I wrote parts one and two last year (before finals).  Then I went 
away for Christmas break.  Now I'm back, and I can get some writing done...
	If you want to find me, I'm at rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu .  If you 
have suggestions, or want calculus help, just let me know...

	The skies were clear and blue, but that meant little in Nerima, 
Tokyo.  Rainclouds had a habit of appearing out of thin air, particularly 
whenever someone named Saotome walked outside.
	A boy and a girl were running to school.  The boy was balanced on 
the top of a narrow fence, unconsciously practicing his martial arts 
skills.  The girl took the more conventional path offered by the 
sidewalk.  "Don't you need to stop by Uncle Tofu's clinic?" she called 
up to her companion.
	"Haven't got the time," the boy called back.  His pony tail swung back 
and forth in time to his steps.  "We're late enough as it is."
	"And whose fault is that?" the girl asked?
	"Look, Tachi, I didn't ask for Ran to show up.  He just wandered 
into the dojo, like he always does."
	"And you had to fight with him, like you always do."
	The boy jumped down from the fence and ran alongside the girl.  
"What else am I supposed to do with the jerk?  I still can't believe I'm 
engaged to him.  I mean, didn't that go out of style last century?"
	"C'mon, Ranko, think for a minute.  I know you have a brain in 
there.  Use it!  Considering our family history, be glad you only have 
one fiancee."
	"This boy have fiancee, too!  Stupid locket make mess of things 
again," shouted a new, usually perky voice.
	"Huh?" said Ranko.  He and Tachi stopped running.  A 
purple-haired girl with a long braid stood in the middle of the sidewalk, 
blocking their path.  She was holding an amulet in her hands; glowing 
sparks were shooting out of it like tiny fireworks.
	"She looks like pictures of-" began Tachi, but the well-dressed 
girl was cut off by a cry of anger and frustration.  The glowing locket 
bounced off the sidewalk, taking chips out of the concrete as it skipped 
into the canal on the other side of the fence.  It made a hissing sound 
as it hit the water.
	The purple-haired girl stared at Ranko and Tachi.  Her hands 
balled into fists, and a sharp, almost feline growl escaped her lips.  
Tachi reached for Ranko's book bag.  "Here, let me hold that for you.  
This looks like something you're better at than I am."
	Ranko cracked her knuckles.  "Well, I _am_ the best," he gloated.
	"Good," the purple-haired amazon cried.  "Spring tired of 
fighting weak boys."  She pressed her hands together, bowed, and 
jump-kicked Ranko.
	The boy ducked out of her way with ease.  Spring, surprised, 
almost fumbled the mid-air flip she needed to land on her feet.  "Spring 
impressed," she admitted.
	"Heh," said Ranko.  "You ain't seen nothin' yet."
	Spring ran at Ranko, sending a shower of punches and kicks at the 
pony-tailed boy.  He blocked them all, jumped over her sweep-kick, and 
landed an elbow on the top of her head.  Spring's eyes glazed for a 
second, but then she renewed her attack.  She was even more ferocious 
than before, if that was at all possible.
	Tachi, meanwhile, had not been sitting on the sidelines idle.  
Her mind had been in overdrive, trying to find out how she could profit 
from the situation.  Remembering the stories she had heard growing up, 
she quickly realized how close Ranko was to complete disaster.  Profit 
was one thing, but Chinese Amazons were not something she wanted to deal 
with just now.  _Mom will be disappointed, but at least dad will understand._  
"Ranko!  Trust me!" she shouted.  "This is one fight you don't want to win."
	"Huh?"  Any more eloquent response from the pony-tailed boy was 
cut off by the knee to the stomach Spring hit him with.
	"Listen to me.  If you win, she's got to marry you."
	"Marry?"
	"That right," announced Spring.  "Pony-tail boy strong and fast.  
Make good husband."
	"Husband?  Who do you think I am?  I'm not marrying anyone!"  
Ranko punctuated that outburst with a kick that sent Spring flying back 
into the fence.
	The purple-haired girl looked shocked for a moment, but 
she quickly fell back into a combat-ready stance.  "Pony-tail boy best 
fighter Spring see so far.  Spring not go home empty handed."
	"Look, I'm not marrying you!  I'm not even a-"
	"Shut up," said Tachi as she slid her bokken back underneath her 
jacket.  "Can't you just call the fight a draw?"
	"A draw?"  Ranko seemed offended at the thought.  "Never!  I'm 
gonna knock her into last week, no, last century!"
	"Spring want to see you try!"
	"I'm warning you, Ranko, this is a big mistake."
	Ranko said nothing.  He rushed at the purple-haired girl, moving 
so fast he seemed to take flight.  Spring caught his first kick, but it 
was a feint, and Ranko's attack sent them both through the fence.
	Tachi ran up to the edge of the canal.  All she could see was a 
glowing ball of light somewhere underwater.  "Idiot."  She stripped off 
her shoes and jacket.  "And he knows he can't swim."  She dove in after 
the missing combatants...
 ______
{B-{=__