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Nyuchezuu no Senshi, Ranma
Chapter First
In Which Our Hero Loses Something.
I stare at oyaji in disbelief as he eats, only sparing a single hungry
glance for the feast on the table. He should at least know enough Chinese to
recognize the characters for `prize,' if not read them. I look up at the girl
approaching angrily, decide, hoping that this is the village of Chinese Amazons
I read about.
``Very sorry. Will offer up fine trained panda if lose.'' My Chinese
is still pitiful, but I hope I got the message across. She nods once, makes an
impressive backflip up onto the log she had just stormed off of. I follow,
landing lightly next to her and going into a guard stance. She attacks with
both bonbori, leaving her chin wide open. I plant my foot there, hardly
expecting it to work, and am mildly amazed when she goes flying off the log.
*Ah well. Looks like I get to keep the old bother.* The girl storms
up to me, grabs my chin gentlely, and turns my face as she leans in to kiss
me. Something makes me turn my head, drop my chin to take her kiss on the
forehead. The crowd screams delightedly, reminding me of a Skorpions concert
that I stood outside of once.
Suddenly I remember why I did that. Placing one's head on a Bedouin's
feet makes one into his guest, and he is honorbound to protect one. Defeating
a woman of Nyuchezuu is also a binding act, but she has at least three choices
on how to respond. She can kiss one on the cheek, letting all and sundry know
that one is her enemy, at least for the next little while; or on the mouth,
signifying friendship or her suit in marriage; or on the forehead,
acknowledging the bonds of family that bind them, us, all together. By kissing
me on the forehead she had acknowledged me as one of them, and, since it was
rather obvious that I hadn't been an amazon before she kissed me, as her
daughter. She stares at me in shock, anger giving way to a brighter emotion as
she throws an arm about my shoulders and leads me to the table.
Pop stares in abject shock as I approach, backing away from the table
at my glare. The girl makes an expansive gesture at the table, pushing me to
sit on the bench at the table, then sitting next to me. I make an expansive
gesture at the table, and all the warriors watching join us, taking at least a
few ceremonial bites, speaking congratulations, hugging us both. I manage to
pick up the girl's name, Shanpoo.
I look up and see Oyaji starting to sneak off, and run to catch him.
``Shanpoo-mama, is there nice cage? Panda.'' She nods understanding, speaks
to a couple of the other women about, and one of them waves me to follow. I
take Oyaji's pack off and set it next to Shanpoo before complying.
We walk for a good while, crossing most of the village, and come to a
building that looks a lot like a jail. I follow her in, my hold on Oyaji being
the only thing that keeping him from bolting. I have to pound him a bit to get
him into the cell, dodge the door as the woman shuts then locks it. ``Thanks.
Keep from hot water, please. Bad for panda.'' The woman suddenly smiles. Her
reply is in Chinese, but I manage to pick up `Chouchuanshan' and `Understood.'
I manage to talk to her for a while, the language barrier not quite keeping me
from deciding that she's really cool. We walk back to the field, and manage to
exchange names on the way. Hers is Laoshen, and I smile up at her, totally
confused by the way the sight of her smile makes me feel.
By the time we get back to the others most of the food is gone, but
Shanpoo-mama hands me a full plate, which I quickly devour while making the
appropriate noises of enjoyment, since the food is
_very_ good and I am
_very_
hungry. I am introduced to more people than I have ever met at one time
before, and I manage to catch slightly over half of the names, something I am
quite proud of.
``Wish great-grandmother here. Would make life easier.
Great-grandmother speak Japanese.'' Shanpoo shakes her head at me, I can't
quite figure out why. I nod anyway, most of the way done with my food.
When I finish she waves at my bags, and I shoulder Oyaji's pack. Most
of the others have already wandered off, leaving just a few who watch as
Laoshen picks up my pack and Shanpoo leads us to a house in about the middle of
the village.
``You sleep here.'' Shanpoo shows me to a room, and Laoshen drops my
pack next to where I dumped Oyaji's, ``Need take bath,'' Shanpoo continues,
leading me to the bathroom. The two of them leave me there, heading off to
different bedrooms. I enter the room, wash quickly, and decide to forgo a soak
in favor of sleep. I also decide that I probably should stay female for a
while, dry my hair and head off to the bedroom I had been assigned. Within
moments I am asleep.
``Good Morning!'' Someone says in Chinese. I suddenly realize why my
back is so warm, and flop out of the bed in a single convulsive jerk. The
other person laughs, climbs out of bed and starts to get dressed. ``What did
you think would happen, you sleeping in my bed and all.'' She continues, or at
least I think that is what she said. I look away when she takes off her
nightgown, pull out a clean set of clothing from my pack, then dress quickly.
``Laoshen, not know this your bed.'' I feel her hand on my shoulder,
turn to look up at her.
``I don't mind.'' She smiles at me, and I suddenly hope she can't see
the way her smile. . . I shake my head quickly.
``Do you do martial arts?'' That was one of the first phrases I ever
learned in Chinese, and some people think I actually can pull it off.
``Yes. Want to spar?'' I nod, and she leads me out of the house.
