Hey all, waz up?

Found some interesting places on the web about Japan and I thought I'd share the wealth.

American misconceptions about Japan: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/japan/american-misconceptions/

A good all-around resource on a variety of subjects: http://w3.one.net/~voyager/

Japanese-English translator: http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/dict/

List of Japanese male/female first/last names: http://hsb.baylor.edu/html/vanauken/JapaneseNames.html

Details about life in Tokyo: http://www.chijihonbu.metro.tokyo.jp/living/index.html

I know a few of these have been posted already, but I thought I'd re-post them for anyone who's new or lost the original links.  I've really found them helpful.

Now on to the fanfic portion of this post.

I don't own nothing except Amanda and family.  Everything else goes to Rumiko Takahashi.

        Never again, she thought to herself.  Never again.
        Amanda dropped her Karate uniform into her clothes hamper and
fingered the school uniform lying on her bed with a feeling of distaste.
The jacket and dress was a dull brown with a white blouse and red tie.
She hated brown; it made her look pale and washed out.  If there was one
thing she hated about Japan, was the necessity of wearing school
uniforms.  If they ever moved back to Canada, she would never let
herself get talked into moving to another country.  Getting dressed, she
appraised herself in the mirror.
        "All right, already, you look beautiful.  You're going to be
late for school too, if you don't hurry up."
        Amanda turned to the owner of the young high-pitched voice, her
younger sister, Veronica.  The thirteen year old's dark brown hair came
down to the middle of her back and was tied back into a loose ponytail.
Her hazel eyes glinted mischievously, and she gave her older sister a
grin before ducking back around the corner and down the stairs.
        "Like you care!" responded Amanda loudly, and then shook her
head fondly.  Sometimes she envied her younger sister and her limitless
optimism.  She herself tended to be more reserved and cautious.  After
checking over her uniform one more time and giving a sniff of distain,
she ran downstairs, past her collection of Karate tournament trophies,
and joined her sibling at the breakfast table.
        "Why are you wearing your hair like that?" asked Veronica.
        "Like what?" One of Amanda's hands went to her hair defensively.
She usually wore her hair loose and down her back.  Today, she was
wearing it up, partly tied in a tight braid and bound by a leather thong
so she looked like somebody from an episode of I Dream of Genie with the
rest going down to the middle of her shoulder blades.
        "Okay, if you want to look the weirdo, go ahead."
        Amanda's green eyes narrowed. "Hey, we're both foreigners.
We're going to get enough flak as it is.  I doubt my hairstyle is going
to make much of a difference."  Amanda picked up a map and studied the
route to school.  It would not do for her to get lost on the first day.
"Why couldn't they have enrolled me in a place like Furinken High?" she
complained.  "It's a lot closer."  Amanda traced the route to the school
she would be attending.  The name was, according to the map, St.
Hebereke High School for Girls.  The trip there was an extra fifteen
minutes, but at least she would not have boys clambering all over each
other to get a look at her like at her last school.  Now, if she could
just concentrate on her studies... Suddenly, she noticed what time it
was.  "Aw cripes!  I'm late!"  Jumping up from her chair, she grabbed
her schoolbag and dashed out the door.  "See you later!" she yelled back
to her sister.  If there was a reply, Amanda did not hear it.

        Amanda stared at the several buildings that made up St.
Hebereke.  Her new home, six hours a day, five days a week.  Six days
every second week.  Sighing with resignation, Amanda entered the school
grounds.
        The whispers started almost immediately.  Amanda would pass a
group of girls and they would stop talking, stare at her as she passed,
and then conversation would continue, albeit in muted tones.  Momentary
glances from the girls would confirm her suspicions that she was the
topic.
        "Here we go again," she muttered to herself.  "At least it's not
as bad as Takanomi High."  She was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal
of laughter.  Amanda could not make out first few words due to distance,
but it sounded like the owner was coming closer.
        "...ma, with these delectable cookies, bake by mine own loving
hands, I, Kodachi Kuno, the Black Rose, will pave the way from your
stomach to your heart.  Hohohohohohoho!!!"
        Amanda shuddered at the maniacal laughter.  Distracted, she did
not notice the other students were quickly exiting the area.  "Where the
hell is it coming from?"  She turned a corner of the main building,
trying to find the source-.
        The next thing she remembered was lying on the ground, with a
soft weight on top of her.  While not altogether unpleasant, it was
unexpected.  "My cookies!" came a cry from the person on top of her.
The weight left her, and Amanda heard the rustling of cloth.  "My
cookies are ruined!!"  Amanda picked herself up, groaning slightly at
the aches and pains from the collision and looked towards the source of
the anguished voice.
        Sitting on her knees was an Asian girl, looking to be about
Amanda's age, wearing the same uniform.  Her black hair was tied into a
loose ponytail that flowed down over her shoulder.  She was holding a
small bag about one-third full of small cookies, with the rest scattered
on the ground.
        "Uhhh...sorry about that," said Amanda uncomfortably in passable
Japanese.  "Are you okay?"
        The girl glared up at Amanda.  "You!  Do you realize what you
have done?  I worked all morning on these!  They were meant for my dear
love, but now they're not fit for the lowliest dog!  How dare you!"
        "Hey, look, it was an accident.  I'm really sorry about your
cookies.  If there's any way I can make it up to you-"
         "Do you think any of your pitiful efforts could alleviate the
trouble you've caused me?  I think that I should teach you a lesson in
manners!"  Pulling out her ribbon, she began to spin it around herself.
"Know that it is Kodachi Kuno, the Black Rose of St. Hebereke High that
will teach you this lesson!"
        Amanda could see where this was leading and desperately
attempted to defuse the situation.  "Hey, it was an accident, and I
tried to make it up to you.  I'm not looking for trouble."  Amanda
turned away from Kodachi and began to leave the scene.  "What could she
do with a gymnastics ribbon, anyway?" she said to herself.
        "Turn your back on me, will you?  You think I am nothing?  Well,
the Black Rose will teach you different!"
        To Amanda's surprise, she felt something wrap around her waist.
"What the-?"  Kodachi yanked, and with a startled shriek, Amanda was
reeled back to Kodachi.  The ribbon unwrapped from Amanda's waist and
pulled back by Kodachi.  Amanda stood and stared and the young girl.
"How did you do that?"
        "Watch, and learn, cur!"  Drawing two clubs seemingly from
nowhere, Kodachi hurled them at Amanda.  With a cry of alarm, Amanda
dropped to the ground.  The clubs passed through the space where she had
stood and slammed into the wall of the main school building, burying
themselves half way through.
        Amanda gaped at them in amazement.  She looked back at Kodachi,
her face a mix of anger and fear.  "Those could have killed me!"
        "Only if you were lucky."  Kodachi aimed a kick in Amanda's
direction, but she rolled clear.
        All right, Amanda thought angrily.  I've had enough of this!
Standing, Amanda used all of her Karate training to knock Kodachi off
her feet with a foot sweep.
        Kodachi was surprised at the counterattack, and was unable to
evade in time.  Reflex took over and she rolled to her feet with her
usual grace.  Kodachi glared at her opponent.  "So, you're not as
helpless as I first thought.  So much the better."  Kodachi again
launched her ribbon at Amanda.
        Amanda sidestepped the weapon and stepped in close.  She
attacked with a series of jabs, but Kodachi easily dodged them all.
Jeeze, she's fast! thought Amanda.
        Dropping her ribbon, Kodachi pulled out two more clubs.  The
first she swung around in a powerful blow to the head.
        Amanda blocked it with her left forearm, but the force of the
blow caused pain to blossom at the point of impact.  Distracted by the
pain, Amanda could not react fast enough to block the second strike, a
jab from the other club in her ribs.  The air whooshed out of her lungs
and she struggled to breath.  The first club came around and caught her
on the left cheek.  With a choked cry, she fell to the ground, clutching
her face.
        "I'm not finished with you yet, girl!"  Exchanging the clubs for
her ribbon, she began to mercilessly whip Amanda into submission.
        Barely able to breath, with pain radiating from her forearm,
cheek, and ribs, Amanda curled up into a fetal ball and tried to protect
herself as best as she could.

