Quantum Destinies
A Ranma Fanfic
By Steven Thesken (jurai-knight@home.com)

Editor (as of Chapter 10): D.B. Sommer (sommer@3rdm.net)

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 >.

Comments and Criticisms are always welcome.  It helps me to 
know what is working, and what I need to work on to improve my 
writing.  Flames are ejected into an appropriate receptacle.

This story has found several places on the Web to call home since 
I first began writing it:

Cursed One's Anime Fanfiction
http://members.xoom.com/Cursed_One/fanfic.html

Gorlando's Tribute to Ranma 1/2
http://home.one.net/~gorlando/Anime/ranma/index.html

Nostradamus Vault of Anime Fanfics
http://members.spree.com/sip/changwu91/fic.html



Chapter 15 - The Price of Freedom (Part One)

    The area around the Arena complex never rested.  Guards 
patrolled along the interior of the fence, eyes alert for the slightest 
things that did not belong.  However, it was near the end of the 
shift, and a few mistakes could be expected.  The guards were 
alert to escapes from within.  They never expected anyone trying 
to get in from outside.

    Ukyou eyed the section of fence that she had picked out.  A 
guard had stopped on his rounds to light a cigarette.  She could 
see the small flame that briefly ignited in his cupped hands.  He 
was standing with his back to the fence, and his attention was 
relaxed.  It had taken her a surprisingly short time to find an area 
of entry suitable for her needs, then she had settled in to wait.

    When he breathed out a puff of smoke into the air near his 
head, Ukyou made her move.  Her footsteps were cat light and 
noiseless.  She had checked the fence carefully to make sure that it 
wasn't electrified before she tried something like this.  She had 
made that mistake once before, and the scent of electrfied flesh
had stayed with her for the next two days.  Her body sprang into 
the air with the barest whisper of movement.  The guard looked 
behind himself then shook his head.

    *Don't look up,* thought Ukyou as she grimaced inside her 
mask.  Both hands grasped the top of the fence, her body poised in 
an upright posture.  "A true ninja leaves no trace of his or her 
passing," she remembered her grandfather saying once.  "In the 
movies, so-called ninja will leave bodies lying all over the place.  
This is foolishness.  We are masters of stealth."

    The guard moved along, flicking his cigarette to the ground 
and planting a booted foot into it, crushing it into the pavement
a moment later.  A faint whisper from behind caught the guard's 
ear, but when he turned around again there was no sign that 
anyone else had been there.

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

    Ranma sighed in contentment as the hot water embraced his 
body in the bath, soothing his bruises.  They had become less 
frequent over the last several days, so he was definitely showing 
signs of  improvement.  Master Lee had told Ranma at the end of 
today's training that he was sufficiently satisfied with Ranma's 
progress, and he would be meeting Chun-Li in a day or two.  She 
would be his new sparring partner.

    The bath that he was in was enormous, larger than most public 
ones.  Ranma was almost unnoticeable as he rested quietly in one 
corner of it, steam from the water obscuring him.  He smiled as he 
briefly flexed one hand in the air in front of his face, then allowed 
his arm to fall back into the water as he rested his head back.  
*This isn't such a bad life.*

    Another contented sigh emerged from his mouth.  He closed his 
eyes and let himself drift in thought.  *There is something very 
satisfying about this training,* he thought lazily.  *I could get 
used to this.*

    The last stragglers finally left the bathing area, and Ranma was 
alone with his thoughts.  The heat soaked into his body, giving the 
world a pleasant glow.  He tilted his head to one side and then to 
the other, and his neck gave off a cracking sound.  *If I can keep 
up this level of training, then defeating Shampoo won't be any 
problem.*

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

    Ukyou flitted from shadow to shadow.  Getting inside the main 
building had proven to be far less than a challenge for her.  All of 
the security was turned inwards in order to prevent escapes, so 
getting in from the outside was simplicity itself.  Now she was 
within the walls, and the game was more difficult.  For that 
reason, she had decided on using the ventilation ducts.  She was 
confident that her slender figure would be able to navigate them 
with ease.

    She watched a guard walk by from her place of concealment.  
She just had to locate a quiet closet somewhere, and she would be 
able to enter the ventilation ducts.  After the guard passed, she ran 
over to the maintenance closet and shut herself inside.  It was the 
work of a few moments to open the grill and slip her body inside 
the duct.  Soundlessly, she closed it behind her.

    As she made her way through the system, she peeked in on 
several rooms and updated the mental map of the facility in her 
head.  She had obtained a copy of the blueprints for the buildings 
from a family friend and had spent several hours memorizing 
them.  She had a general idea where Ranma might be.  It was only 
a matter of finding him.

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

    Ranma heard the slap of bare feet on the wet tiles.  He peeked 
one eye open and saw an indistinct figure approaching the far end 
of the tub that he was in.  The thick steam prevented him from 
seeing too clearly, so he assumed that it was simply one of the 
other fighters looking for a soak.  He closed his open eye and 
relaxed once more, resting his chin at the waterline.

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

    Shampoo was tired.  She had trained harder than usual today, 
angry at herself for letting Mina get to her as easily as the Korean 
girl had.  She had continued practicing her punches and kicks, 
pushing her body to the limits.  The number of people in the 
training areas had dwindled away to nothing before she had 
considered herself satisfied.  Now her limbs felt leaden, and she 
only wanted to take a hot bath before getting some food to eat and 
collapsing into bed.

     Shampoo was irritated to discover that the bath in the women's 
side was out of order again, unless she desired a bath in ice cold 
water.  Either the Director was too cheap or too lazy to make the 
repairs that needed to be done.  This was the third time this month 
that the hot water didn't work.  She had washed up in chilly water, 
bundled a robe around herself, and peeked into the men's side.  It 
appeared empty, and Shampoo grinned with relief.  It would be 
nice to soak in a hot bath and forget about her troubles for a little 
while.

    Shampoo checked to see if anyone was in the bathing area.  She 
didn't see anyone in the room or the water.  She slipped off her 
robe and hung it on a hook on the nearest wall.  Before entering 
the water, she rested her hands on her lower back and arched her 
back, feeling several vertebrae pop back into place.  A soft grunt 
of relief escaped her lips.  *Now for a nice soak,* she thought 
with a smile.

