Well, here it is- a few days late because of list problems.  Along with
this, I guess I'll include a status report, a little bit of information due
to a couple of questions I've been getting, and my usual garbage.
Okay, first the status report- I've been working almost exclusively on
Return of the Sisters WHILE I'VE BEEN HOME for the past week and a half...
however, I haven't worked at all on chapter 9.  Currently, 14 chapters, a
prolog, and an epilog are planned.  The prolog and Chapters 1-8 are
complete and released to the list.  Chapter 9 is about 10% complete. 
Chapter 10 is about 50% complete.  Chapter 11 is about 75% complete. 
Chapter 12 is about 67% complete.  Chapter 13 has some of it completed, but
since it's basically 'just keep writing until I think it's covered enough
time,' I'm not sure how complete it is.  Chapter 14 is basically complete,
but I suspect I'll make some changes after finishing the previous chapters.
 The epilog is much the same way.  Also, as I mention in the beginning
notes of this chapter, I have been working on plans for a sequel- however,
I don't know how to end that sequel.  Until I'm certain how to end it, I
won't say for certain if I'll write it or not.  However, you people don't
need to worry about that right now...
Okay, now for questions (naming no names, to protect the guilty).  Someone
asked me the other day if I had done as he asked, and cut out a scene in a
previous chapter.  If someone asks me to do that, I'll listen to them, and
consider your reasons why.  I won't, however, remove said scene.  I might
write future scenes which take your comments into effect, but I'm not going
to cut out a complete scene for ANY reason.  In fact, I rarely make any
major changes to chapters already released unless there's a continuity
problem or something.  If there's a problem with grammar, or the way I
phrased something, I'll fix that too.  Otherwise... I'll take what you said
into account, and modify the future story to correct the problem.  However,
I subscribe to a modified 'stream of consciousness' theory of writing, so I
repeat that I never make major changes to past events in my story.  That
doesn't mean stop sending me c&c- I will always use it, maybe not
immediately or even in this fic, but I will use it.
Another question I've been asked a number of times- 'Can I get on your
prereaders list?'  I don't HAVE a prereaders list- largely because of the
point above.  Regardless of what they'd say, I probably wouldn't change
anything major anyways.  By the time I send it out to the FFML, it's ready
for its one and only real revision anyway (that being continuity and
grammar checking) and so I don't need any prereaders...
That being said, I realize I'm being a little harsh about these things. 
Sorry about that- I've had a long, hard day (I hate it when I have to stay,
for whatever reason, on my college campus for an extra 3 hours or so...
Today, it was because I lost my wallet and had to wait for someone to get
home who could pick me up and drive me home- oh, and the fact it's been
raining\drizzling all day today and all day yesterday hasn't improved my
mood any...) and very little sleep (what?  You mean three hours of sleep a
night in the first two weeks of college isn't NORMAL among students?) and
those two things combine to make me a little... frustrated with things. 
I'm probably already on edge, because in the past month my grandmother was
diagnosed with (operable) breast cancer, my aunt was diagnosed with
(INoperable) breast cancer (these last two since Monday).  My Girlfriend
has moved out of state so that she can go to a college which supports her
major better.  Oh, yeah, and I, myself, have transfered into a new college.
 If these things seem to make me less than my usual cheery self, then I'm
very sorry.
Anyway, on to my usual garbage.  This is the largest chapter I have written
so far- and the largest chapter I am EVER going to write.  I refuse to make
a chapter more than thirty pages, but even so I was shocked when I found
out that this one was getting close to that number when I added a finishing
touch or two earlier this week.  I had broken it into two chapters already-
anyone think I should've broken it into three?  Also, with the TWO times I
went back and rewrote this chapter, it started to feel disjointed by the
time I finished it... so I am asking for c&c here.  I WILL fix this chapter
up, defying the few comments I made earlier, because I think I overwrote it
a LOT...
Well, that being said, most of the rest of what I want to say are in this
Chapter's Author's notes.  Other Author's Notes, the disclaimer, and so
forth are located in the first chapter.  Send me e-mail for back chapters,
and I'll respond as soon as I can.  Check out my other stories on my home
page.  Chapter 9 is coming out... eventually- I'll send out a status report
in a week to let you guys know how things are coming.  Please give me c&c
(I already said that, I know- I'm saying it again).  I think thats it, so
enjoy what I've written so far...

--------------------------
Chapter 8:  Challenge of the Amazons
Author's Notes:  Special thanks to Ethan 'Doshu' Tsai, who agreed to make a
very... unusual... cameo appearance after a conversation on the FFIRC.
Also, after the FFML went down losing the first copy of this I sent it, I
made a small change towards the end.  The reason I made this change was to
make a fuller introduction of a new character.  This character will not
appear again in Return of the Sisters, but will return if I ever write the
sequel to it- something which is becoming more and more likely as time goes
on.  I've been plotting out that sequel, and so far have it about half-done
(plot-wise).  I still need to figure out a way to end it, and I'm not going
to start that sequel (which as yet has no name) at least until then... but
famous last words- I've already written the prolog in script form.
Oh, and this sequel thing isn't affecting the speed of writing Return of
the Sisters- I'm writing this stuff out in the middle of some of my... less
interesting classes.
I'm also planning a lemon side-story as an intermission piece set between
Return of the Sisters and its sequel, and you might find one or two things
here which are preparation for that... but who knows if I'll ever write it-
I doubt I'll be able to think of anything to make it long enough or
interesting enough for me to ever write it- other than demonstrating
something which is part of a joke in the current version of the prolog of
the sequel...

There was a knocking on the door of Dr. Tofu's clinic.  "{I'll be out in a
moment!}"  came a voice from inside.  The man, who was waiting with a
rather bored expression on his face, heard a splash.  Dr. Tofu opened the
door and grabbed the man, pulling him in and closing the door a second
afterwards.  "{Sorry about that- one of my lab animals escaped, and I don't
want her to escape.  It's been quite a problem today- I just knocked over a
beaker full of water trying to catch the thing...}"

'I wish I knew what he was saying...' Akane-gerbil, from her hiding place,
thought.

The inspector merely grunted.  The doctor had probably gotten another
letter from his girfriend back home- those usually flustered him.  He began
his customary inspection, and stopped in surprise when he saw a Japanese
man lying on one of the beds.  "{Hey!  Who's this?  He doesn't look like
any of the other Japanese nationals that we have in our records as being in
this area!}"

"{Oh, that's Ranma Saotome.  I knew him in Japan.  He hasn't had a chance
to tell me why he's here, as he was overcome by snake bite when he arrived,
but I have a few ideas.  When I last saw him, he was being pursued by an
Amazon maiden who had lost to him in combat, and he didn't really want to
be married to her.  Considering his shape when I found him, he probably had
been trying to escape the village.}"

The inspector laughed.  "{Oh, I've heard of other people like that.  If
your story checks out, the Chinese Government will allow him to move as
freely through the country as anyone.  He's Ranma Saotome, you say? 
Hmm...}"  He opened a notebook he was holding and looked through several
sheets of paper.  "{Ah, here we go, the list of people hunted by the
Amazons...  Let's see... the Amazon suitor is named Shan Pu?}"  Tofu nodded
once.  "{Joketsuzoku village?  Wow, he's come a ways, if they got him all
the way there!  It's almost as far from northwestern Qinghai to here as it
is from here to Beijing...}"  He snapped his notebook shut.  "{Well, all
checks out, I suppose.  See you next week!}"

Dr. Tofu shook his head.  "{No, you won't.  My visa is expiring soon, so I
need to get it renewed, at the very least.  I'm not sure I don't want to go
home, though- seeing this boy has brought back so many memories I think
I'll head home as soon as I clear up the paperwork.}"

The inspector frowned.  "{Well, that'll be a real shame... You have been of
great service to our commune..."  They bowed to each other.  "{Farewell,
Doc!}"  The inspector turned and left.  Akane-gerbil crawled out of her
hiding place and up Dr. Tofu's leg.

"Ack!  That tickles, Akane!"  Dr. Tofu chuckled, plucking her off his
shirt.  "Just relax- I'll return you to normal shortly."  He set her down
next to Ranma.  "But I don't want anyone to walk in while I'm away and see
you- I was able to explain Ranma's presence, but not yours, so stay here
with him for a while."  He took a moment to put the restraining straps on
Ranma and tighten them to their fullest.  He picked up a file folder on his
desk, and turned back to Akane.  "I'll be back soon- I want to find out
where your Mr. Desaix is."  The little white gerbil on his table nodded as
best as a gerbil can just before he left.  

