Yay! Another chapter already!

Quantum Destinies
A Ranma fanfic
by Steven Thesken (jurai-knight@home.com)


Chapter 10 - The Chinese Amazon Connection

And just which Chinese Amazon will be doing the connecting and with whom?
^_^

    Shampoo fidgeted in her seat.  The opening introductions were 
over, so she had nothing to do except wait for her own matches 
tonight.  She was fighting in two tonight.  The first was what the 
promoters insisted on calling the Amazon Challenge exhibition 
match.  The purpose of the match was for her to accept a male 
challenger chosen at random from the crowd.  

*Snicker* Random. Right.

If that first man 
declined, a second would be selected.  If that man also declined, 
then she would do a solo routine that let her demonstrate her 
fighting skills.

Ranma will be the second then. 

    The prize for winning was ownership of her contract for the 
remainder of her time in Japan. 

That's going to be mighty convienent.

The penalty for losing was forced 
conscription in the Arena for a period of not less than one year.  

Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen, although you have given a
bit of background on participants in the arena.

The Amazon Challenge was a new promotion that had been 
started at the beginning of the year.  After the first three months, 
she had ceased to get any challengers that accepted the >challenge.  

That's pretty redundant. challengers and challenge are too close together.
Maybe change the first one to 'contenders'.

She had only gotten five challengers in that time, but she had 
defeated them all quite easily.  One of them had been rather cute, 
but he hadn't been skilled enough to defeat her.  *There just aren't 
any real fighters in Japan,* she thought with a sigh.

Prepare to have that little fantasy dispelled, Miss Pu.

    The losers had the option of paying off their contracts at a hefty 
penalty cost, or a single re-challenge of Shampoo after two weeks 
time.

Wait a minute. Why include this if Ranma is going to win? Curious.

 All but one of the previous losers had come from rather rich 
families, so they had simply paid the penalty and left.  The one 
that remained had accepted his fate with grace.  In all honesty, 
Shampoo could have thrown the fight, but her pride would not let 
her do that.  Since the Elders of her village watched every one of 
her matches, 

And wagered heavily on her.

it would be a matter of great dishonor to herself and 
to her great-grandmother

And the Amazon mafia would send Razor 'No-neck' and 'Leg Breaker' Lotion to
discuss what happens to Amazons that throw fights without letting certain
others know about it before hand.

if she did less than her best.  Shampoo 
always wanted her great-grandmother to be proud of her.

    The Arena promoters always played up her village and its 
Amazon nature in the programs to try to lure a challenger into the 
ring with her.  After the multiple broken bones she gave her last 
challenger when she misjudged his skill, the men accepting the 
challenge dropped to nothing.  Shampoo imagined that the 
promotion would be dropped by the end of the year.  To her 
annoyance, by Imperial law any victor over her was not 
automatically considered her husband, but had the option of 
claiming that right at any time before her contract expired. 

And thus providing more tension when Ranma beats her.

As an 
Amazon, she could even be given Citizen rank by marrying a full-
blooded Japanese man.

Oh. That's really convienent. That's not a complaint, just an observation.
It opens up more options for you.

    This was one of the few exceptions in the complex regulations 
regarding marriage in the Empire, but it had only been invoked a 
handful of times in the last century. 

And hopefully one more time in the near future.

All female Citizens were 
forbidden by Imperial law to take any man as husband except for a 
male Citizen, and they were limited to a single husband.  On the 
other hand, male Citizens were allowed multiple wives.  

Uh oh! RUN FOR IT RANMA!!!

However, 
one wife would usually be considered First Wife, and she would be 
considered superior to all others.  Mistresses were also allowed, 
but few Citizen women became such.  It was one of the last major 
holdovers of sexism that still remained in the Empire.

    "So do you think any of these Citizen men will have the guts to 
try to fight you tonight?" asked Running Deer, in her usual mildly 
sarcastic tone, from where she was seated.  

D.B. (raises hand) I can think of someone.

She wasn't fighting 
tonight, so she was just there to give her friend some moral 
support.  She leaned on the low wall that separated the fighting 
area from the waiting area.  She eyed the large crowd.  It was 
larger tonight than was typical on a weekday.

    "Shampoo no think so," she replied with a smug tone.  She was 
mentally reviewing her performance techniques, and not really 
thinking about the possibility of anybody accepting tonight.  It had 
been over three months since the last one.  "Shampoo think 
Japanese men finally realize that Shampoo is too much woman for 
them."

Prepare to be knocked off thine perch.

    "It's certainly a big crowd tonight," observed Running Deer as 
she peered out past the high Plexiglas 

Pleixglass 

I think.

walls surrounding the ring.  
"Perhaps your fan club is spreading the word."

    "Uh huh," answered Shampoo absently.  She had her eyes 
closed, and almost appeared to be asleep.

    "How do you feel about your fight with Akiko tonight?" asked 
Running Deer with a smile back at her friend.  She glanced over 
at Akiko when Shampoo opened her eyes.  Shampoo looked over 
and gave a soft chuckle.

    "Akiko good, but Shampoo better," replied Shampoo simply.  
Akiko Asakawa was from a poor family, so she had enlisted in the 
Arena to provide money for her aging parents.  She was a very 
skilled Shotokan Karate fighter, and also quite good with a staff.

    Shampoo liked Akiko.  The girl was friendly, and eager to 
improve.  She also had a level of competitiveness that made 
Shampoo consider her a spiritual Amazon sister.  She was a 
challenge for Shampoo's skills, but still not so good a fighter that 
Shampoo had any doubt as to the outcome.  Akiko was currently 
keeping herself limber by working out lightly with staff katas.

And I wonder where she fits into this.

    "Shampoo is no expecting surprises tonight," 

Last chapter Ranma was wearing the big 'kick me' sign. This chapter it's
Shampoo's turn.

said the Amazon 
girl with a smile.  She closed her eyes once more, and went back 
to her meditations.

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

    Soun Tendo was working late in his office at the Security 
Directorate.

About time we saw him.

 There were relatively few people left in the building 
by this time.  He stubbed out the remnants of his cigarette in the 
large ashtray on his desk, and immediately lit up another one.  As 
Assistant Director, most of the important problems fell on his 
desk, and the past few days had been no exception.  Unlike his 
nominal superior, Director Miyama, he had risen through the 
ranks on his own abilities, as many of his ancestors had before 
him.  The Director was a mere political appointee, and Soun had 
seen a dozen like him come and go during his career.  The real 
work of the Security Directorate was done by men and women like 
Soun Tendo, working in the shadows.

Soun Tendo as Jason Wynn. Scary.

