Ranma vs. The World part 10: The ninja strikes.
Ranma and Ryoga wandered into a bar and sat at the counter. "Hey, where
can we find some information on someone named Ryu?" said Ranma as he held
up a large bill to the bar tender.
The man took it and nodded over to a corner where a man sat alone. He
was well built, had a large wide brimmed hat on his head that hid his
eyes and tied around his neck was a bandanna. Ranma and Ryoga walked over
to him. "Wada ya want?"
"We're looking for someone," answered Ryoga as he eyed him carefully.
There was something about this man that disturbed him slightly. Ranma
looked relaxed and calm.
"Well I'd say you found someone eh?" answered the man with a small
chuckle. He stood and pulled a bat from under the table. He rested it on
his shoulder and grinned at the pair with an unfriendly stare.
"Look we just want a little information, we're not out for trouble,"
said Ranma carefully.
The man swung the bat and Ranma ducked, Ryoga simply caught it in his
palm. The man frowned and stepped back into a fighting stance. "I'm sick
of them sending you young punks to me. I left Italy to get away from you
little bastards and they still send you. I'll teach you the same way I
taught the others," snarled the man as he back handed Ryoga in the face
and sent him into the bar.
Ranma jumped towards him and punched the man in the face easily avoiding
his swings.
"Ranma no, I want this one," said Ryoga as he stood and shook his head.
He didn't know what that bat was made of but it hit just as hard as his
umbrella did. He pulled it off his back and stood ready for the man's
attack. The man charged and Ryoga blocked the bat with his weapon. He
punched the man in the stomach and received a hard uppercut for his
efforts. Both men staggered back. Ryoga growled and charged in, the man
swung up with the bat and took Ryoga dead in the jaw. Ryoga was sent over
several tables and crashed to the ground between several patrons.
"Home run!" said the man as he turned back to his table. Ryoga stood and
snarled the man turned and smiled as he realized that he had more fight
left in him. "Go back to your mom weakling."
"I'll show you weak! Hado ken!" cried Ryoga as he shot a chi blast at
the man.
He simply smiled and readied himself like a baseball player. With a
grunt he swung and slammed his bat into the fireball and sent it directly
into Ryoga's chest. The lost boy was thrown into the wall from his own
attack and slumped to the ground.
"Pathetic," snorted the man as he walked back to his table and lifted
his drink to his mouth.
"Its not over yet, not by a long shot!" said a voice from behind him.
The man turned to see Ryoga standing with a large grin on his face.
"Let's finish this."
"Kid I'm gonna make you sorry you were ever born. No one gets between a
man and his beer," snarled the man as he stared Ryoga down. Ryoga just
stared right back, no fear, just determination.
"You can't make me sorry I was born, that's his job," said Ryoga jerking
his thumb towards Ranma.
"Hey!" cried Ranma defensively.
The man simply charged and swung at Ryoga who stopped the bat easily
with his hand. The man tried to follow up with a punch but Ryoga ducked
under the bat and elbowed him in the gut. The man bent forward and Ryoga
kneed his chest sending him to the floor.
"Little bastard!" cried the man in anger as he swung the bat full force
Ryoga dodged and parried with his umbrella for several minutes while the
man destroyed the bar in his rage. He swung at Ryoga and the lost boy
stopped his bat with a single finger. "Impossible!" he cried angrily.
"Let's see how well you do without your bat," sneered Ryoga as the bat
cracked and then shattered.
The man yelled in rage and charged Ryoga who sidestepped and brought his
umbrella down hard on the back of his head. The man fell to the floor
unconscious.
"What happened? You were getting the crap beat out of you," said Ranma
with a bewildered stare. "How'd you get so much better all of a sudden?"
"Easy, I fought him like I have to fight you," snorted Ryoga.
"What do you mean?" asked Ranma.
"Usually I can just overpower my opponents, but when I meet someone
stronger or faster than me I have to fight with skill instead of
strength," answered Ryoga.
"Why don't you just fight like that all the time?" asked Ranma dumbly.
