a plan of action as he walked calmly on . Knowing that whatever had hid behind the portal was now following him . He had come within two strides of the exit when the first pebble he had thrown gently bounced off his back . Instead of turning to look at whatever had thrown it he ducked and lunged for the exit . Before he ripped through the invisible field he heard the snapping of jaws where his head had been a moment before . Hitting the snow he rolled away , catching a glimpse at what had almost taken his head off . It looked to be a mass of dark flesh and mouths full of needle teeth . Not wasting time gaping in horror at the beast , as that happened to be the best way to be killed by such things , he leapt as best he could away from the cave . Now what ? The cave he had found seemed only to be a trap . But the guardians would not be wasted on a trap . So the real thing had to be on this mountain . Going over the last hour in his mind he realized something . All of the guardians had been sitting as stone statues in a circle around the flat summit of the mountain before he came close enough to awaken them . He leapt up the last few meters of the mountain top to the edge of the flat summit . Indeed it appeared to be almost circular , with only eight projections for where the eight guardians had sat . Another confirmation was the fact that the 'snow' on the top was static , it never changed with the wind . Wary , he preformed the exact same test on the 'snow' he had on the other portal . This time everything passed . Still wary , he stepped onto the illusionary snow . Light from the edges of the circle sprang up after a second . With no feeling of motion he watched himself sink down below the illusion of the snow . Once his head had 'submerged' he found himself descending on a disk of light down onto the altar of some temple . At first he guessed to be inside the mountain . That was proven wrong when he looked out the narrow window across the huge room to see daylight , without a trace of snow . The thickness of the air suggested lower altitude as well . He had barely landed on the altar when a armored man alongside a aged man in robes looked in the room from a doorway . At the sight of him the armored man jumped in front of the robed man and held his halberd at the ready . The older man looked pleasantly surprised and called out through the doorway in a musical language that he did not recognize . What now ? * * * She looked across the restaurant table at her last ditch source of information . " So Cologne-san , any idea ?" She asked . " If what you say is true I have too many ideas , and not enough facts ." The ancient woman closed her eyes in thought . " I knew the handsome pervert only after he had passed his own trial . But the little I know tells me that it is something that will change Son-in-law irrevocably . Whether this shall be a good or bad change I cannot say . I do know that Happy was a pervert before and after his trial if that is your worry , Nabiki-san ." " No , that's not what I'm worried about ." She shook her head . " I just want to know what he's doing ." " Ah . So the handsome pervert hasn't told you even the basics of the trial , has he ?" " Not a word , even when bribed ." She sighed . The elder collected her thoughts before beginning . " I'm sure you have noticed Son-in-laws tendency to attract trouble and odd events ? Some of this is karma , some of it is not . The trial first consists of a number of quests , each performed under a physical impairment , such as blindness or deafness . These quests are more of a long ritual to well..." The elder almost chuckled . " to put it crudely , call karma out to do it's worst . Considering Son-in-law's karma I suppose this trial could take him anywhere ." She digested that information for a moment . " So how long will this trial take ?" The elder thought for a moment . " If he actually survives the ordeal it could take him anywhere from six months to years . But as for how long by our perceptions I'm not sure . He could walk in the door at any moment ." She blinked . " Huh ? Our perceptions ?" " When I said anywhere child , I meant it ." The elder Amazon smiled sadly at her . " I did not limit my statement to only include this planet and realm . Time is a relative thing , even the narrow-minded scientists know this . As realms are removed from each other time between them is a bit of a indistinct thing . If he spent decades in one realm he might return to this one the same day as he left . Or moments in one might pass as years here . It depends on where he ends up and for how long . Due to my own travels I happen to be much older than a mere three centuries , but my birth in China was three hundred twenty six years ago ." The elder patiently waited for her to wrap her mind about all the new concepts and situations . " So just how old are you really ?" She decided on clearing that up before moving on . " Depends on how you count it ." The elder shrugged . " By this realm's dates I am three hundred twenty six . However , I can remember well over five hundred years of experiences . My granddaughter's own travels are the reason why my great granddaughter is only sixteen instead of something more logical ." " Oh ." She blinked , Shampoo's age in contrast to Cologne had nagged her in the past . " So what are other realms like ?" To her surprise , Cologne laughed at her inquiry . " That , Nabiki , is a loaded question !" The elder chuckled . " No offence child , but why not ask an ant what all of Tokyo is like ?" Cologne chuckled to herself for a few more moments before continuing seriously . " Really , child , the number of realms is most likely infinite ." " Alternate realities ?" She guessed . " You've been reading too much sci fi . Those are purely effects of time , infinite timelines combined with infinite realms . Hence , the philosophy that