Akane-gerbil crawled over to Ranma's face and rubbed his chin slightly with
her head, just wanting to be able to comfort him a bit, before lying down
and taking a nap.

*	*	*	*	*

Ranma slowly stirred from his sleep.  The first thing he noticed was that,
for some reason, he was tied down to the bed.  He'd had nightmares about
this sort of thing- mostly involving Kodachi in a leather outfit and a
studded dog collar, but he certainly never expected to have such a thing
happen to him in real life.

The second thing he noticed was that there was something soft and furry
snuggled up to him where his chin met his neck.  He couldn't see what it
was that had picked that particular area as its resting place, but the last
time he was tied up and something soft and furry was resting against him it
was a...

"C-c-caaaaaaaat!"  He cried, breaking the bonds which held him and flinging
himself across the room.  Then he saw the ball of fur, just waking up. 
"Wait a minute... you aren't a cat, are you?"  The furball shook its head. 
Ranma frowned- did the creature understand him?  Then he remembered a
overhearing a conversation between Akane and Dr. Tofu about hiding her
using some instant Jusenkyo water.  "Akane?  Is that you?"  Akane-gerbil
nodded, and Ranma smiled.  He glanced around the room.  "Well, I don't see
your clothes around anywhere... When I see Dr. Tofu, I'll ask him what he
did with them, but I guess you don't want to change back until then, huh?" 
He picked Akane up and sat down on the bed, and began petting her.  He
smirked.  "You're cute like that, you know..."  Tucking Akane-gerbil in his
elbow, he started looking around the room he was in.

He'd spied a collection of letters with Kasumi's handwriting on them, and
was tempted to go and see what was written in them when Dr. Tofu returned.

"Ah, Ranma, you're awake!"  Dr. Tofu exclaimed with his usual exuberance. 
"Do you mind a check up, to make sure you're recovering smoothly?"

Ranma nodded.  "Go ahead, but first where are Akane's clothes?  I want to
change her back?"  Dr. Tofu shrugged, and opened a drawer in his file
cabinet.  He pulled out the gi Akane was wearing when she had arrived, and
handed it to Ranma.  Ranma pulled out a teapot and started heating some
water in Dr. Tofu's kitchen.  He pulled the teapot off the stove and was
about to pour it on Akane when he realized that if he did that now, Akane
would change before he could turn and give her privacy.  He opened a
cabinet and found a suitable bowl, and poured the contents of the teapot
into it.  "There you go, Akane, go ahead and change in privacy."

Ranma set Akane-gerbil down next to the bowl and dashed off before she
could move.  'That's odd,' Akane thought as she slowly crawled her way into
the bowl.  'I would have thought he would've stayed to see me change. 
Well, he was probably worried that I would've call him a hentai and bashed
him on the head.  I would have, but still...'  As she changed, a smirk
appeared on her face.  'I would have thought he would have wanted to see
the view anyway.  I'm going to have to talk to him about that...'

Akane finished changing and walked in on Dr. Tofu taking Ranma's pulse,
frowning.  "...still irregular," he was saying.  "I think you should avoid
your martial arts training except for possibly some light exercises for the
next few days.  Other than that, things seem to be fine."

Ranma popped off of the examination bed he had been sitting on and looked
around.  "Well can you take care of Akane while I try to find this 'Kenji
Desaix' guy?"

Dr. Tofu smirked.  "I already found him.  He's coming by the clinic
tomorrow for an exam- I figure you can talk to him then."

"Tomorrow?"  Ranma frowned.  "What are we going to do until tomorrow?  We
aren't going to risk getting caught by the Communist authorities wandering
the streets, and there isn't much in here for Akane and me to do..."

Dr. Tofu smiled.  "Well, Ranma, we could-"

Ranma's eyes widened in inspiration.  "Hey, doc, think you could teach me
that paralysis point you used on me?"

"Well, okay, Ranma, if that's what you want to do, but who should I show it
to you on?"

Ranma frowned.  "How about demonstrating on Betty?"

Dr. Tofu shook his head.  "I need to show you where it is by feel- you need
to be able to feel special muscle and nerve groupings through clothing with
your fingertips- and you would need to be able to detect chi lines, for
some of the more advanced techniques I could show you.  This is a fairly
simple one, but I'm afraid Betty-chan won't do."

'Feel special muscle and nerve groupings?' Akane thought.  'Hmm...' 

Ranma sighed.  "Well, it was just an idea to pass the time wi-"

"Hey!"  Akane said brightly.  "How about teaching Ranma some of those
techniques on me?"

Ranma and Dr. Tofu looked at her in surprise.  "Huh?" Ranma asked.

"Well, of course, I would want to learn the techniques myself," Akane
continued.  "And for that, I would hope that Ranma would agree to be my...
test subject... himself."  Akane had a glint in her eye as she said that
last bit.

"Um..." Ranma blinked.  He turned to Dr. Tofu.  "Is there any risk involved
in learning this stuff?"

Dr. Tofu considered things and shrugged.  "No more than learning any other
martial arts moves for the simpler techniques.  The more complex ones-
where you need to be able to see chi lines... well, making a mistake with
them might kill someone."

Ranma nodded and turned to Akane.  "Okay, I'll agree to that- as long as we
both agree to keep it simple."  Akane nodded happily.  'What's with her?'
Ranma asked himself.  "So, Doc, where's that paralysis pressure point?"

"Turn around, Akane," Tofu asked.  Akane turned her back to the two men,
and Dr Tofu began pointing.  "Now, Ranma, the general area you will be
looking for is here..."  He pointed, but did not touch, the back of Akane's
neck.  "Now, using just the tips of your index and middle fingers, FEEL the
back of Akane's neck.  Get the general feel of the muscle groupings back
there..."  Ranma, blushing slightly, slowly moved his fingertips along the
spots Dr. Tofu pointed to.  Her face out of sight, Akane half smirked and
half smiled at Ranma's trembling touch, determined that SHE wouldn't act as
nervously when HER turn to do the same to him came around.  "...Now," Dr.
Tofu was saying.  "At that point, press inward slightly, then move your
fingers upwards."  Suddenly, Akane couldn't control her body any more and
collapsed into Ranma's surprised arms.  "THAT is the paralysis point.  To
undo that, push inwards on the same muscle grouping again."  Ranma pressed
the point, and Akane immediately jumped back up and out of his arms.

"Whoa!"  Akane gasped, massaging the back of her neck.  "That felt wierd."

Ranma smirked.  "Yeah, I know.  Paralysis can feel so strange, and if
you've been stuck for a while there's this wierd tingling sensation when
you come out of it."

"You act like you've got a lot of experience..."  Akane grimaced.

"Well, between Kodachi's flowers, the old ghoul and the old troll using
their own knowledge of pressure points against me, and Dr. Tofu's recent
use of that point, I suppose I do."  Ranma said bitterly.  Then he chuckled
a little.  "Sometimes, I hate my life."  He glanced at Akane, who was
looking at him in concern.  "But there are a FEW things I enjoy about it."

Dr. Tofu didn't miss the by-play between the couple, but decided it was
best to simply ignore it.  "So, Akane, what pressure points did you want me
to teach you?"

Akane blushed.  "Uh, doc, how about we discuss this in private?"

Ranma frowned.  "Akane, I thought I told you I didn't want us to keep
secrets from each other any more."

Akane smirked.  "Oh, this isn't a secret, Ranma- this is a surprise."  She
grabbed Dr. Tofu by the collar and dragged him with her into the kitchen.

Ranma blinked.  He wasn't quite sure there was a difference, but he decided
to just let it go for once.  After a minute, a befuddled-looking Dr. Tofu
left the kitchen and walked up to Ranma.

"Ranma," Dr. Tofu began.  "Akane wants me to not let you know what
techniques I'm teaching her.  Would you mind being knocked out while I
teach them to her?"

"WHAT?!"  Ranma cried.  "Are you-"

Akane stepped in front of Tofu, bent her head down, and puttered "Pwease?"
through pouting lips.  Ranma's eyes widened at Akane's desperately cute
request.  "Pwetty pwease?"

