The beggining and the end are heavily altered. The middle is barely touched.

The Amazons other name is from a Ranma fact file I read, if any knows a
better translation of 'neuchiezu' (or whatever it is) I would like to know.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lanko of The Amazons
By 
Douglas Whiddon



	Someone screamed.
	It took Ranma a moment to realize it was him. He
had been knocked of his perch by a panda. Which was odd,
considering the panda had come up from the pool where he
had knocked his father. He had been even more surprised to
come up out of the pool with an impressive set of boobs.
	Ranma looked up at the panda, which had
presumably been his father. *Panda steaks.* That was his
first thought. *panda Ribs* was his next, followed by:
*panda stir-fry.* Ranma began to construct a complete
menu, all centered around panda. Each dish, mentally
prepared, did little to soften his building rage.
	Ranma leaped out of the pool with a blood curdling
yell, intending to brutally pummel his father.
	Genma, having been blessed at birth with an
above-average sense of self preservation, took flight. Ranma
pursued. As the pair made their way around the pools
Ranma tripped over a rock and went screaming head first
into yet another pool.
	To his delight he reemerged male. Realizing his son
was cured, Genma prepared to cannonball into the spring
with him. Unfortunately he collided with Ranma�s fist and
entered LEO.
	Ranma climbed out of the spring and wandered off
to find the guide.
	Had he waited around a few more minutes he would
have seen a red headed girl emerge, sputtering and
coughing, from the pool
	�What the hell happened to my clothes?�
	The girl looked around, her father was nowhere to
be found. She struggled to her feet, wondering why she was
so tired.
	�Pop?�
	She called again, louder. �POP!�
	The girl decided to find the guide, and her clothes.
	Still weak and dizy from her creation she slipped and
fell, rolling down the hillside. At the bottom of the hill she
hit her head rather soundly against a tree, and lost
consciousness.

	It grew cold that night.

	The next morning a convoy of Amazons returning
from a trading trip decided to take a shortcut through
Jusenkyo.
	Jusenkyo is only dangerous to the foolish or the
unwary. But no one would always travel this route,
eventually, the law of averages would catch up with you.
Then your life is never the same.
	The Amazons took the shortcut this time in hopes
that they would get home in time to enjoy at least part of
the tournament.
	The Amazons (a name given to the women of the
Strong-Women-Hero-Tribe by outsiders, but one they took
with pride) traveled according to their hierarchy. Cologne,
the matriarch, traveled first. Next to her rode her
lieutenants, then the seasoned warriors. Next came the older
men, followed by the young warriors and young men both
on foot leading horses laden with supplies.
	It was Ling-ling who noticed the body. Not
completely sure what she was seeing, she brought it to the
attention of Loa-shun. Loa-shun rode up closer to the
hillside to investigate. She called to Cologne.
	�What should we do?�
	�Collect the body. Everyone deserves a proper
burial.�
	Loa-shun nodded and dismounted. She called two of
the young warriors to her. They climbed the side of the hill.
	Ling-ling got to her first. �Loa-shun! She�s still
alive!�
	Loa-shun hurried to catch up with Ling-ling.
Confirming that the girl was alive she called to Cologne.
�Should we take her to the village or try to find out how she
got here?�
	Cologne thought for a moment. �Young girls don�t
wind up naked and half-dead on hillsides by accident. Build
a litter, take her to the village. I will go talk to the guide,
maybe he will know what happened.�
	Cologne hopped up the hill while Loa-shun carefully
picked up the girl.

	Cologne found the guide by his hut. He was sitting
outside, one foot bandaged and propped up.
	�What happened to you?�
	�I tripped on a rock two days ago.�
	Cologne searched her bag and produced a bottle of
salve. �This will help.�
	�Is this a social visit, or did you want something?�
	�We found a young girl lying naked on a hillside.
She has red hair, do you know her?�
	�A foreigner? No, I only had two visitors in the past
month, a man and his son. They where martial artists from
Japan.� The guide grinned. �because of my foot I couldn�t
give them the tour, so they went off alone.  The father is
now a Panda.�
	�This girl is Asian, despite her hair. Did you tell this
man that he could lift his curse by going back into the same
spring?�
	�He never asked. They never do.�
	�If anyone comes looking for a girl with red hair let
me know, but tell them nothing.�

	Cologne arrived at the village by nightfall. The
tournament was long over and the feast was in full swing.
Shampoo sat in her deserved place as village champion.
	Shampoo saw Cologne and ran out to meet her.
�Great-grandmother! I won!�
	�Congratulations! I knew you would.�
	Cologne joined the feast, her mind on the young girl
they had brought back.

