A fan fiction based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi, creator of
     Ranma 1/2,
     and, Masaki Kajishima, who I've been told is the creator of
Tenchi.
     Hitoshi Okuda, is the artist and creator of the Tenchi Manga.
     Go figure.
     I have no rights to these characters.  Which should come as no 
     surprise to anyone.
     
     A Tenchi and Ranma, Together Forever!?  Side Story.
     New, trial Title.

     China Girl, or
     Mother, Chef and Violence.  Part C
     
     What's going on?
     
     Nodoka Saotome, along with Akane Tendo and Ukyou Kuonji
are on their way to Jusenkyo in hopes of finding out what has
happened to Ranma and Genma.   At least Nodoka and Ukyou are.  
Akane just wants to get out of the house for the summer before her
father sinks the place with his tears.   Not to mention escaping from
the constant combat zone her life has recently become due to a
certain Kendoist, and her father's perverted Master.   

In the last segment, Nodoka stumbled into the Nyanniichuan.  The
question was.  Who came out?

     Big thanks to the people who contributed C+C to this, their
help has been greatly appreciated, and I've already changed several
things based on their comments.
     Pieter Thomassen
     Jeffrey Hosmer
     Thiemo "G�nther
     Matthew Campbell, who didn't let me get away with anything,
and I thank him for it.
     And of course all the rest of the usual suspects.
     Jim, Eimii, and Wade, who have much to do with getting me to
the point I am at
     Last, but not in the least, least, Green eyes, who's cheerleading
     has got me through many a dry spell. 
     .
T.H.   Tiger
schell@interlog.com








     Xian Pu fought to focus her mind.  Her last coherent memory
was of being in a life and death fight.  One of her enemies must have
gotten in a blow, and knocked her senses loose.  She had to pull it
together. If she faltered, her village was doomed.  She had to regain
control.  She blinked her eyes quickly trying to clear them.  Her body
felt strange and heavy, and her clothing seemed to be weighing her
down.  A part of her mind deciphered the sensation.  She was
wearing soaked clothing.  That was right!  She'd run into the
Nyanniichuan.  Being very careful not to slip and immerse herself
completely. She had hoped to lure her enemies into the spring after
her, and then kill them while they were disoriented.  
     Another level of awareness was reached, and she realized she
was being held in someone's arms.  She blinked her eyes some more,
and made out a vague masculine face above her.  Father? No, father
was away, would not be back for weeks.  A part of her mind tried to
decipher the mystery of a man staying a man while standing in
Nyanniichuan.  As a female she could get away with it as long as she
was not fully immersed.  Any animal, man, or pre-pubescent girl,
who got this far in, should be affected by it.  So how had this man
escaped? Maybe he hadn't.  Maybe his upper half was the only part
that was still male.  A very un-warrior like giggle escaped her lips at
the picture that presented to her mind.
     She shook her head, trying to dispel the giddiness that was
clouding her thinking.  She looked around herself, trying once again
to focus on her surroundings.  She became aware of three people. 
Women?  Standing on the ground beside the spring.  She didn't
recognize any of them, but they were not dressed like the attackers
who had raided the village, nor were they monsters like the pair she
had just buried under a mountain of rubble.  
     Xian Pu felt herself being carried out of the pool, and once
more looked up at the strange man holding her.  She could see him
clearly now, and he also did not look like anyone she knew.  She
tried to struggle, but her body betrayed her.  Try as she might, her
body did not seem to want to obey her commands.  She looked deep
into the stranger's eyes.  His eyes were not hostile, they reflected
only care and worry.  Trusting her instincts, she gave up her futile
efforts, confident that this stranger meant her know harm.  She
would trust him for now.  It was not like she had any real choice in
the matter after all. 
     Xian Pu resumed her assessment of the surrounding area.  Her
vision was much clearer now, but what she saw made no sense. She
frowned. Where were the bushes?  There should be bushes lining the
side of the pool.  Where were they?  Her vision cleared further, and
she could see farther and more clearly.  Something was wrong, this
was the Valley of Sorrow, but it looked different, it was not the same. 
What was going on?  Where was the enemy? She suddenly clutched
a hand to her chest as a memory returned.  Her wound, the strange
living log.  It had burned her.  Lanced her through and through, she
had been dying, she had felt the taste of her own blood on her breath. 
Her lung had been pierced.  
     Xian Pu started to panic again, she thrashed in the boys arms,
as this time her body responded to her wishes, or maybe to her panic. 
<"Where am I? What has happened?  Who are you people?"> She
cried out.  One of the strangers loomed over her, a shiny pot held in
her hand.  The pot tipped, warm water splashed over her, and all
faded to black.