"Because it isn't really necessary with most opponents. It takes less
energy for me to take a hit than to dodge it. The breaking point training
made it so only someone really strong could hurt me, you know that," said
Ryoga with an annoyed glare.
"I'd rather just not get hit," replied Ranma.
"That's because you're weak," snorted Ryoga.
"I'm strong enough to kick your butt!" retorted Ranma angrily.
"We'll see about that!" cried Ryoga as he swung.
In the shadows two figures watched from separate corners of the room.
"That one had grace and beauty. He is almost as handsome as I. Perhaps we
were destined for one another? I shall meet him, we shall fight and it
should be a glorious battle. Only handsome fighters win true combat; but
what if both are fair?" said one to himself as he sipped his wine and
watched the exchange coolly.
Ranma stood and pushed Ryoga to the floor with his foot as the lost boy
shoved his head back with his hand and struggled to rise. "To find such
strength in one so fair arouses me."
Ranma stopped and looked around. "What are you doing we are fighting
dammit!"
"I think we should leave," said Ranma finally.
"What? Why?" said Ryoga.
"I just got a weird feeling. Kinda like what I felt before I met Kodachi
or when Ukyo and Shampoo arrived in Nerima. I just think we should go,"
said Ranma as he looked around warily.
The bartender simply stood and cleaned glasses and most of the customers
had fled the chaos. The only ones who remained were a few die hards at
the bar and a few people sitting in booths.
"That's redicu..." Ryoga stopped as he felt a familiar presence. "For
once I think your right Saotome. We won't find anything out here."
"Humph, They are still not ready." snorted the other figure in the
shadows as an aura glowed around him. "But perhaps the other one
watching..."
Ranma and Ryoga sat in their hotel room later that night and collapsed
on the beds. "Ranma this is getting expensive, we have to find this guy,"
said Ryoga.
"Duh braniac, you think I didn't know that?" snorted Ranma as he buried
his head in the pillow. Ryoga was too tired to argue with him.
Late that night Ranma snapped awake and sat up. He turned and looked
around the room warily. "Who's in here?" he cried. Ryoga groaned in his
sleep and tossed his pillow at the noise unconsciously sending Ranma to
the floor. "Dammit Ryoga!" he muttered as he picked himself up. He turned
to the table and reached for the lamp. His fingers brushed against
something and he grabbed it and turned the light on. "A letter?" he
muttered as he looked at the envelope in his hand. He turned to see the
window was still open. He growled and opened the note carefully.
Dear sir,
Information on the man who you seek has come into the hands of our
honored host. We ask that you come to his home and negotiate terms for
the information. You will be received tomorrow evening at nine o'clock.
Please go to the address on the card enclosed. We eagerly await your
arrival.
The next morning Ranma sat with Ryoga at a small cafe just outside the
hotel. "So what do we do?"
"We go, we can't find any information on our own. All we know is he was
here. What else could we do?" answered Ranma.
"It could be a trap, remember China?" said Ryoga warningly.
"We don't have much choice, besides when has that ever stopped us?" said
Ranma cheerfully.
"Maybe it should," said Ryoga with a small grin.
That night Ranma and Ryoga stood at the door of a large mansion. It
opened after a moment and a stuffy looking butler greeted them.
"Yes?" he said.
"We received this last night," said Ranma as he held out the invitation.
"This way," said the man as he led them through the elaborate home. They
were taken to a small stairway and led into a dark room with a large
fenced in arena. On a stage a band played and women danced excitedly, as
guest drank and laughed around the cage. The pair were taken to a table
and sat near the entrance to the cage.
"At least we got good seats," snorted Ryoga. A man entered and the
lights dimmed the crowd cheered and he waved. He had long brown hair that
was braided to the small of his back and a long snake tattoo that went
around his torso from his waist to his chest. He was wearing a porcelain
mask and had a long set of claws on his right hand.
"Vega!" cried the crowed excitedly. Ranma frowned and stood.
"Ah my handsome friend you have arrived. I am called Vega, I have
something you want," said the man as he climbed into the cage.
