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

This idea occurred to me after I finished the science-fiction novel 
"Paths to Otherwhere" by James P. Hogan.  Ranma and all other 
associated characters are owned by Kitty and the ever-creative 
Rumiko Takahashi.  Any new characters are the property of the 
author.  This is purely a work of fanfiction done for fun, so please 
read and enjoy.

Notes: Thoughts will be bracketed by a * on each end.  Any 
speech other than Japanese will be bracketed by < and >.

Special thanks go to D.B. Sommer (sommer@3rdm.net) for editing help.



Chapter 11 - The Path of a True Martial Artist...

    Kodachi eventually managed to stop her tears.  They ended in a 
rather pathetic series of sniffles.  *You stupid, weak girl,* she 
angrily scolded herself as she pulled a handkerchief from her 
purse.  *Ranma is injured, possibly dying, and you cry like an 
infant!  His overinflated sense of honor has managed to get him in 
real trouble now, and crying like this isn't going to get anything at 
all accomplished.  You're a Kuno, so _act_ like one.*  She got out 
of the chair, and squared her shoulders.  It made her feel a little 
bit better.

    She went into the small bathroom in the back of the box seat 
area, and gasped at the face that greeted her in the mirror.  Her 
makeup had run, and it had left her looking like a madwoman.  
Her eyes were red and puffy, and she looked absolutely miserable.  
She couldn't bring herself to leave until she had managed to make 
herself presentable again.  It wouldn't be proper for someone of 
her station.  She wouldn't be able to do Ranma any good until she 
could look the part of the nobility that she had been born into.

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

    Soun Tendo hung up the phone in his office.  What Akane had 
just told him threw all of his plans into jeopardy.  *Damn that 
Saotome boy!*  Ranma's sudden change of character had caught 
him totally off guard.  He leaned back in his chair and rested his 
elbows on the arms of his chair.  He laced his fingers together and 
stared at the far wall of his office as he considered his options.

    First thing, he needed a copy of the tape of the fight to study for 
any anomalies, and he also needed a copy of the standard post-
fight toxicological study on Ranma's blood.  If he found no signs 
of tampering, as he suspected that he wouldn't, then things 
became more difficult.  It was possible to have one of the doctors 
in the Directorate run a test that was guaranteed to fail, but that 
had risks.  The Arena Director had too many friends in high 
places.  Ranma would have to face the consequences of his own 
actions, and all of Soun's plans would have to be put off.  It was 
an irritating setback to his plans.

    Soun placed several quick calls to get people moving on this 
situation.  When he was done, he swiveled his chair around to 
watch the televised view of the nighttime skyline of the city that 
was piped into his office.

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

    Shampoo stormed down the hallway to the dressing areas, and 
her thoughts were in a turmoil.  She ignored the few people in the 
hallway, and her appearance kept everyone at a distance.  Her 
mind was still filled with the memories of the savage joy that she 
had felt at beating Ranma.  It had happened a few times before, 
but only when she had fought a male opponent in the Arena.  She 
wasn't sure what triggered the rages that seemed to fill her at 
those times, but it had enabled her to retain her undefeated record 
even against stronger opponents.

    At the end of the hallway, she paused and leaned against the 
wall.  She slammed her fist into the cement block wall, and felt 
the cement block crack under her blow.  Her hand felt no pain, so 
she struck at the same point again.  A hole roughly the size of her 
fist was left in the wall as dust and fragments of cement fell to the 
floor.  Frustrated, she walked into the dressing area.  She still felt 
the need to fight, to strike out.  The rage had never felt so strong 
before.  She knew that she couldn't fight Akiko until she had 
calmed herself again.

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

    Running Deer moved down the hallway as gracefully as her 
namesake.  Her long legs pumped as she tried to catch up with her 
friend.  Shampoo had fallen into one of her rages again, and her 
mood was always unpredictable in those cases.  The Amazon girl 
had left quickly at the conclusion of her bout with Ranma, but 
Running Deer was familiar with the signs.  She knew exactly 
where Shampoo was going.  She just had to catch up to her before 
the damage got too severe.

    She passed the medics that were carrying Ranma off to the 
infirmary.  His face was a mass of contusions, and his clothes 
were ripped in several places.  He didn't appear to be bleeding 
anymore, despite the large spots of blood on the sheets underneath 
him.  An oxygen mask was over his nose and mouth, and Running 
Deer could see that he seemed to be breathing all right.  She made 
a mental note to check up on him after she helped Shampoo.  He 
had been quite skillful in the Arena, and she hoped that he might 
consider teaching her some of his moves after he recovered.

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

    Shampoo stopped outside her dressing cubicle and felt the rage 
surge up within her once more.  It was stronger than ever before 
this time.  She caught sight of herself in the mirror in her dressing 
cubicle.  What she saw in the mirror froze her with shame.  The 
mask of civilization had been torn from her once again, and she 
saw what she feared that she truly was inside.  It was the face of a 
savage, a barbarian, and Shampoo was coming to believe that it 
was her true face.  Tears ran down her cheeks.

    It was times like this that she found herself longing to have 
Mina within arms reach.  At that moment, she ached to feel the 
Korean girl's bones shattering under her fists.  Every cruel word 
that she had ever spoken to Shampoo, and every injury that the 
Korean girl had ever done to her, would be repaid with blood.  
Shampoo could almost imagine how good it would have felt to 
have had Mina's throat in her grasp, to have felt her gasping out 
her last breaths of life.  She was suddenly horrified at her 
thoughts, and a fresh stream of tears ran down her cheeks.