Ranma gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.  Akane was begging him-
cutely- to do something.  She'd never tried asking him to do something this
way before, in his recollection, and he couldn't believe she was doing it
now.  Still, it was very effective, and since it was coming from her... 
"Oh... I guess I'll agree."  He grumbled.  "I don't know why you want to
keep this from me, though..."

As Dr. Tofu moved in to apply the appropriate pressure points needed to
knock him out, he heard Akane's ecstatic voice saying "Oh, you'll find out
eventually, Ranma.  Like I said- I'm not going to KEEP these a secret from
you- they're going to be a surprise...."

Dr. Tofu took his pulse and nodded.  "Okay, Akane, he's out.  Now, come
here and I'll show you the shiatsu massages you wanted to learn..."

*	*	*	*	*

The knocking on the door was getting louder.  "{Come on in, Mr. Desaix,}"
Dr. Tofu called.  "{I'm ready for you now!}"

The middle-aged man who stepped through the door looked about how Ranma and
Akane would have expected him to look, if they had thought about it.  His
sad brown eyes definitely looked Japanese, though the thin glasses he wore
seemed to make them appear more western than they otherwise would.  His
thin black hair was clean, but unkempt.  His cheeks looked as if they had
been battered by wind and sea air for decades, but were softening a bit. 
His clothes, a silk shirt and pants, were all black- as if in mourning.  On
one of his salt-water-gnarled hands he wore an old gold wedding band which
had obviously not been taken off in years.  The only truly remarkable
feature about him, though, was his rough goatee- almost a beard.  The
goatee was not the same color as his hair was, but was instead red- the
same color red, Ranma and Akane realized, that Kurumi's hair was colored.

"{Why'd you bump up my check-up, doc?}" he asked, closing the door behind
him.  "{I wasn't supposed to have another one for a couple of months yet
and...}"  As he turned around to face Dr. Tofu, he saw the obviously
Japanese Ranma and Akane standing across from him.  "{Eh... Dr. Tofu, who
are these people, and why are they here for my exam?  Are they friends of
yours?}"

"Well, we are friends of his, Mr. Desaix," Ranma said, "But that's not why
we're here.  He bumped up your exam so that we could talk to you for a bit,
because we have some important news for you- good news, I think..."

He looked oddly at the two strangers, hearing the boy speak a language he
hadn't heard in over a decade.  "I believe you have me at a disadvantage,
mister..."

If he hadn't gotten used to strong Chinese accents over the previous year,
Ranma never would have understood Desaix.  As it was, Ranma merely shook
off the slightly garbled words and smiled.  "Saotome.  But don't call me by
my family name, please- it makes me think of pop too much.  Call me Ranma. 
And this," he gestured, "is my fiancee, Akane Te-, er Akane."

Desaix nodded.  "And what is this important news you came all the way here
from Japan to tell me?"

"Um..."  Ranma frowned.  He wasn't quite sure how to put it.  "Why don't
you explain it to him?" He whispered to Akane.  "I'd probably say it the
wrong way and just get him upset."

Akane nodded.  "Mr. Desaix," she began.  "Some of the members of your
family survived the explosion of your house..."  She stopped because Desaix
had promptly fainted.  Akane blinked and turned to Ranma.  "Er... sorry. 
I'll try to help you out a little better next time..."
*	*	*	*	*

Desaix started awake.  He opened his eyes, and saw the doctor holding
something under his nose while the young Japanese couple who had introduced
themselves as Ranma and Akane stood by him anxiously.

"...out of it in no time," Dr. Tofu was saying.

"Looks like he's already awake, Doc," Ranma gestured.

Desaix looked at the young girl standing on the opposite side of those two.
 "Excuse me, Miss," he began.  "Did I hear you right?  Did you say that
some of my family survived the destruction of my house?"

Akane nodded slowly.  "Your two daughters, Natsume and Kurumi."  Desaix's
eyes widened as she continued.  "As far as we can tell, the person who blew
up your house- who was NOT Soun Tendou but someone impersonating him-
protected the two girls until they were about five or six, helping them eat
and raising them to follow the path of Anything Goes Martial Arts."

Desaix frowned deeply.  "You say that the person who blew up my house was
NOT Mr. Tendou, but someone impersonating him?"  Akane nodded.  "Exactly
HOW did you come to find this out, and exactly who is it who was doing the
impersonating?"

"Well, I found out because I am the daughter of the REAL Soun Tendou, and
your two daughters once came to the dojo looking for their father."  Desaix
blinked at her.  "See, the only thing they had linking them to their past
was an old photo taken of them, showing part of their old protector's gi. 
On the back of the photo was a note, signed 'Your loving Father, Soun
Tendou.'  Things didn't add up, because dad KNEW that he hadn't fathered
those two daughters, but they seemed to have damning evidence proving that
they WERE.  A huge mess devoloped, where they tried to... take away my
inheritance."  Desaix, uncertain what to do, opened his mouth to apologize,
but Akane waved him off.  "It took a while for us to deal with it all, but
it didn't end before Happosai, my father's old martial arts teacher,
admitted that he HAD been impersonating my father while he was taking care
of those two girls.  He never explained WHY he was protecting them, and we
never found out until recently, when Ranma and I were visiting the town of
Ikkoku looking for you... and suddenly everything added up."

Outside the clinic, some form of disturbance was arising, drawing Dr.
Tofu's attention.  He went into the waiting room and tried to look out the
window in order to see if he could find out what was causing the commotion.
 Inside the closed off working area, though, Desaix ignored the distraction
and pondered on what he had just been told.  "Wait," he said shrewdly. 
"Why were you two looking for me?"

"Uh... well..."  Akane began.  Ranma glanced up and saw Akane was having
trouble explaining things.

 "Well," he sighed, trying to help her out..  "After their claim to the
dojo was rejected, they left for quite some time.  Then... well, I guess it
was about a month and a half ago, they came back, and asked us to continue
looking for their REAL father because they no longer could."

Desaix's frown grew.  "And why couldn't they?"

"Well..."  Ranma hesitated.  'Well, at least I can make Akane feel better
about being so abrupt earlier by being my usual "Stick-Foot-In-Mouth"
self...' Ranma thought.  "Natsume is... pregnant."

Desaix sighed.  He knew it was too much to ask that his long lost daughters
would have stayed completely out of trouble after not having any real
parents for nearly a decade.  "Do you know who the father is?"

"Uh, well,"  Akane recovered.  She had been glaring at Ranma for being so
blunt, and was surprised at Desaix's calm acceptance.  "She might be able
to identify him if she saw him, but she can't-"

The commotion outside was getting loud enough to attract Ranma's attention,
and he had started to join Dr. Tofu when the later came in and said
"There's definitely something wierd going on outside.  You three stay here,
I want to go check it out."  Ranma reluctantly nodded, as did Akane and
Desaix.

Ranma and Akane returned their attention to the object of their quest. 
"Anyway," Akane said, glad that she didn't have to deal with the grilling
she was expecting about the two sisters.  "Your daughters wanted us to find
you for them, and so now we need to know if you will come back to Nerima
with us and meet them?"

Desaix looked at the old wedding ring on his finger.  He closed his eyes
and sighed.  "Well, I wasn't around to be their father when they were
growing up, and it will take some time for us to get used to each other..."
 He opened his eyes and stared at the wedding ring again.  "But we are
family... and they are the ones carried my precious wife's blood..."  He
looked up at Ranma and Akane.  "I'll come with you, and see my daughters." 
He sat up gingerly and got off of the hospital bed.

A moment of solemn silence filled the room, only to be disturbed when a
very pale Dr. Tofu walked in.

Ranma, not seeing the doctor's face, said "Hey, Doc, Mr. Desaix here is
joining us when we return to Nerima.  Do you want to come too?"  Dr. Tofu
didn't answer.  He stomped over to where Ranma had noticed the letters from
Kasumi and stuffed them into a medical pouch he had hanging nearby.  Then
he walked over to the file cabinet and started pulling out the boxes of
instant Jusenkyo springs.  "Uh, Doc," Ranma blinked.  "We aren't leaving
just yet.  Desaix still needs to get his stuff, and you-"

He was cut off as Dr. Tofu turned to him, a very determined look on his
face.  "Ranma, we are in grave danger.  The Amazons of Xingaosuzoku are
attacking."

