Hi all,
Here is the promised conclusion to the chapter.
Steve
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: Qd_15b.txt
***** CONTINUED FROM PART ONE *****
Ryoga paused to wipe the sweat from his face onto his sleeve, and then
adjusted the weight of his backpack. He was wandering around another
mountain, and grumbling under his breath when he finally realized he
had lost the road somewhere. Again. Life was just so unfair. All he
wanted to do was to find Ukyo Kuonji, beat the smug ninja boy to within
an inch of his life, and then return home. Instead, here he was, still
tramping around Japan, lost and unable to even find Tokyo, let alone
that accursed Ukyo. Sleeping on the hard ground every night was really
getting old fast, and having had nothing to eat for two days, his rice
supply finally gone, had only added to his misery.
Thinking about food caused Ryoga's stomach to rumble, increasing his
fury. Vengeance drove him now. Ukyo was going to suffer for this.
That is, as soon as he was found.
"Where the hell am I now?!" Ryoga shouted out loud, but there was no
reply to his question. It was around noon, and here he was, starving
to death in this wilderness. Glaring about at the unhelpful trees
around him, he pulled out the tattered map of Japan a farmer had given
him and studied it intently. He turned it first one way, and then
another, before sighing once and putting it away. The anger deep
inside him had been burning white-hot for days now, and he was growing
to savor the anticipation for when he could finally unleash it in all
its glorious fury.
When, not if, he found that wretched Ukyo Kuonji, he was going to break
the ninja boy into numerous little pieces and then stomp all the pieces
flat. After all, his troubles were all Ukyo's fault. Ryoga shivered
with rage at the memories of their last few meetings, feeling attracted
to another boy. He very quickly turned away from that horrible line of
thought, redirecting it towards a more personally acceptable one.
"Do you hear me, Kuonji?!" Ryoga suddenly shouted up at the heavens.
"How dare you do this to me! This is all your fault! Just you wait!
I'm going to kill you for this! I swear I will!"
There was no answer but a shifting of the breeze in the trees. Ryoga
lowered the fist he had been brandishing at the heavens, just as his
nose caught a trace of a tantalizing odor.
Roasted chicken.
Ryoga's stomach growled at the scent, his mouth watering. He took a
hesitant step forward, fearful of going the wrong way. He could still
smell chicken, so he took another step. The mild breeze threatened to
shift, so he threw caution to the winds, and plunged into a headlong
dash in the direction he hoped the smell was coming from. He knew his
luck was finally changing. Perhaps whoever it was roasting a chicken
out here could even help him find Tokyo. And Ukyo.
Heavy branches smashed Ryoga across the face as he ran through the
trees, but their feeble blows were meaningless. The scent of chicken
was growing stronger, and so he kept following his nose. He quickly
accelerated his pace, crashing through the dense forest at full speed.
More branches tried to impede him, but he ignored them, intent upon
finding the source of that delicious smell.
After several minutes of running, Ryoga broke clear of the trees, and
his inertia carried him right off the edge of a cliff. His fading
words carried back into the trees.
"Curse you, Ukyoooooo...."
******************************
"Ahh! I'm late!"
Even as the cry of dismay left her lips, Ukyo came bursting into her
aunt's restaurant at a dead run, her arms laden with shopping bags.
She could not believe that it was already so late in the morning, and
that shopping for her uniforms could have taken her so long. Luckily,
since this was the middle of the term, there had been a terrific sale
on them at the local department store, and she had picked up an entire
week's worth of outfits for school. It had used up all the money from
her parents, but she was all set for classes on Monday.
Yumi watched Ukyo blast by her, the older ninja's ponytail wafting to
one side in the breeze kicked up in the wake of her niece's passage,
the girl leaving a trail of dust behind herself. She smiled at Ukyo's
retreating back as it vanished up the stairs to the small apartment she
now shared with the girl, and she began cooking up some lunch for her.
Her niece had been so excited by the opportunity to attend school where
her fianc� was going. It was nice to see her so happy.
Ukyo opened the door to her room quickly, tossed the bags on the floor,
and slammed it shut again. She sprinted to the weapons closet, having
left her large battle spatula behind while she went shopping. Carrying
around a polearm made it difficult to blend into a crowd, and it was
harder to get good service while heavily-armed. She pulled her weapons
out of the closet, slipping her bandoleer of throwing spatulas on. She
was heading into enemy territory today.
Yumi's ponytail wafted over to the opposite side when Ukyo went tearing
by her again, heading out the door at full speed. The girl did not
even break stride as she snatched up the delivery box, laden with
several okonomiyaki.
"Bye, Aunt Yumiiiiiiii...." came Ukyo's fading farewell.
Yumi Kuonji shook her head. Ah, to be young again. Having the girl
around was like reliving her own youth, and she chuckled as she got the
shop ready for the lunch crowd.
******************************
There was a tremendous splash of water when a man-sized missile ended
its descent trajectory only a few feet away from the shore. The impact
generated an impressive volume of water from the lake, and hurled it
across the distance separating it from dry land, soaking down a nearby
campsite.
Ryoga surfaced at the edge of the small lake that had broken his fall,
struggling with the weight of his pack in the water, to see two girls
staring at him. His head hurt, apparently from the blow it had taken
when his skull hit a submerged boulder, and he was now seeing double.
He blinked. The girl (girls?) had soaked clothes on. Seeing what the
cold water had done to the clothes and the body (bodies?) beneath them,
he felt a surge of blood in his nose. When the iron skillet hit him
squarely in the face, it was a mercy blow, and he passed out.
Glaring intently at the fallen boy, who had been pervertedly staring at
her chest before her well-aimed throw had ended that, was a teenaged
girl named Ryoko Masaki. Before the lake water soaked her down, she
had been dressed in loose garb of heavy cottons, but the outfit was now
clinging to every curve on her body. She stood there in disgust, her
hands brushing futilely at her blue-green hair, feeling the algae from
the lake water clinging to it. She glared at Ryoga some more. When
she finally gave up on that, seeing his body half-drifting in the water
before her, she waded in and began to haul him out with a weary sigh.
With any luck, judging by the way he had been staring at her endowments
through her soaked clothes, he wouldn't remember seeing anything odd.
After a while, Ryoga groggily returned to consciousness. The last few
things he remembered had been nearly drowning, then seeing some sort of
water spirit with blue-green hair. Then, nothing. His clothes felt a
bit chilled, and he heard them squish when he moved around. However,
to someone who had once spent most of an entire day standing beneath a
waterfall composed of snowmelt as part of his training, damp clothing
was nothing.
"I see you're alive," said a female voice. It was difficult to tell if
it was relieved or annoyed.
Ryoga's eyes snapped open. He glanced around and saw that same girl
with the odd-colored hair, dressed in dry clothes this time as she
pulled a brush through her blue-green tresses. He started to sit up,
wondering if he was hallucinating. Women did not have hair that color.
"W-where am I?" Ryoga asked, glancing around to see where his pack was.
He relaxed a little when he saw it.
