Subject: [FFML] [fanfic/repost-revised/Ranma-TOS](08/20)The Tales of Shampoo Vol 2
From: Rob Barba
Date: 5/5/1998, 10:43 AM
To: ffml@fanfic.com



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Chapter Eight: Three Days And Counting....

    Day One:
    Nguyen returned to his stronghold in a foul mood.  His assault on the principality known as Nekonron failed.  The forces there, under the personal command of their prince, Kirin, repulsed Nguyen's invasion.  The warriors of the Seven Lucky Gods turned out to be a bit more than he had expected, and the results, upon looking back, were preordained.
    It had begun auspiciously enough: his usual entry into the land, and having his forces use their tried-and-true "scorched earth" strategy.  The plan was operating to form, as the army came out of its hiding location.  The force he had brought into this expeditionary trip turned out to be half the size of the opposing army, but his troops were far more organized and trained.  In the initial conflict, he took an acceptable loss, as his forces destroyed the enemy's cadre.  The soldiers of the Crystal Temple were doing their damnedest to completely subjugate the forces at hand, and would not be defeated by these mere fighters that the Lucky Gods had.
    That changed, however, when the Seven Lucky Gods' Martial Artists came out and attacked.  While the SLG army was just a third-rate force, the SLG Warriors were top-of-the-line artists.  Squaring off against Prince Kirin himself, he discovered that there were artists out there that he couldn't defeat immediately, and with the war raging on, it might not come to pass.  Kirin and Nguyen fought each other to a standstill, neither gaining any ground on the other until Kirin retreated upon hearing that his wife had been injured in battle.  That left Nguyen free to do more damage to the SLG army, but by then it was too late.  Retreat had to be called, and they returned to the Temple in defeat.
    No matter.  Hubris did him in, this time; he would not make the second mistake.  While the company he had taken in was decimated, the forces of the Seven Lucky Gods weren't doing so hot, either.  Nguyen had seriously injured the small dwarf with the whip, as well as did a few...interesting...things to the minstrel they called Mon-mon.  His troops never got to the central palace, but had decimated nearly the whole army, in addition to some of the populace.  The land of Nekonron would not survive a second attack, which Nguyen planned after he'd had a few days to take care of other issues at hand.
    Like what to do about the loss of his bride.  Mango dispatched a few messengers to the battlefield to inform him of Shiva's treachery and the escape of the young woman, and her accidental death by the hands of the patrol she encountered.  When he'd talked to her in person earlier this afternoon, she'd already seen to the execution of the entire patrol as well as the imprisonment of young Shiva.
    Upon the desire of Nguyen to kill this insolent girl for destroying his bride, Mango gave a plan that Nguyen could not deny.  It was a simple plan of three steps, designed for ultimate effect, as well as making the girl suffer immensely.  It would also please some of the elite forces, for none of them liked the young girl much and wanted her as corpus delecti.  The plan would take three days to accomplish: on day one, the girl would simply be allowed to stew in her own juices and let her fear what they thought they would do to her.  The second day would involve drugging the girl with enough hallucinogenics to make her go insane; it would also entail Jack and his favorite form of "entertainment"; so long as he did not kill or seriously injure her, he could do as he pleased.  Day three would be the day of death, as the mercenary Rain would simply beat the girl to a pulp.  Nguyen agreed to this.  


    However, something about the red-haired woman's death bothered him.  For one, he was presented with no body.  Mango had told him she'd placed the body in the Pit of Fu Ta Tsu, so her life force would grace the temple, but he was unsure, and had no way of checking--nothing that ever went into that pit ever came out again.  He knew that Mango had a seething case of jealousy for his bride, but she wasn't stupid enough to cross him; that line of thought was dashed.  He knew that Shiva was in league with Saotome, but why didn't she go with her?  She should be dead along with the Japanese girl.  Or was there another reason she didn't go?  It made little sense, and all he had to go on was Mango's word.
    He would have to look into this later.

                            *   *   *

    In a prison cell on the tenth floor of the northern spire, shackled to an operating table with her limbs spread, Shiva lay on a table.  The bonds were tight and had no play to them; there was no way that she would easily be able to break free, unless she used her ki to blast the metal braces.
    It didn't matter.
    Ranma was gone.  The one person in the world she loved was gone.  Her only friend.  Her only...family.  She'd learned something from that jovial, cheery man (even if he was mostly a she while here at the temple), something that she would never forget.
    She'd learned love and kindness from him.  She'd learned that there was a better way to live than living in constant fear.  He'd taught her that she was a pretty girl that would someday become a beautiful woman, and he and his fianc�e would be there for her whenever she needed it.  They'd live happily ever after, just the three of them.
    Now...it was never going to happen.  They *wouldn't* live happily ever after.  She *wouldn't* live to become a beautiful woman.  She would die here, unloved and alone, just as Ranma had.  Just as his fianc�e Akane would.  It was all her fault.
    {{If I hadn't been so eager to try to get us out of here, Ranma would still be alive.  I deserve to die.  I deserve whatever Lady Mango and Lord Nguyen have in store for me.}}
    She just didn't care what happened to her anymore.  It didn't matter.  She lost something precious to her, and nothing would ever bring it back.  She wouldn't be that lucky.
    The only thing she'd be lucky enough to receive now would be as quick and painless a death as possible.

                            *   *   *

    Once they cleared Immigration and Customs, a man approached the group.  He was apparently...vague.  That was the best way to describe him. He was obviously a local, and wore red sunglasses that clashed with the drab-gray Federal Express coveralls that he was wearing.  His hair was a long black mass, tied in the back in a long, double-bound ponytail.
    He approached Akane with a confident ease.  Speaking a halting, broken Japanese, he said, "Me excuse to please, miss, but your name Saotome Akane is?"
    She smiled briefly at those words.  "Not yet, but soon."  Meanwhile, everybody else--Kuno included--stared the Chinese Amazons and Kodachi into silence.
    "Here," the man said, thrusting a package into her hands, an envelope taped to it.  He produced a clipboard, requesting for her to sign for the package.  Once she did, he bowed haltingly, said, "So very very much thank you for our services using," then disappeared into the crowd, as though he'd never been there.  Apparently the man had a knack for speedy deliveries, judging by how quickly he took off.
    After a cursory check by Coral to see if there was anything odd about the package--Akane and Genma had filled them in on the previous night's events, followed by the ninjas' rescue at the hands of Coral--she returned it to Akane's hands.  Akane put the package under her arm as she tore open the letter, retrieved the pink sheet of paper from within its folds, and read.
    "What's it say, onnechan?" Kurumi asked.
    "It's from home, Ku-chan," Akane replied.  She handed the letter to Ku-chan, and the rest of them piled in behind her to read.  
    The message was short and sweet, the purple of the pen's ink standing out against the soft pink, rose-scented stationary:


    Akane,
    In this box, you'll find something that I think you'll find helpful to you.  Open it only when you know that you'll absolutely need it--it will bring you strength.  Good luck, sister.  Mother would be proud of you.