Outside I am greeted by the sight of most of the village sparring, or so it
seems. My eyes must have shown my surprise, for Laoshen laughs softly.
``Surprised?'' I can only reply with a nod.
Laoshen is
_very_ good. I start to wonder how I managed to beat
Shanpoo yesterday, for if she is the best in the village she should have
outclassed me easily. *Maybe she just was overconfident, or maybe they only
let one person per household compete, or maybe only allow a certain number of
competitions per person.* I franticly dodge an attack, her fingers only
millimeters from my face. My dodge leaves me open, though, and I catch a foot
to the belly. I manage to bring her down with me, but I think I lost, 'cause
she drops her forehead for me to kiss. She then kisses me on the forehead,
too, so I'm quite confuzzled as she leads me in for breakfast.
``Great-grandmother will be back in two weeks. If want, can begin
teaching you about village ways and village techniques. Can only teach little
girl techniques until Elders acknowledge your adoption.'' Shanpoo says over
breakfast.
``Little girl techniques?''
``Some very powerful. Watch.'' She touches my teacup with one
fingertip, and it blows up, flinging hot tea everywhere, but mostly on me.
I'm impressed by the technique, but mostly worried what the revelation
of my curse would bring. Shanpoo's eyes flash for an instant, then she calms
down, vanishes out the door.
She returns in moments. ``Here, this fix.'' She hands me a small jar
of water. I take the lid off and look inside, noticing a slightly odd sheen to
it.
``What do?'' She mimes pouring it over my head, so I do so. Instantly
I am a girl again.
*Hardly a cure* ``Still girl.'' Shanpoo looks terribly
concerned now.
``You want to be boy?'' I nod. She looks appalled. ``Oh dear.
Village steal that from Jakou Ouchou every couple year, use on Xanith. Thought
you were, daughter.''
``What Xanith?''
``Xanith is person who born wrong. Man born as woman, woman born as
man. When 16, if person sure, person can use temporary Chouchuanshan mixed in
Jakou water to fix form. Thought you just needed Jakou water.''
``Can reverse?'' Shanpoo looks puzzled for a moment, then replies.
``No. Village never need undo. Very sorry.'' *Whell, this . . . *
``Is OK. Hard to be Amazon when male.'' I use the Japanese word for
Amazon, since I can't remember an appropriate Chinese word. Laoshen giggles
from next to me and Shanpoo smiles.
``Still very sorry.'' She looks
_very_ guilty as she says this, so I
risk leaning over the table and hugging her. She hugs me back, and I feel a
warm wet spot slide down my cheek. *She's crying?!*
``Don't worry. Poured water all by self.''
****
``Are you well?'' Laoshen's voice is warm in the darkness.
``No, can't explain in Chinese, either.'' I turn over and hug her
tightly, my tears dripping slowly onto her hair.
``Then say in Japanese.'' I pause to consider it, then press my face to
her neck and begin.
``First there's the fact that I soaked myself with that water without
even thinking about it first. . . .''
****
``Aaaaaaaaa!'' I leap back and hide behind Laoshen.
``What's wrong?''
``Ca-Ca-Ca-cat!'' I bury my face in the small of her back.
``Why are you afraid of them?'' *my Chinese is improving, I caught all
of that*
``Neko-ken.''
``Which is?''
``Ultimate technique. Take trainee and throw in pit of hungry cats.
Wrap in fish-sausage first.'' She takes a very sharp breath.
``Who did that?'' There is anger in her voice. I find it strangely
comforting.
``Oyaji.''
``Can I kill him?'' I shake my head against her back. ``Drat.
Listen, the only way to get over a,'' I can't understand the word, and make an
inquisitive noise, ``big fear is to face it. Let's go talk to the cat. I
won't let her hurt you.'' I follow her, moving out from behind her because it
is just too embarasing to try walking while hiding your face in someone else's
back.
****
``No. I don't want to.'' I look at the seven gold hoops in Laoshen's
hand, think about it for a moment. *Is it 'cause of the pain? That isn't a
proper excuse.*
``You'd look really nice with them.'' She smiles down at me, and my
resistance suddenly crumbles.
``If you say so.''
``OK, hold still, or this will hurt more than it would have
otherwise.'' I nod, then hold very still as she slides the needle into my ear,
following it with the first hoop. The next three go easily, then she slips the
first one through my cartilage. It takes quite a bit of willpower to keep from
moving. The next to last one is worse, and with the last one I leave tooth
prints in my right index finger. ``All done!'' Laoshen holds up a mirror to
show me. I must admit that they look very nice, even if they are a little
femme for my tastes and my left ear is glowing red from the blood rushing to
repair the damage. I finger them lightly, seven hoops, one each from seven
different people who now call themselves my friend. *I don't know if I've ever
had seven friends before, let alone all at once*
****
``Don't worry so much. Like the way your Chinese is improving you'll
pick up this technique. You've only been hit twenty-five times. It took me a
hundred and thirty to pick up the bakusaitenketsu.'' Laoshen smiles up at me.