"You're not far from the Masaki Shrine, just outside the village of
Kurashiki," said Ryoko, continuing to brush her hair. Seeing the blank
look on the boy's face, she added, "We're about twenty kilometers or so
from Okayama."
"Is that near Tokyo?" asked Ryoga hopefully.
Ryoko stared at Ryoga, uncertain if he was putting her on. Nobody
could be that ignorant of basic geography, could they?
"No, we're about six-hundred-and-fifty kilometers from Tokyo," Ryoko
replied after shrugging her shoulders. Perhaps he was still feeling
stunned by the two blows to his head. Pounding out the large dent in
her iron skillet that the strange boy's head had left in it was not a
task she was looking forward to. "Now, who are you?"
"I'm Ryoga Hibiki," he said with a nod of his head. "Sorry about
dropping in on you like this." He put his hand behind his head and
chuckled nervously.
"I'm Ryoko, Ryoko Masaki," she said in reply. "Now, give me one good
reason why I shouldn't pound you into mush for getting me and my camp
all wet, not to mention staring at me like you did." She folded her
arms across her chest.
Ryoga stammered, "I-I'm sorry. I fell off the cliff up there. It was
all an accident. Honest."
"Are you lost or something?" asked Ryoko, unfolding her arms. She
stood up and went over to tend the fire, grimacing at the remains of
her lunch and mentally debating what she would fix to replace it. She
was starting to feel sorry for the guy, and smirked when she realized
it. Maybe it was because he reminded her of her brother during one of
his more hapless moments.
"I-I'm looking for someone," Ryoga said. Inside, he cursed himself for
sounding like some sort of an idiot. He knew exactly what his problem
was, that he was talking to a girl, a pretty one. Girls had always
been so difficult for him to talk to, even back at his home village,
especially the good-looking ones. Guys were easier for him to relate
to. He could talk to a guy without any troubles, so why not a girl?
"Well, you found someone." Ryoko tossed the remnants of her ruined
meal away. "You hungry, Hibiki? I guess a little company for lunch
would be all right." She decided to forgive him for staring at her
chest.
Ryoga's stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly. "Uh..." He looked
embarrassed.
"I guess that answers that," said Ryoko with a grin. She shoved a pot
into his hands. "Fill that with some water from the jug." She pointed
at the small purifier unit behind him. "I'll build up the fire and
cook us some stew."
"Th-thank you." Ryoga quickly moved to fill the pot with water and
handed it to Ryoko. "I've been living on nothing but rice gruel, nuts,
and berries for days. But I ran out of rice two days ago."
"Whoever it is you're looking for must be pretty important to you,"
said Ryoko as she knelt to place sticks on the fire. She plopped down
on a flat rock when she was done and looked at him. "So, what's the
story?"
"Not much." Ryoga stared for a moment at the flickering flame. "It
just involves a man-to-man fight."
"And this person is in Tokyo?" Ryoko glanced at the pot suspended over
the fire. She dropped a few chunks of beef into the water and added
some spices.
"Yeah, and his name is Ukyo," said Ryoga with a hint of a growl in his
voice. "I need to find him."
Ryoko nodded and said, "Well, I'm heading back to Tokyo tomorrow. You
can come along with me for the trip."
"Really?" Ryoga said hopefully, not daring to believe his good fortune.
"Yeah," said Ryoko with a nod. "I don't have the money for a train
ticket, so I was planning on walking and hitchhiking. I figure it
should take about a week unless we get lucky and someone can take us
the whole way."
A week, Ryoga mused. Soon, his quest would be ended.
"Anyway," said Ryoko suddenly. "I suggest you change out of those wet
clothes. The nights get cold out here, and you smell like bogwater."
"Uh, sure," said Ryoga. He reached out and grabbed his pack, grateful
that it was waterproofed. He started to get up, then fear filled him.
What if he couldn't find his way back after changing his clothes? The
woods seemed to be mocking him with their trackless depths.
Ryoko looked up from tending the stew. "What's the matter, Hibiki?"
"I-I have this little problem."
Ryoko sat back on her haunches and regarded him. Then she snapped her
fingers. "You're from Kikaitani?, right?"
Startled, Ryoga nodded.
"I thought the name was familiar," said Ryoko with a grin. "One of the
Wandering Ones in my camp. How about that?"
"It's not funny," muttered Ryoga. Ukyo had often made fun of him too,
but at least the other boy had always made sure that he got back to the
guide rope that would take him home.
"Sorry." Ryoko shook her head and stood up. She reached out and took
Ryoga by the hand and tugged him to follow after her. She led him off
a distance into the trees, but near enough to still see the camp.
Ryoga felt like he was floating. A girl was touching him. He stumbled
along behind the young woman with odd-colored hair, his thoughts in a
slight fog. When they stopped, he almost ran into her.
"Change your clothes here, and then call out my name," ordered Ryoko.
"I'll be back to come get you and lead you to camp. Don't take too
long and don't move from this spot."
"S-sure thing," murmured Ryoga. He watched Ryoko head back to her
camp. When he was alone again, he shook his head. He needed to focus
on finding Ukyo. After the ninja boy was beaten, then he could think
about other things.
He's sure a pathetic sort, Ryoko thought with a smile. Cute too, in a
silly sort of way, like a puppy that eagerly wanted to please. With a
snort, she settled down and stirred the bubbling stew, adding some
dried vegetables from her supplies.
******************************
The journey to Ohtori was an uncomfortable affair for Ranma, since he
was riding in the back seat between Kodachi and Nabiki. Kyosuke was
sitting up front with Fuyutsuki, and Ranma envied him. Sitting back
here between two unpredictable young women was making the pigtailed boy
feel very nervous. Kyosuke did not know how easy he had it, with only
having one girl to worry about. In an idle moment during the trip,
Ranma mentally slapped himself once again for his foolish coveting of
his analog's life with girls competing for him. He should have been
wiser and learned a lesson from it instead.
At least Ukyo was absent, mused Ranma. The trip to Ohtori with all
three girls present would have been "Asking For It."
While hiding in the trunk, Ukyo wondered for the umpteenth time why she
was sneaking around like this, but she realized it was force of habit.
She looked on it as doing reconnaissance. After all, she had observed
two of the same girls she had encountered at Ohtori hanging around
Ranma, much too close to him as far as Ukyo was concerned. But she
would fix that easily enough in a couple of days. After all, Ranma was
now her fianc�, and no soft, city-bred girl was going to steal him from
her. Still, Ukyo was almost hoping that there would be a fight, not
that either girl looked like much of a challenge to a ninja of her
capabilities.
Kodachi, quietly seated on Ranma's right, was half-lost in one of her
usual romantic fantasies about a certain pigtailed boy, brought on by
his physical proximity. Her body almost seemed to hum with energy, and
she felt tempted to just throw herself on top of Ranma and satisfy the
carnal desires that were bubbling up from deep within her. But a lady
did not do such shameless things in public, she kept reminding herself.
There was also the very unpleasant matter of Nabiki Tendo's presence
cooling her ardor a bit.
