The characters of the Ranma « universe are
thecreation and possession of the brilliant
Rumiko Takahashi. They belong to Rumiko
Takahashi and her licensees (Shogakukan Inc.,
Kitty-Fuji TV, Viz Communications Inc.) No
copyright infringement is intended.
I would like to thank my pre-reader Angel, without
whom this would be a much poorer story, if it existed
at all.
This is a much expanded and revised version of a
story originally posted to FFML and submitted to
AnimeFEST as Chapter One, Yellow Dragon, Black
Tiger. The original Chapter One is _now_ Chapter
Two and contains an additional 1500 words.
Chapters One, Three, prologue and epilogue are
entirely new and never before seen on FFML.
The original, {award winning ^_^}, version of
Chapter Two YD, BT may be found on:
http://www.iguild.com/homes/kazama/
We soon hope to have _all_ of the winning stories
from AnimeFEST posted on this site. Currently we
have permission from two of the authors to post or
link their stories and are searching for the last two
authors.
Please sign the guest book. ^_^
C&C encouraged and appreciated.
******************************************
Yellow Dragon, Black Tiger
Prologue
"Oda-sama, we have him."
The powerfully built man knelt respectfully before the
shadowed figure, heedless of his imported Armani
suit.
Sighing the figure marked his place in the
book and spun his chair to face the door.
"Very well, bring him in."
The kneeling figure reached back and rapped
once on the door. At once four burly men entered,
another man held bound and struggling between
them.
"So Kanbe-ch-an," Oda remarked in a
whisky smooth tenor. "you have betrayed me."
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Kanbe began angrily.
"Fujiwara Kanbe," Oda read from a notepad
on his desk. "Ten year veteran of the GSDF. A
sergeant in the Special Operations Unit. Specialist in
unarmed combat. Three years as an instructor." Oda
gave him an appraising look. "Ranked fifth nation
wide in Kenpo. I am impressed." He glanced back at
the pad. "Left SDF in 1993 . . . joined the
Metropolitan Police Force, three years with the Riot
Police . . .the last year and a half with the Internal
Investigations Operative. My, you have been busy."
Oda looked at Kanbe with a languid predatory smile.
"Untie him."
"Oda-sama?" The kneeling man looked up in
shock. It was all four of his men could do to hold
Kanbe as it was. "It this wise?"
"Juzo," Oda placed a hand on his servants
head. "Do you doubt me?"
"No, Master," Juzo paled. "I just----"
"Your consideration is noted," Oda replied
mildly. "I wish to speak with him. And those ropes
look very uncomfortable."
Apprehensively Juzo sliced the bonds that
held Kanbe. The undercover policeman flexed his
hands, trying to restore the circulation.
"I took you in Kanbe-ch-an, treated you well
. . .gave you my trust. You owe me a certain amount
of loyalty."
"You're a drug dealer, a thief and a
murderer," Kanbe retorted. "I don't owe you a
fucking thing."
"Oh, dear," Oda sounded sad. "Such
language. I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish
you." He started to rise from his chair.
Kanbe had been waiting for a moment like
this. He lashed out with a snap-kick, perfectly timed
for the moment Oda was half way out of the chair.
That would eliminate the brains. In the confined
space of the office he had the advantage - - -they
couldn't get behind him.
"Very slow, Kanbe-ch-an. Are you really sure
you were ranked fifth?"
Kanbe jerked as Oda appeared beside him, as
if by magic.
"You simply _must_ do better than that,"
Kanbe shuddered as Oda caressed his face with a
perfectly manicured hand. "Otherwise it isn't any
fun."
******************************************
"Master," Juzo controlled his urge to throw
up. That had gotten his predecessor killed. "What
would you like us to do----" He indicated the blind,
limbless thing mewling in the corner as it bled to
death.
"Send him back home . . .alive if possible."
Oda smiled his slow sweet smile, "He has a wife and
children after all."
******************************************
Chapter 1
Akane stretched, groaning with pleasure, then
relaxed. It was strange to have the house this quiet.