                                    Love always,
                                     --Kasumi and Tofu


    {{So, even Kasumi's found some way to help.}}  Akane couldn't help but smile.  Her oldest sister was a master at the Art of Homemaking, but under these circumstances, she was a fish out of water.  Tofu would have come along, but his medical skills required him to stay in Japan, where they'd be most needed.  She looked at the package once more, thinking, {{That's two more who love you, Ran-chan, who want to see you come home.  I don't intend to disappoint.}}
    "So where next, Akane?"  Nabiki asked.
    "The northern border, so desu ne, Twinmoon-san?"  John's answer was just a clipped nod.  "We have our travel arrangements, right, Nabiki?"
    Nabiki pulled out a sheet.  "All we have to do is get to the Embassy.  Our point of contact will be waiting for us there. "
    "He'd better be," Coral grumbled under her breath.  "That is, if he values his job...."
    "What was that, Coral-san?" Nabiki asked.
    Coral sighed.  "Nothing, Tendo-san."  Coral had already been warned by John to keep as wide a berth from the "Japanese Patton" as possible, especially if she found out who her parents were.   The girl was apparently too much like some of the girls she knew back home in Everett--the kind that wanted nothing but fame and power; the very kind of person that she never wanted to be.  
    "Well, what are we waiting for?" Azusa chirped, cheery as ever.  "Let's go!"
    {{Leave it to Azusa to cheer us all up,}} Akane thought.  {{If for nothing elese, I'm glad she came along.}}
    With the enthusiasm of youth and the bouyed by Azusa's morale boosting, the motley band of fighters got up and strolled towards the exit gates and to the awaiting taxis.  Each of their minds were clear and readying themselves for the struggle that they would face in two scant days.  
    As for the leader of the pack, she slipped the package into her backpack, then moved on, she face still smiling, but her steps more urgent and her eyes stronger for the experience.
    The Kawaiikune Tomboy of Nerima had arrived in Vietnam to reclaim her Beloved Iinazuke no Baka...and Kami-sama help anyone who stood in her way.


    "So, after we get back to Japan, are you free for dinner sometime?"  Mikado was entranced by this girl who was absolutely giving him the cold shoulder.  He wasn't going to give up until he got a kiss from this lips of this Kuno Kodachi girl.
     "Baka," she spat, even as her eyes wandered up and down the length of his handsome features and well-built body.  {{He thinks I'll be unfaithful to my Ranma-sama,}} the Black Rose thought.  {{I shall never do that to my beloved.  But, I don't think having dinner with him would do much harm....}}


    Kaori held the hand of her fianc�e as they walked through the airport together.  Watching him, watching the childlike wonder on his face.  He was going through a really difficult period, she realized.  He was a boy who was nowhere near accustomed to the modern world, having lived a closeted life in Ryugenzawa for so long.  She, on the other hand, was a well-traveled individual...or at least she had been before her family lost it all; another thing to blame Tendo (Saotome, *whatever* her name was) for.   
    Kaori knew that Shinnosuke had gotten himself over his head, and was drowning in his vow to help his friends.  Kaori, well, truth be told, she had no pity for Tendo's plight.  She was concerned about Ranma, of course (you never forget your first love), but she was also concerned about her own lover.  He had no business being here.  Sure, he was good with a staff, but he wasn't a fighter like her or any of the others.  She'd have to cover his back carefully.  If the American was right, they were entering a life-or-death situation, and she didn't want to lose him.
    "Sweetheart, is something wrong?"  Kaori realized that her face was mirroring her concern, and he'd just seen.
    "Nothing."  She nuzzled her head against his shoulder briefly, then looked at him with love in her eyes.  "Just thinking about what would happen once we get there."
    "Don't worry, love.  We'll be absolutely safe."  He bent down and kissed her.  "I promise.  No harm will come to you while I'm around."


    "So, Shan Fu," Mousse said as he conversed in Chinese with the amethyst-haired girl, a rare moment of calm between the two. "What are your plans for your birthday?"
    {{Wow...he remembered,}} she thought, then suddenly remembered who she was dealing with.  {{Of course he remembers, you idiot.  He knows every detail on your life.  He's obsessed about you.}}
    Hoping her comment would drop the subject, she proclaimed,  "I plan to have a birthday party where I'll marry Ranma.  Does that bother you, Muu Tsu?" she said, teasing him with her usual malicious streak.
    "Oh."  His smile quickly disappeared, and he began to pick up the pace away from her.  After a second or two, he fell into stride with Ryoga, and entered the discussion that Ryoga and Azusa were having.
    {{Congratulations, Shan Fu: you just screwed up again.}}  As he walked away, Shampoo cursed herself silently for that last remark.  She might not love him, but Muu Tsu was the closest thing she had to a best friend, and she should treat him better than she normally did.


    Nabiki and Kuno walked together, beginning to be comfortable in the other's presence.  There was no denying it now--the events of the last few days had dissipated the ice between them, and they were clearly now friends.
    "Nabiki," he started, watching the tirade between the Chinese couple, "Why does Saotome put up with her, if you say he doesn't love her?"
    "Simple, Tatewaki.  He considers her a friend, even if she misconstrues his feelings.  Ranma's not the type to hurt others' feelings if he can avoid them.  Okay, so he and Akane were always at odds, true, but like I said earlier, it's because they didn't know how to express their love for each other.  He still has that problem."
    "How can he be friends with that shrew?" he commented, as he saw the girl's remark, then watched as the man walked away.
    "I dunno.  Maybe he sees some scrap of something worthwhile in her that the rest of us can't.  He's a really deep person, once you get to know him.  Perhaps you two should--"
    "Nabiki, I said I consented to letting your sister go, not becoming buddies with Ranma."
    "Time shall show.  If he, Ryoga, and Mousse can make peace, anything's possible."


    "Wow!  So you two powerful shinobi, just like American, huh?" Ling-Ling asked.
    "John's not a ninja, girls," Coral pointed out.  "Though he is a Windham, and he is pretty powerful."  Coral, watching the starry-eyed look on the face of the two Chinese girls, smiled.  They reminded her of herself when she was that age: inquisitive and ready to take on the world, never mind the preparations.
    "But you and Natsumi pretty powerful, Coral?" Lung-Lung inquired.
    "I'm not a shinobi yet, though maybe soon.  What about you, Natsumi?"
    Natsumi did something rare for her terse, severe nature: she smiled, laughed slightly, and said, "Oh, I wouldn't say that.  Konatsu and I are both ninjas, but nowhere near as powerful as I'd like to be.  We're still training, and hoping that someday we'll be able to be called proper shinobi."
    Lung-Lung whistled a tune, signaling that she was impressed.  "What I hear, you two already shinobi."
    "Well, when we get back, we can spar, and I'll let you decide."  Natsumi smiled again, actually liking these two.  Sure, they were five years her junior, but these girls had a fighting spirit in them that she found akin to her own.  Perhaps, when they were older, she could woo them from their Amazon ways and make them Ghost Wolves.  They certainly were the types to make successful ninjas and, besides, the ranks needed to be refilled with the best that the Clan could find.  She glanced briefly at Coral for a silent opinion.
    Seeing the look on Natsumi's face, Coral understood easily.  She imperceptably nodded her head in agreement, silently mouthing: {{Yes, when they're old enough to choose.  Great idea, Natsumi.  Your clan needs kids like these.}}


    Ukyo and Konatsu walked hand in hand.  They occasionally stared into each other's eyes, happily knowing that the love they had was growing stronger every day.  It was as though the engagement had made their love for each other a hundredfold stronger.
    No words were said between the two as they walked; no words were needed.  The emotions etched in their eyes as they looked at each other clearly repeated their thoughts over and over: {{I love you.}}
    Even in the midst of a possible global war, and in the certain middle of strife, they had each other, and would be together, no matter what.


