Blind 3

"speech"

'thought'

panda sign

distant noise

letter / postcard

side notes from the Author>

ISDH

Nabiki knelt in the Dojo as Ranma tap-tap-tapped around the room. Nabiki replayed the memory of Ranma dressing before her in her mind again and again...

The Silence snapped her out of her replay. Ranma was gone.

"You can feel the Energy in this room. But why do I smell powdered limestone?"

"Akane smashes Bricks with her fists."

"By Punching or gripping?" Ranma steeped around in front of Nabiki. He settles to his knees.

"Both. I hire her to the Local Construction Crew. She pounds the brick walls that they want broken up, into pieces that can be carried away. then we get the ones they want smashed further and Kasumi sweeps up the dust when she cleans the Dojo and puts it out for the Crew to pick up when they go to mix mortar for the next project. I then use the money to by her used 4x6s and such her to break, which is then sold to the Artisans who work in clay a few blocks over for their low heat firing pottery."

"OK." The Japanese had made a science of recycling everything. "Strong as a bull and as short sighted as well."

"Speaking Short, With all the work I find for Akane, We are just staying above the line where I must start selling items to make ends meet. Then you and your Father show up. Something needs to be done or we will be in the Red."

"Red?" Ranma cocked his head.

"Bluntly? We need Money. Akane poses for pictures that I sell to the horn dogs at school. I must ask if you will consent to posing as well. Both forms will bring a fen in pictures. I also run a few betting pools at school for fights between the local best of the best. You are in that group."

"Ok. Male form. Bare Chested is all you get for photos. Female. A skirt and blouse are a must. Anything else is for you and you alone in your bedroom."

"Deal."

"Okay, you liked my Cane? What can you tell me about it?" he handed her the short staff.

She twirled it a bit. "Heavy to the hand, but as if it was fitted to the hand. Its heavy enough to hit hard, but to throw you off balance. It is old, well loved by both you and who ever gave it to you. these carving I have no idea what they are, but I know the story they tell will have a great impact on my life." She handed it back.

"Pops has twice tried to steal it, to sell it for sake and such. Once I just smashed him into pulp. The second time I really hurt him." Ranma gripped the leather with his left hand as his right gripped just below the hook. A twist of the wrist, and he drew out a sword blade. "It is no Katana, but it is a good blade. Double edged, balanced to within a few grains of sand. Before I was awarded this Cane, I was forced to Master the staff, the sword, and the void around me. The training was hard compared to some of what Pops put me through, but not as insane. It was in a temple in the Mongol Empire. The Monks there wear blindfolds to lock out the light. Some even cut out their eyes. "

Ranma then smiled. "Pops had to work those three years to pay off a gambling debt. So I learned quickly the arts they gave me. It was from them I learned Chi-sight. By focusing ki, I see the chi around others and some things. Cane and blade are not all that I was given." Ranma replaced the blade with a click. Twirling the staff/cane, Ranma gripped the butt-end and twisted. The end came off.

"Hand." Taking her palm, he poured out twenty small Diamonds. Each about 2-3 carets each. "Tell no one please. They are/were for me to start my own Dojo. I would like to talk about the possibly of buying the Dojo. Or something like that."

Nabiki stopped breathing. She grabbed her nose to block the rush of Blood that would be coming soon. Quickly glancing about as if there might be someone peeking, she slipped the cut stones into her bra. "Will open an Account for you at the Bank, tomorrow after school."

She cocked her head, "One minute you are able to 'see' things that I can not, and then you are blind as a newborn kitten? Details."

Ranma sighs. "Okay." 'looking' Nabiki in the eye, "Ever hear of the Dreaded Art of the Neko-ken?" At Nabiki's shake of her head, "Nabiki. Only the whispering of your hair tells me that you shook your head. I need a vocal answer next time."

"Okay"

"After learning the Basics of the Satome Ryu, and a few of the more complex moves of the Art. Pops found a manual for an unbeatable Art; The Neko Ken. Dig. a pit, Fill it with cats, let them starve for a few days. Take one student, young, wrap him/her in fish product, toss into pit. Repeat until dead or student enters Battle frenzy."

