Dual Destinies
 
All anime characters depicted in this story belong to their respective 
creators. I think that covers everything.
 
 Chapter 28
  Family Matters
 
 The villagers of the Joketsuzoku were quite surprised, when one of 
the Bayankala mountains suddenly blew up. They dropped whatever they 
were doing and looked toward the horizon. In the distance was a huge 
column of smoke, which was all that was left of the mighty formation 
of rock. Many wondered just what had happened.
 
The Bayankala Mountain Range…
 The mountain, which had contained the Light Star Blade for a 
thousand years, had been reduced to a smoldering and blackened crater. 
The depression's radius measured more than two hundred feet and was 
about a hundred feet deep. Somewhere near the center, stood Ranma 
Red Masaki. He was still in his battle stance, with his hands thrust 
forward and cupped. His body was smudged with dirt and grime, and his 
clothes were slightly singed. His expression was a mixture of shock, 
accomplishment and had a sheepish smile. Aside from a few rocks 
tumbling down the sides of the crater and some small fires crackling 
and dying down, there were no other sounds.
 Then, Ranma Red said in a quiet and embarrassed voice, "I think, I 
may have overdid that spell a bit." He then fell flat on his face, as his 
body began registering the pain caused by being too close to the blast, 
due to the Dragon Slave spell. It was then that he heard a frantic voice 
above him.
 "WHOA! HOLD IT! STOP! HIT THE BRAKES!"
 BOOOOOM!!!!
 Ranma Red lifted his head to see what had just happened. In front of 
him, on the face of an adjacent mountain, he saw that something had 
just impacted with it at great speed. The collision had caused the rock 
wall to crumble as a huge depression was formed. In the center of the 
point of impact, he saw a familiar figure with his front side buried into 
the mountainside and was spread-eagled. In his right hand he was 
clutching a heavy-looking hammer. The magic using Masaki brother 
was struck speechless as he recognized whom it was.
 Ranma Blue could only say one thing to sum up his condition. 
"Ouch!"
 
 Some time later, the Masaki twins were sitting in an undamaged area 
near the crater, discussing their experiences and healing their injuries.
 "So let me get this straight." Ranma Blue said. "You are now able to 
cast all the spells from all places of reality?"
 "That's about the size of it." Ranma Red replied. "That Dragon Slave 
spell I used, didn't come from our world. The Light Star Blade is some 
kind of magical knowledge repository, and it's linked to the common 
forces which powers all forms of magic, not just in our plane of 
existence, but in other realities as well. As soon as I touched the sword, 
it not only transferred all the memories and experiences of the 
previous champions, but it also gave me the knowledge of every spell 
that was ever created in existence! Not to mention, it increased my old 
powers to new levels!"
 "Don't you think that Dragon Slave was overdoing it?"
 "Sorry. I sort of underestimated the full power of that spell. I was so 
excited at my new skills that I just couldn't wait to try them out! It's 
going to take some time for me to test my new spells and stuff. Am I 
glad we have that extra week!"
 "So that's the sword huh?" The elemental twin pointed to the sword 
on his belt.
 Ranma Red nodded as he took out the weapon and ignited the blade. 
The blue-white energy shimmered in the sunlight. He then paused as he 
stared intently at the sword.
 "What's the matter?"
 "The… sword. It's speaking to me, telling me its origins." His 
brother responded, not taking his eyes off the blade. "Ten thousand 
years ago, a visitor from another world came to Earth during the time 
of the First Contract Renewal. He was a master weapons maker and 
hailed from a world that possessed great power. Kami-sama had 
commissioned this person to create a weapon for Soren. When the task 
was completed, Kami-sama himself infused the already powerful sword 
with even more magic, causing it to be linked to the mystical forces of 
existence. The sword, now called the Light Star Blade in honor of its 
maker, was then given to Soren to use against the Dark World. Since 
that time, only the Chosen Twins have been permitted to wield the 
Mystic Sword. There have been many attempts to duplicate the Light 
Star Blade over the millennia. Excalibur, Stormbringer, Musashi's 
bokken, and many others. None have succeeded." Ranma Red then 
deactivated the blade and replaced it back into its scabbard. "And that's 
the Elemental Hammer?" He pointed to the weapon that was in Ranma 
Blue's hand.
 Ranma Blue nodded as he also stared at it. Like Ranma Red, he 
began to hear his weapon speak to him. "Ten thousand years ago, during 
the time of the Contract, the Norse God of Thunder and the Storm, 
Thor, bequeathed his legendary hammer, Mjolnir to Taron. After the 
battle was won, the king of the Norse Gods, Odin, had commissioned 
the Dwarves of Aesgard, the original creators of Mjolnir to make a 
second hammer. This second elemental weapon, called Storm Striker, 
was given all the powers of the original. It is directly linked to the 
powers of nature and the physical aspects of the universe. Odin had also 
placed upon it several enchantments and awarded it to the next 
champions of the Earth. In addition to all the memories and 
experiences of the previous champions, I now have complete control 
over the physical aspects of reality. All the properties of the physical 
universes, fire, wind, water, earth, electricity, gravity, metal, you name 
it, I can manipulate. My old powers have also been increased too."
 "Uh huh." Replied his brother. "And how does that explain you 
smashing into that mountain?"
 Ranma Blue bowed his head, his cheeks glowing crimson in 
embarrassment. "Well, one the hammer's power's allows me to fly, 
without using my gravity manipulation techniques. All I have to do is 
throw it and hang onto the thong. I… guess I misjudged the distance and 
overshot the place where I wanted to land."
 Both brothers looked at other with amused looks, then laughed. 
After a minute or so, Ranma Blue's expression became serious. "Bro, 
are you up to teleporting us to somewhere?"
 "I guess so. Where do you want to go? Back to the village?"
 "No, there's something that I have to show you at Jusenkyo."
 
