Kasumi's scream was the first thing Soun heard, a pain-filled cry that
sent his paternal instincts on edge.  He looked over to his eldest child,
and blanched at the arrow stuck through her arm.  Blood - too much blood,
Soun thought - gushed from her arm, staining the wooden floor below.  

     Soun's first instinct was to help his daughter, to ease her pain and
to make sure she was comfortable.  He moved to get up - then stopped as an
arrow flew past him, clipping his hair and embedding in the table between
him and his child.  He glanced at Kasumi long enough to see Nodoka take
her, then bounded from the house and into the backyard.  

     The rational father that had casually raised his children was gone by
that time.  Someone had made the mistake of hurting one of his babies, and
for that they were going to die.  They would know a moment's pain before he
sent them into the next world; that Soun Tendou swore.  He leapt from the
ground to the roofs above, using the wall as a stepping stone to his prey.  

     It wasn't difficult to see her once he made it to the roof.  His
target was only a slip of a girl, a couple of years younger than Ranma or
Akane, clad in the quirky style of clothing common among natives of
Mandarin China.  The girl had an arrow aimed straight at his heart, and
another waiting in case the first one missed.

     Soun didn't care.  

     He charged at the girl with animal ferocity, not caring what her
arrows could do to his flesh.  The first arrow clipped his arm, cutting
enough to draw blood, but nothing more.  He could see his target readying
the second arrow, and knew that she would be too late - much too late.

     The sniper tried to back off as she saw Soun charge, using the bow and
arrow as melee weapons to guard her retreat.  Soun knocked the bow from her
left hand, and ignored the arrow's cuts as he grabbed her right.  The
Amazon tried to struggle - a struggle which stopped as Soun grabbed her by
the throat, a muscle spasm away from justifiable homicide.  

     It was in that agonizing moment, as the world stopped, that Soun got a
look at the sniper's face.  For all her training and skill as a warrior,
she was still a child.  

     A child, much like the three that he had raised, who didn't want to die.

     With an anguished cry, Soun cold-cocked the warrior to keep her from
struggling, and carried her back to the house.  As much as he wanted to
kill her, the time for fighting had finished, and there was business to
sort out back at home.

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

Leifker presents...

Borrowed Time

Part three of four

A work of anime fanfiction by Nicholas Leifker

All Ranma 1/2 characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.  All rights reserved.
 I ask that you not do anything with any part of this work without the
author's permission.

Heh... damn, this feels good.

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

     When Soun returned to the Tendou home, he found that things had taken
a turn for the worse.  Kasumi's injury was the most obvious, as Nodoka
wrapped his daughter's arm in gauze; unfortunately, she was not the only
one hurt.  Shampoo placed an icepack on Akane's head, even while her own
wounds bled.  Ranma was busy tying up an unconscious Amazon, and Genma held
the Saotome honor sword, a blade he was wiping clean of blood.  All of
their expressions, while no doubt mirroring his own, still shocked him; he
never thought he would see familiar faces so profoundly furious.  

     "What happened?"

     Ranma finished the knots that bound the other attacker.  "They rushed
in from both sides.  We were lucky; Kasumi's screams warned us of the
attack.  We managed to knock one of them out and stab another before they
ran off."  His eyes instinctively shifted to Akane, and he moved to cradle
her in his arms.

     Soun's eyes moved over to Genma.  "Stab?"

     Genma nodded.  The blade quivered in his shaking hands.  "I... I saw
her go for Nodoka, and I reacted instinctively.  I... the wound wasn't
immediately fatal, but it'll keep her out of action for awhile."  He
sheathed the sword, and purposely placed it as far from himself as he
could.  "She ran off, but I don't know how far she can go."

     Soun heard a moan, and looked down at the girn in his arms.  He
unceremoniously placed her on the floor, and started to bind her.  Once
finished, he moved almost blindly to the table, his hands seeking the
comforting wood.  

     "Ha... have the police been notified?"

     "Yes.  They'll be here in a few minutes.  I also called Dr. Tofu, and
he's on his way."  Nodoka walked over to Soun, and started to look at the
cuts on his arm.  "Are you okay?"