Ranma felt very uncomfortable under his gaze. "You have information on
Ryu?"
"That I do, If you want it I'm afraid you'll have to defeat me," said
the man as he bowed dramatically.
Ranma smiled and cracked his knuckles. "I've got no problem with that,"
he said as he jumped over the fence and into the ring with Vega.
Ryoga frowned and looked at the wall behind him. Hanging there were
hundreds of scalps. "I've got a feeling you may have gotten in over your
head Saotome," He said to himself as he turned towards the ring.
Ranma bowed to his opponent and Vega saluted him by bringing his claw up
to his chest. "Well lets see which of us is truly the more fair," said
Vega with a confident air about him.
"What?" said Ranma with a cold glare.
"Truly you must understand, that only those who hold such beauty as us
may win a battle. It is the way of things," said Vega.
"I know a guy a lot like you back home, he is just as arrogant and air
headed," snorted Ranma calmly.
"Your words sting me my love; surely we shall make the ultimate love as
we dance in combat to the death. Surely one with beauty such as yours can
appreciate such a glorious battle," said Vega as he finally stood ready.
"This guy is nuts!" thought Ranma as he prepared himself.
Vega yelled and charged towards Ranma with his claw raised...
Ranma vs. the world part 11. The iron cage and the dragon fist.
Ranma rolled to the side as Vega's claw came down and struck the ground
where he had been only moments before. He jumped back and shot a few jabs
towards the man. Vega moved fluidly out of the way of all his strikes and
slashed at him again with the claw. Ranma moved aside, but not before
Vega shaved the bottom of his pigtail slightly. He ducked with blinding
speed and tried for the ninja's feet with a low sweep only to have Vega
jab at his leg forcing him to back off.
"Damn I gotta get that claw away from him!" thought Ranma in a panic.
Vega laughed and stood arrogantly a few yards away from him. "Come now
fool, surely you can do better. I was expecting a challenge from one as
fair as you."
Ranma growled and glared at him evenly. "I'll give you a challenge!" he
roared as he charged Vega sending a volley of amaguriken speed punches at
the man. Vega reeled back as he was struck dead on and slammed into the
fence. Ranma charged and kicked at him while he was leaning against it.
Vega grabbed the fence and lifted himself into the air with his legs over
his head. Ranma's kick hit the fence at the same moment as Vega let go
and tackled him. Ranma screamed in pain as the claws were jammed into his
shoulder hard. Vega smiled as he felt the tendons snap and then the
solidity of the concrete floor as the blades impaled the boy's arm
completely. He twisted his hand before pulling back and raising his hand
for another strike.
Ranma's arm screamed in pain as Vega pulled the blades out. The man had
made a fatal mistake however, when he left the boy's legs free. Ranma
kicked up and grabbed the sides of Vega's head with his feet. He smiled
darkly as he saw the surprise register in the man's face as he lifted him
into the air and slammed his head down into the concrete as hard as he
could. Vega rolled with the blow and Ranma cursed as he stood shakily.
Vega stood across the arena and shook his head to clear the daze.
Ranma grit his teeth and closed his fist as he gathered the ki from the
air around him. "Bastard. Eat this Hado ken!" he lifted his good arm and
shot a large blast of energy at Vega. Unfortunately the blast knocked him
back into the fence and caused him to jam his injured shoulder. He
growled and grit his teeth as the pain blacked his vision out for a
moment.
Vega saw the blast coming and back flipped twice as it neared him, just
as it was about to catch him he flipped onto the side of the fence and
kicked off it over the fireball. He hit the ground rolling and stopped
dead in front of the still dazed Ranma stabbing his right upper thigh
this time.
Ranma screamed again and swung at the ninja forcing him to back off for
a moment. He kicked Vega in the chest and turned into a vicious elbow at
his neck. Vega staggered but recovered quickly and rolled between Ranma's
wide stance slashing his right leg again as he passed. He then turned and
swept the boy's legs from under him.