Easy for her to say, she isn't tied up here getting smacked with a boulder.
*She's been through this, so don't be so harsh. It isn't like she wouldn't
stop if you asked her to.*
``Then lets try again.'' Her smile gets almost blinding.
****
``Look at this,'' I hold out a paper napkin and two photocopies of
caligraphied documents.
``What are they? Could you read them?'' Laoshen answers, moving to
look over my shoulder, brushing my arm ever so lightly as she does. I can't
quite supress a shiver of delight at the touch.
``The first one,'' I smooth the napkin, ``Says that if Saotome Genma
and Tendou Soun only have daughters Genma's daughter will be engaged to a
Masaki Tenchi. The second,'' I shuffle the papers a bit, ``Is a promise to my
mother that I and my father will commit seppuku if he does not succeed in
making me a `man amoung men,' and the last is an agreement engaging Saotome
Genma's unborn child to one of Tendou Soun's children.''
``What kind of person is your mother, letting a man handle such things?
It's a woman's job to make sure that her children are well-trained, and arrange
any marriages.''
``Japanese. I don't even remember what she looks like.'' Laoshen hugs
me tightly, presses my head lightly under her chin.
*kimochi ii zo*
****
``What is this I hear about you having a daughter, Shanpoo?'' I look
up to see an amazingly small old woman, seemingly nothing but power made flesh,
the living embodyment of the Yoda archetype.
``Yes. She beat me at end the of the tournament. I was overconfident
about a small wet girl. I left one opening in my initial charge and she
exploited it. Then when I went to give her a kiss on the cheek she moved and I
kissed her on the forehead. She's a little bit rude, but very skilled for an
outsider and very sweet.'' I start at that last discription, absurdly pleased
by it.
``She also learns very fast. She's been in training most of her life,
and it shows.'' Laoshen's praise feels
_so_ nice, I can't understand how.
``So, you are my great-granddaughter's new child.'' I nod at the old
woman's statement. ``You're Japanese, aren't you child.'' I nod again, and
she shifts into Japanese. ``Why are they calling you `she' when you are merely
cursed?''
I reply in the same language. ``There was a misunderstanding and I'm
stuck like this. I don't think I mind anymore.'' My glance shifts to Laoshen
of its own accord, and I fear I blush.
****
``Obaba, when will the elders meet?''
``Another week.''
****
``Does anyone have any objections to admiting this girl, Saotome Ranma,
as Shanpoo's daughter?'' The old woman looks significantly at Laoshen, and I
follow her gaze. Laoshen looks quite torn by something, but minutely shakes
her head. ``Are you sure? Anyone who needs to talk to the girl may.'' She is
_definately_ talking to Laoshen, but I can't quite understand why and the
sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach doesn't help. Laoshen again shakes
her head the tiniest bit, as if to afraid to do any more.
``Then it is official, Saotome Ranma is Shanpoo's daughter and a member
of our tribe.'' The meeting of the village goes on a little more, then breaks
up. I follow Laoshen from the room as she flees in tears.
I catch up to her at last, ask, ``What was Obaba talking about, why did
she keep looking at you while she was talking?'' She wraps her arms about me,
sagging so her head rests on my shoulder as she weeps.
``I'm Shanpoo's elder sister.'' Suddenly a lot of things fall into
place, and I stroke her back, burying my face in her soft black hair, my throat
feeling like I have a large rock in it and my eyes stinging.
``Why didn't you tell me?'' The raw need in my voice scares me.
``Why didn't you show me that you felt this way too? You're a gi. . .
No, you're not. Why should I have expected someone who was raised as a boy to
respond properly.'' Her voice colapses in the middle of the word `girl.'
``I thought I had all the time I needed to gather my courage.''
``It never occured to me that you wouldn't know.'' We collapse to the
ground at her words, my world more shattered than when I first realized what
had happened at Jusenkyou. I let the tears flow, diluting the pain, but not
washing it away. We sit there holding each other in a miserable lump for a
long time, eventually crying ourselves to sleep.
I wake in the middle of the night, my tears cold in Laoshen's hair, the
air chilled to the point that I can't ignore it. ``You awake?'' She nods into
my shoulder, ``We should get home, out of the cold.'' She nods again, and we
get up, walk slowly home, engrossed in our thoughts, her arm about my shoulders
and mine about her waist.
****
``I'm sorry, Shanpoo-mama, but I can't stay in the village now, the
pain is too raw. Hibaachan said that she'll accompany me to Japan to continue
my training and help me deal with the mess my father made of my life.''
``I can understand, I think. Remember to write, please.'' She walks
over and hugs me tightly, a pleasant ache about my ribs.
``I'll try. If you want you can come too, work on your Japanese.''
She smiles at me sadly, shakes her head.
``I can't, I need to stay here, continue my training.'' I nod, start
to walk from the room, then turn and hug her one more time before going to
pack.
``Ranma.'' The achingly familiar voice says from the doorway. I look
up at her, ``This is for you. I got it about a week ago, but couldn't gather
the courage to give it to you.'' She holds out a small hoop of fairly thick
wire, places it in my hand. It is too heavy to be silver, so I guess,
``Platinum?'' Again, I use the Japanese word, not knowing the Chinese.