     Soun just stared out into space.  He could feel the tears threatening,
along with a primal scream that begged to be released, but he couldn't -
wouldn't - release them.  Not yet.  "I... My eldest daughter was just shot
with an arrow.  My youngest daughter was knocked unconscious, and could've
been killed if..."  He shook his head, trying to block out the recent
events from his mind.  "I... am most definitely not okay, Nodoka."  

     Nodoka grabbed him by the shoulders, and gently began to knead his
tense muscles.  "Just calm down, Soun.  Everyone came out all right.
Kasumi's fine, Akane's fine, we're all fine."  She got up, and headed to
the kitchen.  "Let me get some tea ready to calm everyone's nerves."

     Soun stared at her for a moment, almost like a man drowning.  "Yes,
Nodoka... that would be perfect.  Thank you."  He could feel the table's
wood splintering from his grip, such was its strength.  His eyes turned to
Shampoo, who was helping Ranma tend to Akane's injuries.

    "Shampoo, what do you know about the warriors who attacked us?  The
police will be here any minute, and they will want to know as much about
the attackers as possible."

     Shampoo bowed her head.  "They five warriors from village.  mai Lin
shoot Kasumi with arrow.  Lon Kai Ranma knock out.  Lon Wu one with stab
wound, and others are Li Jin and Xian Den."  Her voice turned low for a
moment.  "There more out there.  There at least six in hunt, and Hibachan
help."  

     "Do you think they would be at the Nekohanten?"  Soun fixed a stern
gaze on the expatriate Amazon.

     She nodded.  "If not at restaurant, Shampoo not know where."

     "Okay."  Soun let out a gentle sigh.  Perhaps with the police's help,
this could be ended quickly.  "Thank you for your help."

     "Shampoo grateful for shelter."  She lowered her head to the ground.
"If want Shampoo leave, Shampoo understand."  

     "No.  We made a promise to protect you, and we will not break that
promise."  He looked over at the entrance, to see the police enter, and
sighed.  They weren't going to like what he had to tell them.

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

     An Amazon does not fear death.  An Amazon accepts death as a part of
life, and yearns for the most glorious, honorable ending possible -
preferably while defending her sisters in battle.  As such, there are few
things that an Amazon truly fears; after all, if they stood together, there
was nothing which could stand in their way.  

     One of those few things was silently sipping tea in the Nekohanten,
looking at Li Jin and Xian Den through angry, smoldering eyes.  The elder
woman could not speak; it was clear that her emotions had temporarily taken
the words from her.  She poked at the two still standing with her walking
staff, her eyes the only method by which she could communicate.  

     After a moment, she backed off, her eyes still aflame.  "I told you!
I warned you of what could happen!  You were explicitly told not to harm
any of the others in the house!  Now, why did you disobey my orders?"

     One of the Amazons, Li Jin, spoke up, her voice stammering.
"El-Elder, we didn't see anything wrong with-"

     Cologne rapped her over the head.  "You didn't see anything wrong?
You were at the tournament two years ago; you saw how easily Ranma took
Shan pu apart.  Now imagine a household of such people.  And you claim you
didn't see anything wrong?" 

     "No, I didn't, Elder.  There were a couple of capable warriors in the
house; however, the reconnaisance we did showed only two warriors who would
be a problem.  Beyond that, all we saw were old men and weak Japanese women."

     "In other words, you saw NOTHING."  Cologne spat at Li Jin's feet.
"When an elder offers you advice, you listen.  You don't go off
half-cocked, expecting that 'Amazon strength' will overcome; that's silly
propaganda brought on by people too immersed in the past.  This is the
present.  And these people are a serious threat to our people, if we anger
them."  

     Cologne turned away from them, her anger deflating.  "What happened to
Mai Lin and Lon Kai?"

     The two Amazons looked at each other.  "We don't know.  We think they
were captured, but we can't be certain."

     Cologne propped herself up next to the injured body of Lon Wu.  "They
will no doubt be secured by the family, long enough for them to be taken in
by the authorities.  Once that happens, they are out of our reach - and
worse than dead.  Beyond that, we can't stay here long - the police will be
here soon looking for us, and we must avoid such legal entanglements."  She
looked down at Lon Wu's resting form.  "Can you walk?"

     The injured woman nodded, and felt the bandages around her stomach.
"Yes - for awhile, anyway."  