all things are possible , and also my utmost admiration to the creator . " Even the nearest realms are quite different form this one . They are , for the most part , places where things walk that we dare not even whisper about . Some realms are completely separate from this one , others are fused to it . Amazingly enough , humans populate a good portion of the many realms I have visited . Although , never in the numbers here . We tend to be a minority or even a near extinct oddity on most ." " Sounds like someplace Ranma would end up ." She nodded . " Indeed . But before you ask , I cannot follow him . As have revealed , I am not as young as three hundred . I would have hundreds of entire realms to search , an impossible task to complete in either of our lifetimes . Besides , I cannot honorably interfere with his trial . We will simply have to hope he returns within a decent period of time ...provided he survives ." He looked down at his hands , encased in the gauntlets he had been given . Dark violet blood dripped from them , his hair , and soaked his clothing . His gaze shifted to the silent battlefield he knelt in the middle of . Blood , both crimson and violet mixed in the earth to make the muddy hell about him . Standing , he looked over the ruins of a massive body , the demonic beast he had slain only seconds before . As the dark fluid flowed down his arms he watched in sick fascination . The last challenge had taken all sense of touch from him . He could not feel the clothing on his back nor the slick blood drenching him . Such detachment from the world about him was at its worst at moments like these . Sensing sudden movement towards him he snapped from his reverie and whirled about to face the new threat and threw up his guard . Bounding through the bloody mud and broken forms the new figure headed strait towards him . It slowed as the distance closed , and finally stopped a dozen meters away from him . The figure appeared human , and female , but he knew not to trust appearances . The woman's ki did not feel human , close , but still not human . " Who are you , warrior ?" The woman called out in K'gant , the common tongue . " Call me , Dukan ." He gave his traveling name , the K'gant word for double sided or dual natured . " Who are you ?" " Interesting name ?" She seemed to smirk . " Call me , Ellonwy ." He did not budge out of his defensive stance . " Ellonwy , what do you want with me ?" " Nothing personally . But you do seem cute ." She took a more natural stance , lowering her defenses . " But , I am charged with guiding you to your next challenge ." " Charged by who ?" He readied himself to attack or flee . There had been false messengers in the past . " By the pillar that I've taken the challenge of ." She explained . " I'm on a similar quest as you ." " Sorry , but I'm already in the middle of the fourteenth pillar's challenge . I don't want to take on more than one challenge at a time ." She seemed to consider that for a moment . " I wish I would have thought of that instead of being in such a dammed hurry ." She said more to herself than to him . " Very well , I'll find you once you've completed this challenge ." Without further word she leapt off in the same rapid manner that she had done so before . Shaking his head he continued off down the bloody road he had been on . This time he did not run into the midst of any battles , nor did the wandering oddity or monster attack him . Thankful for the respite he stopped by a stream and washed away the blood and icor . Hours later , he found himself standing atop a cliff looking down into the valley below . It was small and seemed peaceful . The tug at his mind told him that the pillar he sought was in this valley . By the time he was near the bottom of the cliff he knew two things . One , that in his current state of exhaustion he wouldn't be able to climb down the rest of the way so long as his sense of touch was still gone from the current challenge . Two , that this pillar happened to be in the lake at the base of the cliff . He extended his senses out into the waters below , searching for any harmful creature . Nothing but fish . With a shrug he kicked off the cliff wall and out into the open air . The cool water rushed up to greet him with a jarring embrace . The breath she had taken before was nearly driven from her lungs by the impact . Following the tug upon her mind she swam under the surface to a smooth pillar standing out of the mud of the lake bottom . Touching it's impossibly smooth surface she felt a rush of sensation , the feel of the water , her clothes , of the coolness , it all rushed into her as her sense of touch was restored . An instant later she felt the pillar's message imprint on her mind . {The challenge of the unfeeling is conquered . The fifteenth challenge remains . The challenge of oblivion . Find the unfelt pillar to regain your life .} She found herself standing on the shore of the lake . She tried to remember why she was there , but couldn't . Puzzled , she tried to remember where this was . Still nothing . Now frightened she tried to remember anything . Only one memory remained . {Find the unfelt pillar to regain your life .