She nods.
``Yeah, I looked up the word so I could tell you.'' I suddenly start
crying again, and hold her tightly, my face pressed to her chest. When I
finally get myself under control again she pushes me back a little, ``Would you
like me to put it on for you?''
I nod, ``Here,'' I pinch my right ear lobe.
``OK. Let me go get a needle.'' She vanishes for a moment, and I look
around the mostly clean room, stuff my last few items into my pack, finger the
small item in my pocket.
``Found it. Hold still.'' I hold still, and she slips the hoop into
my ear lobe after the needle.
I pull the tiny item from my pocket, hold it out, ``Here, I talked Old
Chen into letting me use her shop in exchange for a few hours' help. It's just
scraps, but. . .'' She reaches out with shaking fingers, picks up the earing
I'd made. It is only a couple centimeters of silver wire, a tiny piece of jade
that I'd found when I first got to China, and a lot of time figuring out how to
keep the jade from falling out of the wire cage, but she starts crying, puts it
in a spare hole in her right lobe, then collapses against me like I had against
her.
****
``This sword has belonged to our village for a long time. Treat her
well and she will keep you safe.'' I accept the sword two-handed from Old
Chen, giving her a quick kiss in return. Everyone makes jealous noises.
``I will. I need to collect my father so as not to have him be a
burden on you.''
``Your father? I haven't seen him.'' Someone from the crowd calls.
``He fell into Shonmaoniichuan.''
``You've been keeping him in jail! Your own father?'' A different
voice accuses.
``Has he caused any trouble since I put him in there?'' There is a
general murmur to the affect that he had not. ``And it isn't like I forgot to
feed him, water him, or empty his bucket!'' The crowd laughs, and someone runs
off to free Oyaji.
****
``What are those things in your ears?'' Oyaji sounds very annoyed.
``I've joined the Nyuchezuu. They were given to me by my friends, and
to not wear them would say that I don't value their friendship.''
``What do you mean, joined?!'' He's advanced to posilutely angry.
``I mean I was accepted into the tribe as a warrior in training.''
``But all their warriors are women!''
``And any of them can pound you into a spot on the road.''
``But your manhood!''
``Sacrifice to the art.'' *I don't like it, but there is no way to get
it back*
****
``I can't believe you would do that to your own father!''
``Sacrifice for the Art.'' We'd been arguing for the last four days,
with Obaba making the occasional snide comment, generally about Oyaji.
``But becoming an Amazon! Giving up your manhood!'' *The way Oyaji
carps on this manhood thing makes me glad I don't have it anymore*
``Far better than being thrown into a pit of hungry cats wrapped in
fish-sausage.'' I spot a suitable rock, and use the bakusaitenketsu on it.
Oyaji shuts up for a while, and we walk on in silence.
****
``Granddaughter, it is time for your morning lesson.'' Hibaachan pokes
me, and I get up and put on my shoes. ``Today we will again concentrate on
speed. This time it will be speed of movement, rather than speed of attack.
Put this on,'' She hands me what looks like a backpack without the pack, and
waits patiently for me to put it on. Once I have it in place, she bounces up
and grabs firmly, totally throwing my balance off.
``How am I supposed to move fast when I have twenty kilos of martial
artist on my back?''
``Very carefully.'' Hibaachan has been using that answer on me,
whenever I ask a stupid question, for days. ``That way,'' She points with her
cane, and I set off in the direction she tells me.
****
``Careful, we're approaching the DMZ''
``DMZ?'' Hibaachan asks.
``Do you know about the Korean war?'' She nods, ``Well, it didn't
really end, both sides just agreed to stop shooting at each other. To keep
each other out both sides put up fences, mine-fields, and they still have
people patrolling the borders with orders to shoot anyone who looks
`suspicious.' This means we get to swim to Inchon.''
``Oh.''
``After that we walk to Pushan, and then swim from there to Japan. It
isn't easy, but it's cheap.''
****
``This is starting to remind me of the training scenes from _Empire
Strikes Back_.'' I grumble.
``What is that?''
``A movie. I got to see it because Oyaji heard that there was a good
training scene. I got to watch the other two after that.''
``How does this remind you of that?''
``Well, the protagonist, Luke, goes off to this jungle world to be
trained by a famous `Jedi' named Yoda. He is surprised when Yoda turns out to
be this old man about your size, and almost doesn't believe. Yoda makes Luke
run about and do acrobatics with him on his back.''
``Yes, I could see similarities. You will have to show me this movie
when we get to Japan. But for now you need to swim.''
``Yes Hibaachan.''
Nyuchezuu no Senshi, Ranma
Chapter Second
In Which Our Hero Escapes An Engagement
``Saotome Nodoka?'' The woman who answered the door nods. ``I need to
talk to you. My name is Saotome Ranma.'' The woman, Nodoka, almost
facefaults.
``Come in, please.'' She waves the three of us inside, and Hibaachan
finds a seat next to the table.