    Soun leaned back in his chair, and slowly rolled his head from 
side to side to relieve the tension in his neck.  It wasn't helping 
much.  He took a deep drag on his cigarette, and blew a ring of 
smoke up towards the ceiling.  He felt a little of his tension go 
with the smoke.  He rubbed his eyes with his free hand, and felt 
every year of his age.  This day had not been a good one.  If his 
sense of duty didn't hold him here, he would have considered 
quitting to work for one of the zaibatsus.  The pay would have 
been better, and they practically ran the Empire anymore anyway.

    He had just returned from a late lunch when he had received a 
call about the massacre at the Jusenkyo Biological Research 
Facility.

I can just see Herb, Lime and Mint chanting. 'Hi ho. Hi ho. It's off to the
Empire we go.' While lugging a barrel of Nyanniichuan with them.

 Three of the scientists and twenty-six guards had been 
killed in a rather brutal fashion.  Every single container of water 
in the vaults had been smashed, 

I'd wager at least one was taken with them.

and the vault door had been 
blown off its hinges by some massive force.  *What kind of power 
could break through a foot of reinforced steel?*

An angry Herb. Which does not bode well for anyone that lives in the Empire
now.

    Worst of all, three of the test subjects had escaped.  They were 
listed as dangerous in their files, but nobody had realized just how 
dangerous they were until it was too late.  If only his ancestor had 
_really_ killed off the last members of the Musk Dynasty, instead 
of holding them for research purposes.  

Yep. Someone's gonna pay for that little mistake.

That error in judgment 
had now crawled down through the decades and landed in his lap.  
It was threatening to give him an ulcer.

    The telephone rang on one of his private lines.  Soun picked it 
up, hoping for some good news to come his way.  "Tendo here," 
he said gruffly into the phone.

    "Hello, sir," said a female voice on the other end.  "This is Otsu 
Mituma calling." 

Un oh! Looks like 'Little Miss Matchmaker' is on the take.

Soun immediately sat up.  *This could be just 
the good news that I was hoping for.*

    "Hello, Otsu," he said in a mild voice.  "What do you have to 
report for me?"

    "The Saotome family is scheduled for a meeting with the 
Kuonji family for tomorrow," replied Otsu.  "I hope that that is 
acceptable for your timetable?"  Her voice sounded a little bit 
concerned at his reaction.

    "That is fine with me," answered Soun with a little more 
warmth.  "I trust that there is little chance that the Saotome boy 
will fall for that one?  I'm taking an uncomfortable risk by letting 
him meet other children of the Project before I have a chance to 
get him engaged to at least one of my two daughters."

So Ukyou is a member of the Project as well. Hmm.

    "I wouldn't be concerned, sir," replied Otsu as she looked over 
the file folders for Ranma Saotome and Ukyou Kuonji in front of 
her.  "The computer models have given less than a five percent 
chance for them to find compatibility.  The personality profile for 
Ranma Saotome that you gave me last month indicated that a girl 
like Ukyou Kuonji would have next to nothing in common with a 
dedicated scholar like young Ranma has become."

Too bad that personality profile is now only useful if you consider using
it to wipe your ass.

    "However," continued Otsu, "the models do continue to indicate 
a higher level of favorability for your middle daughter if she is 
presented after the first candidate meeting ends in failure, despite 
her current history with the subject. 

Of course, Q-Ranma is probably having nightmares of Nabiki extorting money
from him and every available opportunity.

Your youngest daughter, on 
the other hand, does not have much chance to catch young Mr. 
Saotome's attention unless something radical happens between 
them in the near future.

Like he beats the crap out of her and she finds out she likes that sort of
thing.

  >Their personality profiles do not mesh at 

all."  There was a pause on the other end.

Big surprise.

    "May I ask, sir, why all this subterfuge is necessary?  I would 
think that a scientist like Genma Saotome might be intrigued at 
the opportunity to match his son up with another child who has 
received the Genetic Upgrade Enhancement, like your two 
younger daughters have had."

Nope. This one has something resembling a conscience.

    "Perhaps, but I do not wish to take the chance," said Soun in a 
thoughtful tone of voice.  "Genma Saotome is too much of a wild 
card for me to make such a deal with him.  His scientific curiosity 
could prompt him to refuse me in order to seek a better genetic 
match, and I know that there are several available. 

And just who are they, I wonder.

However, I 
want this boy wedded to one of my two daughters.  According to 
test results, young Ranma has benefited from the Project more 
than any other male subject.  I wish nothing but the best for my 
daughters, so I will provide one of them with a husband that is 
almost genetically perfect.  I especially look forward to seeing 
what grandchildren he will provide me.  I would have even 
considered Kasumi, but she was already too old to receive the 
treatment when it became available."

I shudder to think of what a 'Genetically Perfect' Kasumi would be like.

    "Wouldn't artificial insemination allow the same thing?" Otsu 
asked in a quiet voice.

    "For children... yes," replied Soun in a mild voice.  "However, I 
also wish to have young Ranma's genius near at hand, so that I 
may properly guide it... for the good of the Empire, of course."  

Darth Soun: Ranma Skywalker will be mine.

Sorry, it's just all of this empire talk has mine mind locked into Star
Wars tonight.

He 
stubbed out his cigarette.  He turned his chair to face the video 
monitor that imitated a large picture window, and placed a fresh 
cigarette in his mouth.  He lit it absently.

    "Of course," agreed Otsu quickly.  "So Nabiki is your first 
choice?"

    "Yes," said Soun.  He blew out a stream of smoke.  "Her loyalty 
to me is unquestioned and I hold her in the highest regard, but 
Akane would be an acceptable substitute for Ranma's choice as 
First Wife."  He stared at the monitor as it projected a lifelike 
image taken from a camera on the outside of the building.  Soun 
found himself regretting that such precautions were necessary for 
a man in his position.

    "When should I schedule the meetings between your family and 
the Saotome family?"  Otsu's tone of voice had become rather 
subservient.  Soun didn't appear to notice or care.

    "I should have some free time available in three to four days," 
answered Soun after a moment of thought.  "Please set up an 
appointment for then.  I will be bringing Nabiki at that time.  
Akane will be held in reserve should Nabiki fail to charm young 
Mr. Saotome after his expected disappointing meeting with the 
Kuonji girl."  Soun smiled.  The plan for his family's happiness 
had now begun.  The computer models were programmed with the 
latest information available.  Unless young Ranma had somehow 
experienced a radical change in his personality recently,

Like his mind was merged with that of an otherdimensional counterpart.

an 
extremely low probability event, 

Well, you were almost right.

then his plans should all come 
together with a minimum of fuss.

BWHAHAHAHAHA!!! No.

    "I will take care of it in the morning, sir.  Is there anything 
else?"  She set Ranma's dossier in front of her.

