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The characters of the Ranma � universe are the
creation and possession of the brilliant Rumiko
Takahashi. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and her
licensees (Shogakukan Inc., Kitty-Fuji TV, Viz
Communications Inc.) No copyright infringement is
intended.
^�The Green Lantern^�, copyright ALL-AMERICAN COMICS
# 16 (July 1940)
(Note: Green Lantern #16 provided the inspiration for this story.
However only the colour green remains.)
WARNING: This story contains scenes that some readers may
find sexually suggestive and/or violent.
Extended author notes will be added at the end of
of Chapter one and again at the end of the final chapter.
*******************************************************
Bedlam Fire
Chapter 4
******************************************************
Shan Pu was not a happy Amazon. Something was
different at the Tendou household and that made her uneasy. In
her experience, change was a bad thing. Change meant illness,
famine . . . government officials. Like that last bunch from
Bejing - -trying to move sixty thousand farmers onto the border
lands between Qinghai and Tibet! She snorted softly in disgust
as she moved to get a better look into the Tendou home.
_Farmers_! The only thing they would accomplish
would be to destroy the pasturage before they starved to death
themselves. Pattering noiselessly across the roofs she leapt
across to the Tendou's house.
Of course, that was what Beijing wanted. They could
easily afford the trifling loss of sixty thousand peasants, for the
exchange of the "accidental" genocide of the Tibetan people.
And if the Amazon Nation should also vanish? That was all to
the good. For the Han Chinese anyway.
Which made their new Xiaolangdi venture all the
more ironic. In ten years the largest hydroelectric project in
the world was supposed to be producing about two thousand
megawatts of electricity.
Freezing in place Shan Pu listened to the night, with
more than just her ears. Satisfied that she was undetected, she
started moving stealthily toward a certain window.
Great-grandmother had, somehow, stopped Beijing
from getting financing from the International Monetary Fund,
which had delayed but not stopped the dam project. The
Central Party thought they had won. But, as with all Amazon
strategies, it was not the brandished sword but the hidden
dagger that was most dangerous.
Halting just above the window, she paused again,
listening. It wouldn't do to get caught, due to last minute
carelessness.
The Party was intent on eliminating internal enemies,
real and imagined, with guns, tanks and pogroms-- the old-men
in Beijing could not imagine being outsmarted. They were too
clever, too experienced, too ruthless. The thought that a tiny
population of quaint "Heroic Female Warriors", marginally
tolerated because of half-remembered service during the Great
Patriotic War, could or would mount an attack on the
government, was ludicrous.
Grabbing the edge of the roof Shan Pu swung herself
into space.
Amazon's loved a good joke--the simple humor of a
foot of steel in the gut, the deep belly laugh that came from
pouring boiling oil through a murder-hole. It was especially
funny if you could get the other girl to heat the oil.
Landing cat-like in the room, Shan Pu paused, listening
for human signs while she waited for her eyes to adapt to the
near total darkness.
Just as the Council of Mothers had influenced Bejing to
do what they loved doing anyway, big, showy--stupid--
engineering projects. They were not only heating the oil, they
were paying for the fire and the cauldron.
Twenty years after the dam was finished, famines
would engulf China proper.
Frowning she listened carefully in the darkness. This
was the first time in almost a week there hadn't been a light in
the room. That had decided her to make this attempt. She didn't
have the patience to wait half a century for results. A secretive
smile crossed her face. She _did_ like the concept of turning
your enemy's strength against them.
Cautiously, quiet as a cat's shadow, she moved to the
bed, gently searching for the occupant by touch.
Where _was_ the dratted girl? She started feeling along
the floor. Maybe she fell out of bed?
In a century, perhaps less, seventy percent of the Han
would be dead or dying of starvation and disease as their
biggest agricultural region self-destructed.
She didn't want the pervert-girl dead, that would be
wasteful as well as unwise. It would make Ranma depressed
and sulky. Worse, if he decided the Amazon's were
responsible for her death . . . Shan Pu shuddered, recalling
what had happened on a mountain in China not so long ago.
Better to use the Councils example-- help the violent pervert-
girl become the biggest and best pervert-girl she could be.
Then let her self-destruct and Shan Pu would be waiting around
to pick up the pieces.