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

    Ranma felt the water ripple when the other person got in and 
ignored it.  Just soaking here was relaxing all of the stresses from 
his body.  It was heavenly.  He opened his eyes to see who had 
gotten into the water with him and almost swallowed his tongue.  
*What is Shampoo doing in here?* he thought frantically.  He 
lowered himself further, his nose a single inch above the water.

    She apparently hadn't seen him, and she was settling in at the 
far end.  Ranma guessed (and prayed) that his face was so low in 
the water that the steam had obscured his presence.  *She couldn't 
have been looking for me, could she?* he wondered for a moment.  
>From her actions, she was either pretending that he wasn't in the 
bath with her, or she didn't know.  *The safest thing that I can do 
is just wait here until she leaves.*

    He tried not to think about Shampoo's naked body resting 
several feet away from him.

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

    Ukyou had managed to catch the end of Ranma's practice for 
the day by sheer good fortune.  She had watched in surprised 
fascination as he had worked through a freeform kata unlike any 
that she had ever seen before.  It appeared to follow no discernible 
pattern or rhythm, but the grace and strength of his movements 
had been undeniable.  She had surprised herself when she smiled 
at how handsome he had looked.

    *Perhaps this won't be so bad, after all,* she had thought as she 
kept watching.  Her vantage point wasn't the best, but it gave her a 
clear view of Ranma.  When he had finished, she had heard him 
say that he was going to take a long soak.  Her curiosity had 
briefly warred with her upbringing before she decided to follow 
him.

    She had managed to maneuver herself into a duct above the 
bathing area after a little while.  Ukyou had looked down, and she 
could see him soaking in the water.  However, between the mist 
and the water, she couldn't see his body very well.  She decided to 
wait.

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

    Shampoo sighed softly as she rested her body in the hot water.  
It felt unbelievably good on her tired muscles.  She absently 
massaged a muscle in her thigh that had begun to cramp up a bit 
towards the end of her workout.  She suddenly had a brief image 
in her mind of having Ranma doing this, and she angrily banished 
it from her thoughts.

    "Why does cute boy like Ranma have to be such weakling?" 
mused Shampoo in soft tones.  "Shampoo should no feel this way 
about weakling boy.  Shampoo Amazon warrior.  Only strong 
man win Shampoo's heart."

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

    Ranma could hear Shampoo's faint words quite clearly at his 
end of the tub, and he grumbled softly deep down in his throat.  
His desires to prove just how strong he was to Shampoo grew 
greater, then he realized what she was saying.  *She likes me?* he 
wondered with a slight smile.

    He shook his head slightly to clear it, sending slight ripples 
around the water in the tub.  He froze, fearing that he had alerted 
Shampoo to his presence.  She made no moves, and he mentally 
sighed with relief.  *I can't allow myself to think of her that way.  
She is nothing more than an opponent that I must defeat.*

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

    Ukyou was getting tired of waiting.  As far as she could tell 
from her position over Ranma's head, he was alone.  *I might as 
well show Ranma Saotome what he should be able to deal with if 
he intends to wed a daughter of the Kuonji Clan,* she thought 
with a smile.  *Besides, I owe him a scare for what he's put me 
through with this Arena nonsense.*

    She quickly and quietly worked on unfastening the four bolts 
holding the ventilation grate in place.  They came out with a bare 
minimum of noise, and she slid the vent off.  She peeked her head 
down through the opening.  There was a lot of steam coming off 
of the bath, but she could see Ranma's head in the water.  Due to 
the angle of her view, she didn't notice Shampoo at the opposite 
end of the water.

    *Now I have to think of a good opening line.*  She chuckled to 
herself when one came to her.  *This should show him what I am 
capable of.*

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

    Ranma was still nervously watching Shampoo's recumbent 
form, dimly visible several feet away, when he heard a voice cry 
out from over his head.

    "Ranma Saotome!  Prepare to die!"  He knew that voice, but 
from where?

    Ranma leaped clear of the water, prepared to fight for his life.  
A female shape clad in black came plummeting down at him, a sai 
in each hand.  She landed on the tiles gracefully, and posed briefly 
in a fighting stance.  Ranma blinked at the sight of the person 
who was standing before him.  Black cloth covered the lower 
portion of her face, but the eyes looked very familiar.  He saw 
motion at the other end of the water, and he knew that things were 
about to get very complicated.

    Shampoo opened her eyes slightly at the sudden interruption. 
*Oh, a ninja's threatening Ranma,* she thought and closed her 
eyes, relaxing once more.

    Then it registered.

    She also leaped clear of the water, surprised that anyone else 
was here in the bathing area with her.  She did a quick midair 
somersault and landed on her feet at the edge of the large bath, 
going into a defensive posture.  That she was completely naked 
did not seem to affect her focus.  That Ranma was standing there 
naked as well was going to take a few moments of intense 
discipline on her part before she could focus herself fully on a 
fight.

    Ukyou blinked at the sight of a strange naked girl coming from 
the same water that Ranma had been in.  A very nasty suspicion 
formed in her mind.  Her eyes shifted back to Ranma.  He was 
looking at her with dawning recognition in his eyes.

    "Ucchan?" he asked tentatively.

    Her body spun around in a powerful kick that propelled Ranma 
into the nearby wall.  His body impacted hard into the wall tiles, 
leaving a rather impressive pattern of cracks.

    "How _dare_ you speak to me so familiarly!" she yelled at him.  
She was blushing behind the mask covering the lower portion of 
her face.  Ranma's nakedness was only part of the reason why.

    Shampoo was puzzled.  The strange masked girl was not 
following up on her attack upon Ranma.  Her posture was more 
hesitant than aggressive.  Shampoo stood unashamed as Ukyou 
turned in her direction.  She wasn't sure if she should assist 
Ranma or not, but she was prepared to respond with force if 
Ukyou attacked her.

    "You," hissed Ukyou in cold tones.  "Get out."  She jerked a 
thumb in the direction of the door.  "I have some private business 
with Mr. Saotome here."

    Shampoo shrugged.  She wasn't about to let herself be ordered 
about by some girl in a mask, but she was too tired to fight right 
now.  She calmly walked over to Ukyou.  The ninja girl watched 
the Amazon approach her.