*	*	*	*	*

Ranma, Akane, Dr. Tofu, and Desaix were assembled in Dr. Tofu's office, a
little breathless.  They had tried to escape the invading Amazons, none of
them wanting to face the consequences of defeating one of the female
warriors, but found that the village they were in was now surrounded.  The
attack had yet to begin, but they all knew they didn't have long before
they would have to act.  The question, though, was what they were going to
do...

"...and so you say that these Xingaosuzoku Amazons raid villages in order
to find husbands?"  Ranma was saying.  "I thought the Amazons were pretty
isolationist.  Attacking a village like this, even if they ARE just looking
for... mates, doesn't seem their style."

Dr. Tofu sighed.  "Well, these aren't the Joketsuzuku Amazons that you're
familiar with- they may be allied to them, but it's a different village, a
different clan, a different set of leaders.  Same laws, though, so it's
impossible to fight them."  

Desaix shook his head sadly.  "I'd heard the Xingaosuzoku were on the
warpath, but I didn't think they'd be coming here..."

Ranma looked over at Akane in indecision, biting his lip.  She caught his
glance and looked back at him.  "What?  What is it?"

"Well," he said, shifting his gaze downward.  "We've got one tool most
villages don't have to try to get us out of this mess."  Everyone turned
their attention to him.  "I..."  He looked back up at Akane.  "If ONLY by
their laws, I am still betrothed to an Amazon.  I could parley with them,
and see if we could arrange our passage away from here."

Akane gritted her teeth at Ranma's acceptence of the Amazon laws, but for
once she was actually worried about things enough to understand what Ranma
meant.  "Well, okay, I suppose you could do that.  But what would happen if
they attacked you anyways?"

Ranma frowned.  "You know, I have absolutely no idea... I never bothered to
find out what would happen if I defeated another Amazon."

Dr. Tofu looked at Desaix curiously.  "I have heard of other villages
negotiating with the Amazons before.  Exactly how has this been done?"

Desaix blinked.  "Well... there are rumours that they will listen to women
who approach to parley- they occasionally will allow them an area outside
of the battle zone if they ask for it."

Ranma's face lit up with an idea.  "Say, doc, do you have any instant
Nyannichuan?"

Dr. Tofu looked at Ranma in surprise.  "Why, thats a good idea, Ranma!  Why
didn't I think of that?"

Desaix frowned.  "What's 'instant Nyannichu-"

Akane, however, didn't like the idea.  "Ranma," she interrupted.  "What
about the other people in this village?  Are we just going to abandon them
to the Amazons?"

"Abandon?  What do you mean?"

"We should at least TRY to help them out first.  You know how annoying
Shampoo is- would you wish that on anyone else?"

Ranma shook his head.  "No, I wouldn't.  But... what can we do?"

Akane smirked.  "Well, why don't you and I go and parley with them and
see?"

Desaix raised a hand.  "Wait, what's this 'insta-'"

Ranma ignored him, squinting in thought at Akane.  "You have a plan, don't
you?"

Akane nodded.  "Well, I suppose I do.  Whadya say you and I try to call
Cologne and see if she can come up with some way for us to get these people
to call off their attacks..."

"Hey!  Not a bad idea!"  Ranma exclaimed.  "The old ghoul is bound to be
able to do something!  I mean, she IS a leader of these people, and all..."

"This 'instant Nyannichuan,' what is it?"  Desaix asked.

Ranma blinked.  'Oh, boy...' he sighed mentally.  'Looks like I was so
absorbed by this problem I didn't even think to hide my curse... it looks
like I'll have to reveal everything to him...'

"Okay," Ranma began.  "First of all, I'd better explain what the curses of
Jusenkyo are-"

Desaix's eyes widened.  "Oh, Jusenkyo!  I should have known, with a name
like Nyannichuan.  But I've never heard of 'instant' Jusenkyo curses..."

"The instant curses are one-time-only curses," Dr. Tofu answered for a
stunned Ranma.

"How did you know about Jusenkyo?" Akane asked Desaix, noting how Ranma was
still recovering from his surprise.

"Bah, everyone around here has heard about it.  I thought it was just a
children's tale, though- I don't even believe they do all they're supposed
to.  I mean, whoever heard of a boy turning into a girl, anyway?"

"Uh..." Ranma hesitated.  Then he pulled out a cup of water, and dumped it
over himself.  "I have..."

Desaix blinked, and fainted again.

*	*	*	*	*

Akane, running beside Onna-Ranma, turned her head slightly so she could
speak to the redhead.  "Are you SURE we should have just left him lying on
the floor like that?"

Ranma sighed.  "Look, we didn't 'just leave him' there.  We made sure Dr.
Tofu would take care of him, and then we left to make sure that the Amazons
about to attack us DON'T try to take care of him.  Besides, the earlier we
do something about the Amazons, the better- if this doesn't work, we will
need time to come up with some alternative plans..."

"Okay, fine, but we're NOT running away, got it?  We've gotta protect this
village from that culture of bullies!"

Onna-Ranma smirked as they neared the Amazon encampment.  "Oh, I didn't
WANT to run away- even from a fight like this one.  I was just worried
about having to deal with even MORE fiancee problems!"  Ranma's smirk grew
a little bit more mischievous, and she added "Having you as one is more
than anyone can handle, after all."

Akane blinked, speeding up a little so as to be able to cut Ranma off if he
was saying what she thought she was saying.  "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!" 
She cried, enraged.

"I mean that your a handful!" Ranma stuck her tongue out playfully.  Akane
didn't care if it was playful or not, however.

"AARGH!  RANMA NO BA-"  She was stopped before she could build up her
Rubber Mallet o'Chi (she was VERY tempted to summon the wooden one, except
for the fact that Ranma, through omission, had just told her that he didn't
accept the other suitors for his hand as his fiancees anymore).

What had stopped her was Ranma's hand as it caught her wrists suddenly. 
"Not now!"  She whispered fiercly.  "I'll let you hit me later- to tell you
the truth, I kinda miss it at times- but I think we'd better deal with
these people, first!"  She pointed over her shoulder, and Akane saw a group
of fierce women, all dressed in various forms of ancient Chinese armor,
staring at her and Onna-Ranma.

Akane noticed suddenly that Ranma seemed to be having trouble catching her
breath.  "Hey, Ranma, what's wrong?"  She asked in concern, her anger
abated.

Ranma gasped a bit.  "I don't think I'm fully over that snake bite... that
run REALLY wore me out."  He looked at her seriously.  "If there's any
fighting, Akane, you'll have to do it- in my condition now, I don't think I
could beat Kuno."

Akane was startled.  If he was ADMITTING that he wasn't in shape to fight,
then he really must not be able to fight, period.  "Let's hope it doesn't
come down to that, then..."

Ranma smirked, watching an ancient woman, who looked eerily similar to
Cologne, approach them.  "Oh, come on, Akane, you can take them.  It's just
like the boys at high school you used to beat up, only faster.  And YOU are
faster now, don't forget..."  He shrugged.  "But first, I think we should
try talking to Cologne and seeing if she has any ideas to get out of this
without fighting, or at the very least minimize the amount of trouble we
would get into for fighting them."

The Amazon elder finally reached them.  "{For what purpose do you approach
us?  I, Zhell, Elder of the Xingaosuzoku tribe, demand an answer!}"  She
cried in a pompous voice.  Ranma felt vaguely as is he were talking to a
Chinese Kunou.

"{I am Ranma Saotome, and this is Akane Tendou.  We are from Japan, but we
know something of your people.  We know some of your people who currently
live there, and would like permission to contact them to see if they can
offer any advice as to how we may avoid certain conflicts your army and we
may have.}"

Zhell frowned.  "{And just who are the Amazons in Japan that you know,
Ranma Saotome?}"

"{Cologne, Elder of the Joketsuzoku, Shan Pu, her heir, and Mu Tsu, a male
suitor of Shan Pu.}"  He answered.

Akane, tired of not knowing what was going on, was starting to get a bit
agitated.  "What is going on?" She whispered.  Ranma motioned with her
hands to keep quiet.

