Hi all,



Since the FFML server seems to be a little overloaded, I am breaking

this chapter into two pieces.  The second part will be sent out in a day

or two.



Steve (Jurai-Knight)









-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --

-- File: Qd_15a.txt



*** Earth  0.000,0.000



Kozo Fuyutsuki tapped a few times on the keyboard of his computer and 

watched the information scrolling across his screen with interest.  An 

image of Ranma Saotome, captured by one of the hidden cameras that had 

been hastily installed in the walls of the dormitory before his special 

training began, froze in mid-motion on the screen.  The boy's scores 

showed a modest increase in several areas, and Fuyutsuki was pleased.  

He leaned back in his chair and stretched.



The screen finished scrolling, printing out one final line while a soft 

beep was heard from the system.  He leaned forward again and read the 

words on the screen.



*PHYSICAL ANALYSIS COMPLETE.  UPDATING FILES.



"Today is the day we see how much you've improved, my boy," murmured 

Fuyutsuki absently.  "I'm counting on you, so don't fail me."



It was finally the day of Ranma and Utena's rematch, to take place on 

the grounds of Ohtori Academy this time.  Unable to sleep due to his 

anticipation about the outcome, Fuyutsuki had gotten up before dawn to 

analyze Ranma's data.  The boy was proving to be a most fascinating 

case study, along with Nabiki Tendo and Kodachi Kuno.  He was looking 

forward to seeing what developed if Ukyo Kuonji could be added to the 

mixture.  But the grouping also needed another strong male or two to 

balance things out, as well as give Ranma some competition from others 

of his own gender.



Unfortunately, from what Fuyutsuki had observed of the few visits to 

the Imperial Academy grounds by Mikado Sanzenin and Tatewaki Kuno from 

Whitehall, those two did not appear to be offering much of a challenge 

for the boy.  But there were other testing sites available in the local 

region to draw from, such as Furinkan.  A few Newtypes were undergoing 

training there at that facility, and the recently-transferred Akane 

Tendo was already interacting with one of them.  Furinkan had recently 

acquired a new headmaster, and Fuyutsuki reminded himself to schedule a 

meeting with the man and acquaint him with the special students he 

would be held responsible for instructing.



Fuyutsuki had been spending the pre-dawn morning comparing Utena's and 

Ranma's scores, the girl's having been provided by her own overseer, 

Professor Hiro Fuji, the Headmaster of Ohtori Academy.  Though they had 

been friends and colleagues for many years, the smug look on the other 

man's face when he had handed him the datadisk was still irritating.  

Despite their friendship, Fuyutsuki was not about to lose a second 

time.



However, Utena's numbers still remained within fifty basis points of 

Ranma's, a result of some hard training that Fuji had apparently put 

her through in the past week, and that left the situation in doubt.  

The girl was a very strong contender, but then so was the boy.  Still, 

Fuyutsuki had a good feeling about Ranma's chances.  The final sparring 

session with Tiger had been most enlightening in that regard.



Ranma had used the boost.



Fuyutsuki tapped a few keys on his keyboard and advanced the time index 

for the recording.  The images rushed forward and then paused on the 

desired moment.  Frozen in recorded time on the screen, Ranma was just 

getting back to his feet.  His face was bruised and battered, but there 

was a glint emerging in his gaze as the boost began to take hold of 

him.  Fuyutsuki unpaused the image and let it begin to play from that 

point. 



The computer began scrolling a new set of numbers, showing the effects 

of the boost on Ranma's body.  The boy's strength and speed shot up 

tremendously, surpassing even the enhanced physique of the catgirl's 

for the duration of the boost's effects.  It was truly awe-inspiring to 

watch the boy in action, an almost-perfect human fighting machine.



Roughly a minute later, the boost subsided, switched off by subliminals 

within Ranma's brain that monitored his metabolism.  Without them in 

place to limit the physical stresses placed on a human body, the boost 

would eventually burn it out completely, despite even the regenerative 

abilities of a Newtype.  That had happened to a number of subjects in 

the earlier stage of the Project.



Fuyutsuki paused the images on the screen and turned his chair to face 

the window.  He hadn't thought much about the Mark-I's in a while, what 

with the Project now giving most of their attention to the Mark-II's.  

The Project's scientists had produced a potent group of individuals, 

each one superior to normal humans in every aspect, both physical and 

mental.  The problem was that they had egos to match.  But that stage 

of the experiment had only produced one-tenth as many subjects as the 

present one, and over half of those died before they finally solved the 

problem with the boost.



The small handful of remaining Mark-I's had been allowed their freedom, 

using them in a final experiment to see how they would interact with 

ordinary humans, and if their genetic gifts would be inherited by their 

offspring.  But it was quickly discovered that most normal women could 

not conceive children from a Newtype male, due to the true nature of 

how the enhancement process was done.  The only exception to this had 

occurred in one particularly remote village in China.



Five of the Mark-I subjects had settled quite peacefully in such out of 

the way corners of the Empire, where they all still remained to this 

day.  Three had chosen to volunteer as janissaries in the Imperial Army 

in order to gain full Citizenship; two dying in the Emperor's service, 

and the last one mustering out at the end of his tour of duty as a 

Citizen.



The final one of the group had also been the youngest, barely into his 

adolescence upon his release into the world with the others.  But this 

one was special, created using genetic material taken from the previous 

century's greatest warrior and general, Shishio Makoto, a Hero of the 

Empire.  The original had been responsible for many of the Empire's 

greatest victories during the Colonial Wars, almost a century and a 

half ago.  Spanish-supported insurgent elements had even attempted to 

assassinate him several times, and one such attempt resulted in General 

Makoto suffering horrific burns over his entire body that would surely 

have killed a lesser man.



The original finally died in one of the War's final battles several 

years later, but his body had been preserved in the Mobius Institute's 

vaults by Imperial Decree.  The Empire's first (and only) attempt at 

cloning a human had even been given the name of the original by the 

Project's scientists, as well as having been eugenically enhanced.  The 

Mobius Institute attempted to contribute to the resurrection of this 

long-dead hero by trying to transfer all of the original's skills and 

memories into the cloned body, but they reportedly failed and further 

efforts were halted.  He was to be the only one of his kind, further 

work on cloning having later been banned by Imperial Edict, and all 

research materials destroyed.



After his release into the world with the others, young Shishio Makoto 

II had initially traveled with two of the males and one of the females 

who had finally ended up settling in China, but his youthful wanderlust 

drove him onward.  He then vanished for several years.  An Empire-wide 

manhunt for him eventually ended in abject failure, the boy somehow 

managing to evade the Security Directorate's efforts at finding him.  

That had been no surprise to the scientists who knew Shishio, for he 

had been clearly the best of the best.  Despite his youth and relative 

inexperience, he had been an extraordinary specimen, even by the high 

standards of his peers.



When Shishio finally reappeared, having grown into young manhood, he 

had visited his former travelling companions and spent some time in 

their village.  When word finally reached the Security Directorate that 

he had resurfaced, Shishio was already gone, but he had not departed 

alone.  A young woman from the village traveled with him now, said to 

be extraordinarily beautiful, and strong enough to hold his interest 

for an extended period of time.  The two of them then vanished once 

again, but Fuyutsuki was certain that the world had not heard the last 

of Shishio Makoto II.



What great wonders had been brought into the world in the last century, 

marveled Fuyutsuki.  He stood up and gazed out the window, his hands 

folded behind his back.  The Empire was leading the world into a new 

era of human achievement, but its successes had spawned a number of 

imitators.  Project Phoenix was not unique in the world; other nations 

struggled to duplicate its successes.



The efforts of the German's Human Instrumentality Project had come the 

closest to achieving a rough parity with the Empire's successes at 

eugenics, but their serum had turned out to be severely flawed.  It 

produced charismatic and physically attractive men and women, but they 

had flawed psyches.  The results of the German's efforts were arrogant, 

borderline sociopaths at best and megalomaniacal psychotics at worst, 

each of them possessing superhuman mental and physical abilities.



The German's had reportedly killed all of their initial test subjects 

when they grew to be uncontrollable, and the Empire's operatives had 

terminated the scientists responsible as well as destroying all the 

research.  The world could rest much easier knowing that those twisted 

monsters were all dead and buried, along with their mad creator, Keel 

Lorentz.  But Lorentz had been reported dead before, several times.  It 

would not surprise Fuyutsuki very much to learn that modern-day version 

of Doctor Frankenstein had somehow turned up alive again, but he hoped 

that the man was finally in his well-deserved grave.  The world was 

better off without his insane "vision" of the ultimate human.



Fuyutsuki watched the sun rising as his thoughts returned to the early 

days of Project Phoenix.  He had been a much younger man when he was 

recruited, full of wide-eyed wonder at the Empire's daring, eager to 

assist in the forging of a new breed of Humanity.  Now that dream was 

finally coming true, but each passing day he spent studying Ranma and 

the other adolescents in his charge made him wonder how he might have 

been as a father.