    "If ask nice, Shampoo might go," said the Amazon calmly

    Ukyou blinked.  Her eyes went from Ranma's stunned body, 
partially embedded in the wall, to the naked body of Shampoo.  
She wasn't really looking for a fight right now, so she nodded.

    "My apologies," said Ukyou grudgingly.  "Please leave.  I wish 
to discuss some things with Ranma."

    Deciding it was none of her concern, Shampoo turned her back 
on the tableau and grabbed her robe off of the wall.  She put it on 
and calmly walked out the door without a word.

    Ranma peeled himself off of the wall in time to get a large 
towel thrown in his face.  He hastily wrapped it around his 
middle, his face blushing.  He turned back to face Ukyou, unsure 
what to say to her.

    "Umm... hello," Ranma ventured to say.

    "You have a great deal of explaining to do, Ranma Saotome," 
said Ukyou in a quietly angry tone of voice.  "I spent several hours 
traveling to meet a prospective husband, and what did I find?"

    Ranma shrugged.  He suspected what the answer was.

    "I'll tell you what I found," said Ukyou in a somewhat louder 
tone of voice.  "I found out that my prospective husband wasn't 
there.  Where was he?  I discovered that he had gotten himself 
trapped in the Arena.  Being the good ninja that I am, I snuck in 
here to express my displeasure at your thoughtlessness."  She 
pointed at him with one of her sais.  "I then find my future 
husband bathing with some strange Chinese girl of dubious 
descent.  Have I covered all of the basics?"

    "Well... uhh... ya see...," stammered Ranma.  He was surprised 
to find that he couldn't seem to get any words out.  He marshaled 
his will and calmed himself.  "There really is a perfectly logical 
explanation for all of this."

    "There is?" replied Ukyou, sounding doubtful.  "Let's start with 
something simple.  Who was that Chinese girl?"

    "That was Shampoo," answered Ranma.  "She's one of the best 
fighters here in the Arena.  She was the one that I lost to several 
days ago.  If I can win in a rematch next week, then I can go 
home."

    "Why was she in here bathing with you?" asked Ukyou.  Her 
hands gripped the sais tightly.

    "That was all an accident," said Ranma with a nervous chuckle, 
as he put one hand behind his head.  "She didn't know that anyone 
was in here, I think."

    "So you just let her remove her clothes and get in the water 
with you without saying anything?"  A glint of menace was in her 
eyes.  The knuckles of her hands were white from her tight grip 
on her weapons.

    "I didn't know who it was!" shouted Ranma in a defensive tone.  
"Ya gotta believe me!"

    Ukyou hummed as she eyed Ranma.  She was very tempted to 
go back to her parents and annul this engagement nonsense.  She 
sighed loudly, her anger cooling a bit.  Then a thought hit her.

    "So what was the meaning of calling me Ucchan?" asked 
Ukyou.

    "Uhh... that's a little hard to explain," said Ranma.

    "Try," prompted Ukyou.  She shifted her position into a more 
clearly offensive one and waited.

    "I will explain everything... next week," said Ranma.  "After I 
win my freedom from this place."

    Ukyou rocked back on her heels slightly.  Ranma had just 
refused to answer her.  She wasn't used to being refused like that.  
*Maybe he has some spirit, after all.  He's a little like Ryoga that 
way.*  Ukyou blinked, a little confused at thinking about Ryoga at 
a time like this.

    "I think you had better go, Ucch... Ukyou," said Ranma.  
"Before the guards find you."  Ranma pointed at a small camera 
aimed at them.  Ukyou glared once at Ranma, then the camera.

    "You will give me a full explanation for all of this at that time," 
said Ukyou firmly.  She leaped up into the grate in the blink of an 
eye.  Less than a minute later, an armed squad of Arena guards 
burst into the room.

    Ranma sighed.  *All I wanted to do was take a bath.*

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

    Two days later, there were new arrivals at the Arena.  Ranma 
was expecting one.  The others were a bit of a surprise.

    Ranma was going through one of his practice routines when he 
noticed Master Lee suddenly smile at something behind him.  
Ranma turned around, and there was a beautiful Chinese girl 
standing there.  She was dressed in tight silk pants in red, and a 
snug silk blouse in blue and gold.  She wore a pair of soft white 
boots, laced up the front.  Her hair was worn in a single loose 
ponytail that went down between her shoulderblades.   Her beauty 
rivaled Shampoo's, and she seemed to be an inch or two taller 
than the Amazon.  Ranma stood there, amazed.

    "Hello," said the girl with a smile.  "I am Chun-Li Lee."  She 
bowed to him.  Ranma numbly returned her bow.

    "Umm... I'm Ranma," he said with a smile.  "Ranma Saotome."

    Chun-Li released Ranma's hand and took a slow walk around 
him.  She nodded slightly to herself and hummed tunelessly every 
now and then.  Ranma was bewildered, and he turned his head to 
follow her movements.  She returned to her original position and 
smiled brightly.  She clasped her hands behind her back, which 
had the effect of thrusting out her chest a bit.

    "You'll do," she pronounced cheerfully.  "You seem taller in 
person."  Ranma wasn't sure how to take that.  "So are you ready 
for a little sparring?"

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

    Shampoo drove her fist through the thick leather of the heavy 
bag that she was punching.

    "I take it that you've seen Ranma's new friend?" asked Running 
Deer from behind her, taking note of the heavy punching bag that 
Shampoo had destroyed with one blow.  Shampoo turned around.

    "Shampoo see her," replied the Amazon.  "She seem like good 
fighter."  Shampoo turned around and watched as Ranma was 
getting forced back by Chun-Li as they sparred on the far side of 
the training area.  The other Chinese girl was very fast.

    "She is quite good," said Running Deer in agreement.  "Very 
fast."

    "Shampoo better though," said the Amazon, as the sand from 
the heavy bag slowly dribbled out behind her.  "She fast, but not 
as strong as Shampoo."