    Shampoo put her fist through the door of her dressing closet.  
She punched a second hole in the thick wooden door, and she 
used the holes to grab it firmly with both hands.  She ripped the 
door cleanly off of its hinges, and hurled it against the mirror in 
her cubicle.  The loud sound of shattering glass filled the room.  
Shampoo felt unsatisfied.  Damaging an object was a poor 
substitute for the feeling of defeating an opponent.

    "Stop it, Shampoo!" commanded a female voice behind her.

    Shampoo whirled around to see Running Deer standing in the 
open doorway.  She felt anticipation at the sight of an opponent, 
and the desire to fight was almost as strong as it had been in those 
last few moments of her fight with Ranma.  The rage was burning 
through her mind, but it left her skills unhindered, as it always 
did.  The clarion call of battle sounded within her, and she 
charged at Running Deer.

    Running Deer set herself to meet Shampoo's assault.  A small 
lump of fear was in her throat, and she almost didn't recognize the 
Amazon girl that she called friend.  She knew from experience 
that these rages of Shampoo never lasted long, but they seemed to 
burn out more quickly if Shampoo had an outlet for her anger.  If 
Shampoo continued to destroy things, then the guards would be 
forced to intervene.  If that happened, then Shampoo would be 
punished, possibly whipped, for destroying Arena property.  
Already, she could hear them running up behind her.

    Running Deer knew that Shampoo was like a force of nature in 
this condition.  Her only hope was to take and hold the initiative 
until Shampoo calmed down.  It was never easy, but she had to 
try.  She ducked under Shampoo's initial attack, and came up 
under her guard.  Her fist hit Shampoo solidly in the gut, and 
forced the Amazon girl back a step.  She could hear the guards 
behind her as they began making bets on the outcome.

    Shampoo narrowed her eyes, and her nostrils flared.  She didn't 
really recognize who it was in front of her.  Her mind was totally 
committed to fighting mode, and she reacted with catlike grace.  
She stepped back into Running Deer's range, and she unleashed a 
vicious series of punches and elbow strikes.  One elbow strike 
knocked Running Deer's head back, and Shampoo followed it up 
instantly with a powerful kick to her chest.

    Running Deer flew back into the Arena guards.  Three of them 
were knocked down by the impact from the warrior girl's body, 
but Running Deer ignored them.  She leaped back into action 
against Shampoo.  She had lost the initiative, and she had to fight 
even harder to get it back.  She rained punches and kicks into 
Shampoo's defenses, and Shampoo returned the favor.  The guards 
simply watched in awe as the two girls went nearly to the limits of 
their abilities with each other.

    Shampoo felt like she was in a state of rapture.  _This_ was 
what she had been born for, to be a warrior.  The blows that 
ignited brief flashes of pain in her body were a necessary price to 
pay for the joy that filled her.  Every blow that she managed to get 
through the defenses of the girl in front of her gave her a sense of 
pleasure.  She was caught up in a graceful dance of savagery and 
skill.  It was glorious.

    Running Deer managed to regain her rhythm.  The pain from 
Shampoo's attacks had focused her mind.  She fell into a mainly 
defensive mode.  Her only concern now was to last long enough 
against Shampoo until the Amazon regained her senses.  If she 
faltered now, then her efforts up to this point would have all been 
for nothing.  She had to hold the line.

    Minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness.  The dance of 
battle between the two girls continued unabated.  Kicks and 
punches were met by blocks and evasions.  To her surprise, 
Running Deer felt herself becoming caught up in the heat of 
battle, and the blood of her ancestors began to sing within her.  
She was a warrior, like her father before her.  Her defensive 
posture moved into a more even mix of defense and offense.  The 
battle moved into a new level.

    Shampoo felt Running Deer's fist as it cracked into her jaw.  
Sanity reappeared inside her eyes for a moment from the pain.  
She used that moment of clarity and forced herself to open her 
defenses a little.  She knew that the pain would help her to 
concentrate.  It always had before.  She withstood a kick to her 
side, and she blinked at the pain.  She stepped back as the lust for 
combat faded inside her.

    Running Deer kept her guard up.  She wasn't sure if Shampoo 
had finally come down from her battle high.  The Amazon girl 
looked at her in silent wonder for a moment, and then her eyes 
filled with tears.  Running Deer lowered her guard as Shampoo 
fell to her knees and began to cry into her hands.  She knelt down 
next to her friend.

    "Shhh," she whispered to Shampoo.  "It's all right now."  When 
she knelt down, Running Deer winced a little from the pain of one 
of her injuries.  It was minor.  She had received far worse in the 
Arena and had been able to keep fighting.  She put an arm around 
Shampoo as the Arena guards came in to survey the damages.  As 
they moved around the room, they all kept a wary eye on the two 
girls seated on the floor.

    Shampoo felt nothing but shame at her actions.  She had lost 
control again, and it might have cost Ranma his life.  Shampoo 
felt sorrow at attacking her best friend.  Now she found herself 
sobbing on the floor of the dressing area like a child.  Shampoo 
felt that she had no right to call herself an Amazon.  She felt 
unworthy of the training that her beloved great-grandmother had 
given her.  She simply wanted to hide until the pain of her latest 
failure in control was forgotten.

    Running Deer kept making soothing sounds as she stroked 
Shampoo's hair.  She started to massage the back of Shampoo's 
neck when she felt something strange.  It apparently wasn't very 
sensitive, since Shampoo didn't seem to notice.  She pulled the 
hair aside and spotted a small bump, like a mosquito bite, on 
Shampoo's neck.  It was just to the left of her spine, right above 
where her collarbone was.  *She's had one of these before.  I 
wonder what it means?*

    "Shampoo is sorry...," she said quietly.  "Is Running Deer hurt 
bad?"