Finishing her search, she'd even checked the closet,
Shan Pu bit her lip in thought. A habit that made her look
adorably seductive, and so long rehearsed in front of a mirror,
it looked completely natural..
Not in her room-- downstairs? Stealthily Shan Pu
padded down the corridor, listening at each room, one-by-one.
Satisfied that Akane was not there she continued downstairs.
Silent as a shadow she ghosted through the main room.
Finding nothing she decided to check the kitchen next.
"Would you like a snack?"
Shan Pu's heart exploded into her throat and she almost
went to her knees in shock.
"Are you all right?" Kasumi put a concerned hand on
Shan Pu's arm to help her up.
"shhhaa," Shan Pu squeaked. Embarrassed she tried
again. "S . . .Shan Pu okay." Once her heart restarted she would
be. "What Kasumi doing?"
"I thought you might like some tea before you left."
"How . . ." Shan Pu closed her mouth with a snap.
There were some things women were not meant to know.
"If you're looking for Akane, she left hours ago."
Kasumi smiled sweetly. "Would you like to wait----" Kasumi
blinked as Shan Pu seemed to evaporate before her eyes.
"She's doing much better with doors," Kasumi murmured to
herself, gathering splinters of wood and stacking them neatly
just inside. "Only the left side broken this time."
*****************************************************
Shan Pu took to the roof tops, instinctively heading for
the high ground, or in this case, roof. She wanted a clear view
all around the Tendou home so she could see Akane coming.
_Something_ was going on. Something that involved her
husband. She intended to find out what.
Two hours later Shan Pu was still planted, like some
exotic gargoyle-in-silk, on the side of a building. While she
wasn't prepared to wait half a century or more for the
resolution of her problems, remaining motionless on the side
of a rock face was child's play, literally, for an Amazon
warrior. And for a prize like Ranma she was prepared to
endure much more.
Some people might question her sanity, clinging to the
side of a building, nearly a hundred meters above hard
concrete, in order to get a man. Some people, but not an
Amazon. Strong men not only meant strong daughters, they were
essential for the care and protection of mothers. For at no time
was an Amazon more vulnerable than when she was with child.
It would surprise the uninitiated to know how Amazon's
cherished their men; pampered and petted them. They
controlled their men absolutely, but not with whips or clubs as
often imagined by outsiders. The Amazon's preference was to
bridle their males with a complex web of spiritual and physical
bonds that touched their hearts and souls. Or, as great-
grandmother often said, 'keep their bellies full, their minds
empty and their manhood . . . happy'.
Ranma was a prize that might be found once in a
hundred years. Never had Shan Pu seen a male like him. A
sudden vision of Ranma in all his masculine glory made her go
weak as a baby. She recovered from her erotic overload in
time to make a desperate grab for a window ledge as it slid
past. Muttering under her breath she climbed back to her perch.
Never had she even dreamed such strength, beauty and
tenderness could be combined in one luscious package. It was
too bad he was a complete idiot, like all other men.
She was considering the best means of training Ranma
properly, when she detected movement in the distance.
Watching carefully for a moment she decided that the slight
figure, although moving with an awkward limp, was indeed
Tendou Akane.
******************************************************
At the end of her first hour of hiking she'd decided that
_perhaps_ moving her room to the ground floor wouldn't be
necessary. Another thirty minutes and she was thinking that
she'd been hasty in deciding never to fly again. Twenty seconds
after the first blister erupted she decided that she wasn't going
to walk across her room again if she could fly. And if she
couldn't fly, Ranma could bloody well _carry_ her. Or maybe
Ryouga! The dirty pig.
She waited, hoping that thoughts of _him_ would fan the
fire into life. So she could fly home. Her shoulders slumped
when nothing happened.
It was still there. Deep inside her. She could feel it,
very faintly. She was pretty sure she could do some small stuff
but it was going to be a while before ----
"Nihao, pervert-girl."
Oh . . .
Akane looked up, from watching her feet, to see a
supple figure land with pantherish grace before her.
Crap . . .
"Hello Shan Pu. Goodby Shan Pu." Akane plodded past
the Amazon, leaving streaks of blood on the sidewalk from her
torn feet.
"What you doing so late?" Shan Pu tapped Akane on the
head as if to get her attention. Frowning when she got no
reaction she trotted ahead of Akane and turned, walking facing
her. Akane ignored her, concentrating on putting one foot in
front of the other.
