Permanent 5: A China tale
Ranma Saotome followed the guide with a dead look on her face, "Here sirs
we
find village of Amazon," said the guide as he pointed at village they
were
about to enter.
" Amazons?" said Genma's sign. Ranma stood staring at nothing. Sitting on
her
pack was Mr.P he looked at the village and squealed approvingly. The
group
walked on and into the village.
"Very lucky today sirs They show their strength today" said the guide.
Ranma
snorted as they sat by a large table with a sign on it, she pulled out
one of
the many books she had 'borrowed' from the guides home and began reading.
He
watched her nervously. He did not ever read them himself but felt very
uncomfortable with her taking them like she did. There were thousands of
them,
collected over the centuries by former guides and unfortunate visitors.
The
girl had only taken about fifty volumes on specific topics, so he let it
go.
She had emptied her pack of all but the most essential items to make room
and
had around fifteen books strapped on the outside of her bag. "Very
strange
young one," he muttered as she ignored the show.
Genma happily chowed down on the food on the table. Until a bonbori
smashed it
into splinters. Ranma looked up from her reading and frowned as a young
Chinese
girl yelled angrily at them in Chinese. "You there panda girl. Why you
steal my
prize she say," said the guide translating the girls ranting.
Ranma looked at the panda and sighed. She calmly placed her book back
into the
bag and lifted it over her shoulder. "Keep him." she said to the girl,
with
that she began to walk away.
"Son?" said the panda with a sign.
The girl called after him and followed Ranma with an angry stare. "Where
you
think you going? she say," translated the guide.
"Tell her the animal is not mine." said Ranma. "I'm not responsible for
him."
The guide did. Shampoo stared at the girl hard. She said something in
Chinese.
"Only if you give pig as well." said the guide.
"No." Replied Ranma never breaking stride as she walked out of the
village.
Shampoo growled and charged at Ranma. Ranma ducked under the blow and
rolled away removing her bag as she went. She stood facing Shampoo with a
neutral
expression. Shampoo charged again. Ranma sidestepped and kicked under her
arms
catching her in the chin. Shampoo fell back and landed on the ground
hard.
Ranma stood ready for another attack. Shampoo slowly got to her feet and
shook
her head. She stared at Ranma hard. Ranma watched as the villagers gasped
and
the guide looked at him in terror. "He is won!"
Shampoo walked over to Ranma and kissed her on the cheek. The guide
grabbed Ranma's arm and ran
from the village.
Cologne looked at her Great grand daughter and sighed. "So a foreign girl
defeated you and you gave her the kiss of death." she said looking at the
young
girl. Shampoo nodded. "Go then and be quick in your return." she said to
her.
Shampoo bowed and turned away.
As she emerged from her Great Grandmother's home Mousse ran up to her.
"Shampoo promise you'll marry me when you return." he cried hugging a
nearby
bush.
"Stupid Mousse, I'll never marry you. Not until you defeat me." Said
Shampoo
giving him a half hearted blow to the head. Mousse slumped to the ground.
"That wasn't near as hard as she used to hit...I think I'm wearing her
down!"
he thought happily.
"Maybe marrying him wouldn't be so bad." thought Shampoo as she walked
away. She turned and watched him grinning and drooling in his fantasies
on the
ground. "Right, it would be worse." she muttered as she walked on.
Ranma entered a village after a long day of hiking and was attracted to
a
large gathering of people. She entered a home where most of the village
waited
outside. [What going on?] she asked one of the young men.
The boy blushed at the attention she had placed on him, he winced as his
splint hit the wall jarring his broken arm. [A birth.] he said.
Ranma smiled at the boy and he sighed. "What a loser." she thought
amused.
Ranma heard cries of pain from the hut and then the cry of a baby. She
started
to walk away when one of the men cried out in anguish. She turned to see
a man
was being carried out of the hut. She turned back to the boy again. [What
happen?] she asked. The boy who was now pale turned to her.
[She will not
live.] he said sadly, now oblivious to her charms.
Ranma frowned and pushed her way into the hut.
[You can't go in there!] called
the boy chasing after her.
[Let her go boy, and forget any ideas you had about her.] said one of
the
elders standing at the door.