    "Not at the moment, Otsu.  I'll call you if I need to make any 
changes to the schedule."  Soun hung up the phone, and swiveled 
his chair to face the front of his office.  He leaned forward, resting 
his elbows on the arms of his chair, and steepled his fingers in 
front of his face 

AH! It's the 'Gendo Ikari' look. Somehow it fits with this Soun's
personality, though.

as he allowed himself a smile.  *Everything 
should come together as planned,* he thought with a chuckle.  
*Ranma's genius will be mine to control, and I will be ensuring 
the happiness of at least one of my daughters.  It is a good day to 
be a father.*

Yep. He's as manipulative as good ole' Gendo.

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

    Ranma watched the initial fights with a small portion of his 
attention.  He was mainly thinking about what he might do about 
Shampoo. 

Since he was in a world where an alternate of his had a good bit of
'marital bliss' with her, and he should have retained at least some of
those memories, that just might also be '...what he might do TO Shampoo.'
as well. ^_^

He didn't have the money to rescue her, and breaking 
her out of the Arena facility was an impossible proposition.  The 
Security Directorate took a dim view of anyone stealing a piece of 
valuable property from any of the zaibatsus.  Going on the run for 
the rest of his life was _not_ an option.  There had to be a way, 
but he could not see it.

You will shortly. 

    The first fights were made up of the younger fighters, those 
who were having their first fight in the Arena.  It was designed as 
an audience appetizer, and most of them were done fairly quickly.  
It left the audience hungry for more.  Some of these younger 
fighters would go on to make names for themselves, replacing the 
fading stars of older fighters.  Such was the way that the Arena 
worked.  It was a glorious time for some, but it took a tremendous 
toll in lives destroyed to feed the bloodlust of the masses.

Tsk Tsk. So much for this 'civilazation'.

    Most of the fighters seemed to be conscripts from the outlying 
regions of the Empire.  They all fought with skill, and some of the 
younger fighters showed promising martial arts ability.  Weapons 
were not allowed in these preliminary fights, so it was a rather 
fine display of barehanded fighting techniques.  The most popular 
fights in the initial rounds seemed to be the ones pitting a boy 
against a girl.  Ranma watched a young Korean girl, who couldn't 
have been more than fourteen years old, take down a larger male 
opponent with a solid roundhouse kick across the face.

    Kodachi sat next to Ranma, her thoughts focused on him more 
than on the fighting going on down in the Arena.  It felt good to 
be spending time with him, but she felt a little silly at times.  Her 
brother would most definitely _not_ approve of Ranma, 

Kunou: How dare you trap my sister in your spell! I would smite thee!

and her 
parents would likely be horrified. 

Old man Kunou: Dat' little keikei's hair has got to go.

Her father was especially aware 
of the family's position in society.  The Kuno family wealth and 
position practically precluded her from considering Ranma for a 
relationship.

Even if he is a genius?

    At that moment, Kodachi didn't care.  She sighed happily, and 
leaned against Ranma's shoulder from her seat.  He turned to look 
at her, slightly startled.  *This has the makings of a wonderful 
evening,* she thought with another happy sigh.  *I wish that this 
moment could just go on forever.*

Poor Kodachi.

    The last of the preliminary bouts ended.  The two fighters left 
the Arena floor, one carried off on a stretcher.  The house lights 
dimmed, except for a single spotlight that lit up the center of the 
Arena.  The announcer walked out to the center of the floor, and 
he raised his microphone to his mouth.  A second spotlight began 
circling through the crowd.  The crowd went a little quiet in 
anticipation.  Ranma watched with a little more interest.  *I 
wonder what's up?*  He started to flip through his program.

You are about to be offered the solution to all of your Shampoo problems.

    "Gentlemen and ladies of the Empire," called out the handsome 
announcer.  "Tonight we again bring you a special show, a test of 
courage to some lucky young man in our audience.  Coming into 
the center of the Arena now is Shampoo, one of our finest young 
fighters.  She remains undefeated in almost two years of martial 
arts competition under this roof."  A third spotlight followed 
Shampoo as she came out to the center in a series of graceful flips 
and jumps.  She gave one final leap, and she landed in the circle 
of light around the announcer as she came to a graceful stop.

    "Who will be chosen to make the attempt to tame this beautiful 
girl?"  The spotlight continued to circle through the crowd.  "The 
lucky man chosen, if he is the winner of this match against the 
lovely Shampoo, gets to claim the remainder of her contract from 
Global Communications.  Not only that, he also gets the very rare 
opportunity of claiming this girl for a wife.  As all of Shampoo's 
fans across the globe know, any man who defeats an Amazon in 
fair combat becomes her husband by the laws of her village."  
Ranma felt his face twitch.

I'd put a line break after 'village. '

    "What man could resist such an opportunity?" 

Certainly not that pig-tailed boy we're going to pick.

asked the 
announcer with a large smile.  "Shampoo certainly seems eager to 
see if there's any man willing to try winning her."  The Amazon 
girl did a few skillful moves from her fighting repertoire.  "For 
those in our audience who may not be familiar with the Empire's 
views on the subject, Imperial law allows any victor over her to 
have the _option_ of claiming her as a bride at any time before her 
contract expired."  Ranma's

Another break after 'expired.'

face twitched again, and his thoughts 
were racing.

    "The penalty for losing, on the other hand," said the announcer 
in a dramatically quieter voice, "is to spend a year in the Arena as 
one of our fighters.  So... based on those terms, let's see if our first 
choice has the courage to join Shampoo in the ring."  The moving 
spotlight suddenly stopped and stabbed down on a young man in 
the audience.  His face was shown on all of the monitors, and he 
seemed to be very surprised.

    Hiroshi blinked against the bright light.  

BWHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAAH!!!!!

That's just too perfect!!!!

He smiled nervously 
in the direction of the spotlight. 

Hiroshi: I got a chance to get laid with a beautiful girl if I win, or a
year of pit fighting if I lose, and I know jack about martial arts. That's
no decison at all. Where do I sign up?

Yuka, on his right, gave him a 
punch on the arm, and she looked extremely unhappy when he 
turned to face her.  He knew what that look meant for him, if he 
chose to accept.  She seemed to be yelling something at him, but 
he couldn't hear her over the roar of the crowd.  With a rather 
embarrassed look, he finally held up his hands and waved them in 
negation at the camera.

    "Our first choice has chosen to decline this honor," said the 
announcer in a disappointed voice.  The crowd quieted down a 
little bit.  Then, the announcer brightened again.  "We still have 
one more potential challenger to try. 

Ranma Saotome.

Who will it be?

Ranma Saotome.

 Who has 
the courage to go up against this lovely girl?"  

Ranma Saotome.

I'm going to look like an idiot of I'm wrong.

Shampoo smiled 
into the camera.  Her beautiful face filled the monitors.