``Could I have a glass of hot water?'' Nodoka nods, and I follow her
into the kitchen, leaving Oyaji with Hibaachan, who can keep him out of
trouble. Re-entering the room I note that Oyaji has pulled out a set of
clothing, and pour the hot water over his head.
``Genma?!'' Nodoka's voice shakes as she says the name.
``That's him. I found this,'' I pull the promise from my own pack and
show it to her, ``in his pack. If I hadn't I don't think I would have ever
realized that I have a mother. I think we have fulfilled the spirit of the
promise, if not the word.'' I proceed to tell her about Jusenkyou and
everything that had happened since, not leaving out the way I had to coerce
Oyaji to make him come along. -`If you come along you may be forced to commit
seppuku. If you don't Hibaachan and I will use you for a practice dummy.
Choose.'-
``That is quite a tale. Can you prove any of it?''
``Only the skills I've learned,'' I fish mid-sized lump of concrete
that I'd stashed in my pack out, and place it on the table. I tap it once, and
it breaks into two large pieces and a pile of dust. I pick up one piece, and
tap it twelve times, leaving a single kanji carved into the smooth face, the
strokes of the character an even five millimeters deep. I give the last piece a
single tap, and it disolves into a hundred pieces, not counting the pile of
dust that forced it apart.
``And that I look too much like you for it to be coincidence. Oyaji
would have nothing to gain from this, and far too much to lose for it to be a
hoax on his part.'' Nodoka picks up the large chunk, looks at the character
for `mother' that I can't quite figure out why I wrote, and starts to cry.
``My son, you have come back to me!'' She wraps me in her arms, the
chunk of concrete in her right hand digging into my back, and squeezes me
tightly.
``I can't stay, I'm sorry. Oyaji set up two arranged marriages for me,
and I need to deal with both of them. I'll come back after I've done that,
OK?'' She nods against my shoulder. ``When you are ready I'd like to
introduce my sensei.'' She calms after a while and lets go of me.
``I assume she's the one drinking tea?''
``Yes. Hibaachan, this is Saotome Nodoka. Nodoka, this is Joketsuzoku
no Obaba, my Amazon great-grandmother.'' The two women bow in greeting to each
other.
****
``Hibaachan, who should we contact first?''
``I'd say the Masakis, as they seem to have been drawn into this on a
sort of spur of the moment thing.''
``And thus it will be easiest to talk them out of it.''
****
``Nodoka-mama, I'll be back in a week or three. Keep Oyaji out of
trouble, please.''
``You should know how hard that is.''
``I wouldn't ask it of anyone I didn't trust to be capable of it.''
She blushes at the compliment.
****
``Tenchi? No, he's off visiting his Grandfather. His father went with
him. Sure, here's the address.''
****
``I'm Masaki Noboyuki, can I help you?''
``Yeah. My father arranged a marriage between me and your son before I
was born. I wish to annul the agreement.''
``I'd forgotten all about that. Talk to Tenchi, I'm sure it'll be all
right with him.''
****
``What? An arranged marriage? Of course I'll let you out of it. You
have to spar with me in the morning, though.''
``Why?''
``I've never even heard of Chinese Amazons before, and I'd love the
chance to learn from them.''
``Would you like,'' Obaba speaks up, ``me to spar with you?''
Tenchi's face lights up. ``Of course.''
****
*Kyaa this is boring. I'd never realized how un-fun it is to watch
other people do sword forms.* I wander off, up the stairs towards the shrine.
*Maybe I'll make an offering*
I wander about the shrine for a few moments, notice a small cat, black
with brown trim, and stop to talk to her. I suddenly realize what I am doing
and the sense of loss slams down on me again. My tears blur a well-trod path
into the woods, which I follow, taking care not to leave too many footprints.
*What is this? It looks really interesting, whatever it is* I enter
the little cave, curiosity overriding grief, follow it into the rock. The
locked gate makes me pause for a moment, then I decide that destroying one link
wouldn't be too rude. I touch the link on the left side of the ancient
padlock. The steel chain reacts differently than the stone I am used to, and
melts. I carefully open the gate, keeping away from the hot steel. A little
ways farther inside is a smallish room with some prayer-wrapped stones, a rock
seemingly hanging un-supported by the ceiling, and a rope tied from one side of
the room to the other, wrapped about the rock in the middle. At the very back
I there is a little shrine, so I look inside, seeing what looks like a sword.
It doesn't seem to be connected to anything, so I pull it out, draw it with a
single smooth tug, note the very rusty blade, and give it a few experimental
swings to get a feel for the balance of it. On the fifth swing the blade pops
off and hits one of the stones on the floor, which breaks evenly in half.
Suddenly a bad feeling assults me. *Oh dear, this could be really bad. What
would Oyaji do? Cover up what he did and run.*
I calm myself as the stone in the middle of the room falls far too
slowly to the floor, and the back wall opens. I stuff the sword hilt under my
belt at the small of my back, go through the door and slide down a water-slick
slope into a larger room. The only light is from the glowing floor tiles, and
a brighter light in the center of the room. Something changes about the light
as I walk to the center of the room, look into the water, and feel the presence
of another being. I step closer, hoping to be able to see what is under the
surface, and see a terribly wrinkled figure with an oni mask on, and the
presence shows a lot of interest in me. ``Is that you, in there, that I'm
feeling?'' The presence indicates that it is. I contemplate the feelings I
get from the presence, and decide. ``Would you like me to help you out?'' I
get another affirmative responce.