     Nodoka woke, laying on her back and staring up at a ring of
worried faces.  
      "Are you all right Saotome-san?" Ukyou asked.  
     Nodoka noted that Ukyou seemed to be female again, but a
second ago she had been male. Nodoka then took in the expressions
on the faces above her.  Their worried looks gave evidence that all
was not right.  Seeing as how they were directing those worried
looks her way, she had to assume whatever was wrong, was wrong
with her.   "What has happened to me?" she asked.  
     Akane and Ukyou looked at each other, then turned and looked
at Plum, who looked at each of them in turn, then sighed and said. 
"Oh, very tragic tale Mrs. Customer, you fall in Nyanniichuan.  Very
tragic tale of girl who drown there 1500 year ago, now whoever fall
in spring take body of girl." As before when reciting her lines, Plum
spoke in a sing song voice.  Now she said in her normal speaking
voice.  "Unless you be girl too, then you change into girl all way. 
Now when you splashed with cold water, you turn into drowned girl,
she live again through you.  Splash with hot water, you be you
again."
     "I see." Nodoka said, she looked at Akane and Ukyou, a
question in her eyes.  Again they looked at each other, and Akane
nodded at Ukyou, who turned back to Nodoka and spoke.
     "You did change.  You were younger and smaller, with long
red hair,  and when you looked at me, you didn't seem to know who
I was.  You don't remember any of it?"
     Nodoka shook her head.  "The last thing I recall was stepping
back after that thing hit the other side of the valley, and then falling
backward.  The next thing I remember was just now, you standing
all around me.  Did this other girl do something?"
     "She said something, but it was in Chinese." Akane said. 
Again all eyes turned to Plum.
     "Girl want to know what was happening.  Who we is.  She
scared this one think, but try not to show it." Plum looked puzzled
for minute.  "This one no understand, very rare girl fall in spring,
only two records in scrolls .  Father makes this one study all old
scrolls, they tell of those two times.  Girl you was, that not girl in
scroll.  She not act like either girl is scroll.  This one no understand. 
Wish father was here," Plum said in closing.  Her temporary fill in
was proving much more eventful then she cared for.  She was
starting to appreciate the fine sensation of being bored out your
mind, and was starting to wish she could go back to it.
     "Poor girl." Nodoka said, as she got to her feet.  She ran her
hands over her body as if checking to see that everything was as it
should be.
     "Oh This one be all right," Plum said.
     "I was not referring to you dear." Nodoka said.  She shook her
head.  "It must have been awful for her.  How much do you suppose
she remembers of her last life?" She asked Plum.
     "Not much.  Is more personality then memory.  One girl in
scroll not remember anything of last life, but she act like drowned
girl when splashed with cold water.  That was second one fall in. 
First one have some memory, but not all, she remember husband
drowning her.  Very sad tale.  She sit and cry all time."
     Akane shook her head.  "That makes no sense, this girl spoke
Chinese, and I think she did it much better then what Saotome-san
can.  She must have more memory then that."
     Ukyou spoke up in disagreement. "Yes, but remember Akane,
she asked where she was, who we were.  Maybe if Plum hadn't
doused her with hot water, she would have asked, "Who am I?" next. 
We can't tell how much of a person is there from the little we saw."
     "Well, there is only one way to find out," Nodoka said.
     "You can't be serious?" Akane said.  "You're going to give
somebody else your body?"
     "Better to do it now, then have it happen latter when we can't
control the situation.  Anyway, we can wait till we are back to camp
and I'm out of these wet clothes.  I don't know about her, but I feel
much better when I'm dry and warm."

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


     Nodoka adjusted her clothing, and sat down on the ground, her
back to a small rock.  She looked up at Akane who was standing
behind her, a kettle of hot water in her hand.  "Are your ready
Akane-chan?" At the young girl's nod, she turned to Plum who was
standing in front of her with a glass of water.  Plum drew back her
hand.  Then, stopped when Ukyou placed a hand on her shoulder.
     "Wait." Ukyou had a towel in her hand, and she handed it to
Nodoka.  "Here put this around your neck.  I did a little
experimenting while you were changing.  Getting your head wet is
all it takes.  No need to get your dry clothes wet as well."
     Nodoka gave Ukyou a grateful look, and wrapped the cloth
around her neck.  Once again she nodded at Plum, and this time
there was no interruption as Plum dumped the cold water over her
head.  Behind her, Akane stiffened, and prepared to splash hot water
if it was necessary.

