An Influential Encounter Ukyou looked up at the sign over her new school. Her new, all-boys school. At ten, she was still young enough not to need breast bindings to appear male. Dressing in masculine fashion was sufficient. The other boy's voices had not yet dropped, so she didn't even really need to conceal her higher tones. The difference was too slight to be noticeable. Indeed, after five years of living as a boy, she no longer really needed to think about it to mimic the boys' behavior, and fit in easily. Nonetheless, she stood and looked for a long moment at the sign. Five years she had lived each day as a boy... but this would be her first day at an all-boys school. Most of her classes that day seemed normal. The boys, in fact, seemed quieter during class than they had at her old school. Maybe that was because there were no girls there to impress. But between classes they were quite rowdy. She was prepared for that, but not for the scene that day at lunch. The swarm of boys was rushing, pushing, and shoving to get to the front and get a piece of the bread of the day before it was all gone. A call rang out, loud above the voices of the boys, "Last curry bread of the day!" Ukyou saw a bread go sailing up over the heads of the boys. Joining in, she vaulted over the boys, just as one boy leapt up, shouting, "Its mine!" She landed on his head, and leapt upward, catching the curry bread. She bit a chunk out of it on the way down. Quite good, really. Not as good as her okynomiyaki, but still good. Ukyou was shocked to see tears of bitterness in the boy's eyes as he glared at her. She wondered at first why he was so angry. He shouted something at her, but she lost it in the general din. Moving closer, she could see that his clothes were several days worn, and guessed that he hadn't been home. She knew what a hard home life could be like, and started working her way through the crowd to him. He had turned away by that point, to leave the cafeteria, and she realized that unlike her and the other boys, he did not have a lunch with him. She realized with a shock that the bread would have been his only lunch. She pushed the crowd, eliciting startled yells, and reached his side, just as he exited the lunchroom. He looked at her when she pulled on his sleeve, and recognized her with a look of rage on his face. She ignored it. "C'mon, man, let's go outside. I'll make you an okynomiyaki." The look on his face at that was stunned amazement, but she ignored it, and grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to keep up with her. They exited the front doors of the school, and she headed for a tree. She sat beneath it, and pulled out her portable griddle, and her batter and ingredients. She poured batter on the smooth surface. "Beef or Pork?" she asked the boy. "Huh?" "Beef then," she responded. She flipped the okynomiyaki, and prepped the ingredients. Then she flipped it again, peppering it with the beef and other toppings as it spun in the air. She caught it easily, and handed it to the boy. He looked at it wide-eyed for a moment, then said, "Thanks!" with a wide grin, and took it from her. It was half way in his mouth the next moment, and in another, it was gone. "Wow. You sure eat fast," she commented. Good thing she had extra batter. She slapped two more on the griddle. "I'm sorry about the bread. It's my first day here, and I just kinda reacted." She flipped them both. She wanted to ask him why he didn't have a lunch... but she figured he'd probably be embarrassed about it. But she needed a friend here, and he looked like a good kid. Funny looking teeth though, she commented to herself, noting his long canines. But a hungry kid is a good friend for a chef. She flipped both, peppering them with toppings, and handed him one as she bit into the other. "How 'bout I catch you after school, and I'll treat you dinner to make up for it? My dad makes the best okynomiyaki ever!" "Uhmm... yeah, sure." Just then the lunch bell rang, and Ukyou had to hurry to cool down her griddle enough to stow it and get to her next class. To her surprise, the guy from lunch was in her last class. She motioned to him when he came in, and he took the seat beside hers. It was math, which she was pretty good at. Her dad had drilled her in it as a kid. You had to be reasonably good at basic math to run a restaurant. She caught up to him as he left the room after class. "Hey, man. I never got your name. I'm Kuonji Ukyou." "Oh, uhm. Hi. Hibiki Ryouga. Nice ta meetcha." "Well, come on, then. Dad'll be annoyed if we're late for dinner." Ryouga allowed himself to be pulled out of the school, and along the street. He was busily wondering where he was lying asleep, and when he would wake up. Things like this just didn't happen to him. His friends at school called him 'Lost Boy,' and they meant it. He had the world's worst sense of direction. He only found his way home about once a week, and so he spent a lot of the time going hungry. He didn't have all that many friends... it wasn't easy to make or keep them when you were wearing three or four day old clothing half the time, and always looked hungry. It didn't help that he had sharp teeth, just like the vampires in the movies, so a hungry look from him made most people want to turn and run. Then today at lunch, yet again, some new kid had come along, and taken his bread, that would have been his only lunch for the day. He had shouted out his usual challenge, then marched out of the lunch hall, knowing that he'd find the kid sometime after school, and teach him not to steal his bread again. Or he wouldn't have to, cause his friends would get to the kid first, and point out how mean it was to take something from somebody who had nothing. But he didn't get to, cause the kid showed up right beside him, hauled him outside, and cooked him several delicious okynomiyaki. He had hardly believed the kid when he invited him to come over and eat with his family, and had responded half-heartedly, but not really expected to see the kid again. Yet here he was, being dragged off to Ukyou's house to eat his father's okynomiyaki. He pinched himself. Ouch. Nope, not awake yet. ---  Ukyou stood on the steps of her father's home watching Ryouga. He was standing at the edge of the street, looking back and forth. He clearly didn't know which way to go. She sighed, and walked down to stand beside him. "Don't know how to get home from here, huh? It's ok, I'll walk you back to the school. You can get home from there, right?" "Uhm...," Ryouga looked down, and scuffed his foot against the ground. Oh dear, Ukyou thought, he can't have that bad a sense of direction can he? "You can't? Hmmm. Alright, how about this. I'll ask my father if you can stay the night. I think we've got an extra futon somewhere. You can crash in the living room. After school tomorrow, we'll go by the office. They're sure to have your address on file. I should be able to find your house then, ok?" Ryouga looked at Ukyou with startled eyes. "You'd... really? You think you're dad would let me stay?" "Yeah, sure, why not?" Its not like I'm a girl or something, she though ironically to herself. That was why she had suggested the living room. She didn't think her dad would take being a guy so far as to let another guy crash in her bedroom. --- At lunch the next day, Ukyou again cooked Ryouga several okynomiyaki, and Ryouga finally began to get used to the idea that he wasn't dreaming, and that somehow he had managed to gain a friend who didn't just want protection from bullies or someone to tease. On the way over, Ukyou had seen Ryouga's terrible sense of direction first hand, but said nothing, simply grabbing Ryouga's sleeve, and pulling him after her. Ryouga had nevertheless been startled when Ukyou had caught up to him as he was racing for the lunchroom, and pulled him from the crush of students. He was about to erupt in anger, when he saw who it was, and his stomach rumbled in memory of the delicious okynomiyaki Ukyou had cooked the day before. After school, when Ukyou again caught him, and hauled him down to the office, and dealt with the curiousity of the clerks, getting the information without mentioning Ryouga's difficulty, Ryouga was becoming seriously confused. He had never had a friend who didn't want something before, and he was started to get worried... whatever Ukyou wanted, it was bound to be big. When Ukyou actually found his house, though, and his mother turned out to be home, he was so excited that it simply slipped his mind that he had meant to ask Ukyou what he really wanted. He just introduced Ukyou to his mother, and badgered him into staying for dinner. Ukyou obviously appreciated the meal, commenting on the different flavours. He ended up making them okynomiyaki for dessert, after Ryouga's mother asked him about his interest in food, and he told them about his father's restaurant. The next morning, as Ryouga was leaving his house, greatly relieved to be wearing fresh new clothes, and to have had time to soak in a real bath last night, he was startled to find Ukyou balanced on the front fence, waiting for him. Ukyou didn't say anything, just grabbed Ryouga, pulling him up onto the fence, and running ahead, hauling Ryouga along behind. Halfway there, he glanced back, and laughing, shouted, "I knew you could do it, Ryouga. You run fences before?" Ryouga just shook his head. He was trying to avoid thinking about it too much. He was a martial artist, and he had good balance, but damn it was gonna hurt if his feet slipped. He grimaced just thinking about it. --- That Saturday, Ukyou again showed up outside Ryouga's house. Ukyou hollered up at Ryouga's window, tossing a rock up to rap against it, "Hey, Ryouga. One of your friends told me you were a martial artist. What say we go down to the park, and spar?" Ryouga poked his head out the window, nodded happily, and jumped out, landing lightly on the lawn. "Sure... say, what's that?" he asked, noticing the bandolier of... spatulas? Not to mention that massive spatula on Ukyou's back... "I do Martial Arts Okynomiyaki," Ukyou said, grabbing his sleeve. "C'mon, let's go." Ukyou again leapt onto their fence, pulling Ryouga up behind him. Ryouga leaned up against a tree, after they had tired of sparring, looking out over the pond. "That was fun. You're really good, Ukyou. Did your dad teach you?" "Yeah...," Ukyou's voice had suddenly grown dark and angry, and Ryouga looked over at him in surprise. "I gotta be good enough to get my revenge." Ryouga didn't comment. He knew how that was. He had had many fights for revenge. --- It was three years later, shortly before the end of a school year, when they were both thirteen, that Ryouga got lost one night. Early the next morning, cold and wet, in driving rain, he found himself outside Ukyou's house, and decided to wait. He would go to school with Ukyou, and Ukyou would bring him home. Ryouga leapt lightly to land on Ukyou's windowsill, and was about to rap on the window pane, when he realized what he was seeing. Ukyou, not looking at him, but at a mirror, was wincing as... as _she_ carefully bound her... her... Ryouga's nose dripped blood, and he lost his hold on the window, and fell with a wet thud to the ground below, not noticing the rain spattering down at him. He got up suddenly, afraid she would look out and see him, and in a flash he was over the fence and gone. It was some time before he looked up, and he had no idea where he was. He sat, huddled and miserable, under a bridge, as the rain poured down around him. His thoughts were in a turmoil. His best friend was a... a... a girl? It didn't even occur to him to think that she had lied to him. She had never told him she was a guy... , he said to himself. He answered himself almost immediately. He... he was no better than they had been, peeping on her like that. Even if he hadn't known, he had seen her... her... He pinched his nose. That's when he decided. He owed her. For everything she had done for him, for being his friend, even when he was just a dirty, smelly guy who couldn't find his way out of a wet paper bag, she had been his friend. He'd have to forget what he'd seen, just forget it, until she was ready to tell him... or ready to leave. He would have to go with her, then. Whoever had done this to her, whatever evil thing he had done to make her live like this, he had to pay. --- It was nearly a year later that they were sitting in a park, having just finished a vigorous sparring session. It had taken everything Ryouga had, the year before, to think of her as a guy again, and to spar as if nothing had changed. But he had... and now he got the feeling something was about to change. Would she tell him, he wondered? He had watched her, occasionally, when she went alone to the park. The look of utter hatred and fury she wore when she attacked the trees had pained him. He knew now who had hurt her so badly. She had chanted his name, as she attacked the tree. Ranma... and then afterwards, she had sat, slumped against it, crying, and sobbing about 'Ranchan.' Ryouga wondered if it was the same person. He looked at her now, and she had a look of pain and determination on her face. "Ryouga," she said, then faltered. "I'm coming with you, Ukyou," he stated. She stared at him in stunned surprise. "What? But, but, how?" "I don't know what this Ranma character did to you," he said vehemently, "But you didn't deserve it. Whatever it was, you didn't deserve it. If you leave without me, Ukyou, I'm just gonna be the Lost Boy again, wandering, never knowing where I am. There's only one thing I can do with my life that's worth doing... and that's go with my best friend, and help her do what she's gotta do." He had practiced this speech in his head for nearly a year. Ukyou's eyes grew wide... "How... how long?" How did he find out, she thought, how? "About a year, Ukyou. Please let me come with you. I meant what I said. If you don't let me come, I'm just gonna end up wandering, never accomplishing anything. I won't interfere in your revenge. I understand that kinda stuff. But I can help you keep your edge, while you hunt for him, can't I?" His eyes pleaded with hers. He needed this, his honor needed this. She had given him his life back. For four years, he had had a normal life, like a normal boy. She had given him something she had never had. She hadn't had a normal life. She had been forced to live like a guy, and now it was his turn to help her. "I... you're sure? You really want to come and help me? I don't know how long it will be. I could be searching a very long time." "Come on, Ukyou. What else am I gonna do?" He grinned up at her, willing her to see the humour. She laughed, and his smile widened, showing his sharp canines. "Alright, Ryouga. Come with me then." Then she sat, and she told him the story. She told him how she had met Ranchan, when his father had distracted them so he could snatch an okynomiyaki from the cart, and she had attacked him to get it back. He had defeated her, and eaten it. They had fought every morning thereafter, and played together for hours. Then finally, she had gone to her daddy, and asked him to engage her to Ranma. She hadn't really understood what it meant to be married, only that it meant being together forever, and she wanted to keep her best friend forever. His father had agreed... and then the next morning, Genma-san had taken the yatai, her dowry, and run away. She had chased after them crying in, and watched hopelessly as the yatai had dwindled in the distance, Ranma sitting on it, waving at her. When she came back to herself, she found that Ryouga was holding her, comforting her, and she was sobbing into his shoulder. It hurt everytime she thought about it, but it was worse when she had to talk about it, to acknowledge that Ranchan had left her. Ryouga didn't say anything. He couldn't. It was all he could do to just maintain the pretense that he was comforting his best friend, a guy, not holding a girl. He just held her. Pools of Sorrow The Jusenkyo guide looked up in surprise at the brilliant flash of white light outside