Strange, but nice. She was going to take advantage
of Ranma, Uncle Genma and her father being gone
with 'grandfather' Happossai on a training trip.
Boy, would _they_ be surprised when they
got back. Smiling contentedly she headed into the
kitchen. The real trick was to remain calm.
She pulled a bag of flour from under the
counter.
Follow the directions.
She looked at the spice rack with a slightly
manic expression. Taking a deep breath she slowed
her racing pulse and took only three bottles from the
rack. She reached over with her left hand and pried
her right hand, a finger at the time, from it's death
grip on the spice holder.
Stay in control.
Ignoring the sweet siren call of the spices she
methodically pulled ingredients from the cupboards
and lined them neatly across the counter. Pulling a
stack of three by five cards from her pocket she taped
one to each of the items she pulled out. Unfolding a
largish piece of paper she taped it to the wall and
stepped back, looking at the color coded cook-by-
numbers sheet she'd developed. All she had to do
was follow step by step, 1 . . .2. . .3 . . . That was the
secret. As long as she couldn't _see_ all those spices
and fruit and . . .and stuff she couldn't go wrong.
******************************************
"Blue 76," Akane muttered as she worked.
"Lift spoon, green 4," She found the properly
marked implement. "Blue 77, Stick green 4 into
mixing bowl green 1." She did so, and went back to
reading the chart. "Blue 78, Start metronome, green
11." Reaching over she started the instrument ticking
back and forth. "Blue 79, Make one complete circle
of bowl, green 1, with spoon, green 4 with each tick
of metronome, green 11." Amazed she watched her
hand move smoothly around the bowl . . .A knock at
the door interrupted her reverie.
"Coming!" Checking her chart she made sure
she was not stopping at a point marked by a _red_
star burst. Those indicated "Bad Things", like electric
fires or grease fires or flooding or . . . "Bad Things".
Relieved to find no red star bursts she briskly wiped
flour off her hands and headed for the door.
"May I help you?"
"I'm looking for Tendou Yau. Is he in?"
"Oh," Akane swallowed a lump. She hadn't
heard that name in years. "He . . .my great-
grandfather is . . .his memorial tablet is in the shrine."
"Ahhhh." The man tugged at the brim of the
hat that shadowed his face. "So Yau is dead."
Akane couldn't suppress a gasp. It was barely
excusable that he hadn't known to use her great
grandfather's posthumous name before. This seemed
deliberately disrespectful.
"Is there something I may help you with?"
She worked hard to control her temper.
"You can let me see your father."
"I'm sorry," She said, not sounding sorry at
all. "He is not in right now. If you would like to leave
your card?" She held out her hand. Something about
this man made her glad her father wasn't around.
And now that she thought about it he looked too
young to be a friend of her great grandfathers. Unless
he were one of the old students?
"My card?"
Something about the man's voice sent a
shudder down her spine.
"I believe I will leave something more than a
card for my old . . .friend Tendou Soun. . ."
That voice . . .where had she heard that
voice?
" . . .and his very pretty little Akane-ch-an."
No! Oh no. She looked up in horror to see
the man smiling at her.
"Don't you remember me, Akane-ch-an?"
He reached for her. Automatically she lashed
out with a side kick that would have gelded a
locomotive.
"Naughty little Akane-ch-an," Stopping her
kick with one hand he reached out and touched her,
just above the heart. A fireball exploded in her chest.
"You must be punished."
******************************************
"You must be punished, Kingo-ch-an. Your
technique is poor, your kicks weak, defense
nonexistent. Your lack of ability reflects poorly on
the school . . .on _me_." there was a soft emphasis
on the last word.
A silent shudder ran through the kneeling
ranks of gi clad men. One in particular was affected.
"No, please Oda-sama. I'll work harder. I
promise----"
"Will you, Kingo-ch-an? Will you work
harder?" The man called Oda looked at the cringing
Kingo in concern. "Let's just see how hard you can
work." Effortlessly he pulled Kingo to his feet with
one hand. No one noticed the small girl watching
from the shadowed corner.
"Guard yourself Kingo-ch-an." He said
gently.
Pale and shaking Kingo slid into a classic
Praying Mantis stance.