     Xian Pu once more awoke to find herself in a new situation. 
She was sitting on the ground, her back against a rock, and the
people from before surrounding her.  She narrowed her eyes as she
took in the black-haired girl behind her.  Before they could react, she
lashed out.  She brought her leg up and over her head, and sent the
kettle in the other girl's hand flying with a powerful kick.  Then
ducking low, she leaped forward between the other two, intending to
put as much distance between her and them as she could.  Before she
could go far however, she fell, tangled up in her oversized clothing,
which was slipping off her body.  
     Frantically, she rolled across the ground, slipping off the
garments as she did so.  At last, free of the confining things.  She
bounded to her feet in a defensive pose.  She relaxed a bit when she
saw the other three _ girls?.  Xian Pu blinked, she could have sworn
that the brown haired one had been a boy, but even a blind man
could see she was a girl.  
     "Talk to her Plum!  Calm her down!  Tell her we mean her no
harm," the brown haired girl said in her fathers language.
     Xian Pu straightened up, and said.  "Why not tell me yourself
outsider?" It took all her control to keep her voice calm.  She was not
about to let these people know how badly confused she was. All three
of the girls looked at her in shock, and before they could recover, she
gave them an order, "but before you do, tell your brother to come out
from wherever he is hiding." Grandmother had always told her that
in a situation like this, it was best to take a position of command.  If
you acted like you were in charge, most times people would at the
very least, take a wait and see attitude.  Act tentative, or
submissively, and you placed yourself at a disadvantage.  
     Xian Pu found some measure of comfort in remembering her
training.  It gave her an anchor to hold on to in this strange
situation.  Better yet, it seemed to be working.  The people facing her
looked uncertain how to treat her.  She watched them carefully,
trying to pick up clues as to what was going on, while at the same
time she kept careful watch, waiting for the girl's brother to show
himself now that she had revealed that she knew he was lurking.
     The black haired girl, and the tall brown haired girl looked at
each other, then at Xian Pu.  "Brother?"
     "I'm not a fool, the boy that was holding me in the pool.  The
one that looks just  . . . like  . . .   you." Xian Pu trailed off as
realization hit home.  She suddenly realized why the boy could stand
in Nyanniichuan with impunity. "That was you wasn't it?" She said
to the tall brown haired girl, and while she phrased it that way, it
was not really a question.
     "Yes." The girl said.  Then she added, "you speak Japanese
very well." 
     "It was my father's native tongue."
     The young, shorter brown haired girl protested. "No, no, no,
this not right!  Scrolls say nothing about drowned girl speaking
Japanese, this not right." 
     "What to you mean?  Drowned girl?  What are you talking
about?" Xian Pu had a nauseous feeling in her stomach.  Her feeling
of sickness increased as she saw the looks the other girls were
exchanging.  A sudden realization hit her."I drowned!" She said in
an incredulous voice.  "I'm dead." She said, more to herself then to
the outsiders, her voice as faint as her face was pale.  Her knees went
weak, and her legs folded under her.  She dropped to the ground, and
knelt there, staring at nothing.  "Mother, father," she muttered.  The
others drew near her, and she looked up at them, her eyes stricken. 
"How long?  How long since I  . . . " she couldn't say it.
     The black haired girl said in a gentle tone.  "Fifteen hund--"
     "No!" The Chinese girl cut her off.  "That not right.  This not
girl who drown fifteen hundred year ago.  This one not know how, or
who."  The girl turned to her and said.  "You know name?  How
much you remember?" Frustrated with her look of incomprehension,
the girl switched to Chinese.  <"Do you remember who you are? 
What was your name?  How much do you remember of your life?  I
am the guide here, you can trust me.  It is my duty to help those who
run afoul of the curses.">
     Xian Pu looked at her for a minute, to numb to react.  Then,
her shoulders went back, and her chin came up.  She pulled her
dignity on like a set of armor, and said. "My name?  My name is
Xian Pu.  I am a warrior of the Nyanichiczu, from the village of
Joketsuzoku, and I remember everything." Her voice rang out,
echoing off the walls of the valley.  Then she slumped in on herself,
no longer able to keep the horror at bay.  "And I am a walking
ghost." She murmured in a quite voice, more to herself, then to her
audience. 
     The Chinese girl looked  . . .   awe struck.  "You is Xian Pu?"
She seemed unable to go on.  She just stared at Xian Pu, an
expression on her face very much like the one you would expect on a
child who has just discovered a dragon in her favorite play area.  
     Her behavior was enough to arouse Xian Pu's curiosity.  An
emotion that her grandmother had often said would be the death of
her.  Well, too late for that now, she was already dead.   "Do you
know me?"
     The girl opened her mouth several times, and finally managed
to say.  "You is famous.  You is monster killer.  You save Amazon
village three hundred year ago.  Very famous tale.  You take last of
enemies with you when you die.  You found in Nyanniichuan, but no
girl look like you, act like you ever come out.  All figure you die
before drown.  You very, very great hero.  Name of Xian Pu, is one
of great names.  All girls, they know you." 
     Xian Pu's eyes widened at that.  A great name, one of the
names that would never die.  There would always be a Xian Pu of the
Amazons.  Then she shuddered, and hugged herself tightly.  There
was someone else out there with her name.  There was another Xian
Pu.  A Xian Pu who belonged to this world.  A Xian Pu with a
mother and a father and family.  A Xian Pu who was not some sort
of soulless body stealing spirit!  Suddenly it was all to much, too fast.
With a cry, she spun to her feet.  Looking around wildly, she spotted
the kettle she had kicked out of the dark-haired girls hand, and
sprinted toward it.  Picking it up, she gave a sob of relief when water
sloshed.  She no longer cared if the others thought her weak.  She
just wanted to run away from the awfulness that was her existence,
and this kettle gave her a way to run away even from herself. She let
the water that had not spilled out when she kicked the kettle run over
her head.  Thank the spirits, it's ho  . . . Was her last thought before
the darkness once again swallowed her up.
     