	After the feast Cologne went to see the village
healer.
	�She hasn�t regained consciousness, she might never
wake up.�
	�What happened to her?�
	�I�m not completely sure. I know she received a
hard blow to the back of the head, probably just before
being thrown down the hill. She was out there for at least a
night. If you hadn�t come by when you did she would have
died from exposure. That�s probably why whoever did this
to her took her clothes. She wasn�t violated, there are no
sign of sexual assault and no bruises to indicate she was
bound or hurt beforehand. She probably knew and trusted
whoever did this.�
	�Then she will probably need help getting revenge.
What else can you tell me?�
	�She�s very fit, almost like an one of us. Her hands
are soft though, I can�t say wether or not she�s had any
combat training.
	�So we have a fifteen-or-so girl, stripped naked,
rendered unconscious and thrown down a hill. Who could
do such a thing?�
	�I suppose we will have to ask her. If she�s going to
awaken it will probably be in the next few days.

3 Days Later.

	"Great-grandmother ! Wake up."
	Shampoo shook Cologne out of a sound sleep.
	"What is it? What's wrong?" Cologne feared the
worst.
	"The healer sent for you, the wild girl is awake."
	Relieved, Cologne hopped out of bed. "Well, lets go
see her."

	"Well?" Cologne asked.
	"She's awake, but she only speaks Japanese, so I
sent for you."
	Cologne nodded and went into the next room. The
'wild girl', as Shampoo had called her, was huddled in the
corner. Her face full of confusion.
	Cologne spoke to her in Japanese. <Hello, my name
is Cologne. You don't need to be afraid, no one here will
harm you.>
	The girl stared at Cologne.
	<Do you understand?>
	The girl nodded.
	<Can you tell me your name?>
	The girl  looked more confused. <I...don't know.>

	Cologne emerged from the tent. Shampoo and one
of the elders where waiting.
	"Who is she Great-grandmother?"
	"I don't know child, and neither does she. She can�t
seem to remember anything."
	"I not surprised. Given the damage it's a wonder
she's alive at all. It's a miracle she survived the night alone in
the forest."
	"So what do we do with her?"
	"Loa-shun and I both speak Japanese and Shampoo
is learning. We will take care of her, and if her memory ever
returns, help her get revenge on whoever did this to her."
	"We need something to call her."
	"you called her Wild Girl earlier. We'll call her
Lanko, she�s Japanese and it means Wild Child in Japanese."


three months later.