his hut. A young man stood there, clothed in a tight fitting black shirt that highlighted his strong musculature, and loose pants. He was tall, six foot at least. His hair was black, and his eyes a deep blue. He was staring at the pools. "Honored Customer understands Mandarin, yes?" asked the guide. The young man turned to him, "Very well, thank you, Honored Guide. Tell me please, which pool is the Nyannichuan?" The guide turned almost purple. Customers NEVER listened to him, never heard him until AFTER they had fallen in. "No, no, Honored Customer, you must not go to that pool. Is very tragic story," he said quickly. Ranma interjected, "Yes, yes, I know. Very tragic story. Now which one is it?" The Guide sighed. Even when they listened, it did no good. He said, "Very well, Honored Customer, I see you will not listen, like all the others. Nyannichuan is this way." He led the boy on a careful path through the pools, before finally pointing to one. He sighed, and watched, as the young man set down his pack, then waded in and dunked his head. She broke the surface, brilliant red hair glistening in the sun. The Guide gulped, and quickly turned away, as she rose. The shirt that had been tight on the young man was looser on her waist, but threatening to burst under the pressure from her chest. She looked down. "Wow," she said, then quickly stripped off the shirt. The Guide fainted. She climbed out of the pool. She rummaged in her pack for a minute or two, then found a looser shirt, and put it on. Looking over at the Guide, laying in a pool of blood that seemed to have leaked from his nose, she lifted him easily to her shoulders, then tromped back the way she had come, focusing the Juushin Jisei ito keep from accidentally falling into any of the other pools. When the Guide came to, he was lying in his own bed, a cool cloth on his forehead, being watched by the beautiful redhead. She was nearly a foot shorter than her male side, built smaller, but still well muscled. "Sorry to put you through that," she said, her voice softer and richer than it had been as a man. He gulped again in surprise. A customer apologizing to him? That had never happened before. They were always furious with him, even though he tried as hard as he could to stop them. "You... you knew what would happen?" he asked, his fear clear in his voice. She laughed, a delightful sound. "Yes, I knew. Now, you just lie here. I've got to do something. Don't interfere, please. It would be very bad, if you did." She stood up, and he noticed that she had drawn on the wood floor of his hut a circle in chalk, with strange symbols around it, and was standing in it. She reached behind her, and pulled off the small band that held her pigtail, and shook her head, freeing her glorious fiery hair, which fell in soft curves over her shoulders, spilling down her strong back. She started chanting something, in a strange language, and he realized she had produced a scroll from somewhere and was reading it. How strange today was. First that crying man had come and turned into a panda, now this young man comes and turns himself into a girl and starts chanting strange things in his hut. She seemed to suddenly have come to the conclusion of her chant. She slumped bonelessly to the ground. He got quickly out of his bed, and felt her neck. Her pulse was steady and strong. He lifted her, and placed her on his bed, watching worriedly. How strange this was. After several hours, he heard movement outside. Leaving her, he found that the crying man had returned. He was jabbering excitedly about having finally 'felt his ki again!' and asking about a man named Ranma. When the Guide finally understood that the man was asking whether a young man had been by, he became nervous. This man was a martial artist, and the young man was now an unconscious young woman. If this crying man decided to kill or take advantage of the young lady, there would be little the Guide could do to help. He too was a martial artist, but he did not feel he was in this crying man's league. He tried to draw the man out, slowly. He got enough of a physical description to think that this might indeed be the young man the crying man wanted... hair color and eye color were right, and he did indeed look Japanese, like the crying man. What finally convinced him was when the crying man explained that he was looking for his son, that he had been looking for him for eight years, and that he had just felt the touch of his son's ki. He led the man into the hut, and pointed to the young girl. In broken Japanese, he said, "Young man come, ask for Nyannichuan. I try to warn, but very insistent. Finally show him, he go in, she come out." The crying man broke down, wailing his anguish. The promise was broken, he would have to commit seppeku. The Guide had considerable difficulty understanding him, as he was wailing in Japanese, and too fast, and so assumed that the man's anguish was a natural thing for a father to feel about a son who had just been cursed. He did have to convince the man not to throw the boiling water for tea onto the young woman. "Much better when awake, you see, you see." --- Ranma found himself sitting on a hill, looking over a valley. A stream ran down the hill from somewhere behind him, and babbled happily as it gurgled across the stony bed, before falling in a spray of color down the hill. All about, the land was green and bright. He noticed that he was male again, and wearing his tight black shirt. From behind him, he heard a tentative voice say, "Ranma?" He spun around, coming immediately to a defensive posture, before relaxing. She was standing there, looking demure and frightened, yet truly beautiful, hair like a glorious nimbus of fire around her exotic face, with delicate features and wide slightly upturned almond shaped eyes, that sparkled a brilliant blue. She had a marvelous figure, and she was wearing a short yellow sundress. She took a hesitant step toward him, and asked again, "Ranma, is that really you?" When he nodded, her face lit up in joy, and he felt his heart hammering in his chest. She leapt forward, wrapping her arms around him. He responded slowly, then hugged her tightly as he felt her sob into his chest. "Oh, Ranma, I've been so lonely waiting for you." "What do you mean?" he asked. "You weren't supposed to have awakened until just now." "No, no," she said, "I've been awake ever since that terrible pit with the cats. After... after you became the cat... the first time you woke up, the cat came here, and woke me up." "Neko-Ranma is in here?" he asked, incredulous. "Yes, he's ever so much fun." "I... I... I'm sorry. I wish I had known. I've kept you caged in here for so long. I wish I could make it up to you." "Don't feel bad, Ranma. You couldn't have known. Come with me, I want to show you my house." He followed her down the slope of the hill, and saw a beautiful one story house of stone thatched with straw. "Wow. You made this?" "Oh yes. Neko! Neko, come here." She called out to the house, and the front door swung wide, and Neko-Ranma came running out, on all fours, and loped up to them, then sat and looked at them inscrutably for a moment, before starting to wind himself between their legs, rubbing up against them both, and purring. "So that's how you recognized me. He looks just like me." "He is you, Ranma. So am I. Come inside, please." She led him inside, and sat him down on a couch. Neko-Ranma jumped up and curled up on Ranma's lap, purring softly. Ranma petted his hair, and scratched behind his ears. She sat down beside him, and scratched Neko-Ranma's back lightly. "I've been wanting to meet you for a long time. I know what Alana told you." "You know about Alana?," he asked in surprise. "Yes, Ranma. I know that when Neko gets out, you don't remember. But I can see what you see, and I see what he sees. I watched him kill that man," and she saw the color drain from his face. "Ranma," she said sharply, "It wasn't his fault. That man tried to force him to kill someone else. He deserved it. Alana was right. And before you ask, no she didn't know I was awake either." Ranma sighed, and went back to petting Neko-Ranma's soft hair. Ranko considered for a moment whether to tell him that the Lady Sylia had known, but decided that he would feel less guilty if he didn't know. "Maybe now, when you let Neko or me out, you can come here, and watch us, if you want to." "What do you mean, let Neko out? He only comes out when I've been driven mad by cats. And that won't happen anymore. I've gotten over the fear." "I know you have Ranma. But he's still a part of you, or he wouldn't be here. Surely you don't intend to keep him locked up in here forever, do you?" She looked at him with pleading eyes, big and blue, and glistening with tears, and he felt himself melt inside. "No, I can't do that, can I. But I've got to be able to keep him from killing." "But Ranma, if you let him out, then you aren't hiding... so you can be here watching, and take over if he goes too far." "Hey, you're right! That's wonderful! And.. and that must mean that you know what I've just done," and his voice was suddenly small and scared. Here, inside his mind, he couldn't hide behind his barriers of ice, and his emotions were constantly visible on his face. "Yes, Ranma, I know." She threw her arms about him, and hugged him fiercely. Neko-Ranma meowed piteously, trapped between them, and leapt to escape. "And I love you for it. Its more than I ever dared hope for. More than I deserve." "No," he said sharply, "It isn't more than you deserve. You deserve so much more,... Oh dear. I just realized I don't know what to call you, Red." "Red will do nicely, Ranma. But maybe, outside, I can be Ranko?" and she looked up at him with those glorious deep blue eyes, light glinting off a hint of moisture, and he lost himself in their swirling depths. "Of course you can," he replied then he realized something was missing. "Where'd Neko-Ranma disappear to?" "He went out," she said, quietly, silently pleading for him to not be angry, "do you want to go watch him?" "Yes, please," he replied, trying to hold on to his sudden fear. That poor Guide, surely Neko wouldn't hurt him. Red held him, and the scene changed around them, and they were sitting on a large rock, and before them was a pool, still and crystal clear, and as he looked at the pool, it suddenly clouded, and then he saw what Neko-Ranma was seeing... a panda, running away very fast, then Ranko's hand, as she licked it. --- The Guide was still struggling with Genma about the hot water, when they both heard a low rumbling growl behind them. They turned slowly, and looked, and saw Neko-Ranko, crouching on the bed, growling. "Oh dear," the Guide said, "This never never happen before." Genma jerked away, spilling the kettle, which by this time had grown cold, and turned into a panda. For a split second, the two stared at each other, then the panda turned and fled through the open door, not daring to look behind him. The Guide watched in stunned surprise, as the strangely behaving girl proceeded to lick her hand and use it to rub behind her ear, smoothing the hair back. She settled down, and purred at him. "Heh, heh. Nice kitty," he said, nervously, "that's a good kitty." He wanted to leap for the door as well, but he knew a sudden movement could well elicit a sudden reaction. He didn't know about the cat's claws, but he could well imagine the father's reaction, if he came back, and found the Guide pinned under his son/daughter. He doubted any amount of explaining would save him then, especially since he had not the foggiest clue how to explain this peculiar behavior. So he did not move an inch, not even when Neko-Ranko leapt lightly down, and brushed up against his leg, purring. When no caresses were forthcoming, she loped off in the direction Genma had gone. Genma, meanwhile, had run for several minutes, before glancing back, and realizing that he could see no signs of pursuit. The heavyset panda sat in a clearing, wondering what on earth had gone wrong with the boy. The Guide's explanation still ran through his head. Genma's form was an accident. But the boy had come and bathed in the Nyannichuan deliberately. Was it a ploy? Had the boy somehow found out about the seppeku pledge he had signed with Nodoka, forfeiting his life if he returned and Ranma was not a man among men? Could he possibly have learned of it and yet been unaware that Ranma would also have to commit seppeku? Who could have told him? Why else would he do it? Genma was still pondering this, when he noticed the forest around him had gone eerily silent. He was wondering what it meant up to the very moment that Neko-Ranko landed on top of him, knocking him to his back. He instantly went rigid, terribly afraid, remembering what those claws could do, and realizing that there was no way he could get away from Ranma before Ranma could slice him open. If Ranma really wanted him dead, then Genma was dead. But Neko-Ranko just stood there on top of Genma, then curled up on his chest, purring, and went to sleep. Ranma let Genma lie stiff with terror for nearly twenty minutes before asking Ranko if she wanted him to deal with Genma before she had to meet him. She nodded. "He deserves whatever you give him for what he did. But I never got a chance to know him, to have a father. I'd like to. Don't kill him if you don't have to. But make sure he understands I'm not you. I mean, I am, but not the way he would think it." After twenty minutes, Onna-Ranma's head lifted. "Hey, Oyaji. Long time, no see." he shifted, so that he was kneeling on his father's chest. Genma sat, stiff and scared. He could tell that Ranma had continued training... even his female body was lean and strong. "Why, boy. Why'd you do it?" Genma was terribly frightened of the answer, but he had to ask. "For Ranko." Genma just gaped. "For Ranko, Oyaji. You locked her in my mind, trapped her there with your training. Because of you, I can't free the Lady Alana." Genma gaped some more. Who the hell was Ranko, how had Genma's training had anything to do with her, and who the devil was Lady Alana? "I know you aren't capapable of really understanding this. Just look at it this way. You had a daughter." Genma shook his head frantically. "Don't shake your head at me old man. You are going to ACCEPT her as your daughter, got that?" He held out his hand and flicked his fingers out, and summoned Neko's chi claws, letting them hang there, visible. "I control the Nekoken now, Oyaji. I mastered it. Deny me this, and I'll flay you! Believe me, Ranko means far more to me than my worthless father, who drove his son mad." Genma nodded nervously. He had thought, for just a moment, to lapse back into the old ways of dealing with his son... but was stilled by the coldness he saw in his son's eyes. He looked in his son's eyes, and saw death, and at the same time, he was overwhelmed by a flood of pride. His biggest mistake, the stupid Neko-ken training, and his son had mastered it! "Ranko is your daughter. She's trapped in my mind. She ain't talking to you right now, understand. This is still me, Ranma. I went and got this body, so she could be comfortable when I let her out. You make her uncomfortable about it, and I'm gonna make me some panda sausage. You got that?" Genma nodded vociferously, fear lurking in his dark eyes. "Alright, I'm gonna get up now. You run, and I'll hunt you down. You stand up, and wait right here. I'm gonna get Ranko, and let her talk to you. I say again, you hurt her, and you're sausage meat." Onna-Ranma stood up slowly and stepped back. Panda-Genma stood equally slowly. Onna-Ranma said, "You can't meet her like that." He pointed his arm at Genma, and a thin stream of hot water sprayed out of a previously invisible opening in his sleeve, hitting the old man in the chest, returning him to his human form. "Hey, if you can do that, why aren't you turning back," Genma demanded. He didn't really understand what Ranma was going on about, and wasn't sure whether to believe his son, and now that he was human, and standing, he felt