A brief image of Yumi Kuonji interrupted his reminiscing, and he shook 

his head.  Her invitation for him to return had only been an attempt to 

gain a new customer, and he should read nothing more into it.  Still, 

her cooking had been flavorful and masterfully created.  A good meal 

was a heavensend to a lifelong bachelor like himself.



The computer beeped once, reminding Fuyutsuki of its presence, so he 

returned to his desk and resumed playback.  He was astonished by what 

he saw next.  Tiger had come close to killing the boy, lifting him up 

by his throat with one hand, but then Ranma turned into what appeared 

to be some sort of feline atavism.  He had subdued the catgirl quickly, 

pinning her down after a rather brief wrestling match.  When Ranma 

began to groom Tiger with his tongue, Fuyutsuki raised one eyebrow at 

the sight.  He glanced at Ranma's scores, noting that they were now 

even higher than his boosted capabilities, if not by much.



Fuyutsuki stopped the playback at that point, unwilling to play voyeur.  

He could guess what must have happened next between the two, especially 

when Tiger began to respond in kind to the boy, with gentle kisses and 

lingering licks of her own.  After all, Ranma was a healthy human male, 

presumably with a normal sex drive for his age, and Tiger was a comely 

humanoid female.  The odds were excellent that the pair had engaged in 

intercourse, but Fuyutsuki respected Ranma's privacy, at least in that 

area of the boy's life.  However, he had better not have worn himself 

out playing with the catgirl.  The match against Ohtori was only a few 

hours away.





xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Quantum Destinies

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic

By Jurai Knight (sthesken@earthlink.net)



Ranma 1/2 and its characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.  This story 

is inspired by her works and the stories from some of my fellow fanfic 

authors.  Among these are D.B. Sommer's "Shampoo 1/2", Jim Bader's "A 

Very Scary Thought -aka- Nabiki 1/2", and John Biles' Elseworlds 

series.  All C&C is welcome.



Other chapters of this story may be found at this website, or you can 

email the author for them:



The Quantum Destinies Homepage

http://home.earthlink.net/~sthesken/fanfics/qd.html





The list of worlds reoccurring in this chapter:

Earth  0.000,0.000 - The world of Scholar Ranma (Baseline cluster)





What has gone before in this story (or at least what will help you 

understand what is going on):



On a parallel Earth that diverged from the standard Ranma timeline over 

five hundred years ago, the Empire of Japan rules almost half the world 

and has done so for almost a century.  A young scientist named Ranma 

Saotome, through a device of his invention, is now possessed of the 

skills and memories of a martial artist version of himself.  Nodoka and 

Kenseiko prepared themselves to renew their rivalry.  Ranma has finally 

completed his training for a rematch against Utena, and also unleashed 

the power of the Cat Fist against Tiger.  Nabiki finally mastered the 

Chestnut Fist, after a very disappointing visit to Ohtori Academy.  She 

now waits to face off against Ranma when he finally returns.  Also, the 

rescue of Genma Saotome from the Shampoo 1/2 Earth draws nearer.





xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Chapter 15 - The Good, the Bad, and the Lost



     In order to create a hero, you must first create a villain.



                                   - Mission Impossible II



xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx





Kinnosuke Kashuoh sleepily blinked his eyes open when morning sunlight 

impinged on them.  He yawned and stretched, feeling the muscles in his 

lower back ache slightly from the intensive efforts of the previous 

night.  Tiger had returned, and so he had declared that a celebration 

was in order.  They had eaten a delicious meal, and Lynx had performed 

the tea ceremony for them.



When he had finally eaten and drunk his fill, they had retired to his 

bedchambers, where all three of the catgirls had received his personal 

attentions.  After all, who was he to deny his faithful servants a 

sampling of his supreme virility?  It had been a most enjoyable evening 

spent satisfying his physical appetites, but it had only temporarily 

eased his longings for Nabiki Tendo.



Most of her associates had by now been "persuaded" to leave her ranks, 

swelling those of his own burgeoning organization, even though they 

still acted as if the Tendo girl still retained their loyalty.  That 

left only the Devil Hunter and Nabiki's two closest henchwomen as her 

true followers, and they could be dealt with easily enough by his trio 

of beautiful assistants.  He knew that all three catgirls desired to 

present him with a beaten Nabiki as a gift, and he was touched by the 

thought.  But he desired to do that himself, to prove to the Tendo girl 

his masculine superiority.  But first, as an appetizer, he would break 

Ranma Saotome right before her eyes



Everything was all going according to plan.



Feeling invigorated by thoughts of his inevitable victory, Kinnosuke 

leaned over and deeply kissed a sleeping Tiger, his hand moving gently 

to caress her flank.  The redheaded catgirl had received the majority 

of his efforts last night, a reward for her services.  He had noticed 

her lingering looks at him throughout dinner, interpreting them as a 

longing for his touch.  All three of them were such needy creatures.  

He smiled as he enjoyed feeling Tiger's smooth skin quiver beneath his 

touch.



Lynx watched her beloved's actions in the mirror on the ceiling, her 

eyes merely slits.  Tiger had been the favored one last night, and Lynx 

simmered with jealousy over that.  Kinnosuke-sama had only made love to 

her once last night.  Panther had received the same.  But Tiger had 

received his attentions three times!  It wasn't fair, she thought with 

a slight pout of her lips.



Panther cuddled against Kinnosuke's back, her arm wrapped around him as 

she smiled in her sleep.  She had loved wrestling with him last night, 

her favorite form of foreplay.  As physically strong as she was, she 

enjoyed knowing that her beloved master was stronger still.  She sighed 

in her sleep, rubbing her breasts against his back as she unconsciously 

hugged him like a favorite stuffed animal.



"Good morning, Kinnosuke-sama," whispered Tiger sleepily when the kiss 

was finally broken.  "Thank you for last night."  She gazed solemnly at 

his handsome face and felt guilty, the emotion triggering memories that 

troubled her.  Something had happened between her and Ranma that she 

never would have suspected could have.  She could not clearly recall 

what had taken place after he defeated her and then began grooming her 

with his tongue, but she had woken up in his arms to find that both of 

them were naked.



Shocked at this, Tiger had dressed Ranma and left him asleep in his 

cot, tarrying only long enough to put on her uniform and fix him a good 

meal for when he awoke (shying away from pondering what that act might 

imply).  Recalling these memories confused her, but Tiger's personality 

overrides quickly reasserted control.  The emotional conflict caused by 

these last memories was dealt with by suppressing the memories, and 

that returned Tiger to her previous state as Kinnosuke's loyal servant.



"Did you learn anything interesting about Saotome, Tiger?" Kinnosuke 

asked between lingering kisses.



"He's afraid of cats, Kinnosuke-sama," whispered Tiger, wondering why 

her stomach experienced a brief fluttering sensation when she said 

that.  She decided it could not be anything important.



Lynx smiled when she heard that.  She had been following Nabiki the 

other day and saw her nemesis shy away from several during the girl's 

walk home.  It had been interesting to learn, being part cat herself.



"Indeed?" Kinnosuke whispered against Tiger's neck.  "Lynx has told me 

that Nabiki shares such a fear.  A curious coincidence."  He kissed her 

throat.  "Perhaps you three can be a help to me after all."  He sat up 

a little bit, Tiger's arms still gently draped around his neck.  He 

briefly addressed the two slumbering catgirls, "Panther.  Lynx."



"Yes, Kinnosuke-sama," replied the two catgirls in stereo.  Panther 

stretched out her arms, causing her assets to firmly bounce from the 

motion.  Lynx merely gazed at her beloved master with attentive eyes.



"I have a plan to ensure my victory when the time comes, my fierce 

beauties.  Listen closely...."



                   ******************************



Ranma was munching on some breakfast in the Academy cafeteria, one of 

only a few cadets present in the room at this hour.  His attention was 

on the notebook in front of him.  Every now and then, he wrote down 

some brief notations on the formulae and diagrams within its pages, a 

smile occasionally appearing on his face.



Kodachi entered the room, a small book of poetry under her arm as she 

gazed around the area searching for her beloved.  The ninja spy she had 

assigned to follow Ranma had reported his current whereabouts to her, 

that he had finally emerged from his training on the day of his rematch 

against Utena Tenjou.  She had rushed over to the Academy to keep her 

eye on Ranma, and she intended to travel with him to Ohtori as his own 

personal cheerleader.  She also wanted to ensure that a certain pink-

haired slattern kept away from Kodachi's fianc�.  Not to mention that 

it would be nice to possibly see Miki again.