	"In bed he...avoids...lying in the position of a ...?"
Lanko looked up at Loa-shun and pointed at the unfamiliar
character.
	"Corpse."
	Lanko picked up her brush and dipping it in the ink
well, wrote the character in her notebook. She did not write
the equivalent Japanese character. She was learning to think
in Chinese.
	With Cologne and Loa-shun helping her she was
rapidly picking up the language. Cologne had used a trick
similar to hypnosis to enable Lanko to absorb the language
more rapidly than she would have been able to with practice
alone.
	"In bed he avoids lying in the position of a corpse."
Lanko wrinkled her nose as if smelling something fowl.
"Lanko think writer stink."
	Loa-shun laughed. "If the works of more writers had
survived the Chin Dynasty it is likely that the works of
Kung Chiu-Tzu would be forgotten."
	"What you mean?"
	Loa-shun took the book from Lanko and replaced it
on her shelf. "During the Chin Dynasty all books that didn't
concern science, magic or farming where burned and anyone
who quoted them was killed. Over 400 scholars where
buried alive."
	"It sound bad."
	"Not according to the current government. The
Communists see attempts to control knowledge as
positive.... That's enough for today. Shampoo will meet you
on the practice field. It's time for you to start working on
martial arts."
	Lanko closed her book. "Thank you for helping me."
Lanko bowed to Loa-shun and left.
	Loa-shun's home was located on the southern edge
of the Joketsuku village. Lanko walked slowly down the dirt
road. In the fields the young men where busy tending to
crops and animals. The older men where likely off hunting
or training. the tribe was always preparing for war, even
though there hadn't been an attack in nearly seventy years. 
	If the Communists were to attack it would likely be
with guns and tanks but Communists would have a nasty
surprise waiting for them if they did attack. The area of
China containing the Joketsuku village and the Jusenkyo
valley was so imbued with magic that any technology more
advanced than a mechanical pencil simply would not work
properly, including firearms.
	Lanko reached the practice field. The field was
dotted with practice dummies, archery lanes, and various
pieces of martial arts equipment.
	Shampoo and Cologne stood next to a weapons rack
on which sat Shampoo's Bonbori and a long curved sword.
	"Lanko, starting today Shampoo and I will be
teaching you martial arts."

	For the next four hours Shampoo showed Lanko
basic martial arts forms. Lanko only needed to be shown
each once, after that she could repeat it perfectly. Cologne
watched carefully. Cologne was sure that Lanko had martial
arts training before, she was picking up the basics too
quickly for a novice.
	Towards the end of their sparring session Shampoo
slightly misjudged Lanko position and was about put her
elbow firmly into Lanko's eye when, to her surprise, Lanko
caught her elbow in tight grip, twisted her arm behind her
back and sent Shampoo tumbling to the ground.
	The whole thing happened so quickly Shampoo was
caught completely off guard. Embarrassment and rage vied
for the top spot in Shampoo's heart. Regaining her feet
Shampoo approached Lanko, her eyes burned with anger.
	Lanko was terrified. "I ... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it,
please don't hurt me." Lanko cringed in terror.
	Shampoo put her hand under Lanko's chin and
raised her head, about to give the kiss of death. A sharp
pain in her butt stopped her, she looked back. Cologne had
her stick firmly pressed against Shampoo's tail bone.
	"What did you do that for!?"
	"You can't give her the kiss of death."
	"She's an outsider! She defeated me!"
	"She�s one of us. We took her in, that makes her our
responsibility.�
	Lanko stood silently watching the two women
argue. She wasn�t sure what she had done wrong but
whatever it was, she wanted to make it up to Shampoo.
	Cologne called Lanko back over and the two girls
were again pitted against each other. This time Shampoo
didn�t underestimate Lanko. Lanko barely kept up her
defenses, whatever martial arts her body remembered
weren�t enough to beat a determined Amazon.
	Finally Cologne called for them to halt. Cologne
gave Shampoo instructions that Lanko couldn�t hear and
then left.
	For the next two hours Shampoo instructed Lanko
in intermediate and some advanced blocks and attacks. Then
the two went back home for dinner.

	Lanko tossed and turned on her pallet. Something
was chasing her.... It had long claws and sharp teeth.... She
fell into a pool of water.
	Lanko woke up in a cold sweat. Without knowing
why she looked down at her chest. Even though there was
nothing wrong, she felt a profound sense of loss.
	She wrapped her blanket around herself and stepped
out of the warm hut into the cold night air.
	She looked out at the pre-dawn village. From the air
the amazon village appeared to be a spiderweb. Row upon
row of one level houses,  each row radiated out from the
center of the village. In the center of the web was the town
hall.  A large round building where meetings and school
were held. The village was surrounded by farms filling the
rest of the valley, and running up the stepped mountain.
	Lanko bundled up against the chill. *Is this my
home?* she thought. *Is someone out there looking for me?
Do I have a mother? a father? brothers? sisters?* The
question of who she was, and where she belonged, bothered
her greatly.
	Lanko decided the answers weren�t out here in the
cold, and went back inside the hut.