"Pervert girl talk to Shan Pu!" An expression of
annoyance (also adorable due to constant practice) crossed
Shan Pu's face as Akane ignored her.
Her next question died, still born, as she took in
Akane's torn and bloody appearance. "Pervert-girl okay?" She
frowned at Akane's ripped and filthy pajama's, the dark
bruises on her arms, and face, shading faintly to yellow on the
edges. A sudden thought hardened her features and she drew in
her breath with a hiss like an angry snake.
"Akane . . ."
The girl in question looked up, slightly startled to hear
the Amazon use her name.
"Akane . . ." San P'u repeated softly, an odd expression
on her face. "You . . .hurt? You hurt by . . .man?"
Akane stared blankly at Shan Pu.
"You tell Shan Pu. Tell where is man. Shan Pu kill."
The Amazon promised with absolute assurance.
Akane's eyes widened in sudden comprehension. "You
think that _I_ . . .that some boy . . .NO!" She stepped back,
shaking her head rapidly. "Nonononono. It's _nothing_ like
that!"
"You tell truth?" Shan Pu asked suspiciously. "Akane
no be afraid tell. Shan Pu, great-grandmother . . .all Amazon
kill man who-----"
"NO!" Akane half screamed, Then again, in lower
tones. "No. It's nothing like that!"
"Promise!" Shan Pu demanded. At Akane's vigorous
nod she seemed satisfied. "Good. Akane eat too, too delicious
squid-on-stick with tell-truth-spice."
Akane jerked back as the promised treat was thrust in
her face. "What! What _is_ that?" She pointed at the fried snack
that waved cheerily back with six of it's eight tentacles.
"Is squid-on-stick," Shan Pu repeated in the overly
patient tones reserved for none-to-bright children. "with magic
herbs make pervert-girl tell truth why act so strange."
"WHAT!" Akane's voice cracked, and she coughed
uncontrollably. Concerned Shan Pu patted her on the back.
"Here tea." She stepped past Akane dropped a coin into
a vending machine and waited while a can rattled down the
chute.
"Thanks I---- HEY!" She pushed the proffered tea and
squid-on-a-stick away with a violent motion. "What're you
trying to do? Poison me!"
"No poison!" Shan Pu protested indignantly. "Just truth
spice." Strong white teeth closed around one of the treats,
sliding it neatly off the stick and a swallow of tea washed it
down. "See! No poison."
"Why do you want to give _me_ truth spice?"
"Pervert-girl acting strange. Husband spend all time
with pervert-girl. Worry. Not date with Shan Pu. Shan Pu find
what pervert-girl doing. Maybe do same, get husband pay
attention. Pervert-girl in trouble, maybe fix. Make husband
grateful." Shan Pu's eyes went wide in surprise and she
clapped her hand over her mouth in annoyance. "Spice work
good." She mumbled past her hand.
"And just _what_ did you think you were going to do
after you made Ranma 'grateful'?" Akane demanded, hands
fisted on hips. The effect was somewhat spoiled by the fact she
looked like a bag of rags headed for the rubbish heap.
Shan Pu shrugged. "Shan Pu not know, she replied
scratching her head. "Maybe kidnap Akane."
"WHAT!" Both girls winced at the shrill tone. "Why in
the world would----"
"Husband chase. Shan Pu take pervert-girl China.
Husband follow."
"That's the _stupidest_ thing I've ever heard of." Akane
frowned in thought. "And considering some of the stuff
Ranma's done, that's pretty stupid." She pursed her lips, staring
at the overly perky Amazon. "And _after_ you got him to
China? _Then_ what did you think you were going to do?"
"This----" Shan Pu replied, pulling the surprised girl
into a passionate embrace, sealing her lips with a deep, slow
kiss.
"PERVERT!" Akane's hand connected with the
Amazon's cheek with a sound like a cannon shot.
"What do for?" Shan Pu asked, rubbing her cheek in
surprise.
"What did I----?" Akane huffed in shock. "What did
YOU---- !? You . . .you . . . BIMBO!"