The young noblewoman's steps faltered for a brief moment, and then they 

quickly resumed their previous graceful pace.  In her youth, Miki Kaoru 

had been a dear friend.  Seeing him again during her otherwise-failed 

mission to Ohtori earlier this week had been a pleasant surprise.  The 

boy she knew had matured into a most handsome young man, and he had 

taken care of her when she had been injured by that brutish animal.  It 

had been nice to spend time catching up on each other's lives while 

they drank tea together.  If only Ranma was more like Miki when it came 

to her.  Miki would be a faithful fianc�, a woman could tell these 

things.



Kodachi's thoughts stalled once more.  Why was she thinking as much 

about Miki Kaoru as she was about her fianc�, Ranma Saotome?  She shook 

her head as if to banish the errant thought, her heart catching her by 

surprise with being able to care so strongly for two men.  No.  It was 

Ranma she loved.  Miki was just a friend, a good friend from her past.



"Hello, Saotome-kun," said Kodachi with a smile, brushing her hair back 

from her face.  "May I join you?"



Ranma blinked and looked up to see Kodachi standing there.  She had 

just asked him something, but for the life of him, he could not recall 

what she had said.



"May I join you?" Kodachi asked once more.  Ranma looked very fit and 

healthy today, and Kodachi found her thoughts wandering into uncharted 

territories again.  Images from some of the romance novels she read now 

and then sprang to mind, and she could easily picture Ranma as the 

dashing hero from one.  Wait.  Had he said something to her in reply?  

She reeled her thoughts back in from a brief fantasy that involved her, 

Ranma, and a large, silk-sheeted bed on some island paradise.



Ranma raised one eyebrow when Kodachi kept staring at him somewhat 

glassy-eyed, an odd smile on her face.  "You can sit down, Kodachi," he 

repeated.



"Uh, thank you, Saotome-kun," said Kodachi with a brief bow.  She sat 

down, her chair quite close to his.  Her brief fantasy had given her a 

marvelous idea.  Her family owned an expansive plantation in Hawaii 

that would make a nice getaway vacation for the two of them, and she 

could surely cement her relationship with Ranma if she could only get 

him away from the other trollops who unworthily sought him and kept 

getting in her way.  The mid-term break was coming up in a few weeks, 

so it would be a perfect time.



Ranma went back to working on his breakfast and making more notes, but 

he occasionally glanced at Kodachi.  She seemed content to smile at him 

and sigh every now and then, her gaze filled with a Hearts-and-Flowers 

look.  It made him feel an odd mixture of contentment and a quivering 

of fear.  Nabiki never looked at him that way.  He was certain that she 

would be happy if he just fell into ranks like a good little sidekick.  

And why the hell was he thinking about Nabiki?  To take his mind off 

that line of thought, he gulped down the remainder of his breakfast.



                   ******************************



Kasumi Ono moved through her morning workout at full speed, her eyes 

remaining closed as she reached out with her other senses to 'see' her 

surroundings.  Her graceful movements were a study in perfection of 

form, without the distraction of sight.  For over fifteen years, she 

had practiced such skills, to improve herself to ever greater levels 

and hone her body so that it could flawlessly move in any way she might 

require it to.



The sparring match with Nabiki over a week ago had shown Kasumi that 

she must have grown lax in her training, a potentially fatal error that 

would have earned her a severe dressing down from her mother when she 

had still been alive.  So, the eldest Tendo daughter had doubled her 

efforts, drilling herself every day since then to regain the ground she 

believed she had lost.  It also helped to keep her mind off of the 

other concerns in her life.



As her body flowed through the ancient patterns of attack and defense 

she had first learned as a child, Kasumi took a moment to allow her 

mind to recall the many lessons learned from her mother on the Way of 

the Warrior.  Her mother had instructed her, in a seemingly endless 

litany, that a warrior must be ready for combat at all times.  So her 

unexpected loss to her younger sister was a sign that she must have 

somehow been slacking in her efforts, and that was a grave insult to 

her mother's memory.



Opening her eyes, Kasumi was pleased to see that she had managed to 

successfully navigate the backyard of her home, bringing herself to the 

training dummies.  With a 'kiai' yell, she began striking hard at each 

of the two dummies in rapid succession, alternating punches with kicks.  

In the back of her mind, she intended to train until she felt she was 

ready to challenge Nabiki once again.  Having a goal like that provided 

her with a distraction to keep her mind off of her other worries of 

late, such as her mother-in-law's constant harping about grandchildren.



"It's not like I'm not trying to get pregnant," Kasumi mumbled under 

her breath.  After all, she had wanted to become a mother ever since 

she could remember, and she was certain that she would be a good one, 

just like her own mother had been with her.  Having a child around the 

house might also improve things between her and Tofu.



Kasumi paused in her activities as she thought about her husband.  He 

was a good man, kind, and he provided a nice home for her.  But there 

was something missing from her life with him, an emptiness within her 

soul that Tofu did not seem to fill.  She kept telling herself that she 

would come to love him in time, even though he had become more distant 

to her than before they had been married.  A tear came to her eye.  It 

was her fault.  She was failing him as a wife for not being pregnant 

yet.  A few more tears welled up in her eyes.



Kasumi's fists cracked into one training dummy, again and again.  It 

helped her forget her worries, and there was also something distinctly 

satisfying about having the ability to defend herself if she needed to. 

As she continued her training, sweat dampened her plain yellow gi.  She 

ignored the minor distraction, her mind struggling to focus on nothing, 

reaching for the bliss she used to feel when using her skills.  The 

more she strained, the farther away it was.



Then, one of her mother's old instruction suddenly came back to her, 

"Be, do not do."  Kasumi took a deep breath and let it out, allowing 

herself to simply be.



As she embraced that quiet, infinite potential within her, her cares 

faded from her awareness, and Kasumi broke out into a beatific smile.  

Her strikes increased in speed and precision.  Her other concerns about 

regaining her place as the best also faded away from her mind, even as 

she obliterated both training dummies.  She spun, leaped, and struck 

out at them with fist and foot repeatedly, feeling a little better.



                   ******************************



The newly-installed Headmaster of Furinkan Military Academy, Gendo 

Rokubungi, stood framed in the window of his office, looking down on 

the activities of the cadets below.  His hands were clasped behind his 

back as he unconsciously stood at parade rest.  He nodded as he studied 

his new charges, a slight smile of professional pride on his face.  He 

was looking forward to his new assignment with enthusiasm, to provide 

these cadets with a firm leadership that had been lacking since the 

retirement of the former Headmaster.



Gendo was also looking forward to renewing his pursuit of Yui Ikari, 

the love of his life.  It was true that they had not parted on the best 

of terms (and he planned a very slow death to whoever had given Yui 

those photos of him and another woman), but he was confident that he 

could charm his way back into her life.  She preferred the company of 

dangerous men, like many women did in his experience, and he could use 

that for his own plans.



It was also quite nice to spend time with Hinako Ninomiya, his favorite 

bed partner.  The busty and leggy Hinako possessed a torrential core of 

passionate sexuality buried beneath her surface, like nothing he had 

ever experienced before.  If his desires to have Yui Ikari's love were 

not so strong within him, he might have considered making a play for 

Hinako's.  But he knew a relationship with the woman would never work.  

Both of them were too strong-willed to make something like a marriage 

between them work.  No, what he had with Hinako was only a sharing of 

carnal pleasures, mutually enjoyable, but not a relationship.



Still, until Yui finally came to her senses and dropped the pathetic 

man she was seeing now, Gendo would use the beautiful Security Director 

to satisfy his physical needs.  She was using him for the same thing, 

so it was a most equitable arrangement between them.  But he made a 

mental note to get her some flowers.  Even a hard-nosed bitch like 

Hinako still had a softer, more feminine side securely hidden within 

her.  And such gestures on his part ensured continued access to her 

bedroom, which was all that concerned him when it came to her.



Looking downward at the cadets had caused his glasses to slip downwards 

a little bit, and his previous look was replaced with a grimace.  He 

was still unused to wearing them, but they were a necessity that he was 

determined to get used to.  He had evaded wearing such things for a 

number of years, interpreting their presence as a sure sign of physical 

weakness.  And there was also the matter of maintaining his accustomed 

air of quiet menace.  How could someone be intimidating while wearing a 

pair of glasses?  Since he got them, he had been practicing in front of 

his mirror at home, trying out different ways of adjusting his glasses 

to convey his moods.  He would get it right eventually.



There was a knock at the door; his next appointment from among the 

Academy's faculty was here.  Experience had shown him that it was a 

good idea to meet with one's subordinate officers one-on-one, to 

determine the best ways to motivate them.  He sat down in the large 

chair behind his desk and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his 

nose.



"Enter," said Gendo, and then waited for his next appointment to come 

in.  He smiled coldly for a moment.  This one promised to be fun.



Outside, his hand resting on the door handle as he composed himself, 

stood a somewhat nervous Lieutenant Yusaku Godai.  He had been assigned 

to Furinkan since the beginning of the current term, teaching Japanese 

Literature and Imperial History.  He enjoyed teaching, even though it 

could be difficult at times to hold some of the cadets interest in the 

coursework, since it involved non-combative activities.