                It seemed like forever, but eventually the painful hits
from Kodachi's ribbon stopped.  Cracking open one eye, Amanda could see
Kodachi standing over her, basking in her superior fighting skills.
        "And let that be a lesson to you never to cross the Black Rose!"
Kodachi glanced at her watch.  "Oh dear, if I don't hurry, I won't be
able to make another batch of cookies for Ranma."  Kodachi let loose
with a last shot from her ribbon, as though blaming Amanda for her being
late.  "Hohohohohohohoho...!!!"  Kodachi's laughter faded into the
distance.
        Amanda waited several moments before slowly unwinding herself.
Tears of anger and humiliation made their way down her cheeks.  Looking
herself over, she seemed not to be too badly hurt.  Aside from her arm,
cheek and ribs, her clothes looked fine, if a bit rumpled.  Underneath
the clothes, she knew she would soon be covered in bruises.  She wiped
the tears off her cheek, glaring angrily at anyone who ventured close.
Awkwardly getting to her feet, she took a deep breath, and felt her ribs
catch.  Wincing in pain she walked stiffly away, her head held high and
defiant, ignoring the looks and whispers of the other students.

        Vice-Principal Otemi looked at the young girl sitting before
her.  Pulling out a form, he popped open a pen and began to write.
"Now, who assaulted you?" he asked.
        "Her name was Kuno," Amanda replied stonily.  "Kodachi Kuno."
        Otemi stared at the girl for a long moment, then crumpled the
form into a ball and threw it into the trash.  "I'm sorry, but there's
nothing I can do."
        Amanda stared at him in amazement.  "Nothing you can do?  What
do you mean?"
        "You have to understand, the Kuno's are one of the most powerful
and influential families in Nerima.  Not only do they have money and
prestige, but their father is a principal of another school and he also
sits on the School Board.  Everyone listens to him."  To himself he
thought, Only because they're too damn scared of him, the loony.
        "The only thing I understand is that she nearly beat me
senseless!  And you're saying you can't do anything?!"
        Vice-Principal Otemi nodded.  "I'm sorry."  It doesn't matter,
he told his nagging conscience.  She's just a gaijin.
        Fighting back tears, she stood.  "Thank you," she muttered as
she left.

        She could not believe it.  She had always been safe at school.
Before, her tormenters had hassled her on her way to and from school,
but left her alone on school grounds.  The teachers had always stepped
in to protect her.  It created bad PR when the foreigners went home if
they did not.  Apparently this school was different.  Here, she was
alone.

        Amanda managed to make to her homeroom for her second class a
few minutes ahead of the teacher, having missed the first one while at
the nurse's and vice-principal's office.  Quickly finding an empty seat,
she sat down.
        "Pssst!"
        Amanda jumped at the voice behind her.  She turned and saw
another Japanese girl with her dark hair tied in a tight pigtail.
"What?" she asked suspiciously."
        "My name's Chiyeko.  Chiyeko Matsu.  What's yours?"
        "Amanda Chambers."
        "You're the girl that got beat up by the Black Rose this morning
right?" asked another girl sitting in front of Amanda.
        A muscle high on Amanda's uninjured cheek twitched.  "So?
What's it to you?"
        "We just want to let you know that we're not all like that,"
replied Chiyeko.
        "Yeah," said the other girl.  "She's just the worst."
        "Boy, you said it, Nomi.  She works almost everyone who's new
over.  Especially gaijin."
        "But...but..."  Amanda fought down tears.  "How am I supposed to
protect myself?  I studied Karate for eight years, but she went through
me like I wasn't even there."
        "Well, I can't help you with that part," said Chiyeko, who began
rummaging in her bag.  "But I can give you the address of a great
doctor.  His name's...uhhh...I think it's Tofu.  Here's his card."
Chiyeko shook her head.  "I can't believe I still have that thing.
Oops!  Teacher's here."
        Amanda took the card and smiled slightly.  Maybe she was not
alone after all.