In the Amazon Village…
 Soun Tendo, Nodoka and the three sisters had opted to take a stroll 
around the village. As they made their way, they engaged in quiet 
discussion.
 "Father?"
 "Daddy?"
 "Dad?"
 Soun Tendo looked at his three daughters and nodded. "I have had a 
long discussion with your… mother." He looked toward Nodoka, who 
gave him a nod. "Nabiki, is it true that you and your sister Kasumi are 
planning to enroll in college next year?"
 "Yes Father." Kasumi replied quietly. "I have already sent my 
application to enroll in a nursing program. Mrs. Saotome… I mean, Ms. 
Masaki has already offered to pay for my tuition."
 "I'm heading to a business college." Nabiki added. "I think they've 
already received my application. I begin my programs in the fall 
semester of next year."
 Soun nodded as he turned to his youngest child. "And what of you 
Akane?"
 Akane bowed her head a bit as she summoned up the courage to 
speak with her father. "Well Dad, I kind of hoped I'd finish high school 
and maybe go to a college for a degree in physical fitness. Maybe 
become an instructor for a gym or dojo."
 "I see. It seems much has happened since I last saw the three of you. 
You all wish to lead a different life than what I envisioned you to."
 "And what is wrong with letting your daughters live their own lives?" 
Nodoka asked with a slightly displeased tone.
 Soun nodded and said in a tired voice. "No, I'm am not against this. I 
have learned much in the past week. It was thanks to a kindly old 
bartender, that I saw the error of my… obsession."
 "A bartender?" Akane asked.
 Soun gave her a knowing smile and chuckled. "Oh yes. I haven't told 
you what happened to me since that day. Anyway, after Genma had 
eluded me, I didn't have the courage to face the three of you. I spent a 
week drowning my sorrows in cheap liquor, getting kicked out of 
several bars when I couldn't pay my tabs."
 "Oh my!"
 Soun nodded to Kasumi. "It's true. I had sunk to an all-time low. 
After Kami-sama knows how many bottles of sake, I found myself at 
some bar called the Infinite Realm."
 "The Infinite Realm?" Akane asked. <That's weird. It almost sounds 
like that place where Soren and Taron come from.>
 "That's was the name of the place." Soun confirmed. "I met an old 
man who ran the bar. He and I had a long talk. He gave me some very 
good advice after listening to my story. He showed me that the 
engagement did not really help the family at all. What good would it 
have been, if any marriage had taken place? The owner of the bar, Akira 
Sotaro, asked me what was more important. My family, or some 
promise made between myself and that idiot Genma? Genma had 
already proven himself as a false friend. I must admit, he did use my 
friendship as a means to get something for nothing. He lived off the 
dojo for a year and used my obsession to push you and Ranma toward 
something that was just not meant to be."
 "Oh Dad! It wasn't all your fault!" Akane assured.
 "Perhaps, but the fact of the matter is, we all had been ignoring the 
problem, hoping that it would go away. But Akira showed me, that kind 
of attitude doesn't work. I should have been more considerate of your 
feelings and tried to solve the problem, not make excuses for it. It was 
my blind ambition to unite the schools that I never even saw the plain 
truth. You and Ranma being forced against your wills. Genma and 
myself were always pushing you. The constant arguing, the fighting, the 
multiple fiancées and such. The situations in which your sisters were 
trapped in. Everything was chaos because of that engagement. No 
Akane, the best way for any of us to attain peace, was to terminate that 
agreement."
 "You mean…?" All three girls asked.
 The Tendo patriarch nodded. "As of now, the agreement to unite the 
schools of the Anything Goes Martial Arts by marriage, is hereby null 
and void. I couldn't care less, if it meant losing those whom I love."
 All three girls were stunned to hear these words from their father. 
For a year, Soun Tendo had been adamant in the ambition to carry on 
the school. Now, he had released the three of them. Tears began to well 
up in their eyes as they suddenly embraced their father in a group hug 
that threatened to crush the emotional martial artist. Soun was also 
bawling his eyes out as he returned the hug. Behind them, Nodoka 
smiled.
 
