Author: Joey Curry 'The Outlander'
Website: www.geocities.com/greendragonproductions Series: The Changes Men Make: Part 1 'The Changing Tide' Disclaimer: Many Characters in this do not belong to me. Some do. Those that do not have their respective creators, from whom I am borrowing without their permission. Most Characters will be property of Rumiko Takahashi, may The Goddess live forever. Story: Kuno's New Mentor "Saotome you retch, how dare you!! I shall not stand by and have you insult the virtuous Akane Tendo so." The sky above Furinkan High grew a dark blue as the storm clouds came in, and blue lightning streaked the sky. Many a city exists where such a thing would have the locals in a fright, but around here such things are common place. For it is a place where doctors, lawyers, and builders often shed tears of joy, but Insurers shed the tears of sorrow and ruin. It is... Nerima! This day is like so many others here: Ranma insults Akane, Akane gets mad at Ranma, half the city gets mad at Ranma, and Martial Artists go beserk. We will not go into any deep detail as to the exact details of todays adventures. Just that Kuno leaps at Ranma, lightning streaking through the sky, and Ranma applies one solid kick to the gut, which sends Kuno blasting off again. And then it started to rain, and Ranma got wet. He then, much to the enjoyment of the Furinkan boys, became a wet, a very wet, she. Ah, life in Nerima. But today was different from other days, for Kuno landed far away, in the mountains, at the very feet of an unknown man. A man with a hooded cloak, all in green. A man Kuno feared, yet he knew not why. This man seemed to glow an erie green light. There was power in this man, a power Kuno was certain did not come from any normal man. In one moment Kuno knew, this man was a martial artist, and a strong one at that. Stronger than him, Stronger than anyone else he had ever met. And Kuno knew fear greater than any other he had ever known. "What be thy purpose here, boy? For what reason do thee come and bow thyself at my feet? Am I king or god, that thee should do such a thing? Nay, I am but a priest of God. Rise and tell me thy reasons for being here? And we shall see what I can do for thee, and what thou canst do for me." So Kuno told him all, to the best of his recollection, that had happened his entire life. Especially that which had happened after Saotome came. The priest seemed troubled, but he kept silent, and listened with an attentive ear. "Well lad, I see thy trouble plainly, and I believe that I can help thee. I shall train thee greater in the arts. I believe that thou showest not a fraction of thy true potential, and that of thy current level thou show but a tenth. I shall teach thee to use all that is thine to command at this time, then we shall see how well Saotome fares against thee. I have heard something of this Watermelon training of thine, and I believe that we shall start there. But first, we must discuss the fee." And so it was that Kuno found a new master, and underwent training greater than any he had ever done before. The hours turned to days, and the days into a week, and the training was over. Though he had gained little in the body, he had gained much in the mind and heart. He learned to use his training as he never had before. He learned many things in that week. One of which is how to build up the anxiety in your opponent, by defeating others that are his rivals. He also learned of Jusenkyo, and of its curse. For the priest was certain that it was that which connected Saotome to Kuno's pig-tailed girl. Of course, it was three days before Kuno could be made to believe that such magyk even existed: and it took the entire week for him to accept the possibility of the two people being one in the same. For Kuno is quite mad, and is lacking in sense, as we all know. Else he would have realized the obvious long ago. But now he was angry. For in his own mind, if it be the truth, than he has truly been decieved, time and again, by the wretched Saotome. And so he set off. To defeat Ranma, and regain his honor. To prove himself once and for all to his peers and his elders, that he was the strongest in all of Nerima, if not Japan, or even the whole wide world. Though this he doubted, for still he felt the superiority of the priest in his mind. But first and foremost upon his mind was his quest to find the answer once and for all, the truth of his pigtailed girl. And soon he was on his way back to Tokyo, and it was not long before he found his feet in Nerima. It did not take long for him to find his first victim. Soon he saw the man in his eye: the father of the wretched Saotome. Hearing Kuno's approch, Genma looked up to see him standing there, sword drawn. Confusion filled his mind, for Kuno had never before taken action against him. And yet, at the same time, his heart was filled with a measure of fear. The boy was...different. He had a glow to his eyes that was in many ways, down right frightening. But Genma allowed himself to excuse it as being the futhering of Kuno's madness. And so he spoke. "What do you want boy? What have I done to you?" "Nothing old man, I merely wish to destroy you in combat. I will kill Ranma Saotome, but first I want him to know fear. I want him to know what battle it is that he goes to, so that he will fight his hardest against me. Or maybe the cretin will run away, showing his true colors as the coward that I know him to be. Now prepare yourself, to be humiliated." "I accept your challenge. I will show you what happens to those who mock the Saotome Musabettsu Kokotu Ryu." And thus the confrontation occured, the challenge issued and accepted. They face off. In the faintest blink of the eye it is over. The Challenger stands victorious. The victem lays still upon the ground, broken worse than he has ever been broken before. The challenger stands silent, but the cold cruel smirk of victory soon plays upon his lips. Later that day,