Ranma could not see the look of horror on Nabiki's face.

"Pops grabbed a cat that was infused with a Goddess. In my third time of being dropped into the pit, She was killed. When I awoke, I was blind. Pops had gone off to drink his fill at the nearest traven. Then I heard her voice,

'Thank you little one for granting me my true form. I have removed what damage the Neko Ken has done to your mind. You have a flawed version of the Neko Ken, for I swore that no human would have it. I have destroyed the manual your Father had left here. I am sorry that this whole thing left you blind, as my rebirth to my true form has altered your eyes. I name you protected by Bast. I will place events in your path that will allow you to grow beyond normal sight.' And then she was gone."

" I smelled Pops before I heard him, heard him before he saw me, and caught him with my claws. Shredded his back and legs as he ran. Kami did he run. He ran until he fell outside a Abby. The monks took us in. Pops tried to rip them off, and ended up in chains. They soon took me and Pops to the Monastery where they taught me almost everything I know about Ki and Chi.

Three years there, and we headed back. Straight through the center of China. We ended up at the Cursed Springs of Sorrow. Pops wanted to train, so we jumped upon the poles. There was lots of Chi there so I could see well enough. well enough to win the first round away. Pops fell into the waters"

Ranma took on a very calm face, and in a deep voice. "Honored Guest fall in pool of drowned Panda. Tragic story from 1000 years ago."

"Having lost 'sight' of Pops I looked at the guide, and missed Pops returning to the fight. Only my reflex kept him from hitting me, but I fell into another pool."

Again the Calm face and deep voice. "Honored Guest fall into Pool of drowned Girl. tragic story from 1500 years ago."

"We spent two years in a village near there before coming here. While I left out some details. That is how I lost my sight and learned to see without sight."

"You will have to fill me in better detail later."

"I will, I promise."

Nabiki's mind was working overtime. Then something perked...

"How did you know I was in the Room with you?"

"I did not. When I opened the door, it allowed air to flow to change, and was then able to smell you. You have great skill at stealth, I could not sense you when I entered the room. Your sent was low because how you were portioned, and covered by the fact that I was smelling the soap that I had used in my bath. When I asked you to join me, I thought you were outside of the Door."

"So the advantage is to me. I 'know' what I am getting in this deal, physically as well as financially. A fact you will be denied until our engagement is finalized." Evil chuckle, "Now the Question. Do you want to buy the Dojo, or see if Father will give it as a wedding gift?"

"If we do it was a gift, we have to wait until the wedding. If I buy it, you dad will spend half of what I 'give' him on drink with Pops." Ranma frowned. "If I buy the Dojo, My lovely bride to be and her sisters are welcome to stay, but I am afraid That the freeloaders will have to move on. If We marry, the Fathers will find themselves in the same boat. The difference is how much Soun gets, and how soon we throw the fat bastard out."

‘Ranma does not like his Father much. He will tell more later.’ reaching out, Nabiki tapped Ranma on the nose, “You will tell me everything, and Soon.”

Ranma nodded. His eyes clouded with tears. “I need you to find my Mother’s Grave Site. Pops says she died just before we left, and I would like to pay my respects.”

“That should be all.” Nabiki clapped her hands together. And stood smoothly. Ranma stood and bumped into her on his way up.

“Sorry about that.” Ranma shook his head as if to clear it. “And I will finish my exam of you my sweet Biki-chan, soon. Want these back?” opening his hand revealed five of the larger Stones he had given her earlier.

AN; In this Story at least, Chi the energy that flows about the world, collecting here and there were it is drawen. Ki is the "life energy" that organic Bodies create and give off, affecting the Chi about them. The Monks from Mongolia taught Ranma to 'see' the Chi flows, and by extention, the Ki flows. Will be getting into what the Amazons taught Ranma as well as how he meets Ryoga as he did not attend school with Ryoga in this tale.