The young noblewoman's gaze watched the city streets passing by as she
let her mind drift. She sat demurely, occasionally glancing at Ranma,
her hands resting folded in her lap. The only sign of her mental state
was the twisted length of her embroidered handkerchief, held tightly in
her grip.
Nabiki, seated on Ranma's left, was also staring out the window. There
was an undercurrent of excitement running through her, an equal mixture
of anticipation for battle and desires for the boy seated next to her.
Her right hand unconsciously folded into a fist and relaxed back open
in an uneven tempo, and her thoughts skipped back and forth between
Ranma and the growing number of rivals for his attentions, such as
Utena Tenjou.
The pink-haired cross-dresser was going to be told, in very definite
terms, to stay away from Ranma Saotome after today. Then Nabiki would
be magnanimous and allow Ranma a few days to rest up before Nabiki
issued her own challenge to him. She could hardly wait to show him the
fruits of her training for the past week, when she would prove to Ranma
Saotome that she was the better fighter, and that she always would be.
Ranma kept alternating his attention between the two girls, struggling
to keep his mind focussed on his upcoming match and failing. He could
feel their body heat against his sides, and he smelled a very delicate
fragrance hovering in the air. It was making him feel edgy. And his
resonator-acquired memories were not any help in this situation, unless
perhaps a fight broke out in the car.
Tingles like biochemical sheet lightning kept surging up and down the
nerves of Ranma's sides. It was quite distracting, especially when his
hearing also detected an occasional, almost inaudible sigh coming from
either Kodachi or Nabiki. So, for a time, he kept his hands in his lap
to hide the evidence of his body's more obvious responses to the input
that kept assailing his senses. Eventually, he managed to control his
raging libido, forcing his mind to focus on the upcoming fight by sheer
willpower.
Fuyutsuki kept glancing into the rearview mirror with a slight sense of
nervousness. There was a strong undercurrent of sexual tension going
on in the back seat that you could almost cut with a sword. All of the
players involved in the little drama seemed to be ignoring each other,
nor even talking amongst themselves, but it was still there. He hoped
that Ranma could maintain his focus on today's goal despite his present
distractions. Defeating Utena Tenjou was all that mattered today.
Kyosuke spent the entire car ride with a slight grin on his face, his
thoughts on Yohko.
******************************
"They're here."
Utena Tenjou glanced up at Miki Kaoru, the boy having just arrived with
his news. She watched him thumb the button on his stopwatch and glance
at the time.
"They're four minutes early," said Miki. "If we hurry, we can make it
to the front steps in time to greet them."
Utena smiled, nodded, and stood up. As she did so, she tugged slightly
on the front of her uniform jacket. Classes had been finished for over
an hour, and she had been occupying herself with her homework, trying
very hard not to think about her opponent. But her studies were a poor
distraction from musing about a certain blue-eyed boy, and the clarity
in his gaze. Maybe after the match was over, she could console Ranma
over the loss she would give him by treating him to dinner. She also
owed him repayment for the dinner she had received at the Saotome's
residence the night of their first match.
"Let's go, Miki," she said with a smile, heading out of the library
with her gym bag in hand. She strolled along at an even step, the pace
of her coltish legs unhurried.
As she walked, two other members of the Student Council emerged from a
side hallway to join her, Juri and Toga. She exchanged a nod with each
of them, and they solemnly fell into place a single stride behind her
and Miki. The sound of their combined footsteps echoed outwards into
the distance of the marbled halls of Ohtori, even as the sun sparkled
on the floors and picked out the rose imagery that was an integral part
of this place.
The front doors swept aside as Utena straight-armed them open, and she
smiled broadly to see Anthy waiting for her on the front steps with the
headmaster of Ohtori Academy. The pair greeted Utena and the three
members of the Student Council who accompanied her with a nod, Anthy
smiling brightly at them all.
"Now we shall see what manner of man is this Ranma Saotome," muttered
Toga softly, loudly enough that only Juri could have possibly heard
him. But if she did, she gave no sign.
******************************
As the car carrying Ranma passed through the open gates to Ohtori, a
stealthy figure slipped out of the trunk and re-secured it, clinging
for a moment to the rear bumper. At the proper instant, the figure
landed to one side of the road with a tuck and roll, swiftly vanishing
into concealment behind some shrubbery. In a moment, the figure was
back up and moving, and it began flitting from shadow to shadow with
uncanny skill.
Nabiki watched the sun sparkling off the waters of the nearby bay as
the car wended its way clockwise up the path circling the hill that
Ohtori stood upon. There was a no-nonsense expression on her face.
Today she was finally going to meet Utena Tenjou face-to-face, the girl
who had spent the night at Ranma's house, the girl who had seduced her
fianc�. Her hand tightened into a fist at that thought, a cold feeling
of rage coming over her. Utena was no better than a common thief.
Ranma kept glancing out the windows on both sides of the car, impressed
by what he could see of Ohtori's arrangement. Gothic architecture was
mixed with elements of the Western Renaissance, creating a facility for
learning that was as much a cathedral as it was a school. Roses were
an integral part, and it combined with the architectural styling to awe
Ranma with its beauty.
Kyosuke felt a whisper of something cross his senses as the car began
ascending the hill, an odd energy of some sort. It tingled upon his
awareness like the hint of ozone after a lightning storm. He felt it
again, a few more times, as the vehicle looped around. Curious, he
cast his senses outward, regretting that using the Power in such a way
was not his forte. In his mind's eye, he saw the currents of power
that flowed through Ohtori's demesne.
Several of these lines of energy converged here. Kyosuke recalled from
his classes at the Institute that they were known as Geomantic Flows,
what the ancients called Chi Lines. The odd architecture of Ohtori was
somehow enhancing the flows, giving the place very powerful feng shui.
Nerima was also particularly rich in such flow lines and juncture
nodes, partly why the Mobius Institute had been built near one edge of
it, where a Shinto Temple had once stood. It was a rather intriguing
discovery to make, and Kyosuke realized that it might also explain why
an Institute cadet was here.
Kodachi broke free of her imaginings as the car came to a halt, and she
smiled when she spotted Miki waiting amid the small group on the steps.
He looked quite handsome in his uniform, almost sparkling in the light
of the sun. She blinked, and the effect was gone.
"I want you all on your best behavior, cadets," warned Fuyutsuki. "I
know you won't disappoint me. Right?"
"No, sir," replied all four cadets quickly.
Fuyutsuki smiled for a moment, and then said, "Excellent." He opened
the door and got out, a signal that the rest of them could exit the
vehicle as well.
Miki spotted Kodachi emerging from the car, and he smiled. He gave the
others with the noblewoman a brief once-over, and then his gaze quickly
returned to Kodachi. He wished he had known she would be coming with
the Imperial Academy's champion. He was glad to see that she was fully
recovered from her ordeal, standing proud beneath the sun, her bearing
marking her as nobility as much as her beauty did. His breath caught
for a moment, but no one else noticed.