    Ranma felt himself starting to sweat as 

...sixteen years of supressed hormones kicked him right between the eyes.

he eyed the spotlight 
roaming over the crowd.  *What are the chances that it's going to 
stop on me?  

One hundred percent.

There must be over ten thousand people seated in 
here,* he thought with a mental laugh.  *The chances of _me_ 
getting picked are... *  The spotlight speared him where he sat.

    *I wanted to free Shampoo from the Arena, but _this_ was not 
what I had in mind,*

And what did you have in mind?

he thought with a sigh.  *I have no choice 
but to try though.  This may be my one chance to free her, even if 
it costs me a year of my life.*  Ranma slowly got to his feet as 
Kodachi gasped.

    "Ranma!" Kodachi blurted out.  "What do you think you're 
doing?"

Kodachi: I'm the one they were asking to fight! 

    "This may be my one chance at helping out someone who was a 
friend to me on several other timelines," he replied as he bent 
down next to her ear, so she could hear.  "I can't stand to see her 
in a place like this."  He paused and then smiled at her.  "Don't 
worry.  I'll be back."

That ole' Saotome ego in full bloom.

    Ranma stood back up straight again, and leaped out of the box 
area to land on the stairs.  Three more long bounds brought him to 
the base of the Plexiglas wall surrounding the Arena.  The crowd 
had begun to cheer.  He gathered himself and leaped for the top of 
the ten foot wall.  One hand gripped the top of the wall as he 
swung his legs over.  He landed on the fighting area floor with 
both hands raised high.  The crowd went wild with anticipation.

    "Ranma, you idiot," muttered Kodachi as she felt tears in her 
eyes.  "Don't get killed."

Is it all right if he just has the crap kicked out of him?

    "Gentlemen and ladies!" screamed the announcer with glee.  "It 
looks like we have a challenger!"  The crowd loudly roared their 
approval.  Ranma took a moment and gazed out at the crowd, his 
initial impulsiveness was gone.  At that moment, he felt a little 
worried as to whether or not he could actually pull this off.  He 
snapped himself out of his daze, and headed out to the center of 
the Arena.  *I have no choice,* he repeated to himself.

    Shampoo eyed the strange boy who came to fight her.  She 
sniffed with disdain.  He didn't look like much to her eyes as he 
leaped down the stairs.  Her eyes did widen a little as he cleared 
the top of the wall in a single bound.  *Hmm," she thought with a 
sudden increase in interest.  *Maybe there _is_ something to this 
one.  I think I'll keep an eye on this one.  Besides, I guess he is 
kind of cute.* 

It's deja vu all over again. ^_^

Shampoo did her best to look cute and tough at the 
same time.  It was part of what made her so popular.

That and the way her <vived description of anatomical parts deleted>

    Ranma trotted out to the announcer.  He was glad that he had 
decided to get some new clothes on the way home from school 
with his father.  He was wearing them for his date with Kodachi.  
They should allow him sufficient freedom of movement to fight.  
On a whim, he had picked out a blue silk shirt with wooden ties 
and a pair of loose black pants gathered at the ankles and waist.  
He looked much like his counterpart, the other Ranma, now.  

What a coincidence.

The 
announcer looked at him as he came up to them.

    "The new challenger has entered the ring in a truly dramatic 
fashion!" called out the announcer.  "He even looks to be rather 
confident on the outcome of this match." 

He's Ranma. He looks confident in any reality.

The crowd laughed a 
bit.  The announcer paused as Ranma stopped in front of him.  
"Please tell us your name, and what style of martial arts the 
audience will see tonight."  He held the small microphone up to 
Ranma's face as the cameras captured a close-up view for the 
television audience.

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

    Kodachi could only watch as her perfect evening was ruined by 
Ranma's new impetuousness.  She could have cared less for some 
primitive Chinese girl,

Some things never change. Next thing you know she'll shouting out what a
harriden Shampoo is.

but apparently not Ranma's new sense of 
gallantry.  She sat in her seat and fumed.  *If that Amazon bitch 
harms him, then... then... I'm not sure what, but it won't be very 
pleasant.* 

OHHOHOHOHO!!!

She saw Ranma standing larger than life on the 
nearest monitor, and she felt her heart swoon again.

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

    Akane was lying on her bed, and she flipped through the 
channels to see if anything interesting was on.  Anime mecha 
show... *pass.*.  Evening news... *boring.*  Romance movie... 
*hmm... nahh.*  Another anime show... *ick... pervert stuff... 
pass.*  She paused on the Arena channel to catch the beginning of 
the 'Amazon Challenge' segment of "Arena Tonight."  *Now this 
is more like it.*

    She chuckled at the first challenger as he declined.  *What a 
weakling,* she thought with a smirk.  She tilted her head to one 
side when she thought that there was something familiar about the 
second one, but the camera view was from too far away to be sure.  
She whistled softly in appreciation as the boy leaped into the 
Arena in such a brazen fashion.  *Now _that_ looks like a real 
man,* she thought with a smile.

You are going to be sooo disappointed.

    When the camera focused in on his face, her scream of outrage 
could be heard throughout the neighborhood.  *How dare Ranma 
do this to me!* she thought as she punched her pillow.  *What 
ever possessed him to want to fight that... that... Amazon?*  

Some things never change here either.

Akane watched as the view pulled back to show the two fighters 
standing next to each other.  Akane discovered that she didn't like 
the way that Shampoo was studying Ranma.

Akane: He's supposed to beat the crap out of me.

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

    Nodoka was watching the small portable television in the 
kitchen 

Oh this is going to go over real well.

while she cleaned up after dinner.  She was watching the 
Arena channel since it was the only interesting thing on during a 
Thursday night, unless she wanted to watch another episode of 
"Battlecruiser Macross."  Nodoka liked the show, but the romance 
plotlines were getting a little thick even for her. 

In Macross?! This must be a real alternate of the show.

She had flipped 
on the Arena channel to have a little noise in the background 
while she put things away.

    She happened to glance over at the television screen in time to 
see her son appear on camera.  She watched in amazement as he 
agreed to fight that Chinese Amazon girl.  Her face froze in shock 
at the thought of her only son getting hurt by some barbarian 
savage.  *He still has his meeting with one of his prospective 
brides tomorrow,* she thought with a nervous twitch in her eye.  
"What does that boy think he's doing?!" 

Making one last bid to have some control over his love life since he's
being denied it in this reality too? Nah!

she shouted at the 
television.  "GENMA!!!"

Time to run, ole boy.

    Genma had laid down for a brief nap after dinner.  It had been 
an extraordinary day, but he wasn't as young as he used to be.  
Nodoka's shriek woke him up in an instant.  Not quite aware of 
what he was doing, he grabbed the pitcher of water off the table 
and splashed himself in the face with it. 