     Nodoka woke up, and the first thing she noticed was that she
was standing instead of sitting, and she staggered a bit as her mind
adjusted.  The second thing she noticed was that she was as naked as
a jay bird.  She gave a small shriek, and covered herself with her
hands and arms as best she could.  Then with a shudder, she dropped
her hands, and walked over toward her clothing.  "Well, this could
take some getting use to," she said, as she dressed herself.  Her voice
was steady, but the slight red flush across her nose gave the lie to her
appearance of calm. "Any particular reason she took our clothes
off?"
     Akane and Ukyou started to respond together.  They looked at
each other, and Ukyou deferred to Akane with a nod of her head. 
Akane said. "They were too big for her, and she got tangled up in
them.  I think she was afraid we were going to attack her.  She
kicked the bucket out of my hand before I could move.  She's fast."
Akane finished, her voice expressing a level of amazement that told
Nodoka the girl was a lot more then merely fast.
     Something else Akane had said had drawn her attention. 
"She's smaller then I.  How much smaller?"
     "She comes up to about here on me." Akane said, holding a
hand about an inch below the top of her head, and not as heavily
built."
     "Except around the chest." Ukyou added, earning a dirty look
from Akane.  
     "You would notice that."
     "Girls, please!" Nodoka said firmly.  "We have other things to
worry about.  What is she like?  Is she a blank slate like Plum
feared?"
     "Girl is all there, is very strange, Plum never hear of like
before, she great Amazon hero, very famous girl."
     "Amazon?" Nodoka questioned.
     "Yes, is village one day walk from here, very powerful female
warriors."
     Nodoka looked troubled.  "This is a problem, I can't see how I
can avoid cold water out here in the country side, and if I change,
she might head for her home.  Who knows how they would react to
her?  They might think her a ghost, or worse."
     "She seems to feel that way herself." Ukyou said, and at
Nodoka's questioning look.  She seemed to take the notion she had
died very hard." Ukyou stopped, looking a bit flustered as she played
back her last statement in her own mind.  "I mean, more then you
would think.  Considering that as far as she was concerned, she was
perfectly healthy.   I heard her mutter about being a walking ghost. 
It was her who changed you back.  She looked pretty broken up."
     "The poor girl, we have to do something to help her."
     "Help her!" Akane said incredulously, she's a spirit that steals
your body whenever you get doused with cold water, which could
happen at anytime out here.  How can you think about helping her? 
You need to get rid of her, before she decides to get rid of you."
     "It is not her fault we are in this situation.  She did not choose
to be what she is.  We were the ones who were careless, and we must
take responsibility for our actions." Nodoka said in a firm voice.  She
gave a sigh, and turned to Ukyou.  "I am sorry Kuonji-san.  Until
this can be resolved, I'm afraid I cannot do the honorable thing.  I
hope you can forgive me, and will be willing to wait till I can settle
this issue, and I can make amends."
     Ukyou looked at Nodoka not sure what to say to that.  She had
totally forgotten Nodoka's intention to commit seppuku.  "Ahh, no
problem," Ukyou said, putting a hand behind her head, while trying
to gather her thoughts.  "Take as long as you like." She directed a
look at Akane, and was pleased to see in the other girls eyes that she
was not the only one who thought Nodoka was acting a little over the
top.  She vowed to have a private chat with Akane later.  The two of
them needed to bury the hatchet.  Maybe if they worked together,
they could convince Saotome-san there was no reason to commit
suicide.  
     As if reading her mind, Akane suddenly spoke up.  "Ukyou?"
She called out.  "Do you want to go over and check out the meteorite
with me?" Ukyou could clearly see in Akane's eyes that the girl was
also thinking they should get away from Nodoka for a little bit to
discuss the situation. Akane's words also reminded everyone of the
event that had precipitated this whole matter.  All eyes turned toward
the smoking crater high up on the valley wall.

     Nodoka looked doubtful, she'd already proven herself a very
poor guardian, but then she considered the matter.  Frankly, she'd
feel a lot better with Akane up on the side of the valley, rather then
down here, close to the springs.  It was too late for her and Ukyou. 
The least she  could try to do, was to get Akane home safe.  "Very
well, you girls go and investigate.  I wish to talk with Plum, and to
begin breaking camp.  I will not spend another night in this valley. 
Please be careful." 
     Akane merely smiled at her.  She cocked her arm and made a
muscle, which she patted with her free hand.  "Don't worry.  If there
are any alien monsters inside it, Ukyou and I won't hurt them too
badly."  Akane turned, and grabbing Ukyou by the hand, she
dragged her off at high speed toward the crater.  

