Meeting Later

    'Tendo Anything Goes School of Martial Arts Training Hall.'

    Then below it in smaller type.

    'To challenge owner in vicious combat, use rear gate.'

    Wiping his forehead with his palm, he straitened the gi he wore over his excessive frame. He had been waiting a very long time for this day, even before his seventeen year old sons birth. Now it was here.

    Just looking at the Dojo and house brought back memories from so long ago, when he and Tendo trained under the Master. They were inseparable back then, but somewhere life caught up with them and they had both gotten married and sought their own paths. He went on to train his single student to greatness, while Tendo had begun teaching many students in his family training hall.

    But regardless of how they split up, they had both held onto a promise - To unite the Tendo and Saotome schools, and their families. He had made that pledge after the birth of Tendo's first girl, and renewed it after they buried the Master, after Tendo's third girl and his only son.

    Only a few years later, he had taken the boy on a great training trip to make him the best, and he had succeeded. The boy was a good as had ever heard of. Every time the boy faced an obstacle he overcame it, even the curse didn't stop him.

    While he was away, he knew his wife kept in contact with Tendo and his family, especially after the loss of Tendo's wife. Which was why after the mistake at Jusenkyo and being chased back to Japan by Shampoo, he knew he couldn't hide the boy here. In the end, he had come up with the brilliant plan of showing the boy to Nodoka, claiming the curse was his final challenge, if the boy could survive the curse, he could overcome anything!

    Nodoka hadn't bought it for a second, but wanted her son back more than lose him to that stupid pledge.

    He had contacted Tendo then about honouring their promise, but before the opportunity came up, something always interrupted. But, now, after the incident in China where the boy showed how far he'd go for his mother, Nodoka had decided it was time for them to meet.

    Moving up to the open gate, he stepped through.

    Kasumi Tendo was watering the garden in the fading afternoon sun when she saw the man in the white training gi step through the gate into the yard. Holding the hose away from herself and the guest, she brushed her hair over her shoulder.

    "Why hello there. Can I help you?"

    The man turned to her, appraising her as the light reflected off his glasses. "Yes, hello. My name is Genma Saotome, is your father here?"

    Before Kasumi could answer her father burst from inside charging out towards the man,  "Saotome! You've come!" he cried.

    He had only crossed half the distance when his foot caught the hose over the path and yanked it from his eldest daughter's grasp, the flow of water invariably splashing his guest.

    Genma Saotome failed to dodge the water as he felt the change coming over him, his mass increasing and fur bursting forth.

    Soun's eyes rolled back in his head as he collapsed, his daughter screaming in surprise at the appearance of the giant panda.

    Genma watched as his friend fainted and Kasumi cried out, backing away.

    A second girl with short brown hair appeared at the door but didn't come out, her eyes wary of the beast in the yard. A third girl came barrelling around the side of the house, dressed in a training gi, her short blue black hair tied back.

    Genma's eyes appraised the third, she was the one Nodoka thought would be best.