        "Hello!  Anyone here?"  Amanda stepped into the front office of
Dr. Tofu and looked around.  "Seems nice enough," she said to herself.
        "Hi, can I help you?"  Dr. Tofu stepped out of one of his rooms.
Spying Amanda he smiled and walked over to you.  "Hello there," he said
cheerfully.  "What can I do -"  Tofu stopped when he saw the bandage
over her face.  "Looks like you had a bit of an accident."  Tofu
motioned for Amanda to enter the room he had just left.
        Sitting down on one of the examination tables, she looked
around.  In one corner was a rubber skeleton.  For some reason, it
looked like it had suffered a good deal of abuse, if the chips and tears
were any proof.
        "All right, let me take a look at that."  Tofu gently pulled off
the bandage on her face.  "Hmmm, that's a nasty bruise you've got
there."
        "Tell me about it."
        "Have you put anything on it?"
        "The nurse gave me an ice pack, but that was about six hours
ago."
        "I've got something better than that."  Standing up he picked up
a clipboard with some papers on it and handed it to her.  "I almost
forgot. You're a first time patient, so you'll have to fill out some
forms."  Going to a cabinet, he began to rummage around.  "So, what's
your name?"
        "Amanda.  Amanda Chambers."
        "Pleased to meet you."  Finding the salve, he stood and came
back to her side.  "As you've probably figured out, I'm Dr. Ono Tofu."
        Amanda smiled wryly.  "Well, I'd hate to think you were the
receptionist."
        Tofu laughed.  "Yes, I can see how you might find that alarming.
Here we go."  Applying the salve to the bruise, Amanda sighed in relief
as the pain quickly receded.
        "Thanks."
        "Your welcome.  Now, I know that's not all.  From the way you
walked in, you look like you're in quite a bit of pain."  His tone
became fatherly.  "What else is there?"
        Sighing with resignation, she rolled up her left sleeve.
Surrounded by a family of smaller welts was the large bruise caused by
Kodachi's club.
        "Wow, that's almost as bad as the first one.  And what are
these?"  He took a closer look at the smaller injuries.  "Do they go all
the way up your arm?"
        "Uhhh...well-"  Amanda tried to figure out how to get him to
back off.  Unfortunately, her ribs twinged, and she grunted in pain.
        Tofu gave her a stern look.  "I can't help you if you don't tell
me what's wrong.  If you're not going to be honest with me, you can walk
right out that door.  I can't help someone who isn't willing to be
helped."
        Amanda gave up.  "I've got the one on my face, the one on my
arm, another big one on my ribs, and a whole family going from my back
down to my shins."
        Tofu's eyebrows rose up as she listed her injuries.  Standing
up, he began searching around the room for something.  "I'll need you to
undress," he told her as he searched.
        Her eyes widened and she turned red as a beet.  "A-all the way?"
she stammered.
        "No, just down to your underclothes should be fine."
        Face flaming, she scrambled out of her uniform.  Tofu pulled out
a chart and put it on another clipboard.  Walking around her, Tofu began
marking down the location of the injuries.  When he reached the bruise
on her ribs, he tsked, and paused in his examination to put some more
salve and a bandage on the wound, then continued his examination.
        "I'm done you can sit down now. No," he put a hand on her arm,
and shook his head as she reached for her clothes.  "There are still a
few more things I want to do."  Putting the clipboard on a counter, he
sat down beside her.  He stared at her for a few moments, his expression
serious.  "Amanda, the wounds you've received are similar to defensive
wounds."  He put his arms around his head and drew his knees up to his
torso.  "You were like this when you were attacked, right?"  Amanda
nodded wordlessly.  Taking a deep breath, he gave her his most intense
stare.  "The large wounds were created by blunt objects like fists and
the smaller ones by a whip-like object, like a belt.  Amanda, I have to
know.  Did either of your parents do this too you?"
        Amanda's mouth dropped open as she gaped at him in astonishment.
"N-no!  They'd never do anything like that!"
        "Amanda-"
        "I'm telling you they didn't do it!  I got into a fight at
school with some crazy girl called Kodachi.  She uses Rhythmic
Gymnastics equipment like weapons.  Her clubs and ribbon did it to me!"
        Tofu nodded.  "Ah, that makes sense.  I've seen injuries caused
by her before.  Usually gymnasts from other schools, though."
        "You mean this style of fighting is normal?"
        "In Nerima, at least.  I've never heard of it practiced anywhere
else.  I'll need you to lie down on your stomach."
        "Why?"
        "Well, first I want to use some pressure points to ease the pain
and increase the blood flow to the injured areas and help relieve the
pain.  Second, I want to give you a massage on your back, arms and
calves.  You've basically been pounded by a meat tenderizer, and if you
think you're stiff now, just wait until tomorrow."
        "Ummm..."
        "If you're that uncomfortable, I could try calling in my old
nurse.  She left to work for her family restaurant nearby."
        Amanda sighed in resignation.  "No, it's okay, I guess.  What do
you want me to do?"  Tofu began to poke several points, and as he did
so, she could feel the delightful sensation of numbness spread over much
of her body.  After about a minute, he stopped.  "Wow, that feels great!
I barely feel anything, now."
        "Good, because the massage won't be all fun and games.  Your
muscles are tender and knotted up tight.  It'll be quite painful at
first.  If you could lay down now, please?"
        "Oh, joy."
        Starting on her shoulders he slowly and expertly moved his way
down her back.  He was right; it was painful.  Even with her nerves
dulled by the shiatsu she could still feel the sharp aches and pains as
he dug into the muscles, massaging out the knots.  Holding up her arms
he massaged the knots first out of her right arm, then did the same for
the left, moving carefully around the large bruise on her forearm.  Tofu
was about to move to her calves, but stopped when he heard the front
door open.
        "Hey Doc, you here?"
        "Yes, Ranma.  You wait there, I'll be out in a minute."
        "Hey, Doc, am I glad to see you."  The door to the room opened
and Amanda saw a young Japanese man with a pigtail wearing a red Chinese
shirt and black silk pants standing in the doorway.  He sported two
large bruises on his cheeks, the bruises roughly the shape of palm
prints.
        "HEY!" cried Amanda indignantly.  She tried to move her arms to
cover herself, but Tofu's massage had relaxed them to a point where they
barely reacted to the signals coming from her brain.  "Get out you
pervert!"
        Almost faster than the eye could see, Ranma jumped back and
slammed the door.  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he cried, alarmed.
        Tofu shook his head.  "You'll have to forgive Ranma.  He's one
of my regulars, and he's gotten use to just coming in and seeing me
almost any time.  Here, let me finish up with you."  He quickly worked
the knots out of her calves, and then stood.  "You lie there and relax
for a bit.  I'll look at Ranma and be right back."
        "Okay."  Amanda lay on the bed, enjoying the peaceful lassitude
that Tofu's massage had given her.  I'll have to come here more often,
she thought to herself.  This feels so nice...