The newest addition to his class, Akane Tendo, was a prime example of 

that sort of attitude.  If it didn^�t involve fighting in some way, she 

was less than interested.  He wasn't looking forward to his first home 

visit to the Tendo household, but it was part of his duties as Akane's 

homeroom instructor.  He planned to make his trip there a brief one.



His calm restored, Yusaku opened the door to the Headmaster's office 

and walked in.  The room beyond was darkened, only the sunlight coming 

in through the window behind the new Headmaster affording any light.  

Even so, there was an air of shadowy menace in the room, and Godai 

stifled a quiver of fear before it could be noticed.  He marched the 

distance across the room to the desk and halted.  He snapped his hand 

up in a salute.



"Lieutenant Yusaku Godai, reporting as ordered, sir!" he snapped out, 

grateful that his voice had not cracked.  He held the pose as the new 

Headmaster eyed him for a moment or two.



Gendo stood up slowly, returned the salute, and reseated himself.  "At 

ease, Lieutenant," he said calmly.  "Have a seat."



"Yes, sir!" Yusaku snapped out, falling back on long-ingrained habits 

of discipline to hide his continuing nervousness.  He had heard the 

stories about the man behind this desk, a fast-rising star in the 

Empire's war machine.  Yusaku sat down in the chair next to him, and 

waited as the new Headmaster opened up his personal dossier and perused 

the contents.



"You have a good record, Lieutenant," said Gendo after several moments 

of paging through the file.  "And it seems that the cadets like you."



Yusaku blinked and said, "Uh, thank you, sir."  The compliment had 

caught him off guard.  Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as he had 

feared.



"But the instructors here are not supposed to be liked," said Gendo 

coldly, raising his gaze and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his 

nose with one finger.  "They are meant to be respected, even feared."



Yusaku felt a chill go down his spine at that look.  "Y-yes, sir."



"Furinkan Military Academy exists for one reason only, Lieutenant," 

intoned Gendo solemnly.  "To turn undisciplined boys and girls into 

efficient fighting machines dedicated to serving the divine will of the 

Emperor.  Someday, they will fight, and quite possibly die, in order to 

fulfill that purpose."



"Yes, sir," replied Yusaku.



Gendo smiled coldly, and continued his lecture, saying, "Your teachings 

are as important to these cadets as those of their combat instructors.  

You have a noble purpose, Lieutenant, to instill within these cadets a 

sense of their glorious heritage.  Once, we were limited to a few small 

islands in the Pacific, and now our Empire covers much of the globe.  

The Japanese people have been given a divine calling.  It is our 

manifest destiny to extend the reach of the Emperor until every man, 

woman, and child on Earth submits to his will.  And it is that goal 

that you should retain in your mind as you instruct these cadets, for 

they are the ones who shall fulfill that destiny.  Do you understand?"



"Yes, sir," Yusaku replied, more crisply this time.



"Excellent," said Gendo, a cold smile appearing on his face.  "You are 

now dismissed, Lieutenant.  Please keep my words in mind in the days 

and months to come, and we should get along fine."



Yusaku leaped to his feet, almost levitating out of his chair.  He 

snapped off a quick salute, which Gendo returned more sedately, and 

then he left the room.



Alone again, Gendo turned his chair to face the window again.  The 

muted sounds of the cadets drifted up from below, and he allowed 

himself to smile a bit more broadly.  This was only the beginning.



                   ******************************



Akane Tendo warmed up while she waited for Sakura to show up for their 

scheduled duel, stretching out every muscle in her body.  She was in a 

small clearing past some trees bordering one side of Furinkan's campus.  

Sakura had told her that it was one of several that members of the 

Combat Club used for their duels, reserved for more private fights.



The youngest Tendo was wearing a matching outfit composed of a pair of  

blue short pants and a white T-shirt, both emblazoned with Furinkan 

Academy's emblem.  It was one of several that Kyoko had picked up for 

her.  A pair of white socks and blue athletic shoes completed her 

ensemble.



The morning air felt brisk on the exposed skin of her arms and legs as 

she went through her preparations for the upcoming fight.  She was 

going to give it her all against the other girl, proving her strength 

to Sakura Kasugano.  Akane flexed her hands as she moved her limbs 

about her body, folding them into tight fists and then releasing them 

back open, the tightly-packed musculature on her frame readying itself 

for her needs.



Akane had already added a few maneuvers to her repertoire from watching 

her older sister in action, and she was eager to learn more.  Nabiki 

fought with incredible skill now, a level of martial arts talent that 

Akane had never known her older sister to have, and she hungered to 

possess such skill for herself.  But that was a mission for another 

day.  She had something more immediate to focus on now.



The youngest Tendo was looking forward to today's match, to finally 

overcoming the last obstacle preventing her membership in Furinkan's 

Combat Club.  The last of her injuries, incurred during her visit to 

Ohtori Academy, were now healed.  Akane felt herself to be in prime 

fighting shape as she drove her hands and feet through the air, her 

body answering to her commands with ease.



The distinctive sounds of a fight drifted to her ears, causing Akane to 

pause in her activities.  She turned around for several moments, trying 

to locate the source of the clamor.  It was not far away, she decided, 

already heading towards it at a lope to see what was going on.  She 

still had a few minutes until Sakura was scheduled to arrive, so she 

could spare a few minutes to watch.



Akane halted when she came within sight of the commotion.  It was a 

fight taking place in one of the nearby clearing, two teenaged boys 

battling each other.  She goggled briefly at the sight, then quickly 

hid herself and began to watch.  One combatant was obviously getting 

the worst of it from his opponent, a muscular adolescent with an unruly 

shock of black hair, held out of his eyes by a khaki-colored bandana.  

He wore camouflage-style pants and a Furinkan Academy T-shirt.  Both 

his taughtly-muscled build and his fighting skill quickly drew Akane's 

attention.  She closely studied the trimly-built boy with interest, 

analyzing his combat ability.  She licked suddenly dry lips as she 

watched the fight continue.



"What are you doing?" suddenly hissed a voice behind Akane's ear.



"What-" Akane started to ask in surprise, before she was roughly 

grabbed and held fast against a tree, a hand clamped tightly over her 

mouth.  She struggled for a moment against the figure holding onto her 

before she realized that it was Sakura.  The other girl was dressed in 

a highly-modified version of a Furinkan girl's fuku-style uniform: a 

pleated, blue, knee-length skirt, a white, short-sleeved top that left 

her midriff bare, yellow neck scarf, and a red, high-collared sports 

bra.  She looked angry with Akane, which surprised the youngest Tendo.



The sounds of the boys' fight did not pause, and Sakura breathed out a 

brief sigh of relief.  She risked a quick glance around the tree and 

then turned her attention back to Akane, releasing her tight grip on 

the other girl's mouth and gesturing for her to follow.  The pair 

slipped away quietly, Akane following along behind a grim-faced Sakura.



When they got back to the other clearing, Akane turned to Sakura and 

asked, "So what's the big idea?  Who was that?"



"That was the Captain of Furinkan's Combat Club," replied Sakura 

calmly.  "And it was a private duel that you almost interrupted.  I 

couldn't let you disturb Ryu-senpai."  Her voice lost its usual cool 

military manner when she spoke the name, and she blushed for a brief 

moment as she quickly corrected herself.  "Er, I mean, Kumon-san."



"He's a good fighter," noted Akane, looking back the way they came with 

a hint of longing in her gaze.



Sakura definitely did not like the look that Akane had on her face.  

"Kumon-san only fights the best.  That fight was to help prepare him 

for his upcoming exhibition match in the Arena.  Besides," she paused, 

looking Akane over, "you aren't good enough to challenge him."



"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Akane.  She paused, a look of 

puzzlement suddenly coming over her face.  "Exhibition match?"



"Never mind," said Sakura, a hint of irritation in her voice.  She 

stepped a pace away from Akane and calmed herself.  Anger had no place 

in a test of combat skill.  "My sensei once told me that one never 

truly masters the martial arts, that there is always something new to 

learn."  She suddenly took up a stance, and a light breeze caused the 

tips of the long white bandana holding back her hair to flutter.  "So, 

Akane Tendo, do you have anything to teach me?"



Akane narrowed her gaze at the other girl and a predatory smile came 

across her face as she took up her own stance.  Her hands tightened 

into fists, her knuckles cracking.



"Let's find out, Kasugano," said Akane.  "Allow me to instruct you."



Without any further words, the two girls charged each other, launching 

into a furious display of martial arts skill.



                   ******************************



The early morning weather was cool as Nodoka Saotome emerged from the 

subway station and eyed the place selected by Kenseiko for their duel.  

She inhaled, enjoying the faint tang in the air from the thunderstorm 

that had just passed through the city before dawn.  A cloth bag slung 

over her shoulder contained her bokken.  Her outfit was functional for 

a fight, though more mannish than she usually enjoyed wearing nowadays.  