    "Uh huh," grunted Running Deer noncommittally, as she heard 
Shampoo beginning to mutter a number of rude phrases about the
new girl that were usually reserved to describe Mina.  *I wonder 
how long it's going to take for your Amazon pride to admit that 
you like a man who hasn't defeated you in combat.  Please win, 
Ranma, for both your sakes.*

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

    Matriarch Khu Lon was not in a good mood.  She had spent 
interminable days in what she considered a cesspit of a city while 
she waited for her paperwork to be processed at glacial speed.  
Finally, yesterday, she had been able to charter a private plane and 
embark for the main islands of Japan.  That trip had almost turned 
into an adventure in itself, one that Khu Lon hoped that she would 
never have to repeat.  By the time that they arrived in Japan, her 
mood was sour.

    The pilot was an interesting sort, a scoundrel by the name of 
Jun Sono.  Khu Lon had discovered him in one of the many bars 
that existed around the Shanghai airfield.  A small number of 
discreet questions had quickly led her to Jun Sono and his copilot, 
a rather large Chinese man named Bishamonten.  The copilot was 
a quiet sort, as hairy as a shag carpet and mainly just grunted 
when spoken to.  Despite their disreputable appearances, they 
came highly recommended.

    After agreeing to a large sum of money for passage, they had 
gone to the airfield.  When they saw the plane that they were to fly 
in, Per Fum had summed up Khu Lon's own feelings quite well.

    "<What a piece of junk,>" Per Fum had said.  She had stood 
there with her hands on her hips and a disapproving look on her 
face.

    Captain Sono had taken exception to this remark.  He was quite 
proud of his plane, the Centennial Hawk.  It was apparently a relic 
of the Global War, a heavily reconditioned bomber.  Khu Lon had 
finally managed to get the grumbling Per Fum and the quiet Mu 
Tsu on board with only a few minor threats.  Captain Sono was 
obviously a smuggler of some sort, but he was a skilled pilot.

    It was a long and very uncomfortable flight.  By the time that 
they had arrived, they were all tired.  Traveling with Per Fum had 
opened Khu Lon's eyes about the Enforcer's character.  The girl 
was proving to be less than an ideal traveling companion.  Even 
Mu Tsu was showing himself to be surprisingly tolerable in 
comparison.

    Khu Lon had found Mu Tsu to be a bit of an enigma during the 
trip so far.  He still had his undying devotion to Xian Pu, but there 
was a new level of single-minded purpose to the boy that bothered 
Khu Lon.  He was courteous when spoken to, but he somehow 
always managed to evade any questions about his activities for the 
last six years.  Khu Lon found it an intriguing puzzle.  He was not 
the same nearly-blind clown that had left their village.

    They had spent the night in a rather inexpensive lodging 
establishment.  Upon the morning, Khu Lon had left Mu Tsu 
behind with the luggage, while Per Fum had gone with her to the 
Arena.  It was an impressive edifice to Khu Lon's eyes, almost a 
temple to the arts of fighting.  She had gone in and asked to see 
the Arena Director for a special request.

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

    "Director Sasaki?" asked the secretary over the speaker.  "I 
have a Matriarch Cologne of the Amazons here to see you."

    "Indeed?" replied the Director.  "Please send her in."  He leaned 
back in his chair and smiled as he rested his fingers together.  His 
sources had informed him of the Matriarch's arrival in Shanghai 
several days ago.  *Perhaps she will be intrigued at the offer I was 
about to give Shampoo.*

    Director Sasaki eyed the various reports on his desk.  The news 
agencies had increased their demands for personal interviews with 
Ranma again.  The boy's popularity among the masses was quite 
high for a newcomer.  It had become rather obvious to him that 
Ranma Saotome should remain in the Arena, even if it meant 
possibly losing Shampoo.  Her popularity was good, but it had 
leveled off for several months.

    Ranma represented a new hero that could be built up in the 
media.  He was receiving training from the legendary Jun Fan 
Lee, and he was shown to be extremely photogenic in combat.  He 
would be an extremely lucrative property, given a little time.  The 
only obstacle in the way was his rematch.  The Director needed 
Ranma to lose, but he had received orders from the Master that 
the boy was to be given a fair fight.  It made things more difficult, 
so he had to insure that Shampoo fought the boy to the full limits 
of her ability.

    Ranma would lose, and it would be in a fair fight.  Shampoo's 
level of skill bordered on the inhuman.  Two weeks of training on 
Ranma's part was not going to change that.  It would require years 
of intensive study of the martial arts for a boy like Ranma to hope 
to best Shampoo.  If Shampoo fought at her best, then Ranma 
would lose.  He simply had to find the correct motivation to give 
to Shampoo.

    Through the security monitors, Director Sasaki had noticed the 
looks that the Amazon girl had been giving Ranma, and several of 
his sources had confirmed that Shampoo might be developing a 
soft spot for the boy.  He did not feel that she would be fighting at 
her best when the rematch took place.  It was time to place some 
added motivation on the girl.  Now he had a perfect method and 
opportunity to present it.

    The doors opened, and Cologne entered.  Her walking staff 
gave her a somewhat feeble appearance to the Director's eyes.  He 
stood up behind his desk and smiled.

    "Matriarch Cologne, this is a pleasant surprise," said the 
Director in his most ingratiating tones.  Cologne's wrinkled face 
twitched slightly at his pronunciation of her name.  "To what do I 
owe this honor?"

    "I wish to be allowed to visit with my Great-Granddaughter 
Shampoo, Director," replied Cologne.  "I was hoping that that 
would be permissible."  *The man is up to something, I can see it 
in his eyes.*

    "Permissible?" said the Director with a smile.  "Of course it 
would be permissible.  Please... have a seat."  The Director 
gestured to the chair in front of his desk.  Cologne hopped up into 
the chair and sat down with dignity.

    "I have been watching Shampoo's progress over the course of 
her time here," said Cologne.  "Her skill has grown great, but I am 
concerned about these rages that she has fallen into during certain 
fights.  I would like an opportunity to train her, and help her to 
regain her control."

    The Director smiled.  *Perfect.*  He had obtained a portfolio on 
Matriarch Khu Lon from the Security Directorate and had studied 
it in detail.  Her true age was unknown, but she was reported to be 
a master of an extremely high level of ability in the martial arts.  
To have her train Shampoo would be to ensure that the girl would 
fight at her best.  The Amazons treasured family honor, and it 
would be unthinkable for her to do otherwise with her Great-
Grandmother in the viewing audience.