    "It's nothing," replied Running Deer with a smile.  "You'd have 
to work harder than that to really hurt me.  I _am_ the better 
fighter between us, after all."  Her tone of voice was teasing, and 
she was rewarded with a small smile from Shampoo.

    "Shampoo no think so," she said with a smile.  "Shampoo is 
happy that Running Deer is not hurt bad."  The young Amazon 
stood up.  Her body ached in several places, and she felt the 
lingering depression that always seemed to follow these berserker 
rages of hers.  *I can't believe that I lost control again,* she 
thought sadly.

    "We should get out of here while they clean up," said Running 
Deer as she stood up.  "Your dressing area is a mess."

    Shampoo blinked as she surveyed the damage that she had 
done.  "Shampoo did all this?"

    "I'm afraid so," replied Running Deer.  "Do you think that 
you'll be able to fight Akiko all right?"

    "Shampoo will be ready," she replied with a slight smile, but a 
somewhat solemn tone of voice.  "Shampoo is always ready for a 
fight."  Shampoo massaged the muscles in her neck gently as the 
two girls headed back for the Arena.

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

    Shido Sasaki watched the medics that were taking Ranma to 
the infirmary through one of the security cameras.  The computer 
automatically flipped views to the next camera as he watched, and 
a contented smile was on his face.  *You now belong to me, young 
Ranma,* he thought with a cold smile.  *A fighter of your obvious 
caliber should bring in a great deal of money for the Arena and 
for Global Communications.  The Board of Directors should be 
well pleased.*

    A second monitor gave him the current fight that was going out 
on the Arena channel.  He watched Mina Li doing battle with one 
of JuGen Corporation's signature products, a Bionoid.  This one 
was from their new combat line.  She was a teen-aged girl with 
impressive reflexes, and an even more impressive physique, whose 
origins were shown by a small triangular tattoo on her forehead 
and a pair of tapering cat-like ears near the top of her head.  The 
ears only enhanced the girl's attractiveness.  Her name was listed 
as Nekomi.

    In times past, the Bionoids had appeared more human, but now 
JuGen was adding more exotic features to their models to enhance 
their differences.  Previous models had simply been tattooed, but 
questions had occasionally been raised that the Bionoids appeared 
'too human.'  To counter this, in the last decade all Bionoids were 
created with animal-like eyes or ears.  Adding cat features, such 
as Nekomi's ears, was determined to provide the most attractive 
configuration.  Shido shook his head in disbelief at how human 
the Bionoid still appeared.

    This Bionoid was a prototype for JuGen's new line of combat-
capable models.  Nekomi was the first that had been entered into 
the Imperial Arena competitions, and JuGen was quite proud of 
her.  According to the corporate brochures, a JuGen Bionoid was 
an artificially created humanlike being that was made using a 
combination of animal and human genes in a secret process.  For 
some reason, they were exclusively made female, and their two 
decades of popularity as personal escorts and pleasure models 
were unquestioned.  JuGen had managed to maintain a total 
monopoly on the market, but combat models were only a recent 
addition.

    The mental programming and psychological conditioning that 
each Bionoid underwent before being sold was reportedly very 
extensive.  A new owner received a compliant slave that could be 
tailor programmed to be everything from a personal secretary to a 
nanny.  The only thing a Bionoid was incapable of was the ability 
to give birth.  All Bionoids were required by Imperial law to be 
sterilized before sale.  The reasoning behind that law was to 
prevent polluting the purity of the Empire with crossbreeds.  It 
also helped ensure that JuGen would retain its monopoly on their 
products.

    Emperor Togoshino was reported to be quite fond of his own 
Bionoid companion, a statuesque blonde that he kept by his side at 
all times.  He was given her as a gift by JuGen at the time of his 
ascension to the throne, after the unexpected death of his father 
and the disappearance of his older brother.  Scattered whispers of 
conspiracy continued to this day, but no proof of Togoshino's 
involvement ever became known.  He even named the Bionoid 
Yoshiko, in honor of his lost brother Yoshi.

    It was probably only a matter of time before an expensive  toy 
like a Bionoid was trained for Arena combat.  Since her very first 
day in the Arena a month ago, Nekomi had become more popular 
on the fighting circuit.  She was considered to be one of the best of 
the line, and only the best got to fight in the Imperial Arena.  The 
less talented ones were used in the local Arenas that were 
scattered around the Empire.

    Shido relaxed in his chair, and indulged himself in watching 
the desperate fight being waged on the Arena floor.  The blonde 
catgirl was quite captivating to watch in action, even more so than 
the beautiful Mina Li.  *Ah Mina,* he thought with an insincere 
sigh.  *Your days of popularity are perhaps numbered among the 
old men who think that they have tamed you.  The rich executives 
who desire your extra services are starting to fade in number.  
Perhaps it is time to consider replacing you with a newer model.*

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

    Mina ducked under the punch that Nekomi threw her way, and 
cursed herself for misjudging the speed of the Bionoid.  *I wish 
that the damned 'meat toy' would stop smiling at me like that,* 
she thought with another curse.  *If she won't stop on her own, 
then I'll have to wipe that smile off her face.*  She barely dodged 
the next few punches that the taller catgirl kept throwing at her.