} Panicked , she screamed for help . Only the echoes of her own cries answered her . Neither knowing nor caring what she was doing she began to run , screaming for someone to save her . He sat in the Dojo and thought . In the absence of his son he had questioned the wisdom of his teachings and his refusal to go through the trial himself . Had he taught Ranma as he should have ? So many mistakes haunted him , and would do so until his last breath . The Neko-ken training was only one . He still awoke at night , hearing his son's screams twist into howls , matching the cries of his tormentors . There were other mistakes . So many others that he wept at his own folly . It was only by some miracle and perhaps the genetic influence of his wife , that Ranma was what he was and not some twisted thug with only cruel and perverted goals . But his time with his son was more than a long and sad chapter of his life . There had been many good times , so much fun and joy . There may have been many dark times , but there were more times of joy . Times when he swelled with pride at his son's performance . Times when Ranma rejoiced at his growing power and knowledge . However , it seemed that the dark times overshadowed everything else . He had once been told that a good life is one lived with no regrets . He regretted most of his , and most of what he had molded his son's to be . He wanted to weep again . He wanted to howl in fury and rage against everything in vengeance for life bringing him to this low . He did none of what he wanted . He knew he did not deserve to have what he wanted . In the only penitence he knew , he sat there , resolving to let Ranma do his own will when he returned . He would no longer guide Ranma's life , he had lead his son astray too many times already . Putting down the weights for a breather she found herself staring at a picture on her desk . It was of her and Ranma , pushed together , for a photo of the Tendos and their extended family . She looked decidedly unhappy in the pic , every part of her that touched Ranma was stiff and tense . He looked like he was about to bolt before a mallet appeared in her hands and squashed him . In Ranma's absence she had expected her father and Genma to play the old 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' routine to the hilt . So far there had been none of that . Soun had gone about his usual routine in a subdued manner , Genma and gone about his with stoic patience . It seemed that without the usual craziness or everyone pushing them together she was free to think . To think too much . She had done almost nothing but think about her relationship with Ranma or try not to . Finally , she had come to the conclusion that she did not want to love Ranma . But she had fallen for him despite herself . She loved him . She needed him to return and bring meaning back into her life . She could only hope he felt the same and came back to her . Her weights forgotten , she laid down on her bed and did something she had rarely done in her life . She prayed . She prayed for Ranma to return . The quiet meditation quieted her body as she prayed for nearly and hour . Finally , sleep took her , and her prayer . * * * He was so tired . Though his body was capable of performing at peak for hours more , he was weary of mind and spirit rather than of flesh . It had been so long , he had suffered so much . He just didn't want to go on any longer . Once , the image of Akane's smiling face had fueled him onward for days , weeks , months more . Now the distance , the time , the pain and the trial separated him so far from that smile that it brought more pain than comfort to him now . He was just tired now . Tired of the pain , the struggle , the goal that only seemed to get farther with each passing challenge rather than closer . He had met each of the twenty challenges the pillars had set for him . Only to discover that it was all simply to set up a new set of challenges and tasks for him . Now he sat atop the tower that hid his final pillar from him . The twenty pillars he had sought he had found . His reward ? To have another set of tasks before him , each tenfold the trial of those before . Now he sat on the marble spire under an alien sky in the midst of an alien city in a realm that scarcely held more than a few hundred humans . Now he sat with all his weakness pounded into his face , his shortcomings and flaws hammered into him . He now knew there was no cure for his curse . He now knew how much of the pain of his former life had been his own doing . His fiancée's screams had been validated , Ryouga's accusations proven . He was just so tired of it all . No rest , no end , nothing , only farther and farther travel to harsher and harsher fates . How could he go on ? ' One can still go far after one is tired .' Vell had told him . But what reason did he have to go on ? Why couldn't he rest ? Why did he have to go on , couldn't he just find a quiet realm and live out his days ? Why ? Because he was who he was , despite of and because of all he had been shown about himself . What more reason did he need ? Wearily , he stood and looked out over a veritable sea of roofs , cut with a network of streets . Without further word or gesture he leapt out for the nearest roof to begin the newest leg of his long journey . She gazed out at the sunrise . Wondering if Ranma were watching this , wherever he was . The clouds shifted their shape as the light painted new hues upon them . Both the canvas and painting in eternal transformation . Tearing her eyes from the calming sight she returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her family . Since Ranma's absence she had to prepare almost half the amount of food she had in the past . The lighter work load actually served to make her feel oddly unfulfilled , as if she weren't doing her part . Her mind wandered as her hands flew through motions repeated thousands of times before . She liked Ranma . Oh , at first she hadn't liked him at all , even going as far as to be a bit afraid of the boy . But over time she had found herself changing her opinion of him . Unlike others who were too focused on influencing their surroundings , she actually took them in before reacting . As a result she had gathered quite a bit more about Ranma and his inner character than Ranma himself likely knew of . In fact she had once even found herself falling for the boy . But , that would have been horribly wrong . Ranma belonged to Akane , and she couldn't put her own wishes before her baby sister's . So she had cut off her