    "So, I'll be starting college at Cambridge University in London in the fall," Azusa said.  "I just hadn't found an easier way to tell Mikado that I can't skate with him anymore, because I won't be in Japan anymore."
    "But London's so far away, Azusa," Ryoga said.  "Why so far?"
    "It was something that you and Akane gave me the courage to do.  You said I should follow my dreams and not give in.  Skating is a talent I have, but it's no longer my dream.  Tournament skating and putting up with Mikado's silliness has ruined any joy I've ever had in it.  The only time I'm happy with the Art is when I practice by myself.  Besides, there's not much future in it--_Former Olympic Stars In Need Of A Job On Ice_ is not for me.
    "I have a talent for fashion design and such.  As you can tell, I use myself as my own guinea pig," she said, referring to the ecru-colored poplin pants and periwinkle jersey top she was wearing, "and I was apparently good enough to gain a scholarship at the school.  I'm hoping that someday I'll have my own business, but to do that, I have to exclude myself from Mikado's plans.
    "Mikado's antics at my house finally provided the catalyst.  I'm through with skating," she said simply.  "I have to find something else in my life."
    "Well, I'm happy for you," Ryoga commented.  "You're doing something with your life, and I'm glad."
    Her response was to cling to his arm, teasing, "Gee, I guess I should be jealous that Akari got you first."  He in turn gave her a knowing wink, and the two friends continued on.


    Mousse was about to comment on this, when someone tapped him on the back.  He turned around to see the Chinese Amazon walking behind him.  "Got a minute, Mousse?" she asked in Chinese.
    "What," he grumbled, excusing himself out of the previous conversation, and walked off with his would-be paramour.
    "I was just thinking...what did you have planned for my birthday?"
    "Nothing.  You already have plans," he muttered, trying hard not to hurt her feelings.
    "Perhaps I could change them," she mused aloud, "if somebody had a good enough idea...."
    He brightened at that.  "I may be able to come up with something," he said, as a smile formed on his lips.
    She looked at him, smiling herself.  {{That's better.  It's good to see him in a better mood.  Maybe after I marry Ranma, I can pair him and Akane off.  They'd make a nice couple.}}  
    After a second or two, another thought came to her mind: {{Besides, Akane's right--he is cuter when he smiles.}} 


    At his point near the rear of the group, John watched the young woman striding purposefully with her younger sister and student alongside.  {{My God, has she changed overnight!}}  The lovesick teen that he'd seen yesterday morning had been replaced by a fiery and capable woman ready--no, *itching*--for a fight.  No doubt about it: Tendo Akane was now primed for war.
    He turned to the other adult in his midst.  "Saotome-san, you're a true master of your art.  I don't know what you did to bring her fighting spirits to the forefront, but you did.  I congratulate you."
    Genma, with a twinkle in his eye, and dapper flair of his old self, replied smoothly, "Ancient secret art of the Saotome discipline.  To convince a fighter of what's really important to her, you must be willing to do much.  As my friend Tendo-kun always says, 'The path of a martial artist is fraught with peril,' and as I've tried to show the children, 'Strength is but one step on the path to martial righteousness.'  I simply re-explained the concept to her."
    "Must have been a blow to her."
    "You could say reality gave her a slap that woke her up," Genma said, a trace of ironic humor in his words.

                            *   *   *

    In an empty broom closet, the Delivery Man tugged at his face.  A second or two later, that face came off, and the latex mask was dropped to the floor.
    The "delivery man" then took off his work boots and threw off his coveralls.  He removed the garish sunglasses.  Finally, tossed away the T-shirt underneath, revealing a well-built and *very female body.  Said "man" next slipped on a pair of jeans and a white tube top that was produced from a small bag, hidden in the back of the closet.  She pulled on the boots again, and pulled the false leather top off of both of them, revealing them to be a pair of regular, everyday, women's casual boots.
    Placing her disguise back in the bag, she grabbed her gear and quietly stepped out of the broom closet.  The woman then raced over to the ladies' room and painted her face, making sure that all of her makeup was in place.  Once that was done, she walked over to the nearest rental agency at the terminal and requested their best make of car, forget the cost, mentioning that the company could afford the expenses.


    The man at the counter looked at the beautiful Japanese woman staring at him, then looked at her international driver's license again as well as her Canadian passport and credit card.  He was absolutely entranced by her gorgeous brown eyes and long jet-black hair.  Speaking in very bad Japanese, he said, "On business, Mizunoryu Shuriken-san?"
    "Um, could you speak English, please?" the woman responded in impeccable English, her voice sounding absolutely adorable.  "Sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know any Japanese except sushi and Toyota.  I'm Canadian, you know."
    "Oh, sorry."  The man, relieved to be using a more familiar language, smiled, absently wondering if she was free for the night.  Maybe if he played his cards right.... "Are you here on business, Miss Mizunoryu?"
    "Shuriken Mizunoryu" noticed that the guy looked as if he hadn't brushed his teeth in ages; his breath also stunk.  Plus, he was coming on to her.  {{The things I do in the name of justice,}} she sighed mentally.  
    "Yeah," she said, doing her best to look as though she was ticked off about the whole thing.  "The boss wanted me to come down here and take pictures of some of the old Chinese temples up by the border.  I told him we're just a small travel magazine, not _National Geographic_.  But does he listen?  No...."  She looked severely put out by the whole ordeal.
     He almost sighed.  Even the way she got missed looked so...well, cute.  "I'm terribly sorry to hear that.  But perhaps you'll enjoy our little country," he said, as he handed her back her IDL, passport, and card.  He also handed her a set of keys.  "The blue Nissan, over there in stall fifteen."
     "Thanks.  You've been a dear."  She smiled, and crinkled her features in what a true Japanese would call kawaii.  "Thanks once again," she said as she walked off, waving.  The man, in turn began to mentally rehearse exactly how he'd ask her to marry him, if he ever saw her again.
     As soon as she distanced herself from the counter, she dropped the vapid smile from her face, and readopted her businesslike manner.  {{Ugh.  I really hate to do that.  I'm supposed to save that for when I'm at home, not in the middle of nowhere.  Oh well, I can't complain.  I should be glad that WindOps was able to supply me with a fake ID, or else I might've had to use my real one,}} the woman thought.  {{It's also fortunate that I stopped by the Tendo dojo to grab that package.  If that girl opens it at the right time, it'll give her the boost she needs.  Now, all I have to do is to get to that location before the rest of them do.}}
    Getting in the car--and surprise, surprise, it was actually fairly new--Mist stuck the keys in the ignition and drove off.  She had to get there before everyone else did and ensure that they weren't walking into a trap.  She was already hating every aspect of this operation, from having to rely on another organization for help (even though they were her allies) to having to use a fake ID and slapping sense into the Tendo girl.
    As she got onto the highway, she idly wondered what else would go wrong before this whole mess was over.