     Cologne nodded.  "Good.  We have to move quickly.  Take me to where Mu
Tsu and Lan Yap are resting.  The restaurant is no longer safe.  Let me get
some important things, and we'll be off."  Before heading into the kitchen,
she flashed the pair an evil smile.  "By the way, I touched a pressure
point known as the 'full-body cat's tongue' on each of you.  It isn't a
problem for you - provided you never acquire a Jusenkyo curse.  If you
disobey me again, though, it will be the last day you spend as a human
being."  

     The two uninjured Amazons looked at each other, then at a touched
point between the chest and stomach.  They thought of the magic of
Jusenkyo, and inwardly vowed never to disobey the elder again.

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

     Ranma knelt in front of the toilet, letting the day's lunch escape
him, along with a small portion of his anxieties.  Fight or no, vomit still
tasted like vomit, and he grimaced as he wiped his mouth.  

     He stared at the lunch floating in the toilet, his mind flying.  He
never got this nervous about fights before, not even during the fight with
Saffron.  Of course, that was before he had a lot to lose.  He'd been a
loner for so long that even losing his life in battle would be no great
tragedy.  

     When Kasumi screamed and the Amazons rushed into the room, Ranma's
nerves turned ice-cold.  His mind took a back seat as he fought the other
Amazons, not trying to kill them, but not holding back either.  That was
when he was at his finest, when the Art flowed through him without any effort.

     In the instant that Akane was knocked out, that changed.  He saw the
Amazon raise her sword over Akane's prone form, about to finish her off,
and Ranma's blood boiled.  He had never really attacked to kill before; in
that moment, the Amazon he fought understood the true horror of the
Musabetsu Kaketou Ryuu.  He pummeled her mercilessly, and probably would
have killed her if the others hadn't run off.  

     After it was all said and done, after the police had shown up and he
could relax, he found himself here.  This wasn't like his earlier fights.
Those were one-on-one, with their best warrior matching his skills against
himself.  This fight was a war, with families and loves on the line on both
sides and neither side giving a damn about who wouldn't be walking away
from it.  There was no safe zone - indeed, the safe zone had just been
violated - and much of the comfort of his life had left him as a result.  

     Ranma flushed the toilet, and staggered back outside.  The police and
medics were still there, asking questions and making sure that everyone was
patched up.  The scene seemed so unreal, so... mortal.  They had always
handled such emergencies in-house.  He had never imagined that they would
need to seek outside assistance.  

     "Where's Akane?" he slurred.  

     Soun looked up from his questioning.  "She's resting in bed."

     Ranma nodded and walked upstairs, purposely ignoring the policemen
there.  There was only one place left where he felt truly safe.

     He knocked on her door softly.  "Akane?"

     "Come in, Ranma," came the muffled reply.

     Ranma slid the door open.  Akane was curled up in a ball on her bed,
sobbing quietly.  A bandage was around her head where the blow had left a
small cut.  Ranma sat down next to her on the bed, and quietly ran his
fingers through her hair.  

     "Akane, I..."  

     "Ranma, I... I'm sorry I'm such a klutz."  She banged a fist against
the bed.  "Why did they have to come?  We were happy before this!  If only
Shampoo hadn't..."

     Ranma lay down next to her, and held her in his arms.  "Akane, you
know better.  You're not a klutz; she just took you by surprise.  And as
for why... you know why."

     Akane shook her head.  "But now... with Kasumi... can't we just..."
She shook her head, apparently knowing how her protests sounded.  "Ranma?
Just hold me."

     Ranma tightened his grip around her, and whispered into her hair.
"I'll never let you go, my kawaiikune fiancee."  He kissed her on the
forehead just below her bandage, and rubbed his fingers against hers.  "I
swear it."

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

     There are some events that reflect a change in a person's life, Mousse
reflected in between sips of water.  His journey to Japan could be
considered one.  It was a boy who first left the village in search of his
childhood love and to kill the warrior who had taken her from him.  It was
a young man who had faced down Herb's minions at Hourai, and a slightly
older young man who had watched Shampoo fall in Kiima's eggspell.  He had
taken a large step when she had emerged from the egg that second time; he
had begun to let go and allow her to find her own path - even if that path
didn't include him.