    "I think that that can be arranged," said the Director with an 
oily smile.  "In fact, now that you are here, you can present an 
offer to Shampoo that I have been authorized to make.  It concerns 
the boy, Ranma Saotome."

    Cologne did not allow any emotion to reach her face.  The boy 
was of no consequence to her.  Shampoo was all that mattered.

    "What sort of offer did you have in mind, Director Sasaki?" 
asked Cologne calmly.

    "If Shampoo defeats Ranma Saotome in the Arena, one week 
from tonight, then she will be released from her contract," replied 
the Director.  "That release will render her free and clear of all of 
her remaining obligations.  You could take her home with you."

    "I have one week to train Shampoo however I choose?" asked 
Cologne.  The Director nodded.

    "My staff and I will make whatever special training equipment 
that you feel is necessary available for you," said the Director.  "I 
want you to understand something, Matriarch.  I _want_ Shampoo 
to win.  Am I clear on that?"

    *He wants the boy,* thought Cologne.  *But why?*

    "What if she still loses?" asked Cologne in curiosity.

    "Then the original terms of her contract will be fulfilled to the 
letter," answered the Director.  "She will become the property of 
Ranma Saotome, with the possibility of becoming his wife under 
Imperial law.  From those two choices, I am confident that I know 
which would be preferable to you."

    "I accept your terms, Director," answered Cologne after a short 
moment of consideration.  "I will make sure that Shampoo fights 
at her best.  The boy will not defeat her."  *If he does, then he will 
be Shampoo's husband.  I will see to that.  A win-win situation, 
my favorite kind.*

    "Excellent," said the Director.  "My secretary will handle all of 
the arrangements.  Would you require quarters on the Arena 
premises?  We have several vacant rooms that you might have."

    "That will be fine," replied Cologne.  She smiled at the pleasant 
turn of events that had taken place.  *I know just the special 
training that I must give Shampoo to ensure her victory.  The boy 
will not be able to withstand the Amazon technique that I will 
teach her.*

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

    Genma was normally not a man for drinking.  Dulling the 
mental abilities with the poison of alcohol had always seemed to 
him to be a silly thing for a grown man to do.  His colleagues 
thought of him as a dull sort, devoted to his work and his family.  
However, ever since his brief taste of that other life, drinking had 
seemed to be a suitable solution to forget his difficulties for 
awhile.  Nodoka had been going on and on about Ranma's future 
marriage, and how a girl like Ukyou would give Ranma direction 
in life.  After almost a week of listening to that, Genma decided to 
do what many other husbands his age did and went to find a quiet 
bar to sulk in.

    *The boy had a fine life ahead of him,* he thought as he took a 
sip of sake.  It burned like sweet fire down his throat.  *He didn't 
need to be tied down to a woman at this young an age.  Women 
just don't seem to be happy to see a man single, especially not a 
traditional woman like Nodoka.  She should have just left well 
enough alone.  Ranma would have found a wife on his own when 
he was good and ready.*

    Genma swallowed the sake remaining in his cup.  He waved off 
the bar maid when she stopped by his table to pour another cup for 
him.  He picked up the small bottle and served himself, leaving 
the girl to shrug and go on to the next customer.  Genma took 
another sip of sake and grimaced at the burning taste.  It seemed 
to be becoming slightly more tolerable with each cup.

    *I need some way to derail Nodoka's plans for a while.  A wife 
is one of the last things that Ranma needs right now.  The boy has 
made a major breakthrough in a new frontier of learning.  A wife 
would only distract him... all that constant yammering.*  Genma 
sighed.  He knew that he was really being unfair to Nodoka.

    *You were, and still are, the only woman for me, Nodoka-
chan,* he thought with a smile.  A tear formed in one eye as he 
remembered his wedding day.  *You were so beautiful that day, 
Nodoka-chan.  I think that was the day that I truly fell in love 
with you.  Married life was a difficult adjustment at first, but it 
was so nice to have someone to warm my bed at night*  He 
grinned at the thought.

    *Ukyou is a nice enough girl, but Ranma needs someone more 
intelligent.  The boy _is_ one of the brightest young minds in the 
Empire, after all.*  He took another deep sip of sake.  The taste 
was definitely becoming more palatable.  He waved the bar maid 
over and told her to bring him another bottle.

    *Maybe I should just do as the other Genma did, and start 
engaging my son to as many girls as I can find,* he thought with 
a slight chuckle.  *Playing them off against each other would keep 
the issue of marriage in the distance....*  Genma blinked.  Maybe 
it was the effects of the sake on his brain, but that idea didn't seem 
to be totally without merit.

    At that moment, someone sat down at his table.

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

    Genma was doing something out of his normal character when 
Soun Tendo finally met the man.  Soun had decided to try a more 
direct approach with the Saotome family patriarch.  Towards that 
end, he had detailed a few of his junior agents to watch Genma, 
explaining it as a training exercise.  They had reported Genma's 
movements to him over the past several days.

    An hour ago, Soun had received a phone call from one of his 
men that Genma Saotome was in one of the small bars near his 
home, drinking.  A relaxed social environment suited Soun's 
needs quite nicely, so he had left the office a little earlier than his 
usual time.  He patted the carefully written piece of paper in his 
jacket pocket as he stepped into the bar.

    He spotted Genma at a quiet table towards the back, two empty 
bottles of sake were near one of his elbows.  He was staring down 
into a small cup of sake when Soun sat down next to him.  Genma 
blinked his eyes and focused on Soun's face.

    "Greetings, Saotome-san," said Soun pleasantly.  "My name is 
Soun Tendo.  I hope that you do not mind if I join you.  I have a 
proposition that I wished to discuss with you that concerned your 
son."

    Genma was not as drunk as he must have appeared to Soun.  
He smiled inwardly and thanked the gods for granting him this 
boon.  *Ranma will thank me for this.  I'm sure of it.*  He waved 
the bar maid back over and had her bring another bottle of sake 
and another cup.  This was going to take some careful handling.

    "Tendo-san," said Genma with a slight slurring of his voice.  "I 
am honored to meet you.  I believe that my son is going to the 
Imperial Academy with two of your daughters."  He poured Soun 
a full cup of sake and gestured for him to drink.