    Nekomi was having fun.  Her current playmate was testing her 
skills quite well, and she hoped that her manager was watching.  
She was distracted for a moment as she thought about her cute 
manager/trainer, Eiji Yoshida-sensei.  At that moment, Mina 
came at her with a savage flying kick into her chest that knocked 
her on her behind.  Nekomi rolled aside from Mina, and she 
managed to escape the following powerful kick by barely an inch.

    Mina managed to get hold of the initiative and didn't let up for 
an instant in her attacks.  Punches were followed by kicks.  
Nekomi managed to block or evade the worst of it, but the sheer 
volume of attacks was wearing down her defenses.  She felt 
Mina's fist slam into her face like a sledgehammer, and the blow 
stunned her for a moment.  She blinked back tears, and couldn't 
see Mina for a moment.

    Mina leaped over the catgirl's head while Nekomi was stunned.  
She landed behind the catgirl gracefully, and both of her arms 
locked around Nekomi's neck in a powerful choke hold.  The two 
girls struggled against each other as the crowd went wild in the 
stands.  The muscles on Mina's forearms stood out as she exerted 
pressure against Nekomi's neck.  Nekomi drove one elbow back 
against Mina's ribs while her other hand grabbed at Mina's arm.  
Mina grunted from the blow, but she refused to let go.

    "Oh no, little meat toy," whispered Mina softly in Nekomi's ear.  
"I'm not letting something like you beat me.  Be grateful that I'm 
going to let you live."  She slowly increased the pressure against 
Nekomi's throat.  "You should go back and become a pleasure 
slave like the rest of your kind.  Only _real_ humans should fight 
in the Arena."

    Nekomi's struggles grew weaker and weaker.  When they 
ceased, Mina let loose her grip.  The beaten catgirl tumbled to the 
floor.  The only sign of continuing life was the rise and fall of her 
chest as she breathed.  Mina smiled as another victory was hers.  
The crowd roared her name.  She stood there with a blissful smile 
on her face, her arms raised in proud victory.

    "I can hardly wait until it's you, Shampoo," Mina whispered to 
herself.  An almost sexual thrill went through her at that thought.

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

    The Arena medics brought Ranma into the infirmary.  The 
young doctor on duty, one Ono Tofu, was relieved as he gave 
Ranma a complete checkout.  *Hmm... no broken bones, but there 
are a few dislocated joints.  Easily enough fixed.*  Some rather 
disturbing cracks and pops came from Ranma's body as the two 
medics watched nearby.  Dr. Tofu determined that only a couple 
of the cuts needed stitches.  The rest would suffice with bandages.  
He pressed a few sleep spots to ensure that Ranma remained 
unconscious, and then he sewed up Ranma's wounds and 
bandaged him.

    "Let's move him to a bed," he ordered.  "I want to set him up 
with a pint of whole blood to start with, so someone punch up his 
medical file.  I don't like his current blood pressure, and I need to 
know his blood type."  He helped one of the medics move Ranma 
to a comfortable bed while a nurse got him the information he 
needed.

    Dr. Tofu hummed thoughtfully as he looked over Ranma's 
medical history.  *Quite a healthy specimen you are, Ranma 
Saotome.  Assuming you don't have any complications come up in 
the next few hours, you should be fine in a few days.*  He left the 
nurse to take a blood sample for standard drug testing after he 
made sure that the IV drip was working.  He walked down the 
hallway to his small office as he studied Ranma's medical profile.  
The upstairs office had called and told him to process Ranma with 
great care, so he was doing it by the book.

    Dr. Tofu relaxed into the chair in his office, and he closed his 
eyes.  The printout on Ranma rested in his lap.  It had been a very 
long day, and he was looking forward to going home.  He was still 
getting used to being married, but a home-cooked meal was easily 
adjusted to.  He still couldn't believe how lucky he was to have a 
wife like Kasumi.  He let his thoughts drift as he relaxed in the 
chair.

    His request to work in the Arena was a surprising choice for his 
colleagues in the Ministry of Health.  They had expected him to 
take up a more prestigious calling with the Emperor's personal 
medical staff, but he had decided that the Arena gladiators could 
use his expertise far more.  The zaibatsus were glad to have him, 
and the pay was beyond generous.  However, the amount of blood 
that he had to deal with in a given day was somewhat unexpected.  
He spent his nights, and some of his days, doing an hourly triage 
as the injured were brought to him.  Young men and women who 
fought, and sometimes died, to entertain the masses.

    *I'll check on Ranma in an hour,* he thought sleepily.  *I just 
need to close my eyes for a little rest.*

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

    Ranma came awake for a brief time to find himself lying on a 
strange bed.  He touched bandages on his face, and couldn't quite 
remember how he had become injured.  The nurse came in at that 
time and gave him a shot.  He drifted off into a deep sleep.

    He found himself walking down a strange street, misty and 
quiet in the half light of dawn.  Many small shops lined the way.  
Each one seemed to beckon to him with whispers of forgotten 
knowledge.  He became aware of someone walking with him.  
Ranma turned to look, and a redheaded girl was walking with 
him.  Her clothes were comprised of a red Chinese-style shirt, a 
pair of loose black pants gathered at the waist and ankles, and soft 
shoes on her feet.

    "It looks like we meet again, science boy," she said in a 
pleasant tone of voice.

    "Where are we?" asked Ranma in a puzzled tone.

    "This is your dream," replied the girl with a shrug of her 
shoulders.  "I'm not here to act as your guide or nothin'.  I'm just 
here."

    "Do we go into the shops?"  Ranma studied the few shops that 
were immediately around him.  He tried as hard as he could, but 
he couldn't seem to read the signs.  The disturbing thing was that 
each window seemed to have a slightly different version of 
himself as a mannequin.  It was a very surreal moment.