Ranma hit the floor hard and his head cracked the floor as it hit. He
quickly rolled to the side as Vega's claw came down where his head was.
Ranma stood quickly and wavered for a moment on his good leg.
"I knew you were worthy of me. No one has given me this much trouble for
some time my friend," said the man as he removed this mask. Ranma smiled
and tapped a fragment of the cracked floor up with a light tap of his
shoe. Vega's eyes went wide as Ranma then quickly kicked it and sent it
into his face. Vega screamed as if he had just had his face ripped off.
He clutched his face and glared at Ranma through his fingers with wild
eyes. A small cut had formed on his face and was bleeding slightly.
"I will kill you," said Vega with a now deadly calm.
"Just try it," sneered Ranma as he put his hands up.
Vega Charged forward and replaced his mask. Ranma tried to kick him back
and he simply swiped his arm to the side.
Ranma's eyes went wide at what he saw. His ankle had three blades
sticking from it. He fell to the ground and yelled as he clutched it.
Vega simply stood over him and watched as the blood ran down his claws.
Ryoga frowned and glared into the cage. He realized what was going on.
Ranma was trying to set up the heaven blast but his plan backfired in his
face. "Ranma, don't you dare lose." he yelled.
As he lay on the ground a plan formed in Ranma's mind. "It might
work...if I can stand and last long enough to do it."
Ranma stood shakily and watched Vega carefully. The man simply stood and
did nothing but stare at him unmoving. He realized that if he attacked
now he would probably be killed. So he waited.
He didn't wait long however as Vega charged silently and slashed at the
mostly immobile Ranma's arm. The boy ignored the pain and concentrated as
the ninja moved in from behind him and took a shot at his back. Ranma
managed to dodge it but was caught by the back swing in the chest. He
fell to one knee and almost collapsed. Vega hopped higher and higher
along the edge of the cage until he was almost to the top. Ranma grit his
teeth and tried to focus the chi around him.
Then Vega dove straight for him. "No! Too soon!" was all Ranma could
think as he punched upwards reflexively. He felt an almost overwhelming
power surge through him and he felt almost like he should be in the air
but didn't quite make it. The next thing he knew Vega was flying up into
the air away from him. The ninja landed roughly and stayed down.
"What the hell was?" thought Ranma as he felt some one take his arm. He
looked to see a sullen looking man in a Tuxedo holding his arm up
silently.
He shook him off and walked over to where Vega lay and knelt down beside
him. He lifted the mask and frowned as he saw Vega glaring at him with
hate filled eyes. A single trickle of blood ran from his mouth. "I won
where is Ryu?"
"I will never concede defeat," said Vega as he tried to raise his claw
and failed.
Ranma frowned and punched him dead in the face. Vega ceased to move.
"Our sources report that he was last sighted in England," said one of
the servants just outside the cage. The crowd began to cheer loudly as
Ranma exited the cage staggering and hopping on his one good leg.
Ryoga was the first to meet him. "Was that?" he said looking at Ranma
with a serious gaze.
"It wasn't Sho ryu ken...but it was close," replied Ranma to the
unfinished question.
In the shadows a dark figure sneered at the spectacle. "It seems I was
mistaken about the ninja, he'll be of little challenge. The boy however
is coming close," it said as it watched.
Three days later the pair was on a plane bound for London. "Ranma maybe
we should wait." said Ryoga. "You're in no condition to travel and you'll
slow us down."
"No, if we don't go now we may never find him," said Ranma sharply as he
hobbled over to his seat with his crutches.
Ryoga frowned and accepted it. "Ranma what was that thing you did in the
ring?"
"I don't really know. I was trying to do a stationary Hiryu shouten ha.
I was focusing the ki in the air and trying to move it in a spiral when
Vega attacked. I hadn't had time to charge it properly so I just let go
with what I had. The next thing I knew I had won," said Ranma as he gazed
out the window and watched the baggage load.
"A stationary Hiryu shouten ha?" said Ryoga in surprise. "I didn't think
you could."
"Well I wouldn't know till I try will I? It would have worked if he had
come a few seconds later."