     Now, it looked as though his 'letting go' was about to be complete,
and with it would go the last of his childhood.

     He took another sip of his water, and looked over at the entrance.
Someone was trying to get in; one of the other Amazons, most likely.  He
didn't feel like getting the door for them; he was tired, in a way he'd not
felt before.  He was weary in the soul.  He wiped some moisture off on his
blue jeans, and waited for the door to open.

     His instincts had been correct.  Cologne walked in, soon followed by
three of the others.  Curiously, two of their number - Mai Lin and Lon Kai
- were absent.  His emotions warred inside, as it meant that maybe, just
maybe...

     "What happened?"

     Cologne flashed him a deadly look, then turned to the others.  "These
fools didn't bother to listen to me.  Mai missed and hit one of the Tendous
- Kasumi, by the description.  They should have retreated then, but they
decided to attack instead."  Cologne shook her head.  "We have to settle
things quickly.  Mai and Lon are probably in police custody by now, and it
won't take long for them to find out who they are and where they're from.
If our government hears about it and the entire village is implicated, it
could mean disaster for all of us."  

     "Can't we break them out?" 

     "Have you figured out how to dodge bullets, Xian?"  Cologne turned to
the person in question.  "Honestly, we could, but not without making more
of a mess than things already are.  They'd have every policeman in Tokyo
after us."  Quite suddenly, the matriarch turned from the group and over to
Mousse, switching her language to Japanese to get his attention.  "Mousse,
come here."  

     Mousse blinked.  "Me?"

     "Yes, you!" she growled.  "We need you right now."

     He set the cup down and walked over to her.  "What do you want?"

     Cologne's dark eyes seemed to stare right through him.  "I need you to
go over to the Tendous to talk to Shampoo.  She won't listen to me; she
might listen to you.  Convince her to come back and face judgement, to
avoid further bloodshed."  

     "What makes you think she'll listen to me?"  

     The smile that formed on Cologne's face was almost guileless.  "Didn't
you know?  She has more feelings for you than you realize."  

     Mousse's anger rose at that statement.  "If you're trying to convince
me that Shampoo loves me, don't.  That won't work anymore."

     "I wasn't," Cologne said evenly.  "She views you as a friend.  Right
now she probably feels that everyone else from the village has betrayed
her.  That leaves only one person to try to convince her to come back.  If
she doesn't, there's a good chance that a number of Tendous and Saotomes
will die."  

     "You don't mean to..."

     "I don't want to."  The growl from Cologne's throat sent chills down
Mousse's spine.  "But the combatants are too good to allow one side to hold
back.  Ranma can beat *me*, under some circumstances.  A number of people
are going to die if this doesn't stop, and if you can convince her to come
back, then all that can be avoided."

     "Not all," Mousse replied evenly.  

     "True.  Very true."  Cologne rubbed her fingers against her lips.
"But enough that she might want to give herself up.  Now, will you do that?"

     Mousse nodded.  "Of course.  And what will you be doing?"

     Cologne sighed.  "Going to an alternate plan - one these fools should
have tried before."  She turned around, and gave Mousse a deadly glare.
"Go.  And hurry."

     Mousse sighed, and finished his cup of water.  He wiped the moisture
from his lips, and looked down at the sheen of water on his hand.  Fate had
given him one last moment with Shampoo - a chance for him to save her soul,
or perhaps just to say goodbye.

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

     Shampoo stared out the window of Kasumi's bedroom, watching the night
stars as they shone down on the earth below.  Truth to tell, she missed the
sight from the village; in Tokyo, the lights from the city drowned out all
but the brightest stars.  In the village, she could see a vast sea of
stars, so many that even thinking about counting them would be impossible.
The stars seemed so lonely in the city, she thought... drowned out by all
the darkness.  

     "Shampoo?"

     She turned to the door.  "Not-ni... er, Akane?"

     Akane walked in the room, and took a position next to her at the
window.  "I was wondering if we could talk."

     "Understand."  Shampoo took another glance at the sky.  "What want
talk about?"

     Akane let out a long sigh.  Her face was tense; her lips were a thin,
bloodless line, and her eyebrows furrowed to a point.  "Why are the Amazons
like this?  Why are they hunting us like this?  I'd like to think it's just
because of that stupid law... but there's more to it, isn't there?"