    "We can't, stupid," replied the girl with a roll of her eyes.  
"They aren't open yet.  It's too early."

    "So what do we do?" asked Ranma in a challenging tone.  The 
girl grinned as she stepped away from him.

    "You could fight with me," she replied as she flipped her pigtail 
back over her shoulder.  She moved into a ready position.

    "No thanks," replied Ranma.  "I don't think I should fight girls 
anymore."

    "Why not?"  The redhead started doing a kata to keep warm in 
the cool morning air.  "Besides... I ain't no girl."  She stuck her 
tongue out at him.

    Ranma ignored it.  He sat down on a bench and sighed.  The 
redhead paused in her activities and walked over to him.  She 
punched him lightly on the arm.  "Come on, ya chicken.  Are you 
afraid of me?"

    "A little... yes," answered Ranma.  The redhead looked 
surprised.  She blinked her eyes.

    "What's there to be afraid of?" asked the redhead in a suddenly 
angry voice.  "Are you afraid of losing to a girl?"

    "I thought you said that you weren't a girl!" snapped Ranma in 
reply.  She jumped back into her ready stance, a grin on her face.  
When he didn't make any further moves, she sighed and came 
back closer to him.

    "You ain't making this easy on me," said the redhead in a 
peeved voice.  "How am I supposed to teach you how to fight a 
girl if you won't try to fight me?  What a loser."

    "I AM NOT A LOSER!" yelled Ranma in anger.  "My life was 
just fine before I got stuck with you!  Now look at me!  I've got my 
mother suddenly deciding that I need to get married, and the same 
girls that filled your life are suddenly appearing in mine!  At least 
when it was just Akane, I could ignore her most of the time."

    "Now she sees you as something different, doesn't she?" asked 
the redhead quietly.  "She wants to fight you, instead of bully you.  
She gets jealous when you're with Kodachi."  The redhead paused 
and shivered for a moment.

    "What's the matter with you?"  Ranma looked at the redhead 
with angry eyes.

    "It's just that the idea of Kodachi gives me the shakes," she 
answered quickly.  "My Kodachi is a dozen different types of nuts 
all wrapped up into one leotard.  Your Kodachi is different, but 
her face still makes me feel weird.  It must be those goofy looks 
she keeps giving you."

    "What goofy looks?" asked Ranma, surprised by what he's 
heard.  "Kodachi is just a friend."

    "Yeah... right," she replied.  "You just keep thinking that, 
bright boy."

    "What's it to you, anyway?" snapped Ranma.  "You're just some 
leftover memory of the other Ranma that my subconscious must 
have summoned up.  Why are you in girl form, anyway?"

    "I told you, ya jerk!" snapped the redhead.  "I'm like this to help 
you get better at fighting a girl.  You've got to be ready to take on 
Shampoo in two weeks time, or you're going to be in the Arena for 
a long time."  She bopped him in the head with her fist.

    "Your concern is touching," drawled Ranma.  "I almost had 
her.  I just couldn't move at the end.  It was like I was paralyzed or 
something."

    "Paralyzed?"  The redhead looked off into the mists.  "You may 
have been drugged."

    "Drugged?" laughed Ranma.  "That's insane.  I'm a citizen of 
the Empire.  It would be illegal."

    The redhead rolled her eyes again.  "Are you purposely being 
dense?  What does legality have to do with it?"

    Ranma blinked as he considered it.  He had been brought up by 
his father to consider the Empire to be one of mankind's highest 
achievements.  It had brought a singular order to almost sixty-five 
percent of the population of the world.  The idea that someone 
might have broken its laws and cheated him this way made him 
angry.  He raised a fist to the sky.  It all made perfect sense to him 
now what must have happened.  He had been set up.  He had to 
become strong enough to defeat Shampoo now.

    "Now I think he's ready to begin training," whispered the 
redheaded girl.  "I've got a feeling that he's going to need it."

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

    The moon was high in the sky as a lone figure trudged up the 
road to Joketsuzoku Village.  His long white robes made him 
appear to be a ghost as he walked along.  They were dirty from the 
trail.  A large backpack rode on his back.  One of the two guards 
at the gate moved to stand before him.

    "<Who goes there?>" asked the Amazon.

    "<Has it been so long that I've been forgotten?>" asked the 
young man in reply.  "<I am Mu Tsu.  After six years of training 
on the road, I want to reenter the village of my birth.>"  The 
lenses of his glasses gleamed in the firelight as he looked at the 
guard.  His attitude was not the usual level of subservience that 
Amazon men typically had.  The guard suddenly wet her lips in 
anticipation of a fight with a potentially worthy male.  Her 
companion came over and tapped her on the arm.

    "<Don't bother>," said the other guard.  "<I recognize him 
now.  He's the one that followed Xian Pu all over the place, the 
blind weakling.>"

    The first guard snapped her fingers in sudden recognition of 
Mu Tsu.  He had been utterly devoted to Xian Pu.  She had 
rejected him for his weakness.  When he was ten, he had left to 
become worthy of his intended bride.  Now he was back, and his 
manner was totally different from the clumsy, nearly-blind boy he 
had once been.  He seemed confident in himself.

    "<You may pass, Mu Tsu,>" said the first guard.  "<You will 
find your family home where you left it.  Ask them about changes 
that have come to the village in the time that you have been 
gone.>"

    Mu Tsu shrugged.  He passed the guards without a look back.  
They leaned on their polearms, and studied his retreating figure.  
Each of them wondered how he would react when he learned that 
his beloved Xian Pu had been taken as a slave by the Japanese.