``Yosh!'' I call, reaching into the glowing water. It bubbles, and a
hand reaches up and grabs mine. The presence takes on a definately female tone
as I pull her out, take off the mask. She improves even as I hold her in my
arms, opening her eyes after a few moments.
``Thank you.''
``Your welcome. What's your name?''
``Ryouko. Yours?''
``Ranma.'' I hold her for a while longer, the wrinkles smoothing as I
watch, more emotion coming into her eyes, her presence getting stronger. ``If
we don't get out of here soon they'll worry about me.''
``Lead on.'' Her hair has turned a pale cyan and she waves me toward
the entrance.
``Can you stand?'' She tries, but fails. ``OK, put your arms about my
neck, and your legs about my waist.'' She manages, and I drag us both out of
the back of the cave.
I find Tenchi and his Grandfather waiting with Hibaachan at the
entrance to the cave. They all look a little bit scared, and Youshou remains
scared even after I come into view with Ryouko.
``What is it?'' I ask.
``Do you know anything about this place?''
``No, not really.''
``There was a demon trapped in here seven hundred years ago.''
``I didn't feel anything evil, but she,'' I wave at Ryouko, who is
still on my back, ``was in some sort of pool in the back of the cave.''
****
*That was really weird* I continue eating dinner, watching Ryouko eat
and everyone else watch Ryouko. *They all freaked out, except Hibaachan, at
that, then they started to calm down and Ryouko opened her eyes and they
freaked out again. Ryouko has the most beautiful eyes, big hands, broad
shoulders . . .*
``Granddaughter, are you going to eat that?'' Hibaachan is looking at
the small slice of pickled ginger that is drying on my chopsticks while I
admire Ryouko. I eat it quickly, gather my courage and offer Ryouko a piece,
since she has eaten all of hers. She looks me in the eyes
*Bliss* before
leaning forward to eat it off my chopsticks. It strikes me as a
_very_ good
sign.
****
``You seem to be quite skilled in the arts.'' Ryouko comments.
``I keep in shape.'' I demure, as pleased as I would have been if
Laoshen had complimented me.
``Would you spar with me? I've not had a chance to practice in quite a
while.'' She makes a gesture towards the door.
``Sure. What style to you use?'' I walk out into the yard, slide the
door closed after Ryouko exits.
``I don't really. I tend to just go about shredding things.'' She
smiles at me.
``How?'' She holds her hand out and forms a fireball in a very flashy
manner, then stretches it into a sword. ``Kakkoii!''
``Do you do any unarmed forms? I don't think my bokutou will last very
long against that.''
``That thing you grabbed,''
``The sword?''
``Yeah, it's called a master key. Amoung other stuff it is a beam
sword.'' I fish the thing out of my belt and look it over again.
``How's it work?''
``You just think about it being a sword with an energy blade, I'd
think. That's how those things normally work.'' I feel for a presence from
the blade, finally feeling something, and tweak it. Instantly the crumbly
cloth that had been wrapped about the hilt disintegrates and a hundred and
fifty centimeter green blade appears. ``You've got a really long sword for
such a small girl.'' That makes me break out laughing as the etchi
connotations hit.
``What's so funny?''
``What you just said.''
``Why?'' I get my laughter under control and explain the innuendo. As
I explain she suddenly gets it and bursts out laughing as well. I suddenly
realize that this was the first time I'd laughed since the meeting of the
elders.
``Let's spar.'' She nods, calling her sword into being. I light the
master key's blade again, bow to her, and settle into a guard position. Ryouko
makes a beserker charge, and I only barely manage to parry, almost taking the
top of Ryouko's head off. I drop to the ground and douse the key's blade.
``No more live practice. I almost died there, and that wouldn't do you
any good.'' She nods, so I continue ``I think we can bum a bokutou for you,
which will work fine for practice and keep both of our skins intact.'' I turn
to look towards Nyuchezuu village, and to the north see a pillar of light.
``What is that?''
``Yabai.''
``What is it? Bad isn't very discriptive.''
``It's Youshou's starship reporting on my release.''
``Tenchi's grandfather's _starship?_'' My voice rises to a yell on the
last word.
``Come to think of it, he is.'' Ryouko ruffles the hair on the back of
her head, embarrased.
``OK, tell me what the heck is going on, please?'' Ryouko sits down on
the grass and waves for me to sit down too. Greatly daring I sit myself in her
lap. She looks like she's going to protest for an instant, then wraps her arms
around me and pulls me close, beginning her tale.
Quite a bit later I look into her gorgeous gold eyes and paraphrase,
``So you're a space pirate that Tenchi's grandfather chased here after you
trashed his home city? And you think that someone is going to come after you
because of that signal, and you want me to stick around and watch over your
hide?''