budding feelings for him right then . It pained her sometimes , most acutely when she was around the fool Tofu . Running into walls and hurting patients was not something she found attractive . Bravery , honesty even to the point of rudeness , honor above all else , and such a kind and forgiving nature were things that did tug at her . She missed Ranma dearly . If she could not have him as her own she would have him as her brother-in-law . She looked out into the living room , to see Nabiki reading , her father and Genma playing Shogi and Akane worrying . If only he would come home to them . [Being a man entails many things depending on the culture and the person . However , in essence it may simply boil down to pragmatic humility and basic maturity . Nothing more , but nothing less .] He returned to Nerima at a walking pace that usually was reserved for the aged or injured . However , he was far from either . Just someone who had found patience to be something to revel in . The one kilometer walk should have taken barely and hour , he made it to his destination after nearly two . Reading the sign 'Tendo Dojo' he found a smile on his face . On impulse he reached up to touch the left side of his face . His smile grew slightly . There should have been a scar there , limiting him to only a limp half smile . Not any more . His trial was over . After more than a year he had done it . The irony of finding that he was returning after only a month and a day since his departure had caused him to laugh for almost twenty minuets . Even though he had not seen his reflection since nearly drowning in the spring of healing a week before he knew he did not look much older than he had left . That fact both pleased and annoyed him . After all he had suffered through , the triumphs and utter tortures , he didn't even have a pimple to show for it . The spring's waters had cured scars and aches so old he had long since forgotten what it felt not to have them . He knew , even when he had been a kilometer away , that Happosai was in the Tendo Dojo . But , this time the old master didn't sense him . He smiled as of old , confident and assured , but this time there was no cockiness . Calmly he stepped through the open gate . Showing no effort he leapt from there clear over the house and into the backyard . He could feel that the only person home was Kasumi and the old Master . Without any outward indication he let his presence be felt . The door to the Dojo slid open as Happosai bolted out , eyes wide in surprise . " Not even you !" Happosai stared at him in panicked disbelief . " Not even you could finish the trial in a month !" " Actually , to me it's been more than a year ." He corrected , bowing politely to the aged master . " So ka ." Happosai calmed , and bowed in return . " Issue the challenge ." He nodded . " I , Saotome Ranma , student of Saotome Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu , challenge you for mastery of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu ." He watched the small man take a fighting stance and open the floodgates on his true power . " I accept your challenge , Ranma ." Had he fought Happosai all out before the trial he would have been killed the first blow . Now he almost pitied the older man . Happosai lunged at him , exceeding the speed that even Cologne flaunted . He sidestepped the charge easily . Undeterred , the master spun in the air and hurled a stick of dynamite . He plucked it out of the air and flicked the lit fuse away before tossing the stick aside . The master rushed in close this time , fists and feet flying with force enough to tear tempered steel . He blocked all with open palms . Howling with frustration the master threw caution to the wind and truly held nothing back . But , from the beginning the fight was completely one-sided . The moment she had heard Ranma's voice she had rushed to the patio . To watch the battle ensue . Ranma had been dressed in a vermilion dogi and deep ruby red pants similar to his old black ones . Currently she stared in awe as the diminutive man and Ranma battled with such speed that their bodies were mere blurs of color to her eyes . Then they tripled the tempo of the match . Soon she couldn't see a thing , wind from such ludicrously fast movements buffeted her until she nearly lost her footing . Then it was over . Ranma slid to a halt , his back to her . Happosai fell to the ground limply , skidding until he hit the house wall . The small man's impact sent cracks arcing through the wall in a spiderweb like pattern . Slowly , Ranma stood and turned to face Happosai and bowed . Happosai , with obvious effort stood and returned the bow . " I have lost ." Happosai announced . " You are the master of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu . I am now retired ." " Arigato ." Ranma replied , bowing again , this time to an equal . " Now I can enjoy my retirement ." Happosai grinned and bounded off , but with much less vigor and more pained grunts that usual . " Koneechiwa Kasumi-san ." Ranma bowed to her and smiled . " I'm home ." " Welcome home ." She bowed in return , this time to a proper superior . The formalities done with , she rushed up to give him a sisterly hug . " Akane's going to be so happy ! We all missed you so much !" " I missed everyone too ." He nodded a wistful smile on his face as he allowed her to lead him back into the house . She noticed something odd the moment the turned to say something to him once they were in the house . She was staring at the wrong part of him , Ranma was only a few centimeters taller than her . Or he had been , it seemed that he was now almost a full head taller than her . Looking up into his face she could see other differences , less baby fat on his face , his features much more pronounced now . He looked to be her age or older . " Ranma ?" She blinked . " What happened to you ?" He only smiled at her and sat down with a comfortable sigh . " By my point of view I've been gone for over a year as near as I can tell ." She gaped at him , it made sense considering his appearance , but . " That's impossible , Ranma , you've only been gone a month ." " I've only been back in this realm for a five hours ." He smiled at her . " I don't expect you to understand everything . I don't understand it all either ." Lowering a hand from her mouth she considered his face again . If anything he was much more handsome than before . Yet , his bearing was much different . He felt like a master to her . She knew he was telling the truth , so she just accepted it . " So how does it feel to be a master finally ?" She asked brightly . " Just the same as it did an hour ago , only now I have the title ." Ranma smiled at her . " It feels good , but it feels better to just be here ." " I'm glad ," She said truthfully . " let me go get you some tea while we wait for everyone to come home again ." Upon returning to the living room she was struck for a moment at the change in Ranma . Before , he would be sitting there , fidgeting impatiently . Now , he sat there , eyes closed , looking more at peace than she had seen anyone so young be . Snapping herself out of staring she quickly bustled up and set the tray down on the table . Remembering that she was now serving a master , and not just some teen-aged boy engaged to her baby sister , she carefully poured the tea and set it before him with her greatest care . " Arigato , Kasumi-san ." He nodded to her before sipping his tea and closing his eyes . After a full ten minuets and two cups of tea she couldn't stand the silence any longer . " What are you doing ?" She asked him suddenly . " Getting a feel of the place ." He smiled without opening his eyes . " I used to be limited to only six senses . Now I would count mine as nine or eight depending on definitions ." " Oh my ." She took a sip of her own tea . " Akane's been worried sick about me , Nabiki's just been puzzled , and Tendo- san and Oyaji have been subdued ." He rattled off before pausing for a leisurely sip before continuing . " You've been more worried about me than Akane . Why ?" She found herself too shocked to really answer . " I chose the trial of my own free will ." He smiled at her gently , his eyes still closed . " I'm touched , but Akane needed the comfort ." " H-how do you know ?" " Simple , I've been reading what happened , emotionally , in my absence by the impressions left in the residual ki ." She opened her mouth to say something when he held a hand up to stop her . " Akane and Nabiki are here ." He informed her . Trusting him she got up and went to the door . Just in time to see Nabiki and Akane walk through the outer gate of the Tendo Dojo . Akane looked depressed , and Nabiki looked thoughtful . She almost burst waiting until they got closer to tell them . " Akane , guess what ?" She said with girlish excitement she had not felt in years . " What , Tofu propose to you ?" Nabiki answered snidely . " Ranma's BACK !" She squealed . Akane froze for a moment before zipping past her fast enough to raise dust . Hurrying after Akane she caught up with her little sister in the living room . Akane was standing there , staring at Ranma in disbelief . He was sitting there , eyes closed and looking like the calmest man in the world . " Welcome home Akane ." Ranma nodded toward her . " And you Nabiki-san ." He nodded to her in return . " RANMA !" Akane yelled and zipped to his side . " I said I would be back , and " He opened his eyes to look directly into Akane's . " I kept my promise ." " YOU BAKA !" Akane continued . " You made me worry sick over you !" Her heart sank . She expected the usual retort followed by a malleting . " Gomen ." Ranma apologized instead . " I'm sorry I couldn't write to tell you what I was doing ." " Huh ?" Akane blinked . " Nani ?" Nabiki added in equal shock . " How can I make it up to you ?" He smiled apologetically to her . " Who are you ?" Akane jumped to her feet . " You're not Ranma !" Ranma proceeded to fall back and roll on the floor laughing until tears started flowing . " Akane ." She took her sister by the shoulder . " That is Ranma , it's a long story ." " Aren't you supposed to be shorter ?" Nabiki asked after a still chuckling Ranma sat back up . " And you must have put on about ten kilos ." Nabiki added , looking at Ranma's broader shoulders and more muscular arms . " Ranma's been gone for a year by his time ." She announced . " Actually a little longer ." Ranma corrected . " I actually had a dream a few days ago that you'd react just like that , Akane . But Kami-sama the look on your face was so much better in person !" Obviously not knowing whether to be mad or relived Akane sat down again . " Cologne was right ." Nabiki muttered to herself . " About what ?" Ranma looked to Nabiki . " Eeep !" Nabiki eeeped . Ranma looked at Nabiki for a moment . " How much did Elder Cologne know ?" " Not much , but she did say that you might get back at any time soon or years from now ." " Sounds accurate ." He nodded . " I guess I have to talk with her tomorrow ." " About what ?" Akane asked with suspicion . " I just need to tell her to get lost once in for all or I'll have to challenge her ." Ranma shrugged . " Worst comes to worse I'll just break a few bones and have her deported , Shampoo can leave if she wants ." Everyone gaped except Nabiki . " Aren't you being a bit overconfident ." " Not really ." Ranma said mildly . " A year ago I wouldn't have lasted a second against her . Now ..." Ranma's face hardened for a moment . " She'd give me a good warm up but that's all ." His face dissolved into it's former peace as he sipped the last of his tea . " You can't be that good ." Akane snorted . Ranma smiled and visibly suppressed a chuckle . " You're right , I'm better