Slowly, almost leisurely, Oda punched at his
chest. Kingo immediately slapped the attacking hand
aside, moving back at the same time.
"Never retreat Kingo-ch-an," said softly.
"You can't win if you retreat." Smiling gently he
moved back from Kingo. "Again, faster this time."
"Hai, sensei." Kingo set himself. Again the
very slow strike, again the redirection to block. Only
this time Kingo moved forward, instead of back, his
free hand moving in a simple hammer punch. Oda
blocked and moved back into position.
"Again. Faster. Fast as you can."
Kingo was sweating, his entire being
concentrated on his technique as he made a full
power punch, fingers locked in a spear point.
Still smiling Oda moved just slightly, allowing
Kingo to overbalance from the force of his own
punch.
"Sloppy stance," Oda rammed two fingers
into Kingo's stomach. "try again."
Retching Kingo assumed his stance. Adjusting
his foot work he attacked again, with similar results.
"Your concentration is weak," Oda slammed
Kingo to the ground with a short punch to the
sternum. "try again."
Dizzy and sick Kingo dragged himself up. He
went down again almost immediately.
"Slow, stupid . . .worthless," Oda remarked
conversationally. "I am ashamed to have you as a
student." He drew back his fist, dangling the semi-
conscious Kingo in the other hand. "This will be a
mercy---"
"Stop!"
The entire class let out a collective sigh of
relief as Tendou Soun entered the doujou.
"He's not your student," Soun looked coldly
at Oda. "He is mine."
"But Sensei," Oda answered reasonably. "As
your senior student---"
"No more," Soun picked Kingo up from the
floor where Oda had let him drop. Handing him off to
another student he turned back to Oda. "I've let you
stay because you showed potential. But no more."
"What ever do you mean . . .Sen-sei?"
"Get out. You are no longer a student of the
Tendou school. Your name will be stricken from the
rolls."
"But Sen-sei, I'm your heir . . .your daughters
fianc‚. Should you throw me out?" A hard look came
into his eyes. "Do you really think you _can_ throw
me out?" Oda seemed amused by the threat.
"Shouldn't you do konjaku first?"
Soun's face tightened in anger. He should
have listened to Hideko's grandfather and dealt with
Oda before this. Instead he'd waited . . .wanting to
show the old man he could handle things. Show him
and Hideko that he was a real Sensei. Not just
Hideko's husband.
"This isn't 1156 and you aren't yoki kataki."
Soun replied dismissively. "I don't announce my
name for unworthy foes."
"Unworthy," Oda's smile turned cruel. "So,
I'm awanu kataki." He slammed a punch into Soun's
temple, following it with an axe kick that knocked
him across the room.
"Who's yoki now? Who's worthy?" Oda
moved across the room like a predator. "What do
you think of my Black Tiger technique . . .sen-sei.?"
"Don't you hurt my daddy!" The tiny girl
darted from the shadows, taking a defensive stance in
front of her unconscious father.
"Akane-ch-an. Pretty little Akane-ch-an. Are
you going to protect your daddy?"
He must have thought she was yoki kataki.
The Dragon kick was full powered, delivered to the
center of her chest.
The force of the blow lifted her from the
ground and slammed her into the wall.
"And now," Oda turned back to Soun who
was still unconscious on the ground. "I think it's time
to close the Tendou school." He staggered slightly as
he was hit from behind.
"Y . . .you leave my da . . .daddy alone."
Akane stumbled back over to her father. She wiped
blood from her face, swaying like a drunken man.
"Akane-ch-an, it's not polite to interrupt
grownups." Oda said dreamily. "You really need to
learn better manners."
Akane planted herself shakily between Oda
and her father, like a kitten defying a lion. With no
more expression than if he'd been swatting a fly
Oda's hand came back for the final blow.
Involuntarily Akane's eyes closed.
"Oda."
Akane's eyes flew open. "ji-chan," she called
weakly to her great grandfather. Something flashed in
his eyes as he saw her bruised and bloody face.
Something dark and dangerous. He appeared to
ignore her and instead faced the rest of the class; all
of whom has been shocked into immobility by Oda's
actions.
