For Your Information:
{_ _ _} Means place
*_ _ _* Means thoughts

The Ancient Martial Arts Technique

Chapter 3

At the Cabin

The two remaining Tendo sisters, Saotome family, Chinese trio, the chef, and the lost boy was sitting around the small table, some talking quietly while others, mainly Shampoo and Ukyou who were yelling at the top of their lungs.

�So why are you here?� Nabiki asked the two new comers.

�To fight.� Ryuen answered.

�To fight?� Nabiki repeated.

�Yes. To fight.� Chiki answered. She turned to Ranma then said. �We will need your help Ranma.�

�Who are you fighting?� Nabiki asked for Ranma, knowing he was too lost in his own thoughts to even realize it even if someone was to whack him up side the head.

�The Dark Ones.� Ryuen answered. Nabiki waited for him to continue but he didn�t.

�And who is this Dark One?� She asked.

�The one who will destroy the world if we don�t stop him.� Ryuen answered. �But we aren�t strong enough, we will need help. Ranma he has the power to help us.�

�I have the power?� Ranma asked surprising everyone.

�Yes. You have the power, you are the Master of all waters.� Chiki said.

�I�m sorry but I�m no master of any waters, if I was then I wouldn�t turn into a girl.� Ranma answered. Ryuen shook his head.

�No, You are the one. I�m sure of it. If you need proof then open your palm and concentrate.� He said. The others looked at him not understanding, all except for Chiki. Ranma just sighed.

�You won�t give up until I try aren�t you?� Ranma asked the duo just shook their heads. �Fine.� Ranma closed his eyes and held out his hand. �What am I suppose to concentrate on?� He asked them.

�This cup of water.� Chiki said as she set a cup of water in front of him. Ranma did so and when he heard collective gasps, he opened his eyes and what he saw surprised everything out of him.

******

In the Cabin

Ranma stared in front of him and was surprised to see a round ball about the size of a large chicken egg. It was silver and blue in color it seemed enfolded in what seemed like a white glow, to a normal person�s eye but to Ranma, it was more powerful than that, nothing was able to hold the about of power this small �egg� did. He looked towards the cup, that held the water from before, and found it empty, not even a single drop of water left. �What happened?� He asked. It was the same thing that was running through everyone�s mind, with the exception of Chiki and Ryuen.

�See, that shows you really are the one with the power.� Chiki said smiling. Nabiki blinked a few times trying to gather her thoughts figuring out what she was going to ask next.

�Okay.� Nabiki said, ending the silence that Chiki and caused over the group of people at what she said. �So what if Ranma was the one with the power? What now?� She asked. The two new people seemed to think about that for a moment.

�Well we go find the last one with the element.� Ryuen answered Nabiki after a few moments of thoughts.

�Last element?� Nabiki asked. Then continued before neither the newcomers had a chance to answer the question. �Why don�t you tell us why you need Ranma and this other �element� person?�

Ryuen took a deep breath then started, �Well we need all four elements to fight against the Dark Ones.� He paused but didn�t let anyone start to talk since he continued. �They are the Ones that have been causing trouble a few thousand years ago. The Dark One is their leader, also known as the Puppet Master, the Prince of Ice, he also has many other names, but to us, the Elementals, he is The Dark One, leader of the Dark Ones. He is going to be free of his prison soon and when that happens, we all must be ready to fight him. If we aren�t then we will die, so will the whole world.�

�His prison eh?� Nabiki interrupted. �Why was he locked away and were?� She asked.

�He was locked away by Tora after he killed Reino, Tora�s love. She got extremely mad and killed both him and herself. I would elaborate on that but we a really short on time and need to find the fourth element before he is released from his hundred thousand years of imprisonment.� Chiki answered with a weird expression on her face.

�Were they good friends of yours Chiki?� Ranma asked his face emotionless. She looked up surprised at his question.

�Reino was a very good friend of mine and Ryuen. Excuse me.� Chiki said then she stood up abruptly and left everyone. Ryuen looked surprised but glared at Ranma and went after Chiki.

�What was that all about?� Ukyou asked, She was still amazed at seeing her fianc�e change a cup of water into what seemed like a pearl to her eyes. She smiled and reached out to touch it but it disappeared before she could. �What happened?� She asked looking confused at Ranma. The look on his face was similar to hers.