"Instead you got a sort of 'Ryu Ken'." said Ryoga thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I was charging the cold energy in my fist when he attacked me,"
said Ranma looking contemplative.
"Cold energy?" said Ryoga skeptically.
"Basically I was making sure there was no chi in my arm so it would get
cool. That's what causes body heat, chi," said Ranma absently as he
glared out the window.
Ryoga smiled as the plane lifted off. He had a lot to think about on the
way to England. However unintentionally Ranma had just taught him how to
do the Hiryu shouten ha and maybe he had even given him the secret of the
Shoryuken.
Ranma vs. The world part 12.
A gentlemen's game.
Ryoga staggered off the plane weary and drowsy from the flight. He had
never experienced jet lag before and it was certainly an interesting
experience for him. It felt like three a.m. to him and Ranma was
practically fresh as a daisy.
Still in crutches Ranma cheerfully hobbled his way down the hallway with
Ryoga in tow. He stopped at a pub just outside the airport after they
finished their trip through customs and there they sat down to eat just
beside the bar.
"So where do we go from here Ranma?" asked Ryoga looking more irritated
than usual as he placed his wet umbrella across the back of his traveling
bag.
"We need a hotel at least," muttered the currently female Ranma as she
shoved another sandwich in her mouth casually. The lost boy grumbled and
simply sat with his eyes closed as the men at the bar quietly watched
soccer with an occasional cheer.
"I guess we can check out a few hot spots around later tonight...Ryoga?"
Ranma noticed Ryoga was sitting in a rather relaxed position and
drooling. "Dammit P-chan wake up! I can't carry you around on these
stupid things!" she scolded giving him a whack on the head with one of
the wooden crutches. Ryoga snapped awake and just snorted indifferently.
"I heard you, let's just get to the hotel I can barely stand," he
slurred.
"I doubt if you'd make it jerk," grumbled Ranma as she stood to pay the
check.
At the bar Ranma's money was waved away. "It's been taken care of by the
gentleman at the booth."
"Huh?" said Ranma in surprise. She turned to see a large black man
sitting in a booth with a stiff collared shirt and a cup of tea in front
of him. He waved her over and smiled as she sat.
"Join me for a spot of tea?" he said calmly as she walked over.
"Thanks, but I'm with someone," said Ranma warily.
"Oh, bother I forgot to introduce myself. I am Dudly, world famous boxer
and renowned sportsman. I was wondering...would your companion be Mr.
Hibiki?"
Ranma stopped cold. "What if he is?"
"Oh don't be so worrisome, it's just that I have heard he was following
Mr. Ryu with his companion Mr. Saotome and a rather attractive young
woman. I would like to meet them; but I understand Mr. Saotome is
injured; and it appears you have suffered unfortunately as well," said
the man pleasantly.
"I'm afraid 'Mr. Hibiki' has a bit of jet lag right now..." said Ranma
as she calmed down considerably.
"Perfectly understandable, I wouldn't want to inconvenience you at the
moment; I know your busy with just arriving and all. Just wanted to make
sure I was on the card you see. Your two friends are making quite a
splash in our little circuit," said Dudly as he sipped at his tea
delicately.
"Really?" said Ranma in genuine surprise.
"Oh yes, word has it the two of them may be eligible for a ticket to the
grand fight with Mr. Bison himself this year in Thailand. Mr. Ryu is sure
to be there; but it is still several weeks away," said Dudly calmly as
ever.
Ranma felt a small surge of pride form in the pit of her chest. If she
came home with that under her belt then her father would definitely have
some serious bragging rights; Not that she cared much about that; Just
making it to the grand fight was enough. She turned her attention towards
the man and smiled warmly. "Do you know where Ryu is?"
"Of course, tell your friends they'll find out after the match, win or
lose. I do hope your friend is up to it, say around nine o' clock
tomorrow night? At the boxing arena near the airport's south side?" said
Dudly with a small twinkle in his eye.