[She spoke to you?] asked the boy.
[No but I recognize some of the books she has on that bag of hers. You
do not
want to anger someone like her. She will not harm anyone, quite the
opposite.]
said the elder.
[What?] said the confused boy, just then a bright pink light emanated
from the
hut. The woman inside began screaming again in pain, only this time it
was far
worse than before. A few moments past and some of the men ran from the
hut in
terror. The boy looked to see the old man was laughing heartily.
The girl emerged from the hut and started to walk away. [My village is
grateful to you great mage.] said the old man placidly.
[Not great...not yet.] said Ranma without turning as she walked away
calmly towards the edge of the tiny village.
[What did you do to my sister?] said the boy angrily as he walked over
to
Ranma.
The elder stiffened and sucked in a quick breath, [Quiet boy! Show some
respect, she is the reason your sister lives now!] he
snapped. [Do you wish to anger her?]
Ranma turned and stared at the boy with her piercing blue eyes; The boy
faltered. [Is OK. I show,] she turned to the boy and
smiled [This really hurt.] she said and grabbed his arm with blinding
speed. He
yelped in surprise and pain as her hands glowed pink again. He felt his
arm burn
in pain as if his bones were on fire inside. He began to scream in agony
and
fell to his knees as she let go clutching his arm. He stayed that way for
a
moment and tried to catch his breath. [That what do to sister,] she said
with a
smile. The boy didn't know what to say he simply stared at his arm in
disbelief. Ranma walked out of the village with her animals following.
Ryoga sat in the corner of the abandoned hut. He glared as Ranma sat
sleeping
into a corner. Genma watched her with an angry stare. He was still quite
upset
about what Ranma had done at the amazon village. The guide had abandoned
them a
few days ago because of the so called 'Kiss of death'. Ranma had neither
seen
nor heard anything about the amazons since. That had been a week ago.
Ryoga
walked over to the pack and rummaged around for a moment; a few seconds
later he emerged with a
small curved knife in his teeth.
"Ranma, girl or not you die for what you've done to me!" thought the
piglet angrily; that was when he saw a shadow loom over him, he turned
and saw a small delicate looking
foot come towards his face. He squealed in fear and pain as it landed on
his head squashing him flat.
Shampoo cursed as she felt her foot hit something soft and round. It
squealed
loudly. Ranma woke with a start and charged at her. Shampoo jumped up
barely
avoiding Ranma. She flipped over her and came down slashing at Ranma's
back
with her sword. Ranma screamed as the Amazon made a long shallow cut
along her back with her spear. The pigtailed girl
rolled and scooped up the pig and her bag before leaping out the window
and
disappearing into the night. The panda watched this wide eyed from the
corner
and did not move; Shampoo snorted and walked out angrily chasing after
Ranma.
It was almost five a.m. before Ranma finally lost her. He had retreated
into
the woods and found refuge in a tree. Her clothes were slashed and she
bled
from several small wounds. She held the pig in her arms and drifted off
into
sleep.
Ryoga squirmed out of Ranma's arms and glared at her. He had not liked
the
ride she had given him last night. Snorting angrily he moved into the
small
space between her and the tree. He began to push her as hard as he could
off
the branch. After a few moments she budged. Ryoga snorted and moved over
to her
side. He put his head against her and shoved as hard. Ranma's eyes shot
open
and she scooped him up. He squealed in terror as she jumped up to the
next
branch. He looked down to see that the space he had been in was covered
in
shruken. He shook in fright as the adrenaline rushed through his veins.
Ranma
dropped through the branches occasionally dodging another projectile from
the
ground. Finally she landed on the ground facing a furious Shampoo; the
girl
decided she had enough of the amazon.
"Ranma I kill." Shampoo spat holding a spear against her side. She
pointed it
at Ranma and stabbed, Ranma dodged and did a hooking crescent kick at the
young
amazons head, Shampoo blocked and slashed Ranma across the stomach
ripping a
long gash across it and tearing her shirt. Ranma fell to her knees and
rolled
as Shampoo attempted to stab her while she was down. Ranma took the
opportunity to uppercut her and send her flying into a nearby tree.