BWHAHAHHAHHAHAAHHAHAHHAHA!!! 

That's just even more perfect!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

He woke up when the 
cold water hit him, stared briefly at the empty pitcher in his hand, 
and set it down with a bemused look.

    "GENMA SAOTOME!" shrieked the light of his life again.  
"GET IN HERE AND SEE WHAT YOUR SON HAS DONE!  

I see, it's 'his son' when Ranma screws up, and 'her son' when everything
is going her way.

How sadly realistic.

 > HE'S GOING TO RUIN OUR FAMILY NAME!"  Genma 

Line break after NAME

marveled at his wife's volume as he trotted into the kitchen.  He 
gawked at what he saw on the small screen.

    Nodoka turned to face her husband.  *Why is he all wet?* was 
her first thought upon seeing him. 

hehehehe.

The shock of that unexpected 
sight even cooled her anger a bit.

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

    "<It looks like one of these barbaric Japanese is actually going 
to try and defeat Xian Pu,>" Per Fum said with a snicker.  "<How 
badly do you think that this one will lose?>"

    Matriarch Khu Lon watched the screen closely.  She sensed the 
rest of the Council of Elders as they all turned to watch the new 
drama that was being played out on the screen.  "<He seems to 
carry himself well, but it will take more than attitude to win the 
day against Xian Pu,>" 

Actually, Ranma gets pretty damn far on attitude alone.

said Khu Lon after a moment of thought.

    Per Fum was about to say something when Khu Lon shushed 
her.  The elderly woman's attention was focused on the screen.  
*Could this be the sign of change that I have been expecting?* 
thought Khu Lon with a frown.  *There is something strangely 
familiar about the way he carries himself.  Odd.*

Not if he trained a little under an alternate version you.

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

    "My name?" asked Ranma with less than his usual wit.  He was 
feeling a little intimidated by all of the cameras.  "My name is 
Ranma Saotome... of the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts," 
he said reflexively.  He found a surge of pride to say that name.  A 
new pride in himself that he hadn't experienced before.  It was a 
heady experience.

More of Mainstream Ranma in Q-Ranma's personality. Next thing you know
he'll start pissing off every guy he meets.

    "There you have it, Arena fans," said the announcer as he 
turned to face the cameras.  "Ranma Saotome is the name of this 
brave, young Citizen.  A challenger who may indeed represent the 
youth of this new generation, a new generation of strength for the 
Empire.  A boy who is willing to bet a year of his life on his own 
fighting abilities.  We will pause for a brief station identification 
break, and when we return... the Amazon Challenge will begin!"

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

    Khu Lon blinked.  She turned to look at Per Fum.  The young 
girl was looking at the picture of Ranma that was frozen on the 
screen during the station break with a strange expression on her 
face.  It was a sort of half-frown.  Khu Lon tapped the end of her 
staff on Per Fum's head.  "<Per Fum?>"

    Per Fum turned to look at Khu Lon.  Her eyes had an odd glint 
to them that Khu Lon did not like the looks of at all. 

Oh?

 "<Yes, 

revered Matriarch?>" answered Per Fum politely.  She closed one 
of her hands into a tight fist, and then relaxed it back open.  It was 
a nervous gesture of hers.

This doesn't look good.

    "<You seem to be troubled by the Saotome boy,>" observed 
Khu Lon with a frown.  "<What could trouble you so about a mere 
male?>"  Khu Lon pulled out her pipe, and she lit it up with a 
well-practiced gesture.

    "<It... it is nothing, Matriarch Khu Lon,>" 

Per Fum: I was just wondering what he would look like in a dress (Oops.
Wrong Perfume ^_^)

said Per Fum after a 
moment of hesitation.  *Xian Pu attracts handsome challengers 
and improves her skill while she is in the outside world,* she 
thought with a small amount of bitterness.  *I haven't had a male 
express interest in me in over a year.*  All of the village boys 
were intimidated by her position, so none of them would come 
near her.  *Oh yes, Xian Pu, your new suitor shows me again how 
jealous I am of you.  I will have to train harder, for that day when 
I force you to acknowledge me as your better.*

This bodes ill. I guess they aren't friends here.

    Per Fum noticed Khu Lon studying her.  She schooled her face 
into a neutral look.  *Khu Lon must train me to be better,* she 
thought with a serious look.  *I must improve my strength for that 
coming day when I challenge Xian Pu.  I am the Enforcer of the 
Council of Elders' combined will.  No one should be able to stand 
against me when I perform my sacred duty.*  She relaxed her 
hand back open, and resumed her ready stance.  She mentally 
controlled her feelings with rather brutal efficiency.  Her duty was 
all to her, as was appropriate for one known as the Enforcer.

Do you feel lucky, punk? (Oops. Wrong Enforcer)

    Khu Lon nodded as the young Amazon seemed to regain her 
composure.  Without Xian Pu around, Per Fum had been the only 
one that Khu Lon had felt was worthy of her teachings.  It would 
be interesting to her to see if Xian Pu would be stronger or weaker 
than her childhood friend when next they met.  Khu Lon hoped 
that Xian Pu had grown stronger.

I would hope so. How many different techniques has she come into contact
with over the years and how many different top fighters has she faced
without taking any major damage?

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

    Shampoo did some quick stretching exercises on the floor 

And the Fan-boys drooled,

while 
she waited for the match to begin.  Ranma had gone off to the 
opposite side to limber up.  Shampoo didn't think much of his 
form when she saw him working out.  She was anticipating a 
quick victory, but she was going to try not to break any of the 
boy's bones.  It would be a better test of her skill to prolong the 
fight a little for the audience before she ground him into the floor.

Methinks thou art about to have an ego check forced upon you.

    The announcer came halfway to the center of the fighting area.  
He had a feeling that this fight was going to be something special, 
no matter which fighter won.  He looked at both opponents.  Both 
Ranma and Shampoo appeared to be ready for the match.  He 
noticed that Ranma had a serious look on his face, like a man on a 
mission.  The announcer looked up at the capacity crowd.

    "Welcome back, home viewers, to what may prove to be the 
most exciting fight for tonight!" he called out.  Mina

line break after 'out'

frowned 
from her position on the bench, angered at being upstage by 
Shampoo again.  She tapped her right foot against the floor, and 
she hoped that this boy Ranma Saotome wiped the floor with 
Shampoo.

Well at least she isn't making goo-goo eyes at him. Of course if he loses
and Shampoo takes a shine to him, Mina might put the moves on him to prove
she's better looking, which would lead to Tarou wanting to rip Ranma's head
off...

I find myself wanting Ranma to lose, all of a sudden.

    "In one moment, our two fighters will meet in a battle of the 
sexes," said the announcer.  He paused as the crowd erupted into a 
roar of excitement.  *These people are primed to see some blood 
tonight, it looks like,* thought the announcer with a grin.  "Who 
will emerge victorious in the Amazon Challenge?  Let the fight 
begin!"