"I think," he started in a voice raspy from
decades of cheap cigarettes. "that you all now
understand how devastating a surprise attack can be.
Awareness of your environment is the most important
weapon a martial artist has. Quite often the first blow
struck wins a battle." As he spoke he walked over
and picked Akane up in his arms. Gently wiping her
face with a handkerchief he examined her for more
serious injuries.
"daddy . . .daddy's hurt."
"Your daddy is alright sweetheart." he looked
down as Soun groaned. "He's got a hard head." The
double meaning was lost on the little girl.
Oda smiled slightly at the old master with his
hands full of little girl. This was going to be easy.
"Your day is past old man." He launched a spear
point strike that should have broken the old man's
neck. The blow missed and the old man seemed
oblivious as he tended to his great granddaughter.
"I think you should leave now."
Enraged, Oda attacked with a bewildering
array of strikes and kicks, any one of which would
have been lethal . . .if they had landed.
"Don't make things harder on yourself."
"Are you going to try to stop me old man?"
"I'm not the one you need to worry about."
Oda spun around, coming face to face with a
young woman in a yellow house dress carrying a
broom. Evidently she'd been cleaning the walk way.
"O-ijiji," she ignored Oda. "I heard a
commotion. How is she?"
"Akane-chan is just fine Hideko-chan," he
assured his grand-daughter gently ruffling the little
girls hair."
"Soun?"
"Has a hard head," he knelt beside the fallen
man, running a free hand over Soun's head and back.
"he'll be sore for a few days though."
Akane's mother faced Oda. "I would like you
to leave my house, please."
Oda snorted derisively. He'd had enough of
her looking down her nose at him. As if he were dirt.
"I don't think you quite understand. I am
your husbands designated heir. And now that he is
unable to fulfill his duties . . ." He smiled
suggestively. "Of course, if you're nice to me, there's
no reason why some arrangement can't be made for
you. If you're _very_ nice."
Oda could see her lips purse, as if she tasted
something nasty. He _didn't_ see her move, but he
did feel the end of her broom as it cracked against his
skull.
"Why you little----"
Crack-----crackcrackcrackcrackcrack
The broom blurred almost into invisibility as it
spun, hitting him with impunity on the head, arms,
shins.
"Bitch! I'll kill you. I'll----" Oda staggered
back as the tip of the broom slammed into the center
of his forehead. Wielding the broom like Tomoe-
gozen's golden naginata she drove Oda like a leaf
before a typhoon. Twice he tried to counterattack,
but could find no opening in Hideko's defense. He
tried to disengage . . .get room to maneuver, to think.
Contemptuously she wiped the bristle end across his
face. Blinded and bewildered by the rapid strikes Oda
stumbled and would have fallen, if a strong hand
hadn't grabbed him by the collar.
"I think you better run boy." Oda cleared his
eyes to see the old man looking at him. He'd
expected anger, rage. There wasn't even contempt.
As if he were of no consequence.
A stinging blow to his rear knocked him from
the old mans grip. Another blow, another and another
drove him from the doujou and out the main gate.
One final blow knocked him tumbling into the street
as Hideko swatted him like a pesky child; to the jeers
and laughter of passers by.
"You bitch." Oda picked himself up off the
street. "I'll never forgive this. Do you hear me old
man? I'll get you. I'll get all of you."
******************************************
"I was so sorry when I heard your great
grandfather died."
Akane struggled to focus on the face looming
above her.
"You . . .knew? Then . . .why . . .ask?" She
could hardly breath. It felt as if her chest had been
caved in. He'd barely touched her and she felt like
she was dying.
"Of course I knew. The bastard died before I
could kill him." Akane shuddered at the smile on the
face in front of her. "And your dear mother," Akane
gasped in pain as a hand tightened suddenly on her
shoulder. "did she suffer before she died? Did she cry
and beg as the cancer ate her guts?"
Oda jerked back, then wiped the spittle from
his face.
"Naughty." Casually he backhanded her.
Once, twice, three times . . .until the world went grey
around her.