        Amanda slowly awoke a part of her regretting that she was coming
out of her sleep.  She could feel a blanket over her, and she opened her
eyes.  Sitting on the other side of the room was Tofu, busy filling out
some forms.  At the sound of her rustling he looked up.
        "Ah, you're awake.  That's good."
        "What happened?"
        "You fell asleep.  That happens sometimes.  How are you
feeling?"
        "Fine, I guess."  The pain that she had lived with for the past
several hours was muted and distant.  "How long was I out?"
        "I'd say about half an hour.  You can get dressed now."  When
she had finished dressing herself, he handed her a small bottle of the
salve he had used on her bruises.  "Use this twice a day on the large
bruises, and only on the small ones if they start giving you trouble.
Come back to me in about a week and I'll see how you're doing.  Okay?"
Amanda nodded.  "So, after your National Health Insurance subsidy, the
cost comes to about 700 yen."
        "Thank you."  Paying Tofu, she left.
        "See you in a week!" he called after her, waving.

        The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, except for her
having to fend off her parent's attention.  Telling them that she had
been hit by a gymnastics club seemed to satisfy them.  They assumed it
had been an accident in gym class, and Amanda was not about to dispel
their illusions, nor was she going to tell them about her other
injuries.
        Amanda woke the next day to a body filled with pain.  "Okay, so
I'm not dying," she said to herself in the mirror.  "But, man does it
hurt!"  She made it to school with plenty of time, only pausing when she
heard off in the distance a cry of  "RANMA NO BAKA!" and seeing a dark
spot fly up into the sky.  Not knowing what was going on, she shrugged
and continued on.  When she arrived, she managed to meet up with her new
friends Chiyeko and Nomi.
        "Hi," said Chiyeko.  "How're you feeling?"
        Amanda shrugged.  "Not bad.  A heck of a lot better than if I
hadn't gone to Dr. Tofu's.  He was great!"
        "Hmmm, does the new patient have a crush on the good Doctor?
Hmmmm?" teased Nomi.
        Amanda glared at her.  "No, I don't," she said, perhaps a bit
more forcefully than she intended.
        There was a moment of awkward silence
        "So, Nomi," said Chiyeko, "anything new since yesterday?"
        This opened up a blizzard of commentary and speculation about
who was dating, who had broken up, and other such details.  Amanda
listened with only half an ear, schoolyard politics not being one of her
strong suits.  Only once did she hear the maniacal laughter of Kodachi,
but it was distant, on the other side of the school grounds.  Fighting
off a chill at the sound, she focused her attention on her friends.
"Hey, how about we get together after school and go shopping.  I don't
know about you, but I'm dying for some ice cream."  Amanda had just said
the two magic words that every girl loves to hear, "shopping" and "ice
cream."  Their faces lit up, and they both grinned.
        "Yeah!" crowed Nomi.  "What a great idea.  I haven't gone
shopping for two months."
        "Why doesn't that surprise me," said Chiyeko sardonically.  "How
much did you owe Nabiki?"
        "Enough," replied Nomi darkly.  Looking at Amanda pleadingly,
she said, "Umm...could I borrow some money from you?  I won't get paid
my allowance until next week.  I'll pay you back, I promise!"
        Amanda rolled her eyes.  "Well...okay.  You're lucky, I haven't
been able to spend my last few months allowance because we were moving,
so I've got some extra.  Want to meet at the front of the school at four
o'clock?  That'll give us enough time to go home and get changed."
        "Sounds great," said Chiyeko.  "Nomi, what about Konyo and Suzu?
They're not still together are they?  I heard they broke up?"
        "What I hear is-"  Nomi was interrupted as the school bell rang.
"Rats, time for class.  We'll talk later."