much more comfortable, ready to defend himself. He might have to unseal the forbidden techniques, but he could tame his wild son again. "I told you old man," Onna-Ranma replied, popping her chi claws out again, and slicing the air with them, "You're here to meet her. You think she wants to meet you wearing my skin? Now shut up and wait." Her claws disappeared, and her eyes turned blank, then sparkled again. Genma stared, as the solid fury of Onna-Ranma seemed to melt into diffidence. Ranko dug her foot into the ground, looking down. "Uhm.... Its nice to meet you, Genma-san." She looked up at him with kawaii eyes, big and blue and glistening with tears. "I never had a father. Will you be my father, Genma-san?" Genma nodded slowly, wonder and awe in his eyes. What was going on here? Ranko smiled suddenly, and Genma felt as if the whole clearing had been lit up, and then it didn't matter what was wrong with Ranma. He had a little girl, and she was hugging him, him, her father. He slowly hugged her back, wondering what on earth he was doing. Then again, as he thought further on it... Ranko might well be his key to controlling the strong and independent young man his son had become. Maybe he could extract some information from her, start planning his next move... "R-R... Ranko, dear," he began, looking down at her, "Ranma said he mastered the cat-fist." She nodded happily, grinning up at him. "But, but... in the hut... You were acting like a cat." "No Papa-san," she said, and he felt his heart swell again, to hear this beautiful little girl call him Papa, "That wasn't me, that was Neko. Ranma has mastered the cat-fist, and because he has, I have." She stepped back, and waggled her fingers, chi-claws playfully slashing the air before vanishing, "but Neko's still in there, and he wants to come out and play sometimes. You will let me keep him, won't you Papa-san?" She begged him, eyes huge and glistening, just as if she was talking about an adorable little kitten. Genma melted again. He could never refuse a kawaii little girl such a simple thing... especially if keeping her happy could restore his control over Ranma. Heh. "Of course, Ranko, of course," he reassured her, patting her shoulder akwardly. She could display affection so easily, but it had never been easy for Genma, nor was it easy for Ranma. "Papa-san?" she asked, looking up to him. "Yes, Ranko-chan?" "I know why Ranma came here, to this place. He came for me. But why are you here?" "Oh, Ranko," and tears started trickling down his face, "I waited and searched for him for so long. But I never found him. I wanted to go home and face your mother, but I was afraid. So I kept on going with the trip. I tried to go to all the places I would have taken Ranma, pretending he was still with me. I had to send postcards to your mother, you see, or she would have been suspicious. This would have been the last training ground, the last place we would have come, before returning to Japan. Now I see that it would have been a huge mistake. But not as big as my trying to teach Ranma the Neko-ken in the first place. I thought I had lost him." He broke down sobbing, and collapsed to the ground. Ranko held him, soothing him, rocking him back and forth, until the tears finally stopped. "And now... and now I've got him back.... and I've got you... and Neko, I guess... but I can't go home again. Oh Ranma, I'm so sorry." Ranko looked down at him. "Why, Papa-san? I want to meet my mother. I know Ranma misses her, too. Why can't we go back?" "Oh, Ranma, Ranko, how I've failed you. When we left, I had to sign a pledge, before Nodoka would let me take you. It said that if when we returned, Ranma was not a man among men, we would both commit seppeku. So you see, we cannot go home." "But Ranma is a man among men. Not only that, he is the Lord of Fey Castle," Ranko replied. She was confused... why was her father assuming that Ranma was not a man? "The what? The Lord? My son's a Lord of a castle? Where? Where is the castle?" Genma asked, excitedly. "Its back on the world we went to, the world we were summoned to." Genma's face twitched. His eyes betrayed his utter confusion. "Look Papa-san, the reason you couldn't find Ranma was that he wasn't in Japan anymore. He was on a different world. He was summoned there by a powerful sorcerer." Genma twitched again. "He defeated the sorcerer, and so he owns all the lands and power the sorcerer had, and the heart of Lady Alana." Genma fell over, twitching. "The Lady? He's married?" "No, no, Papa-san. He's not married. But I guess you might call her his fiancee, maybe. Certainly she loves him. But he is doing all he can to set her free. That's why he's here." Genma fainted. Ranko sighed, then hefted Genma across her shoulders, and trotted back to the Guide's hut. When she got there, she found the Guide in a heated discussion in Mandarin with a little old crone with a staff as tall as she was... all of three feet. The crone turned as Ranko emerged from the brush. trotted up to them. The crone's eyes sparkled as she watched Ranko carefully set Genma on the ground. Kho Lon watched the girl. She was quite strong, that was clear. She had no difficulty swinging the man down, so her strength was not just in her legs and back, but in her arms as well. She had a relatively low ki level compared to the norm for warriors in the village, but her corded muscles showed promise. She moved easily and lithely, with a fluid grace. Kho Lon found it difficult to credit the Guide's story. A young man dunked into the Nyannichuan should not move so much like a girl. Especially this early after the change, he should not be so completely at ease in that body. This girl had apparently had no difficulty with her change in height, her differing distance from the ground as she slung the old man down, nor the difference in how her hips moved and where her center of gravity was as she had trotted across the field. This girl was definitely a girl... which meant the Nannichuan, and a lying Guide. Yet Kho Lon would have sworn that the Guide believed his words. This meant that the girl must have done something to the Guide, which was extremely disturbing. Kho Lon had fallen silent as the strange girl approached, not sure whether to credit the Guide's claim that the young man had spoken perfect Mandarin, given the girl's clearly Japanese features. Red hair was certainly uncommon for the Japanese, but her face was clearly Japanese. "Greetings, Honored Elder," Ranko said in perfect Mandarin, turning to face Kho Lon, and bowing deeply to the old woman, then turned back to the guide, "Greetings, Honored Guide. May I have my pack?" The Guide turned nervously towards the old lady, who nodded imperceptibly, then nodded and went into the hut, returning in a moment with Ranma's pack. "Here you are, young man," he said, handing it to her. She looked at him strangely for a moment, then a light of realization went off in her eyes. "Oh, no sir, I am not a young man." She bowed again to both, "I am Saotome Ranko." Kho Lon gave the Guide a sharp glance, and he blanched. Ranko giggled as she turned to the Guide. "Ranma is sleeping with the cat." I must know more about this, Kho Lon thought, I must get her to stay with us for a while. "Child, you must be tired after your journey. Please come with me, and accept my hospitality." Ranko looked at her for a moment, then looked at her sleeping father, "Can I bring Papa-san?" "Yes, of course, child." "Um...," she paused, as a memory of the Lady's description of the area, and its dangers, came back to her, "are you Joketsuzoku, Honored Elder?" "Yes, child. You have heard of us?" she asked, and glared again at the Guide, who shook his head desperately, trying to convey that he had said nothing. Kho Lon knew well enough what he intended, but held him pierced by the gaze for a moment longer, to remind him of his place. "Yes, Honored Elder. I have heard of the laws regarding combat and outsiders. I am too young to marry, Honored Elder, and I do not wish to die, and Ranma, well, he sort of already has a fiancee." By this point, Ranma had awoken, and retorted [I do not have a fiancee, Red.] [But Ranma, surely you cannot become involved with another woman until you have freed Lady Alana? Until you do that, you are tied as tightly as if betrothed, are you not?] [...sigh... yes, Red, you're right. Of course. Thanks. I definitely don't need Amazon trouble.] Kho Lon was very surprised that this young sprout knew of the Amazon laws, and bitterly disappointed. She would have made such a perfect Amazon. Perhaps it was still not too late? "Very well then, child. I will take you under my protection. As long as you stay with me, you will be an honorary Amazon, and if a challenge comes, it shall be under the same laws that govern any challenge between Amazons. If you win a marriage challenge, then it will be your choice to marry or not." "Oh, then I'd love to come, Honored Elder. But will my brother be under your protection, too?" "Your brother," she asked, looking around, "of course, but where is he?" "And my cat, will he be under your protection too?" she persisted. "Yes, yes." "And my Papa-san?" Kho Lon sighed. "Yes, child." "Oh, goody," she giggled, before bending over, grabbing Genma, and slinging him across her backpack. "Lead on, Honored Elder." Kho Lon watched her sling the heavyset older man lightly on her shoulders, and recognizing that both the pack and the man must each by themselves weigh more than she did, decided that she was indeed worth the trouble. The Amazons So Kho Lon led off. As she walked, she considered some of what she had seen. Kho Lon was a great martial artist... but the Joketsuzoku also had many magical artifacts, and Kho Lon knew many spells. Most were potions and the like, but one was verbal, and she subvocalized it now. It was a vital spell to her community, for it allowed her to see the emanations of powerful magic, in the same way that powerful martial artists can see ki. Having cast it, she looked back at Ranko, and stopped short. Ranko came up beside her, and looked down at her, worriedly. Kho Lon didn't really notice her expression. She was too busy trying to suppress the look of sheer awe on her own. The girl was glowing so brilliantly it was almost hard to look at her. Her very skin glowed, more so than could be accounted for by the curse alone, telling Kho Lon that the girl was a sorceress. But more than that, every single item on her, with the sole exception of Genma, who merely glowed with the light tint of Jusenkyo, fairly shone out with the brilliance given off by only the strongest magic items. Kho Lon, realizing that she had stopped and was staring, and that Ranko had asked her several times what was wrong, snapped, "Nothing." and turned and stalked off, banishing the spell. What was wrong with her, becoming impressed with a little razzle dazzle... No, she couldn't lie to herself. Ranko was a find like no other. A brilliant sorceress clothed in magical glory, and yet somehow an excellent martial artist. If the dimbulb Guide was to be believed, it sounded like she might even have mastered the Neko-ken. No guard stopped them at the gate, but Kho Lon took keen notice of the fact that Ranko's eyes had flicked to each guard's location, in spite of their skill at hiding, and the fact that they had not moved the whole time they were in sight. She even glanced towards the one was completely out of sight. Kho Lon decided she must be sensing their ki, since she herself had not felt the girl cast a spell. How the girl's ki could be so low, and yet she be skilled enough to detect auras, Kho Lon wasn't sure. Perhaps she was suppressing her aura? Kho Lon resisted the impulse to chortle with delight. What a find! What a find! She led the girl through the village to her home, delighting in the envious stares of the other elders, who could sense some of the worth of her find, the lustful sidelong glances of the men, and some of the women as well, and the appraising looks of the other young warriors. As she entered her home, she enjoyed the delight young Ranko showed in admiring the construction and design, and the decoration as they entered. Xian Pu was not in the home. She was probably out practicing somewhere, or beating off the attentions of Mu Suu. No, that wasn't right... Mu Suu was still out visiting his relatives, and wouldn't be back for another week. Ranko slid off her Papa-san, laying him on the floor, then slid off her pack. She sank into a chair, then gratefully took the cup of tea that Kho Lon offered her. "Honored Elder, I thank you for taking me into your home. If you don't mind... my brother wishes to speak with you privately. Is that alright?" "Of course, my child." Kho Lon half-expected what was going to happen, since the girl had insisted on protection for her brother and cat, yet brought neither with them. She simply wasn't certain yet how real this was. Was it an act, or insanity, or something magical? She did not know. But she was very surprised when with a light application of ki, Ranko suddenly became male. She had expected to be asked for a glass of water, or hot water, if the Guide had been right. To change with just an application of ki implied either an unprecedented mastery of ki, or much longer experience with the curse than the Guide had indicated. It also didn't tell her whether she was right about the girl really being a girl or not. Certainly, the girl looked uncomfortable in her male form, almost timid. She had just about decided she was right, when the girl's eyes went completely blank, then suddenly shone again, hard with dark glints, where the girl's eyes had been happy and full of light. The color wasn't different, really... just the expression. Suddenly the lack of comfort with the body was wholly and completely gone. She was once again facing someone who was completely and totally familiar with his body. Immediately she thought of him as a he. It was impossible not to. "Honored Elder," and the voice was deeper and rougher, as expected, but also far harder, not something she expected at all from the light-hearted little darling she had been sitting across from, "Ranko has never had the opportunity to live with others before. And for a time, I am going to give her that opportunity without watching over her shoulder. She needs this, to understand and live this. Before I can begin to accept her, she must accept herself as real. So I am going to go, and live with the cat, and try to learn from him, and train him. In the meantime, she will be here with you. I put her in your care. If harm should befall her, physical, mental, or emotional, I will destroy the Joketsuzoko. I say this as the Lord of Fey Castle, Archmage of the Court of Farallon, GrandMaster of the Fey school of Anything Goes Martial Arts, Wielder of Dragon Fang... if harm befall my sister while I am away, I will return, and the Joketsuzoku will fall." Cologne sat in silence through his little speech. She might have objected, might have argued his claim to the ability to destroy the Joketsuzoku, were it not for the fact that the very moment the eyes had come to life again, she had felt his ki surge before he brought it under control... and it had surged beyond even her own, and she had not felt it peak... she had felt him rein it in. At the same time, she had recognized his absolute faith in the truth of his words. "You may make her an honorary Amazon, but she will not be bound by your laws. If she cannot be bound by the laws of nature, and boundaries of this world, your laws are as nothing. Do not try and entrap her. I warn you, Kho Lon." She felt a shiver go through her. She was certain she had never given the girl her name, nor had anyone in the village greeted her by name. How had he known!? "If she chooses to train with you, or to train you, or to fight beside you, that is her choice. But if she comes to harm, whether by your action or your inaction, your people will die, by my love for her. Tell me that we have an understanding, Kho Lon, and I will return, and leave her to you." Kho Lon would swear the