    The announcer trotted for the sidelines, and Shampoo moved 
forward.  She had decided to forego her bonbori, as they would 
give her too much of an advantage over an unarmed opponent.  
She did want to give the audience a show, and it would give her 
very valuable practice against an unknown opponent for her 
barehanded fighting abilities.  She was feeling confident that 
victory was already hers.  *A shame really,* she thought with a 
slight smile.  *It would have been nice to find a strong husband.*

You are going to be in for quite a surprise, though Ranma just might lose
after all.

    Ranma was still feeling a little worried.  He had only spent a 
single practice session with his new fighting skills, and here he 
was putting himself to a test like this.  *I better not screw this up, 
or I'm going to be seeing more of the Arena than I care to think.*  
He trotted towards the center of the fighting area.

    Shampoo leaped into the air to get an aerial attack advantage 
for her initial strike.  Ranma smirked and leaped into the air to 
meet her.  Shampoo was so surprised at the mid-air meeting that 
he almost managed to hit her.  They hung in the air for a moment 
and exchanged a lightning quick series of strikes and blocks.  
They plummeted back to the ground, still exchanging punches 
and kicks.  *He's better than he looks,* thought Shampoo.

    *This isn't going to be as easy as I hoped it might be,* thought 
Ranma with an inward grimace.  *If I really was the other Ranma, 
then this would already be over.*  Neither of them had managed 
to hit the other.  He sprang back as Shampoo followed her landing 
with a flashy assault of spin kicks and quick punches.  He heard 
the announcer commenting on their movements as if from a great 
distance, so focused on the fight he was.

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

    The crowd roared their appreciation for the action.  Kodachi 
couldn't tear her eyes from Ranma.  She alternated between 
watching the close-ups of the fight on the monitors, and watching 
the Arena floor directly.  She twisted the program in her lap 
tighter and tighter.  *I hope he doesn't get hurt,* she thought with 
a worried sigh.

I hope you don't mind visiting him in the arena. I got a feeling he isn't
going to win this one.

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

    Khu Lon watched the fight with interest.  The longer it was 
lasting, the better Ranma seemed to get.  His movements had been 
more awkward in the beginning, but they were smoothing out 
with every moment.  It was like watching a flower blooming.  If 
she didn't know better, Khu Lon would have said that Ranma was 
learning how to fight while he was fighting.  That was a patently 
ridiculous thought, so she dismissed it.

Of course it is.

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

    Akane sat and hugged her pillow.  Her eyes were held by the 
images on the television.  *Ranma is fighting even better than he 
was a couple of days ago,* she thought with a frown.  *Why 
hasn't he ever fought like that with me before?  

Akane: I want him to hit me just like that!

How good a 
fighter _is_ he?*

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

    Ranma took a hit to the shoulder, and he traded it for a kick to 
Shampoo's thigh.  He managed to block a rapid series of punches 
that Shampoo threw, and leaped back to get some breathing room.  
The noises of the crowd were almost deafening as they roared 
their approval.  Shampoo kept the pressure up on Ranma, and 
leaped at him with a flying kick.  Ranma ducked, and Shampoo 
landed behind him.

    Ranma felt a powerful kick impact into his back before he could 
turn around to face Shampoo.  He almost flew across the Arena, 
and landed on his face just short of the Plexiglas wall.  His 
thoughts went fuzzy from the pain.  *I need a plan,* he thought as 
he tried to regain his senses.  He rolled over, and saw Shampoo 
leaping at him.  Her kick might have ended it right there if he 
hadn't moved.

    Shampoo was enjoying herself.  *Ranma is a good fighter,* she 
thought with a slight smile.  *He gives back as well as he gets.  
He's fast, too.*  She blocked Ranma's kick a moment before he 
sprang back to his feet.  She was starting to feel doubt as to the 
eventual victor in their fight.  That was rare for her.  It gave her 
hope that she might have found the man worthy to be her 
husband.  Her smile broadened a little.

    *Why is she smiling like that?* Ranma wondered for a brief 
moment. 

Ailen!

Shampoo's fist slammed into his chest during that 
moment of inattention.  Her leg whipped around in a spin kick to 
land a devastating blow into his shoulder.  He felt his left arm go 
numb from the shoulder down.  He forced Shampoo to back off 
from pressing her advantage by leaping over her head.  His foot 
tagged her across the face when she turned to face him while he 
was still in mid-air.  She never seemed to see it coming.

    Shampoo felt pain explode across her face.  Ranma's mid-air 
kick had caught her solidly on one cheek.  She rolled with the 
blow as best she could, but she still felt staggered.  She reached up 
to feel her face, and her hand came away bloody.  She caught a 
glimpse of herself in a reflection off the Plexiglas, and saw a 
modest cut on her cheek.  *Now I finish this,* she thought grimly.  
This had ceased to be a game for her.  *As soon as my head 
clears,* she quickly amended.

Heh. Good fight description.

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

    Kodachi felt her heart leap up into her throat when Ranma was 
injured.  The program she held was steadily being shredded as she 
continued to twist it in her hands.  A growing anger was building 
inside her.  *That Chinese bitch is going to pay for every injury 
that she has inflicted on my dear Ranma.  I intend to see that she 
suffers tenfold.*

That's going to go over real well with Ranma. Kodachi better be careful or
she might alienate him.

 Kodachi threw the program against the wall of 
the booth.  She continued to watch the fight with glittering eyes.

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

   "...and it appears that both combatants have sustained injuries," 
said the announcer.  Behind him could be heard the roaring of the 
crowd.

    "I'm sure that Ranma is all right," said Genma.  They had 
moved to watch the event on the large television at Nodoka's 
insistence.  "He can take care of himself."

    "How can you be so calm, Genma?" asked Nodoka with a 
worried look in his direction.  "Your only son is fighting with 
some barbarian Chinese girl!"

    Genma adjusted his glasses.  He put his arm around Nodoka's 
shoulders.  "Win or lose... Ranma must be doing what he feels is 
right.  I don't think he'll be hurt worse than you saw him a few 
days ago.  Maybe it's even Ranma's fate to be a warrior.  If it is, 
have confidence that he will win."

    "What will we do if he does?"  Nodoka looked at Genma with 
another worried look.

    "We'll have a houseguest for awhile," replied Genma mildly 
with a slight smile.  *Ah, Shampoo,* thought Genma as he smiled 
a little more broadly.  *You may be just what my son needs in a 
wife to keep his life interesting.  If nothing else, your presence 
would keep him from having to make a choice for a little while.*

Y'know. This attitude actually makes me wonder if that comment a made last
chapter about Genma feeling like he lost his freedom in marrying Nodoka
early on had some legitamacy.