        Amanda dashed out of school and ran towards home.  "If I move
fast enough," she said to herself as she ran, "I'll make it here just
barely on time."  She left the road and ran into a park, a shortcut she
had discovered yesterday.  Glancing at her watch, she saw it was about
3:10 pm.  "Twenty five minutes there, twenty five minutes back.
Hmmm...maybe if I wear my roller blades on the way back-"
        "Hold it right there, gaijin!"
        Amanda screeched to a halt as Kodachi stepped out from behind a
tree.  Behind her were two of her friends, also members of the Martial
Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics team, if their leotards were any indication.
One had a ribbon and the other was armed with a ball.  Amanda could feel
the sour taste of fear coat the back of her mouth, and the beginning of
gut twisting nerves in her stomach.  "Kodachi," she managed evenly.
        "That's upperclassman, gaijin."
        Amanda snorted.  "We're both in the same grade, Kodachi.  I
don't need to call you anything.  What do you want?  I'm in a hurry."
        Kodachi's expression turned mournful.  "My darling Ranma didn't
want any of the cookies I baked him yesterday, despite
considerable...coercion on my part."  Her mournful look became anger.
"Because I had to rush the baking of that second batch, they were
imperfect, and you are to blame.  I'm sure that he would have been
overjoyed at the first batch, but you ruined them.  I'm here to take out
my anguish on your pitiful hide."
        Amanda gulped nervously, backed up a step, and she settled into
a combat stance.  "You've already proven you can beat me up, Kodachi.
Doing it again won't prove anything."
        "Oh, I won't bother to sully my tools with your flesh again."
Kodachi smiled maliciously.  "I'll let my friends do it.  Yaeko, Tsuki."
Stepping forwards, the two girls advanced on Amanda.
        Amanda backed up fearfully, trying to keep the two from
encircling her.  With a smile of triumph, Tsuki launched her ribbon at
Amanda.  Sidestepping the ribbon, Amanda managed to duck the thrown ball
by Yaeko.  Like something out of a Captain America comic, the ball
ricocheted of a couple of trees, and back into Yaeko's hands.  Even with
this impressive display, Amanda could tell that neither of them was
nearly as good as Kodachi.  "If I could just fend them off long enough
to take them one on one-."
        Tsuki attacked with her ribbon a second time.  Instead of
dodging, Amanda allowed the ribbon to wrap around her left arm.  Wincing
with pain as the ribbon dug into the bruise on her forearm, Amanda ran
up to Tsuki, who was thrown off balance by the sudden release of
tension.  Yaeko tried to aid her partner by throwing her ball at Amanda,
but she was surprised enough by Amanda's sudden attack that her aim was
off and the ball flew by harmlessly.  Unable to mount a defence in time,
Tsuki bore the full brunt of Amanda's attack.  First, she attacked with
a palm strike, hitting just above the bottom of the rib cage.  Tsuki's
diaphragm contracted violently, and the air was forced out of her lungs.
Unable to breath, Tsuki fell to the ground, knees to her chest, as she
tried frantically to get her diaphragm working properly.
        Yaeko, her ball on the ground several meters away, pulled out a
pair of clubs and attacked.  She jabbed at Amanda with her right club,
aiming for the same place Kodachi had it the day before.  Bringing her
hand down in an arm sweep, Amanda knocked the club away.  Off balance
Yaeko stumbled forward, past her opponent.  Taking another step forward,
Amanda pivoted and faced Yaeko, who quickly regained her equilibrium.
        Yaeko dashed forward, and raised her club for a vicious downward
strike.  Stepping back at the last moment, the club passed through the
space where Amanda had been a moment before.  Attacking with a left
handed punch, Amanda hit Yaeko in the jaw, and she crumpled without a
sound.
        Amanda looked at the two immobilized girls, one barely able to
breathe properly, and the other unconscious.  "If this is the kind of
people who you're going to send-"  Panic filled her as she felt
Kodachi's ribbon wrap around her neck, and she was pulled up until she
balanced on the tips of her toes.  Amanda grabbed the ribbon
frantically, trying to minimize the damage to her throat.  Kodachi had
managed to wrap the ribbon around her neck, and then throw it up and
over a tree branch.  She was now holding Amanda captive, pulling at the
ribbon and keeping her with only enough purchase to keep herself from
strangling.
        "No, gaijin, these were potential member of my team."  Kodachi
glared at the two girls.  "Apparently they have some more training to
do."  Looking back to Amanda, she continued.  "Now what to do about you?
I think you need a lesson of a different kind."  She began to waggle the
ribbon back and forth.  Somehow, the effect was amplified by the time it
reached the end and Amanda could barely hold on.  "Maybe I should just
leave you here," Kodachi teased, almost playfully.  "I imagine you'd
make quite a spectacle."
        Amanda desperately hung on to the ribbon.  There was no way she
was going to give in to someone like Kodachi!  No way!  And yet...she
had to breath!  It was all she could do to keep a hold of the ribbon,
and she could feel her hands slipping with every shake.  Fortunately,
Kodachi tired of her game fairly quickly when it became evident that
Amanda was not going to respond.  She sighed.  "Oh well.  You seem to be
made of sterner stuff than you seem.  I'll give that to you.  We'll talk
again some other time.  Let's go you two.  Hohohohohohoh!!"  Laughing,
Kodachi jumped through the park, Tsuki and the now conscious Yaeko close
behind.
        Amanda slumped to her knees, crying tears of humiliation.  Her
hand shook, and she felt like she was going to throw up.  There was no
way she could fight someone like Kodachi.  All her skills as a martial
artist were useless, and Kodachi was not one to listen to diplomacy.
Amanda began to beat the ground around her in frustration.  "What can I
do?" she wept bitterly to herself.  "I can't fight her, I can't talk to
her, and I can't ignore her.  What do I do?"

        A month passed without incident, and life slowly turned to
normal for Amanda.  The only side effect of her ordeal was that she
jumped whenever she heard Kodachi's laughter.  It was a comfort that
most of the student body empathized, or at least sympathized, with her,
so the burden was not too much to bear.