"Is zombie plant extract," Shan Pu smiled, rubbing her
lips and showing Akane her freshly tinted finger tip. "one kiss
make husband do what say." Shan Pu stepped forward, forcing
Akane back a pace. "Now pervert girl Shan Pu slave. Pervert
girl give up Shan Pu husband. Clean house, pick up laundry, do
tax form. Bark like doggie." Shan Pu waited expectantly, Akane
with horror. Minutes ticked by.
"Nothing's happening." Akane said doubtfully.
"Shan Pu forget, pervert-girl not too bright."
"HEY!"
"Shan Pu give better order," the Amazon said
confidently. "Pervert-girl be better girl friend Mu Si---- quack
like duck!"
Shan Pu smiled expectantly.
Akane stood quietly, head tilted as if listening to some
inner voice.
"Ummmm, nope. Nothing."
Shan Pu frowned at Akane, as if it were her own fault
she weren't mimicking a domestic water fowl. Fumbling in a
concealed pocket she produced a small tube. Squinting at the
label she walked under a street light for a better look.
"Goat poo-poo!" Shan Pu muttered, stamping her foot in
anger.
"What's the problem?"
"Is past expiration date," Shan Pu pointed to the tiny
print under the label, "see?"
Akane bent close, trying to read the label. As she did so
Shan Pu slammed her belly button into her spine with a savage
sucker punch. The air left Akane's lungs with an explosive
whoosh and she fell to her knees. Looking up at Shan Pu with
bewildered eyes her lips moved in a wordless question as she
gasped for air.
"No truth spice, no zombie kiss," Shan Pu answered
pityingly, "squid for Shan Pu snack." She shook a coil of rope
from her sleeve and made a loop, reaching for Akane's hands.
"No waste magic on pervert-girl when trick work just same."
She dropped the loop around Akane's right wrist and brought
the arm behind the gasping girls back.
"Shan Pu sorry hit pervert girl, but shiatsu point no
work." She gently touched Akane's bruised face. "Great-
grandmother fix Akane injury before leave for China." She
looked at a deep abrasion on Akane's left arm and paused,
trying to decide how best to secure the arm without aggravating
the injury.
"I appreciate the offer," Akane slammed her head back
into Shan Pu's face, mashing her nose against her cheek in a
spray of blood. "but I'm not packed for a trip!" She rolled
behind Shan Pu, trying to tangle her in her own rope. Shan Pu
spun counter clockwise out of the rope, dropping her end.
Akane pulled the loop free of her wrist, holding the
short length of nylon in a "Nesting-Swallow" grip. Shan Pu
eyed the flexible-weapons technique with grudging respect.
Wiping blood from her face with the back of her hand she
snapped her nose back into place with a crack of fractured
cartilage.
"Akane no fight," she said soothingly, sounding as if she
had a head cold. "no get hurt."
"I'm not the one with the broken nose." Akane retorted,
moving cautiously to one side, looking for an opening.
"Akane no can beat Shan Pu," the Amazon said
reasonably. "even when not hurt." She thought for a moment.
"Tell why shiatsu point not work when Shan Pu tap head?" Not
really expecting an answer she used her attempted conversation
as misdirection. Each time Akane was concentrating on her
words she moved a little closer.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Akane
glanced around, looking for inspiration. She was in trouble and
she knew it. "What shi----" Shan Pu leapt forward and Akane
brought her hands up, catching Shan Pu fist in a loop of cord,
swinging her hands down and pivoting to the right trying to
lever Shan Pu to the ground.
The Amazon expected this. Instead of fighting against
Akane she added her strength _to_ the other girls effort. The
sudden impetus sent Akane spinning, off balance, to the ground.
In a flash Shan Pu was on top of Akane, straddling her waist
and holding her hands above her head.
"You no fight," Shan Pu admonished the squirming girl.
"You just hurt self. You like China." Shan Pu assured her.
"Amazon teach secret technique."
"Like I'd want to learn anything _you_ could teach!"
Akane spat, trying to free her wrists from Shan Pu's iron grip.
"Is big honor," Shan Pu assured her. "You help get
husband China, Shan Pu let you be junior wife." When Akane
didn't seem suitably honored by the offer Shan Pu tried to
sweeten the pot. "Perv--Akane can cook. One day a week," she
hastily qualified. "Curried rice."
Akane's answer was to bring her knees, _hard_ , into
Shan Pu's backside while at the same time extending her arms
suddenly. The action moved Shan Pu sufficiently off balance
for Akane to break free and roll to her feet.