 At the pools of Jusenkyo, the Guide was startled as the twins 
appeared in a flash of light in front of him. The fat Chinese man let out 
a yelp and fell backward. Luckily for him, Ranma Blue grabbed him by 
the front of his shirt and prevented him from falling into a cursed 
spring.
 "Oh thank you sir! Almost fall in Fushaniichuan! There, very tragic 
story of young priest who drown there, nine hundred, ninety-nine years 
ago! Now whoever fall in spring take body of young priest!"
 "No problem!" Ranma Blue said as he let go of the Guide's shirt.
 "Oh sir! Where you come from? And who is that?" The Guide 
pointed to Ranma Red.
 "I'm his twin brother." Ranma Red replied as he turned toward his 
brother. "So what did you want to show me?"
 "This way." Ranma Blue gestured for his brother and the Guide to 
follow. A minute later, they were standing at the edge of a large pool. 
He pointed to the pool's surface and asked, "Now, do your senses feel 
anything?"
 Ranma Red looked at the pool for a moment, and then his eyes 
widened as his enhanced senses informed him of what was in that pool. 
"No way! This is got to be some kind of joke!" He then turned to the 
Guide. "This wouldn't happen to be Yasniichuan, would it?"
 "Oh yes sir, Spring of Drowned Duck! Very tragic legend of…"
 "Yes, I know about the legend." Ranma Red interrupted as he turned 
back to his brother. "Does that mean…?"
 "Yes. Heitoniichuan. I sensed them as soon as I got Storm Striker!"
 "You're not thinking of…?"
 "Hey! You're the magic expert in the family. You tell me!"
 "Now wait a minute! Don't go there! Sure I know a lot more spells 
now, but you don't expect me to resurrect them! We're talking about 
some serious repercussions here! I might even get into trouble with 
Kami-sama!"
 "Who's resurrecting anyone? Technically, since they haven't crossed 
over into the Kami plane yet, they're not yet considered dead!"
 "Since when did you get philosophical all of a sudden?!"
 "Uh sirs? What you talking about?" The Guide asked.
 The twins ignored the Guide as they continued to argue.
 "Oh come on Red! You know that if we do this, we'll be able to clear 
our consciences!"
 "Is that what this is all about?! You want to bring these two back for 
that?!"
 "Oh don't tell me that you've already gotten over them!"
 "Well… no, but you're talking about playing God here! And even if I 
do have the ability to do this, I don't know how yet! All that magical 
knowledge was crammed into my head like a computer downloading 
into a disk! It'll take me a long time to sort through those files! The 
first files are of course, battle-related spells, to help prepare me for the 
Contract Renewal, and there's a LOT of them! That Dragon Slave was 
just the tip of the iceberg! Now you want me to go through and look for 
a complicated spell like resurrection?"
 "Red, you know we have to do this." Ranma Blue said in a stern 
voice. "It was because of us that they're like this now! We can't just 
leave them here!
 Ranma Red glared back at his brother, then a moment later he 
sighed. His expression saddened as he nodded. "I know. Damn it! Why 
did life had to get so mixed up!"
 "Life's seldom simple! So how do we go about doing it?"
 "Well…" Ranma Red closed his eyes and concentrated. A minute 
later he opened his eyes and said, "According to the sword, I'm not 
ready yet cast such a spell, since it requires massive amounts of energy. 
However, it did tell me of how to extract them from the pools with 
your help."
  "Oh yeah?"
 "Yeah. Jusenkyo Springs are a mixture of elemental and mystic 
power, so it will require both of us to get them out and contain them."
 Just as Ranma Red said these words, a huge cloud formed overhead 
and a huge bolt of lightning appeared and struck the ground in front of 
them. The cloud then disappeared, leaving clear skies. The twins were 
somewhat startled at the sudden change in the weather and then they 
noticed something on the ground where the lightning had struck. They 
cautiously approached it and saw that it was a message inscribed in the 
dirt.
 "What's it say?" Ranma Blue asked.
 "I don't know. I'm not familiar with the language. Hold on." The 
Masaki magician held up a hand and invoked his Spell of 
Comprehension. His eyes widened and his face whitened as he read the 
message.
 "What is it? Who's it from?" Ranma Blue asked.
 "It's… from… Kami-sama!"
 "SAY WHAT?! IT'S REALLY FROM HIM?!"
 "Uh huh."
 "So… what does he want to tell us."
 "He… he's…"
 "What does it SAY?" Ranma Blue asked in an exasperated tone.
 "He's giving us permission to do this."
 "He is?"
 "Uh huh. He's also saying that after we get them out of the springs, 
we should head to some place called the Masaki Shrine. He told us to 
ask our mother about it."
 "Anything else?"
 "No. That's it."
 The two looked at each other in silence as they pondered the 
ramifications of getting permission from Kami-sama himself. They 
then looked at the spring before them. With a final nod to each other, 
they approached the pool's edge and began powering up their energies.
 