"How much?" asked Ranma calmly. She knew that getting a lead so quickly
was almost too good to be true. Regardless of what the man said, Ranma
would jump on the opportunity like a starving rat on the last piece of
cheese on the planet.
"You bring seven thousand pounds and the purse is quadrupled if you win;
your hotel accommodations are on me of course. The Queen Elisabeth Hotel,
suite 233," said Dudly calmly as he finished off his tea and passed Ranma
a hotel key.
Ranma smiled again. "You got a deal," she said curtly.
"Those two have quite a business manager I must say. I am charmed and
hope to see you again. It was a pleasure doing business with you," he
took her hand and kissed it gently and dryly as he walked out of the pub.
It took all of Ranma's control just to keep from decking him.
"Wake up stupid, we have a fight." growled Ranma as she kicked Ryoga
awake. The lost boy sluggishly shook his head and scowled as he rose from
his chair.
"Already? We haven't even been here a day yet," he muttered.
"Whatever let's go," muttered Ranma as she hobbled towards the door.
A few moments later the pair were in a less than desirable section of
London. The hotel they were to stay in was a good walk from the airport
and the fact that Ranma was struggling with crutches didn't help matters
any.
"Ranma we know we're gonna get attacked right?" said Ryoga lazily as he
followed.
"Of course, I've never been to a place like this yet that I didn't get
attacked," said the girl lazily as they wandered through murky and dirty
streets that seemed devoid of human life.
A few feet later Ranma stumbled across a nest of punks. They were
typical Euro trash. Punked out as much as possible with leather and
various hair colors with lots of piercings and odd jewelry. Ranma sighed
and watched lazily as they surrounded her and ignored Ryoga.
"Hey luv ya know it ain't safe out on the streets alone," said the lead
punk as he placed a restraining hand on her shoulder. Ranma swat it off
and glared at him, but he didn't take the hint.
"Maybe we should protect you, for a price," said one of the others.
"I'm not alone," said Ranma as she jerked her thumb back at Ryoga
calmly.
"Heh, looks like you are to me, that shrimp doesn't count," said the
lead man again.
"Oy, Ryoga-san, Bakusai Tenketsu," said Ranma to her companion
halfheartedly.
Ryoga nodded and touched a stone staircase next to him causing it to
explode violently. Ranma sneered at the boys and walked on as they stared
at Ryoga nervously. The lead man was still surprisingly bold however.
"Boss don't take kindly to show off tourist," snorted the boy as he tried
to shove Ranma back into the circle of boys. He found himself suspended
in the air by his neck as Ranma held him against the wall using one of
her crutches.
"Back off brit boy. I don't have time to waste with you," she growled
and let him fall to the ground just before he passed out.
"OY! What's all this noise 'ere?" said a rumbling voice from the
apartment in front of them. Ranma paled as a huge black cyber punk that
put the boys around her to shame emerged and glared at them.
"B-boss...I uh..." stammered one of the boy's as he shook violently and
almost wet himself.
"I needs me beauty sleep see? Keep it down, and let those damn tourist
go! Da big man don't care about no stupid muggins! Scat the lot o' ya!"
growled the man as he ran a comb through his hair and snorted.
The punks made themselves scarce quickly and vanished into the alley
ways.
"Thanks," muttered Ranma halfheartedly as she glared at the newcomer
uneasily.
"Heh, don't worry about it missy. Just make sure that Mr. Hibiki makes
it to that fight all freshened up 'ere," said the man as he walked back
into the apartment lazily.
Ranma breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see Ryoga leaning against
a trashcan passed out again. She also felt a bit nervous that the man had
known about a fight that was only planned a half hour ago.
"Dammit Ryoga! What the hell is with you? You can walk around Japan non
stop for months and you can't stay awake for five minutes in London?!!"
The rest of the trip was uneventful.
That night Ryoga slept peacefully in his bed. Ranma smiled slightly as
she finished up another letter home. Her thoughts wandered from place to
place and she realized that she hadn't been male all day. If you've ever
been to London you'll understand why not, but still it was unusual for
her to have just been so oblivious about it. Needless to say she did not
feel like getting up at the moment just to change; besides, her bandages
needed to stay dry and they didn't have a proper bath anyway.