     Nodoka watched them for a while, and then turned to Plum.  "I
would appreciate all you could tell me about the girl I change into  . .
. " Nodoka broke off as a thought occurred to her.  She turned a
worried look toward Akane and Ukyou.  "There are no springs up on
the valley wall are there?" She asked in a worried tone.
     "No springs over that way.  Not since mountain fall down. 
Only spring outside of valley, over there," Plum said.  Pointing
toward the opposite side of the valley, which was covered in heavy
brush.  
     Nodoka looked in the direction Plum was gesturing, and could
just barely make out the entrance to a narrow gully.  "What spring is
that?" She asked in curiosity.
     Plum looked a bit uncertain, and to Nodoka surprise, she
started to breathe in and out deeply.  "What's wrong dear?" Nodoka
asked, but Plum only held up a finger, asking for patience.  
     After several more deep breaths, Plum finally said, That spring
is,
Weitaoyanbuhuaihaoyiduocigubanjuyouyiyanjuyouheinanmaodaiture
nwushishishengbaobeibinggebaihechuyuchuzhizianwobeituretangyu
qilingdeshijieyongjieniichuan.

     By the time Plum finished, she was turning a little blue, and the
last few syllables had been spoken in a very high wheezing voice. 
She gasped as she pulled in great lungs full of air.  Nodoka looked
on in worry till she had fully recovered.  When Plum had finally
caught her breath, she looked pleased with herself.  "That first time
this one manage whole thing, one go.  Old priest who name spring,
he very great talker, he talk and talk all time, very long winded, This
one thinking."
     "My goodness, whatever does it mean?" Nodoka asked, and at
Plum's look of dismay, she hastily added.  "You don't have to say it
all in one go dear.  Just break it up if you would."
     Plum nodded, and stood silent for a little while as she worked
out the translation.  Finally, she gave a nod, and said.  "This spring
is called.  Spring of Drowned Big, Nasty, Evil-Tempered,
Battle-Scarred, One-Eyed, Black Tomcat that Ate the Holy and
Revered Fighting Cranes of My
Monastery, May He Burn in the Seventh Ring of Hell For All
Eternity . . . "
     Nodoka blinked.  "I see, I imagine he was very annoyed at the
time."
     Plum just nodded solemnly, and then the two women started to
break down the camp site while Plum told all she knew of the
Demon slayer Xian Pu.  Which turned out to be heavy on stories, and
rather short on actual facts.

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

     "So what are we going to do about Saotome-san?" Ukyou
asked.  Akane had stopped her head long rush half way across the
valley, and they were now walking at a pace that made conversation
much easier.
     "I don't think there is much of a problem right now.  You know
what Plum said about the curses being permanent.  I don't think
she'll kill herself as long as she has to take someone else with her,
even if it is a body stealing spirit.  On the other hand, if she's crazy
enough to think of it in the first place, who knows." 
     "I hardly call wanting to do the what you think is the right
thing crazy." Ukyou chided Akane, but then added.  "Still I suppose
you're right about her holding off as long as this Xian Pu is around." 
Ukyou rather admired Nodoka's commitment to honor.  So many
people paid the concept lip service, but were not prepared to go out
of their way in actual observance of it.  Ukyou had seen the calm
acceptance in Nodoka's eyes when she had made her offer, and had
no doubt that the woman was prepared to do what she felt was the
right thing.  
     That made it all the more important that she and Akane do
everything they could to make sure she didn't.  Nodoka was not
responsible for Ukyou's condition, and Ukyou would not see another
pay the price for someone else's mistake.  She directed a side long
look at Akane as she thought this, but kept her mouth shut.  With
some difficulty to be sure.  She was still more then a little  angry at
the dark haired girl.  She was going to have to put that aside if she
wanted to convince Saotome-san that there was no need for the
ultimate apology.  She was going to have to pretend that her curse
was no big deal.  She gave a sigh.  Maybe it really wasn't.  After all,
what would it change?  It might even be for the best.  At least as a
boy, her chest wouldn't constantly hurt like hell from the bindings
she used to tie down her breasts.  It wasn't like she was going to
have to change her behavior, or her mode of dress. 
     Besides forcing Ukyou to accept her curse, one other thing
Nodoka's offer had driven home, was Ukyou's own reluctance to
take responsibility.  Akane might have been at fault, but she was not
blame free herself.  Maybe the first step in coming to some
arrangement with Akane was to admit that.  If Nodoka was prepared
to kill herself, the least Ukyou could do was to bite her tongue, and
admit her own partial blame in the matter.
     