	�My darling Shampoo!!�
	Lanko had been practicing with Shampoo�s Bonbori
when she heard the voice. She turned just in time to be
glomped by some boy in a white robe.
	*What the?* �You no touch Lanko that way!� She
yelled as she brought the Bonbori down on his skull with a
satisfying thunk. The boy landed at her feet in a heap.
	�Shampoo!� She called.
	Shampoo emerged from the hut. �What?�
	Lanko pointed to the heap. �Shampoo know him?�
	Shampoo nudged the body with her foot. �Mousse.
Yes, I know him. He�s a weak pathetic jerk who thinks I�m
going to marry him.�
	�Is you?�
	�When hell freezes over.�
	Lanko looked at Mousse. He was cute, she
supposed. But if Shampoo rejected him so forcefully then he
wasn�t worth a second thought.

	Lanko ran among the pools. She didn�t dare look
back. The creature was close behind her. Finally the beast
lunged for her, she dived to get away and rolled off her
pallet, bumping aginst the wall of the hut.
	Breathing hard she leaned against the wall. It�s solid
nature was reassuring. As the fear bled away she wrapped
her blanket around herself and moved closer to the dying
embers of the fire. The creature in her dreams was unknown
to her, but then again, she had been introduced to a cat for
the first time yesterday and that hadn�t been familiar either. 
She dug out her notebook and, using a piece of charcoal,
began to sketch the creature that haunted her.
	
	Shampoo awoke when the first rays of the sun
touched her body. She yawned and stretched clearing the
sleep out of her eyes. She looked over to Lanko�s pallet. No
Lanko. She looked around and found her curled up in a ball
by the cold fire-pit. Papers were scattered around her on the
floor.
	Shampoo colected the papers. They where covered
in drawings. A valley filled with pools, each pool having a
bamboo pole in it�s center - Jusenkyo. A picture of the
guide. The rest where pictures of... well, it looked like a
panda. But panda�s rarely where drawn with vicious claws
and six inch fangs dripping blood.
	Shampoo pocketed one of the drawings, she would
show it to Cologne later. The rest she put into Lanko�s
notebook.
	Shampoo touched Lanko lightly on the shoulder.
�Wake up! The sun is coming up, we have work to do.�
	Lanko stirred and finally opened her eyes.

	Cologne watched Lanko spar with Shampoo. Lanko
was clearly more than a match for Shampoo. The only
reason Shampoo usually won was Lanko�s complete lack of
confidence. But Lanko was getting better, Shampoo�s
victories were harder won each day.
	�Stop!� Cologne held out her hand. Shampoo
stopped mid kick, Lanko backed off a little. Both turned to
face Cologne. �Come with me.�
	The girls followed Cologne back home where she
built a fire. �I have here a bag of sweet chestnuts...�

three weeks later.

	�So, what more you have?�
	Cologne stared incredulously at Lanko. �You�ve
mastered the Chestnut Fist, the Dragons Heavenly
Ascension, the Breaking Point, and the Splitting Cat-hairs
technique. I think that�s enough for now. Work on your
Chinese for awhile.�
	Lanko stood up and bowed politely. After she left
Cologne took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It was
almost scary how good she was. Cologne decided that
Lanko should be married as soon as was manageable. She
was old enough to bear children, and the sooner she got
started, the more she could have. The village would do well
to add her blood to their lines.




Meanwhile, in Japan

	After a long and tiring journey Ranma and his pan...
father arrived home. They were fortunate that it hadn�t
rained today, despite the clouds gathering. Genma had
managed to stay in human form all the way from the train
station. They knocked on the door of the small house.
	The door creaked open. The sky let loose a massive
amount of rain. Genma-panda held up a sign: Hi honey,
were home.