"I didn't get to kill them. But you're here.
And you'll tell me where your father is," He pressed
his thumb under her right eye. "you'll tell me . . ."
******************************************
"Excuse me, could you tell me where . . ."
Ryouga shifted his pack as yet another pedestrian
scooted past without stopping. Boy, people certainly
were unfriendly in Kagoshima. He just wanted
directions to the train station. It was expensive but it
would be worth it to get back to Akane quickly. The
lost boys eyes crossed as he imagined her delight at
seeing him. She would come running, skirt twirling
around her legs, brilliant eyes flashing. She would
jump into his arms and tell him-----
"Go . . .to . . .hell."
Yes. She'd tell him to go to hell . . . Ryouga's
single neuron still feebly attached to reality hit the
pause button on his favorite fantasy. Hitting replay he
heard again the fatal words . . . "Go . . .to . . .hell."
Oh, his poor heart of glass would surely break
if ever she said those words. Three words that would
forever send him to the depths----
"Don't care what you do," Akane's voice
panted heavily. "I'll . . .never . . .tell----" She broke
off with a sharp agonized cry.
"Akane?" Ryouga jerked out of his own little
world. Looking around wildly he tried to find the
source of the voice he'd heard.
"Ahhh . . .but you will tell me, little
Akane-ch-an."
Akane was in trouble! Having successfully
deduced the obvious Ryouga's eyes darted frantically
around, trying to find her.
"Ne . . .ver," Akane's voice was full of pain.
"Never tell . . .nev . . .er."
There! Her voice was coming from over----
Dropping his pack Ryouga vaulted over a high wall,
umbrella in hand, to find himself in the back of the
Tendou compound. At the other end was Akane
. . .and a strange man with his hand around her
throat.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
Not a very innovative battle cry . . . but what
it lacked in originality was offset by sincerity and
volume.
Akane sucked in a deep shuddering breath as
Oda released her, thinking she'd never heard anything
as wonderful as Ryouga's voice. She sternly
suppressed the twinge of disappointment that it
wasn't another voice she heard.
Mad with rage Ryouga charged the stranger,
umbrella in a direct line strike that would have gutted
a rock crusher.
The stranger shifted fractionally to let the
strike miss. His left hand reached out and slapped
Ryouga lightly as he went by.
"Shit!" Ryouga spun away, slamming into the
wall. He felt like he'd been hit by a truck and his right
arm dangled uselessly.
"Hmmmm," Oda casually approached the
dazed lost boy, dragging Akane by her hair. "You
have some skill. That blow should have killed you."
He inspected the back of his hand. "And I do believe
I broke a fingernail." Tilting his head to one side he
looked consideringly at Ryouga. "It seems you care
for little Akane-ch-an. I was going to hurt her a lot
before I killed her." Casually he back-handed Akane
without taking his eyes from Ryouga. Smiling at the
hatred flaring in Ryouga's eyes he continued. "If you
give me a good fight . . .I'll just kill her."
Wordlessly Ryouga launched himself at the
smiling maniac. He was hurt, but he was getting some
feeling back into his arm. If he could just get his
hands----
Effortlessly Oda shifted aside from Ryouga's
bull rush, slamming a short savage punch into him as
he went by.
Fast! Ryouga gasped as his back exploded in
fire. Fast as Ranma . . .maybe faster.
Stumbling forward, as if crippled by the blow,
Ryouga crashed into the wall----twisting like a cat he
kicked off from the stones, and slammed into Oda
like the wrath of God.
"You hit pretty good," Ryouga snarled,
twisting his fist into Oda's shirt front. "Let's see how
you like it." Starting somewhere below his waist
Ryouga's right hand accelerated like the Tokyo bullet
train for a point in the center of Oda's belly and six
inches past his spine.
Oda grunted slightly. To Ryouga it felt as if
he'd slammed his fist into a stone Buddha.
"Sweet boy," Oda purred. "I thought you
wanted to fight. If you'd rather play . . ." He brushed
a finger across Ryouga's cheek.
"Bastard!" Enraged Ryouga slammed another
wicked punch into Oda's belly. He was rewarded
with a gentle smile.