Toga caught sight of Nabiki when she came out of the car, but the only
sign of his interest was the gleam that suddenly appeared in his gaze.
He was pleasantly surprised to see her, feeling confident that she had
intentionally come here to meet him again. She walked around from the
far side of the car, and Toga's gaze took in everything about her with
great interest. Even the confident manner in her walk was appealing to
witness. She came to a halt next to one of the two boys who came with
her, presumably the Imperial Academy's champion, Ranma. The other one
was wearing a Mobius Institute pin, so that could not be him.
Juri eyed both Ranma and Nabiki. She could see the subtle signs that
marked them both as being highly-skilled fighters in the way they
moved. She was looking forward to watching today's match between Ranma
and Utena. After all, a fight between two equally-skilled opponents
was a creation of beauty to be appreciated, like an ephemeral work of
art.
Utena's eyes locked onto Ranma the moment he became visible. He was
just as handsome as the last time she saw him, when she had kissed him
goodbye in the train station. Her cheeks suddenly felt warm, and she
coughed into her fist to hide that unexpected response to seeing the
pigtailed boy. Besides, he was here to challenge her, and she fully
intended to send him home in defeat, along with her telephone number.
Anthy glimpsed a familiar face exiting the vehicle, with a Mobius
Institute pin on his collar that was identical to her own, and she was
pleased to see her old senpai. She somehow managed to smile even
brighter.
The two groups spent several moments eyeing each other, and Kodachi was
oddly reminded of two rival gangs sizing each other up before engaging
in a battle over turf. It was a disconcerting thought, and she felt
Sukeban-Kodachi briefly rise within her before subsiding once again.
The two headmasters broke the brief impasse, stepping forward to meet
each other between the two groups. They bowed to each other.
"Thank you for agreeing to a rematch," said Fuyutsuki sincerely.
"Your boy is a glutton for punishment," replied Fuji with a slight
twinkle in his eye. "I've had Utena in intensive training this week,
just in case. She'll put him down even faster than she did before."
Fuyutsuki's gaze narrowed, ever so slightly. "We shall see. Won't we,
old friend?"
"Yes," said Fuji as he turned back briefly and gave a fond glance at
Utena. He turned back and finished, "We will."
The two groups approached each other, intermixing as introductions were
exchanged. Miki immediately stepped over to greet Kodachi and talk
with her, earning him Ranma's attention. An unpleasant feeling came
over the pigtailed boy as he watched Kodachi smiling at Miki's words,
and he resisted an unexpected urge to push himself between them. A
similar emotional response came over him when Toga came over to Nabiki,
like an ache in his chest. He couldn't be jealous, could he? But, how
did the two girls know these guys? And the two Ohtori cadets were much
too suave and self-assured for Ranma's liking, reminding him of his own
weaknesses when it came to dealing with girls. And what was that one
jerk doing to Nabiki?
"Hello, Saotome-kun," said a female voice.
Ranma's head whipped around to see who had spoken to him, after having
just watched Toga take Nabiki's hand and brush his lips against her
knuckles. He saw Utena standing right in front of him, her blue eyes
bright as she smiled at him, her long, pink hair flowing softly in the
breeze. Seeing her, Ranma realized that he could play the same game
that Kodachi and Nabiki were. He smiled back at Utena and bowed in
greeting.
"Hello, Tenjou-san," said Ranma pleasantly, but the tone of his voice
belied the formality of his greeting.
Nabiki and Kodachi both heard Ranma's voice speaking another girl's
name with subtle fondness, and they were briefly distracted from their
own conversations.
Kodachi fought down the hurt feeling welling up inside her by taking
Miki by the arm, trying to use the subtle play of pleasant sensations
his nearness to her generated to drown out the ache in her heart. How
dare Ranma Saotome act so... so friendly with that wretched tramp?
That pink-haired harridan was to be his opponent, not his date to a
social event! She would show him!
"Will you be my escort to where the match is being held, Kaoru-kun?"
Kodachi asked coquettishly. She resisted an urge to stick her tongue
out at Ranma and the vile creature he was with. That would not have
been ladylike.
Nabiki's thoughts were running in similar patterns, as she gazed at the
smiling girl standing near Ranma. Her insides churned with hurt and
anger, but she held any sign of her true feelings from her face with
the consummate skills of an actress. Instead, she offered Toga her arm
and asked with a smile, "Interested in escorting me, Kiryu-san?"
Both girls swept by Ranma without looking at him, leaving him standing
with Utena and a smirking Juri, who had been enjoying the show. Anthy
and Kyosuke had already left, the two Institute cadets having departed
without being noticed.
"Your friends?" asked Utena, eyeing the two girls who had just gone by
her. There was something about them that struck a dissonant chord deep
within her.
"Something like that," Ranma muttered, wondering why he felt as he did.
Neither girl was his fianc�e, so why did he feel so possessive of them?
His feelings towards his two classmates confused him, especially when
he was standing here with a pretty girl like Utena. "Uh, how've you
been?"
Utena could tell that Ranma seemed nervous, and it helped ease her own
sudden case of shyness. He was different from the boys at Ohtori, with
a thoughtfulness about him that reminded her of gentle Miki, but also a
strength that was appealing. "I'm well, Saotome-kun."
Juri pursed her lips slightly to keep from breaking out into laughter.
This Ranma Saotome was an amusing sort, and so typical in many ways of
others of his gender. She turned and followed the foursome that had
just left, shaking her head at the shy duo behind her.
Fuji and Fuyutsuki watched Ranma and Utena talking with interest. They
stood far enough away to prevent their presence from interfering, but
near enough to observe and comment quietly with each other.
"Fascinating," murmured Fuji, watching the two children out of the
corner of his eye.
"You had something like this in mind from the beginning," replied
Fuyutsuki in quiet tones. "Seeing how two of the strongest Alphas
would interact, if they were of opposite genders."
Fuji continued to subtly watch the couple as he replied, "Yes. Quite
interesting, isn't it? And think of the children they could produce
with each other."
"I think Nabiki and some of the other girls in my group might object to
that notion," commented Fuyutsuki dryly. He had not missed the dark
looks that Nabiki had given the Tenjou girl.
>From the concealment of a nearby shadow, Ukyo watched Utena and Ranma
together. Her teeth ground together as she saw the pink-haired floozy
take Ranma in hand and lead him inside, acting far too familiarly with
him for the ninja girl's tastes. The two older men followed in after
the couple, and Ukyo snuck in right behind them.
******************************
The elevator bell dinged when the car reached the top floor, and the
doors opened. Ranma turned around at the sound, having spent the brief
ride watching the ground drop away beneath him, the tinted glass of the
elevator's exterior wall giving an impressive view. He walked out with
Utena at his side.
Releasing her hold on the bottom of the elevator car, Ukyo swung her
body to a nearby handhold. Over ten stories of empty space yawned
beneath her as she clung to the wall. She glanced down between her
feet and briefly marveled at the height, feeling a thrill as she
flirted with death. But she was here to watch over her fianc�, not
sightsee, so she reached up, grasped a firm handhold on one of the rose
sculptures, and pulled herself upwards.