temperature in the room steadily dropping. "Yes, Lord Fey," she stammered, furious at being so flustered, yet struck with an unreasoning fear for her people. She could not help but believe that he could do as he said, "it will be as you say." She felt the gentle application of ki, and marveled that he transitioned back with hardly a hundredth of the ki his sister had used. His eyes went dark again, flat and empty, and then brightened and shone, and she giggled, and then looked across at Kho Lon, who shivered. "Oh, Honored Elder, was he mean? He was mean to Papa-san too. I wish he wouldn't be so mean, but he just loves me so much, and he feels guilty for not letting me out before." She smiled, and the room brightened. Kho Lon breathed more easily. The danger was gone. She would protect this girl with her life, she knew that now. Her life was worth less than the Joketsuzoku, and so Ranko's life was worth more than her own. Ranma, for his part, was silently blessing the lessons in diplomacy he had taken at the Mage Towers, and the experience with the Soul of Ice that gave him the ability to project such a cold demeanor. As Kho Lon got out the chess board, and they started playing, Ranko took up a conversation with Ranma. [Ranma. I need to tell you something.] [Yes, Red-chan?] [We've got two problems, Ranma, and I think I know a way to fix both of them.] [Really? What's that?] [As soon as I got in this body, I extended our senses, to feel the magic... Ranma, I can't see the threads in the Dragon Fang. Well, I can, but they're faint.] [Maybe you're just not used to it yet?] [No, no, you don't understand. I looked at Kho Lon, and I can see her power just fine.] [Oh! You can see feminine magic! That's wonderful... but wait... no... I can't reach out with my senses from here. I can't see the magic when I'm inside...] [That's what I'm trying to get at, Ranma. You need to find a way. First, you need to find a way to get out of this body. Maybe your ki aura? It took on nearly substantial form when you were with the lions... and then you made it real with magic. If you could do something like that, so that we were in two different bodies, then maybe we could work together to free the Lady!] [Yeah, wow...] [And if you make me a body...] Now her mental voice was timid. [We could go meet Mama-san together? And you wouldn't be a girl at all, you'd be a man among men, just like she wanted, so she wouldn't need to be mad at Papa-san, and we could be a family?] Her voice pleaded with him, and he could see her kawaii eyes in his mind. [All right, Red-chan. You can stay here with the Amazon's, until I can make you a body. But I'm gonna have to talk to Kho Lon again, and this time I'm gonna have to face their Council. You remember what the Lady said about the politics here. If I'm not gonna be here to protect you, then I'm just gonna have to scare them good, so they'll protect you.] [Oh, thank you, Ranma. I love you.] [I love you too, Red-chan.] --- Xian Pu was annoyed again... her private practice had been interrupted. She tried to force the annoyance down, and focused on being happy, and working at it a bit, she succeeded. She had a lot of practice at this. She was the top young warrior in the village, and it was a lonely position. Most of the other young women were distant to her, disliking the way she drew their boyfriends' eyes. It didn't help that so many of their boyfriends had tried to date Xian Pu, only to end up beaten by Mu Suu. So she had neither many girl friends, nor a good prospect for a boyfriend. She had liked Mu Suu, when they were both younger, and had even defended him when he was picked on due to his inferior eyesight. Ever since that day, he had adored her, and made her life a misery. The elders detested depressed or angry young women, for they would quickly spread their depression or anger to others, so Xian Pu had learned early how to be happy in the face of pain. As she entered the village, she noticed the increased gossip, and looked for someone who would be willing to tell her. Seeing Li Te, she called to her, and ran over. "What is everyone so excited about, Li?" "Xian Pu, your great-grandmother came in about an hour ago. She had gone to see the Guide at Jusenkyo, and she came back with an outsider." "An outsider? Is it a man? Is he cute? Is he strong?" "No, no, Xian, it was a young woman. She was strong. She was carrying a pack and another outsider, and both looked heavier than she was. And she had fiery red hair." "Why would great-grandmother bring an outsider female in? Was the man she was carrying handsome?" "Oh, no, he was a fat old man. Bald too, I think, though he had a cloth on his head so I can't be sure." "Ewww. Why would a young redhead want an old bald man?" "I don't know. Why are you still here asking me questions? Kho Lon brought the outsider into your home. They haven't come out since. Go in, and find out, and then tell me first." Xian Pu thanked her, then ran through the village, calling out greetings as she passed people, dodging playing children and dogs, and leapt up the stairs in front of her home. She paused outside the door, taking a moment to collect herself, and ensure she looked alright, before opening the door and stepping in. She was intrigued by the sight of her great-grandmother playing chess with an amazingly cute little redhead, while an ugly old man cowered in the corner, trying not to be noticed. "Great-Grandmother, I'm home." "I know dear. Have a seat." Kho Lon waited until Xian Pu took a seat, quivering with excitement. "Xian Pu, this is Saotome Ranko. Ranko, this is my great-grandaughter, Xian Pu." "Its nice to meet you, Xian Pu," said Ranko, in remarkably unaccented Mandarin. Not quite the local dialect, but perfectly understandable. "Nice to meet you too. You are from Japan, Ranko? Where did you learn to speak Mandarin so well?" Xian Pu asked. She wondered if this little goddess had a brother. She looked perfectly edible. "The Dragon Lady taught us." Ranko replied absently, at which Kho Lon looked up sharply. Before Kho Lon could ask, Xian Pu had spoken again, quivering in her excitement. "Us? You said us? Who is us? You and the old man?" She asked, pointing to the corner. "No, not me and Papa-san, my brother and I," Ranko replied. Kho Lon sighed softly, as Xian Pu broke into a huge smile. The little goddess had a brother! Oh but surely her brother could not look as perfect as her. "Where is your brother?" asked Xian Pu, eagerly, again before Kho Lon could get a word in edgewise. Kho Lon considered rapping her granddaughter on the head, but she wondered how Ranko would answer... and she really wouldn't mind if Xian Pu managed to snag Ranma. Dangerous he might be, but that just made him a better catch. "Oh, he's training with the cat," Ranko replied. Xian Pu could barely contain her eagerness now. Training... that meant he was a martial artist... and she wanted to watch. Oh, how she wanted to watch. "Where is he? I want to watch him. Come on, let's go watch." She was bubbling over with excitement, and leapt to her feet, reaching for Ranko's hand. But Ranko pulled back. "We can't." "But why not?" Xian Pu's face fell. She almost felt like crying. So close... she knew he would be perfect. "He isn't here. Wait... Maybe... Honored Elder, do you have a large basin that we could fill with water?" "Of course, child," and Kho Lon wandered off to get it, noticing again that she still hadn't told the child her name, and the child still didn't seem to know it, even though Ranma had. Or perhaps the child was just being polite. She returned with the basin, and a large flask, which she emptied into it. Ranko gestured to them, "Ok, now look into the water." She muttered a few words, and flicked her fingers, and suddenly the surface of the water was a hard clear image. "Oohh, cool, it worked!" She giggled, delighted at her success. Xian Pu would have given her a funny look, but she was entranced by the vision in the water. Ranko was disguising her inner delight. She had needed to do this, to prove to herself that she was right, that she wasn't just doing this for Papa-san. She felt good now. She could see the threads of magic, and had drawn them up and cast a scrying magic, and it had been easy. She was right. They would be able to free the lady together. She smiled at the image. Ranma was showing off for her. He wanted to make her look good, to impress them. Ranma stood in the middle of a grove, his shirt off, while Neko-Ranma crouched a few feet away. A blue glow was visible around Neko-Ranma. Ranma shifted from complete stillness, to sudden motion, flowing into a powerful kata, and Xian Pu sighed in happiness. He was a god, just like his sister. He was beautiful and he was perfect... and why were there two of him, and why was one now acting like a cat? Neko-Ranma would crouch for a moment, then pounce at Ranma, trying to knock him out of the kata. Ranma would shift ever so slightly, and use Neko-Ranma's momentum to push himself into the next phase of the kata. This continued, faster and faster, until they were hardly visible. Xian Pu heard a muffled sob behind her, and glared back to see Genma standing, eyes wide in awe, shamed that he had not been the one to train Ranma to such greatness... and momentarily uncertain that he would ever be able to bend such a one to his will. No, the boy was his son, his blood, he would never give him up! Ranko just said happily, "At least they aren't tearing up the grove. Ooops, spoke too soon." Kho Lon, Genma, and Xian Pu gasped as Ranma's assist to Neko-Ranma's momentum carried him into a tree, claws outstretched, slicing through the four foot thick trunk. It fell towards Ranma, and they all held their breath, then watched in awe as the portion in Ranma's vicinity puffed into sawdust as he failed to so much as slow in his Kata. Finally, he came to an abrupt halt, and Xian Pu breathed out in admiration at his finely muscled form. He dropped gracefully into lotus position, and Neko-Ranma came up to him, and crawled into his lap. No sound had passed through the water, but Xian Pu could see his chest clearly, and saw that though he was sweating, he was not even breathing hard after that remarkable display. "Amazing," she breathed, but then considered again, "Why are there two of him? And where is he?" "Oh," Ranko replied, "There's not two of him. This one is Ranma," and she pointed to the seated figure, "and this one is Neko. And they're... well, nowhere really." "Huh?" was Xian Pu's remarkably intelligent response. "Well, I mean, there... where they are, that doesn't really exist." Xian Pu almost sobbed, "Ranma's not real?! Why did you show me that if he's not real. He was so perfect." Then she did break into tears. The perfect man, and he was just a dream. "Oh, no Xian Pu, I didn't say that. Please don't cry. Ranma's real. He's as real as I am. I just said, that there, where he is, that place, that isn't real. You can't go there. Only he and I and Neko can get there," Ranko said, laying a hand on Xian Pu. Xian Pu looked up, startled. "You mean, he can come here?" "Well, yes, he could. If he wanted to. But he wants me to be here for now. He wants me to get used to this, used to reality, used to people, for a while," replied Ranko, gesturing widely around her. Kho Lon finally saw her opportunity. "Ranko, dear, I will tell Xian Pu about Ranma. Could you tell me... what did you mean earlier about being taught Mandarin by the 'Dragon Lady'?" Genma perked up. Neither Ranma nor Ranko had mentioned a Dragon Lady, had they? "I mean she taught us, Ranma and I. She said we would need it. I don't know how she knew." "Yes, yes, I understand that. What I mean, is, why do you call her the Dragon Lady?" "I'm sorry. Its just that I didn't have a name for so long, that they didn't mean much to me. So I think of people differently. I meant Lady Alana." Genma gasped, "Ranma's fiancee?" Xian Pu sobbed again, "He's already promised?" Kho Lon said sharply, "Yes, but why, dear child, do you call her the 'Dragon Lady'? Why do you think of her that way?" "Oh! Well, because she's a dragon of course," Ranko replied brightly. Xian Pu, Kho Lon, and Genma promptly fell over. "And how, child, did your brother come to be affianced to a dragon?" Kho Lon asked sharply, glaring at the child's father. His fault, she was sure. "Oh, well, you see, we were summoned by this evil man, and he wanted us to kill this other guy, but we were Neko at the time, so we killed the evil man, and all his stuff sorta decided we were next, and we fought his clothes and lost and fell asleep, and this beautiful lady came and called us Master, and so we buried the guy we killed, and now she loves Ranma, and he's come here to accept me so he can set her free," explained Ranko happily, to the complete and utter confusion of the others. "Oh, heck, I can see you don't understand. Maybe I better get Ranma to explain it?" she asked, querulously. "Oh yes," breathed Xian Pu, "Ranma!" "Uhm, Ok, let me get him," Ranko said, nervously eyeing Xian Pu, who looked disturbingly hungry. [Brother dear... could you come explain Lady Alana to Honored Elder, please? I can't make them understand, I don't know how to explain it. Can I watch you explain it?] [Yes, Ranko darling. Change for me, will you?] Kho Lon again observed that Ranko needed to apply considerably more ki than Ranma had to activate the change. She also noticed Genma's awestruck gaze, and realized that he had not the foggiest clue how it had been done. Indeed, she suddenly realized, if it could be controlled, even in the presence of water, Jusenkyou might suddenly become remarkably useful to the Joketsuzoku. She wondered whether Ranma and Ranko could resist the change when splashed. She also noticed her Xian Pu's sudden increased heart rate, and heavy breathing. She was clearly smitten with the boy, after having watched him work out. Well, it would be to the good, if she could catch him. But she would have to be warned against using esoteric methods. He would likely catch on and be wroth. Kho Lon experienced a sudden chill at the thought of an angry Ranma. She watched the eyes, and saw the change. "I have not been introduced to you, my dear," he said, turning to Xian Pu, then looking at Kho Lon. Best to give Kho Lon a carrot, as well as a stick. If she thought her child might catch him, she might be more amenable to aiding Ranko. He'd have to make sure they didn't try anything funny though. "This is my great-granddaughter, Xian Pu," Kho Lon said with pride. "Nice to meet you, Xian Pu," he responded, smiling at her. She felt her heart melt and puddle in her feet. He was so gorgeous, and strong, and skilled... "It is a whim of my sister to call this an engagement," he stated baldly, causing Xian Pu's heart to flutter. Did he mean he was free? "But it is a useful fiction. Certainly she is tied to me, by bonds of love and magic, due to the ensorcellment of the man I killed, while under the Neko-ken." He paused to glare menacingly at Genma, who shrank back. "As a result, I am now Lord of Fey Castle. It is my responsibility to see that no harm comes to Lady Alana. One way in which harm may come to her, is for her to see me in the arms of another, or for me to leave her for too long. I was forced to put her under a spell, to stop time for her, so to speak, while I seek to undue the damage my father's training did to my mind." Again he glared at Genma, and was joined by the hard stares of the two women, before whom Genma quailed and shook. "When my task here is complete, I will return to her and free her. I do not know what she will do. She is a dragon, as my sister said, and I am not privy to the workings of the minds of dragons. It may be, that after I free her, she will slay me out of hand. I do not know. It is said that dragons can be callous. I hope it be not so, but until the Lady Alana be free, I can consider myself bound by no other tie. Even be it one made before I were born." He stared at Genma, who truly shivered this time. How could the boy know? There was no way, there was no possible way Ranma could have learned of