     "Akane?"
     "Ukyou?"
     "Oh, you first." 
     "No, you go ahead."
     "All right.  It's what Saotome-san said.  About taking
responsibility.  Not about killing herself.  I've been thinking about it,
and she's right.  I was as much to blame as you for what happened to
me.  I'm sorry I took it out on you."
     "What do you mean?  I'm not . . .!" Akane yelled, and then to
Ukyou's amazement, she blushed and broke off in mid rant.  After a
minute, she said.  "I'm sorry too.  I guess I was partly to blame.  It's
just been really hard on me the last little while, and I have a hard
time trusting anyone in pants, even when I know in my mind they're
really a girl.  You, just look way to much like a guy."
     Ukyou lifted an eyebrow, and took in Akane's own apparel. 
Akane caught the look, and for a moment she looked like she was
going to flare up again, but then she threw back her head and
laughed.  Ukyou watched in amazement as Akane's face seemed to
undergo a transformation. The hard lines that had given her a
continued discontented look melted, leaving her looking softer,
kinder, a very different person from the one Ukyou had grown to
know over the past week. 
     "All, right." Akane said, when she stopped laughing.  She
wiped tears from her eyes, and continued.  " Point taken.  I'll try not
to judge so quickly from now on," she said.  "For what it's worth, I
know I've been a complete bitch the last week.  I guess it took a
shock like the curses, and Nodoka-san offering to cut her own throat
to make it up to you, to make me realize it.  I promise I'll try and do
better. Come on.  I'll race you." With that, she took off for the
impact crater, Ukyou in close pursuit, her face reflecting her inner
amazement at Akane's words.  It would seem she was not the only
one to be affected by Nodoka's offer.  If Akane could admit her
faults, maybe there was hope for the girl after all. 


     It did not take them very long to reach their destination. 
Unlike most of the hills surrounding the valley, this one was neither
a cliff, nor covered in brush.  It was instead a massive jumble of
rocks, but that was no impediment to the girls.  They easily leaped
from the top of one boulder to another, until they reached the impact
point.  The meteorite had hit high up on the slope.  Up where the
rock gave way to dirt, and it was almost completely buried.  
     "Shoot," Ukyou said.  "You can't see anything."
     "I can fix that." Akane said.  She slipped out of her shirt,
leaving only her breast bindings in place, and started to do some
stretching exercises.
     Ukyou looked at her in surprise for a minute, not sure what she
was doing, and more than slightly fascinated by the other girl's
muscular development.  Akane might not have had much of a figure,
but she more then made up for it in definition.  Ukyou had never
seen another girl with that sort of muscle mass.  She regarded herself
as being toned and buffed, but Akane put her to shame.  She
continued to stare at the play of muscle along Akane's back, until the
other girl stooped down and started to work her fingers under the
exposed edge of the meteorite.  
     "Oh come on." Ukyou scoffed.  "You may be strong, but that's
bloody ridiculous.  There is no way in hell you are going to move
that thing."
     Akane looked over her shoulder at Ukyou, and grinned.  "Want
to bet." Then, she gave a barking laugh.  At Ukyou's puzzled look,
she added.  "Sorry, I just had a flash back.  My sister made a bundle
saying those very words, and in exactly this type of situation.  A
truck had rolled over, and was blocking the street.  It was beside a
construction site, and they were trying to get it out of the way, so
they could get supplies in.  They were talking about bringing over
their crane, but my sister came up with the idea of me moving it. 
They didn't think I could do it either.  We ate take out for a week
straight."
     "And you're trying to make me believe you moved the truck? 
Sorry, I don't buy it." Ukyou said in a very skeptical tone.  I know
you're strong, but I don't believe  that for a second.  If you move this
rock, not only will I cook every night for the rest of the trip. I'll do
the dishes as well." 
     Akane only grinned, and reached under the rock.  "I'll hold you
to the dishes part, but I'll help with the cooking.  I've been meaning
to offer for a while."  She felt around a bit, and then found a
purchase point.  Bracing herself, she started to lift.  Almost as soon
as she began her effort, her feet started to sink into the ground. 
Ukyou stood back, her arms crossed over her chest, and waited for
Akane to give up.  Akane's feet continued to sink until they reached
solid rock, and could sink no further.  Akane gave a grunt of
satisfaction, and having assured her footing, really started to pour it
on.  
     Ukyou's eyes bulged when she saw the mound of dirt over the
meteorite start to shift.  "I don't believe it." She said incredulously. 
However, after the first shifting of dirt, there was no more movement
for some minutes, and Akane's face began to take on a purplish hue.  
      Ukyou was just about to try and convince Akane to give up
when there was a sudden sharp snap.  Akane jerked upright, as the
ledge she was lifting on suddenly broke away from the main mass of
the object, and snapped up with no further strain on her part.  The
loss of resistance caught Akane by surprise, and when a flood of pale
blue liquid gushed out of the interior of what was now clearly not a
rock, she was unable to react in time, and was knocked over by the
flood.  