    "This is true," acknowledged Soun.  It was a little early in the 
evening for him to start drinking, but it was for a good cause.  He 
took a long sip of sake, relishing the sensations as it slid down his 
throat.  "My daughters Nabiki and Akane have mentioned your 
son to me once or twice."

    "My son has also mentioned your daughters to me as well," said 
Genma.  He poured another full cup of sake for Soun when he 
noticed that the other man's cup was getting empty.  "I imagine 
that they are fine and upstanding young women.  A tribute to the 
new generation of the Empire."

    "You are too kind, Saotome-san," said Soun.  He took another 
deep sip of sake.  It was a pleasant change of pace to relax like 
this.  It had been a long time since he had let himself do so, not 
since before the death of his dear wife.  He drained his cup of sake 
and held it out for another refill.

    An unknown number of cups of sake later, the two men were 
acting like the best of friends.  Genma had managed to control his 
level of intake somewhat, but the world had taken on a pleasant 
fog.  The bar maid removed another empty bottle of sake and 
replaced it with a fresh one.  Soun slapped a bill down on the table 
with a drunken smile.

    "Where was... was I?" asked Genma.  He blinked.  "Oh, yes, my 
wife.  Wonderful woman is my Nodoka-chan, but she can't leave 
well enough alone.  She wants my son to get... get married.  I 
don't know if the boy is ready for something like that.  She's 
gotten my son engaged, but I need to find a way to put off her 
plans."  Genma took another sip of sake.  He briefly wondered 
why he had ever been so judgmental about drinking.

    "Marriage is...," said Soun before pausing.  He took a moment 
to focus his thoughts.  "Marriage is a wonderful thing.  I miss my 
wife a great deal."  Soun paused and felt a tear forming in his eye.  
He jerked his head back and mustered his will.  *I will not cry.  I 
am an important man in the Empire, in the Security Directorate.  I 
must be strong for the girls.*

    Soun's hand brushed against the pocket of his jacket.  He 
suddenly recalled his reasons for seeking out Genma Saotome.  He 
reached in and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.  He carefully 
spread it out on a clean section of the table.  Genma eyed it 
blearily.

    "What is that, Soun old buddy?" said Genma with a smile.  He 
leaned down to read it, but his eyes wouldn't quite focus right.

    "The answer to your problems, Genma my friend," answered 
Soun with a smile.  *Now if I can just remember what it says.*  
He paused for a moment before it came back to him.  *Oh, yes.*  
Soun pressed one finger to the symbols printed on the piece of 
paper.

    "Your son is in the Arena, right?" asked Soun.

    "Yes," answered Genma.  He adjusted his glasses a little.  They 
had slipped down a bit on one side.  "The boy has become a good 
fighter.  He is a martial... martial...."

    "Artist?" ventured Soun.  Genma refilled Soun's sake cup, and 
Soun did the same for Genma.
 
    "Thank you," said Genma.  "Yes, a martial artist.  I have faith 
in the boy winning his freedom, but I worry for him if he should 
lose."  Genma felt tears in his eyes.

    "Sign this paper then," said Soun.  He managed to pull a pen 
from his pocket on the third try.  "If Ranma loses, I am prepared 
to... to buy his contract from the Arena.  In exchange, you engage 
your son to my daughter... my daughter Nabiki, even if he wins.  
We both win."

    *Another fiancee for Ranma?* thought Genma blearily.  *I 
needed another girl to use against Ukyou.  This is indeed a blessed 
day.  Nodoka might even be pleased.*  Genma took the pen from 
Soun's hand.  It only took him two tries.

    "If you do this thing for me, then I will engage my son to 
_both_ of your daughters, as of this moment," said Genma with a 
smile.  Soun nodded, eager to finish the deal and get home.  He 
had a staff meeting in the morning.  He was going to need to take 
a cab home.

    "That is... emimen... eminently agreeable," said Soun.  He 
added Akane's name to the document.  Genma made his mark 
next to the change and made another mark, in rather good 
penmanship for his inebriated state, at the bottom.  The two of 
them shook hands, both smiling.

    "You are a good... good father, Genma Saotome," said Soun as 
he stood up.  The room seemed to be weaving in a not entirely 
unpleasant way.  "We should do this... do this again sometime."

    "I agree, Tendo," said Genma with a happy nod.  "You have 
lifted my spirits.  I... salute you."  Genma executed a sloppy 
military salute and promptly let his head fall to the top of the 
table.  Snoring sounds came from him a moment later.

    Soun carefully folded the paper and placed it in his pocket.  He 
checked it once to make sure that it was in there before he 
staggered to the door.  The weaving of the room was becoming a 
little less pleasant now.  One of his men was waiting outside.

    "Are you all right, sir?" asked the Security officer.  Soun could 
not recall the man's name at the moment.

    "I'm... I'm a little bit... drunk, son," said Soun with great 
dignity.  He made a shushing sound as he raised one finger up in 
front of his lips.  "You can't tell anyone I was in this condition.   If 
you do, I'll have you... have you shot."  Soun smiled.  "Please 
drive me home."

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

    Shampoo was getting ready for sleep when she felt a tap on her 
shoulder.  She turned around to see a person that she hadn't 
expected to see for several more years.  Her eyes lit up with joy.

    "Great-Grandmother!" Shampoo exclaimed happily.  She knelt 
down, tears in her eyes.  "It so good to see Great-Grandmother 
again.  Shampoo is so happy!"  She hugged the elderly Amazon.

    "It is... very good... to see you again, Shampoo," said Cologne 
with a smile.  She rapped the younger Amazon gently on the head 
with her staff when she felt that the hug had gone on long enough.  
Shampoo released her.  "I have wonderful news for you, Great-
Granddaughter.  You will soon be free of this place."

    "Free?" asked Shampoo.  "How that so, Great-Grandmother?"

    "<The Director of this place has offered a deal, and I have 
accepted it on your behalf,>" said Cologne, shifting into her 
native Mandarin.

    "<What sort of deal?>" asked Shampoo.