the promise he and Tendo Soun had made, before any of their children were born, to join their houses. Was there? Ranma turned his gaze again to Kho Lon. He had given her the carrot, explained why he had been cold, and given her reason to think he might be catchable once his goal was achieved. Now it was time to show them a really big stick. "Before I return my sister to you, I would speak to your council. I have considered, and I know that politics can be a difficult thing. I do not wish to place you in the position of trying to defend my sister from those who know not the real consequences of their actions. I will speak to them," and his voice grew cold and hard, "and they will listen." Then he turned to Xian Pu, and he smiled, and the room lightened, and Xian Pu felt her heart beat faster. "And you," and he took her hand, and she felt faint. His hand was strong and his tendons moving beneath the skin felt like taut steel cables. "My sister has never had a friend before. If you can find it within yourself to be that for her, I will reward you." From thin air, he plucked a crystal rose, green-stemmed, with brilliant red petals, and placed it in her hand. She sighed, and looked at it, and pretended to smell it, then looked up in shock. It smelled real! She sighed, and sniffed her rose prettily, and smiled at him. She had long known that she had little hope of finding a strong husband in the tribe and she had hoped for the chance to find an outsider, who would be strong and skilled and handsome, and here he sat before her, and for him, she would be the best friend that Ranko would ever have. She still did not understand the connection between them... She thought that Ranma must know magic. She did not even consider Jusenkyou, as there had been no water involved. Jusenkyou required water to change. He stood, suddenly, and looked at Kho Lon. "Gather your council. I will speak to them ere I return. I want to do it now, while Ranko is absorbed with Neko." He stepped to the door and was gone outside. Kho Lon followed, as did Xian Pu and Genma. Ranma stood just outside the door, yet somehow he had found time, in that instant of movement, to change, and now he wore golden armor, moulded to his curves, and a high helm with a tall plume, and carried a sword at his side. Truly he looked the part of the lord of a castle, and surely he was incongruous, looking as such, standing by the door of a home in a small village. Kho Lon hurried off, bouncing on her staff, to gather the council. Xian Pu noticed with annoyance the swift gathering of a crowd of admiring young warriors, hunger in their eyes. She wanted to stake her claim, but could not do so, for she knew that to try to claim Ranma before he had fulfilled his given word to the Dragon Lady would anger him. He stood motionless for a moment, then sighed. "Xian Pu, how long does the council usually take to gather?" he asked her, looking up, blue eyes shining beneath the glittering helm. "Sometimes, it can take an hour or more," she replied. Her voice was strong, and did not reveal her fear... somehow she did not want to anger him. He merely sighed again. "In that case, Xian Pu, is there a place where I can practice?" Her heart filled with desire. So soon after he had given such a performance, and he wanted to practice again? What stamina! She led him quickly to a practice field, followed by nearly every eligible woman who was out and about the village that day. He stood there in silence for a moment, and she could see how his awareness of the crowd, and even of her, faded from his mind, and she was saddened for a moment that she could so easily be forgotten. That sadness disappeared the moment he began to move. He flowed so easily through the kata, even though he was wearing heavy armor. Now his sword slid from his sheath with utter silence, and she realized with awe that though he was now doing sword katas in the heavy sun and chill, thin mountain air, wearing heavy armor, he was totally silent. After nearly an hour, as he continuously moved through the katas, steadily increasing his speed, he was moving so fast that there were regular cracks in the air as one limb or another broke the sound barrier. Xian Pu knew that Great-Grandmother could do that with the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, the Chestnut Fist, but he had been doing it steadily for several minutes now, and showed no signs of slowing, nor even signs of strain. Kho Lon pogoed up beside her and stopped, balancing easily on her staff. "He moves well," she said quietly to her daughter. "He moves like a kami," Xian Pu replied softly. "The council is ready," Kho Lon stated aloud, and the crowd gasped as Ranma came to instant stillness, in what should have been an untenable position. After a moment, he relaxed, and came towards her. "Good. I would speak to them. Lead me there." The crowd gasped again, and murmurs arose. Even such as he, he was still a man, how could he speak to a Matriarch that way, and why did she allow it? She led him in silence, ignoring the whispers among the warriors, to a large, long building, and inside. Xian Pu did not follow, but returned to her home, to await the results. She hoped fervently that the council would not be harsh to him for his behavior. He was so perfect, it would be a shame to waste such perfection. It did not really occur to her to consider that his demonstration might mean that they would have little choice on what to do with him. She had been raised on the doctrine of Amazon superiority. --- "Kho Lon," one of the elders demanded, "What is this about? Why have you called us together just to show us some outsider? And a mere male. Hmmph." Murmurs of agreement rippled through the seated elders. "Sisters," Kho Lon replied, "Before you consider too harshly my actions, be aware that this man is betrothed to a dragon." "Enough, Kho Lon," Ranma stated, "I can speak for myself." There were shocked whispers, and then one voice rang out, "Silence, fool, you have no standing here. Let Kho Lon convince us to listen to you, and hold your tongue." "You hold your tongue, Old Woman!" his voice rang out sharply, to harsh whispers, and several outcries, but he did not pause nor falter, "Lest there remain nothing standing in the valley of the Joketsuzoku." He released his hold on his aura, and it filled the room, touching each elder, shocking them into silence. When next he spoke, it was with a voice filled with ki, and it echoed through the hall and in their hearts, "I am Lord Ranma Fey, Lord and Master of Fey Castle, Archmage to the Court of Farallon, GrandMaster of the Fey School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, Wielder of the Dragon Fang," and here he drew his sword, and it glowed a bright golden in the light of his ki, "and Beloved of the Dragon Alana. I come before to warn you, lest you act in haste, and doom your people. My sister has been invited to stay amongst you. Any harm that you do to her, you do to me, and I will repay it a thousand-fold. If she comes to harm while staying with you, the Joketsuzoku will be a forgotten memory." The whispers remained silent now, every member of the council was in awe of the power of his aura, and those who could sense magic were in awe of the might of his sword. "Teach her, and learn from her what you may, and when I return to take her away, I will consider what you have done. And if you have pleased me, then I may offer you the friendship of the House of Fey, a safe bastion of retreat and a source of great might of arms at need. But my sister and I are not yours, nor shall we ever be, and if someone from the Amazons win my heart or my sister's, it is they who will become Fey, and not I nor my sister Amazon. Remember that well, and perhaps in the future I will consider mingling the blood of the Fey with that of your own. Be aware, as well... My sister and I share the same body. I have taken on a Jusenkyou curse, to give her her own. So if you see me about your village, and think to speak to me or accost me, be certain you know first with certainty to whom you speak. Treat me as you will, but harm my sister, whether you think it to be I or no, and your valley will fall, and I will hunt every Joketsuzoku down, to the last child. I leave you now, to discuss your doom. Convince yourselves of its sooth, lest you bring destruction upon yourselves." With that, he disappeared, reappearing in Kho Lon's home, startling Xian Pu. He had considered transforming, taking on either tiger or dragon form... but he didn't want to reveal too much, and they had seemed sufficiently cowed. "Aiyah... How did you do that? How did the council go? They didn't hurt you?" Xian Pu was startled at first, but regained her composure quickly. It would not do to show weakness before such a catch. "Hurt me? No, not at all. They had very little to say, in fact." At this, Xian Pu was silent. Kho Lon's descriptions of council meetings was not one of silence. She could not imagine the irascible personalities that made up the council ever sitting in silence while listening to a mere male. "I am sorry, Xian Pu, I must go. My sister is eager to return." Xian Pu felt a pang at his leaving, but her heart leapt at the thought that he was sorry to leave her. Surely it was more than mere politeness that prompted his statement. She watched in interest as he magicked his sister in. She looked around, and spied Xian Pu. "Hmm. Where'd Kho Lon go, Xian Pu?" she asked curiously. "Kho Lon is at the council meeting, Ranko," Xian Pu answered her, though her mind was still on the delightful sight of Ranma in his moulded armor. She realized with a start that Ranko was also wearing armor, armor that showed off her curves, and her musculature, very nicely indeed. "Why are you wearing armor like Ranma was, Ranko?" she queried. "What? Oh, dear. Drat him, he could have changed back first." Suddenly Ranko was back in her basic black shirt and loose pants. Xian Pu felt a sudden sense of foreboding about this. It seemed very strange that Ranko had not realized she was wearing armor... but it was clearly not the same armor that Ranma had been wearing. She put it out of her mind. "Ranko, would you like to spar with me?" she asked. She was fairly certain that Ranko was a martial artist. Her body was so strong and lean, her movements so graceful. "You want to? Really? Sure!" Ranko seemed utterly delighted, and happily followed Xian Pu out to the practice field. As they sparred, Xian Pu was very surprised at Ranko's apparent lack of skill... she regularly made mistakes in the execution of moves. Yet she was astounded by Ranko's rate of improvement. She never made the same mistake twice, and Xian Pu felt by the end of the sparring, that Ranko had made at least a twenty-fold improvement in her skills. It was absolutely unbelievable. When they returned to Xian Pu's house, Genma intercepted them, and requested to speak to Ranko alone. Xian Pu conceded, and went inside to take her bath. "Ranko, look, I know you've never had any friends before, and you've got to be enjoying this... but don't you think we ought to be heading back to Japan? I mean, how long are you planning on staying here?" Genma hoped he was right... he thought Ranko might be susceptible to a little guilt. He was sure Ranma wouldn't be, but if he could convince Ranko, he could use her as leverage to control Ranma. Sure, she'd be disappointed when she learned that they couldn't see Nodoka, but she wouldn't want to be die, nor see Ranma hurt, so she'd go along with it. He wasn't sure how she'd feel about the engagement, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. Ranko looked at him a bit sadly, and almost looked a bit disappointed. "Look, Papa-san, we're really staying here for you." Genma looked quite startled at that. "What I mean is, well, while we're here, we're going to be practicing our ki control of our Jusenkyou curse. So that we won't change when splashed with water, except when we want to. In the meantime, he's working on a body for me. It'll be just like this one, only I won't really be in it, I'll still be in this head. But it'll be just like it was real, and I was in it. By the time winter is over here, we'll be ready to go to Japan, as Ranko and Ranma Saotome, together." Genma looked rather confused. "Look, Papa-san, I know you don't really understand that well. Just look at it this way. We will go to Mama-san, and we will BOTH be there. You will have to explain where you got me from, but Ranma will be unquestionably a man among men. We'll get to meet Mama, and you get off the hook, ok?" Genma looked rapturous, and a little fearful... a strange combination. "That's wonderful," he cried, and then "you'd do that for me? Why? I thought Ranma hated me." "Ranma doesn't hate you. He doesn't think much of you though. I'm the one who asked him for this. I never had a father, and you agreed to take me as yours. So I'm gonna get you Mama-san back, so I can have a real family." She grabbed him, and held on to him tightly. He hugged her back, tears seeping slowly down his face. The tears became real when he thought of Nodoka. Now that he no longer had to worry about her coddling the boy, and the seppuku pledge would be out of the way... though now that he thought about it, it would be unmanly to try to get out of an honorable engagement, that would be a good tool to use on Ranma... he could go back to Nodoka, and live off his son. Ahh... life would be good. Sweet Sorrow After bathing, Ranko dressed again, and slipped out the back door of the house. As she snuck away, she extended her senses to be sure no-one was following. She leapt lightly, easily, over the village wall, then moved quickly through the forest until she found a clearing that had a large enough stone in it. She pulled back, allowing Ranma to come to the fore. Onna-Ranma used her ki claws to inscribe a rune of power and holding on the stone, and several runes of strength, then begin charging it. She charged it slowly, but at a steady pace. She was timing herself by what she had learned charging the stones in the room where she had... had failed. If she went slow enough, her ki replenished itself, and by the end, she was still at full, as was the stone. A little over an hour later, it was done. Ranma eased back, allowing Ranko to the fore again. At his urging, she focused, and drew up the ki aura, flickering blue flames that licked about her, then called on the Neko-ken. As the aura became more solid about her, Ranma watched in the glassy pool, muttering suggestions. He had noticed, from his external perspective, what she had not... that the aura was definitely, even distinctively feminine. Yet Ranma could see it wasn't working... she couldn't get the aura to disengage itself. He quickly cast a gate spell, opening a portal to the location he was scrying, and stepped through. She gasped. "You... you look like a ghost, Ranma." "I know." His voice was hollow and thin, strange-sounding even to his own ears. He reached out with threads of magic, and his will, and pulled on his ki. It resisted, and he strengthened the pull. Ranko cried out in pain, as her ki aura tore itself from her, and absorbed Ranma, becoming a male aura again. She fell to her knees. "Ranko," he cried out, "Release the stone. You must release the stone!" Already, he could feel the drawing sensation, as her body reached out to regain what was hers. The stone flared, and she cried out in relief. She stood, strong again, and looked at him, glowing blue male half-tiger standing before her. "I cannot come too close, Ranko. I can still feel the pull the body has for its ki. I've got to go away now. Don't worry... I've bound it with magic. I won't lose it." He turned, and leapt, bounding over the trees, and away from the clearing. She stared after him. She had noticed what he had not. Their aura had grown... the half-tiger that left her was fully ten feet tall. She wondered how big he would be as a half-dragon. Meanwhile Kho Lon paused in her slow thoughtful progress towards her house, and looked to the distant clearing. She had felt that