	The next day Ranma and his parents traveled to
Nerima to pay a visit on an old friend.
	�Why are we going to this dojo?�
	�I told you, we are going to see an old friend of
mine. He and I studied under the same master and I haven�t
seen him in many years.�
	Ranma eyed his father suspiciously. He had long ago
stopped trusting his father without question. However, he
was with his mother also, she was following without so
much as a question. She probably knew more about this
than he did. Ranma decided to trust her, for now.
	Ranma quited his thoughts as they approached the
gates. A large sign proclaimed it the Tendo Dojo. A smaller
sign read: to defeat the owner in savage combat, please use
rear entrance. Ranma pondered the sign. It would have
made more sense to simply read: Dojo entrance to the rear.
	Genma, in panda form due to an old woman with a
ladel of water, opened the gate. The three trugged up the
walk to the front door.
	The door was answered by a pretty girl with long
brown hair and a ponytail over her shoulder.
	�Hello. May I help you?� The girl stared at Genma.
	Nodoka cleared her throat slightly. �We are the
Soatomes. We are here to see Soun Tendo. Is he in?�
	�Oh, father? yes he�s here. Please come with me.�
	The three followed the girl into the house.
	�Father, some people are here to see you.�
	The Soatomes were led to a table in an open room
facing the garden. A man in a brown Gi sat reading a
newspaper.
	Nodoka and Genma sat across from him. Ranma sat
next to his mother, just off the edge of the table.
	�Hello.� Nodoka began. �My name is Nodoka
Soatome. I belive you know my husband, Genma.� She
motioned to the panda. Genma held up a sign: Hello old
friend. Soun stared incrediously. The last time he had seen
Genma was after his wifes funeral. He had had a distinct
lack of fur at the time.
	Nodoka turned back to the young woman who had
ushered them into the house. �Do you think you could get
us some warm water, please?�

	After Genma was returned to his normal state
Ranma was sent off to wander around the garden, while the
adults discussed whatever it was they had arrived here to
discuss.
	Ranma wandered around the garden until he arrived
back at the front of the house. The girl was sweeping the
walk. Ranma walked up to her. �Hello.� He said. �I�m
Ranma.�
	�I�m Kasumi Tendo.� She bowed slightly.
	�Nice to meet you.� His conversation skills
exhausted, Ranma stood and fidgeted. �Uh, do you and
your father live here alone?�
	�Oh, no, I have two younger sisters. They�re at
school right now.� Kasumi  smiled at Ranma. �Why aren�t
you in school right now?�
	�Me and pops just got back from China. If we don�t
go on another training trip soon I�ll probably have to go
back to school.�
	�Training? As in martail arts?�
	Ranma nodded.
	�That�s nice.� Kasumi smiled and continued
sweeping.
	Ranma fidgeted some more. He was saved from
having to come up with more to say by his mother opening
the door. �Ranma, why don�t you come inside, we need to
talk.� She looked past Ranma, �Kasumi, your father want�s
you to come too, this concerns you as well.�
	Ranma and Kasumi filed in behind Nodoka. They sat
down at the end of the table across from the open door.
	A look passed between the adults. Genma cleared
his throat drawing atention to him. �Ranma my son, many
years ago while training under our master Soun and I
decided that we would one day unite our schools under our
children.�
	Ranma wasn�t one-hundred-percent certain what his
father was getting at, but it didn�t sound good.
	�So, we�ve discussed it and decided that you will
marry one of Souns daughters.�
	Ranma face-faulted, massivly. �ARE YOU NUTS?
You go and get me engaged? Without even asking!�
	�You weren�t even born when this decision was
made.� Genma crossed his arms in front of himself in a
gesture of finality.
	Nodoka turned to Kasumi. �Kasumi, as the oldest
the responsabilty falls to you.�
	Kasumi turned to her father. �Father, surely Akane
would be a better choice. She studies martial arts too.�
	Soun shook his head. �That may be, but Mrs.
Soatome is correct. As the eldest it is you who should be
the one to inherit the dojo.�
	kasumi looked at Ranma and then back at her father.
her voice took on a distressed tone �But... he�s so ...
young.�
	�That�s all right, he�ll grow.�

To Be Continued....
	
================================================================
"If every Vampire who claimed to be at the crucifiction had 
been there it would have been like woodstock. I was at 
Woodstock, I bit into a flower-child and spent the next 
four hours watching my hand move."

Spike, from Buffy TVS
================================================================