        "I've got it!" cried Veronica, who dashed to the ringing phone
just ahead of her older sister.  "Hello, Chambers residence.  Who?  Oh."
Veronica's expression became sullen.  Handing the phone to Amanda she
said, "It's for you."
        "Thanks.  Hello?  Where?  Public baths?  Why?  Oh.  Just wait a
sec, let me ask my parents."  Taking the cordless phone with her, Amanda
went to the living room.  "Hey, Nomi's hot water heater's down, so she
and Chiyeko are going to the public baths.  Can I go too?
        Her father, Terry, and mother, Lorri, exchanged worried glances.
Terry was a large man, but not tall.  At five feet eight inches, he
weighed almost two hundred and fifty pounds.  He was bald, with a crown
of very dark brown hair around the sides and back of his head.  Her
mother was short, only five-two, but she also weight a considerable
amount, a little under two hundred pounds.  Early on, Amanda had shown
signs of inheriting the family plumpness, but her intense physical
workout, combined with a height that was slight taller than her father,
had managed to keep the pounds off.
        "Amanda," began her father, "I don't think-"
        "Oh, come on!  Nothing's going to happen!  It's been over half a
year!  Don't you trust me?"
        Both her parents' expressions looked uncomfortable.  "Of course
we trust you, dear-" began her mother, but Amanda quickly interrupted
her.
        "Great!  Thanks!"  Amanda went to her bedroom, taking the phone
with her.  "I can go.  Where?  Okay.  Eight o'clock, right?  Great!  See
you there!"