Shampoo
cried out as she felt her back slam into the tree. She slumped
unconscious.
Ranma looked at her a moment and walked away.
A few minutes later Shampoo woke with a start. "Why didn't she kill me?"
she
wondered as she inspected herself. A smile formed on her lips, "Maybe she
can't." she smiled at her opponent's weakness.
Ranma walked on and met her father on the outside of the town they had
stayed
in before Shampoo had attacked. Genma ran up to her with a sign that
said. "Son
I'm so glad your safe!"
Ranma glared at him and turned her back. She walked away with Genma
following.
She neither acknowledged his presence or tried to turn him away. She just
walked on. She had a long way to go to reach the pacific.
It would be almost three days before Shampoo attacked again.
The next day Ranma found herself in a pitiful looking village where
people sat and watched her
and her companions go by. Children scurried away from her as she passed
through. They watched her as she walked by from around corners and hidden
in
shadows. One boy just sat in the middle of the street and stared off into
the
distance. She walked up to him and looked down. He was pitiful, he just
sat and
stared at nothing. [Hey boy, you get hurt you stay in road.] she said in
bad broken
Mandarin. The boy was startled and cowered in fear. A woman in one of the
homes
started to move towards Ranma but was stopped by someone inside. She let
out a
soft pained cry. She was obviously this child's mother. The boy was
blind.
Ranma felt her chest become tight.
[Stand boy be man,] she pulled the boy to his feet and wiped his face;
he placed his hands on her face, and gently rubbed her features in
confusion. [Not how see, I show.] Ranma clutched the boy's head and
closed her eyes; The boy cried out again in surprise
and fear, he twisted in a vain attempt to break Ranma's firm grip on his
head.
The mother finally freed herself from the home and ran towards Ranma.
Ranma's
hands glowed bright blue and the boy fell to the ground unconscious.
[You killed my baby!] cried the woman as she held the seemingly deceased
boy
in her arms. [I curse you traveler.]
[I simply gave him what he deserved.] said the sorceress as she walked
out of the
village with a wry smile on her face. "Now I know that spell works." she
thought. Genma and Ryoga just followed blindly, they had seen this many
times
before in other villages.
"You're going soft boy," said Genma's sign.
"Kindness is not a weakness," was her reply.
The boy woke in her arms as the woman wept clutching him tightly. The
village
looked on in anger. [Mom, there is something wrong with my eyes,] the boy
sounded frightened and weak.
[Yes I know.] The woman pulled away. [What?]
The boy began crying. [She did something to my eyes mom!] he said as
tears streamed his eyes, he was crying in fear.
[You are alive!] cried the woman and she bent down to kiss her son in
joy. He
pulled away reflexively.
The woman stopped and stared at him. One of the villagers waved his hand
in
front of the boy's face and he shied away. The villagers all looked at
the
figures that were disappearing over the horizon.
Shampoo stood and watched her prey for a moment as she bought a small
meal
from a local restaurant. She smiled as Ranma began to eat. "I won't give
you
the pleasure of a meal," she sneered and charged at her.
Ranma looked up from her beef fried rice as the wall of the small
restaurant
crashed in revealing an angry Shampoo. "Ranma I kill!" cried the Amazon.
Ranma
uttered a single curse in frustration at the surprise attack; She quickly
back flipped over the counter and landed next to the grill as Shampoo
dove after
her. Ranma ducked causing the bonbori to slam into the grill completely
demolishing it. She rolled between the Amazon's legs and kicked her in
the back
as she flipped back to her feet. Shampoo was thrown against the hot grill
and
she screamed and jumped off. She dropped the bonbori and pulled out a
nasty
looking sword and turned slashing at Ranma; the pigtailed girl ducked and
rolled away again causing
Shampoo to take a large section of the counter off. Ranma leapt over the
counter
and rolled yet again barely avoiding an attempt to catch her in mid air.
She
dashed out of the restaurant's front door. Ranma turned toward the
restaurant
only to see it explode in a ball of fire.