"I've got a better idea," she panted, exhausted by the
effort. "why don't I kick _your_ butt back to China!"
Shan Pu only rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of the
threat from the obviously spent girl. Confidently she moved
forward.
Akane felt a flicker of anger-- somewhere deep inside.
Shan Pu was _so_ sure she'd won. And, dammit, she was
probably right. The tiny flicker of anger grew to a flame.
Unfortunately it wasn't a _green_ flame.
Cat quick Shan Pu moved, attempting to take Akane
down with a simple leg sweep. Akane easily avoided the
blatantly telegraphed move, but it was obvious she was tired.
Shaking her head at Akane's foolishness Shan Pu slipped past
Akane's clumsy defense and tapped her sharply on the temples,
then slid back out of reach.
"Why shiatsu point no work?" Shan Pu frowned as
Akane showed no reaction to her manipulations.
"How should I know?" Akane growled, having a
sneaking suspicion that green fire and pressure points might not
mix.
"Shan Pu try not hurt pervert girl too much." She
frowned, looking at Akane's already battered form. "You tell if
Shan Pu hit too hard?"
"I'm a martial artist too!" Akane fumed, incensed at
being treated like a child. She boiled with rage at this slight on
her fighting abilities. Unfortunately exhaustion reduced her boil
to a low simmer. The green flame flickered only faintly.
"Akane cute when play warrior," Shan Pu easily
avoided Akane's wild swings, dancing away from her clumsy
kicks, "but no have time now. You come China, find many
friends play with." She smiled invitingly, holding out another
length of rope.
Akane growled in fury and wrenching a hubcap from a
parked car, hurled it at Shan Pu like a discus. The Amazon
shifted fractionally to the left, letting the metal disc whiz past to
slam into the structure behind her with a sound of breaking
glass and metal.
"Weapon no good if no hit target."
"What makes you think I _didn't_?" Shan Pu had an
instant to look puzzled at Akane's thin lipped smile--before the
vending machine exploded in a fountain of cold tea and soda.
Neko-Shan-P'u was struggling frantically to free herself
from her clothes, when a hand reached down and pulled her
clear of the soggy tangle of silk that trapped her.
"Bad kitty."
Neko-Shan-P'u mewed pitifully as a shining emerald
blade descended toward her head.
******************************************************
"Akaneeeee! My baby!"
Ranma bolted upright in bed as Tendou Souun's wail
blasted him awake.
"My baby has been murdered in her sleep!"
Ranma's blood went cold and he launched himself into
the hallway, sending an inarticulate but heartfelt prayer to who-
ever-might-be-listening to keep her safe just this one
more time.
"Daddy?!"
Ranma had a moment to be impressed by the speed of
celestial services. Then Akane appeared in her doorway----
"What's going on?"
----looking as if she'd been breaking bricks all
night. With her face.
"My baby, my baby," Souun fell on Akane's shoulder
sobbing.
"What's going on?" Akane asked again, patting her
father's shoulder ineffectually.
"Father saw the blood----
Ranma followed Kasumi's pointing finger to see streaks
of blood along the floor leading to Akane's room.
"----and was afraid something had happened." Kasumi
put down the bucket she was carrying.
"Oneesama, let me do that," Akane made as if to take
the scrub brush from her sister, dragging Souun with her as she
moved.
"It's no problem," Kasumi smiled up at her sister from
her position on the floor. "I'll have breakfast ready for you by
the time you get out of the bath."
"OK sis," Nabiki was knuckling sleep from her eyes.
"you want to tell us what happened?" She ran a sardonic eye
over Akane's bruised face and arms.
"Ummmm, I . . .uhhhh . . .felt like going out. For some
fresh air. And . . .uhhhh . . .I fell. In the dark." Akane said with
perfect truth, carefully staring at her bare toes as she spoke.
Ranma wasn't always the brightest bulb in the lamp but
after sixteen years on the road with Saotome Genma he could
usually tell when someone wasn't telling the truth. Or telling
only part of the truth. He wanted to _do_ something. But if he
couldn't punch it, con it or run away from it, he was pretty
much out of options.
"Stupid tomboy, can't even walk down the street
without trippin' over yourself." He really needed to find a
martial-arts-conversational-technique one of these days.