    "<You must defeat the boy, Ranma Saotome,>" answered 
Cologne.  "<I will be training you for the remaining week until 
the rematch.  The boy will not be able to withstand you.>"

    "<I defeated Ranma once already,>" said Shampoo with a sniff 
of disdain.  "<He is no match for an Amazon warrior.  I will 
defeat him again.>"

    "<Perhaps,>" said Cologne.  "<However, I wish to ensure your 
victory.  From watching your progress, I feel that you are ready to 
learn one of the secrets of our people.  You are my intended heir, 
Xian Pu.  It is only right that I show you the sacred legacy of the 
Amazons.  Are you prepared to learn?  I will not go easy on 
you.>"

    "<I am ready, Matriarch Khu Lon,>" said Shampoo as she 
stood tall and proud.  "<I will learn, and I will defeat Ranma 
Saotome.  I won't fail you.>"

    "<That is just as I hoped to hear, child,>" said Cologne with a 
smile.  "<Under my guidance, you will become an even greater 
warrior.  Sleep now.  Your training will begin in the morning.>"

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

    Ranma was surprised to see a familiar figure working with 
Shampoo when he entered the exercise room the next morning.  A 
small, wrinkled crone of a woman was explaining something to 
Shampoo in a quiet corner of the room.  It was one of the few 
locations where the ever-present security cameras were not able to 
see.  Ranma blinked when he suddenly recognized her as the 
Amazon Matriarch Cologne.  *What is she doing here?*

    Ranma began his warm-up routine.  He diverted some of his 
attention and watched as Shampoo began doing speed exercises of 
some sort with her hands.  Nearby, Cologne was seated, watching 
Shampoo with a critical eye.  Ranma edged a little closer so that 
he could try and hear what was going on, adjusting the direction 
of his freeform kata to slowly move his position in the room to a 
better location.

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

    "<No... no... no, Xian Pu,>" said Cologne with a sigh.  "<You 
must focus your concentration on adding your chi to your speed.  
If you tried that with an actual fire burning, then you would be 
burned.  Observe me, and I will demonstrate.>"

    Cologne lowered herself down and adjusted the small pile of 
wood in front of her until she was satisfied.  She picked up one 
stick and rubbed her thumb briskly along one side near the end.  
A crackling flame suddenly appeared on the stick.  Cologne 
smiled at Shampoo's surprised look, then tossed the stick into the 
pile of wood, starting a fire.

    Cologne opened a bag of sweet chestnuts and tossed them into 
the fire.  Her hands began to blur as she plucked each one from 
out of the fire without burning herself.  She noticed that Ranma 
had edged closer.  It was still early, and they were some of the few 
people in the room.

    "What do you want, boy?" asked Cologne in a mild tone.  She 
eyed Ranma, and she could sense his internal ki quite clearly.  
*This boy has great potential.  Perhaps I can motivate Shampoo 
with an alternative method of training.*

    "I... have seen that technique before, Matriarch Cologne," said 
Ranma carefully.  "I know that I could learn it."  Shampoo looked 
at Ranma in surprise.  Her look changed to one of anger.

    "What silly Citizen boy thinking?" asked Shampoo with some 
disdain.  "This Amazon technique.  Ranma too slow to do it, but 
Shampoo will do it.  Ranma watch Shampoo."

    Shampoo tossed a handful of chestnuts into the fire.  She took a 
deep breath and focused herself.  Her hands darted into the fire, as 
fast as she was able.  She managed to pluck out a few, but she 
stopped quickly when the pain got to be too much.  She paused to 
blow on her hands, reddened by the flames.  

    Cologne sighed.

    Ranma stepped closer, feeling bolder.  He bowed his head to 
Cologne.  "I can learn this technique," he stated with confidence.  
"I know I can."

    "If you think that you can do this, then give it a try," said 
Cologne with a slight smile.  "Shampoo can use the competition."

    Shampoo looked at Cologne with surprise.  Her eyes then 
turned to look at Ranma.  *I will learn this technique before 
Ranma.  He is only a weak male.  I am an Amazon warrior.*

    On her next try, Shampoo almost lit her sleeves on fire.  Ranma 
started to laugh, but a glare from Shampoo stopped him.  "Ranma 
best not laugh at Shampoo.  Could be fatal."

    "Sorry," said Ranma sincerely.  "I won't do it again.  I will 
learn this technique before you though."  He grinned at her.  
Shampoo glared at him some more.

    Cologne watched the two children in front of her.  She shook 
her head slowly, an amused smile on her face.  *There is a spark 
of... something between these two, despite their words to each 
other.  Interesting.  Perhaps if they manage to goad each other on 
to success, I can use that to teach Xian Pu more techniques.*

    On his first try, Ranma managed to pluck one chestnut more 
from the fire than Shampoo had.  Shampoo glared at him some 
more.  *I can do this,* thought Ranma with confidence.  *In a 
sense, I have _already_ done this.  I just need to train my body to 
reach that level of speed.*

    Shampoo managed to match Ranma's number of chestnuts 
plucked from the fire on her next try.  She also managed to avoid 
singeing her clothes.  Shampoo counted it as a minor victory.  
*Hah!  I will show Ranma who the superior warrior is yet!  Now I 
have to go one better!*

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

    Chun-Li and Master Lee entered the training area.  Master Lee 
noticed Ranma on the far side of the room.  *What is Ranma up 
to, and who is that old woman?* he wondered.

    "<Father?>" asked Chun-Li from next to him.  "<What sort of 
training is Ranma doing?>"  She watched with interest as Ranma 
almost burned himself again.

    "<A technique that I have only heard stories of,>" replied 
Master Lee.  "<The Amazons are said to possess a technique of 
punching that is so quick as to allow a warrior to pluck chestnuts 
from a fire without being burned.  If Ranma is capable of learning 
such a powerful technique, then I shall allow him to.>"

    They approached the trio, and Cologne acknowledged their 
presence with a nod.  Master Lee bowed politely to Cologne.  "<I 
am Jun Fan Lee,>" he said as he raised his head back up.  "<I 
have been Ranma's teacher for the past week.  Are you one of the 
Matriarchs of the Amazons?>"

    "<I am the Chief Matriarch,>" replied Cologne.  "<My name is 
Khu Lon.  I have heard of your exploits, Lee.  Your kung fu skills 
are strong.  You have done well in your training of young Ranma.  
He expressed an interest in some training that I am doing with 
Shampoo here, so I allowed him to try.>"  Cologne smiled.  "<I 
felt that the threat of competition would encourage Xian Pu to try 
harder.>"

    "<An interesting method of training, Matriarch Khu Lon,>" 
said Master Lee.  "<How does my student fare?>"  His eyes 
watched Ranma and Shampoo taking turns at the fire.  Both of 
them were looking a little singed around the edges.  Ranma had a 
manic expression on his face, and Shampoo wore one of supreme 
determination.