     "What the hell?" Ukyou exclaimed, looking back and forth
between the sodden Akane and  the interior of the supposed
meteorite.  There were little tell tale lights in there, and levers and
controls.  What might have once  been viewing screens, but were
now hollow sockets.  Whatever had filled them, not having survived
the crash.
     Akane was sputtering and coughing.  She had been taking a
deep breath when the flood of blue liquid hit her, and more then a
little had gone up her nose, and down her throat.  She sat up, and
something on her chest started to roll off.  Instinctively, she cradled
her arms, and caught whatever it was before it could fall completely
off her body.  Blinking her eyes to clear them, she looked down at
the small black object in her arms.
     "It's a pig!" Akane and Ukyou exclaimed at the same time, and
indeed, that is what it was.  A small black piglet.  Not your typical
barnyard denizen however.  He had a yellow bandanna with black
checks wrapped around his neck, and its two front hooves were
deformed.  The front legs simply ended in two gray balls, about twice
the size of the rear hooves.  
     "I don't understand, why would a pig be inside a rock?" Akane
said in puzzlement.
     "Maybe because it's not a rock.  Check it out." Ukyou said,
gesturing toward the exposed interior of the supposed meteorite.  
     Akane gaped at the sight for a minute, and then her expression
  darkened.  "Those bastards!' She swore.
     Ukyou looked at her in surprise, wondering what had set off the
volatile girl now.  For the life of her she couldn't see how on earth
Akane could blame anyone for this situation, or why she would want
to.  Akane did not keep her in the dark for long.
     "How dare they, shooting a helpless little animal into space like
that.  I thought they gave that up years ago." She held the limp little
animal up near her face.  "He must have been so scared." Then her
face firmed.  "We are not going to let them get away with it!" She
declared.
     "What are you talking about?" Ukyou asked.
     "We're taking him with us!"   
     Ukyou looked back at the ship.  It looked like a very expensive
piece of equipment.  She didn't think the owners, whoever they
might be, would be happy about the pig being missing.  She looked
over at Akane, about to say something, then stopped herself.  There
was no point.  The expression on Akane's face showed quite clearly
that this was a nonnegotiable matter, and Ukyou knew better then to
think she could change the other girls mind.  
     Besides; truth be known, she was not keen on handing the little
thing over to whoever it belonged to either.  The chances were very
good it would not be given a hero's welcome, and live to a ripe old
age.  Going on to father another generation of space going pigs.  A
short messy end in a lab somewhere was its much more likely fate. 
That thought settled it for her.  "You're right," she said in a firm
voice.
     "I am?" Akane asked in surprise.
     "Damn straight.  I agree one hundred percent.  We'll keep the
fact he came out of this thing to ourselves."
     Akane looked gratified, and she directed a smile Ukyou's way. 
Once again the chef was struck by what a difference it made to her
face.  She really is cute when she smiles, she thought to herself.


     Nodoka was putting the finishing touches to her packing when
the girls rejoined her.  She raised an eyebrow at the presence of the
small pig in Akane's arm.  "Really, Akane, you shouldn't have done
that.  Some farmer will be most unhappy that you poached one of his
pigs for dinner."
     Akane looked at her blankly for a second, then protested.  "I
didn't.  He was--"
     "Wandering around up by the meteorite!" Ukyou broke in,
directing a speaking look in Akane's direction, hoping she would
keep quite.  "We think he wandered off from wherever he came
from.  He's too young to survive on his own out here for long.  So 
Akane want's to keep him, as a pet.  We could leave a little money
with Plum in case someone comes looking for him."
     Nodoka looked a bit doubtful.  She looked at Akane, and saw
the entreaty in those eyes.  "Very well, Ukyou.  Plum has gone back
to her hut to check the records for more information on my curse. 
You'll find her there.  Hurry.  I want to be out of here as quickly as
possible.  Akane, you had better go and clean yourself up.  You are a
mess."
     It was true, the liquid that had drenched her, had also soaked
the ground she fell on, and she was covered pretty much head to toe
with mud.  She nodded her head in agreement to this, and set out to
follow Nodoka's orders, but then stopped.  Looking uncertain. 
"Where should I go?  How will I know what water is safe?"
     "Plum tells me the streams that run into the valley from the top
of the hills are safe.  There is one over near the base of the hill where
the meteorite crashed."
     
     Ukyou was coming back from leaving money with Plum, when
she spotted the boy.  He was slim and short, and was wearing a
tattered grey fur hat on his head.  He was also several feet behind
Akane, who was nude from the waist down, and with her back
toward the boy.  Ukyou had a horrible feeling she knew what was
about to happen, and broke into a run, hoping to get there before it
did.