        When Amanda arrived, both Nomi and Chiyeko were waiting for her
at the entrance.
        "Hey Amanda!" called Nomi.
        "Hi girls," she replied.  "All ready?"
        "Yep," they answered.
        They entered and paid the fee.  "Wow," commented Amanda.  "This
place looks high class."  The buildings were gleaming in white and maple
coloured tiles, and decorative woodcarvings adorned the ceilings around
the walls.  There was a wide array of products available, from good soap
and fine towels to bath toys.
        "Haven't you been to a public bath before?" asked Chiyeko.
        "It's been a while," she replied.  They arrived at the locker
room, got undressed and stowed their belongings in lockers.  As they
entered the bathing area, Amanda's eyebrows rose in surprise.  It was
larger than she had expected.  There were three aisles with about ten
bathing cubicles per row.  Beyond the cubicles was the large pool of hot
water for soaking.  A thin divider, separating the men and the women,
split the pool.  The bath was moderately busy, containing perhaps twenty
women of various ages.
        By the time Amanda sat down at one of the cubicles,
the...feelings had started.  She tried to ignore them, but they were a
persistent pressure on her mind and body.  She shook her head angrily
and began bathing.
        I don't want to feel this way, she though.  I don't want what
happened last time happen again.  She remembered last time, remembered
how much it hurt, the pain, the anguish, the confusion.  She did not
want to go through that again-.
        "Amanda?"
        Amanda jumped and turned to Chiyeko, who was naked and well on
her way to finishing bathing.  "What?"
        "Are you all right?"
        "Yeah, why?"
        "I don't know.  For a second you looked...sad."
        Amanda felt the blush rising to her face, but managed a weak
grin.  "I'm fine, really."
        Chiyeko nodded hesitantly and continued bathing.  Amanda waited
a moment and then also continued cleaning her body.  From behind her she
heard Nomi mutter something to Chiyeko, but the noise around them made
it impossible to hear everything.  She caught the words, "gaijin,"
"embarrassed," and "baths."  In the reflection from the mirror in front
of her, she saw Chiyeko nod slightly.
        Amanda's expression was bleak.  So.  Even her friends were
talking about her behind her back.  Amanda sighed.  She was not very
surprised, just disappointed.  She had hoped that they were different.
Sometimes she wished she were different.  Gaijin.  Foreigner.  She hated
that word.
        She finished cleaning herself in a cloud of resentment and
embarrassment.  Trying to keep a cheerful demeanour, she went to the
bathing pool, where her friends were already sitting.  A few minutes
later, while discussing the good and bad attributes of their math
teacher, Nomi groaned.
        "What?" asked Chiyeko.  "What is it?"
        Nomi shrank back and sank deeper in the pool, trying to
disappear.  "Nabiki just came in."
        Amanda twisted around and saw four girls enter the room
together.  "Which one?"
        "The one with the short brown hair standing beside the one with
the short black hair."
        Amanda studied the infamous Nabiki.  She had heard enough about
her to know better than to never deal with her.  Nabiki was cute enough,
she supposed, but nothing special.  The black haired one was something
else.  Her movements were fluid, more controlled, less accidental
overextensions, a sure sign of someone who had studied martial arts
extensively.  "Who's the one with the black hair?"
        "That's her sister, Akane."
        "Haven't you paid Nabiki back yet?" asked Chiyeko.
        "No," replied Nomi in a small voice.
        "No?" demanded Amanda, her hair whipping around her head as she
turned back to her friend.  "You were suppose to pay her back this month
so you could pay me back next week."
        "I'm sorry."
        Amanda hmphed in annoyance, and turned back to study Akane.  I
wonder what style she practices, she wondered.  Maybe she can tell me
where she studies.  She had been searching for a school to train in for
a while, but there were no Karate schools nearby.  In the middle of her
thoughts, she noticed something strange.
        "Chiyeko, why are they carrying swimsuits?"
        Chieyko shook her head.  "I don't know?"
        By the time Nabiki and the rest of her party made it to the
pool, Nomi had sunk down to just below her nose, trying her best to look
inconspicuous.  It did not work,
        "Hi, Nomi," said Nabiki nonchalantly, as she entered the pool.
"Do you have the money you owe me?"
        Nomi rose sheepishly.  "N-nabiki!" she replied, her shaky voice
betraying her nervousness.  "If I knew you were coming I'd've brought
the money-"
        "In other words," Nabiki interrupted, "you don't have it."
        "Ummm...next week?" Nomi replied weakly.
        There was a long pause as Nabiki apparently considered.
Eventually, she nodded.  "Plus twenty percent."
        "Twenty percent?!"
        "Twenty percent.  Or I'll tell everyone about-"
        "I'll pay, I'll pay!" Nomi shrieked desperately.
        "Excellent."  Nabiki settled back and began chatting with her
friends and sister, yet Amanda detected a slight air of expectation,
like she was waiting for something.  Shifting her gaze to Akane, she was
about to ask her about her martial arts experience, but a sudden fear
overwhelmed her.  She battled back and forth with it for several
minutes.
        Oh, come on! she thought.  Don't be such an idiot.  What is she
going to do, yell and scream until I'm in tears?  Jeeze!  Amanda stood
and waded though the pool over to the black haired girl.  "Excuse me,"
she asked tentatively.
        Akane looked up at her in surprise.  "Yes?" she answered.
        "You're a martial artist, aren't you?"
        A touch of a smile touched Akane's features.  "Yes, I am.  Are
you, too?"
        "Amanda smiled back and sat beside Akane.  "Yes, Karate, second
Dan.  You?"
        "Fourth Dan, Anything Goes."
        Amanda's brow furrowed.  "Anything Goes?  I've never heard of
that style."
        Akane grinned.  "I'd be surprised if you did.  Only two families
practice it."
        "Oh.  Well, is there a school for it?  I haven't done any
serious training in months, and I've been looking for a place to go."
        "My family runs the Tendo Dojo, but we don't have any regular
classes going right now."  Amanda's face fell.  "But," continued Akane,
"if you want to spar, I suppose I could work something out.  I need more
practice myself."
        "Great!" replied Amanda gratefully.  "My name's Amanda
Chambers."  She did as much of a bow as she could while sitting in the
pool.
        "Akane Tendo," she said returning the bow.
        In the meantime, Nabiki stepped out of pool and up to the
divider.  Amanda could hear calls of indignation coming from the men's
side as she peered over the wall.
        "Hi Ranma!" she called.  "What a coincidence.  Fancy meeting you
here."
        "Hey, Nabiki, how's the water over there?" came the wheezy
reply.
        "What is she doing?" asked Amanda.
        "I don't know," replied Akane.
        "Why bother," said Ranma on the men's side.  "She ain't got
nothing I want to see."
        It was not hard for Akane to infer whom Ranma was talking about.
"Excuse me."  She grabbed a bucket and pulled herself up to the wall.
"Well, excuse me for being uncute!"  She whipped the bucket with all her
might, and Amanda heard the sound of wood impacting bone.  Akane came
down, her face indignant.  Turning to her sister Akane said, "I told you
we should have come here later."
        "Hey, the more the merrier, I always say," replied Nabiki.
        "Wow, Nabiki," said one of her friends, "you really like living
life on the edge."
        Lost in the shuffle, Amanda made her way back to her friends.
"Success!" she hissed to them.
        "What?" they asked.
        "I've got a school I can spar in now."  They chatted for several
minutes, enjoying the bath.  Suddenly, a female voice was heard from the
men's side.
        "Now you've done it!  Now you're going to pay!"  Almost
immediately, the sounds of fighting could be heard.  The crashing of
tiles, glass, and other objects came from the opposite side.
        "What is going on?" asked Amanda in bewilderment.  Her two
friends just shrugged.
        Suddenly, a small old man in a striped green jumpsuit leapt over
the divider and into the girl's side, followed closely by a young red
headed girl.  Amanda watched in shock at he old man skated on two soap
bars down one of the aisles, dodging the buckets thrown by the red
headed girl.  Turning at the last moment, the old man touched the last
bucket hurtling towards him, and it collapsed into pieces.  Grabbing
several more buckets, the old freak slid several across the floor
towards the redhead, followed by several pieces of soap.  The girl
nimbly jumped back, evading the objects.
        "Boy you're no fun Ranma.  I thought I had you."
        Ranma-chan did one last graceful backflip up into the air.
"Nyaaa, thought I'd fall for your dumb trick didn't ya?"  Then Ranma-
chan noticed her trajectory was going to land her in the hot soaking
pool.  "Now I've done it," she whined in resignation.  The column of
water that arose on impact was, to say the least, impressive.  Ranma-
chan herself did not resurface.
        "Is she okay?" said someone.
        "She's been under there a long time," said someone else.
        "Maybe she's drowning,"
        "Let's pull her up."
        Amanda and her friends joined in the search, concerned about the
girl.  Out of the corner of her eye, Amanda could see that Akane, Nabiki
and her friends were wearing their swimsuits and confronting the old
freak.  Suddenly, Akane's cry of rage drew her attention.
        "Go back to that side where you belong!"  Amanda saw a green
streak go flying over the divider to the men's side.  Moments later,
Ranma popped out of the pool on the women's side, sputtering for air.
        "I almost drowned down there," he cried indignantly.  "You
trying to drown me?"  Ranma hit the old man, who had reappeared in front
of Ranma, on the head with a weak punch.  At that point, Ranma became
aware of his predicament.  Turning he saw a dozen women glaring at him
angrily.  "Heh, it's not what you think," he managed.  "It's all a big
misunderstanding."  Normally, Amanda would not stoop to joining the mob,
but she decided that this was a special case.  Ignoring Ranma's pleas
for mercy, the girls beat him soundly before tossing him and the old man
back to the men's side.
        "Let's get out of here," said Chiyeko.
        "I'm with you," replied Amanda.
        The trio left the bathing area, dried and dressed themselves.
Just as they finished, the screaming of women could be heard, and what
seemed to be the population of the entire room exited the baths.  Am I
glad we got out of there in time, Amanda thought.  Once they were
outside, Amanda turned to her three friends.  "I don't know about you,
but I think I've had my fill of public baths for at least a month.  Is
that kind of thing normal?"  There were feverent agreements from her
friends.
        "From what I hear," replied Nomi, "only around Ranma."
        "Then remind me to steer clear of that guy."  The trio broke up,
heading to their separate homes.