Ranma looked around the remains of the restaurant an hour later. None of
the
customers had survived the attack. She looked at the remains of the grill
again. When Shampoo had hit it with her bonbori she had damaged the tank
which
held the fuel. The owner had been using one much to large for the grill
and it
had exploded the moment the gas came in contact with the pilot flame.
"She
isn't here." muttered Ranma after searching the rubble; Shampoo had
escaped.
Ranma took her things and walked towards where she had left Mr.P and her
father on the outskirts of town. She had learned the other day that
bringing
animals into villages where people were starving was dangerous,
especially for
the animals.
Shampoo smiled as she watched Ranma walk on from her perch in the trees.
She
would kill her yet. She knew where she was going and that was enough for
now.
About a day later Ranma walked along a path that led through some woods.
She
walked silently with the pig on her back who secretly plotted her death,
and a
panda behind her who sulked from being ignored. Ryoga had managed to get
a good sized rock onto the top of the bag. He laughed
his little pig laugh as he pushed it towards the edge towards Ranma's
head. The
top of the bag was about two feet above Ranma's head and she would
definitely
feel the blow. Ranma stopped and ducked suddenly and Ryoga looked over
the edge
of the stone to see a branch swinging towards him. He squealed and jumped
into
the air leaping over it. It knocked the rock neatly off the pack and it
rolled
into the bush. He landed back on the pack. and looked at the branch as
it
swayed from its momentum.
Ranma walked until she felt something against her shin. She looked down
and
saw a thin line that stretched across the path. She ducked and felt
something
go over her head. She also felt something fall of her back. "Mr.P!" she
cried
and turned to see the branch swinging in the air. It was covered in
spikes. She
tensed up and looked to the ground and hoped she didn't see what she
thought
was there. She heard a soft squeal from behind her and saw the pig
hyperventilating on her back as he stared at the spiked branch. She
sighed in
relief and cautiously continued on her path. She considered going back
but she
couldn't be sure how many traps she had missed. She pressed on and
uncovered
several other lethal traps including one who had caught an unfortunate
traveler. She looked down the pit and saw a bag that had red spikes
protruding
from it with arms and legs also impaled on spikes jutting from the sides.
A few
minutes later Ranma nearly killed herself by walking into some nearly
transparent wire that cut her cheek and arms when she walked into it.
A few hours later Shampoo attacked again. Ranma narrowly escaped again
barely
avoiding the girls blades by getting on a small boat and floating away in
piranha ridden waters. And so it went for seven months. Shampoo setting
traps
when she could and ambushing Ranma at every turn, night and day. Ranma
resting
only when she had to and most of the time only barely surviving the
attacks and
traps. Until one day...
Ranma desperately ran up the side of the mountain and weaved around the
trees. She didn't know how far the Amazon was behind her. "Doesn't she
ever
give up?" she thought as she ran. She felt something in the air around
her and
jumped straight up in the air. As soon as she was clear two logs slammed
into
each other beneath her. She landed on them as they collided and jumped
off to
the side as a third log came down from above. She continued running until
she
reached the top. She stopped and stared at her precarious situation. She
had
come to a cliff. She looked down and saw fog below her about four hundred
feet
down. The ground was who knows how far below that. She turned to see a
battle
scarred and tired looking Shampoo standing below her about twenty yards
away.
Shampoo's body was covered in almost as many scars as Ranma's was, she
looked
crazed and angry as ever.
"Why you no die?!!!"; she cried as she charged Ranma.
Ranma dodged and weaved from Shampoo's blows. She tried desperately to
find a
way to escape. Ranma realized that she was trapped, there was no where
for her
to run to this time. She had to fight or die. She glanced around
desperately
hoping she missed something any escape she might try, there was none. She
turned and stared down the Amazon who stared at her with cold eyes, the
vacant
eyes that only the insane could posses. It was obvious that Shampoo could
see
the fear in Ranma's eyes. "No where run now coward, I kill now." said
Shampoo
with and evil grin. Ranma punched at the Amazon who grunted and slammed
her in
the face with her bonbori.
Ranma fell to her knees...and something happened to her. She felt
something
snap. She cried out an inhuman battle cry and tuned on Shampoo.