``I didn't say that last bit.''
``I felt it. Did I get it all correct?'' I feel her nod more than see
it, and wrap my arms around her before kissing her lightly on the lips.
``What was that for?''
``I'll watch over you. How long do you think we have before trouble
shows up?''
``Anywhere between a couple days and a week, not likely much longer.''
I nod, stand up and offer her my hand. She takes it and I pull her to her
feet.
``Let's go see if Youshou has a copy of the Star Wars trilogy.''
``What's that?''
``Three movies that I told Hibaachan I'd show her.'' I explain what a
movie is as we walk back to the house.
****
``Hmmm, this seems a lot like Zanji in many ways.'' I look at
Hibaachan, who elaborates, ``Zanji is a very mystical art that I learned when
I was about your age, granddaughter, and I think you might actually be able to
learn it. To quote the movie, `the force is strong in you.''' She actually
giggles before turning back to watching Luke attempt to block the
training-drone's attacks.
I fall asleep about midway through the third movie, and my last
memories of the night are Hibaachan patting me on the head and Ryouko snuggling
up closer against me.
****
``You do know what that thing is, right, child?'' I look up at
Youshou, then understand what he's talking about.
``This?'' I pull the master key from where I've half-decided to keep
it, stuffed under my belt at the small of my back, and light it.
``Good. It's name is Tenchi; I hope it will serve you as well as it
served me.'' He bows to Ryouko and Hibaachan, and they both bow back.
``Take care!'' Tenchi calls from the doorway, wiping his hands on his
apron.
``You too!'' I wave, then pick up my pack and settle it on my back. I
look back at the shrine one last time, then hurry after Ryouko and Hibaachan.
****
``What are those metal loops in your ears? Energy collectors?''
``No, they are to remind me of my friends when they aren't about.''
``Oh. Is one of them for me?''
That makes me smile, ``No, you haven't given me one. If you get me one
I'll get you one. How's that?''
``Cool. How do you get them in?''
``Laoshen used a needle. It hurts a bit.''
``Oh.'' I turn around to watch her come to terms with that; her face
goes through the most interesting expressions.
``What are you thinking now?''
``Where can one steal one of those loops?''
``One can't steal them. If one does it defeats the purpose.'' She
looks totally disappointed.
``So, where can I buy you one?''
``They should be _made._ One buys the wire and bends it.'' Ryouko's
face looks so distraught that I have to laugh. I stop when I realize she is
crying. ``What's wrong?'' I rush over to her, grab her hands and press them.
``I can't make things.''
_That_ is the most preposterous thing I have
ever heard.
``
_Anyone_ can make things. Anyone. Take this piece of grass,'' I
let go of her hands long enough to hand her a long strand that I pull loose
from a convenient clump, ``and split it into three parts,'' she stares at it
blankly, so I pull another piece, ``like this,'' I tear the grass between
strands and pull, making first two, then three pieces, ``then tie a knot at
one end. . .'' I sit there attempting to teach her to braid, and Hibaachan
finally notices and comes back. She starts braiding grass while I work with
Ryouko, coaching, encouraging, but being very careful not to touch her work.
``See? You made something.'' She looks very un-impressed.
``What is it?''
``Whatever you want it to be, within limits, of course. It would make
a nice hair ornament for someone you like, or it could be the beginning of a
fishing line, or a bracelet.'' She looks at it again, perhaps seeing the
possibilities I mentioned.
``Would,'' she takes a deep breath, ``You wear this?''
``Is that an offer?'' she nods almost imperceptibly. I smile up at
her, pull a centimeter-thick strand of hair loose and comb it down by my ear.
She passes over the strand she had braided, and I braid it loosely into the
hair by my ear, ``Thank you.'' I smile again, and kiss her lightly on the
lips.
``Could I tie your hair back with this one?'' I hold up the short rope
of grass I had braided, and again recieve that almost imperceptible nod. I
carefully comb her wild mane of hair, gathering it all at the back of her neck
where I tie the rope around it, letting the ends dangle; a little bit longer
than her hair.
****
``Haaargh!'' I almost scream, the pain shooting up from my groin even
as I double over.
``You left yourself open.''Obaba glares at me, annoyed, while Ryouko
frets. I pull myself together, fight the pain down, then get to my feet again.
``I thought that kind of thing only worked on guys.''
``Then it's a good thing you learned this now, isn't it.'' I nod.
``Then that is enough training for you today. Ryouko?'' she looks up, ``your
turn.''
****
We sit down, short of breath, my hands, at best, a little numb from the
bokutou. As my breath slows I ask, ``What do you know of this `master key' of
mine?''
``Not much. They can only be passed between `similar' owneres, and
will react badly with anyone who isn't `similar' enough.''
``What do you mean by `similar?''' Hibaachan asks.
``That's just how I was told it.''
``And what do you mean by `bad?''' I ask her, slightly worried.
``Let me show you.'' She pushes my head down and pulls the key from my
belt. I sit up very quickly, and a bright flash of light flares from the key.