Zhell laughed.  "{Ah, Amazons of the Joketsuzoku- of course.  Well, the
Joketsuzoku and we aren't on the best of terms- especially not with that
incompetent Cologne ruling over them- but I'm more than willing to allow
you to talk to your friends- not that I expect they will suggest anything
of use...}"

Ranma blinked.  "{Uh... okay... where's a working phone?}"

Zhell laughed again.  "{You came all this way to ask us to use a phone?}"

"{Well, didn't you cut the lines off before besieging the village?  Isn't
that a tactical error?}"

Zhell blinked.  "{You mean you didn't try them?}"  Ranma shook his head,
and Zhell's laughter rose into a cackle.  "{We never cut the phone lines
off!  Who would they call?  The Chinese government would never interfere
with us, and no one else in China can stand up to the might of the Amazons!
 But if you wish to use a phone, there is a pay phone you can borrow.}" 
Zhell smirked, and tossed Ranma some money.  "{I'll even pay for your
call!}"  Zhell returned to her tribe to continue preparations for the
attack on the city.

Ranma turned to Akane, his cheeks burning in embarrassment.  "Well?"  Akane
asked.  "What did she say?"

"Uh..."  Ranma began.  "We can use that pay phone over there.  Zhell, the
Elder I was talking to, doesn't think Cologne will be able to suggest
anything however, but I dunno- she seems to have some sort of grudge
against her."

Akane sighed.  "I doubt that it would affect her judgement so much that
Cologne could get us out of this peacefully.  Should I start warming up?"

Ranma shook his head.  "No... if we DO have to fight them, we aren't going
to want to let them know we're ready for them.  Besides, the run here was
enough of a warm up, don't you think?"

Akane shrugged.  "I guess so... hurry up and make that phone call, will
you?"

Ranma inserted the coins and dialed.  Someone on the other end picked up. 
*"Nekohantan.  Hello?" Mousse's tired voice answered.

"Mousse?"  Ranma began.  "I need to talk to Cologne.  It's urgent!"

*"Ranma, is that you?  Uh... She's not here- I think she's out checking on
that Natsume girl living at the Tendou's."*

"Er... Okay, how about Shampoo?"  Ranma begged.  On his end, Akane suddenly
squinted in jealousy- though the reaction was definitely MUCH milder than
she used to when Ranma had tried to talk to the obsessed Amazon girl.

*"What do you need to talk to her about?  She's asleep!"*

Ranma blinked.  "Asleep?!  Oh, yeah- I almost forgot about the difference
in time zones.  Um, okay... maybe you can help me- though I would rather
talk to someone who knew something about Amazon internal politics- and
while I know you are an Amazon, you don't strike me as being on the inside
track of the leaders' viewpoints."

*"Well, I still might be able to help you.  I might be just a man, and
therefore not worthy of being allowed to discuss politics, but I DO keep my
ears open around Cologne."*

"Okay..."  Ranma drew in a DEEP breath.  "Mousse- this is the situation. 
Akane and I have gone to China to find the father of that girl who you
mentioned, Natsume.  We've found him, but just as we did, the village we
were in was besieged by Amazons of the Xingaosuzoku tribe, all bent on
husband-hunting.  We want to try to get out of here with that man and
another person, and we also want to, if possible, break the siege the
Xingaosuzoku hold over this village."

*"Ah... I see your dilema.  You don't particularly want any more fiancees
to string along, do you?  Nor do you want a large number of people out for
your and Akane's heads?"*

"Uh... right."

*"Okay, let's see if I can think of a plan....  Well, I don't think you'll
be able to convince them to leave through politics- Nabiki wouldn't be able
to negotiate a deal with the Xingaosuzoku, even if she wanted to.  No, it's
going to take a fight.  Hmm... well, you COULD fight them if you were
already married to someone- whether your wife is an Amazon or not.  If it's
important enough, you and Akane could get married..."*

Ranma blinked, and looked closely at Akane.  For a second, his eyes
flickered with indecision, but then they cleared.  "Uh... I don't think
that we have enough time to do that before the Xingaosuzoku attack."

Mousse's voice on the other end of the phone sounded amused.  *"Sounds like
you might be willing if you did have time, though..."*  Ranma refused to
say anything, just in case Akane could hear what was being said.  *"Okay...
there are only two ways you can fight an Amazon female and not be trapped
by either marraige or eternal pursuit.  One is to be married BEFORE you
battle your opponent.  The other is to actually be an Amazon- that
exemption was only made after a civil war between the Amazons, but it still
stands."*

Ranma frowned.  "That doesn't help, Mousse.  Neither Akane and I are
Amazons."

*"Well, you could always ask them if you can take the Ritual Tests of the
Amazons- or, better yet, if Akane can- it's VERY strenuous, though, so ONLY
ask her to if you think she can handle it.  If Akane is capable, there's no
chance of your curse affecting the results.  The fight will alienate you
from the Xingaosuzoku, but that's okay- there are a number of Amazon
refugees who have been banished from thier particular village in
Joketsuzoku... besides, I don't think you and Akane particularly want to
move to any of our villages, anyway."*

"Right, but... what will that do to to my engagements, by Amazon status?"

*"If YOU are the one to become an Amazon, nothing.  If Akane did... well,
it depends on certain things the two of you do, but it just might force a
decision between Akane and Shampoo."*

"Well, what are they?"

*"I'll talk to you about it after the two of you get back.  You'll have to
take some risks, but in the end I think Shampoo will finally be free of
you- oh, and you'd better start training Akane to fight..."*

Ranma blinked.  "Uh... okay, Mousse.  Thanks for your help- we'll see you
when we get back, right?"

*"Yeah, yeah, whatever.  Let me get back to sleep- I don't need to be kept
up trying to solve your annoying little problems."*  There was an audible
click on the other end of the line, and so Ranma hung up.

"Well?"  Akane asked nervously.  She'd heard Ranma ask something about
engagements, and was worried that Ranma'd wind up with a whole new batch of
fiancees to worry about.  "What did Mousse suggest?"

Ranma smirked at her.  "Whadya think of becoming an Amazon, Akane?"

Akane blinked.  "What?"

Ranma bit her lower lip.  "There are only two ways to beat an Amazon woman
without being killed or forced to marry.  The first is to be a male and
already BE married, the second is to be an Amazon.  Mousse suggested we ask
if you can undergo the Ritual Tests of the Amazons, legally making you an
Amazon woman."

Akane nodded, then smirked.  "Well, I suppose I'm WILLING to try, but
wouldn't it be better if we got married first?"

Ranma's eyes widened.  "Huh?"

"Well, then you could fight too, right?"  Ranma's stare of panic remained
unchanged, but Akane continued undaunted.  "It might mean that we're
getting married a little earlier than you wanted, but that's okay, isn't
it?"

Ranma panicked.  "Now, wait a minute- we... we, uh..."  Akane's smirk
disappeared.  She'd just been teasing, but now that he was reacting this
way, she was beginning to wonder what he really felt about their marraige. 
Ranma, on the other hand, was just taken off guard- after a few seconds, he
collected himself and took in a deep breath.  He didn't want to get her mad
now, and he figured any normal excuse would upset her.  It was time to pull
out the one thing which had recently been revealed- something which she
decided to check up on after the last wedding attempt.  "Akane, let me ask
you something.  How old are you?"

Akane frowned.  What did this have to do with anything?  "Seventeen, baka! 
I turned seventeen six months ago- You know that!"

Ranma nodded.  "Your right, I do know that.  And I probably realize what it
means more than you do... Akane, what's the legal marraige age for people
in Japan?"

Akane considered briefly.  "I remember a few years ago that that age was
changed from sixteen to eight... eighteen.  Oh..."  Akane finally realized
at least some of what Ranma was worried about- still, he didn't complain
about that during the failed wedding.  What brought it on now?  Was he just
not ready for marraige, like he said before, was he really worried about
the legality of it, as he seemed to be saying now, or... did he just not
want to marry her, as he had yet to say he wanted to confirm or deny.  She
sighed- right now, there were more pressing matters to deal with.  "Well...
I suppose that's eliminated that possibility.  I guess our only choice is
the Amazon ritual thing... come on, lets go talk to Zhell again."

*	*	*	*	*

"Zhell!"  Onna-Ranma called.  "{We have talked with the Amazons we know in
Japan, and they suggested a course of action which may assist us in ending
the problems we will have if you attack that village.}"

The ancient Amazon approached Ranma and Akane, and smiled evilly.  "{Oh? 
And what might that action be?}"

Ranma drew himself up.  "{I was told to ask if Akane could perform the
Ritual Tests of the Amazons so as to join your tribe herself.}"

Zhell blinked.  "{That is actually a good idea, if she is capable of
passing the Tests..  But what of yourself?}"

"{Do you mean what role am I to play, or do you mean to ask if I want to
become an Amazon myself?}"  Ranma asked carefully.