She had discovered it in the back of her closet and was pleased to see 

that it still fit, if a little snugly when she had first tried it on.  

That was easily enough fixed with some sewing though.



Nodoka was wearing the traditional garb of a kendo fighter, complete 

with black, hakama-style pants and a loose-sleeved shirt in teal.  Her 

feet were shod in soft leather boots that came up to her shins, also in 

black, for she didn't like to fight wearing sandals.  She felt twenty 

years younger to be wearing this outfit, even if it had garnered a few 

odd looks during her trek over here.



Her destination was a small park that had been her favorite dueling 

ground years ago.  It was out of the way of regular foot traffic, 

surrounded by tall trees that gave it a sense of being cut off from the 

world, like a small piece of an ancient forest somehow transplanted 

into the center of Nerima.  She imagined that it was still used for 

that purpose by the younger fighters in the area, to settle their 

differences in the traditional way of the warrior.



As she walked through the trees, the sounds of the city became hushed 

and distant.  Nodoka smiled as her boots thudded softly against the 

packed loam, caught up in memories of her past.  She missed those 

glorious days, when life had been simpler for her in many ways.  Now 

she was a wife and mother, and those days of battles and adventures 

seemed so far away.



Nodoka emerged from the trees and saw Kenseiko waiting for her, the 

other woman's face a mask of cold regard when they spotted each other.  

She walked the remaining distance to the noblewoman, unzipping her bag 

and removing her weapon as she did so.  She tossed it aside and stopped 

two paces from Kenseiko.



"You're punctual," said Kenseiko calmly.  "I like that in an opponent."



"I'm here, as you requested," replied Nodoka.  Not interested in making 

small talk, she took up a ready stance and waited.



Kenseiko sneered slightly, regarding Nodoka's stance, and said, "For 

one who purports herself to be a bushi, and a follower of the old ways 

of honor, you have little sense of drama, my old enemy."  She studied 

Nodoka for a moment.  "You should not have come back into my life."



"I'm here to fight, not listen to you," growled Nodoka, feeling her old 

angers for the other woman rising up to the surface.  "Nice to see that 

some things haven't changed about you, Kenseiko."  For a moment, she 

smiled and then said, "A shame that the same thing can't be said about 

your hips."  That sort of remark had always goaded the other woman into 

making stupid mistakes when they were younger, and Nodoka hoped to end 

this quick.



Kenseiko's nostrils flared, but she held her temper, barely.  However, 

there was a snarl in her voice when she spoke next.  "When we last met, 

I was still much the novice."  She brandished her warfans dramatically 

for a moment.  "Now, I am a master.  Prepare to fall before my might, 

Nodoka Saotome."



Nodoka yawned broadly.  It was as if the last twenty years had never 

happened, and Kenseiko was still trying to talk her to death.  At least 

Kodachi didn't seem to be nearly as pompous as her mother was.



"Less talk, more action," taunted Nodoka, shifting her feet slightly.



"DIE!" screamed Kenseiko, unable to maintain her calm any longer.  She 

rushed at Nodoka, attacking in a fury.



Nodoka ducked and evaded the other woman's attacks, and quick parries 

with her bokken completed her defenses.  Kenseiko had gotten better, 

Nodoka had to give her that, but so had she.  The pompous, ponytailed 

young noblewoman who had once bedeviled her youth was still very much 

alive in the mature woman trying to defeat her now.  Some things never 

changed.



Their weapons clashed as the two women struggled for dominance, fierce 

looks now present on both faces.  Nodoka quickly spotted the opening 

that Kenseiko always left open on her left side, a weakness in her 

technique.  Nodoka chuckled in her thoughts as she launched an attack 

at the opening-



-and was abruptly blocked.



Taking swift advantage of her foe's surprise, Kenseiko earned first 

blood, a slash by one of her warfans opening a thin cut across Nodoka's 

neck, just above her shoulder.  It was swiftly followed up by a reverse 

spin kick that slammed into Nodoka's side.  Watching her foe staggered 

by the blows, the noblewoman felt almost blissful.  This was how it 

should have been years ago.  She took a moment to savor the sight of 

her enemy's pain.



Nodoka shrugged off the aches of the wounds she had just received, 

having been hurt much worse in her youth and still won.  She surged 

forward and slammed one of Kenseiko's arms aside with a quick strike of 

her weapon and used the brief opening in her defenses to slash upwards 

across the other woman's body with her wooden blade.  The savage strike 

left a fiery red welt running from her gut to her throat, but Kenseiko 

recovered much too quickly for Nodoka to press her advantage, forcing 

her to back off with lightning-fast swipes of her warfans.



Nodoka and Kenseiko circled, each one eyeing the other woman with more 

respect.



"You have improved, Kenseiko," admitted Nodoka reluctantly, briefly 

touching the wet spot on her neck.  Her hand came away sticky with 

blood, and she absently wiped it off on her shirt.  "But I'm still 

going to beat you."



Despite the pains of her injuries, Nodoka was surprised by how much she 

was relishing this battle.  Her sparring matches with Achika had lost 

the fierce edge they had once had in their youth, replaced with a less 

intense form of rivalry that didn't stir the soul like how she felt 

now.  Forgotten passions within her heart were rekindling now, and she 

smiled.



"Come and try, if you dare," taunted Kenseiko, adrenaline letting her 

ignore the ache in her ribs.  The blood was singing in her veins now, 

and she could not remember the last time she had felt so alive.  Not 

even a lover's embrace could replace what she was now feeling, the 

glorious exultation of combat.  She was a warrior, like generations of 

her ancestors had been before her, and she was locked in savage battle 

with her oldest, fiercest rival.  Winning no longer mattered to her, 

only prolonging the fight and savoring the passions flowing though her.



The two women came together in a clash of arms, dancing to a symphony 

that only they could hear.  They had never before fought so fiercely, 

and their skill and strength had never been as evenly matched as it was 

now.  It was glorious and exhilarating, testing themselves to their 

limits.



Nodoka backed off after several minutes of furious fighting went by, 

astounded that the noblewoman's skills had gotten so much better over 

the years.  Sweat dripped from her brow, falling to the grassy earth at 

her feet.  She shifted her grip on her weapon, her eyes analyzing 

Kenseiko's stance for the slightest weaknesses.  She still had a number 

of tricks left to try.  She had never lost to this woman before, and 

she was not about to lose now.



Kenseiko circled around, studying Nodoka as the other woman shifted the 

position of her feet and her grip on the bokken held in her hands.  She 

panted a bit, attempting to replenish her strength, while she made a 

mental note to thank her husband for his assistance in her training.  

The look on Nodoka's face had been priceless when she finally realized 

she had been tricked.  Victory was within her grasp.  She only had to 

reach out and take it.



"You fight well, old foe," grunted Kenseiko with a modicum of respect.



Nodoka nodded and replied, "You too."  Her vision blurred for a moment, 

and she shook her head to clear her eyes.  She suddenly felt a slight 

queasiness come over her.



Kenseiko noted the sudden weakness appear in Nodoka's stance and darted 

forward.  Her knee drove upwards into the other woman's belly, and she 

was startled when Nodoka abruptly crumpled to the ground, retching up 

her breakfast.  Kenseiko held off striking the finishing blow due to 

her shock at the ease of her enemy's fall.  This was not how it was 

supposed to happen.  This was too quick.  She was being robbed of her 

rightful enjoyment of her conquest!  Suspecting some sort of a devious 

trick on Nodoka's part, she roughly nudged her with a foot, but her old 

enemy only moaned softly.



"Nodoka!" hissed Kenseiko, nudging her with a foot again.  "Get up!  I 

won't be cheated of my satisfaction like this!"



Nodoka hardly stirred.  Cursing under her breath at the unfairness of 

life, Kenseiko kicked her foe's weapon aside, not even token resistance 

showing on the fallen woman's part.  She warily knelt down and set her 

warfans behind her, but still left them near enough to grab quickly 

just in case she needed them after all.  Nodoka moaned rather piteously 

as the noblewoman lifted her head, the cut on her neck oozing a little 

blood.  She barely responded, even when Kenseiko began slapping her 

across the face.



"Nodoka!  Curse you, woman!  Wake up!"  Kenseiko's hand left red marks 

on Nodoka's cheeks, but she did not stir.  Despite knowing that she was 

probably going to regret her next actions, Kenseiko gently put her arms 

underneath her fallen enemy, struggled a bit, and then finally lifted 

Nodoka from the ground into a fireman's carry.



"It appears that I'm not the only one who has gained a few kilos over 

the last twenty years," Kenseiko grumbled.  Staggering at first from 

carrying the limp mass of Nodoka's unconscious body, the noblewoman 

quickly adjusted to the load.  Continuing to grumble under her breath 

at the indignity of her situation, as well as the unfairness of being 

forced to carry a woman to find medical aid that she loathed with all 

her soul, Kenseiko Kuno marched into the trees towards where her 

chauffeur-driven car waited.  This was not the outcome she had in mind 

when she woke up this morning, and it was all Nodoka's fault, the 

weakling.