sudden massive surge of magic and ki, and she started to move in that direction. Ranma was moving quickly now, with utter silence. He had a semi-solid form, he could feel the claws on his feet biting the ground. He passed within meters of two crouching Amazons, intent on their prey. They didn't notice him... nor did he notice the two older Amazons nearly a thousand feet up the slope, watching the younger two. After he was gone, they came bounding down to land behind the younger two. One of the younger two turned and hissed. "What are you doing?! You scared it off!" She was referring to the tiger she and her sister Amazon had been stalking. "More important things, child. A massive tiger spirit passed not two meters from you." "Over here," said the other woman, "Come here girls, look at these tracks. What made them?" "A tiger... a big tiger," the elder of the two girls said. "Look closer," the woman commanded them. "Look at the stride." "A two-legged tiger? What is this?" The younger girl looked at the two older women in confusion. "Tigers don't walk on two legs." "We watched the spirit. It was a tiger... and a man, and it walked on two legs, and moved in great bounding strides, but it glowed blue, and we could see you through it as it passed between us and you." "What should we do?" asked the older girl, "Send for an Elder, and follow it?" "Whatever mischief it plans will already be done by then," the first woman replied. "We will follow it, now!" They set off, tracking the tiger spirit. They strung out in a long line. One would stand where the tiger landed, near the visible indentations of its claws, while the other three moved ahead to scout for the next tracks. When they were found, the whole process would repeat. After tracking it for four hours, they realized it was slowing, and moved slower themselves. They switched to having two teams, so that two women together waited at the known tracks, while the other two looked for the new tracks. One member of each pair stayed focused on their surroundings, hoping to prevent the tiger from catching them unawares a second time. The second woman finally decided she knew where it was heading, and brought them around to where they would be able to look down upon the spot from a hill covered in trees and brush. Though the cover was good, Ranma would have known they were there. But he did not. He was not scanning the night with his sixth and seventh sense. Instead, he had turned them inward. He had released the Neko-ken, and been pleased that his aura seemed to lapse into his own shape, as he dwelt in it, rather than returning to blue flames. He had drawn up the magic into himself, and then stared down bemused at his body. It looked like him, on the outside. He was nude, he noticed, not having brought any clothing with him. He had been used to having Fey's clothing to fall back on, but the wristband was not on his wrist, it was on Ranko's. He decided to see if he could get out of the body without dissolving it, so he could look into it, and see why he couldn't seem to breathe, and felt no heartbeat. The watching girls breathed long happy sighs in awe, when they peeked over the top of the hill, and saw the naked young man, strong and beautifully muscled, standing by the deep pool that lay deep and still beyond the foam that churned at the base of the fifty foot waterfall. It was a perfect scene to frame what looked like a young god, and the girls would likely have gotten into a fight over which one got to go down and get defeated by him for peeping on him, had the older women not been there to hold them back. The older women held the girls back for the crucial moments it took for the tiger-spirit to step from the body, letting it drop lifeless to the ground. Ranma looked at himself, and realized that in even that short time, he had grown stronger, because the body had generated ki. "I should stay in a body, then." he said to himself, and drew up the magic strands. The watching Amazons stifled their gasps when the tiger-spirit seemed to suddenly take on real physical form. No longer a glowing blue, it looked like a true tiger now, yellow and black, and they had to stifle their sudden strong swell of desire for the finely muscled form. Ranma was delighted when he realized he could breathe. Apparently his tiger and dragon forms, based on his body as they were, had all the pieces, while the body he was trying to build was being created based on his spirit, an altogether different situation. He was also surprised that this body felt hungry... and it grew hungrier as it gazed on the body lying before it. At first he was slightly sickened at the thought, but then he realized that he would have to cut it up anyway, to study it and see what he had done wrong. He would either have to go and hunt and kill something else, that had done nothing, so that his hunger would not overwhelm him... Or eat his own body as he examined it. The decision was an easy one. After all, this body was his, there was no-one else to care if he ate it. He supposed he could have summoned some fruit, but this body was that of a carnivore, and the thought simply didn't have the appeal it would normally have held for him. The girls' desire was cramped when the beast reached out and tore off the boy's arm. The youngest girl could barely contain her retching. The second woman nudged the first. "Look at it. It is peeling back the skin, and looking at the muscle, before eating it. Why is it doing that?" They watched in mingled disgust and awe, as the beast proceeded to eat its way through the chest cavity. When the beast dove into the waterfall, to wash away the blood that matted its fur, they saw their chance, and darted down, picked up the still hot remains, almost whole except the arm that had been torn off, and made off with it. When Ranma emerged from the water, cleansed of blood, he shook himself vigorously, then gaped at the pool of blood, and the complete absence of his body. At first, he thought a wild animal had come to investigate the scent, but looking closer, he could see the footprints. The Amazons! Oh, no... he couldn't let them get that body back to the village. He was afraid of what Ranko would do when she recognized the face, which he had not harmed. He hadn't tried the mental communication, and didn't know if it would work. She would be asleep by now, so he couldn't try without alarming her. He set to work, hunting them, following the scent of his own blood. Several hours later, they stopped and made camp. The youngest girl ran her fingers across the bloody face. "He was so handsome, so strong... He would have been a good husband. I wonder who he was?" "Not Musk, I hope... though who else has such strong males, these days?" "Oh dear. We'll really be in for it if the Musk catch us carrying one of their own like this." "I doubt it. Its fairly obvious that the body was mauled by a beast." Suddenly, their senses alerted them to approaching danger, and they grabbed for their weapons. Before they could bring them to bear, the huge tiger-spirit had leaped over the trees to land in the clearing, heaved the torn body to its back, and leapt away again. They cursed fluently. "Now, what? We go back, and track it again?" "We'll leave a message here for the elders. They will come look, before tomorrow is finished. Hopefully, they will find this place, read the signs, and find our message." Even as she spoke, she was writing quickly on a leaf of parchment. She rolled it into a tube, tied it off, and hung it from a high branch. "Let's go." Ranma returned to his waterfall. He had surmised that they had come up while he was in the waterfall, and hadn't seen the massive tiger. He figured once they saw what took the body, they would leave well enough alone. That was why he had moved slowly enough to let them get a good look at him. He needed to burn this body anyway. He placed it on a rock, out in the depths of the pool. Hopefully that would at least keep off any wild animals drawn by the scent of blood. Before he left, he slashed the face to ribbons, to prevent identification, in case someone tried the same thing again. By the time he had built up a large enough pile of deadwood to lay the body upon, the women had returned, and taken up their position to watch. They observed him place the body on the pyre, deciding it must be some ritual the cat-spirit needed to retain his form. They watched, and their thoughts seemed confirmed, when he stood back from the pyre, still unlit, and raised a hand. Sudden blue flames flicked about it for a moment, as he lifted it to the air, and flames roared up from beneath the pyre! He watched the orange flames for a long minute, then decided they weren't hot enough to do the job. He drew up magic, hands glowing with power, and the flames roared higher and hotter, moving from orange to yellow, then finally they flared blue. The blue flame roared leaping high into the air, giving off no visible smoke, and when it finally died, Ranma leapt off into the night, wanting to focus on his body as it moved, and leapt, and breathed, so that he could feel the action of the organs. The Amazons crept down the hill, and surrounded the fire. One knelt and felt the ashes. They were a fine gray dust. No flesh, not even bone remained... and bone always remained. "Very hot fire?," one asked. "Spirit fire. The spirits took the body," responded another. They pulled back, and set up camp some distance away. They did not build a fire, this time. --- When morning came, they again crept up to the hill. It took them a moment to realize that the tiger was there, lying sprawled upon the ground, snoring. They considered moving in and attacking it while it slept, only to have that option removed as it suddenly stirred. It sat up, shaking its large head back and forth as if to knock the sleep out. Ranma looked about blearily. Too early, and his mouth... he tasted iron. He looked at the pool, and thought about washing his mouth out with that, then he realized, as his senses were again stretched about him, more by reflex than intent, that he was being watched by four women. As he felt their auras, he realized they were not from his village, or at least, hadn't been there during the time that he had been. He wondered what to do about it... and realized he was entirely unclothed. He flicked his fingers and summoned a pair of black silk boxers, then a pair of loose, baggy pants. He didn't summon his usual tight shirt though. It would make his fur itch. He tried to decide what to do about the women... but his head hurt, and he didn't want to think about it. He would feel better after a cup of herbal tea, he decided. He glanced in their direction, but saw no movement. He thought about looking for herbs, but decided not to bother. So what if they saw he could do magic? It would just make them more afraid, he thought, and maybe they would go and leave him alone. He summoned a low table, and a tea set, with five place settings. He wasn't sure why he did that, but then decided he wouldn't really mind company. He summoned five tatami mats, and knelt on one, pouring the herbal tea into his cup. He lifted it, and took a large sip, rolling it around in his mouth, to get the taste of iron out, then spat it behind him. He took another sip, and swallowed this time. He looked directly at the women, with a challenging gaze, and smiled at them. He wasn't really aware that smiling with a mouth full of terribly sharp teeth is not the most reassuring thing you can do. "Aiiee... he knows we are here!," the youngest squealed. The second woman slapped the girl's head. "If he was unsure before, he knows now, foolish girl. Well we know he can move faster than we. We cannot run and hope to escape, if he chooses to follow. Let us go down and meet him. It seems we have little choice to do otherwise." She stood, holding her spear, and stepped out of the underbrush, and walked down to the grassy waterside, followed by the other three, all holding their weapons nervously. He had placed the four additional settings and mats across the table from himself, reckoning they would not want to get too close. He was only partially right. The closer they got, the stronger their desire for him became. As they approached, he smiled again, and holding the tea pot delicately in his massive hand, he poured tea into the four cups. They sat gingerly on the mats, watching him. It was only then that he really realized that he had gotten larger. Even sitting down, he towered over them. The two younger ones still looked fearful, but the elder had firmed their faces. They would not show weakness before a spirit, lest he take it as an invitation to attack. They gripped their cups firmly, and drank, praying inside that it not be poisoned. He had drunk first after all, from the same teapot, but wait... he had... yes. Both coming to the same conclusion, they followed his pattern of swishing the tea in their mouths, then turning to spit it behind them, before drinking from their cups. The younger two followed suit, as he looked on. When he saw that they weren't going to take the lead and speak, he decided he needed to impress on them that he was not prey, to be hunted. He raised his large claw, and the first woman's spear jerked forward, almost pulled from her grasp, as the haft just below the head slapped into his palm. She gasped, eyes wide in fear, as he casually snapped the head off the weapon. He took the metal head in one hand, holding it above the other, and supplied great heat with his ki, as he had done when learning weaponsmithing. They gasped in awe, and the acrid scent of fear rose from them, as the droplets of brightly glowing molten metal dripped through his fingers to roll and pool on his palm. "I am not for hunting." Ranma said plainly. His voice was different in this form. It was deeper, rougher, almost a growl. The women nodded slowly. Finally, the woman who's spear he had destroyed spoke. "We were not hunting you, Lord Spirit. We are Amazons, and we must investigate possible dangers to our tribe." "I am no danger to your tribe. I am here, not to disturb you, but to work in peace. I must make a body for my sister... but I must perfect my own first. I have no female example to work from, but I will manage." His words were simple, direct. He was stating in the plainest terms why he was here, hoping they could see his sincerity, and would leave him in peace. He did not really consider the effect his words would have from their perspective. He didn't know that they had seen everything they had. He didn't know that they had watched as he pulled the body apart, examining each piece before eating it. He didn't realize the implications they would draw from his statement of the lack of a female example. Each of them was picturing this beast slowly stripping their flesh, examining each piece, as he devoured it. Furthermore, he had just told them enough to realize that he was not yet confident of his understanding of the male body... much less the female... He would surely need many examples, and they had just told him they were from a tribe of Amazons. His smile, meant to put them at ease, seemed to them the grin of a beast looking forward to having some fun. Their hands were cold with sweat, and even to themselves they stank of fear, as they sat drinking their tea, and wondering how they would get out of this. Ranma smelled their fear, but didn't realize the real reason for it. He figured he had done enough to ensure they would not return, not realizing that he had in fact done exactly what would ensure their return in force. When he saw that they had finished their tea, he waved a hand, and the tea set disappeared, as did the table and mats. He stood, and they got shakily to their feet, looking up at him with fearful eyes. Even the older women could not disguise their terror, and they were frightened still more by the fact that they could still feel a strong udnercurrent of desire for him, through their fear, leading them to believe the desire was unnatural, perhaps even magical in nature. "Remember," he said, in a deep