"This is a special place, Saotome-kun," said Utena as she tugged on
Ranma's arm. "I just know we'll have a thrilling match here."
Ranma's gaze swept the room, located in the highest tower on the
campus, and he was impressed. Circular in design, the room was large
and clear of obstacles, ideal for a straight-up fight. Very detailed
sculptures of stone roses ran the entire length of the chamber, where
the walls and ceilings merged. Large windows on one side were designed
to let in the morning sun, but shadows were already beginning to deepen
in corners since the sun was now on the opposite side of the tower. It
gave the room an ominous air that startled Ranma.
However, perhaps the foreboding feeling was due to the two young women
who were gazing at him with matching expressions as he emerged from the
elevator. Both Nabiki and Kodachi had paused in their conversations
with their escorts, and the not-quite glaring look in their eyes made
him feel a little nervous. But, a moment later, they relented and
returned their attentions to the two Ohtori cadets, presenting their
impromptu escorts with fresh smiles on their faces that somehow made
Ranma feel even worse than dealing with the iciest glares they could
have offered him.
"There is a small changing room over there, Saotome-san," Fuji said as
he pointed to one of the shadowed corners. "Utena, you might as well
begin warming up while he changes."
Utena nodded, the smile gone from her face as it assumed a more serious
expression. She removed her jacket, revealing a plain white T-shirt
beneath that did very little to hide her lithely feminine frame. The
form-fitting red shorts she normally wore as part of her uniform showed
off her coltish legs to good effect.
Both Kodachi and Nabiki sized up the competition out of the corner of
their eyes, without missing a beat in their conversations, and they
were both a bit dismayed. While slender, Utena's body was rounded in
all the right places to catch a boy's fancy, and athletically muscled
beneath her curves. That she was also a powerful fighter in her own
right was not forgotten by either girl.
Ukyo had managed to work her way around the outside of the tower until
she finally found a vantage point that would allow her to see inside.
She lifted her body up by her fingers as she felt around for a firm
toehold, the muscles in her shoulders straining only slightly. Her
grandfather had made her climb cliffs with her pack completely filled
with rocks, so this was nothing.
Having secured a toehold, Ukyo raised herself up to peek in through a
lower corner of the window, pressing her face against the glass to see.
She studied Utena going through a kata out in the middle of the floor,
and she saw the other two girls who had come with Ranma standing with
some cadets from Ohtori. She also saw the redheaded bitch who had
tried to kill her. She owed that one some serious payback in the near
future, ninja style.
Kyosuke stood next to Anthy, the two of them conversing with each other
mentally. Luckily, Anthy had a small measure of telepathy, otherwise
they would have been forced to talk like mute-minded normals.
Anthy, I'm going to be watching over you during the match, Kyosuke told
the girl telepathically. You know that Mobius Institute regulations
forbid the use of the Power to interfere in such things.
Yes, Kasuga-senpai, Anthy thought back solemnly. She looked a bit
downcast.
Cheer up, Anthy, Kyosuke thought. I'm sure it was just an accident,
but the Institute does have a reputation to uphold. Here, link your
Power to mine, he thought as he held out a hand. That should prevent
any accidental usages while I'm monitoring you.
Anthy took Kyosuke's hand, and there was a brief, faint glow of light
that surrounded them both as his Power synchronized with hers. Kyosuke
was a bit in awe as he felt the level of Power within the girl. He
also felt a faint echo of the girl's thoughts resonating in his mind,
as she also felt his in hers. It was a level of intimacy that he
regretted being unable to share with Yohko, but it was also a honeyed
trap. The Mobius Institute had stories of telepaths losing their
individualities forever in the bliss of melded Power. Luckily, with
Anthy's own telepathic abilities being almost as weak as Kyosuke's,
they would not be able to maintain the merge for long enough to be
dangerous, but it should last a sufficient time to ensure that the
fight between Ranma and Utena was honest.
Ranma emerged from the changing room after a handful of minutes, now
dressed in his fighting clothes, a red Chinese-style shirt and black gi
pants. He saw Utena still warming up, and his gaze seemed to study her
backside of its own accord. A slight smile appeared on his face.
He's a dead man when we get home, Nabiki swore in her thoughts. That
other Ranma never gave her analog such troubles. He was a loyal and
true fianc�, not a philandering jerk like this one. Her right hand
closed tightly into a fist at her side as she felt a soft ache form in
her chest. After she defeated this Ranma, she would lay down the law
between them as to how things were going to be from now on. He was her
fianc�, and it was past time that she let him in on that little secret.
Kodachi frowned at the sight of Ranma eyeing the man-stealing hussy,
but it only firmed her resolve to win his heart. She glanced at the
boy standing next to her, and a flash of memory unexpectedly assailed
her, of Sukeban-Kodachi being played like an instrument of intimate
pleasures by another Miki Kaoru. She quivered for a brief moment as
she regained control of herself. Miki was just a friend. Yes, she had
to keep telling herself that.
Ukyo almost lost her grip on the wall when Ranma began warming up, an
unexpected heat rising to her cheeks as she watched him stretch out.
She pressed her face tighter to the glass, grateful that no one was
standing in front of her chosen vantage point. She smiled as she
watched her fianc� limber up, rooting for him in her thoughts, as she
studied every move he made intently.
"Let us begin, you two," said Fuji. He stepped to the center of the
room, Ranma and Utena on either side. "You know the rules. No time
limit and no breaks. This continues until one of you is knocked
unconscious or is unable to keep fighting. Understood?"
"Yes," the pair said, almost as one voice.
Fuji stepped back, and the match began.
Ranma allowed Utena to go on the offensive first, testing the strengths
of her technique against his defenses. He saw her immediately take him
up on the unspoken invitation, launching a probing attack with her
bokken at his front and sides. He watched her search for the slightest
weaknesses as they almost flirted with each other. Both of them wore
serious expressions, but there was a hint of something else in both
their gazes.
"What is he waiting for?" Nabiki muttered. "He's holding back."
Toga briefly glanced at Nabiki, her words registering on his awareness.
He was following the contest going on between the pigtailed stranger
and Utena with interest, but it was not fully distracting him from the
presence of his charming companion. There was something about the girl
that called to him, a strength of mind and will within her that was
very appealing. He would have her for his own.
Utena had noticed Ranma's diffidence, and she hissed, "What's the
matter with you? I know you can show me more of a challenge than
this."
"If you insist," said Ranma with a sudden smile, his posture changing.
He launched into a broken-rhythmed sequence of high and low attacks,
pummeling away at Utena's defenses in a manner that left breathless
more than one girl watching him.
"Whoa," breathed Ukyo, her face almost plastered to the window as she
watched Ranma cut loose in an acrobatic display of grace and strength
that she had never seen a fighter perform before. He was incredible.