                            *   *   *

    Day Two:
    One of the operators in the Information Room called Rain to his monitoring table.  They'd had covert teams monitoring the group of fighters that were slowly making their way north towards the valley.  So far, they'd made no move to attempt a second strike on them, lest they give away their advantage.
    It was already known that the leader of the Ghost Wolves, the enigmatic woman known only as Mist, swept in and slaughtered the majority of the group dispatched to remove this little problem.   The group then attempted to complete their second mission, and almost had, but was decimated by one of the Windhams.   They'd discovered this after the secondary team following the first three teams, had been captured by a group led by Nova.  They had deserted, fearing for their lives if they were to run into either Mist or that bullet-speed Windham; caught by their own, they were "persuaded" into coughing up the information, then they themselves were removed from the living.  Rain was especially pleased to hear that Sabot died painfully, for he (in her opinion) was an arrogant, obnoxious prig.
    Since then, the second team had followed the group as they slowly made their way to the Crystal Temple.  Watching the group, it was absolutely amusing to see these children...this traveling circus act walk through the jungle areas, looking for their enemies.  Did they actually believe they stood a chance of surviving at all?  From what Rain was told, their leader either had charismatic skills beyond belief, or the person that she slew--{{they're coming to rescue a non-existent corpse, imagine that!}}--must've really meant something to these people.  {{She's probably slept with them all,}} Rain thought.  {{Little whore that she was.  My only regret is that I didn't get a chance to get a second shot at her.  I woulda vaporized the little bitch.}}  She consoled herself with the fact that in two days, she'd get the prime opportunity to beat Shiva to a pulp.
    Within a second, she'd reached the station.  "Report."
    The man at the station saluted, then began, in a nervous voice.  "Mi-Mistress Rain," he gulped, "the opposing group has entered the southern end of the gully.  If unopposed, they'll be within attack position within a day."
    "Attack?" she scoffed.  "You don't really think that we can be defeated by that pathetic band of misfits, do you?  Do you really think that they can even find their way here,  much less mount a successful defense?  What kind of idiotic fool are you?"


    "Seems to be a paranoid, yet cautious man," a voice said from behind.  "A man who I believe to be most likely on the right track."
    Rain spoke without turning around.  "Always overly cautious, Roland?  I thought that you would realize by now that we're undefeatable."
    He looked at Rain again, saying, "Adolf Hitler thought so, too."
    "You are such a useless fool."  {{And a coward to boot.  I wonder what the hell it is that Nguyen sees in you...but then again, you are in league with his lovetoy, Mango.}}
    "No, I'm a man who does not like to take reckless chances."
    "We're impossible to beat," Rain insisted.  "Even if we have hesitant cowards like you."
    "However, sure but steady always wins the day," he reminded her.  "But I'm not here to bandy quotes with you all day.  There's obviously a reason why Lord Nguyen is allowing them to come closer."
    "Maybe," she huffed, "But I don't care.  I don't have time to waste killing children that are barely out of toilet training and have watched one too many Bruce Lee films.  I want a challenge.  I want a real fight, the kind that makes my blood sing, and lets me truly bring out my primal fury."
    "That's what I fear, personally," he said to no one in particular.
    *"You chickenshit bastard!"* she spat.  *"You're such a spineless, pathetic--"*
    "Careful," he commented darkly.  "I may be no longer part of a clan, but I am still shinobi."
    She laughed in his face, while the person at the monitor tried desperately to hide.  *"What you are, Roland, is a pathetic excuse for a sushi-boy who got himself kicked out of the clubhouse because he fuck--"*
    She was cut short as she suddenly found the cutting edge of a tanto blade at her throat.  The holder of the blade caught her completely by surprise.  He spoke in a measured, venomous tone.  *"I would warn you not to speak of my past again.  It has been a most uncomfortable one, and let us say, I dislike hearing it.  I dislike it to the point that I have been know to, well, take my 'frustrations' out on people."*  He rubbed the blade ever so slightly against the dark skin of her throat, and a trickle of blood slid down the length of the silvery metal.  *"Don't make that mistake again."*  He let go of her, shoving her roughly against the nearest wall.
    In no time flat, Rain rebounded off the wall and spun, body glowing with the fiery orange of her spirit force, ready to kill...
...a man who was no longer anywhere in the room.
   "Damnable shinobi," Rain cursed, her every word dripping with acid.  "Just wait, Roland.  After Shiva, you're the next on my list."

                            *   *   *

    In the silence of his room, Janeiro danced.  It seemed silent to any other who would've watched.  It seemed silent to anyone who would've heard.  Not to Janeiro, though.  He heard it all.  He saw it all.  He heard every tone that went though this mystical crystalline stereo that he called home.  He saw the kaleidoscope of lights and prismatic sensations that simultaneously threatened to overload his mind and caress him more lovingly than any other could.
    He was deep into the mystic abstraction of the Dance.  The Dance was all.  The Dance was the Om.  It was his need, his want, his only way of being.  It made him the best capoeria fighter in the world.  There was no better than he, and it was all because of the Dance that called him to it, whenever it could.
    The Dance was his deity, his religion, and his belief.  And he was its grand bishop, congregation and holy temple.
    Oh, he'd tried many other things to substitute the passion aroused in him by the Dance.  Lovers--men and women alike, with every sexual fantasy imaginable; drugs of various shapes, sizes, and substances; even the release by snuffing out someone's life force paled in comparison to the orgasmic power he felt in the Dance.  Nothing else mattered.
    As long as he had the Dance, he was in Elysium.  As long as he did his job well, Nguyen cared not what he did.  And if he got the opportunity to use the power of the Dance while he did those other things, it was a bonus.
    But lately, he'd felt another presence.  One who'd threaten to take the Dance from him.  He didn't know who this person was, or what the motives were; he only knew that this person was capable of the Dance, as well.
    The Dance might be an open deity, but the grand bishop of its church wanted a congregation of only *one.*  Janeiro would share his Dance with no one, man or woman.  He would kill so that no one would take even the smallest facet of it from him.
    He would destroy that usurper with all his might, with all the energy that his skills could muster.  The Usurper would die, without feeling the most minor iota of the power that came from the Dance.  Then, the Dance would be safely his, once more.  The thought of this gave the Brazilian a sexual rush as he climaxed with just that thought, then collapsed to the ground, spent, weary, and sticky, but with a sublime grin on his face.
    Once, Janeiro had told Jack that his problem was that he had no control of his personal Dance.  If Janeiro thought with a clear mind about that note and what it meant now, he would have realized that he, the so-called Master of the Dance...
...had now become its Slave.