Preferably before Akane mashed his head into a furry guava
jelly. Reflexively he tensed, waiting for whatever nearby blunt
instrument might impact with his skull. Repeatedly.
"You're right Ranma,"
Shocked Ranma's eyes flew open to see Akane looking
at him.
"I can't _walk_ very well." There was a strange little
bubble of laughter in her voice that unnerved him.
"Maybe I need more practice." Her lips twitched as if
she were holding back a smile. Turning to go back in her room
she stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, and if you
see Ryouga----"
Ranma felt his stomach turn over and drop down to the
floor.
"----let me know. I'd like to talk to him."
"oh my." Ranma watched the door close behind her,
feeling very much like a hunter looking for a lion in the dark,
who had just heard a growl . . .behind him.
******************************************************
Ranma was not having a good day.
After their _conversation_? Akane had disappeared
back into her room and Ranma had, finally, gone on to school.
Alone. Unfortunately he hadn't _remained_ alone.
"Please tell me where I may find _Her_ Saotome----
San-----" Even in the grip of his obvious agitation the cross
dressing Ninja remained excruciatingly polite and correct.
"Look Konatsu," Ranma back-peddled as the kimono
clad boy tried, in a well mannered way, to remove his head
from his shoulders with a short sword. "I ain't gonna' let ya
bother Akane. For one thing," he rolled under a Flaming Comet
strike, coming up flat against Konatsu's chest, pinning the
slighter figure against the side of the school, "she ain't feelin'
so good." Deftly he applied a joint lock, disarming the ninja. Of
that weapon at least.
An' if ya _did_ find her, she'd chew ya up and spit ya
out, he thought, but didn't say.
Konatsu's response was to produce a blow-pipe and
spray a mixture of gun-powder and stinging nettles in Ranma's
face.
"Wouldya cut that _out_!" Ranma fell back, trying to
clear his streaming eyes, just as Konatsu flicked a burning coal
on Ranma's chest.
"AAAAAAAAA!" Ranma fled to the swimming pool as
the gun-powder ignited.
"Kuonji-sama won't leave her room." Konatsu's voice
shook with passion as he glided over to the pool. Ranma-chan
ignored him as she frantically tried to rip smoldering pieces of
her shirt away from her body and tread water at the same time.
The result was she did neither very well, bobbing up and down
in the water like a cork.
"She won't talk to me," Konatsu waited for Ranma-
chan to resurface. "She doesn't eat." He produced a hooked
chain from his kimono and hauled Ranma-chan to the side of the
pool. "She doesn't even COOK!" Konatsu's voice broke as he
imparted this last and most devastating point. "Tendou Akane
attacked Kuonji-sama and I----Will---- REVENGE!"
"I can let you know where to find Akane," Konatsu
turned to face the intruder, "for a mere five thousand yen. . . ."
"Nabiki! If you tell him where to find Akane I'll--"
Ranma-chan scrambled out of the pool, intending to . . .to . . .he
wasn't quite sure what he was going to do since his crisis
intervention skills were limited to punching, hurling insults and
looking cute.
Nabiki held out a hand, tapping the palm with her left
index finger. Konatsu counted out some bills and coins.
"Hmmmm," Nabiki counted the money again, then
stuffed it into her pocket. "Five thousand for information." She
smiled at Konatsu. It was the sort of toothy smile that was
usually the very last sight small fishies had of large sharks.
"Then there's the ten thousand yen for the shirt Ukyou sliced off
my sister," she tapped her palm again. "and another fifty
thousand for the doctors bill. For the injuries when Ukyou
belted her with that spatula." Nabiki pulled an envelope from
an inside pocket. "The markings are _very_ distinct on the
police photos."
"Police?" Konatsu said faintly.
"They're usually involved in a case of criminal
assault." Nabiki fanned herself with the envelope. "Of course
we're going to file civil charges as well. I _do_ hope you'll
continue to work for us after we take the restaurant."
"Ucchan's? You can't take Ukyou-sama's resturant. It
would kill her."
"Can and will," Nabiki was suddenly all business.
"There's no doubt that Ukyou went _looking_ for my sister.
Found her and attacked her. With a deadly _and_ unregistered
weapon. It was only sheer luck that my baby sister survived."