Nabiki blinked at the sight of Ranma's prowess, and she was astonished
at how much he had improved in a single week. Once she defeated him,
she could tell that holding her edge would require dedicated training
on her part. But she would not have had it any other way. A warrior's
skills were measured against the level of her opposition, and Ranma was
looking to be growing into quite an excellent opponent. She now looked
forward to her next match with him even more.
Juri watched the struggle building between Ranma and Utena with great
interest, the two fighters almost evenly-matched in skill. This was
art made from bodily motion, a dance of combat that stirred her soul to
witness. Juri felt honored at being present, and she looked forward to
her next bout with Utena, to see what new challenges the pink-haired
girl would offer her own skills.
As the battle raged towards a climax, Kyosuke suddenly felt Anthy's
Power trigger within her, launching it into the fray. He immediately
responded, deflecting the telekinetic grab away from Ranma without
either fighter being aware of it. He grappled with Anthy mentally as
their telekinetic abilities clashed. She was unbelievably strong, but
luckily her Power was being used by her unconscious mind.
Standing as they were at the back of the group, no one else noticed
when faint streamers of Power spread out and dissipated into the marble
walls. Kyosuke let out a breath he had been unconsciously holding when
he felt Anthy's Power subside like a tide going out. He had averted a
potential crisis, and he knew his grandfather would be proud of him.
Miki glanced at his stopwatch, still running after over twenty minutes
of intensive combat, and he was amazed. Utena had never had to fight
this long against anyone before. He lowered his arm and returned his
gaze to the match, after looking briefly at his lovely companion.
Ranma and Utena broke apart, both of them breathing heavily now. A
thin trail of sweat ran down one side of Utena's face, dampening her
hair. She and Ranma circled each other as they briefly catalogued
their injuries. This was a far different fight than the last one.
Fuji was growing concerned. He had seen Utena trade a multitude of
blows with Ranma, and he could tell that she was tiring from her
injuries faster than the boy was. The difference was miniscule, as
Utena had dealt out just as much punishment as she received, but a
battle such as this could end on a single blow.
Fuyutsuki was pleased. Despite suffering a number of hard strikes from
both Utena's bokken and her kicks, Ranma appeared to be slowly gaining
the upper hand. He nudged Fuji.
"It doesn't look good for young Tenjou," Fuyutsuki said solemnly,
trying not to sound like he was gloating.
"It's not over yet," replied Fuji. He winced as the two young fighters
engaged each other in a devastating exchange, leaving both looking much
worse for wear when it was over.
"Ouch," muttered Nabiki, noting that Ranma must have bruised a rib or
two from the way he was moving. Utena was proving to be a skilled
fighter, but Nabiki didn't like the way she was looking at Ranma.
Utena sucked in a breath through her mouth, trying to appear less
injured than she was. She was coming to the end of her bag of tricks,
and Ranma had managed to counter everything so far. But a smile lit
her face, one returned by Ranma.
"One last dance?" said Ranma teasingly. This had been fun, but it was
time to bring it to a conclusion. His body hurt a lot, but he could
still function. He began moving in on Utena.
"I'll lead," replied Utena with a wolfish grin. She and Ranma rushed
at each other, and both of them took to the air in a leap.
******************************
"It's very unbecoming for a scientist to gloat."
"Sorry. But it was an excellent match, old friend. Both of them
fought with inspiration."
"Yes, they did. We'll have to do this again sometime soon. Perhaps
for higher stakes next time, and broadening the competition? After
all, we both have the makings of a good team this year for the Imperial
Youth Games."
"An intriguing notion."
"Yes."
The two headmasters turned to look at their charges, watching the two
groups saying farewell to each other. Now that the fight was over, it
was time to return home. A bandaged Ranma and Utena stood to one side
of the group, both of them looking like refugees from a war somewhere.
Fuyutsuki noted that both Kodachi and Nabiki seemed to be rather tense,
both girls keeping a rather possessive eye on Ranma.
"I guess this is goodbye again," said Utena with a smile, putting her
hand behind her head and chuckling nervously.
"Yeah," agreed Ranma, unsure what he should say. "Uh, you did pretty
good today."
Utena's grin faltered a little, and she replied, "Yeah, but I still
lost." Her smile regained its luster, and she stepped a half pace
closer to Ranma. "You're a good fighter, Saotome-kun. It was fun."
Now it was Ranma's turn to chuckle nervously. "Uh, heh. Well, maybe
we could do it again sometime. Or maybe something else other than a
fight."
"I might take you up on that," replied Utena, feeling her heart soar in
her chest. She noticed that the two girls who came with Ranma were now
giving her unfriendly looks. She purposely ignored them.
Nabiki stepped up next to Ranma, subtly nudging him backwards to put a
little space between him and Utena. "We should get going, Ranma-kun.
It's a long ride home."
"Yes, Saotome-kun," agreed Kodachi, taking up a mirroring position to
Nabiki's. "We should leave now."
"But I was just-"
The two girls ignored his protests, each of them taking firm hold of
one of his arms and half-dragging him to the car.
Toga watched the newest object of his affections depart with a neutral
look. He idly fingered the slip of paper in his pants pocket, Nabiki
Tendo's telephone number. It was obvious that Ranma Saotome did not
realize what a precious gem he had in the girl, and he felt it was his
duty to show the other boy the folly of his ways. Yes, it promised to
be a most interesting diversion.
Miki was less amused as he watched Kodachi depart with that brutish
Ranma. He thrust his hands into his pockets as he saw Kodachi demean
herself so, all because of Ranma Saotome. It was obvious to him what
he had to do. Sweet and innocent Kodachi needed to be rescued from her
infatuation with someone unworthy of her affections. And Miki Kaoru
was just the man to do it, he vowed silently.
Utena did not quite glare at the two girls dragging Ranma off. If she
had not already sustained numerous injuries, she would have been quite
happy to teach those two proper manners. Poor Ranma was obviously too
much of a gentleman to resist being bullied by those two. He needed a
girlfriend who could watch out for his interests, and also keep bullies
like Nabiki and Kodachi in line. Besides, those two had as much as
slapped her in the face with a declaration of war, so war was what they
were going to get.
Off in the shadows, Ukyo studied the situation with dismay. It was
obvious to her that Utena Tenjou was only one threat to her own future
happiness. Those other two city-bred girls would have to be dealt with
as well. Ukyo was not overly concerned. She would deal with them soon
enough, as only a ninja of her combat abilities could do.
Forgotten in the midst of the melodrama taking place around Ranma,
Anthy and Kyosuke said their telepathic good-byes in peace.
Thank you for coming to visit me, Kasuga-senpai, projected Anthy with a
shy smile. And I'm grateful to you for helping me keep my promise to
Utena-san.
Kyosuke smiled back and mentally replied, I'm glad that I could help,
Anthy. But you might want to take a couple of days off and return to
the Institute for some lessons in control.
Yes, Kasuga-senpai, projected Anthy docilely. That's good advice.
Kyosuke looked at the two girls who were all but forcefully stuffing
Ranma into the car and winced slightly in sympathy. He turned back to
face Anthy. Well, it looks like the others are about ready to go, he
thought. Take care of yourself, Anthy. Remember, you represent the
Mobius Institute to these people.