     Shampoo nodded sadly.  "Amazons have much pride.  It effort to get
past pride.  Amazon have law, and law most important.  Lose law mean lose
pride."  She spouted some lines in Chinese, in an effort to convey what she
couldn't in Japanese.

     "Pride too dangerous thing, Akane.  Pride make person do thing that
person normally not do.  It also make person feel good.  Pride no let
person ask questions to self.  If no doubts, there no problems, no guilt.
No worries.  But person miss out on truth, make person not see.  You once
have pride with Ranma, yes?"  

     Akane nodded slowly.  

     "And now much better because you give up pride, yes?"

     Akane's face flushed beet red.  

     "Amazons no realize this.  They have much pride, and not see better
thing."  

     "Are they ever going to give up?"

     Shampoo shook her head.  "Not ones on hunt.  They die before give up.
If can defeat and kill or capture, then Shampoo safe. If no, then..."

     "Why did you come to us, anyway?"  

     Shampoo turned from Akane's gaze, and looked to the outside.  "There
some things that Shampoo never give up.  Shampoo give up on Ranma, because
Ranma no Shampoo's to have.  Shampoo no give up on life, because this life
Shampoo's.

     "Amazons have much pride.  Shampoo, too, have pride.  Shampoo want
live.  Shampoo no can defeat Amazons alone.  Shampoo need help.  Shampoo
need friends."  

     Shampoo reached over, and grabbed Akane's hand.  "A... Akane, Shampoo
want say something.  Shampoo not know if she get chance again."  

     She tightened the grip on the hand for a second.  "When Shampoo first
come to Japan, Shampoo think all women outside of village weak, subservient
to man.  That why Shampoo support village so much.  Women must have power
to choose own life, and not have to answer to man.  

     "Akane and Ukyou help change that.  They not slave to man; they equal
to man.  Shampoo not know that exist away from village.  It help Shampoo
make choice.  It show Shampoo what important."

     An uncomfortable silence hung over the two at the end of Shampoo's
words.  Akane stood there, uncertain, while Shampoo waited.  Before a
response could come, another knock came from the bedroom door.  

     "Shampoo!"

     "What want, Ranma?" Shampoo shouted back.  

     Ranma opened the door.  "Mousse is downstairs.  He wants to talk to
you."  

     Shampoo glanced from Ranma to Akane and back.  "What he want?"

     Ranma shrugged.  "Dunno.  He wouldn't tell me."  

     Shampoo paused for a moment.  "What he wearing?"  

     "Um... T-shirt and jeans, I think."  

     Shampoo nodded.  "Okay.  Shampoo talk."  She followed Ranma down the
stairs and into the dining area.

     A small part of Shampoo ached at the sight in front of her.  Mousse
was so changed in the past two years... both for the better and the worse.
He wasn't a warrior any more; while he still practiced his martial art, he
didn't go around with a robeful of knives like he used to.  The handsome
but annoying young boy had traded in his belligerence for some peace - a
peace Shampoo knew she would never find.  He waved quietly at her entrance.  

     "Shampoo."  

     "Mousse."  Shampoo's words came out as a whisper.  She bit her lip,
then started to speak in Mandarin.  "What are you doing here?"

     Mousse cast his eyes to the floor.  "I've come to ask you to come
back, Shan Pu.  To face judgement like an Amazon."

     "Why should I?"  Shampoo crossed her arms defiantly.

     "Because it is the only way, and we both know it."  Mousse sighed.
"If you go back, you go back with honor, and face death with honor.  If
not, they'll hunt you down and kill you like a dog.  Worse, anyone who
stands in their way will be killed as well.  Do you really want to put your
friends through that?"  

     Shampoo shook her head.  "No, I don't, Mu Tsu.  Unfortunately, the
laws of the tribe leave me no choice.  You say that I would go back with
honor.  You know that's a lie; I would be killed, then quickly forgotten.
A true Amazon doesn't give up like that, not for some outdated law.  The
people here - my friends - understand that as well, and are trying to help
me live."  