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

    Per Fum jogged around the village in the moonlight as she 
struggled to get everything that she and Khu Lon would need for 
their journey.  She could have ordered some of the unattached 
males to help her, but she wished to deal with the problems 
herself.  She looked on it as a form of training exercise.

    She came around a corner, and almost collided with a figure 
that she had never expected to see again.  "<Mu Tsu?>" she 
asked.  "<Is that really you?>"

    "<It is,>" he replied gravely.  "<Who do I have the honor of 
addressing, Warrior?  I fear that I don't know your voice.>"

    "<It's Per Fum, stupid,>" she said with a grin.  She felt a 
strange quiver run through her at seeing Mu Tsu again.  "<I am 
the Enforcer now.>"

    "<I give you greetings, Enforcer.>"  He bowed, but not quite as 
low as a male should to one of her station, Per Fum found herself 
noting.  She restrained herself from kicking him in the stomach.  
"<I am seeking Xian Pu.  My parents would not tell me what has 
become of her since I left.>"

    "<Xian Pu is in Japan,>" said Per Fum.  "<She has been 
fighting in the Imperial Arena for almost two years now.>"  She 
found herself a little irritated with him.  He hadn't seen _her_ for 
six years, and he's more interested in Xian Pu.  She ground her 
teeth a moment in frustration.  *Another stupid male smitten by 
the _wonderful_ Xian Pu... damn her.*

    "<What?!>" he exclaimed.  He grabbed her by the shoulders, an 
unheard of breach of manners for a male when dealing with a 
warrior.  She felt a strong urge to slam him into the ground to 
teach him proper respect, but she didn't act on it for reasons she 
didn't care to examine at that moment.

    "<Remove your hands from me, Mu Tsu,>" she said coldly.  
"<You have obviously forgotten the proper ways to speak to a 
member of the superior gender.>"

    "<Please tell me all that you know of Xian Pu,>" he asked in a 
serious voice, still apparently unaware of her growing irritation 
with him.  He didn't let go, and she felt heat rising in her cheeks.  
His attempt to order her around like she was one of those weak, 
subservient, outsider females was the last straw.  She roughly 
broke free of his grip.  She was unarmed, but she didn't need 
weapons to deal with the likes of him.  She was about to launch an 
assault when a calm voice spoke behind her.

    "<Welcome back to the village of Joketsuzoku, Mu Tsu,>" said 
Khu Lon behind her.  "<Your long time away among the outsiders 
has apparently dulled your sense of tact, as well as your wits, for 
you to speak so to the Enforcer of the village.  I can only hope that 
it has improved your abilities in combat to compensate.>"  The 
Matriarch came bouncing in from out of the darkness.

    "<I'm... sorry, Matriarch,>" he said slowly.  "<It has been a 
long journey, and I had hoped to make my challenge to Xian Pu 
as soon as I could.  It appears that I must travel to Japan now in 
order to do that.>"

    The Matriarch studied him.  Six years away had given him a 
confidence that hadn't been there before.  She considered her 
options at this point.  *It would probably be better to have him 
along with us rather than trailing behind and getting into trouble.  
Besides, we should have a male along to take care of the chores.  
This will be perfect.*

    "<Mu Tsu,>" she intoned solemnly.  He looked in her direction.  
"<I command you to come with the Enforcer and myself on our 
journey to Japan.>"

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

    Akane headed towards the small gymnasium that was out 
behind the house to work off some of her frustrations.  Her father 
had said that he would deal with the Arena situation, so she 
considered the matter closed.  She couldn't do much right at the 
moment because of her injuries, but she could at least do some 
shoulder and arm exercises.  It wasn't much, but it was better than 
nothing.  She had to start getting herself ready to face Ranma.

    The thought of him sent her thoughts into confusion.  She had 
been totally embarrassed by him when they first met, and she had 
beaten him up for it.  She had been angry at him for the longest 
time for getting her in trouble.  Her acts of bullying him had given 
her a feeling of power over him that she enjoyed.  He had been so 
laughably pitiful at physical activities that his few attempts to 
fight back hadn't been any sort of challenge at all for her.  When 
she saw the fighting skills that he had been hiding from her, she 
found herself wanting him.  Before, her thoughts were easily 
managed when it came to Ranma.  Now, she was just confused.

    She hadn't had a decent challenge from a male opponent in 
almost a year.  Her speed and strength had grown beyond the 
abilities of any Citizen boy that was near her age to deal with.  
Ranma represented a new challenge to her skills, and it made him 
surprisingly attractive to her.  She was smiling when she thought 
about what it would be like fighting with him.  She loved to fight, 
and she looked forward to the fight.  She was confident that she 
would defeat him, but the challenge to her skills would be fun.

    She opened the door to see Nabiki working out with weights, 
her eyes closed in concentration, and a small set of headphones 
over her ears.  *This is odd.  Nabiki never worked out this hard 
before.*  She watched as her sister, dressed in a low-necked 
leotard, worked out with a set of barbells.  She was doing squats 
with the barbells on her shoulders, and her short hair was damp 
with sweat.

    Nabiki ended her set and opened her eyes to see Akane staring 
at her like she was some kind of mirage.  She eased the barbell 
back up on to the holding rack, and grabbed her towel.  She pulled 
the headphones off of her ears as she rubbed the towel briskly 
through her hair.  "What are you doing out here, Akane?  You 
shouldn't be thinking about working out yet."

    "What am I doing out here?" repeated Akane in mild shock.  
"What are _you_ doing out here?"