                   ******************************



"You're pretty good," noted Akane, panting slightly as she circled her 

opponent.



"So are you," acknowledged Sakura, watching the other girl closely.



Sakura was proving to be a very challenging match for Akane, but she 

was really enjoying the intense struggle.  The other girl was an 

incredible fighter, as a fair number of injuries on Akane's body could 

attest, but she was not about to give up.  It was all going to come 

down to whoever wanted the win more, and Akane knew that was going to 

be her.



One of Sakura's cheeks was bruised, and she had some serious contusions 

in other places, but she was nowhere near defeated.  This was what she 

lived for, to strengthen her fighting abilities, and battling against 

strong opponents was the only way for her to do that.  She was the 

strongest female fighter among the ranks of Furinkan's Combat Club, as 

well as being the second-best overall, next to the boy she had secretly 

admired from afar for some time now.



Sakura had been holding back her full might, to test how good the other 

girl really was without ending the fight too quickly, but now it was 

time to end the charade.  She began raising her chi, feeling it flowing 

into her from her surroundings and down into her hands.  Only another 

few moments and this battle was going to be over.  She was a little 

disappointed, but she had never really doubted her eventual victory.



"It was a nice try, Akane Tendo," Sakura remarked, her voice sounding 

almost regretful.  The energy built to a peak within her.  "But I'm 

going to win.  I'm afraid you just don't have the strength to take me 

down.  SHO-O-KEN!"



Akane went wide-eyed as Sakura launched herself at her, winding back a 

fist that was suddenly glowing with cerulean light.  Desperate, Akane 

raised her arms up in an attempt to block, but she failed to deflect 

the blow.  Sakura's "Cherry Blossom Fist" impacted into her.  There was 

a brief flash as the energy of the strike surged into Akane's body, 

lifting her completely off her feet and blasting her backwards into a 

tree and unconsciousness.



"YES!" shouted a victorious Sakura as she landed on her feet, studying 

Akane's fallen body with a brief grin, before the emotional rush began 

to fade.  Akane Tendo had been the first girl able to come close to 

challenging her fighting skills in nearly a year, but she had ended up 

beaten like the others.  But, then again, even most of the boys in the 

Combat Club weren't capable of giving her much of a challenge.  It was 

a shame really.  Sakura knew that she would never be able to get any 

stronger unless she could battle against much better opponents.



That was what had drawn her to Akane in the first place, for she had 

sensed a kindred spirit within her.  And she had been amazed at how 

quickly the other girl won her first two challenges, giving her hope 

that Akane could really give her fighting skills a real test.  However, 

when push came to shove, Akane Tendo had not been the opponent she was 

searching for, a strong rival to walk with to higher levels of martial 

arts mastery.  It was a disappointing discovery to make, and it looked 

like it was going to be her and Kumon-san reigning undefeated among the 

local martial artist populace for the foreseeable future.



Sakura moved towards Akane's fallen form and knelt down next to her.  

She carefully checked over the other girl's injuries, pleased that her 

skills had been good enough to leave Akane with nothing worse than some 

scrapes and bruises.  Satisfied that Akane was not badly injured, she 

picked the unconscious girl up and headed off in the direction of the 

infirmary.



                   ******************************



After an unknown amount of time, Akane snapped awake and immediately 

wished she hadn't.  Her body ached all over.  Even though no bones 

seemed to be broken, she could not remember ever feeling as beaten up 

as she was now.



"Welcome back, Akane," said Sakura with a smile.  "How do you feel?"



"Hurt," Akane grumbled.  She patted the bandages around her ribs.  "I 

guess I lost."



"But you gave it a good try," said Sakura cheerfully.  "I'm sure that 

you'll be able to get into the Combat Club when you fight one of the 

other members."



Akane studied the other girl for a moment, then said, "But I want to 

fight you again.  A rematch."



"No," said Sakura, shaking her head.  "I've seen what you have to offer 

me now.  You aren't the challenge I'm looking for."



Akane growled at the slight.  So, her skills weren't good enough?



"Don't take it so hard, Akane," said Sakura.  "We can still be friends, 

right?"  She held out her hand.



Akane swatted it aside.  "Don't make fun of me."



"I'm not making fun of you, Akane," said Sakura more seriously.  "I 

honestly do like you, and I still want to be friends.  You've got a lot 

of potential, and I'd like to help you bring it out."  She held out her 

hand again.



Akane studied the offered hand for a moment.  She genuinely liked the 

other girl, even now.  Friends had always been few and far between for 

her, and here was someone who could help her get better.  If she got 

better, then she would stand a better chance of dealing with any 

challenges to her desires for Ranma Saotome.  That decided it for her.  

To be able to stand at Ranma's side, she would do anything.  The depths 

of her passion for him would sustain her through any efforts needed.  

She took Sakura's hand in a firm grip and shook it.



"Okay," said Akane, looking Sakura squarely in the eyes.  "Help me get 

better."



                   ******************************



"Get up, Kodachi," said Nabiki with a smirk.  "You aren't much of a 

challenge, but I need the practice."



Knocked down to her knees during their latest sparring match, Kodachi 

growled softly at the mocking remark.  The sheer impudence of the Tendo 

girl was infuriating, but it also spurred Kodachi to get back onto her 

feet.  She was a Kuno, and Nabiki Tendo would someday learn to respect 

that if Kodachi had her way.  And she planned to do just that, just as 

soon as she fully regained her senses.



Nabiki suddenly tumbled backwards gracefully, when Kodachi launched a 

new assault before she had fully risen to her feet.  The kick breezed 

by Nabiki's face by a fair margin, the blow dodged before she had even 

been fully aware of it coming.  She grinned as she rolled back to her 

feet, letting herself move as instinct directed her, her reflexes alone 

guiding her body as she ducked and weaved around Kodachi's attacks with 

an almost casual ease.



Coach Takami watched the latest exchange with interest.  He could see 

that Nabiki was dictating the flow of the match on her own terms, and 

the smirk on her face was a sign that she was enjoying every moment of 

it.  The Kuno girl was getting frustrated, especially since it was 

pretty obvious that Nabiki wasn't taking her very seriously.



Sitting next to the coach, Ranma studied Nabiki's technique closely.  

She had improved while he was involved in his own training, especially 

her speed.  His overall ability was better than when last they faced 

off against each other, but so was Nabiki's.  And the smirk on her face 

was as much as a promise that there was another match coming up between 

them.  Well, that was fine with him.  Unlike his wimpish counterpart 

from the world Nabiki's skills came from, he had no problems treating a 

girl as an opponent.  Take the other version of himself, from the world 

where Shampoo was cursed to turn male when wet, he treated the Amazon 

as a serious opponent.



Then there was also the matter of returning that other world's version 

of Genma Saotome and getting his own father back.  That was his next 

priority, and Nabiki would just have to wait until he finished with 

that.  When his father was restored to his proper life, then Ranma 

would cheerfully kick Nabiki's ass all over Nerima, no matter what 

improvements to her technique she may have made.  He was Ranma Saotome, 

and he was the best.



However, those concerns were for the future, and he would deal with 

them as they came.  At least for today, all he had to worry about was 

dealing with Utena.



                   ******************************



"I wonder what he's like."



Saionji Kyoichi only grunted in response to his companion's statement, 

and grimaced as he attempted to flex his hand within the cast.  He 

cursed the fates for bringing him to his current state, but most of all 

he cursed the one who had done this to him.  Him!  Saionji Kyoichi!  

Now he couldn't even hold a sword until it healed.  He was going to 

find the little bitch who had done this to him and make her suffer.  Oh 

yes, how she would suffer.



"You haven't been paying attention to a thing I've said, but I can fix 

that."



Pain suddenly lanced up Saionji's arm when his companion reached out 

and slammed her palm down on the back of his hand.  For the second time 

in a single week, his cry of tortured pain echoed across the length and 

breadth of Ohtori's campus.  He turned hate-filled eyes upon the young 

woman seated next to him on the highest balcony on the Tower of Roses, 

her red hair blowing backwards gently in the wind.



Juri Arisugawa merely raised one eyebrow in response to the glare she 

was receiving.  She brushed her fingers across the front of her white 

uniform, the picture of total nonchalance.  Annoying Saionji always 

made for a pleasant way to spend time.



"He must be quite inspiring, even in defeat," Juri observed.  "Whoever 

this Ranma Saotome fellow is, he certainly made an impression on our 

Tenjou-san."



"Indeed," noted Toga Kiryu, stepping forward and posing majestically 

next to the railing.  The shapes of roses were etched into the metal of 

the railing's bars, as they were into the chairs that Juri and Saionji 

were seated upon.  "Perhaps his visit will be as interesting as the 

others were."