than that . But , I'd have to hold back to keep property damage down ." Akane huffed and puffed at that . " That's not what I meant baka !" " I know ." Ranma looked a bit more serious . " Do you really want to see just some of what I'm capable of now ?" " Sure ." Akane grinned scornfully at Ranma . " You-me-Dojo-now !" " Akane , you can't challenge the Master of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu ." She quipped at her sister . " Huh ?" " That's why I left ." Ranma sighed at his fiancée . " But I will show you a few things I suppose ." Standing he walked out into the back yard . Waiting only long enough for the three sisters to gather on the patio Ranma proceeded to the shed by the Dojo to retrieve a doomed practice dummy . One that happened to have a red shirt and a pigtail attached . " Cute , Akane ." Ranma actually chucked in genuine humor . Akane opened her mouth to explain . But , Ranma easily tossing the dummy on a vertical course for LEO stopped her . He had tossed the dummy one handed with all the effort of throwing a dish rag . Craning her neck she watched the dummy all but disappear into a speck in the sky . Ranma coughed for attention . The three Tendo sisters looked down at him just in time to watch his afterimage fade . The ground jolted under them as if from a gas main exploding . On instinct they looked back up again . Just in time to watch the speck of the dummy explode . A fraction of a second later the dull crack of the exploding wood reached their ears . Another impact jarred the house . " That was nothing ." Ranma stated flatly , looking up at the still falling debris . " T-that was impossible !" Akane stammered . " You should still be up there !" " Gravity does get annoying sometimes ." Ranma shrugged . " All I did was transfer my extra momentum down and added a sharp ki blast to get back down in a hurry . Nothing I wouldn't do by reflex in a fight ." " W-what the hell ?!" Akane balked . " I've actually seen hell too ." Ranma suddenly got a evil grin . " Now I got to tell Ryouga about that !" Ranma laughed even as he sidestepped falling chunks of wood and padding . " He really is a master ...the speed , the form ...it's ..." Akane shook her head in awe at the laughing Ranma as he dodged the falling dummy pieces without even looking up . " Actually , Akane ." She placed a hand on her baby sister's slim shoulder and smiled . " Happosai retired , Ranma isn't just a master , he is THE master of Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu ." Akane only squeaked softly . Nabiki eeped again . " I hope now things will get back to normal again." She sighed contently . [Accepting the things we cannot change and changing what we can is a simple formula for a happier life ...So easy to say , nigh impossible to practice .] The whole day had just been way to weird for her . And not in the usual weird way . Ranma no longer walked on the fence . He had said something about not needing to anymore . She had been struck by how much larger he was now . Before , she had come up to his shoulder level . Now she found herself even smaller by comparison . His arms , hands , entire body , were harder , more powerful . Now Ranma rivaled her father's physical stature . More than a few times she had caught herself staring at him . He didn't look like a boy anymore , and after all it had been boys she hated , not men . Later Ranma had not only talked Kuno down instead of pounding him in the morning , he had done it in a roundabout logic loop that even Nabiki couldn't figure out . Kuno had fainted from the effort of deciphering the turn and twist of phrase . At school , Ranma claimed not to be behind at all even after his long journey . When asked in private why not , he had only smiled and said something about Dragons being the best teachers next to half-dragons . During gym Ryouga had shown up with his usual 'DIE RANMA' . Ranma had jumped at the opportunity to make good on his idea from yesterday . ' Why ?' He had asked the lost boy with a smile . ' Huh ?' The lost boy had stopped in his tracks . ' Why ?' ' Because I've been through hell because of you !' ' No , I've seen hell . You've just had a frustrating time .' Ranma had quipped at Ryouga . ' Huh ?' Again the charge had been halted . ' Believe it or not there isn't much fire , but I did find some brimstone . But for the most part it's mostly nightmareish demons and stuff that you really , really , don't want to think about .' ' What the hell are you talking about ?' ' Exactly that , hell .' ' Huh ?' ' Long story , let me give you the summary .' Ranma had calmly strode up to the dumbfounded boy and took him aside to fill him in . Hibiki Ryouga had walked away in shock mumbling 'I'll challenge you another time then ..' after Ranma had given him a twenty minuet summary . After school Ranma had walked home with her , again at her side instead of on the fence . Her only problem had been that he seemed content to walk at what she considered an excruciatingly slow pace . He had only chucked at her impatience . Pointing out that they had no time limit and getting home faster only meant doing her homework sooner . Reluctantly , she had conceded and slowed herself to his crawling pace . Once at home he had headed up to his room and actually finished his homework before she had . Then he had waited in the Dojo for her to come down for her afternoon practice . Instead of his usual training garb or a gi he wore the same clothing he had upon his return . After giving her an appraising look he had walked over to a corner of the Dojo and sat down . ' What are you staring at !?' She had snarled at him . ' You .' He had said blankly . ' I'd like to check up on your training methods and your current level of skill and ability .' ' Nani ?' ' I'm going to be much more positively involved in my student's studies than my predecessor .' ' Ranma I don't