    "I just realized that I could probably be in better shape, so I'm 
doing something about it," answered Nabiki calmly.  "I've been 
doing some thinking while I'm out here, too."

    "Thinking about what?" asked Akane.

    "Oh, that's right," replied Nabiki in her more usual smug tones.  
"Daddy called me earlier this evening while you were taking your 
bath.  It seems that he's set me up for a marriage meeting."

    "That's so old-fashioned," said Akane in a dismissive tone of 
voice.  "What family is it with?"

    "He wants me to meet with the Saotome family," Nabiki calmly 
replied.  "Care to help me with this?"  She knelt down, and she 
began pulling off the weights on another barbell.

    "The Saotome family?!" exploded Akane.  "Why did Daddy 
decide to do that?"  A sudden image of Ranma filled her mind, 
and she angrily banished the warm feelings that accompanied 
them.  Nabiki noticed her sister blushing when she looked up, and 
smiled knowingly.

    *My poor, screwed up, little sister,* thought Nabiki.  *I'm just 
now starting to realize what a good catch Ranma might be, now 
that I think about it.  His invention could even be enough for him 
to buy his way into the nobility.  That's a prize worth giving in to 
an arranged marriage for.*

    "I imagine that Daddy wanted to make sure that I have a good 
husband, just like Kasumi now does," replied Nabiki with that 
same mildly smug tone.  "I'm sure that he'll be looking for one for 
you as well."

    Akane blushed some more.  Her thoughts were suddenly all 
confused again.  She clenched her hands into fists.  *I don't 
believe this!  My own sister is now trying to take Ranma away 
from me!  Fine... I just won't tell her about Ranma's current 
problem then.*  That decided, Akane went over to the bench and 
sat down.

    Nabiki watched as Akane picked up some heavy dumbbells to 
work out her arms and shoulders.  It took Akane a little while to 
find a comfortable position, but she began to pump the weights 
hard after she did.  Nabiki just shrugged and went back to her 
own weightlifting.  She was intent on building herself up to the 
condition of that fantasy body if it was at all possible.

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

    It was nearing midnight when Kodachi finally arrived home.  
She had been thwarted in her attempts to see Ranma, or even 
anyone in authority at the Arena.  She tried using her family 
name, but it still did no good.  She had spent the long car ride 
home sniffing back tears.  She finally gave up on her makeup and 
carefully washed it off using the small sink in the back of the 
limousine.  It left her looking rather plain of face.  With any luck, 
she could avoid her brother until she could get into her room.

    She walked into the mansion, and her luck failed her almost 
immediately.  Tatewaki was coming out of the kitchen with a 
glass of milk, and wearing his usual evening robes, when he came 
across her.  He took in her appearance and immediately sensed 
that something was wrong.  His face darkened into a scowl.

    "Little sister, what happened on your date?" he asked as he 
stepped closer to her.  "You appear to be unhappy."

    "It was nothing, older brother," she replied.  Her control started 
to fail again, and tears appeared in her eyes.  "It... it wasn't any 
fault of Ranma's...."

    Tatewaki Kuno watched his little sister as she moved to the 
brink of tears, and he felt a deep-seated anger fill his soul at the 
sight.  "Ranma?  Is _that_ the name of the base-born scoundrel 
that has returned you home like this?  Tell me where I might find 
this knave who has left my sister in tears?  I shall SMITE him!"

    Kodachi blinked at the fierceness in her brother.  "Ranma 
Saotome is not to blame for this...," she began to say, but he was 
already off and running.  She hurried after him as he headed to 
the family dojo.

    Tatewaki Kuno had been raised to be two things.  He had been 
taught by his father all that he would need to know in order to run 
the modest business empire of the Kuno family.  As eldest son, it 
was his responsibility to be ready to assume control when needed.  
He had been taught by his mother, a noble lady born from one of 
the finest families in the Royal Court, all that he needed to know 
to be a nobleman.  As eldest son, it was his duty to represent the 
family when his father passed on.

    Tatewaki, on the other hand, felt it was always his destiny to be 
a warrior.  As a child, he had thrilled to the glorious adventures of 
his ancestors as they carved out legends.  His grandfather had 
loved to tell stories of the mighty samurai that populated the Kuno 
family tree to a wide-eyed young Tatewaki.  The Kuno family had 
participated in most of the various wars over the centuries that 
brought over half of the world under the control of the Empire.  
Now the Kuno family was composed of nothing but businessmen, 
and Tatewaki chafed at his expected role in life.

    He had pestered his grandfather into teaching him the family 
style of Kenjutsu.  For hours a day, he would swing his wooden 
blade and dream of wondrous battles against mighty warriors.  It 
helped him cope with the gray world of finances and ledgers that 
he was expected to know.  His peers among the lower nobility 
used to mock him when he was a child, and they called him a 
foolish dreamer.  He ignored their taunts, and he grew into a 
capable warrior.

    When he was in his early teens, he had challenged the worst of 
his critics.  He left them all defeated behind him, and one of them 
was left almost crippled.  Each new combat fed his desires for 
glory.  His beloved grandfather finally passed away during this 
time, and his father made him put away his dreams.  Tatewaki 
bided his time, and he assumed the manner of a dutiful young 
noble.  He still practiced at night, and he still yearned for a noble 
cause to dedicate his skill to.

    Now his sister had come home in tears after spending time with 
some scoundrel named Ranma Saotome.  His pent up desires for a 
truly righteous cause had been answered.  *I swear that I will 
smite this Ranma Saotome for the pain that he has given to my 
sister.*  Tatewaki found his favorite bokken on its rack in the 
dojo.  The bokken had been given to him by his grandfather when 
he was fifteen years old.  It had never failed him.