Juri took a sip of her tea before speaking.  "Perhaps.  But, be that as 

it may, it will be rather interesting to see what manner of man he is."  

Glancing once at her two companions, she observed, "There are so few 

real men in this world."  Despite the physical attraction she felt for 

her two companions, she despised their personalities.  Saionji was a 

swaggering bully, and Toga was an arrogant playboy.  Her parents had 

once suggested engaging her to Toga, but she had quickly shot that idea 

down.  She wanted a man who would be faithful to her alone, since she 

should be woman enough for any man's needs.



Hearing her words, now it was Toga's turn to raise an eyebrow, but he 

refused to be baited by Juri.



Saionji was not so composed, and he asked, "Just what did you mean by 

that?"



"Why, nothing, Kyoichi-kun," said Juri.  She patted his injured hand.  

"Although, if you feel at all slighted by my comments, you may seek 

satisfaction in the usual manner."  Her hand gripped his once more, a 

warning gesture from a dangerous woman.  After a moment, she let go and 

smiled.  "When you are healed, that is."



Saionji grimaced angrily at her taunting of his present state.  In his 

rage, he made a fist and slammed it down on the table.  There was a 

soft cracking sound from within his cast, and a blank look crossed his 

face as the pain quickly made itself known.



The other two members of Ohtori's Student Council winced slightly at 

the bellow of pain that emerged from Saionji.  They exchanged a look as 

the green-haired youth cradled his broken hand and cursed.



Today was already promising to be an interesting day.



                   ******************************



The Ministry of Health boasted of having the largest and best-equipped 

hospital in all the Empire, and its doctors were the finest to be found 

anywhere.  So it was there that Kenseiko Kuno brought Nodoka Saotome 

for treatment, grumbling all the way.  Nodoka's unconscious form kept 

falling over to rest against Kenseiko's shoulder, and being that close 

to her mortal enemy was making her feel twitchy.  So upon reaching the 

Ministry, she quickly opened the door and got out, waiting impatiently 

as her chauffeur picked up the limp Nodoka.



When the man had Nodoka in hand, Kenseiko turned and swept past him, 

striding towards the front door of the Ministry.  The chauffeur 

followed along behind her, the woman in his charge held in his arms 

like a sleeping child.  They made quite a sight, Nodoka and Kenseiko 

both blood-spattered, as they marched the length of the distance 

towards the main entrance to the Ministry's hospital.



The doors slid open and the trio entered.  There were only a few people 

present at this early hour: a couple of security guards, a nurse, and a 

tall man that appeared to be a doctor or administrator.  Kenseiko went 

up to him promptly, her body posture in her most imperious mode.



"You," Kenseiko snapped out, addressing herself to the man in the white 

coat.  "Are you a doctor?"



Tofu Ono, who had just been getting a cup of tea from the nurse before 

making his morning rounds, turned around and adjusted his glasses.  He 

eyed the blood-spattered figure standing arrogantly before him for a 

moment, the unconscious woman being carried in the uniformed man's arms 

also being noted out of the corner of his vision.



"I'm a doctor," Tofu replied.  "What seems to be-"



"This woman is Nodoka Saotome, and she requires treatment," Kenseiko 

said crisply.  "See to it."  She snapped her fingers, pointed at him, 

and her chauffeur very promptly dumped Nodoka into a startled Tofu's 

arms.  "Know this, physician.  I am Kenseiko Kuno, wife to Lord Daisho 

Kuno, and I command you to find what ails this woman and treat it."  

She then folded her arms and gave Tofu her most commanding glare, 

looking every inch the part of a high noble of the Empire at that 

moment.



Tofu hesitated for only a moment, before quickly summoning an orderly 

and a nurse to assist him.  Together, they placed Nodoka onto a gurney 

and swept her away to one of the examining rooms, leaving Kenseiko and 

her chauffeur behind.



Kenseiko, seeing that her orders were being carried out with adequate 

promptness, strode over to the nurse at the main desk.  She eyed the 

girl haughtily for a moment.



"I will require a comfortable room to wait in while that woman is being 

treated," Kenseiko snapped out.  "Make it so."



"I'm sorry, but this is most irregular-" began the nurse, but a cold 

glare from Kenseiko froze her voice.



Kenseiko said, slowly and clearly, radiating menace, "You will do as I 

bid.  Now."



While the nurse hurried to comply with a stern-looking Kenseiko's 

demands, Tofu began examining Nodoka, who had already begun to wake.



"What?  Where?" said Nodoka, shocked to find herself in a strange room 

somewhere.  She struggled to sit up.



"Take it easy," said Tofu soothingly, gently but firmly holding Nodoka 

down so that he could continue examining her.  The cut on her neck was 

superficial, but it was still going to require treatment to prevent 

infection.  "You're at the Ministry of Health, Saotome-san.  Can you 

tell me what the last thing you remember was?"



"I was fighting," said Nodoka, feeling Tofu prod at her torso.  "I felt 

dizzy all of a sudden, then the woman I was fighting with hit me, and 

then nothing."  She winced when he poked at the injury in her side, and 

tried not to squirm as he quickly found every other one on her torso.



I lost, Nodoka finally realized, staring up at the strange ceiling.  I 

lost to that blue-blooded witch!



"Please remove your shirt, so I can treat that cut on your shoulder and 

deal with the bruise on your ribs," said Tofu in his best professional 

voice.  He waited as Nodoka complied, noting clinically from his visual 

inspection of the bruise on her side that it was not as bad as he had 

feared.



Nodoka was almost in a state of shock.  Nobody had ever beaten her in a 

fight so badly when she was younger.  Had age finally finished her as a 

warrior?  No.  She just had to retrain and prepare herself to retake 

her position of supremacy.  She had always been better than any of her 

old rivals, and she still was.



Tofu worked quickly, his fingers thrusting against shiatsu pressure 

points, easing Nodoka's pain and greatly enhancing her body's healing 

abilities.  He cleaned the cut and sealed it with a strip of synthetic 

skin, which held the wound closed, almost as if she had never been cut.  

The strip would fall off in a couple of days, leaving her fully healed.  

He also noted clinically that she was in excellent shape for her age, 

aside from her present injuries.



"I'm going to need to take some blood now," said Tofu, pulling out a 

syringe.



"Uh, that's quite all right," said Nodoka, snapping her out of her 

shock.  She eyed the slender length of surgical steel.  She had never 

liked them.



"It's procedure," explained Tofu, quickly tying a length of surgical 

tubing around her arm.  "We'll need to do a blood work-up to see what 

might be wrong with you."



Nodoka shook her head and pulled her arm back, or at least she tried 

to.  The doctor seemed to have her limb pinned in a painless joint lock 

of some sort, and she absently realized that he had to be a martial 

artist of skill to do so with her.  She turned her head away when the 

needle was buried into her arm, a brief pain that faded as he filled 

the syringe with her blood.



"There now," said Tofu soothingly, untying the surgical tubing and 

putting a bandage against the puncture.  "All done.  I'll send this 

down to the lab."  As if by magic, a nurse appeared and took the tray 

with the syringe.



Nodoka held her arm and nodded.  "Thank you, Doctor."



Tofu smiled at her and left with the nurse.  Nodoka put her shirt back 

on, reclined back, and closed her eyes.



"So, are you still alive, old foe?" suddenly came Kenseiko's voice, 

having entered the room shortly after Tofu and the nurse departed.



Nodoka growled as she snapped her eyes back open.  "Come to gloat?"



"Why Nodoka-chan, my oldest and dearest rival," replied Kenseiko with a 

smile.  "Would I do such a thing?"



"What do you want, Kenseiko?" asked Nodoka through gritted teeth.



Kenseiko, noting the expression on Nodoka's face, decided to up the 

ante a bit and said, "I'm feeling magnanimous after my victory."  She 

saw a twitching in Nodoka's jaw muscle begin.  "Age has apparently 

taken its toll on your skills, a sign of your obvious inferiority when 

compared to a woman of my own incomparable breeding."  There was now a 

vein pulsing in Nodoka's temple.  "So I'm calling a temporary truce and 

allowing you time to try and recover what the years have cost you."



Nodoka blinked.



"Farewell now," said Kenseiko with a smile.  She then swept back out of 

the room in grand fashion.



"What?" Nodoka muttered.  She hopped off the bed, felt her knees wobble 

a bit for a few moments, and then she stomped to the door.  A quick 

inquiry, before the nurses hustled her back into her room, showed that 

the arrogant noblewoman had left the building.  Nodoka felt her teeth 

grind at the thought that Kenseiko had one-upped her with those parting 

remarks.  She gazed into the mirror for a time, studying her profile 

intently, flexing her arms and studying her muscle tone.  She was _not_ 

old.  A blue light surrounded her for a moment as she pictured their 

next battle.



"Kenseiko," grumbled Nodoka.  "Just wait until next time."