     She sat down, and invited Mousse to do the same.  "Mu Tsu, I am forced
to make a choice.  Either I can remain an Amazon in fact and sacrifice my
warrior's spirit, or I can keep the fighting spirit that made me worthy of
being called an Amazon and fight what my sisters are doing.  I don't want
this.  Nothing would please me more than to see the rest of the hunters go
home and leave me to live my life.  But I would sooner spit on my
ancestors' graves than give up my warrior's spirit and go back.  

     "Aren't you doing that now?"  Mousse's voice sharpened.  "You're going
against everything our people were taught to believe.  Isn't that showing
disrespect to our ancestors?"

     "The ancestors didn't know better, Mu Tsu.  They could only see one
way, one which involved absolute obedience to the law.  There are other
ways our goals as Amazons can be accomplished.  Your time here among these
outsiders should have shown you that."

     Shampoo got up, and turned away.  "Mu Tsu, go home.  Find a nice
Amazon, get married, and raise fine daughters for the future of our tribe.
I don't ask for your understanding why I do this."  She allowed herself one
last look at the man, and gave him a sad smile.  "Sayounara, Mousse."

     Mousse got up, and bowed to her.  "Farewell, Shampoo.  And may the
spirit of the ancestors be with you in your battles."  

     Shampoo fought the tears in her eyes as she watched him walk away.
She waited until she heard the front door close, then buried her face in
her hands.

**********************************************************
     
     "... in short, Lockheed Corporation's use of Yoshio Kodama in
acquiring government contracts, while somewhat unethical, was necessary.
The reason why it became a scandal was because it involved a foreign
company."  

     Nabiki Tendou looked at the last passage, frowning at the way it
sounded.  She didn't want it to appear too cold, but the fact of the matter
was that it was cold... in a businesslike manner.  She had a good idea as
to what the 'real world' was like, thanks to relationships formed inside
the business community; the problem was, the teaching assistant who would
grade the paper likely wouldn't.  She'd made low grades on a couple of
papers for precisely that reason, and didn't want to jeopardize her grade
just because she knew more than the instructors did.  

     The young college student saved her work on the computer, and shut the
machine down.  College was a waste to her; most of the stuff the professors
taught her was great in theory, but tended to fail under the stress of
practice.  It had gotten so bad that she had considered switching to
engineering, even though it would have meant a more rigorous courseload.
Fortunately, there were other things to distract her from her school
problems.  She picked up the telephone, and started dialing.  

     "Hey, Keiko.  Yeah, I finished the paper.  Anyway, I was wondering if
you wanted to do something tonight.  Yeah, the new Miyazaki film sounds
like a good one.  Meet you at seven?  Cool.  See you then.  Bye."  

     She hung up the phone, and looked over at the clock.  She still had an
hour; enough time for a nice, hot shower.  After her workout earlier in the
afternoon, she desperately needed it.  She gathered her bath supplies and
robe, and opened the door.  

     Before she could even see her attacker, she felt a hand grab her arm
and pull her out.  She got a close look at hard black eyes, then felt a
soft touch on the back of her neck.

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

     "Hello?"  

     "Hello, Akane Tendou."

     At the sound of the gravelly voice, Akane's blood boiled.  "Whatever
you have to tell me, old ghoul, I'm not interested.  Good bye."  She hung
up the phone with a crash, only to have it ring a moment later.

     "Hello?"

     "I was wondering if you knew how your sister was doing."

     Akane blinked, not expecting to hear such concern.  "Um... Kasumi's
fine."

     She could hear the old woman breathe on the other end.  "That's nice
to hear.  Unfortunately, it isn't Kasumi that should worry you."

     Akane paused for a moment as her words sank in.  "What have you done
to her?"

     "Nothing - yet.  However, if you wish for her to remain in good
health, you and your family will meet at the Furinkan High soccer fields at
sundown tomorrow.  Tell Shampoo that she may have the option of giving
herself up, or facing me in combat to the death.  No police is to be
involved.  Understand?"

     "I understand," Akane whispered.  She hung up the phone without saying
goodbye and stood there for a moment, letting her anger slowly build up.
She walked up the stairs, her anger barely in control, and knocked on the
door for their guest.  

     Whatever time Shampoo had bought herself had just run out.

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

What... did you expect some April Fools joke?

Thanks to Da Guyz for their help with this.

Nicholas Leifker
nwl9354@unix.tamu.edu
http://people.tamu.edu/~nwl9354
April 1, 1998