need your help !' She had snapped . She never saw him move . One moment he was sitting across the Dojo the next she was staring into his chest . ' In matters concerning Musubetsu Kakuto Ryuu I am the master .' Ranma said evenly with an unreadable mask of an expression . ' Please address me as your Master . Now , until you are equal to how I was before I left you do need my help .' ' H-hai , Master .' She swallowed and nodded . As if he had never moved he was across the Dojo again , but sitting cross- legged now . ' Please , just go through your normal training .' He had nodded . So she had . The whole time he watched her every move and breath . Despite the apparent intensity she could see in his eyes she couldn't even feel him watching her if she looked away . After she had finished he had only nodded to her in dismissal and closed his eyes to think . Feeling very odd and confused she had walked out and taken a quick bath . Expecting him to have his analysis done by now she headed for the Dojo after throwing some normal clothes on . She walked into the ancient Dojo to find Ranma standing and apparently waiting for her . " Speed , advanced tactics , and a few form flaws are you main problems ." Ranma began without preamble . " Speed , however , happens to be your biggest concern right now . Now , you do have excellent power and control . Your strength and power are much more advanced than I expected . Your form is excellent , but your repertoire needs to be expanded , but you learn fast ." " Hai , Master ." She nodded . " You've already had your workout tonight , so we'll start tomorrow ." He nodded to himself . " First you'll work on those form flaws before we move on to your speed ." " Hai , Master ." She nodded again , this was going to take a LOT of time to get used to . " Goodnight ." He bowed slightly to her in dismissal . She returned the bow , having to remind herself to bow to a superior , no matter how much it galled her . She stopped walking out of the Dojo once she noticed Ranma was not coming . " Aren't you coming too ," She asked , belatedly adding . " Master ?" Ranma had waked to the center of the Dojo , he smiled a her over his shoulder . He had been smiling an awful lot lately . " Not yet , I'm going to finish what I was going before calling it a night for training ." " This I have to see ." She smirked , forgetting formality . " Not much to see , from what I've been told ." He turned away and shrugged . For a full minuet he just stood there , motionless . Slowly she felt the hairs on her body stand at attention . The temperature of the room seemed to rise a few degrees . The air seemed to be filled with the charge of electricity . Then , suddenly , all was normal . She hadn't noticed the subtle tension in Ranma until he relaxed . " Real flashy huh ?" Ranma turned and smirked . " What was that ?" She blinked . " Just exercising absolute control over my ki ." Ranma shrugged . " All it does is help freeze my current level of physical ability so I don't have to worry about maintenance work outs so often ." " Hey , that's real useful , teach me that !" " Can't ." Ranma snorted . " I'm still perfecting it to my body . Besides , you'd need a lot more skill and experience with ki manipulation to even get the general idea ." She bristled at the insult . " So you're saying I'm not good enough !" " Not yet ." He ignored her clenching fists as they walked at his usual extremely slow pace . " But in a few years ." Out of angry habit she threw a punch at his face . It connected . But instead of Ranma going crunch and flying off , her fist went crunch and Ranma's face didn't even budge . " YEOW !" She clutched her injured hand . " I guess that's punishment enough for attacking your master ." Ranma muttered . " You broke my hand !" She screamed at him . " No ." He stepped closer to her . " You broke your hand on my face ." With movements she could barely perceive even as blurs Ranma's hands flashed out . Her hand went numb instantly . In shock at the development she let him reach out at a normal speed and take her injured hand in his . Staring with an odd detachment she noticed that his hands were even larger than before , now much more than twice the size of her own . Gently , Ranma examined the injured hand . " Nothing is broken ." He announced as he began to pop things back into their proper alignment . " Just torn out of place . There . Just avoid straining it for a week and it'll be fine ." He released her still numb hand . She flexed it , not even stiff at all . Aside from the numbness she couldn't even tell anything was wrong . " Nothing more strenuous than writing or eating with it , alright ?" " Fine ." She blinked at her hand . " The numbness should wear off by the time you wake up tomorrow . I'll fix it up again if it hurts too much ." Still with that odd detachment she watched Ranma continue off down the hall . Leaving her to stand there , cradling her hand . She did not get up after hearing Akane howl in pain . Her position allowed her to see that the cause had been Akane hitting Ranma . To her surprise the blow did not even cause the relaxed master's head to even waver a centimeter . She calmed once Ranma fixed Akane's hand and continued on into the living room . With a shrug she returned to her article . A few minuets later she had finished reading . She looked up to check on Genma and her Father's usual game . Only to see her father sitting across the board from Ranma . Genma on the porch , resting his Panda head on a sign that read . ' I play the winner .' Now quite intrigued , she watched closer . Ranma sat there , leaning against the wall , his eyes closed . Her father stared at the board with desperation written on his face . One look at the board told her that even if he did cheat heavily Tendo Soun was still fighting a losing battle . With a shaking hand her father moved his piece . " Your move ." He gulped . Ranma reached out and moved his piece without even opening his eyes . Both Genma's and her father's eyes , however , threatened to leap out from their sockets . Her father studied the board again with further desperation added to his expression . " Your move ." He sighed after pushing a piece to apparent safety . " Checkmate ." Ranma announced , scooting a previously ignored piece into position . " Good luck , Saotome-kun ." Soun patted his furry friend on the shoulder before switching places with him . Over the next hour she watched Ranma trounce the tag team in game after game , even with both of them cheating against the younger man . The whole time Ranma moved only to shift position or move a piece . Shaking her head with an amused snort she found another article to read . * * * Even trying to tune out everything he still could feel where everyone within a half a kilometer radius was . So he knew well in advance that Akane was planning on taking a bath . So he had made sure to have closed all the doors and have put out the sign . Despite all these countermeasures Akane still marched through the door . By now he had lathered up and dumped the cold water to wash off . For a further measure she made sure to face the back of the bath and close her eyes . Akane felt like she was currently confused and distracted , so naturally she'll assume the worst on sight . " Nani- Ranma noh HENTAI !" " I wouldn't ." She warned in that tone that Vell had taught her . As advertised , the voice technique froze Akane in mid kick . " Akane , I have my eyes closed , I have my back to you and I also had the sign out . How am I a hentai ?" " I-uh-I ...um.." " You want to talk ?" She offered , standing and walking over to the furo . " Wh-why ?" " You seem like you need to talk to me about something ?" She continued , before stepping into the steaming water and switching forms . " Where do you get away with being so damn perfect now !" Akane blurted after a silent minuet of emotional build up . " You made me look pathetic before , but now I don't even hold a candle to you damn it !" " Akane , do really think you want to be like me ?" He began . " Do you think that I don't admire you ?" " I-nani ? Admire me ?" " I admire you ." He admitted . " I always have , but it galled me too much to tell you before . All that shit about being a man-among-men stopping me ." " How the hell could you admire me ?" Her voice shook with uncertain anger . " Do you love your sisters ?" He asked evenly . " Do you love having a home ? Would you trade all of them for being thrown in a pit of cats until you have your first nervous breakdown at the age of seven ? For not even remembering your Mother's face ? For having your father break your bones just to toughen you up ? For being hated and making countless enemies ? For building your life around some false persona of the man-among-men and having that life's work shattered when you gained a curse ? I could rant for hours and hours like this Akane ." Akane made no sound . But she could feel the intense emotion well up in the young girl . She probably was fighting back tears about now . " That was just the first ten years . The year I spent here was a new pain . The last year I spent going through the trial was something I don't care to remember for the most part . Akane , power doesn't always come with pain , but in my case it has . You don't want that kind of power ." He paused to sigh at painful memories . " I admire how far you have come , the determination you have . You got that from yourself . You didn't have to go through Amazon training or hunt me for ten years . You did it all on your own . That's why I admire you ." " I don't know what to say ." The young girl mumbled . " Nothing much to say ." He shrugged . " Why did you tell me all of that ?" Akane asked after a moment . " One of the things the trial did for the fourteenth challenge was take away all my illusions . I couldn't lie to myself . I wasn't ever going to be a man-among- men . I wasn't even a real man , I am both a man and a woman . Another thing it showed me was that .." Knowing that this was best done face to face , he turned to face Akane and looked her in the eye . Bearing all emotion to hers . " I love you , Akane . I have for a long time ." Holding her gaze for a moment longer he flashed her a smile before breaking the eye contact . Unashamed , he stood and walked out past her . Feeling that she had taken the news well and was currently working herself into full elation he smiled broader as he dressed . He had not lied to her at all . Early on in his ordeal he had had his own illusions stripped from him . It had broken him utterly . Even months afterwards he had still been psychologically fragile . Now he lived in the peace of simple truth . No longer did the weight of trying to be a man-among-men crush him . Nor did the fanatical desire to cling to his masculinity . He had been forced to accept his dual nature , across all the realms he had traveled the lack of a cure had been a painful constant . So now he had cast off all lies after rebuilding his own mind again and again . He loved Akane . He would do anything for her happiness . He did not hate his father , nor did he hate anyone . He had been forced to kill many times during the trial . The weight of death on his shoulders and the slick blood clinging to his hands would be there forever . He had accepted all and found the entire world different for it . Standing on the walk between the Dojo and the house he looked up into the world about him . Aware of it's vastness more than he had ever before . After all the pain and struggle he accepted his own place in it . He felt his smile fade with the dying light from a sun that had vanished behind the curve of the world . In it's place he knew his face to mirror his true feelings . Finally , peace .