    "<He shows potential to equal my Great-Granddaughter's,>" 
said Cologne with a thoughtful look.  "<The boy is a mystery to 
me.  He is a true student of the Anything-Goes style, as he once 
boldly claimed.  I am sure of it.  There are also elements of 
Amazon fighting style in his movements.  I find myself at a... 
loss... as to how to explain it.>"

    "<He has told me that he has no knowledge of Shadowlaw,>" 
said Master Lee in conversational tones.  "<I believe him.  
However, he has evaded my questions on his early training.  For 
all I know, they came upon him through magic.>"  Master Lee 
chuckled.

    "<An amusing theory,>" said Cologne with a chuckle.  "<No, 
the boy shows evidence of years of training, and his potential is 
very impressive.  It may even border on staggering.>"

    "<He is an exceptional student of the martial arts,>" agreed 
Master Lee.  "<He has an intuitive grasp of the motions that I 
have never seen in a student before, and a quick mind as well.  
His strength and speed improve visibly each day.>"

    "YOWCH!" screamed Ranma.  The three observers looked up 
at Ranma blowing on his hands.  Shampoo could be seen stifling a 
laugh behind him.  Cologne and Master Lee both smiled.

    "<Still, he has a long way to go,>" said Master Lee with a 
twinkle in his eye.

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

    Chun-Li watched Ranma and Shampoo, and a small frown was 
on her face.  *He cares about the Amazon.  Yet she is the reason 
for his being here.  Strange.* She sat down against the wall and 
watched Ranma.  A smile crossed her face.  There was an almost 
indefinable... something... about Ranma that had touched her at 
their first meeting.  No boy had ever affected her like this before.

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

    Genma rolled over in bed, and he wished that he was dead.  He 
moved around a little on his futon when Nodoka came into the 
room with some tea.  His new position brought the morning sun 
straight into his eyes like the wrath of God.  He hid his face under 
the covers and whimpered.

    Nodoka sighed.  Genma had come home stinking drunk last 
night, and it was the first time that she had ever seen him in such 
a condition.  Even at the party after their marriage, he remained 
sober.  His strong sense of self-control had always been one of the 
things that had attracted her to him.  She set the tray of tea down 
and knelt by his side.

    "Genma dear," she said softly.  He groaned under the covers.  
Nodoka poured some tea into a cup.  It was a special blend that 
her mother had always used when her father was recuperating 
from one of his nightly drinking fests.  She whipped the cover off 
of Genma's body, pinched his nose shut, and poured the whole cup 
down his throat in a single smooth motion.

    Genma sat straight up, his eyes wide.  He blinked rapidly, and 
he felt like someone had stuck a firehose in his mouth and turned 
on the water full force.  All of the pain of his hangover was 
experienced in a single, blinding instant, rather than gradually 
over a period of time.  When it was over, he sat there, panting like 
a bellows.

    "Feeling a little better, Genma dear?" asked Nodoka sweetly.  It 
was a good thing that it was the weekend.  Genma didn't look to 
be in any shape to instruct his classes.  She poured another cup of 
tea and shoved it into his hand.  "I want you to drink down this 
entire pot of tea that I made."  The sweet tones had been replaced 
with steel.

    Genma swallowed the tea, and his eyes only bulged a little at 
the reaction it caused in his body this time.  Seeing Nodoka's 
unforgiving eyes upon him, he held out the cup for a refill meekly.  
He drank down six more cups of tea before the pot was empty.  By 
the time he was done, he felt almost normal.

    "Now... will you tell me what made you make such a disgusting 
spectacle of yourself last night?" asked Nodoka calmly.  She took 
the empty teacup from his hand and set it on the tray.  She waited 
with folded arms for his answer.

    "It is sort of vague, but I remember speaking with Soun Tendo 
last night," said Genma slowly.  He had to make this sound as 
normal as possible.  "I'm reasonably sure that I pledged Ranma to 
one of his daughters for marriage, on our family honor."

    "YOU DID WHAT?!" shrieked Nodoka.  Genma felt like a 
rusty spike had just been driven through his head.  He winced at 
the pain and thanked the gods that it subsided just as quickly as it 
appeared.

    "In exchange for helping Ranma, he wanted to engage the boy 
to one of his daughters," said Genma in a reasonable tone of 
voice.  "You were looking at the Tendo girls already, weren't you?  
I don't see what the problem might be."

    "We already engaged our son to the Kuonji girl," said Nodoka 
in an angry tone of voice.  "What am I supposed to tell her 
family?"

    "Ranma can marry more than one wife," said Genma.  "One of 
my fellow professors has three of them."  He smiled briefly, until 
Nodoka looked at him with a neutral expression on her face.  "Not 
that _I_ ever contemplated such a thing for myself.  You know 
that you are the only woman for me, Nodoka-chan."  Nodoka 
softened her gaze.

    Genma sighed briefly.  "It will all work out, Nodoka.  Trust 
me."

    "Yes, but one of them must be named First Wife," grumbled 
Nodoka.  "I suppose that we can put off the marriage until I have 
a chance to see which girl would be most fit for that role."

    *YES!* thought Genma happily.  Due to long experience with 
Nodoka, he kept any expression of happiness off of his face.  She 
looked at him with mild suspicion.

    "I suppose that my son could be said to be quite manly to have 
more than one wife," conceded Nodoka.  Genma blinked at that, 
but said nothing.  "I will not contest this action of yours Genma.  
It is possible that you were right in what you did.  I have been 
fearful that he would be severely injured if he remained in the 
Arena.  He is my only son, after all."

    "Ranma will be home soon," said Genma in a comforting tone 
of voice.  Genma patted Nodoka on the shoulder before pulling 
her into a hug.  She stiffened briefly, but then melted into his 
arms.  *This is what is best for the boy, Nodoka,* he thought with 
a smile.