                   ******************************



A melange of conversations swirled around the front courtyard of the 

Academy from cadets chatting with each other before heading home for 

the day.  Most of them were formulating plans concerning what they 

would do with the remainder of the weekend.  The girls were gathered 

together in small clusters, some giggling about having been asked out 

by this or that boy, and others discussing upcoming tests or the latest 

gossip.  Groups of boys were gathered together as well, talking about 

girls and sports, and making plans to go out and have fun during this 

brief time of freedom.



Kyosuke Kasuga tuned out the voices of his classmates as he walked 

alongside his girlfriend, Yohko Mano, and their mutual friend, the 

redheaded Ghost Sweeper, Minami.  The two young women were happily 

chattering away, but he was not paying attention, being pre-occupied 

with other thoughts.  In only a little over a week, the two girls had 

become good friends, and he was happy to see them getting along.  But 

he was a little bit surprised too, as different as they were.  Minami 

could display a rather abrasive and overbearing personality at times, 

and she hungered for the spotlight.  On the other hand, Yohko was 

generally more demure in her bearing, and her life was built around 

living up to her mother's example as a Devil Hunter.



They were two very different girls, like two others he had come to know 

better in the last week, Madoka Ayukawa and Hikaru Hiyama.  Somehow, 

through some odd quirk of Esper powers, he had exchanged physical 

places with another Earth's version of himself.  It had been a very 

eye-opening experience, and he was still getting used to the fact that 

he was back, that the bed he had woken up in this morning was his own.  

During his time here, his counterpart had managed to patch things up 

with Yohko, a far cry from how things had been before.  That made his 

life quite a bit easier.



Kyosuke adjusted the weight of the bookbag slung over his shoulder and 

considered the life of his counterpart.  Such a different world that 

other Kyosuke lived in.  His own training in undercover work had 

enabled him to blend in while he studied that other life, and dealing 

with his analog's family had been most educational.  He had finally 

managed to return with the aid of his analog's grandfather, but it left 

him with some interesting memories of his visit to that world, ones 

that he would not soon forget.  And it also made him re-evaluate his 

own feelings about Yohko Mano.



When he had first seen pictures of the Devil Hunter, he had been almost 

spellbound by her loveliness.  Her body was well-built, with everything 

that a young man could desire in a girl, and her facial features were 

equally pleasing.  But his initial ardor had cooled somewhat after he 

began reading through the reports on the unpleasant fates of Yohko's 

last four boyfriends.  Two had been possessed, one died, and the fourth 

had seen something that drove his mind over the brink of sanity.  So it 

was with some admitted trepidation that he had first approached Yohko.



However, their first date had been a surprise.  Nothing supernatural 

had occurred throughout the entire evening, and talking with her had 

left him with an impression of an intelligent mind behind her comely 

exterior.  Later dates had brought him face to face with the realities 

of Yohko's life as a Devil Hunter, but his Institute training and his 

Esper powers allowed him to deal with them.  But, over the past several 

weeks, what had begun as an assignment was now something more, and that 

left him feeling confused.  And his problems did not end there.



When Madoka Ayukawa (having learned her name from his analog's sisters) 

had caught his attention during a date with Yohko, he had seen first-

hand just how jealous a certain Devil Hunter could become where he was 

concerned.  It had not been an enjoyable experience at all, the angry 

hurt in her gaze being far worse than anything physical she might have 

done to him.  But he had felt drawn to the biker girl for some unknown 

reason.  His visit to that other world had deepened his confusion, and 

he wondered if he had only been perceiving a subconscious echo of the 

feelings from other versions of himself dealing with other versions of 

Madoka.  With Esper powers involved, who knew what was possible?



Upon his return home two nights ago, he had voluntarily submitted 

himself to a full debriefing at the Mobius Institute concerning this 

strange experience, as per regulations.  His grandfather, Director 

Kasuga, had personally debriefed him, telepathically scanning him, 

sensing the very faint lingerings of his own analog's powers.  Only his 

mother and his grandfather knew the truth, and the entire matter was 

now placed under Institute seal.



It was just as well.  Who could he talk to about such a thing?  Yohko 

was not part of the Institute, and it would likely just complicate his 

relationship with her now that it was back on track.  No.  There was no 

one on the planet who could understand what he had just been through.



"Kasuga-san.  I was wondering if I could speak with you briefly."



Kyosuke, his musings about the lovely Devil Hunter interrupted, turned 

his head to see who had addressed him.  Over by one of the trees near 

the main gate stood Ranma Saotome, Nabiki Tendo's boyfriend according 

to what he had heard from Yohko lately.  He nodded to the Science cadet 

politely.



Minami paused in her conversation with Yohko to send a withering glance 

at the pigtailed boy.  When it was ignored, it only further incensed 

her.  She sniffed lightly and turned her gaze from him.



Yohko nodded a greeting to Ranma, which was politely returned by him.  

There was an interesting dynamic building up between Nabiki and Ranma 

lately, and the secret romantic in Yohko found it quite fascinating to 

observe her best friend and the pigtailed boy, like something out of a 

girl's comic.

 

"Saotome-san," Kyosuke greeted the other boy.  "What can I do for you?"



"I had a couple of questions I was hoping you could answer for me," 

said Ranma quietly as he walked over.  He stopped within a single pace 

of Kyosuke, sparing the two girls a glance, and his voice lowered even 

further in tone.  "About Espers and their abilities."



Intrigued, Kyosuke responded, "What sort of questions?"



"Can an Esper with telekinetic powers use them without realizing it?" 

Ranma asked without preamble.  "And can that be detected by another 

Esper?"



Kyosuke thought about it for a moment before responding, "Yes, to both 

questions.  Why do you wish to know, Saotome-san?"



Ranma looked around.  His gaze briefly met Nabiki Tendo's and paused 

for a few moments before moving on, Ranma nodding to her during the 

brief time that their gazes were locked, receiving one in return.  He 

observed that Nabiki was holding court at her usual place, catching up 

on how her business interests were doing and listening to the reports 

of her associates.  She was too far away to hear anything.  Ranma 

turned around as he thrust his hands in his pockets.  No one else 

seemed to be paying much attention to them, and he slowly turned back 

to face Kyosuke.



"I have a rematch coming up against Ohtori's champion," said Ranma in a 

more conversational tone, satisfied that no one was eavesdropping on 

them.  "The last time I faced her, an Esper interfered, but I was told 

it was not done consciously."



Kyosuke was surprised, to say the least.  Interfering in such a matter 

was against Institute regulations, outside of any assigned mission 

parameters.  He glanced at Minami, and he could tell that she was as 

startled by this as he was.



"That's terrible," said Yohko sincerely.  Ranma had suffered a measure 

of public humiliation over his rapid loss to the Tenjou girl, and she 

suddenly saw a way that she could help him, especially since he was 

practically Nabiki's boyfriend now.  Besides, her school pride was also 

involved.  She turned to Kyosuke.  "Kasuga-kun, I want you to accompany 

Saotome-san to Ohtori."



"What?" Kyosuke asked, blinking for several moments at this sudden turn 

of events.  "But we have a date tonight."



"Please?" Yohko asked, unleashing the full power of her soft-eyed gaze 

at him.  She upped the ante by stepping closer and brushing her index 

finger up and down his chest.  "For me?  I promise to make this evening 

special if you do."



Minami made subtle gagging noises behind Yohko, and Ranma stared at the 

scene, fortunately having only caught the edge of the effect.



Kyosuke's words of resistance vanished before they could be voiced, in 

the face of Yohko's fawn-like gaze looking up at him.  He swallowed 

down a suddenly dry throat and nodded mindlessly.



"That's my Kasuga-kun," said Yohko with a smile.  "I want you to keep 

an eye on Ranma while he's visiting Ohtori.  Make sure that nothing 

happens to either of you two, okay?"



Kyosuke nodded again.



Yohko gave Kyosuke a hug, and she whispered, "I'll be waiting for you 

upon your return."  She then stepped back, and the two girls walked 

away.



"I guess you're coming to Ohtori with me," commented Ranma dryly.  He 

was grateful that he was made of sterner stuff when it came to girls.  

No woman was going to wrap Ranma Saotome around her little finger like 

the Devil Hunter had just done to the Esper boy.  The pair headed off 

to retrieve Ranma's bag from the locker room.



Hidden in a nearby tree, Ayako Mitsui regarded her chosen prey as he 

walked away.  Even though she looked identical to her pathetic cousin 

Yohko, this boy had refused her advances.  Why?  Seducing him should 

have been easy, a fun way to drive a knife into Yohko's heart, but he 

had somehow known she wasn't his precious girlfriend, perhaps due to 

his Esper abilities.  And his refusal had somehow backfired the whole 

matter upon her, leaving her deeply envious of her cousin for having 

such a loyal boyfriend.



However, she wasn't prepared to abandon Kyosuke yet.  No, not just yet.





***** END PART ONE *****

(to be continued in the remaining half of chapter 15)







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