After blinking a few times, Ranma stood up and left the room going in the direction he had seen the other two go. He followed their trail to a small waterfall hidden in the dense forest. Chiki was sitting on the ground with tears in her eyes, nothing like when he first saw her. Ryuen was a few feet away, with his hand outstretched wanting to go comfort her but was unsure weather or not it was a good idea. Then Ryuen took the last few steps closer to her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked at him in surprise.

�Ryuen?� her voice was barely audible to Ranma. If it weren�t for all the years of training his hearing skills he wouldn�t be able to hear what she was saying.

�I know you treated her badly back then but she�s not the kind of person who would hold a grudge for a long time. You�ve already forgiven yourself. Is it because Ranma looks so much like Reino?� Ryuen said trying to soothe herself anger.

�No! I�ve never been able to forgive myself and never will. Yes, Ranma makes me think of all the times I�ve mistreated Tora because she was closer to him than I will ever be. I thought she was going to steal him away from me but I was wrong. She didn�t steal him away from me; he was never mine to begin with. Plus, it is his decision not mine.� She started to sob onto his shirt.

�Shh� Don�t cry. Everything will be fine. She�s already forgiven you. I know. Why else would she want to be your friend?� He repeated what he said earlier.

�But it isn�t an excuse! I should�ve been at least civil to her but I wasn�t! I treated her badly even though she wanted to be my friend!� Chiki exclaimed. Ranma could hear her more clearly now since she was speaking up.

�A few weeks before the battle,� Chiki started the memory from long ago that seemed just like the day before.

�Chiki, that was long ago. Tora�s never been able to keep a grudge for long. She�ll forgive you.� Ryuen said repeating his earlier statement once again.

�She might but I won�t! I should�ve tried to be her friend. She came and asked me but I didn�t, instead I hit her in the face with her offer!� She exclaimed as she shot out of her seat and into Ryuen�s face. �We could�ve been friends! But because of Reino, I rejected her. I was jealous of how she could get his attention without even trying. She may�ve been clumsy but she was still able to catch his attention. Me? No matter what I try, he wouldn�t ever think of me more than a sister.� Chiki seemed to calm but she collapsed to her feet and Ryuen knelt by her side and gathered her into his arms, letting her cry on to his shoulder.

Ranma quietly stood up and left his hiding place. He had learned more than he wanted to. *It is more than the right time to start to repay for all the things I�ve done. * Then he went back to the cabin.

******

That night when the two new comers came back, everyone was asleep, well everyone but Ranma. He greeted him with a thinned lipped smile.

�Ranma! What are you still doing up?� Chiki asked.

�I want to know what is going on. I don�t want half-truths or anything. I want the whole truth.� Ranma stated simply.

�What do you mean?� Chiki sputtered out.

�I heard what you were saying earlier and I know you aren�t really from this time and I want to know everything.� Ranma said his voice was emotionless. The other two stared at him.

�Fine.� Ryuen answered. �Follow me. This is no place to talk.� Then the two strangers took off running with Ranma right at their tail. Soon they stopped in a clearing, a different one from before mind you. Ryuen seated himself in a tree and Chiki on a fallen log. Ranma jumped onto another tree branch, the three of them forming a triangle.

�Now will you tell me what it really was that brought you here?� Ranma said. He was tired of all this beat around the bush thing. He wanted information and he wanted it soon.

�Yes. First you have to promise that no one else will know of it.� Ryuen said before Chiki could start telling her former crush everything. The quietness that surrounded them came again. Then Ranma spoke up.

�I won�t make any promises that can�t be kept. I won�t keep it a secret if it endangers anyone�� What ever Ranma was going to say was cut off by Ryuen.

�No. You have to promise that a third person will not hear of this unless we tell you it is okay to do so.� Ryuen paused, not long enough for Ranma to cut in. �Besides it would be safer for your family and friends if they didn�t find out about any of this stuff. If they didn�t know anything then they will be safe but once they know, their life will be in grave danger.� Ranma had no choice but to agree. First he wanted to know what is going on and secondly if it was so dangerous that people will be hurt over this information, it had to be important.

Ryuen and Chiki took turns telling Ranma about his past life that he had lived over a thousand years ago, making some minor adjustments that couldn�t do any harm. Little did they know that these minor adjustments in their stories would come back and bite them in the butt later on.