At the Amazon Village…
 "You don't want us to take up the Tendo name?" Akane asked.
 Soun nodded. "It doesn't matter what name you three have. You'll 
always be Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi. My little girls. Nodoka and I have 
discussed this and we think it would be best that the three of you make a 
fresh start from all this. I certainly won't be helping much if I were to 
drag the three of you back home. I really… don't have much to offer 
you. I have no job or any other ways of supporting you."
 "But Father…"
 "No Kasumi. It is actually for the best. As Nodoka's wards, you three 
have a far better chance of making a good life for yourselves. The three 
of you should be free of the past year, and far be it from me to deny 
you this chance."
 "But what about you Daddy? If we leave, you'll be all alone!"
 "Not quite!" Nodoka said. "Last night I had given your father a chance 
to make a new start as well. The Masaki family also has ownership of 
several training dojos in Japan. With his permission, we'd like to hire 
him as an instructor. The Tendo Training Hall will be where he will train 
new students."
 "But… Dad can't be an instructor!" Akane said. "He's…too…" Akane 
looked back at her father.
 "Emotional?" Soun said and then gave his daughter a small smile. 
"Don't think that this whole experience has taught me nothing! I have 
become more in control of my feelings, now that I'm thinking with a 
level head. This is my chance to truly fulfill my duty as a martial artist! 
I will begin teaching again!"
 "But father…"
 "Don't worry Kasumi. Just because you no longer have the Tendo 
name, does not mean that I will not be in your lives. I intend to be fully 
involved with your lives. Not like before! I was a poor excuse for a 
father then, but I intend to make up for it! Nodoka and I will see to it 
that the three of you will be happy. No man could wish anything more 
for his children!"
 "Oh Father!" Kasumi's eyes welled up with tears as she embraced 
him. The two other girls followed suit. Nodoka smiled as she watched 
her three adopted daughters hug their father.
 
At Jusenkyo…
 Ranma Red and Ranma Blue slumped down on their knees. In front 
of them were two glass bottles that the elemental Ranma had created 
from a mound of sand. Each bottle was filled with water and had a label 
on it. The Guide walked up to them and handed them a pair of corks. 
After sealing off each bottle, the twins thanked Guide and began to 
slowly make their way out of Jusenkyo.
 "Man! That really took a lot out of me!" Ranma Blue commented as 
he carried a bottle in his hands.
 "I'll say!" Ranma Red agreed as he held his own bottle. "Jusenkyo 
magic is really tricky to manipulate. Once those springs get a hold on 
something, they don't let go of it that easily."
 "So where to now?"
 "We better head back to the village. It'll take us a day to get our 
strength back. First thing tomorrow, we'll head to the Masaki Shrine."
 Both twins powered up their flight abilities and were soon streaking 
across the sky.
 
To be continued…
 
Author's Notes
 
Well, the three sisters have now reconciled with their father and the 
twins are about to meet up with their mother's side of the family. If you 
think you know what's going to happen next, drop me a line at 
Animeaddiction@hotmail.com