rumble, "I'm not for hunting." He turned, and with several leaping bounds, was quickly out of sight. The Amazons sagged against each other in sudden relief, as the fear and desire both drained away. "He doesn't need us?" The youngest asked hopefully. "Not yet," replied the first woman, "Not yet. You heard him, he must master the male form, before he begins on the female. We must destroy him before that time. We must get to the village, quickly, to warn the elders." With that, they were off. The next day, when Ranma awoke, there were two elders and ten strong warriors concealed on a hill across the stream, protected from his sight by a powerful magical medallion worn by one of the elders. They watched with wide eyes, as he stood up, stepping up and out of his body, becoming once again the glowing entity of ki, before suddenly filling out again. The tiger-spirit picked his old body up, and carried it to lay by the water. He tore open its chest, and washed the blood away with water. The elders had looked at each other with awe in their eyes when he had stepped from his body. A spirit of pure ki... unbelievable! Silently, they praised their luck at its decision to examine its own body. Had they not seen it arise so easily from its prison of flesh, they would have attacked. They realized now that slaying its body would have little effect on it, and settled in to watch, hoping to see a weakness. They looked on, as the creature removed one organ after another, tracing the connections between them, and slicing them open to examine the inside, before laying them back in the body. After examining his own chest cavity for nearly an hour, the spirit shucked his new body, then suddenly became a strong young man, shucked that body as well, then picked up the tiger body he had just discarded, and put it back on. He lay the boy's body down, and broke open its chest in the same way. He had done better... there was a heart, and lungs, and he had been able to take a breath. Still, the stomach wasn't connected to the mouth, and the lines that went from the heart to the lungs were missing. He sighed. This would be a long slow process... and then he would have to do the same with women. Sighing, he gestured at the bodies, and they erupted in crackling blue flames that quickly reduced them to ash. He sat lotus style, and went to reach for his flute, but it was not there. He realized, once again, that Ranko had the Dragon Fang. Aah... he could use that wakizashi he had made. He pictured where it sat, cradled on wooden pegs on a board in his room at the castle, and he called to it, and pulled it to him. The watching elders gasped in awe when he pulled a beautiful dark blue wakizahi from nowhere. They were even more startled when it became a dark blue flute, and the tiger began to play. The warriors around them sighed happily, thrilled by the beautiful music. The elders were concerned... they could feel the ki that imbued the music with power, and wondered what the beast was trying to accomplish. They could see that the tiger's eyes were closed in concentration. They all gawked in startled wonder when a gorgeous green haired neriad rose silently from the water, only hair covering her heaving upper body, to lie listening upon a stone amidst the depths of the pool. The young warriors saw only a well-endowed young woman with greenish skin, brilliant sea-green hair, and a long snake's body below the waist. The elders though, saw a being of power, a neriad, a spirit of water, drawn up, entranced by the tiger-spirit's music. When he lifted his head from his flute, to draw a deep breath, and sigh, and look about him, the neriad slipped quietly from the rock back into the silent depths of the pool. She was gone before his gaze fell upon the rock, and the elders realized to their shock that the tiger-spirit had not only not intended to summon the water-spirit, but been unaware of doing so. The power implied in being able to accidentally summon a being of such power stunned them. The music had eased his emotions, and his heart was steady again. But his mind still roiled with tangled thoughts. He needed to clear his head now. He leapt gracefully out to that stone in the depths of the pool, and began a slow kata. He did not see the neriad rise amongst the concealing waters of the waterfall, but the elders did. They too watched, entranced at his powerful forms and flowing punches and kicks. They were stunned when he reached the aerial portion of the kata, moving considerably faster now, and several times landed upon the water and leapt lightly again, leaving only the faintest of ripples behind. The first time his fist moved faster than sound, cracking the very air, they all jumped in shock, but the neriad clapped her hands in delight. The tiger-spirit paused suddenly, landing lightly on the stone, and looking around for the source of the sound. The neriad moved from the concealment of the flowing water, holding her upper body easily above the water, and moved toward him. She opened her mouth, when his gaze lit upon her, and sang at him, a warbling beautiful sound like water babbling across stones in a shallow stream. He stared in awe at the vision of beauty moving towards him. Not again, not again, he was thinking desperately, afraid that he recognized the hungry, possessive look in her eyes, but he seemed powerless to flee, mesmerized by the beautiful sound of her voice. Tigers, unlike most other cats, are not afraid of water, but will indeed go swimming in it for pleasure. He slid off the rock, and used the Juushin Jisei to hold himself partially submerged, so his head was level with hers. His eyes flicked down, and he saw her long body snaking away beneath them. "Lady," he said, in his deep rumbling voice, "I'm sorry, but I cannot understand you." She had reached him them, and immediately raised a hand to run lightly along his chest, feeling his powerful muscles. "I did not mean to disturb you. I did not know this was your pool. I will leave, if you wish." He made the offer in hope that she would ask it, though the feel of her hand on his chest made him think she did not want him to leave. He was rather worried, in fact, about what she probably did want. The watching Amazons were equally mesmerized by the sight. Only the two elders knew fear. They too could not pull themselves away, but they had heard stories of what angry water spirits could do, and they imagined that both spirits would grow angry if they detected their presence upon the hill. Ranma moved slowly to draw up threads of magic. He could see she was a being of magic, and he wanted to move slowly enough that she could have time to see what he was doing, and that there was no need to fear it. When he completed the spell, he spoke again, and though his voice came out sounding like the rushing of water down a thin gorge, he understood it, and her response. "I say again, Lady, it was not my intention to disturb you. I am sorry. I did not know this was your pool, and I will leave, if you wish it." "Please, do not leave. Your music speaks to my heart, fierce tiger, and I enjoyed watching you play above my pool. You are pleasant to look upon." He felt her coils sliding about his body, submerged beneath the rippling surface of the pool, a cold caress. "If I let you stay, will you play for me again?" "Lady, I cannot stay forever, but if you let me stay, I will play for you." She smiled at that, and he saw that she had long fangs, like a poisonous snake, but it only made her smile more beautiful. "I can see that another holds your heart, fierce tiger, so I will not ask more of you than that, and that you let me watch you at play." "At play, Lady? I do not understand you." "When you danced upon the water, just now. You are beautiful, you know." "Oh... my katas. Yes, Lady, I do not mind if you watch my katas." "What are you doing here, fierce tiger? Why do you sit and play by my waters? I thought you called to me, but that is not why you are here, is it?" "No, Lady." He smiled. "I am making a body for my sister, that together we may free my Lady from bondage, and find my mother." "A noble cause, indeed. I could wish your heart were not already taken, fierce tiger." She smiled at him, then backed away, and sank beneath the water. The watching elders had not understood the words, but they could see that some agreement had been reached. They watched in surprise and wonder, when the tiger-spirit rose smoothly from the water, then padded across the surface as if it were solid ground, to stand upon the near shore, and shake the water from his fur. He looked about him, then bounded off, disappearing into the distance almost instantly. The elders took the warriors back to the village. They would have to convene the council, to debate what to do. They were not sure that even the whole village had the power to fight this thing. Ranko Five days after Ranma left, a meeting was convened of the council. Ranko had been training with Xian Pu every day, and had quickly reached her skill level. Xian Pu could no longer defeat Ranko. Ranko had all the knowledge Ranma had, and had only needed some time in a real body to get used to how to apply it. Now Xian Pu had begun training in ki techniques, and was eager for Ranko to learn with her. But though she was an honorary member, it was a temporary thing only. Her quick ascension in skill had made it painfully clear that whatever they taught her, they taught to Ranma. While Ranko was eager to learn, and quite willing to promise never to teach the technique to an outsider, it was unknown how Ranma would respond. The council debated for two hours, considering whether to even give him the opportunity. Some few felt that teach him would be foolhardy, tantamount to teaching the Musk, their sworn enemy. These were mostly the ones who refused to be impressed by his demonstration, and to believe that the Joketsuzoko had the power to resist him. Others felt that he could be trusted to learn, since he could destroy them anyway, but how could they trust that he would not teach them? If he did, there was nothing they could do about it. So better not to give him the chance. Others were all for it, as a way of giving him more reason to consider an alliance with him. A few more were of the opinion that they should ask him not to teach others, but leave it to his discretion, and teach him regardless, so that any time an enemy faced that that knew the techniques, they could call on him, saying "Here is one that threatens us because of you, so you should defend us." In the end, they agreed to ask him. They asked Ranko to bring him, and were troubled when she said that she could not, that he was not with her. She told them she would summon him, if they convened the council. They convened, and were even more disturbed when he appeared before them, without a body, merely a glowing figure of pure ki. He listened to them, then replied that he would refrain from teaching any technique that he did not already know, and did not learn from another source. It bothered them, but in the end they agreed. They found out why he had given his curious prescription, when Ranko failed to learn the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken. She had watched with interest as Kho Lon demonstrated, tossing the chestnuts into the open flames of the small fire she built, then shouted "KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN" as her arms blurred, and she held out her hands with all the chestnuts. When Kho Lon tossed them in again, Ranko waited till they opened, and silently grabbed them all from the fire, showing them to Kho Lon, without saying a word, and using only one hand. Kho Lon had stared at her in shock for a long minute, because she had been watching for the signs of ki, and Ranko had not used any, nor needed any. It was nothing special for her, just moving very fast. She could do it, they found, with any part of her body, even her whole body. She could move fast enough to tap every knuckle of each fist on each punch thrown by Kho Lon in the Chestnut Fist. In other words, she could easily, without strain, move five times faster than Kho Lon's Chestnut Fist. After a public demonstration of that, the last grumbles on the council died out. If Ranko could so easily defeat a Matriarch, no one any longer dared doubt that Ranma could destroy them. --- A week after Ranko started sparring with Xian Pu, they were walking near the entrance to the village, when they heard the sounds of laughter and discussion. "They've returned." Xian Pu sighed in disgust. "Who, Xian Pu?" queried Ranko. "Mu Suu and his family," replied Xian Pu, and they both heard an exuberant male voice call out. "Xian Pu! I'm back!" Mu Suu raced down the path, and saw his love before him, and heard her voice. He leapt to glomp her... and to his utter surprise, he actually landed. Usually, she batted him away well before he could reach her. She must really love him! She must have... wait, no, why was she so stiff, and why was she crying? A fist slammed into his head, and he was knocked away, and Elder Kho Lon had grabbed him firmly by the hair, and was dragging him away. "Xian Pu!" he cried out again. "I love you!" Xian Pu held the crying Ranko, and guided her back through the village, shooting sharp glares at anyone who so much as looked twice. She helped the girl inside, and sat her down on the couch. "What's wrong, Ranko? It was just that stupid Mu Suu. He mistook you for me. Stupid blind fool." Xian Pu held Ranko and tried to comfort her. "R-Ranma...," she gasped out, between sobs, "Ranma i-is going to be s-so angry with me... H-he gave me this beautiful body and I c-c-couldn't even defend it. I d-didn't even h-have a c-c-chance to react to the attack. I could have been k-killed." "Ssshh.. It's not like that, Ranko. He wasn't attacking you," Xian Pu said, as she hugged the smaller girl to her, and rocked her back and forth. "He was just... he thought you were me... and he was trying to show me how much he loves me... the fool." "It... it wasn't an attack?" Ranko asked tearfully, yet with a sudden light of hope in her eyes. "No, Ranko-chan. It wasn't an attack. He wouldn't have hurt you," Xian Pu replied. I wouldn't have let him. Stupid blind idiot. She comforted Ranko, holding her until her tears stopped, then wiping them away. "Its alright... shhh... that's right... don't worry... Kho Lon has him... he'll never touch you like that again..." Ranko finally fell asleep in her arms. Xian Pu lifted her gently, and took her upstairs. She put her in bed, pulling the blankets up around her, and then just watched for a minute, smiling as the pain and fear faded, and her face was again innocent and happy in sleep. Meanwhile, Kho Lon had dragged Mu Suu into an empty practice hall, and flung him to the floor. "You fool! You complete imbecile! What were you thinking? What could you have been thinking?" Mu Suu tried to respond, only to get rapped on the head by her staff. "Silence, male! You listen to me, and you listen well!" Her voice grew hard and cold, and it was tinged by a fear Mu Suu had never heard in her voice before. "You may just doomed all the Joketsuzoku, you fool. We have put up with your foolish pursuit of Xian Pu for too long! She does not want you, and you know that. Yet still you chase after her." Kho Lon was pacing back and forth in front of him now. He pulled himself up to a sitting position, and folded his legs beneath him, keeping his head downcast to avoid her anger. He had never heard her so furious, but it was the tinge of fear that lurked in her words that struck him with a force nothing else had ever done. "Now, in your endless pursuit of Xian Pu, you may have condemned her to death! Can you understand that, boy? Is any of this getting through your thick head?" She rapped him again. "That little girl that you glomped is the beloved sister of the most powerful man I have ever seen. That little girl is faster than I, a Matriarch of the Joketsuzoku! She can move faster than my Amaguriken! And she is but a shadow of the might of her brother." Her voice was hard but