                            *   *   *
 
    Within the dark confines of her cell, as she lay, bound to the table, Shiva made one wish--one impossible wish--that she would hope would be some how fulfilled.
    She wished that she could tell Ranma that she loved him.

                            *   *   *

    Somewhere else in the valley, four other girls made that wish as well.
    Ukyo, swinging her combat spatula to and fro like a giant machete, was clearing ground as fast as she could.  The group now had to travel on foot for the remainder of their journey, and the vehicles were escorted back to Hanoi by the drivers.  They'd be forcing their way through the very jungle itself for the remainder of the day, then camping overnight; with any luck, they'd be at the Temple by morning.  The situation, as well as tempers, was growing more and more tense.  The fact that they were having to make their own route now was just another sign of how hazardous the situation had become.  The spatula had cut through enough branches, vines, and trunks that it required re-sharpening occasionally, and all the combatants used to weapons were taking turns at merrily hacking and slashing their way through the forest. One cycle already done with, it was once again Ukyo's turn.
     Ukyo, although in the here and now slashing at the thickening vegetation, was mentally back in Japan.  Within her mind, she was remembering every past scene of her and Ranma.  {{Oh, Ran-chan, don't be dead.  I don't want to lose you twice.  Akane couldn't bear to lose you more than I.  I don't know if we're that strong to deal with your loss.}}  She continued to swing, even though her eyes began to sting with wetness.  {{Please be alive.}}
     Konatsu saw it instantly.  "You're thinking about Ranma, aren't you?"
     "Oh, Kona-chan, please don't be jealous," she breathed.  "I can't stop loving him.  I could no more stop breathing than to stop feeling the way I do about him."
    "Don't worry, I'm not jealous."  He reached over and gave her a quick kiss.  "I understand that you still love him.  He's my friend, too.  I also know that you love me with all your heart.  I'm not jealous--a bit envious, maybe, but I'm man enough that I can live with that."
    "Thanks for understanding, Kona-chan," she said, stopping her work just long enough to kiss him.  "I knew there was a reason why I love you."
    "Gee, I thought it was because of my old wardrobe," he quipped.
    "I much prefer it when you've got nothing on at all," she replied, a comment that made both blush.


    Kodachi, for once, was being actually sane about the whole thing.  She was--although she wouldn't admit it--concerned about Ranma, but something was differ--{{no.}}
    She loved her Ranma-sama...but something was different, lately.  Something that had to do with that hunk Mikado.  He was awfully cute, and besides, he was showing some interest in h--
    {{No.  I am for Ranma-sama, and no other, she thought.  These lips, this body,  this heart, this mind--my all and everything belong to him.  I am his beloved, and his only.}}  She was firm and insistent on that, and she would not budge.
     She chewed her lip nervously on that thought.  Without thinking, she turned around, and saw him looking at her.  Gazing at her with his deep, warm, sensuous eyes, so dark you could just get lost in them and never get away.
    She sighed vocally, then turned around, unsure as to why she did.


    {{This was not the most ideal way I wanted to spend my summer days,}} the Chinese Amazon thought bitterly.  {{I would love to have spent them in Ranma's arms.  But here I am, slogging through the underbrush, playing Shan Fu, Queen of the Jungle.  All I have to do now is put on a tigerstripe bikini and swing from vine to vine.}}
    Nevertheless, she knew why she was here.  She didn't want to be here, but she had to be.  She wanted Ranma back, and if it meant a pact with her enemies...{{no, not anymore.  Akane's been a friend of sorts, in the few times she and I aren't discussing Ranma.  Apparently, so's Ukyo.  I don't trust that Kodachi girl, though--she definitely looks like the backstabbing type.}}
    She muttered an expletive in her native Chinese, hoping no one else would hear her.  {{Damn.  Grandmother said this would happen.  I'm getting too close to them.  They're no longer enemies, just rivals.  Will there come a day when they're nothing more than friends to me?  Or more?  I'm not supposed to let that happen.}}
    "Shampoo, are you okay?"  The amethyst-tressed girl turned her head, and found that the speaker had been no other than her hated--as in past tense--rival, Akane.
    Akane was about to repeat her question when Shampoo lamented, "Shampoo fine, Akane."
    The Japanese girl looked at her Chinese rival.  "No, no you're not.  What is it?  Please tell me."
    Shampoo bit off a nasty comment, because she found she didn't have the anger to say it.  Instead, she said, "Why Akane so worried about Shampoo?  Shampoo not worried about Akane."
    "That's not true, and you know it.  If you weren't worried about me, you would've never come to my house.  You would've gone after Ranma on your own.  Why is it so hard to admit that you have feelings for anyone other than Ranma, Shampoo?  Why do you and Mousse have to put up shells towards anybody who tries to treat you nicely?  Don't say it's the Amazon way--the twins aren't like that."
    Shampoo looked at Akane, absolutely stupefied.  She was caught, dead to rights.  "Shampoo," she finally admitted, "love Ranma.  Shampoo know Akane do, too.  Shampoo worried never see airen again."
    A day or two ago, it would have been this way: Akane would've broken down into tears, leaving the Amazon unsure of what to say.  As it happened, though, it was Shampoo who crushed under the weight of her own heavy heart, leaving Akane to hold the girl as she cried.  Shampoo fell to her knees, and Akane followed, holding her friend close to her, being there as she was needed.
    A few minutes passed while everyone watch the two girls.  Even Kodachi, who would normally use this time to taunt either of the girls, fell silent.  This was a moment that no one was surprised to see, but were not expecting to happen now.  Shampoo came to give Akane her aid at the most crucial time; Akane could do no less.
    Finally, Shampoo stopped crying and got up, pausing to smile at Akane as she wiped the tears from her eyes and sobbed a soft, "Thank you, Akane, for being friend to Shampoo."
    "Think nothing of it." 
    

    Watching the whole scene, Kuno said to Nabiki and Mousse,  "Oh what a situation this is when bitter enemies are becoming the closest of friends."  Kuno, for a change, was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, his bokken safe in a black carrying case slung over his shoulder.  Mousse wore his usual robes, and Nabiki wore jeans, a T-shirt, and a camouflage jacket.  For Nabiki's defense, at Natsumi's insistence, she carried one of Konatsu's spare tanto blades.
    "Maybe she's given up on Ranma!" Mousse said, as his glasses began to fog up.
    "Hey, Tofu Junior," Nabiki playfully snapped.  "Knock it off.  Do you want to get lost?  We already have Ryoga tethered to Ku-chan," she said, hooking a thumb behind her.  Sure enough, there was Ryoga, tied firmly to Kurumi's wrist courtesy of her hair ribbons and his bandannas, with Kaori and Shinnosuke flanking him on one side, the twin Amazons on the other, and Coral and Natsumi taking the front and back positions, respectively.
    "Oh, how I weep for your sister's problem, even as I should have mine very own heart weep for the loss of mine own pigtailed goddess."
    "Put a sock in it, Tatewaki," she growled, then stormed off, feeling hurt and angry at his comment, and not pausing to think as to why she was.
    "Nabiki!" he called out in response.  "I'm--" he said in his regular voice, which broke to a whisper as he finished, "sorry."  He as well didn't think about it, either.