Yes, Kasuga-senpai, replied Anthy mentally. Farewell.
With a last smile at the girl, Kyosuke turned and walked to the car.
He watched in amusement as the two young women ganged up on Ranma in a
united effort. He was glad that Yohko was the only girl in his life,
although he still wanted to help Madoka get free of the biker gang she
was in. That was no life for a teenaged girl. She just needed a
friend who could help her through the transition. It should be easy
enough to do.
******************************
The afternoon sun painted a rosy glow on the walls of the Saginomiya
Manor's private dojo. Within, a familiar-looking, proud daughter of
that line was training in solitude, a singular desire within her
driving her ever onward in her efforts. Almost like a living thing,
the ribbon in her hands snapped out to encircle the neck of a training
dummy. Without breaking the ribbon's tension, her other hand snatched
up a razor-sharp hoop of metal and launched it at the target, severing
the head from the shoulders. A number of such effigies were strewn
about the hall, and she visualized each one destroyed bringing her one
step closer to her final goal.
"Oh, how you will pay for the many indignities I have suffered at your
hands, Kodachi Kuno," muttered Asuka Saginomiya. Angry tears clouded
her vision for a moment, but she continued lashing out with her ribbon
in a staccato pattern. If she had fought using the deadly skills of
her chosen art, rather than bare hands, then Kodachi would never have
defeated her. That had been Asuka's mistake.
The blonde continued her tirade by saying, "I swear I shall repay you a
hundred, no, a thousand-fold for my humiliation. I live for the day
that I will see you kneeling before me, begging for mercy." A cruel
smile crossed her lips as she slashed rents into yet another training
dummy.
The afternoon sun continued to shine outside, but one could almost hear
a distant riff of thunder. Asuka neither noticed nor cared, continuing
to rage at the injustices of her life. To think that she, a beautiful
daughter of an illustrious warrior heritage such as the Saginomiya's
possessed could be beaten by a fortunate cow like Kodachi Kuno. It was
inconceivable. It was unfair.
"I swear to the gods that I will have my vengeance upon you, Kodachi
Kuno!"
"A mighty vow," observed a dry voice from behind Asuka.
Asuka spun around, bringing her ribbon up to a guarding position, her
chest heaving slightly from her efforts. Trails of sweat ran down the
back of her neck and between her breasts, even as she growled at the
unexpected interruption. Her gaze narrowed.
Standing before Asuka a short distance away was a tall man, wearing a
dark brown cloak with a deep hood, the shadows hiding much of his face.
His clothing was simple yet sturdy, the garb of a farmer, or perhaps a
monk. Well-worn boots protected his feet. He carried no weapon save
for a simple staff of wood, metal-shod at both ends. One end rested
lightly against the ground.
"I mean you no harm, girl," said the figure with a slight bow. "I
simply could not help overhearing your words. You might say they
struck a chord within me."
Asuka did not move, uncertain what to make of the stranger before her.
She suddenly felt a little foolish, but that brought her anger back up
full force again. "Who are you?" she asked brusquely.
"Forgive me," said the figure, his lips curling into a half-smile below
what was concealed by the shadows of his hood. "My name is Nanashi."
Asuka frowned. No name? That was his name?
"You are on private property, peasant," said Asuka coldly. "I suggest
you leave now before I summon the house guards."
"There's no need for that," said Nanashi calmly, as he stepped towards
her. "You see, I can help you reach your goal. I sympathize with it."
There was something about his manner, supreme confidence that bordered
on arrogance, and something more, that caused Asuka to hesitate. She
knew that a single shout from her would quickly bring a dozen armed men
to her aid, so she let the stranger continue to approach her because
his words intrigued her. As he did so, she saw Nanashi reach up and
casually flip back his hood, revealing handsome features beneath.
He was young, perhaps twenty at the extreme oldest, with a short mane
of black hair that flowed down to halt above his shoulders. He was a
foreigner, his skin lightly-bronzed, and large of build without being
ungainly, yet he spoke Japanese with a modest accent that Asuka could
not place. Almost despite herself, she was captivated. There was just
something about him, an almost palpable presence that she had felt in
the vicinity of few other men. His profile carried with it a sense of
nobility, and the hawklike clarity of the gaze in his brown-gold eyes
was electric.
"How did you get in here?" Asuka demanded.
"I have my ways, Saginomiya-sama," said Nanashi as he stopped a short
distance from her. "I would offer you my services. I think they might
prove useful to you."
Asuka blinked, shifting her position slightly. She willed herself to
continue to meet his gaze, refusing to lower it from his face like some
vapid girl. "And just what sort of services are those?"
"I am knowledgeable in the martial arts," said Nanashi calmly. "I can
improve your skills manyfold."
"And what do you ask for in return?" Asuka dropped her arms a little,
but she remained wary of any tricks. After all, she trusted no one in
this life, not since her mother's death.
"An exchange of favors," replied Nanashi, capturing Asuka's gaze with
his eyes once more. "I will help you with your vengeance, and you can
help me with mine. I can sense great strength within you, My Lady."
"How do I know your teachings are worth my time?"
Nanashi smiled and replied, "Perhaps a demonstration is in order." He
flipped his staff back and released it from his grasp, the length of
hardened wood landing upright against the wall without rebound. He
then placed his hands together for a moment, as if in prayer. "You may
attack me, if you so choose."
Grinning wolfishly, Asuka launched herself into an attack. Her ribbon
slashed for Nanashi's face, but the attack was almost casually dodged.
She reacted in a single instant, swiftly whipping her body around in an
upthrusting kick.
"Speed, strength, and adaptability are all marks of a capable martial
artist," explained Nanashi as he dodged aside from the blow. He did
not change the pacing of his words as she continued to attack him with
even greater fury, frustrating her as Nanashi dodged and evaded every
attack with apparent ease. "I can improve your abilities in all of
these areas, Saginomiya-sama. I can also offer you much more."
When Asuka did not reply and simply kept attacking him, Nanashi slipped
a swift palm strike past her defenses. The blow struck hard against
the young noblewoman's chest, landing high on her ribcage, and the heir
to the Saginomiya name was utterly shocked to feel her heart abruptly
stop. Asuka staggered back, dropping her ribbon, her body convinced
that she was already dead. Feeling panic rising within her, she tried
to breathe, but could not draw any air into her lungs.
"I can offer you the means for your revenge," Nanashi said gently. "I
too know what it is like to suffer ignoble humiliation at the hands of
another."
Surging forward suddenly, Nanashi struck another blow to Asuka's chest,
this strike landing just to the right of where his first blow had
impacted. Asuka dropped to her knees, still trying to catch a breath,
even as her heart lurched back to life. She fell forward, almost onto
her face, grateful to experience herself breathing once again. She
stayed in that position for several moments, sucking in life-giving air
as she heard Nanashi stepping away from her to retrieve his staff.