low now. "The only reason she did not destroy you out of hand, boy, is the kindness of her heart. Her brother shares that kindness, boy. BUT! But, his kindness is overwhelmed by his love for his sister. If she comes to harm while she's here, he will destroy us all! Do you understand me, boy?!" He bowed deeply before her. "Yes, Honored Elder. Forgive me... I thought she was Xian Pu..." "Silence! Do you think that can excuse you? Who will be there to forgive you, when Xian Pu and the rest of the Jokesuzoku are DEAD because of you? You don't seem to comprehend the magnitude of what you have done. That little girl, is the sister of Lord Fey. He is a stronger martial artist than anyone here, the founder and grandmaster of his own school or martial arts, an archmage, and beloved of a dragon. He could destroy us out of hand, you stupid sniveling fool! If you love Xian Pu, you will stay far away from Ranko, and you will stay away from Xian Pu. I think that you have been reprieved, this time, boy. If she had gone crying to Ranma, we would already be dead. So you have a chance to redeem yourself. Do NOTHING to hurt her, boy. Attack NO ONE! Do you understand me? Ranma won't care that you didn't know it was her when you hurt her, Mu Suu. He will see her hurt, and he will destroy us. You will stay away from Ranko, and you will stay away from Xian Pu! Now, stay here until nightfall, boy, and think of how close you came to killing Xian Pu today, you who claim to love her." She spat this last in his face, and turned and stomped out. --- Ranko awoke, wondering why she was in her bed. She didn't remember going to sleep... then she remembered Mu Suu's return. She slipped out of bed, and down the stairs, pausing to listen to Kho Lon and Xian Pu. "Yes, great-grandmother, Ranko was very upset. She didn't stop crying until she was exhausted. I put her to bed upstairs. She seemed to think that Ranma would be very angry..." Ranko heard Kho Lon's frightened gasp. "at her." "At her?," Kho Lon interrupted, "Why on earth would he be angry at her?" "I'm not sure, I think because Ranko thought it was an attack, and she didn't defend herself. I managed to convince her that it wasn't an attack. That damned sightless fool." "Yes, he nearly killed us all. But I had a long talk with him. He won't come near her again, and I told him in clear terms to stay away from you as well." "Oh, thank you, great-grandmother. The last thing I need is for Ranma to come, and see that fool hanging on me. Unless you think he would be jealous?" There was a hopeful tinge to the last question. "No. Until he frees the Lady Alana, I don't think he will even notice. The boy has an iron will, a control like I've never seen before." Their voices faded, and Ranko heard the front door open, and close behind them. She slipped down, and out the back door, and went in search of Mu Suu. It sounded like they had been terribly angry with him. But he hadn't attacked her. He had thought she was Xian Pu, and was being happy. Now he must feel terribly alone and sad... She reached out with her aura, and felt among the auras around her, until she found one tinged with a deep depression. She followed it, finally finding it in an otherwise empty training hall. She slipped in, and heard Mu Suu's gasp of surprise. She walked quickly over to him, and knelt down before him. Mu Suu said nothing after that first gasp. His glasses were straight again, and though blurry, he could see the fiery red of her hair, and knew that somehow, he had already failed Kho Lon, and come near her. He wanted to hate her, wanted to hit her, destroy her, for coming between him and his lovely Xian Pu. But he held himself still, knowing that to touch her, to hit her, even to frighten her, might make Ranma hurt his Xian Pu. While he only wanted to hate Ranko, he did hate Ranma. Ranko was only a danger to him because of Ranma. It was Ranma who stood between him and his Xian Pu. Ranma who blocked him, hiding behind this small fiery girl. How dare he! How dare he hide behind a woman, and take his Xian Pu from him! Ranma must want Xian Pu for himself. He shuddered in rage, then barely muffled a gasp, as his attention was brought back to the present, by the tender, innocent touch of Ranko's delicate fingers, as she took off his glasses and set them aside. He shivered as she ran her fingers lightly over his eyes, and he felt the unbelievably powerful touch of her ki, tinged with sadness, but bursting with hope, as she peered into his eyes. "Poor Mu Suu," she said, and he cringed at the pitying words, before realizing suddenly that there was no pity in her tones, only sympathy. "Your eyes have been growing worse, haven't they?" He nodded slowly. "Yes... there is... an illness in your eyes, Mu Suu. This is not natural, not normal blindness. I can help you, I think," she smiled at him, and he felt the darkness of the room fade, and it was like he was lying in a field, soaking in the sunshine. "Will you let me help you, Mu Suu?" she asked, softly. He nodded again, not daring to speak. Was it possible? The village healers and the western doctors had agreed, nothing could be done about his eyes. Could this little girl, so innocent, really be able to help him? Why would she want to, after what he had done to her? She did not notice his confusion, only his assent, and laid her fingers on his eyes again, closing them. He felt the touch of her ki again, and then suddenly a blinding, burning sensation in his eyes, and he scrambled backward and away from her, shivering in fear. Red light swam before his eyes... he dreaded opening them. Somehow he felt sure that she had tried and failed, and now he would be truly blind, unable to ever see his Xian Pu again. Then she was before him again, and he cringed back. But he was in a corner, and couldn't escape... he could, but he'd have to hurt her, and that would mean his Xian Pu's death, and so he held still before the little monster who had taken his sight, shivering in fear. Wasn't it enough? Wasn't it enough that she had stolen his sight? How far would her retribution go, what more could she take from him? He felt her light touch on his face again, and heard her soft voice. "Mu Suu, please... open your eyes." Slowly, ever so slowly he did as she asked... he saw her, with perfect clarity, her beautiful face, her sad, deep blue eyes, her glorious fiery hair, her beautiful figure and taut wiry strength visible beneath her tight black shirt... and he gaped in awe. He could see! He could see perfectly, and he wasn't wearing glasses! He pulled himself quickly to his knees, and dropped his head to the floor. "Thank you, oh goddess, thank you. Thank you." He was crying tears of joy, and they fell from his perfect eyes on to her bare feet. She giggled, then, and grabbing his shoulders, pulled him up. "Stand up, silly," and she stood, lifting him easily to his feet, as though he weighed nothing at all. She grabbed his hand, laughing delightedly, as she pulled him to the door. She crushed his glasses beneath her feet. "You won't need those anymore." He gasped... mustn't let her get hurt, and she stepped on his glasses, her foot would be cut... and gasped again, as she pulled him forward, and as her foot came up, and he could see the bottom, soft and uncalloused, and completely uninjured. A goddess. She was definitely a goddess. She had come to him, after he had hurt her, and she had helped him, for no reason he could see, given him perfect eyes, and been happy to do so, without asking anything of him. He could not hate her... he could not even be indifferent to her. He could only love her. He felt his rage and hatred to the unknown Ranma fade away as well. What kind of man would he be, if he did not do all he could to protect this goddess? Ranma made perfect sense to him now. He followed her out the door and down the steps, not even considering or realizing that he was breaking Kho Lon's command to him. His goddess wanted him to follow her, and he could do no less. Kho Lon was still discussing what to do with Xian Pu, when they fell silent, noticing Ranko and Mu Suu leaving the training hall. "Oh, no..." Kho Lon groaned. They ran towards them, desperate to... then they both slowed together, and stared with a puzzled gaze at each other. Mu Suu and Ranko both looked... happy? They watched bemused, as Ranko walked towards them, smile shining on her face. Kho Lon noted with some concern, that Mu Suu was not wearing his glasses. "Boy," she barked at him, "Where are your glasses?" He smiled in the face of her anger, "I don't need them anymore, Elder. Ranko healed my eyes." Kho Lon smiled then. Such a beauty the little darling was. After crying herself to sleep because Mu Suu had thrown himself on her, she had sought him out just to heal his eyes? Amazing. Then she noticed something even more disturbing... with proper vision, she expected him to be filling his vision with his Xian Pu... but he spared her hardly a glance. His eyes were fixed firmly on Ranko, and his face held a look of adoration. This definitely bore watching. If the fool started chasing Ranko the way he had chased Xian Pu, they might all be in trouble. But he didn't seem to be... he was just watching her. Ah well, it was all to the good if it got him to leave Xian Pu alone to chase Ranma. He really was a strong fighter... if his problems with his eyes, which had been steadily worsening since childhood, were finally gone, and he was over his silly infatuation with Xian Pu, then he would be a legitimately nice catch for one of the younger girls. If he caught Ranko, then Ranma might be more willing to consider Xian Pu... This could turn out very well indeed. --- Ranko also surprised them by spending much of her time with the Healer, learning her art. It was clear to those who watched her spar that she did not learn this for herself. Any injury received, any cut or bruise, was healed by the time the next punch was thrown by her opponent, even before she started studying with the healer. A few days later, Xian Pu began to understand why. Ranko started sparring with much more of her capacity. Xian Pu was getting hit harder, and thrown farther, yet by the time she landed, or the next punch she was thrown, her injury was healed. Their sparring matches became real spectacles, going on for hours. Xian Pu knew it was Ranko, because when she sparred with others, her bruises stayed with her, and she could last no longer than normal. --- Ukyou looked at the sign, then at the booklet in her hand again. "Yep, this is the place." "All these pools," Ryouga said, looking out over the hundreds of small pools, bamboo poles rising from them, "are supposed to be cursed?" "Yep. Look, I bet that's the guide's hut, over there. Let's see if he's seen them. I still can't understand why every place we go to, they only remember Genma. That postcard we intercepted clearly said Ranma was with him." Ukyou shook off her confusion, and strode to the guide's hut. She rapped on the door, then stepped back waiting. She heard a man's voice, some distance away, and turned to look. A rather ordinary looking fellow with glasses was coming towards them, picking a careful path amongst the pools. She waited in silence for his approach. He stood before them, bowing politely, and saying something in a language she didn't understand. She shook her head, and he said several more things, before finally saying in Japanese, "Honored Customers understand tongue of land of Wa, yes?" "Yes, we speak Japanese. We are seeking information." "Ah, Honored Customers, Jusenkyou Guide has much information. Pools very dangerous. You stay away, please?" He about swallowed his tongue when they nodded. This was almost as weird... no, even weirder than that young man. Not only did they listen, but they actually agreed to stay away from the pools? He led them into the hut. He listened politely, as Ukyou described Genma. Then he nodded vigorously. "Stupid man, not listen, turn into panda." Ryouga choked with laughter. "He looking for son." Ryouga shut up, suddenly listening with an almost frightening intensity. "I not find that out till later. He leave, go away. Young man appear, dressed in black silk. Ask for Nyannichuan. I try to warn him, he say he know, make me take him there. He go in pool, come out a girl, very pretty, red hair. She come to hut, act weird, draw circles on floor, fall over. I put in bed, old man come back, describe young man. I tell him about girl, he go nuts. Girl wake up, think she is cat, go chase him after he turn into panda. Finally girl come back, carrying old man, and go with Elder to Joketsuzoku village. Not know where now." Ukyou choked when the guide mentioned the Nyannichaun, and turned pale when he described the girl Ranma had become, but thanked him when he finished, and gave him several coins in return for a map to the village. --- Some time later, they were approaching the village, when they heard a voice call out ahead of them, in an unfamiliar language. They followed the voice, and stepped into a clearing. Across from them, watching them warily, was a young girl, with brilliant red hair, dressed in a tight black silk shirt, and loose black silk pants. Ryouga, noticing that the girl was not wearing a bra, pinched his nose, trying to concentrate on the fact that this was Ranma, Ukyou's enemy, not a beautiful young girl. She said something again, in a demanding tone, her gaze worried and suspicious, though still in a language they did not know. "I am Kuonji Ukyou, and I've come to challenge you, Ranma. FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME, DIE!!" Ukyou whipped out her spatula, and leapt to the attack. Ranko pulled a golden katana from nowhere. She too leapt forward, parrying Ukyou's attack. "You lie!" she shouted in Japanese, tears starting to run down her face. "What did you do to Ucchan?! You think I wouldn't remember my best friend was a boy?!?" Ukyou found herself suddenly on the defensive, as Ranko's sword pressed forward. The girl's face was set in a look of rage, but tears poured down her cheeks. Ryouga finally mastered himself, and seeing Ukyou pressed back, tiny cuts starting to appear in her clothes, forgot his promise, and leapt to her defense, raising his heavy metal umbrella like a sword. They were both pressed back, helpless against the fury of her assault. Ryouga was shocked at the degree to which he was overmastered. He was nowhere near Ranma's skill level, he realized with despair. He and Ukyou were going to die here. But the girl collapsed suddenly, leaning on her sword, sobbing deeply. "What did you do to him? What did you do to Ucchan?" She looked up at them, her face lined with pain. "What did he ever do to you?" She stumbled to her feet, stepping back away from them. Ukyou was still trying to recover her breath, and Ryouga was desperately trying to figure out what was going on. "And why do you want to kill Ranma? He never did anything to Ucchan. I'd know, I'd remember, if he had." Ukyou just stared at her. "R-Ranma?" It was obvious, he really had absolutely no idea that Ukyou was a girl. That meant that his stupid father had never told him about the engagement. Her heart soared for a brief moment. "You... you didn't reject me?" Before the girl could answer, the forest about them erupted, and they were instantly surrounded by women wielding weapons. Swords were held at both their throats before they could react. An ugly, wrinkled old crone bounded into the clearing on a staff. She looked pale, and afraid, and angry. She bounced directly to the red-haired girl. "Ranko, are you all right, my child?," she asked gently. Again the two travelers were unable to understand her words. "Yes, great-grandmother... but they did something terrible to Ucchan, I know it," she said, in Japanese, between sobs. She pointed her sword at Ukyou. "She said she was Ukyou, and then she attacked me." "Who was Ukyou, Ranko?," the crone said, responding in Japanese, to the traveler's relief, eyeing Ukyou, noting the missing Adam's apple, and the other subtle clues that said this was a girl. "He... He was Ranma's best fr