    Mousse, watching the turn of events, spoke softly, and said a few lines:
    "Thus, I had so long suffered in this quest,
        Heard failure prophesied so oft, been writ
        So many times among 'The Band'--to wit,
    The knights who to the Dark Tower's search addressed
    Their steps--that just to fail as they, seemed best,
        And all the doubt was now--should I be fit?"
    "You of course know that's not only *really* morbid and counter to our morale, but tasteless?  Not that it's bad, but it is not conducive to our fighting spirit," Kuno commented.
    "I didn't mean it that way," Mousse snapped, then turned and looked at Shampoo and Akane.  "What I meant was that I can understand what they are going through right now."  He silently added, {{I might not like it, but I can understand it.}}
    "Oh."  The kendo master replied, then added, "I do have to admit though, that your doggerel was charming, aside from that.  It's not the Bard, but well said, nonetheless.  A composition of your own?"
    "Nope, it's from an poet named Robert Browning.  I've been a fan of his works since I was a kid--and you have *no idea* how difficult it is to get anything like that in far rural China.  If you'd like, I can lend you one of my books next time I run into you on campus."
    "Why thank you," Kuno returned, clapping Mousse on the back.  "That's very kind."  Lost in a happier subject for the moment, the two men chatted on about a passion they had other than the women currently near the back of the caravan.
    
    
    "Hey, Shampoo!" Ukyo called out.  "It's your turn!"
    Shampoo gave Akane a surprising hug, then got up and walked to the front.  However, instead of taking Ukyo's weapon, she instead pulled out her short swords (she opted to use those in battle instead, leaving her bonbori in the same non-place as Akane's mallet).  She focused for a second, then as her crimson battle aura came alight, she charged forward, shouting, *"Cat Scratch Fever!"*, turning into an Amazon buzzsaw as she began to weed-whack a way through the growth.  As she blazed into the distance, you could hear her call out, "What Akane waiting for?  We have airen to save, ne?"
    "Right behind you!"  The girl in the light blue tang and black pants sped off after her friend, leaving the rest of them to simply pause for a second in stupefication, then follow as they realized they were being left behind.


    Taking up the rear position alongside Genma, John saw Shampoo's Anything Goes Martial Arts Instant Landscaping Technique.
He whistled appreciatively, thinking, {{That girl's got spunk, that's for sure.  No wonder she's what the others call a Chinese Amazon.  Glad she's on my side, too--she'd give a good deal of the Windhams a run for their money.}}  He quickly glanced over at Coral, who was tense and alert at the moment--the only one currently at that state.  With no further thoughts in mind, he began to plan the tactical assault on the Crystal Temple.  According to the map that Genma had, they'd be there by tomorrow morning, and ready to assault the place on first light.
    Although he had confidence in the skills of Genma, the Amazons, and the ninjas, he at least hoped that a couple of these kids would survive the battle.  They may be bottom-of-the-barrel misfits, but maybe--just maybe--if they were any good at all, they would be able to fight bravely before dying.  Worst of all would be his inability to protect the Tendo daughters, for they were the main reason where this mission was in place, and with the exception of Natsumi, they stood no chance.  Maybe with Coral here, and her knowing how much the Tendos meant to Kyle, she'd cover them.  With a little luck maybe even one of them would survive this damned mess.
    No more thoughts he cared to bring up, he continued to march along in dull silence.

                            *   *   *

    The mass forces of the Crystal Temple were gathered to hear their leader speak.  The crowd was mostly hushed, although there were threads of whispers filtering throughout the crowd.  The subject was clear: the Ghost Wolves and the Windhams were mounting a counterattack on the Temple's forces; it was serious enough that even the leader of the Ghost Wolves, the mystical, mysterious Mist herself would be leading the attack.  No, another theory said, the Americans had discovered their location, and instead of launching a nuclear strike, had settled upon a surgical strike from a full SEAL team.  A third thought nixed both, stating that they were getting ready to land the second, fatal blow at the Land of the Seven Lucky Gods.  Finally, the Force Commander, General Mango strode in, followed by the master himself, Lord Nguyen.  The pair ascended the raised dais, the flat obsidian wall behind them standing as though it were the great Monolith itself, ready to punish those who did not obey the very command of Nguyen.
    The General looked, as always, like a woman on a barely controlled temper.  It was, however, the look of their master, Nguyen himself, that stunned the soldiers with a look of awe.  He didn't walk in, he *floated.*  His violet aura was blazing like a chemlight in a tunnel doing overtime, and it was as if somehow, he'd grown even larger and more muscular in the last few days.  He exuded power and presence, and made everyone in the room feel that not only was Big Brother Watching You, he also Knew What You Thought.
    Five thousand troops bowed to his presence.  Five thousand bowed to the mighty, the undefeatable, the magnificent, the Warlord of the North, the man destined to be Emperor of the World himself, Nguyen Tran Loc.


    When he finally spoke, not a voice other than his own echoed throughout the Crystal Temple.  "My loyal soldiers, the time of truth has come upon us.  For those of you not in the know, we will be striking against the tattered remnants of the militia of the Seven Lucky Gods.  Their gods are not so lucky as it has been supposed, for we have proven to be the mightier.  Still, they must be disposed of, so that we may take the land for our rule."
    There was a shout of joy to that, followed by many huzzahs.  Nguyen allowed the ghost of a smile to flit upon his lips as he stared at the men and women so eager to die in his cause.  "You, my friends, will be allowed more luxuries than you can ever imagine.  A whole principality will be yours for the taking."  Out from his blue cloak, he stretched his hand and closed his hand into a fist, alighting it with the lavender force at his disposal.  "There will be more someday, but for now, that land is ours to take."  More cheers followed.
    "Yet, there is a problem."  The crowd instantly hushed at that.  "Tomorrow, a small band of misfits, a circus of ragamuffin children, a company of waifs and strays, will come here, thinking to defeat the might that we are.  They are being led, like lambs to the slaughter, by a mere slip of a girl barely able to throw a punch, much less lead an army.  She is being given assistance by a would-be shinobi of the useless American group known as the Windham Clan, and the three remaining members of the pathetic Ghost Wolf Clan, who, as you remember, you defeated handily a month ago."
    Derisive laughter began to filter throughout the room.  One brave soul dared to ask, "My Lord!  Surely they know they cannot contest your might!  Why bother to even attempt such folly?"
    "They seek to recapture my bride from me."  With the patrol dead, the rest of the army had no idea about the true fate of Nguyen's redhead bride, nor did he feel inclined to update them on such personal matters.  "They think to march in here and take her from me."  He smiled, a little more malice in his grin this time.  "They think wrong, and you, my friends, will prove that to them."
    In response there were five thousand snarls of rage, all directed at a small band of fighters hundreds of miles away from home.
    Nguyen spoke to his congregation.  "Would you like to see the lambs you will slaughter, my wolves?"
    The cry of yes was deafening.  
    