Konatsu seemed to shrivel, looking years older. "Please
don't take Ucchan's . . ."
"Maaaan," Ranma pushed between them. "We ain't
gonna take nuthin' from nobody." He yanked the envelope from
Nabiki's hands. "I'm sorry Ukyou got hurt. But she _did_ go
lookin' for trouble." He crumpled the envelope and patted
Konatsu on the shoulder. "You tell Ukyou not to worry. Akane
ain't been feelin' good and she kinda . . .over reacted. But we
ain't goin' to the police or suein' nobody," he glared at Nabiki,
"or nuthin' like that. So you ain't gotta worry."
"T . . .thank you Saotome-sama," Konatsu's eyes
glowed with gratitude. "Thank you." He bowed again before
bounding off in a swirl of silk.
Nabiki watched the feminized ninja vanish in the
distance. "I'd like my English notes back if you don't mind."
She held her hand out. "I'll have to get them re-copied after you
mangled them."
"English?" Ranma looked at the folder in his hands.
"What about the pictures? The police?"
"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma." Nabiki wasted a moment
trying to smooth the crumpled envelope, then gave it up as
hopeless. " When are you going to learn that brains are better
than----"
"TENDOU NABIKI!" A flurry of sharp pointy objects
impacted the ground where Nabiki had been standing, before
Ranma snatched her to safety.
"---- brawn?" Nabiki squeaked faintly, looking
somewhat pale as she peered over the edge of the roof.
"For what your sister did to my beloved Shan Pu," Mu
Si threatened a water fountain. "you and all your family will
DIE!"
"Hey man," Ranma landed softly behind the blind
magician, placing Nabiki safely to one side. "what's up?"
"Do not interfere Saotome or you will feel my wrath!"
A flurry of chains flashed from his sleeves as Mu Si attempted
to puree Ranma.
"Geez!" Ranma slid in close, where Mu Si's hidden
weapons techniques were least effective, and slammed his
spear-point fist just below Mu Si's heart and an axe-hand
combination into his short ribs. "What's got you so worked
up?" Ranma moved back and to one side, trying to take the fight
away from Nabiki and the rest of the students in the school
yard.
"Mrrrrrrr!"
Ranma jerked at the sudden growl, surprisingly close.
"C . . .C . . .C . . ." Ranma half shrieked, like a virgin
on her wedding night, leaping to hide behind Nabiki. "CAT!"
He gasped out, clutching Nabiki around the neck in a strangle
hold. "GEDIDAWAYgedidawaygedidaway!"
"You," Nabiki pounded futilely at the arm around her
neck, "are,"fumbling a fountain pen from her pocket she
jammed it between Ranma-chan's fingers and pried,
"PATHETIC!" she wheezed, falling to her knees as she broke
free of Ranma's clutching hands. Divested of Nabiki's
protection Ranma searched frantically for his worst nightmare.
His wildly darting eyes finally found-----
"A rat?" he took a step toward it, wrinkling his nose in
disgust. "A really ugly rat!" He picked the thing up by it's long
naked tail. "Boy, I thought for a minute I heard a
c . . .c . . .c . . ."
"One of those things that aren't a rat? Nabiki put in
sarcastically, gingerly massaging her throat.
'Yeah, one----- owwwww!" Ranma dropped the rat,
sucking on his finger. "Hey! It scratched me. Ummmm, do rats
_have_ claws?"
The "rat" sneered at Ranma and, walking over to a
stunned student, flipped a bowl of hot soup from her bentou
over it's head.
"Ranma!" It was an Amazon rat. "What you doing this
body!" Shan Pu glared furiously at her husband.
Ranma, for once speechless, stared back at his "wife".
Involuntarily his eyes dropped lower. His bald-as-an-egg _all-
over_ " wife".
"Eeeeep!"
**************************************************************
End Chapter 4
short notes:
1) I'm _almost_ finished answering everyone
who wrote about BF chp 1-3. Thanks a lot.
I answer ALL my e-mail. If you ever write and don't get
an answer, it's a mistake. :(
2) Due to an orgy of C&Cing I've got tendinitis
in my right arm. I'm packing it in ice but I'm going
to be a little slow until the inflamation goes down.
(Note to self>> Buy ergonimic key-board. ^_^)