Nice to see him concerned about letting Ranma choose someone he wants as
opposed to a set up.

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

    Per Fum watched the fight in some amazement.  Shampoo had 
never taken this long before to finish off a challenger.  "<Why do 
you think that this is taking so long, Matriarch Khu Lon?>"

    "<The boy Ranma is a much better fighter than I originally 
thought,>" replied Khu Lon thoughtfully.  "<However, he isn't 
quite good enough to defeat Shampoo.  He's very close though.>"  
Khu Lon went back to watching the television.  *You won't win 
tonight, young Ranma.  Who can say about the next time though.*

though?*

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

    Ranma still couldn't feel much from his left arm, but it didn't 
seem to be dislocated. 

Employ the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts Martin Riggs Maneuver for
Dislocated Shoulders. 

Slam it into a nearby object and scream out in pain, then go trash a bad
guy.

Shampoo was recovering faster than he 
was.  His chances at victory were slipping away unless he could 
manage to turn the tide somehow.  He tried to force his left hand 
to make a fist, and felt a faint burst of tingling fire run up the 
length of his arm.  Ranma grimaced in pain, and tried again to 
force the stunned nerves to work by sheer will.

    *I wish that I could have had time to work out some of the 
special techniques before I did this, but tonight might have been 
my only chance to change Shampoo's fate,* he thought with a 
shake of his head.  Ranma's frustration burned inside him.  *It's 
not fair!  I shouldn't lose when it's this important!  I have to win!*

Usually I'd agree, but I have a feeling it'll turn out you're going ot
lose.

    The roar of the crowd faded away.  He could see Shampoo 
coming towards him.  He could feel something tingling at the 
edge of his awareness.  Something that he had never felt before.  
A faint blue aura briefly flickered into being around him.  It was 
gone so quickly that not even Shampoo appeared to notice.  An 
intense surge of heat seemed to burn down his arm like molten 
lava in the moment that it existed, and suddenly he could move it 
again.  The numbness was gone.  It was just barely in time.

Chi healing. Shampoo should be toast now.

    Shampoo was going to finish Ranma off while he stood there 
stunned.  She ran towards him, and her feet were light on the 
floor.  *You were a good opponent, Ranma,* she thought with a 
little sadness.  She could tell that his left arm was useless.  

A fatal mistake.

She 
might have dislocated the shoulder with her kick.  For a moment, 
she thought she saw a flickering around Ranma.  She launched a 
punch into his head to put him down for the count.

    Ranma's left arm snapped up into a block.  Shampoo's eyes 
widened in surprise, and she barely ducked Ranma's right fist 
when it came at her face in a counter-punch.  She had arrogantly 
left herself open, convinced that Ranma was almost finished.  His 
fist narrowly breezed by her face, and they sprang apart once 
more.  Shampoo found herself smiling again.  *Ranma is a 
surprise.*

    The announcer was loving every minute of this fight.  Both 
fighters were giving their all, and the crowd could sense it.  The 
cheers for both fighters could be felt through the floor.  "This is 
one of the best fights that this announcer has ever had the pleasure 
to see!" he shouted into the microphone.  "Young Ranma Saotome 
refuses to give up, despite Shampoo's best efforts to knock him 
down.  Ohh... that one had to hurt."

    Shampoo backed up, blinking her eyes.  She had traded a few 
more punches and kicks with Ranma again, and he had managed 
to tag her in the face again.  This time it was an uppercut into the 
jaw that would have left her spitting teeth if she hadn't managed 
to snap her head back with the blow.  She could tell that she was 
going to have some colorful bruises for the next few days.  She 
had given Ranma a few good shots in exchange though.

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

    In a darkened room elsewhere in the Arena, one man sat and 
watched the fight on a wall-sized monitor.  He was a large man, 
but lanky instead of muscular.  A fashionable pair of glasses 
rested on his nose, and the images from the monitor could be 
dimly seen reflecting off of the tinted lenses.  His elbows rested on 
the large desk that he sat behind.  His hands were folded in front 
of his chin.  He was Shido Sasaki, the Arena Director, 

Aw! This would be a perfect spot for the Gambler King.

and he was 
not a happy man.

Shido: Damn constapation!

    *This Ranma Saotome is nothing like I was led to believe,* he 
thought with a frown.  A single printout from the Imperial Census 
Database rested next to the phone by his right elbow.  A recent 
picture of Ranma Saotome and a listing of his vital characteristics 
were on it.  His physical statistics were very good, but his fighting 
ability was listed as Standard Academy Training.  That should 
have been no challenge to a fighter of Shampoo's caliber.  He 
shouldn't have even had any interest in climbing into the Arena.  
Saotome's personality profile, 

Which is now useful only if you use it to wipe your...oh, never mind. I
used that line.

updated every month at the 
Academy, did not indicate anything like what he was seeing on 
the monitors.

    *When I proposed this promotional event to the Board of 
Directors at Global Communications, I made sure that they would 
not have to worry about losing their new star, Shampoo.*  The 
"random" choices selected for the Amazon Challenge were not 
random at all, but carefully chosen such that most would choose 
not to fight.  The few who would choose to fight were carefully 
selected based on their personality profiles, and individual 
abilities.  The system photographed every face that came in 
through the entrance doors, especially those that entered by means 
of the priority seating entrance.  Ranma Saotome was one of those 
faces.

Well you sure screwed up tonight, bub.

    The computers in the sub-basement would take those pictures, 
and they would run a match based on a specially selected profile.  
This was made easier since Global Communications maintained a 
duplicate of the Imperial Census Files.  The list of names would 
be culled down to two names, and their seat locations would be 
noted for the selection.  *Only Saotome isn't matching up to his 
profile,* he thought with a low snarl.

Too bad.

    He had expected the first choice to bow out, but young Saotome 
should have withdrawn as well.  When he had leaped over the ten 
foot Plexiglas wall surrounding the Arena, Shido had known that 
something was very wrong.  The surprisingly even fight between 
Saotome and Shampoo, which had lasted almost ten minutes now, 
_was_ proving to be a ratings blockbuster.  *If that boy loses the 
fight tonight, then his unexpected fighting abilities would belong 
to the Arena.  The rematch fight would be quite profitable as 
well.*  Shido smiled.  *Time to ensure that young Saotome loses.*

Oh dear. It looks like my suspicions were true.

    Shido picked up the telephone, and he punched in a special set 
of numbers.  It rang twice on the other end.  He heard a click.

    "Yes?" asked a male voice on the other end.

    "I want Ranma Saotome to become an Arena fighter," answered 
Shido.  "Hit them both with something that will give Shampoo a 
sure edge.  Make it fast."  He hung up the phone without waiting 
for an answer.  He folded his hands in front of his chin, and 
watched the monitor once more.  A smile appeared on his face.  