    At once, the great black wall roared to life with the sound of a great mass of glass shattering.  A blast of prismatic energy erupted from the wall, and a moving mural began to shimmer as it showed the group wandering through the forest.
    There were eighteen people moving in the crowd.  One was American army, if the uniform was right.  Two of them were easily identified as Ghost Wolves.  Another was identified a second later as a Windham--and a high ranking one, at that.  Four more were obviously from Joketsuzoku.  The rest of them may well have been a circus act.
    "See?  These are the weaklings who think that they will eradicate you, who are foolish enough to believe themselves capable of defeating you.  Will you let them have even that much false shred of ho--"


    *"SHAMPOO!!!!"*  That unnatural cry came from the mouth of Mango.  Her face was a visage of unnatural fury, any manner of her normal calm shattered in an instant.  She looked as if she'd leap through the screen at any moment and attack one of those warriors in the group.  Nguyen knew well who it was from their many nights together.  
    Mango turned and faced her warriors.  Speaking in a voice that dripped icy fury, she intoned, *"The woman with the amethyst hair is my mortal enemy.  I will slay her as well as her counterpart with the glasses PERSONALLY.  Any other who takes them on will be at the wrong end of my blade.  DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!?!?!??!?"*
    The hushed crowd bowed as one to their general.  Mango in turn bowed to her master and said, "Many apologies, my liege."
    Nguyen whispered, "Tonight, we'll talk about this, my sweet.  About a great many things."  To the crowd, he proclaimed, "You have heard my words and those of your Battle Master.  Tomorrow morning seals their very fate!"
    As the warriors of the Crystal Temple cheered, the sounds could be heard to roar throughout the Temple.

                            *   *   *

    Night fell on the jungle, and with it did the finalities of relaxation.  They would sleep until four AM, then trek the rest of the way through the darkness, and arrive at the Temple at dawn.  It was in a wide clearing, or so said the map, and would be easy enough to find and maneuver through.
    As night fell, the last chance at love fell for the two couples in their midst.  Realizing this, even John wouldn't argue with that, so Ukyo and Konatsu were given their own personal tent a respectable distance from the group.  Likewise so were Shinnosuke and Kaori.
    Most everyone else was asleep, or quietly in their own thoughts:
    For Tendo Akane, it was the determination that by the end of tomorrow, she would see her Ran-chan again.  And once he was safe in her arms, she swore that she would never, ever let him go.
    For Tendo Nabiki, it was the fact that she'd see one of the few people in the world dear to her.
    Tendo Kurumi was overjoyed that after the battle, she would get to see the one person that was the closest thing she had to a big brother.  Well, there was Natsumi, but it wasn't quite the same....
    Hibiki Ryoga would have the double pleasure of seeing his closest friend safe, and seeing that Akane was happy.
    Saotome Genma would be pleased that the Saotome School would be safe once more.  Just as important, his son would be okay.
    Mousse dreamed of an exotically beautiful Amazon princess.
    Shampoo fantasized about her wode airen, the man she loved.  However, if anyone else were awake in the girls' tent, they would have heard her mumble a statement in Chinese as she turned in her sleep: "Wo ai ni, Muu Tsu."
    Kuno Tatewaki would be more than joyed to see his osaga no onna safe once more.  However, something was troubling him about that as of late....
    The other Kuno, Kodachi was also disturbed, her dreams sliding between her beloved Ranma-sama, and the new, mysterious man who seemed to be worming his way, slowly but surely, into her heart.
    Amazon twins Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung dreamed of mighty battles as Amazons, then as ninjas bearing the sigil of the Ghost Wolf clan, fighting alongside Natsumi, Konatsu, and the Windham, Coral. 
    Shiratori Azusa dreamt of sugar and spice and everything nice.
    Sanzenin Mikado sat in his sleeping bag with a flashlight and a copy of _Playboy_.  Go figure.
    

    As for John Twinmoon, Coral Mizuno and Tendo Natsumi, they were the still working out last-minute details for battle, so they stood in the middle of the camp, hunched over a pad of paper.  All three had their weapons at the ready, and were keeping an ocassional eye to the camp's perimeter.
    "Well, Natsumi-san," John said, "are you ready for the great struggle tomorrow?"
    "One is never ready for war, Twinmoon-sempai; one can only be prepared," she replied, apparently quoting someone.
    "Ain't that the truth.  I've seen enough of it in my life--in or out of an Army uniform.  Maybe that's telling me it's time to retire.  For good."
    "Aww, you'd never retire, old man," Coral replied.
    "If a man is old enough to understand that he must not fight, then he is a wise old man, indeed," Natsumi professed.
    "Well said, Natsumi-san.  Unlike some girls I know," John commented, tossing a good-natured jab at Coral.
    "Y'know, Natsumi," Coral commented, "I've heard those quotes of yours somewhere before.  Where'd ya get 'em from?"


    "From me, Umi.  Nice to know she actually does listen to me once in a while," a voice lilted.
    The trio in response whipped their blades out at lightning speed...
...only to have them ripped out of their grasps just as fast as Mist said, "Hold.  You are good, but I am better.  And I have no intention of attacking you, anyway."
    "Mist-sensei!"  Forgetting the situation, Natsumi gave her master a gleeful hug.  To her surprise, Mist returned it, then returned her katana as well.
    "It is good to see that you are well, Natsumi-san.  You have fulfilled your duties with honor."  She then turned to John and spoke in his tongue.  "Mr. Twinmoon, it is an honor to see you again."  She held out her hand.
    He took it and shook with vigor.  "No, I am the one to be honored, Mist-san.  Kyle always said you are the best in the world, and certainly one of his greatest students.  Apparently, it seems to look like that's an understatement."
    "I thank you for the compliment, Mr. Twinmoon," she replied in English.  "I've always thought of you to be no half-talent, either.  I am well pleased to see he has sent us the best."  Although it was difficult to tell from the mask, her black eyes sparkled in such a way that the Windham could tell she was smiling at that notion.  She then turned to Coral, and switched back to Japanese for Natsumi's sake.  "It's good to see you again, Umi."  To Natsumi's surprise, Mist went and hugged the Windham, who hapily returned the embrace.
    "You know Coral, Mist-sensei?" Natsumi asked.
    "'Coral?'" Mist inquired.
    "A nickname I picked up not long after you left came back here from your training stay with us.  I was at the beach and scraped against a coral reef, and got it in my bloodstream.  I would have died if it wasn't for a stroke of luck, and the fact that Libby and Autumn never left my side."  She then turned to Natsumi.  "I've known Mist since I was ten.  She stayed with us one summer when she was training to take over the Ghost Wolves, and we've worked together on and off.  Uncle Kyle taught her a few tricks of the trade, and Mist here's the only person I know who's probably more powerful than Libby."
    "Oh.  That's nice," she replied, then sank back into a professional manner.  "Sensei, I hate to point out a question, but why--"
    "My mist could be seen by the light of the moon and give us away.  Likewise, so would my shakuhachi playing.  Admittedly, so does the white of my suit, but I am hesitant to change fashions at the drop of a hat."  Her eyes sparkled mischievously at the sign of the joke she'd made.    