Shampoo didn't even get a chance to react. She fought as best she could
but
was easily over come by the enraged Ranma. Shampoo fell to her knees
after a
devastating blow to her face. She felt the bonbori slip from her hands.
Ranma
looked at her and turned away she began walking along the edge of the
cliff
towards the river where Shampoo had ambushed her and her animal
companions.
Shampoo looked at her hands and screamed, she had lost. She rose to her
feet
and pulled a small knife from her robes. She looked at it and then Ranma.
She
cried out and charged at Ranma; She would win or die.
Ranma turned towards Shampoo's anguished yell and sidestepped as the
young
girl charged her. She suddenly remembered where she was and grabbed
Shampoo's
arm as the Amazon tumbled off the edge of the cliff.
Ranma clung to Shampoo and felt herself being drug off the edge as well.
She
looked into Shampoo's eyes and saw fear. Shampoo's nails dug into Ranma's
arm
as she clung desperately to her arm with her hand. Her other arm flailed
about
trying to find some purchase in the rocky cliff side; Tears fell from her
eyes as she looked down and felt the hand of death in her heart.
"Give me your other
hand." said Ranma as she reached for the other arm. Shampoo's expression
changed in a matter of a second. She smiled evilly as Ranma reached lower
in
order to save the young Amazon. Just low enough.
"Die!!!" screamed Shampoo as she slashed at Ranma's throat with the knife
she
had in her other arm. Ranma backed her head away and Shampoo's slash
missed by
a hair. Shampoo flailed and stabbed Ranma's arm angrily. Ranma cried out
and
felt her hand go. Shampoo fell from her grip. "Dieeeeeee!" screamed
Shampoo as
she fell; the look of rage never left her face.
"Noooooooo!" screamed Ranma as she reached for the amazon's fading
figure.
Shampoo's last words were a curse to Ranma; she watched as the Amazon
fell seemingly
hanging in the air for hours before she finally vanished into the fog
below.
Exhausted the sorceress lay on the ground and wept for a moment. She
looked at the knife in her
arm for a moment before she pulled it out slowly and screamed in pain.
She
flipped it over in her hands and looked at it before placing it in her
shirt
and standing shakily peering over the cliff in silent mourning.
Ranma staggered into the small makeshift camp. The animals looked at her
as
she walked up and sat down tired and weak. "Its over...she is gone." That
was all she told them; with that she collapsed against he father's fur
coat in tears. Ryoga
walked over and sat on her lap, he looked into her eyes and sighed as
best as
he could. She settled and went to sleep there.
Ryoga never tried to kill Ranma again after that day.
"...and that is the story of Shampoo." finished Ranma as she sighed
deeply in
an effort to control her emotions. "After that I found my way back to
Japan
without much incident." Ranma flipped the knife over in her hands
playing with
it idly as she spoke.
Akane stared at Ranma with tears in her eyes. She said nothing.
"Ya, know it's funny. Even after every thing she did to me I still felt
terrible about her death. I never knew how hard it was to kill someone."
Ranma lay back in her chair and closed her eyes
"You didn't kill her; she died because she stabbed you." Dr. Tofu was
still a
bit shocked about the whole thing.
Ranma rubbed the scar on her arm absently. "No...I could have held on to
her
and pulled her up, the reflex I got from the stab was to squeeze tighter.
Sure
my arm would have been cut a little from that Psycho. I made a conscious
decision to let her go," Ranma looked reflective, "I remember that
decision
more clearly than anything else."
"Ranma...If it helps...you did the right thing." said Akane quietly as
she grabbed her around the neck, Ranma was flustered for a moment and
recovered when she was released before the girl noticed.
"I admire your strength to keep from doing it for so long." Tofu frowned
and looked away from the two girls for a moment,
"Even if I don't agree with your decision."
"Dr. Tofu?" Akane was shocked.
"I am a doctor Akane. I value all life. Even though I admit I would not
have
been that strong myself." said Dr. Tofu deep in his own thoughts.
"What am I going to do about Mousse?" thought Ranma as she drifted off to
sleep again.
Well, that's chapter 5. I hope it shed some light on Ranma's trip and
why
she is the way she is now.
C&C to carrotglace@juno.com
________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.