     Akane was deep in thought as she washed herself.  She had
finally managed to relax, and for the first time in months had
managed to let go of the certainty that at any minute some pervert
was going to molest her.  She had enjoyed herself with Ukyou up on
the hill, and had felt real pleasure when the other girl had agreed to
enter into a conspiracy with her to save the little pig.  
     She felt tensions that had been tying her nerves in knots for the
last six weeks start to relax as she cleaned the muck off her upper
body.  This trip was turning out to be very good for her.  Maybe, if
she could just keep control, she might just come out of this with a
friend.  Something that she had been lacking ever since Sayuri's
boyfriend gave into peer pressure and joined the morning gang
attack.  Taking away what had been her last sympathetic ear to voice
her problems to.  
     Looking back, she decided that was when she had started to
lose it.  With no one to talk to, or to sympathize with her problems,
she'd started to feel it was her against the world.  The problem was,
the world was a lot bigger then she was.  Not that she had let that
stop her, but thinking back, she could see how her behavior must
have looked to others, and to see for herself just how bad she had
gotten.  Ukyou was right.  It wasn't like every man and boy in the
world was out to get her.  At least half the boys at Furinkan had
never joined in the attacks.  And the boys who challenged her in the
street, or at the dojo, were just out to make a rep for themselves as
fighters, they likely didn't even care that she was a girl.  As for those
bastards who had tried to drag her into an alley that one time, well
they were just creeps, out to make a different type of reputation.  It
hadn't been fair of her to paint all boys with the same tar brush.

     Mint had run as he had never run before, and had made it to
Jusenkyo in a time that would be the stuff of legend.  If anyone could
have cared less.  He stood on the outskirts of the valley, trying to
remember Herb-sama's message.  He must help, and tell them that
more people were coming.  There was a boy a few feet away from
him, washing himself in the stream.  His clothes tossed over a large
flat boulder next to him.  

     A sound behind Akane made her turn.  Expecting to see Ukyou
she had a smile on her face.  The smile froze as she looked up to see
a strange boy looming over her.  She found herself paralyzed for a
precious second, just long enough for the perverted bastard to reach
out and molest her.

     Mint walked toward the boy, to out of breath to speak.  His
shadow fell across the other boy, and he turned in surprise to look at
Mint.  Mint's eyes bulged, and his mouth fell open, a hint of drool
appearing on his lower lip.  The boy had titties.  Mesmerized by the
sight, he reached forward, and poked one of the fascinating mounds. 
"Titties," he giggled.



     "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
     Nodoka jerked upright, just as Ukyou flashed by their former
campsite.  "Oh Shit!" floated back to Nodoka from the running girl. 
She turned toward the direction of the scream, and saw a scene that
stopped her heart.  Akane was standing there, stripped to the waist, a
boy in front of her.  Clutched in Akane's hands was a massive flat
boulder, nearly three feet thick, and a good fifteen feet in diameter. 
Akane was holding this over her head, and Nodoka did not need
anyone to tell her what was about to happen.  Unfortunately, the
same could not seem to be said for the boy, who seemed oblivious to
his danger.  He simply stood there, his eyes glued to Akane's breasts. 
     "Akane, no!" Nodoka screamed.  Then, unmindful of her
dignity, she rushed toward Akane, making the best speed she could. 
Praying that against all the odds, either she or Ukyou would be able
to stop Akane. 

      Behind Nodoka, a small black animal groaned to itself as it
came back to the world of the living.  It rolled over on its side, and
blinked bleary eyes.  Seeing the activity in the distance, it set out on
unsteady legs, hoping to discover where it was, and what the hell
was going on.

     Ukyou could see she was not going to be in time.  Muttering an
apology under her breath, she drew one of her throwing spatulas,
and threw it with all her might, hoping it would reach its target in
time.  The small weapon sped through the air, and hit, right where
Ukyou had intended.  Akane gave a small scream of shock as the
knife edge of the weapon bit into her shoulder, causing her to turn
slightly.  

     Ukyou had hoped to distract Akane from the target of her rage. 
Her plan failed.  While Akane flinched under the strike, and turned
slightly, her intention to pulverize the pervert did not lessen in the
slightest.  However; if Ukyou plan did not work as she intended, it
did serve the purpose of saving Mint's life.  When Akane turned, she
broke Mint's eye contact with her breasts.  That and her cry of pain
was enough to waken him to his danger.  Looking at the boulder
descending toward his head, he leaped backward with blurring
speed, managing to almost completely  escape the hammer of doom. 
Almost.  The edge of the boulder brushed by his body, and sent him
sprawling.  A microsecond later, the rock slammed into the earth
with an impact that seemed to shake the whole valley.
     Akane scowled when she saw she had not managed to swat the
pervert, and made to lift the rock again.  Fortunately for Mint, and
unfortunately for her, the impact from the rock was not without
consequences.  As Akane started to lift the massive boulder again,
the ground shifted under her feet and gave way.  Akane had time for
one startled squawk, and then she vanished, swallowed up by the
inky blackness that had opened up at her feet, a second after she
disappeared, there was a muffled splash.