"W-wait," said Asuka, raising herself to a kneeling position. Her
voice sounded horribly weak to her ears. She saw Nanashi turn to face
her, his hood lifted to cover his head once more. "What did you do to
me?"
"A killing technique that I might someday instruct you in," Nanashi
answered simply. "If you are interested, that is."
Such power, Asuka thought with a cold smile. Power enough to defeat
Kodachi Kuno where she stood, to destroy her utterly, the next time
they faced each other. The young noblewoman managed to force herself
to stand upright, facing the man with no name. She coughed briefly as
her body dealt with the last remnants of shock.
"I would hear more of this, Nanashi-san," said Asuka with a wolfish
gleam in her eyes. "What school is it?"
"A most rare and powerful school, Saginomiya-sama," Nanashi answered, a
half-smile upon his face. "In your language, it is called Musabetsu
Kakuto Ryu. Few can face its full power and survive. I will teach you
as much of it as you are strong enough to bear."
Asuka smiled at the name, the School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts. In
truth, the name of the style meant little to her. But if a single blow
could kill a human being where they stood, what else could it hold for
her?
"Then instruct me, Nanashi-sensei," said Asuka pleasantly. "Let me
become your pupil, so that I may have my revenge against my enemy."
"Of course, My Lady," said Nanashi with a slight bow. "It will be my
honor to forge your skills into a lethal weapon against all who would
dare stand opposed to you."
Asuka smiled, a cold, evil smile. She had no thought as to why this
mysterious stranger would suddenly appear to train her, but she was
pleased that he had. Her previous plans for hurting her enemy would
have to be revised, she mused. She might still seduce Kodachi's lover
away from her anyway. Despite his being of the lower classes of the
nobility, he was undeniably attractive. At least enough for some fun
in Asuka's bedchamber.
"But, before we begin," said Nanashi suddenly, "perhaps you might do me
the honor of requesting whoever it is observing us to reveal himself."
"What?" Asuka blurted out. "Who dares to spy on an innocent young girl
without her consent or knowledge?"
"Somehow, I don't think that innocent is a description that applies to
either of us, my dear Asuka," said a male voice. Stepping into the
doorway came Mikado Sanzenin. He smiled at her and leaned against it.
"Do you?"
Asuka glared at the boy and growled out, "Sanzenin, you vile pervert."
"Does your offer of instruction apply to others, Nanashi-san?" asked
Mikado, ignoring a furious Asuka for the moment. Teasing her was a
game he enjoyed playing. Up close, he sensed the mysterious, older
boy's power. This was not someone to be trifled with, but Mikado could
not resist an opportunity to learn more of this school of martial arts
that Ranma Saotome claimed knowledge of. Knowledge was its own weapon.
Nanashi quirked his lips into a smile, and replied, "If the student
intrigues me enough."
"Then I submit myself as a prospective pupil," said Mikado with a flash
of a grin at Asuka. "I have a score of my own to settle with someone."
Asuka's glare increased in its intensity, and she growled dangerously,
enunciating each word, "How. Dare. You. Do. This."
"I am Mikado Sanzenin," the boy replied with a roguish smile. "I dare
many things." He walked over to stand near a fuming Asuka. "Besides,
it might be fun." He smiled more broadly when he came to within a few
feet of the athletic blonde's proximity, feeling that odd tingling of
excitement that few other girls had ever made him feel. His true love,
Kodachi Kuno, was one, and then there was also that lovely commoner
girl, Nabiki Tendo. Asuka was the third he knew of, and he so enjoyed
taunting her.
"Lowlife, pleasure-seeking scum," growled out Asuka. "You have no idea
how much I utterly despise you." She fought down the sensations within
her. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting
to her.
"Ah, Asuka-chan, my sweet," chuckled Mikado. "I would think that you
would welcome my aid in this, in case you run into difficulties." He
stepped a little closer to her and allowed his gaze to briefly dip down
for a momentary study of her chest. "Besides, think of how enjoyable
it will be to spend some time together again, you and I."
Asuka's cheeks flushed crimson, but her gaze met his without yielding
in the slightest. She continued to growl low in her throat.
"A man never forgets his first time, Asuka-chan," said Mikado ever so
softly. "Does a girl?" His hand brushed against her cheek.
The sound of a slap echoed around the dojo like a rifle shot.
"If you two are quite through," said Nanashi rather dryly, breaking the
impromptu tableau that followed Asuka's open-handed strike across
Mikado's face. "I accept you as a student, Your Lordship. We will
begin tonight."
As an aside to the blonde noblewoman, Mikado said, "My only desire here
is for revenge upon that peasant, Ranma Saotome, lovely Asuka-chan. I
would also most strongly suggest that you do no permanent damage to
Kodachi Kuno, for your sake. However, anything short of that, and I
will not interfere with you. Do you understand?"
"OHHOHOHOHO!" laughed Asuka. "Why Sanzenin-kun, you make it sound as
if I plan to kill Kodachi-chan." Her voice was a mockery of sweetness
that dipped deeper into venom as she continued to speak. "Why, nothing
could be further from the truth. All I desire is to see her humiliated
as I was, defeated and broken. Why, I would never seek to do the girl
any permanent damage. What would be the fun in that?"
Mikado frowned, his poise broken for a moment. "Make no mistakes about
this, Asuka-chan. This is only an alliance of convenience. Nothing
more."
"Of course, Sanzenin-kun," replied Asuka, all sweetness once more. She
quickly elbowed him in the side, hard. While he glared at her, she
continued to speak as if nothing had happened. "And please cease to
ply me with your roguish charms while I am forced to spend time in your
presence. I may have yielded to them once, but I am quite immune to
them now. Do we understand each other?"
"Of course, Asuka-chan, my sweet," said Mikado pleasantly through his
gritted teeth. "You know well my reputation. After partaking of a
beautiful flower once, I do not return to it again. You should know
that, my dear White Lily." He smiled coldly at her, each of them
holding the other's gaze in a figurative deathgrip, as the two glared
at each other for several moments.
Prepare yourself, Ranma Saotome, thought Mikado coldly. First, I will
shatter you for the humiliations you have done to me, then I will take
that dear girl Nabiki Tendo for a single night of intimate pleasures.
Perhaps two, he quickly amended. And then, finally, I will achieve my
ultimate goal, and Kodachi Kuno shall be mine.
Just you wait, Kodachi Kuno, thought the White Lily. For I am Asuka
Saginomiya, descendant of generations of samurai, and I will see you
humbled before me, begging for my non-existent mercy. This I swear,
and no one had better attempt to stop me.
Arising from two throats, the training hall echoed once again with the
sounds of laughter. It was a sobering sound.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kyosuke's trip to another world, and the adventures of his counterpart
on this one, are detailed in the QD Side-Story "Temporal Thunder." It
has not been released to the public yet, but you can write the author,
Stardragon, at: st002153@hrz1.hrz.tu-darmstadt.de
Thanks to my pre-readers for all of their help and advice:
DB Sommer
Doug Whiddon
Jeremy Fogelman
Jim Bader
Stardragon
Stephen Sparrow