"My turn, sweetling."
A planet crashed into Ryouga's chest,
splintering ribs and lacerating tissue with fragments
of bone. Semi-conscious he watched Oda stride
toward him. Through a gathering darkness he could
see that Oda had dropped Akane to the ground.
"you . . .lose." Ryouga whispered.
Oda had a moment to be puzzled at Ryouga's
blood stained smile.
"BAKUSAI----"
Ryouga felt something break deep inside him.
"TEN----"
His strength was pouring out like water from
a broken pitcher.
"----KETSU!!!"
Stabbing back with both hands Ryouga
blasted the courtyard wall into a hurricane of stone
daggers. The last of his strength gone he collapsed
into the rubble.
"Damn!" What the hell was _that_ Oda
wondered? If he'd been a little slower it might have
gotten him. Dusting off his jacket he frowned at the
bleeding lost boy. He could hear sirens in the distance
. . .someone had called the police.
"I'll finish with the Tendou's when your
father returns." He flicked a business card
contemptuously at Akane's prone form. "Give him
this. Someone will be watching. I'll know when he
gets back."
Settling his hat at a jaunty angle Oda stepped
over Ryouga's body and sauntered off down the
street.
******************************************
"Akane!" Shan Pu looked up and down the
dark and deserted street. "What do here? Something
wrong?" A grim look came over her face. "You need
help? Shan Pu hear what happen. You no worry,
Shan Pu help----"
"Can I come in?"
"Ayyyy. Sorry. Sorry." She reached out and
dragged Akane into the Nekohanten. "Not expect
visitor this late. No worry," She added hastily at
Akane's stricken look. "Shan Pu need get up answer
door anyway." She grinned at Akane. "Is joke! Shan
Pu read article, say all man like womans with joke."
"Ummmm . . ." Akane swayed on her feet.
"Can I . . .I need to see your great grandmother."
"What may I do for you Akane-chan?"
Akane spun sharply at the unexpected voice.
"Sit down child, before you fall down. Shan
Pu . . .make some tea please."
"I make now." Shan Pu disappeared into the
kitchen.
"I have a favor to ask."
Cu Lon motioned for Akane to continue.
"I have to go away for a while. To train . . ."
"I know about your visitor the other day."
She chuckled as Akane's astonished look. "Blowing
up the wall was just a little conspicuous. I expect that
most of Nerima knows something happened at the
Tendou doujou." Placing a hand over Akane's she
continued. "Don't do anything foolish child. I've
investigated this Oda person."
"What did you find out?"
"Nothing good. He is involved in many
criminal activities. This is not like any of Ranma's
previous challenges. This man is a killer. A master of
the Black Tiger. He is very, very good. And he
enjoys inflicting pain."
"Heh," Akane surprised herself by chuckling.
"It's not one of Ranma's challenges. It's mine," she
almost laughed again at the look on Cu Lon's face. It
wasn't often you could surprise the Amazon elder.
"He was one of my great grandfather's students. He
. . .had some trouble and was thrown out of the
doujou. He swore katakjuchi on the whole family."
"This vendetta is none of your doing," Cu
Lon said reasonably. "You could only have been a
child at the time. Son-in-law has a fondness for you.
Wait until he and your father return. And vile as
Happosai can be he would never let you come to any
real harm."
"Unless he was distracted by a pretty girl. I'm
sure he would be very sorry after Oda killed us all
. . ." She shrugged her shoulders. "And I don't know
if I can explain,"Akane began slowly. "but . . .if I
don't fight him, then he wins."
"Would that be so bad? Is winning worth
dying?"
"He thinks our school is no good. That his
technique is better."
"He will kill you," Cu Lon replied simply. "I
would find him a difficult opponent." She thought for
a moment. "However, life is uncertain. It is always
possible that his wickedness will catch up with him."
She smiled slightly. "Quite often such evil people are
consumed by their own bad karma."
"No. Thank you, but no." Akane smiled
gratefully. "I appreciate the offer----"
"I was merely making a prediction, based on
many years of experience."