Her arm was much better and would be healed in a week or so; She looked
at her cast and frowned as she made a fist. A small ball of chi formed
and she sighed as he watched it burn in the air in front of her. For the
first time in her life it was not a chore to keep it there. Fed by the
life around her she felt as if she could keep it there almost
indefinitely. Still, the Sho ryu ken eluded her. Despite all her power
and skill, she could not perfect such a simple technique. "Maybe that's
just it, deceptively simple looking I suppose. Maybe I'm trying to hard
to find a simple way to do something that isn't simple?" mused Ranma with
a small grin appearing on her face. She sighed and watched as the glow
died down in her hand and left her in the darkness again. "I will find
it," she swore silently.
"I shall await that moment," said a dark voice in the back of her mind.
Ranma snapped alert and glanced around the room as a ghost of a presence
faded away. It's power was almost overwhelming and she could feel the
cold chill of evil still in the air.
In the still of the London air M. Bison stood on the balcony of his room
a few floors above Ranma and Ryoga's suite in the pent house. He gazed
off into the street and smiled to himself. "I think I'll take in a show
tomorrow, perhaps a boxing match."
Dear Akane,
It's been a few days since I've written home. I hope your all doing
well. Every day it feels like we're getting closer to Ryu, I know that
we'll catch up soon. I just hope he can help us with the technique...
It's becoming more and more obvious that it's some sort of power you have
to find in yourself. I've learned a lot, whether I find him or not I'm
still glad I made the trip. I know I won't fail, I'll make you all proud
of me. I swear it.
Now for the other half of my letter. Ryoga is doing well. He's as good a
traveling companion as he's always been. I'm honestly glad I brought him
in a way though. After such a hectic life I don't think I could take a
trip like this alone. I've never been really alone before. I suppose I
should tell you that I've been injured a little. It's nothing serious I
promise, looks much worse than it really is. The photo on the front of
the card is us on the shores of the Thames river, it's really wet in
England. It's almost impossible to stay dry [that's why I'm a girl in the
photo.] Kick Kuno for me once OK? I miss that.
Ja!
Ranma
Dearest Akari,
I hope this letter finds you well. Traveling with Ranma is pure hell. He
spends all his time as a girl flirting with the men here! Just yesterday
she conned some guy out of his lunch just by looking at him; and while
were in Spain he got his butt kicked and now he won't admit to it! It's
enough to make a real man sick! After that he tried to steal my umbrella
to stay dry, he said he was trying to keep me dry because of some stupid
bus; that liar has no shame. I miss Japan and hope to return there soon,
but only after I've defeated Ranma once and for all!
Until then,
Ryoga.
Akane frowned as she looked at the slightly bandaged Ranma on the front
of the post card. Ryoga had his elbow planted in her head and he had a
smile on his face. Ranma was glaring at him angrily and several men were
watching the whole scene all around them; most of them looking at Ranma.
"That dope, he looks like he almost got himself killed!" growled the
angry fianc�e.
Her friend Akari Unryuu sat cheerfully next to her and sighed
contentedly. She hugged her own card to her chest and looked at Akane.
"It's not so bad Akane, she probably just got stabbed through the foot or
something. He'll be fine."
"If he gets himself killed over some stupid martial arts technique I'll
kill him!" growled Akane as her battle aura flared.
"That's just how men are Akane, especially men like ours. They'll be
fine. Just have a little faith!" said Akari with a romantic gaze in her
eyes.
"I...suppose you're right," said Akane reluctantly as she leaned back
and watched the sky for a moment.
"Really?" said Akari in genuine surprise.
"That dope is too stupid to die so well," she finally finished.
Akari breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed all was right with the world
again.
TBC...
I'm planing on adding another chapter to this by thursday. Just thought
I'd post it again since so many of you havn't read it yet on the list.
It's also going on my page today.
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com
Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/