    A few minutes later, all four sat together the rest of the night relaxing peacefully and talking.  There was no need for total alertness, Mist assured them, since she eliminated three patrol teams wandering near the camp's perimeter.  The three took turns taking light naps until the dawn broke.

                            *   *   *

    Day Three:
    The forces of the Crystal Temple formed ranks in the early hours of the morning.  They wanted to make sure that as many of their fighters would be in place to teach these children a lesson that they would never forget.  The mood was almost that of a party atmosphere; they were jubilant that after wiping these brats from the face of the earth, the next day, the cabal of the warlord would be on to bigger and better conquests.

                            *   *   *

    Janeiro smiled a lupine grin.  The Usurper was nearby.  And soon, the Usurper would be dead.  The Dance would be all his, once more.

                            *   *   *

 The remaining forces of the Crystal Temple elite got up at their own pace.  They moved at their own strides, knowing that it would be mostly just another day.  
    All except for Mango, who realized that this day was a day of fate.  Mango was at the pinnacle of life.  The head of her worst enemy, by sunset, would be decorating her bedpost.  And with her, her lover would fall, then Cologne and the rest of Joketsuzoku.  She smiled.  Truly smiled as her heart began to lift.  Today was the start of a new day.  Today her opponent would be dead, and within the month, the Amazon civilization itself.
    Then Mango would be dead...and Sung Min Gei would be free to live the rest of her life in peace.

                            *   *   *

    Jack strolled down the hall of the dungeon wing, whistling a happy tune.  In one hand, he was carrying a small black doctor's bag.  In the other, he was carrying a backpack.  What looked like the end of a cat o' nine tails stuck out of the zipper end; the bag was so full that it couldn't be closed properly.
    {{Ol' Jacky gets to play today,}} he mused with an immeasurable glee.  {{While Mango leads the troops in a bit of a romp, ol' Jack the Lad gets a day of fun.  'Tis a shame that Rain has to end the birdie's life on the morrow, but 'twould be the proper thing for failing the trust of the Guv'nor.  Still, it would be so much fun to have her again, and again.  I wouldn't even end her like I would with the normal chippies.  She would be my special one, I would say.}}
    Today would be his fame day.  Of all the girls at the Temple that he had his eye on, it was Shiva.  For so many reasons.  The first of which, she was young.  If trained well, she could be attentive to his every need.  Mango and Rain were old enough that they had their own ideas; he would never "have his fun" with either woman, mainly because neither would sleep with him.  A second reason was that being young, Shiva would learn "love" from him, thus devoting her life to his every desire.  Lastly there was the thought of having that sweet, young flesh in his hands.
    The minute he arrived at the cell door and unlocked it, he was delirious with joy just thinking of what he'd do.  His very loins burned with the thought of being within her, of the power he would lord over her.
    He opened the door, ready to release upon her.
    

    He found an empty cell.  A quick look at the back revealed why.  There was a huge gash in the crystal wall in the back, and the crystal wasn't so much broken as *melted away.*  Somebody powerful had just freed his personal toy.
    Jack rushed to his room to grab his implements.  Whoever it was who spirited away his "date" would pay dearly with their lives...after Jacky had a little fun first, of course.

                            *   *   *

    At dawn, the two sides faced each other.  Eighteen fighters versus five thousand, not counting the elite fighters or Nguyen.
    The odds were about even.

    
     The young woman at the lead strode confidently to the front, her face as determined as the deep red color of the rising sun this morning.  Shouting out to the enemy, *"This is your only chance!  Surrender the woman you have captured now, or face overwhelming defeat!"*
     A man, obviously the ground commander, called back, *"Woman, you are daft!  I'll make you an offer.  Surrender now, and I promise I'll go easy tonight on you in my bed."*
     *"So be it.  You've just got on my bad side.  Have a nice flight."*  Being cryptic on purpose, Akane went back to her group.
     On return, Shampoo said, "This it, Akane.  Ready?"
     "Almost.  Just one thing left to do."  With that comment, she reached over and took Kasumi's package from Kurumi's hands.


     Akane was unsure how long she stood there, thinking of her sister's note:


Akane,
    In this box, you'll find something that I think you'll find helpful to you.  Open it only when you know that you'll absolutely need it--it will bring you strength.  Good luck, sister.  Mother would be proud of you.


    {{I hope you're right, Kasumi.}}  She undid the package, and peeked in.  What she saw caused a blaze of joy and confidence in her heart.  This caused an incredible effect,  something inexplicably powerful and fantastic, an event that would burn into the memory of all that were witness to this moment.  Her battle aura began to glow.  Without explanation, she set the package down, then began to take off the short sleeve black tang she wore.
    All of her side began to facefault at her actions.  Her detractor on the other side, said, *"That's right, honey.  Show me what you're made of."*
    *"Oh, I will, all right,"* she called back.  *"The hard way."*  She tossed away the tang, her black T-shirt showing clearly.  She picked up the box.
    Her battle aura began to glow stronger.
    She threw open the top, and reached into the box.
    Her aura grew stronger still.
    Then she pulled out the one item that Kasumi would ensure would bring Akane--and the others, by association--strength to overcome the immense odds before them.

    A long sleeve tang.  *The* long sleeve *red* tang.  *RANMA's long sleeve red tang.*

     Aura growing stronger yet, Akane began to put on the tang, rolling up the sleeves.  She buttoned the shirt, and with each frog clasp being closed, the aura went up another notch on the luminescence scale.  By the time she finished tying the knot on the sash belt, her aura had reached supernova intensity.
     There were no words to describe the surge of emotion that went through the hearts of the Nerima group as she stood there glowing like the beacon of freedom.  No mere phrase could quite describe the strength of emotions that raged through their souls.  No picture could describe as seventeen other battle auras instantly went into overdrive behind Akane.
    As for the girl in the red tang, Tendo Akane at that time ceased to exist.  In her heart of hearts, for the first time, she was truly Saotome Akane, wife to the greatest martial artist in the world and master of the Saotome School of AGMA Kenpo karate.  And just as importantly, Saotome Akane, Master of the Tendo School of AGMA Shotokan karate.
    She dropped into a battle stance, and her words called out to all: *"This ends here and now.  You've drawn the line, and we're gonna cross it.  And I swear, I'm gonna take that damn line and shove it up your collective asses!*
    *"All right...which one of you monkeys is first?"*
    
   
    As the sides readied to make the first move, Mousse quoted another phrase from his favorite poet.  Despite the fact that all knew the last line to be obviously paraphrased, it stated the mood perfectly, echoing in all their hearts, as Shampoo would claim, years later:
    "There they stood, ranged along the hillsides, met
        To view the last of me, a living frame
        For one more picture! in a sheet of flame
    I saw them and I knew them all.  And yet
    Dauntless the slug-horn to my lips I set,
    And blew. 'Childe Akane to the Dark Tower came.'"