"{Both, actually.}"

"{Ah...}" Ranma nodded.  "{I am to be her translator- she does not speak
Chinese herself, but I do.  I, however, am not able to become an Amazon
myself at this time.  While normally I would feel myself up to the
challenge, I am physically unfit at this time...}"  He held up his hand,
and pointed to a pair of identical wounds.  "{I was bitten by a snake
recently, and though I have been treated for the poison, I have yet to
recover safely to perform such a ritual.}"

Zhell sighed.  Onna-Ranma must have been a powerful woman to withstand the
bite of a snake like the one which gave him that bite- she had heard of
people getting too sick to move within minutes of the venom's introduction
to the blood stream.  Too bad he was not in such a condition that he could
join the tribe- but at least his partner, Akane, appeared strong enough. 
It was rare to see such an outsider with such a fierce demeaner constantly
shown in her face.  "{Very well... return here in one hours time.  I must
prepare for the ritual...}"

*	*	*	*	*

Before the assembled tribal warriors, Zhell read from the ancient scroll,
Ranma dutifully translating.  "{Akane Tendou, in order for you to become an
Amazon, you must complete the five ritual tests.  First, the test of
Strength.  Second, the test of Intelligence.  Third, the Test of Courage. 
Fourth, the Test of Death.  And fifth, the Test of Battle...}"

Akane blinked at Ranma.  "Did she really list the Test of Battle after the
Test of Death?"  Ranma nodded.  "Hmm... perhaps it is arranged that way so
as to weaken an opponent before the fifth test..."

Zhell waited for a moment for Ranma to translate Akane's response.  When
she realized that the two girls had merely been talking amongst themselves,
she snapped at Ranma angrily.  "{DO NOT give her any aid.  If we discover
you are doing so, we shall be forced to kill both of you!}"

Ranma sighed.  "{I was not giving her aid, I was clarifying the
translation.  She asked me if you had really ordered the tests as you
had.}"

Zhell nodded.  "{I apologize, then, if I spoke unfairly.  However, consider
this a warning- for now.  I may not be able to speak Japanese, but I know
that some of my warriors understand it well enough to follow some
conversations- not enough to translate, but enough to warn me if you ARE
divulging from the translation...}"

Ranma nodded.  He had no intention of calling her bluff.  "{Very well,
please excuse me to let Akane know that, and then I ask that you tell me of
the rules of the Test of Strength.}"

After Ranma had explained to Akane why he couldn't help her (or even appear
to help her- they both agreed that Ranma should stick to nothing but
translating from that point on) Zhell pulled out a old and withered scroll
and began reading slow enough for Ranma to keep up.  "The Test of Strength
is to determine of you have the physical abilities required of an Amazon
woman.  To prove yourself, you must break this brick...}" She held up a
concrete brick of about one foot by one foot by one inch.  "And at least 5
others like it- in one blow.}"

Akane laughed.  If this was the hardest the tests got, she would pass this
thing easily...

*	*	*	*	*

Akane, waiting nervously by some altar- or maybe it was a table? the
Amazons had built, began to wonder what this test would be like, and what
it was for.  The first test was easy- she had succeeded in breaking twenty
of the bricks with a single karate chop.  The second test was almost as
easy- she would have finished figuring out that silly riddle about the
thing with four legs, two legs, and three legs at various parts of the day
in record time if she hadn't needed Ranma to translate it.  The answer was
obvious- a human.  However, that required a judge's ruling, as well,
because they wanted the answer to be 'a woman,' but they decided as long as
she wasn't specifically talking about a male human, there was no problem. 
The Test of Courage- a test where Akane had to avoid flinching as the
Amazons hurled various things at her- was meant to test her spirit.  Ranma
had gotten a litte mad at that one- some of the things the Amazons were
throwing were dangerous if the hit- knives, rocks, a throwing spear... 
Akane would have been worried about how progressively harder the challenges
were becoming, but she was too bust trying to figure out what more the
Amazons felt needed testing after her body, mind, and spirit had all proven
themselves.

Zhell began slowly.  "The Test of Death is to determine if your morals are
appropriate for an Amazon.  It does this by showing to us how you deal with
death.  We have selected this man as a sacrifice for you.}"  A couple of
burly Amazons dragged an anxious looking man before her.  Zhell turned to
him.  "{Ethan 'Doshu' Tsai, for your crimes, you have been sentenced to
death by starvation.  However, you have volunteered for this honorable act,
and so your name shall be returned to a place of honor.}"  She turned back
to Akane, and handed her a wicked looking knife as Ranma shakily translated
her words.  "{Akane Tendou, are you ready?}"

Akane blinked at Ranma.  How would this test her morals?  "She... wants me
to kill him?  In cold blood?"  Ranma turned to Zhell and asked for
confirmation, then turned back to Akane and nodded quietly.  "Oh... god. 
I'm not sure I can do that... What are his crimes?"  

Ranma repeated the question to Zhell, and then turned back to Akane. 
"Apparently, though I'm having trouble understanding some of her words,
he's written literature in which women have been hurt or killed..."

Akane blinked.  "What?  Is that ALL?  That shouldn't even be a crime, and
they're sentencing him to capital punishment?!"  Ranma nodded slightly, and
started drawing a breath to tell the Amazon elder of Akane's feelings. 
Akane cut him off.  "Tell her I'll try to do it, but I feel as though he
does not deserve death for these crimes, and ask that she find another to
place as a sacrifice."

Ranma was very uncertain, but said what she asked him to.  Zhell smirked
evilly.  "{No. I won't find another for you.}" the old woman cackled. 
"{Any time she's ready, she may begin!}"

Akane walked over to the table, desperately wishing to grab one of Ranma's
hands for support.  She stared down at the man, tied down spread-eagle on
the stone table.  She looked at the knife in her hand uncertainly.  'The
only way to escape and to save my friends is to become an Amazon.  In order
to become an Amazon, I must kill this man... but can I kill him? 
Especially in cold blood?  I mean, I don't think I could kill even to save
my own life.'  She turned to look at Ranma.  'To save his, maybe, but for
this...'  She turned back to the man.  For some reason, she felt an
unexplainable hatred for him- as if in some other world he had done her a
great deal of wrong- as if he might have taken great enjoyment in seeing
her cut through with an axe.  She raised the knife above him, feeling as if
she killed him she would be rid of the evil he had done her- or was
planning to do to her.  She closed her eyes and started to plunge the knife
downwards.

Halfway down, she realized what she was doing and altered the trajectory of
the knife, landing it somewhere between his legs.

"NO!" Akane sputtered.  "I WILL NOT DO THIS!  IT IS... DISHONORABLE TO KILL
SOMEONE IN COLD BLOOD, REGARDLESS OF HIS CRIMES."

Zhell's smile fell into surprise.  "{You... have passed, Akane Tendou.  An
Amazon will kill, if there is just cause, but there is no such cause in
this case.  It is immoral to kill even a man for such a small crime... you
have passed.}"

As Ranma translated Zhell's words, Akane's eyes grew wider and wider.  "So
THATS what she meant by testing my morality..."  She shook her head.  "I
can't believe they risked someone's life like that!"

Ranma translated that, much to Akane's chagrin.  Zhell, however, just
laughed.  "{Bah!  He's just a man- no TRUE Amazon should worry about that,
so don't YOU worry about it, Akane Tendou!}"

Akane sighed.  "Well... I won't argue the point.  Lets get this last test
over with..."

Zhell nodded and led Ranma, Akane, and all the female Amazons away to a
different part of the field, one where a large log had been risen twenty
feet off the ground.  It was time for the Test of Battle.

As the party left, another Amazon man walked up to the table and began
untying the unconscious Doshu.  Before he untied the legs, however, he
started to pull the knife out of the stone table.  Doshu twitched.  The man
looked carefully at the knife- no part of the blade was touching him.  Then
he realized- it wasn't the blade which had hit him, but the handle.  And
the handle had pinched a VERY sensitive place...