"----but if I don't fight him, then my na is
worthless. Even if I didn't care about my own honor
I can't let him . . ." she paused, searching for the
right words. "I can't let him destroy everything my
great grandfather did, every thing mother taught me."
"Then let me help you. The Amazon nation
has learned a few things in three thousand years."
Akane pushed a fat envelope toward Cu Lon.
"Here tea." Shan Pu placed a tray on the
table.
"You should sit down Shan Pu. This concerns
you too." Akane tapped the envelope.
"Ayyy. You want help squish bad man?" She
raised a cup to her lips.
"No, I want you to marry Ranma . . ."
Tea sprayed across the room.
" . . .if I don't come back."
"Akane no do that!" Shan Pu wiped her face
with a napkin. "What mean . . .marry Ranma? Ranma
already Shan Pu husband."
"What do you have in mind?" Cu Lon asked
quietly, ignoring Shan Pu for the moment.
"I'm going to train at . . .a special place great
grandfather talked about. I should be gone a little
over five weeks."
"Are you sure you are . . .rested . . . enough
for serious training?" Cu Lon asked delicately, noting
Akane's bruised and swollen face.
"This?" Akane touched her split lip. "It looks
worse than it is."
Cu Lon raised a politely skeptical eyebrow.
"Really. Oda was just playing with me." She
closed her eyes briefly in shame at the memory of her
helplessness. "He wanted to humiliate me . . .
humiliate the Tendou ryuu. And he couldn't do that if
he killed me too quick. So I hurt a lot, but nothing's
broken." She favored Cu Lon with a little smile,
wincing as she open freshly scabbed wounds.
"Won't your family miss you?" Cu Lon
persisted. "And what about Oda?"
"I told Kasumi that I was going on a school
trip . . .five weeks on a fishing boat." Akane grinned
a little. "It's _very_ educational. And grandfather
Happosai took daddy and the others for special
training."
Cu Lon raised an eyebrow.
"There's an international women's dance
troupe touring Japan for the next few weeks. I doubt
they will be through _training_ until the dancers leave
for Australia."
"Ahhhh. And this?" Cu Lon patted the
envelope.
"It's copies of all the papers concerning the
Tendou school. The registry of the founders,
techniques, things like that. And a letter explaining
what I'm doing and why. If I don't . . ." Akane's
shoulders slumped. "The training is dangerous. I
can't protect the doujou as I am now. I can't ask
Ranma to protect the doujou."
"Ranma glad fight Akane sake." Shan Pu put
in. "He fight all time." She frowned a little at the
thought.
"I can't . . .not after Ryouga . . ." Akane
banged her fist on the table top in frustration. "If I
can't defend the doujou then maybe the Tendou name
should die. I'm _not_ going to ask Ranma to do
something I'm not willing to do." She held up a hand,
forestalling Shan Pu. "And I won't ask anyone else.
Not this time."
"What do you want us to do?"
Akane looked gratefully at Cu Lon. "Look
after Kasumi and Nabiki while I'm gone. If I don't
come back . . ." She grinned at Shan Pu. "Drag
Ranma back to China. Take daddy and my sisters
with you. They'll be safe there."
"What happen promise Ranma marry Akane?"
Shan Pu asked in a subdued voice.
"If daddy tries to fight Oda he'll die. And
there won't be anyone to protect Kasumi and
Nabiki."
"Ranma's too nice." Akane continued looking
at Cu Lon. "Oda would kill him before he realized
how serious it was. I think a few years with the
proper teacher would prepare him. And then you can
come back to Japan."
"To what end?"
"Reclaim the doujou. And one of Shan Pu's
children or grand children," Akane smiled at the flush
she saw moving up Shan Pu's face. "can marry one of
Kasumi's or Nabiki's. Fulfilling the promise to unite
the families."
"Very well." Cu Lon wrote a date on the back
of the envelope. "If you are not back by the twenty
eighth," She looked at Akane who nodded. "by the
twenty eighth I will go to your family and tell them
your wishes. In the meantime, I will let no harm come
to your sisters."
Akane rose and bowed. "Thank you."