    "Now you belong to me, Ranma Saotome," he said in a cruel 
voice.

Shido: I have a daughter you will marry. Hahahaha.

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

    Ranma and Shampoo continued to struggle with each other.  As 
their injuries slowly accumulated, their movements began to slow.  
What had started out as a flashy display of skill had become more 
and more a test of endurance.  It was an unexpected drama, and 
both combatants found themselves caught up in it.  They settled 
into a rhythm of movement.  Fists and feet impacted against flesh, 
but neither could gain a decisive advantage.  The battle of the 
sexes had taken on a new meaning.

    Ranma felt a brief sting on the back of his neck.  He briefly 
hesitated, and Shampoo almost took his head off with a powerful 
punch.  A faint tingling began to spread through his body.  He 
tried to dodge another one of her punches, but his body didn't 
respond quickly enough.  Shampoo's fist hit him squarely in the 
face, right between his eyes.

    Shampoo felt a sting on her neck, but ignored it.  She felt the 
tide of battle turning in her favor once more, and a savage feeling 
filled her.  Her lips pulled back into a grin.  She rained blow after 
blow into Ranma's shattering defenses, as her body got its second 
wind.  Her hopes that she might have found a man worthy of her 
blew away like smoke.  A rage seemed to replace those hopes at 
Ranma's failure.  He had brought her closer to a loss against a 
male than anyone ever had before, but he hadn't been able to beat 
her.

    Ranma felt like he was standing in mud.  His limbs didn't want 
to respond right.  His breath was coming in gasps.  *I... I can't 
take much more of this,* he thought through a fog of pain.  All he 
could feel were the impacts as Shampoo's fists hit him again and 
again in the face and chest.  He dropped to his knees, and his eyes 
weren't focusing well.  Blood welled from a cut over his right eye.

    Shampoo lifted him up with a contemptuous sneer.  She 
slammed Ranma back against the Plexiglas.  A small streak of 
blood was left behind as she dealt him one final blow across his 
face.  His body fell at her feet, and she raised her fists into the air 
in victory.

Well now. It looks like Ranma's going to get cozy with his new arena mates.

 She felt more alive than she ever had before.  The 
crowd roared its pleasure, captivated by the animalistic fervor of 
the savage fight that had just taken place.

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

    Kodachi could only stare at Ranma's unmoving form in horror.  
Guilt filled her.  *If we hadn't come here, then Ranma would still 
be all right.  He wouldn't have been chosen....

But it wouldn't have been as much fun for us. 

He wouldn't be 
injured.... Oh, Ranma....*  Kodachi buried her face in her hands 
and cried.  The crowd continued to shout out Shampoo's name as 
Kodachi cried alone for Ranma.

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

    Khu Lon stared at the television monitor in shock.  The Arena 
attendants were checking Ranma over, and she breathed a sigh of 
relief when they carried the boy out.  She could see that he was 
still breathing.  She shook her head as Xian Pu left the Arena.  
*Something was wrong with her, as well as Ranma,* she thought 
with a troubled look.  *He was holding his own too well and for 
far too long to lose so easily at the end.  He might even have 
won.*

She knows. This is going to come back to haunt Shido.

    Per Fum kept her face neutral, but inside she was puzzled.  
Xian Pu had never lost control like that during a fight, not even 
when they were children.  It was totally unlike her old rival.  She 
noticed that Khu Lon was trying to speak to her again when she 
felt the Matriarch's staff tapping her skull once more.  "<Yes, 
honored Matriarch?>"

    "<Pack your things,>" order Khu Lon.  "<We are leaving in the 
morning.>"  Khu Lon turned around and quickly hopped out of 
the Council chambers, her thoughts troubled.  She left a puzzled 
murmuring behind her.  *It looks like it's time to call in a few old 
debts.*

yep.

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

    Nodoka had stormed out of the kitchen after watching Ranma 
get carried off.  Genma followed along behind her.  He tried to 
calm her down, but she was too upset to listen to rational thought 
at the moment.  He became concerned when he saw her reach for 
the Saotome family katana.

Oh dear.

 His hand darted out, and locked down 
on her wrist before she could pull it free.

    "This won't help anything, Nodoka," he said in a serious voice.

    "Genma!" she cried.  "That girl brutalized our son,

It's his fault for answering the challenge.

and now 
he's trapped as an Arena fighter!  I am completely justified in 
what I'm about to do!" 

Hardly.

Her voice was raised in anger.

    For the first time in his life, Genma struck Nodoka.  He slapped 
her across the face with the back of his hand, but not as hard as he 
could have.  Nodoka was so shocked that she let go of the katana, 
and raised her free hand to her cheek.  Tears were in her eyes.  
Genma let go of her wrist when she suddenly collapsed to the 
floor, and Nodoka began to sob.  Genma knelt down next to her.

    "We have to be logical about this, Nodoka," said Genma in a 
calm voice.  "Getting all emotional won't help matters."  Inside, 
Genma's heart was heavy.  He had to remain a strong hold on his 
beliefs for his wife, but the urge to follow her down the path of 
violence against the enemies of his family 

What enemies? He accepted the challenge and lost.

was strong as well.  His 
wife continued to sob, and Genma put his arms around her.  "I'll 
think of a way to get him out of there, Nodoka-chan.  Just trust 
me."

    Nodoka clung to her husband, and her wracking sobs 
continued.  Genma continued to comfort her, and he briefly 
looked up at the sheathed katana.  "Ranma will come through this 
all right, Nodoka," he said in a soft voice.  "We just have to 
believe in him."

Of course he will. He's Ranma.

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

    Akane stared at the screen, and her thoughts were chaotic.  
They had finished carrying Ranma off the floor, and the next fight 
was getting ready to begin.  *Ranma isn't going to be coming to 
the Academy anymore,* she thought with a strange sense of 
sadness.  *That isn't right.  He and I still have something to settle 
between us.*

This Akane has me really worried. I'm beginning to think she is way more
screwed up then most fanfic Kodachi's.

    Akane went over to the telephone in her room.  She picked it 
up and dialed a long string of numbers.  She listened to the phone 
ring a couple of times, and then it was picked up.  "Tendo here," 
she heard her father say.

    "Daddy?" she said with an unexpected quaver in her voice.  "I 
need your help with something."

Well, it's not like Soun's going to allow the 'perfect man' to walloe in
the Arena. Shido's going to have a hard time with this one.

What a great and wonderful chapter! This series is pretty much near the top
of the list as one of my favorites. And in such a short time too. None of
the grammar mistakes that were so common in the earlier chapters were here.
This was just a great read.

Good fight as well. It was a pleasure to read and didn't drag at all for
me.


D.B. Sommer