*	*	*	*	*

"{As you probably know, an Amazon must be a powerful warrior.  For an
outsider to join us, you must be better than the best of us- so you must
face a warrior of your age and defeat her.  How old are you Akane- in both
years and months?}"  Zhell opened.  Ranma was a little worried- this would
be a one on one battle, and Ranma had yet to bring Akane up to the point
that he felt she would be capable of facing Shampoo in a one-on-one fight. 
Akane was standing on one end of the hanging log, waiting for her opponent.

"Seventeen years and six months."

"{The closest warrior we have is seventeen years and eight months.  Sh'var,
you are the Amazon Champion!}"  A green-haired Amazon jumped up onto the
log.  Zhell whispered in the girls ear "{Remember, we DON'T want this piece
of Japanese trash in our tribe, so don't hesitate to go all out!}"

Sh'var sniffed.  "{As if I would NOT go all out!}"

'Where in the world did the wierd hair come from in the Amazons?' Akane
wondered.  She took a ready stance, thankful Ranma had been training her
some more advanced skills in the past few months.  She was still
subconsciously worried that she hadn't gotten very far in the speed
training before Ranma's disastrous encounter with that snake, but she
wasn't going to let her fears show- especially not to some Amazon.

"{The rules are as follows.  The first one to fall off the log, to get
knocked out, or to get killed, loses.  Chemicals and chemically charged
weapons, such as handguns, are forbidden.  Otherwise, anything goes...
ready?}"  Zhell was standing on the middle of the log, one arm raised and
ready to come down to signal the match to begin.  Akane and Sh'var both
nodded, and so she sliced her hand down through the air, then jumped out of
the way.  Akane and Sh'var started moving towards each other slowly, each
one trying to gauge the other.  Akane struck first, throwing a roundhouse
kick expirementally.  Sh'var jumped over the kick, rolled in mid-air, and
landed behind Akane.  Akane spun around and immediately leaped back to
avoid a side kick directed at her chest.  She slipped slightly upon
landing, nearly falling off the log.  Ranma gasped, but Akane stabilized
herself in time to block Sh'vars follow-up.

Sh'var laughed.  "{If that is the best she can do, I will kill her in a
matter of seconds!}"

Ranma translated, particularly emphasizing Sh'var's arrogance.  'I know you
fight better when angry, Akane, so get angry already!' he thought.  He
REALLY wished he could actually say the words, but one look at Zhell, and
he knew that she wasn't bluffing when she said one attempt to help Akane
would result in an immediate death sentence for the two of them.

"Is that so!?"  Akane huffed.  Ranma smiled.  "I'm not the one going to be
killed here, missy!"  With that, her battle aura flared in anger and she
started charging right in.

"Tien Hong Fo Jong Gun Lut Chuan!"  Sh'var cried.  Ranma's eyed widened.

"SHE JUST CALLED THE TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"  He cried to Akane, panicked. 
[Author's Note:  Special thanks to a couple of people on the FFIRC who
helped me find out what some of the attack names were in Japanese.  I'd
give their actual names (or aliases) but I forgot to write down who it
was... but if there are any typos in there, they're my fault, not those
people's...]

Akane blinked.  She'd never been faced with the Tenshin Amaguriken attack
herself, but she'd seen it performed more often than most of the people who
were attacked with it.  In fact, she had once idly tried to come up with
some form of counter to it, but she had never tested it (more because of
never having a sparring partner who could attack with it until recently,
and she hadn't bothered trying lately because Ranma was eventually going to
teach it to her anyway).  'Well,' she thought, 'I don't think there's ever
been a better time to try it out than now...'

All this shouting and thinking happened in the split second it took for
Sh'var to close in and launch her barrage of fists.  Akane wasn't there to
receive any blows, however, having dropped onto her back so as to dodge the
onslaught.  Akane's leg went up, and caught Sh'var in the chest.

Sh'var stumbled back, shocked.  Even the Elders could not stop that attack
without using a faster version of the same attack.  Perhaps this Akane was
better than she had thought?

Akane stood up, a fire in her eyes.  'Hah!  Betcha Ranma never thought of
that, huh?'

Ranma, himself, had a fire in her eyes.  'Good work, Akane!  I always hoped
you had it in you.  Now I know I made the right decision when I started
training you...'

Sh'var backed up a bit, hoping that Akane would attack.  Akane, however had
other ideas.  "Hmm... I wonder if that would work...  It's the way Ranma
won that silly Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics contest..." Akane whispered
to herself.  Ranma barely heard her, and wondered just what Akane was
talking about.  Akane leaped up, as if she were going to attack.  Sh'var
raised her arms to catch Akane and hopefully toss her off the log.  Akane,
however, had no intention of going near Sh'var, instead landing strattled
on the log about two feet from her end of the log.  She gripped the log as
tightly as she could with her legs, and pulled her hand up, bringing it
down in a trememdous blow, breaking the Log apart in front of her.  Sh'var,
preparing to block high, was caught off-guard, and slipped off the falling
log.

It was over.  Akane was holding onto the log with her legs, nearly upside
down by the way the log had fallen, but Sh'var was on the ground.  Zhell
looked on in horror, then sighed.

"{Very well,}" she sighed.  "{Ranma, tell Akane that she is now officially
an Amazon.  However, I will not accept her into the clan of the
Xingaosuzoku.  If Cologne, or some other village, wishes to claim her, they
may.  However, this means nothing to her- she is now an Amazon, and has all
such rights as that entails.  It also has all such responsibilities- here
is the book of law she must read and understand.}"  With that, Zhell handed
Ranma an ancient-looking book- which, to Ranma, looked remarkably like the
one Shampoo had shown him when she'd first shown up.

"Come on, Akane," Ranma said, grabbing Akane's shoulder.  "You're an Amazon
now, but Zhell ain't happy about it.  Let's get over to the clinic and make
some plans on what to do next."

*	*	*	*	*

Ranma, Akane, Dr. Tofu, and Desaix were once again assembed in Dr. Tofu's
office.  Desaix was starring at Ranma (now male) with an odd look on his
face, but had otherwise recovered from his shock.  Dr. Tofu was idly
fingering a pile of letters he had meant to put in his backpack hours ago,
when Ranma and Akane had first left to meet with the Amazons.

"Well, now there's just one thing to do," Ranma sighed.  "We have to fight
the Amazons... and defeat them, of course.  Of course, Dr. Tofu, Desaix,
and I can't afford to beat a single one... but... well, I think that we can
still fight them, as long as Akane's the one to actually defeat them."

"WE can?"  Desaix asked.  "Sorry, but I don't know the first thing about
how to fight.  I'm a fisherman- and since I moved her, I'm a carpenter.  I
can't fight, though."

Ranma sighed.  "Thats okay.  You don't have to... Akane should be able to
fight them all on her own, but it will be easier if we can soften them up. 
Dr. Tofu, that's yours and my job- we wear them down and send them Akane's
way.  BUT- don't defeat any of them on your own, got it?"  Dr. Tofu finally
came to his senses, stuck the letters in his backpack, and nodded.  "Good. 
Also, if there are any male Amazons in the fight, AND YOU'RE SURE THEY'RE
MALE, go ahead and beat them.  There don't appear to be any laws about
defeating men...  Oh, and Desaix, just keep an eye out.  We aren't going to
be able to stop them completely- they'll overwhelm us before we can- but
after the first thirty or forty of them are beaten, they'll lose
confidence.  If you see them start to do that, just shout out.  That'll
mean the battle will be over shorty, and we can start going all out- before
that, of course, we'll need to save some energy to keep fighting."

Akane sighed.  "Are you sure I'm up to this, Ranma?  I barely beat Sh'var,
and she was just one person.  Also, you aren't at your best- you sure you
can hold back enough?"

Ranma smiled at her.  "Yeah, don't worry.  WE can handle them."

Dr. Tofu coughed.  "I think, guys, we'd better stop this planning and start
doing something.  It doesn't sound like we have much more to discuss..."

Ranma nodded.  "Right... Okay, guys, let's go... Desaix, take the roof-
keep an eye on the battle from on high, and hopefully you won't be seen." 
They started to leave, and Ranma grabbed Akane's hand and pulled her
closer.  "Relax, Akane," he whispered in her ear.  "It's just like high
school... only now, you have more training..."

For some reason, it wasn't Ranma's words that relaxed Akane, but his hand
on hers...

*	*	*	*	*

Zhell looked at the three people approaching her with determination in
their faces.  One of them, she recognized as that Akane girl who had so
annoyed her by proving Cologne COULD come up with some good ideas every
once in a while.