Ryouko drops it with a stifled gasp of pain. I stuff it back under my belt
one-handed while I reach for Ryouko's hand with the other, then gasp at the
blisters on her palm and fingers. Hibaachan's lessons over the last week and a
half flood into the forefront of my thoughts, and I act before attemting to
think about it, reaching out and feeling for her wound, canceling the pain
before attempting to speed her healing. Instants later her hand is as good as
new, and I blink at her, coming out of the trance.
``You didn't need to do that. I heal very fast.'' Ryouko takes my
hand in hers and squeezes it lightly.
``Didn't take that much energy,'' I protest, yawning.
``After she's had more practice she won't pass out from attemping a
healing,'' I hear Hibaachan say before I drop off.
I wake draped over someone's shoulders, my pack under my left side. I
open my eyes to check the hair brushing against my face. Ryouko's carrying me
is very reasuring for some reason. I settle back to sleep.
When I wake again Ryouko is setting me down on the ground, and I blink
muzzily at her as she sets my pack down next to me. ``Don't worry, I agreed to
cook dinner,'' she laughs as I struggle to wake up and keep her from ruining
more of our food, ``Hibaachan will be guiding me this time, don't worry so!''
``That's right, you go back to sleep.'' Hibaachan's reasurance is
enough, so I curl about my pack to watch.
``Wake up, kawaiko-chan,'' Ryouko shakes me lightly by one shoulder;
whatever she cooked actually smells good.
``That's a good sign.''
``What?''
``It doesn't smell evil this time.''
``Was it really that bad? I thought it smelled good.''
``You're a space alien.''
``So?''
``Humans have a narrower band of `edible.' 'least you liked it.''
``This tastes even better, and Hibaachan pronounced it `passible,' so
I'm rather proud of it.''
``It isn't as good as you would have made, but it is good.'' I look
away from Ryouko's face to see Hibaachan had set out dishes. I shake the
remaining after effects off and snag a bowl.
Nyuchezuu no Senshi, Ranma
Chapter Third
In Which Our Hero Meets Kasumi
``Tendou-san?'' The man who answered the door nods.
``I'm Genma's child, Ranma.''
``Come in, come in! How is he doing?''
``Better than he could be. He's back in Japan and he isn't dead.''
Tendou-san laughs.
``Who are your friends, Ranma-chan?''
``This is great-grandmother. She is a Nyuchezu elder; and this is my
friend Ryouko, who is a space monster,'' Ryouko smacks me lightly, and I break
off, laughing, ``Sorry! space pirate.''
``Uchuu-kaijuu desu tte?'' She has a really nice voice, this girl.
``Uchuu-kaizouku yo!'' Ryouko almost yells, then breaks out laughing.
``Really? How did you meet Ranma-chan, Ryouko-chan?'' The girl, about
Ryouko's height, smiles as we settle about the table, then offers tea.
``I'd love some green tea or mugicha if it wouldn't be too much
trouble. . .'' I trail off, blatantly fishing for a name.
``Oh, sorry! My name's Kasumi.'' She smiles at me, and the others say
things to the effect of `that sounds good to me.' She returns in a few moments
with five glasses of chilled barly tea.
``She rescued me . . . '' I loose her words about here, concentrate on
her voice instead. Suddenly her tone changes, and I have to scroll back to
catch what she said, `Ryo-ou-ki, koi!' then realize that I'm standing, the
master key in my hands, my back pressed to Ryouko's.
``What is it?''
``That person I mentioned?'' I nod, ``She's here,'' we start towards
the door together.
``Just why is she after you?''
``I sorta trashed her homeworld.''
``Is there a statute of limitations on this kinda thing?'' I leap into
the yard and Ryouko steps down next to me.
``That's right. The limit ran out about a week ago, and she isn't in
orbit yet. Sit down.'' A medium large shadow shadow covers the yard, ``Ah,
Ryo-ou-ki, come down here!'' The shadow disappears and a furry brown thing
with big floppy ears flops into Ryouko's lap.
``That's Ryo-ou-ki?''
``Yep. I know she's at least bimorphic.''
``Hun.'' I stare at the rabbit-like creature for a moment.
``She's now in orbit, and will be here soon.''
``Who?'' asks someone I hadn't seen before, a girl with shortish brown
hair.
``I don't really know. I know she's Juraian, and she chased me about
for the fifty years before I ended up in that cave, but that's about it. She
kept ranting about how she would bring me to justice, so I never caught her
name.'' Ryouko looks at her hands, ``She's really pretty, especially when she's
unreasonably angry,'' I stare at her, appalled by the sharp spike of jealousy
in my gut, ``not quite so pretty as Ranma when she smiles, though.'' The next
thing to penetrate is Hibaachan's laughter.
``She's my child, all right!'' Hibaachan says, still laughing. I just
watch Ryouko's smile, inproportionately happy.
``Ryouko-san, dette rashai!'' Hers is a very pleasant voice,
actually. I look up at the starship overhead. It is very pointed and looks
quite like it was made from some pale wood.
------------------------------ cut here ------------------------------
We've sorta trailed off here ^^