    "Now is the time to smite," he murmured with joy.  A blue aura 
flared up around him as he began to laugh at the fate that awaited 
Ranma Saotome.  He didn't notice Kodachi come into the dojo 
behind him.  She sighed when she saw him.

    "Brother dear?" she called from behind him.  "Ranma is not to 
blame for my tears."

    He ignored her and continued to laugh at his imaginings.  She 
sighed, picked up one of the practice bokkens, and clubbed him 
over the head from behind with it.  The great Tatewaki Kuno went 
out like a light as he crashed to the floor of the dojo.  She left him 
there, since it was a warm night, and headed for bed.  She tossed 
the bokken in her hands back into the basket that she had 
retrieved it from.  Tatewaki remained blissfully unconscious 
behind her.

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

    Nodoka had finally cried herself to sleep.  Genma listened to 
her breathing with a heavy heart.  He hated to see her cry.  She 
could be such a maddening woman at times, but he loved her 
deeply.  He still hadn't thought of a workable solution for the 
situation with Ranma.  The boy had been incredibly foolish, in his 
opinion.  However, what was done was done.  Now, he had to 
think of a solution to the problem.

    The problem was that nothing was coming to mind, other than 
the obvious option.  Ranma's only hope still looked like it was his 
being able to defeat Shampoo in two weeks time.  Genma had 
spent an hour on the telephone with the Arena after he calmed 
Nodoka down, and that had been an incredibly difficult chore in 
itself.  He had been told quite plainly that Ranma was bound by 
his choice as a free citizen of the Empire.

    The law was clear on a point like this.  Genma had checked 
with his various contacts who were knowledgeable about such 
things.  None of them could give him an out, except if it turned 
out that unfair means were used during the fight.  Genma held out 
little hope of that.  If someone at the Arena had gone to the 
trouble of setting up Ranma, then he was sure that there wouldn't 
be anything to indicate unfair means.  Ranma's only option was to 
fight.

    He couldn't even get in to see his son.  Until the second 
challenge was over, Ranma was considered temporary property of 
the Arena.  He couldn't leave the premises, and he couldn't have 
any visitors.  It was incredibly frustrating.

    Nodoka rolled over and snuggled up against him.  Genma 
sighed and tried to go to sleep.  He put an arm around her and 
closed his eyes.  He had to remain strong for Nodoka's sake.  She 
acted like she was made from steel all the time, but Genma knew 
that she needed him.  He drifted off to sleep as he held his wife.

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

    Before he left for home, Dr. Tofu read over the toxicological 
study results that the nurse brought him.  Everything checked out 
as far as he could see.  No foreign chemicals were present in his 
system.  His white blood count was slightly elevated, but it could 
be accounted to his recent injuries.  All in all, everything was fine.

    "How is the condition of our new addition, Dr. Tofu?" asked a 
cold voice from his open doorway.  The doctor blinked, surprised 
at the quiet appearance of the Arena Director.

    "He seems to be quite well," replied Dr. Tofu as he set the thin 
report on his desk.  "I was just getting ready to put his tox results 
in his file and go home for the night.  Nurse Tsuji is scheduled to 
watch over him tonight.  I don't anticipate any difficulties with 
releasing him in the next day or so."

    "Excellent," said the Director.  *I see that Tsuji has done her 
duty in switching the blood samples.  Now it's all nice and legal 
for Saotome to remain here.*

    "If there isn't anything more that you need from me sir, then I'd 
like to go home," said Dr. Tofu as he put his papers away.  "It has 
been a long day."

    "Of course, Doctor," said the Director with a smile.  "Give your 
new wife my best when you see her tonight."  Director Sasaki 
turned around and walked back to the elevator.  A smile was on 
his lips.  *Everything is going just fine.*

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

    Herb surveyed the distance remaining to the base of Mount 
Phoenix.  One of the most secret treasures of the Musk Dynasty 
was held there.  It was given in sacred trust to the people of that 
place when the losses against the invaders had become severe.  If 
Herb managed to regain it, then she would have the power to 
release allies that would enable her to destroy the Empire.  The 
price was her soul, but it was a small price to pay for revenge.

    She turned around.  Her light shirt, taken from a dead soldier, 
was plastered to her chest from the water of the small river that 
they had crossed recently.  Lime and Mint stared at her chest, and 
both of them were frozen in fascination.  She growled with 
frustration.  *If I didn't need these two idiots...*

    "T... titties," muttered Lime in a tone of voice that approached 
awe.  Herb hit him in the face.  While Lime was regaining his 
senses, she looked at Mint.  The other remnant of her people was 
still staring at her chest.

    *I will make the Emperor suffer as I have suffered,* she 
thought, as she began beating both of her minions up.

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

    Shampoo sat on her futon mat and stared into the darkness.  A 
dozen other girls slept on mats around her, and the rhythms of 
their soft breathing was conducive for thought.  Shampoo made a 
fist with one hand and studied it.  Next to her, Running Deer slept 
soundly.  *I am so lucky to have a friend in this place,* she 
thought as tears welled up in her eyes.  She let the tears drip on 
her closed fist.  *I could have killed you earlier, my friend.  What 
would I have done then?*

    Shampoo settled back and placed her hands behind her head.  
She stared at the ceiling.  *I will survive this place, Great-
Grandmother.  I will return to our village with my honor intact.  I 
swear these things on my soul.  I will be every inch the Amazon 
warrior that you wanted me to be.*

    Shampoo was eventually lulled off into sleep by the sounds of 
sleep around her.