"{Well, well, what a surprise.  For what reason does Akane Tendou approach
us now, and where is her woman translator?}"

A young man, who looked as though he might have been the brother of that
girl, turned and told Akane what she had said.  "As far as why I have come,
I don't want you and your Amazons to steal away my fiancee!"  She pointed
to the young man.  "OR my sister's boyfriend!"  She pointed to Dr. Tofu,
who paled.  Ranma was translating this, face flushed.  "OR to steal away
any of the men of this village from the women who love them!"

As Ranma translated, Zhell laughed.  "{Oh, is that so, Akane Tendou?  You
could barely handle one of us- let us see what you can do against hundreds!
 Xingaosuzoku, ATTACK!}"

The battle began, Ranma and Dr. Tofu stepping in front of Akane on opposite
sides.  Ranma sent a blow to one Amazon's chest, and shoved her at Akane,
who felled the woman with a single chop to the back of the neck.  Then he
dodged another woman's kick, watching it slice into one of the other people
attacking him.  "{Ha!  You're beating your own people up!}" he cried, then
spun away from another blow which took out yet another Amazon.  "{You sure
you're not on our side?}"

"{ARRGH!}"  The woman cried, and sent a flying kick at Ranma.  He ducked,
and she went crashing into yet another nearby Amazon, knocking both of them
out.

"Well... that was interesting..." Ranma commented, smirking, before
returning to the fight.

Dr. Tofu was fighting as best as he could.  He hit pressure points which
disabled various limbs or extremities of the women attacking him- making it
impossible to use a shoulder, or an elbow, or to bend a knee, or so on. 
Every one of the Amazons he treated this way he immediately shoved at
Akane, who promptly knocked them out.  The fight, in general, was going
well.

Suddenly, the three of them heard a loud call from the roof "SOMETHING'S
HAPPENING!"

Desaix's cry from the roof was right.  Soon, almost all of the Amazons were
gone, the injured or unconscious carried away by the others.  Only Zhell
remained.

"{I believe we are at a stalemate,}" Zhell began.  Ranma, still in a ready
stance, stared a question at her.  "{By the time you defeat the last wave
of us, the first wave will have recovered, but we, too, will be
progressively worn down, and our mission to win us husbands will be
jeopardized...}"

Ranma frowned.  "{What do you want, Zhell?}"

Zhell smiled.  "{And how do you know my name?}"  Ranma's eyes widened as he
realized his mistake, but he didn't lower his guard.  "{It doesn't
matter... Tell Akane I'm willing to settle this.  If the three of you can
defeat me, then I will withdraw my Amazons from this village, and not
attack this or ANY village again for at least one year.  And you two men
needn't worry about having to marry me- I'm way past the marrying age...}"

Ranma, not shifting his eyes from Zhell, translated to Akane Zhell's
proposal.  The only thing he could be certain Zhell was being truthful
about was that bit about marrying age- after fifty years of age, an Amazon
no longer needed to marry if defeated by a man.  Knowing this herself,
Akane was all for it.  "The three of us, against her alone?  We should be
able to beat her, don't you think?"

Ranma nodded.  "And I can go all out, too... I'm a little worried- after
all, she seems to be a competitor of Cologne's, and I can only infrequently
beat her... but with you being so much better than you used to be and
helping me... I think we can do it."  He returned his attention to Zhell. 
"{Very well... we accept.}"

Zhell smiled.  "{I knew you would.  KYAH!}"  Zhell darted in and
immediately stung Dr. Tofu on the back of the neck, knocking him out.  Then
she turned towards Ranma and Akane, and began cirling the two of them.

Ranma attempted a strike, but Zhell ducked away from it.  Akane charged at
her, but the old woman just stepped right past the attack.  Every attack
Ranma or Akane attempted, Zhell just avoided.  Soon, Ranma noticed
something- she wasn't moving in a circle, but intead was in a lazy dragon
spiral.  As he realized this, Zhell opened her mouth.  Ranma quickly darted
over to Akane.  "Relax, breath deeply, calm down... and if you can't do
that, then just let the Hiryuu Shouten Ha she's about to release carry you
away, and I'll catch you when you come down..."

"What?"  Akane cried, barely understanding what he said.

"Fei Long Sing Tien..." Zhell began- words which Ranma realized was the
beginning of the Hiryuu Shouten Ha.  The rising wind cut off the rest of
her words, but Ranma ignored them, making sure he was as calm and cool as
he could possibly be.  He heard Akane screaming as the wind caught her up,
and winced, a tear coming out of his eye- damn that Zhell!  She'd pay- but
right now he needed to remain calm.  Remain calm... remain calm...
remain...

The sound of the wind behind him lessened, and he realized that there was
no more Zhell could do.  She needed a few seconds to recover before she
could do anything else, and the Hiryuu Shouten Ha could no longer catch
him.  It was time to attack.  "MOUKOU TAKABISHA!" He cried, raising his
hands out in front of him.  Zhell's eyes widened in fear as she realized
that Ranma had not been caught up in the whirlwind blast.  Soon her eyes
widened even more as she felt the power of Ranma's confidence smashing into
her, sending her flying into a tree.  Ranma, however, did not have time to
see the results of his handiwork- he was too busy trying to find where
Akane had been flung to by Zhell's attack.

Ranma finally saw her- a speck in the sky.  He started running, hoping to
catch her before it was too late.  Suddenly, however, he couldn't move fast
enough, he knew.  His legs were turning to jelly, burning with the
remaining effects of the snakebite.  He hadn't noticed it in the fight,
because he hadn't needed all his speed, but he was moving slower than
usual- MUCH slower.  He couldn't catch her- oh, gods, he was going to lose
her he was going to lose Akane Akane was going to die he needed to move
faster and he couldn't he had promised to catch her and he couldn't she was
falling he couldn't help he was going to lose her...  Ranma screamed
primally in utter terror.

Akane collapsed into the arms of a green haired young woman of about her
age.  Sh'var looked over the now unconscious Akane, and held her up to
Ranma.  "{Our laws state we should always come to the aid of those Amazons
who we are not fighting.  Akane fought well, and defeated me- I do not wish
to fight her any more, and so I am legally required to come to her rescue
when she needs it and I am available.}"  Ranma nodded.  "{Take your
fiancee, and defend her well...}"  She looked over at she unconscious form
of Zhell, as Ranma followed her gaze.  "{I do not think Zhell can claim a
victory from this one, and so we shall leave you alone from now on...}" 
Ranma nodded, turning, and started to leave.  "Ranma Tell Shaver's cousin
Shampoo Shaver enjoy company of Shampoo's airen... {even if I think you
will not remain her betrothed for long...}"

Ranma glanced back suddenly, his eyes widened.  He wanted to ask Sh'var how
long she had known who he was, and why she had never mentioned it before,
but Sh'var had disappeared...

*	*	*	*	*

"{Well,}" Desaix sighed, shaking hands with the cousin who he had been
living with for the previous ten years.  "{I guess this is goodbye.}"

"{I guess this is,}" the cousin said.

Desaix sighed and turned around, pulling the bag onto his back.  He sighed,
then looked over at his tree travelling companions.  "Ready, guys!"  The
other three nodded, and they started out on their trip home.

Akane sighed.  "I wish we could continue our training, Ranma..."

Ranma smirked.  "And why can't we?"  Akane looked at him oddly, and pointed
to Desaix and Dr. Tofu.  "Oh, those two?  Well, we don't really need our
lessons to be private, do we?"

"Well..." Akane sighed.  One of the things she liked about their lessons
was the privacy, but she might need the skills, so she supposed it wasn't
that important.  "I would prefer it if they were, but I suppose you're
right.  Still, what about the snake venom still in your blood?"

Ranma smirked.  "Well, with the current stage of training you're in, I
don't need to do too much.  I'll be fine- YOU, however, are probably going
to wear yourself out.  It took us a month to get to Xiquan, it'll take us
AT LEAST another month to get back.  And for the next month, Akane, you're
going to have to be catching bowls of dirt without spilling a single grain
of sand..."



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Sir Desaix, member # 116 of the Knights of the True Fiancee
               (Arrrgh!  They Mispelled my Name!)
                             desaix@sysnet.net
    http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7872
                           fanfics available at 
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7872/fanfics.htm