******

It was early in the morning when the tale was finished. Ranma was amazed at how much he�s supposedly done with the two newbies. He had quickly became friends with both Chiki and Ryuen and he knew that he could trust them if he ever needed anything.

Ranma quietly went into his room and dropped onto his futon like a lead weight. He had lots to think about now that he�d learn about his past life. *Even in the life before this one, I hurt so many people. * He thought of Chiki and Akane and his mother who he had unwillingly hurt terribly. *It�s time for me to start shaping up. If this continues on any longer more are going to get hurt. * Ranma thought determined. *If nothing happens today, I�ll start making the changes myself. * Then Ranma drifted off to sleep only to be awakened a hour later by his father for his usual morning training cession. *Doesn�t Pops have anything better to do? Or is he here just to make my life miserable? * Ranma thought as he or rather she went sailing through the air. Genma had used a bucket of cold water to wake Ranma up and everyone knows what would happen next.

******

Three days after the accident

They still haven�t found Akane�s body and were terrified that the wild animals would eaten her. They had notified the officials nearby and a search party was sent out to search for the body. Everyone was sure she was dead for there wasn�t any chance she would still be alive right now. Especially when no one�s helping her.

Ranma was laying in his futon in one of the rooms of the large cabin. He stared up at the ceiling. *Should I give up now? They said that she didn�t have much a chance of living through a fall off the cliff, but she�s a tomboy! She is as strong as an ox, of course she could live through it! But that Chi blast could�ve killed her, that�s what the old ghoul said, but when did I start listening to her? She even said it would be hard for even an Amazon to survive. And I know for a fact that amazons are definitely stronger than Akane. * Ranma thought. Then a memory flashed through his mind form the day before. *How dare they even think any kind of animal would eat her? She�s probably too nasty for any to even want to eat. * Ranma thought trying to comfort himself. This wasn�t good. He was starting to become desperate. *Even Ryuen and Chiki are starting to think there�s no chance of finding her! * He thought starting to become hysteric. *No! I need to calm down. * He took a deep breath and slowly started to calm. Then a knock sounded in the, would be silent room, if you didn�t mind the soft deep breathing Ranma was giving off.

�Ranma, your father and your mother would like you to come down to see what we will do next.� Chiki�s soft voice came into the small room. Ranma smiled. He had devolved a love for the girl, not a lovely love but a love one would feel for their sibling. For the past two days, when his childhood friend or the Chinese Amazon was looking for him when he wanted to be alone, Chiki would always stop them from coming near him. She helped gave him the peace he so desperately needed.

�Okay. I�ll be right down.� Ranma reluctantly got off his futon and left the room. He went down into the dinning room where everyone was gathered. Everyone was talking quietly and he sat down next to Ryuen and his mother, It wasn�t the only space available but it was that or between Ukyo and Shampoo and any place a way from the two was the best place to be.

Genma cleared his throat and said in a loud voice so that everyone in the room could hear. �My friend, my wife and I have come to a decision. Our week here is almost up and if we want to stay here any longer, it will cost five times as much for someone else has already rented this cabin for the next two months. Soun, Nodoka and I have decided we will go back to Japan as we planned. The police will continue to search for Akane.� He didn�t want to say Akane�s body for he learned the day before what it will give. His son had hit him in the face and there was still a big bruise there and various other places on his body. No he maybe stupid but not stupid enough to make that same mistake twice. �And they will call us if they find anything.� After hearing the news, Shampoo and Ukyou broke into wide grins that could hardly be suppressed. This was their chance.

TBC

******

Silver Dragon: Sorry, No Akane or Bad Guys in this chapter. Don�t worry, you�ll see them again soon ^_^ I�ve already started on chapter Four and it�s coming along great! ^_~

Some of you might be wondering why Ranma isn't truning China inside out, trying to find Akane, He is looking for her, as well as the other people. They others, however, think that she's dead and isn't really trying to find her. Ranma knows he can't find her and knows that she wouldn't want him to do that. There's also the other fact that Ranma's just awaken him self to his new powers and it's throwing him a bit off balanced.

What do you think of it? Good? ^_^ Bad? -_- Any comments? Suggestion? E mail them to me at [email protected] or use the box below if you�re at FF.net kay?

Oh yeah! Please Visit my web page too kay? It's at www.geocities.com/sdragon242001/ Thanks sooo much!!! :)

Well Bai now. ^_^

Silver Dragon