        "Well, here we are," Amanda said to herself.  "The Tendo School
of Anything Goes Martial Arts."
        The estate was pretty impressive, especially given Tokyo's real
estate prices.  The lot itself had to be several thousand square feet,
to say nothing of the buildings she saw over top of the stone wall
surrounding them.  Going to the front, Amanda opened the gate and stuck
her head through.  "Hello!" she called.  "Anyone home?"  No answer.
Stepping inside she looked around at the front path, the plants that
bordered it and the yard off to the side.  "Looks like a decent enough
place," she said as she approached the front door.
        "Come back here, you old freak!" cried someone from inside.  The
voice sounded familiar, but Amanda could not place it.  There was the
sound of running, then the front door flew open and a small purple blur
jumped through and attached itself to her chest.  Less than a second
later, another blur, this one large and red, exited the house and ran
into her.  The trio fell, Amanda at the bottom, Happosai in the middle,
and Ranma on top.
        "Wow!" exclaimed Happosai, his voice muffled.  "Direct-to-your-
door-delivery!  Nabiki, what number did you call?"
        Amanda screamed.

        "I'm terribly sorry about Happosai," apologized Kasumi as she
handed Amanda a cup of tea.  "He just has problems...controlling
himself."
        "Well that's the understatement of the century," commented
Nabiki from behind her manga.
        Amanda, sitting at the table with the rest of the household,
took the tea, but did not say any thanks.  "That's the guy who does
those raids at Furinkan, isn't he?"
        Soun and Genma twitched nervously.  If the authorities knew that
Happosai lived here...  "What makes you say that?" asked Soun as
nonchalantly as possible.
        Amanda's eyes bored into Happosai'a face, who was busy ironing
out a bra, a B-Cup, if she guessed right.  "Call it a lucky guess," she
replied sarcastically.
        "Well, don't you worry about it," said Genma in a mollifying
tone.  "The Master's harmless.  He hasn't hurt anyone so
far...permanently.  Except maybe Ranma.  And Tendo.  And me.  Oh, he
also worked over that Hibiki boy a time or two-"
        "Saotome," growled Soun.  "You're not helping."
        "Sorry Tendo," replied Genma, grinning weakly.  "Just trying my
best."
        "So," said Soun briskly, trying to change the topic.  "You're
interested in our school, yes?"
        "Was interested," replied Amanda.  "Now I'm not so sure.  Not
with *them* here."  Amanda glared venom at both Happosai and Ranma.
        "Hey, I said I was sorry," said Ranma.
        "I wouldn't worry about it," said Akane, who walked over to
Happosai, put her hand on the top of his head and began pressing down.
"They won't do anything."  More to Happosai than to Amanda she said.
"After all, it wouldn't be right to bother a *paying* customer, now
would it?"
        "Ow, stop it!  You're hurting me!" whined Happosai.
        "Would it?" she asked again, a bit more forcefully.
        "No!"  Satisfied, Akane went back to her seat and sat down,
while Happosai shook out the aches and pains in his neck.  "And
interfere with the spreading of the Anything Goes style?" he continued
indignantly.  "What kind of a martial artist do you take me for?"
        "The chest grabbing, panty stealing, perverted old freak kind?"
retorted Ranma.
        "Hey!  That's personal!"
        "C'mon," said Akane to Amanda.  "Let's get out of here before
they start fighting again.  We can get changed my bedroom."
        "Okay," Amada replied dubiously.
        By the time they got changed and made it to the door of the
dojo, they could hear the sounds of combat coming from within the house.
        "Honestly!" exclaimed Akane, exasperated.  "Don't those two ever
quit?"
        "Do they do that often?"
        "Constantly."  They bowed to the dojo as they entered.  Amanda
kneeled on the floor while Akane stood at the front of the room.  "Okay,
let's start with a warm up.  Just do what you're comfortable with."
        "Yes Sensei," replied Amanda solemnly.
        "Look, I know a lot of schools can be strict, but we're pretty
informal here.  Just call me Akane."
        Amanda blinked.  "Oh, okay."  It felt a little wrong to abandon
years of ingrained behaviour, but if that was the way they ran thing
here, she was not going to argue.  Several minutes later they finished
their warm up exercised and stood facing each other.
        "So, first we should find out where you're at.  How about a
sparing match?"
        Amanda got in her ready position.  "Full contact?"
        Akane shook her head, also setting herself.  "It wouldn't be
good if one of us was crippled on our first day.  Okay, ready?  Fight!"
        The two girls circled one another, looking for an opening, each
trying several feints with no success.  Finally, tired of waiting, Akane
attacked with a punch.  It was quicker than Amanda expected, but she
managed to grab Akane's wrist as it came in, pivot, and turn the punch
into a hip throw.  Akane went with the move, rolling with the throw and
springing easily to her feet.
        Now Amanda attacked.  Lashing out with a kick, she aimed for the
centre of Akane's chest.  Unfortunately, Akane managed to catch the foot
before it hit.  Pushing forward, Akane swept the foot that Amanda was
standing on off the floor.  Amanda landed on the mat with a thud.
Rolling backwards in a summersault, Amanda got her feet back under her.
        For several minutes the two sparred, the advantage shifting back
and forth between them.  It became quickly apparent to Amanda that Akane
was better than she was.  Akane was fast, almost as fast as Kodachi, but
lacked the range.  Akane had plenty of power in her hits, though, and
each one felt like she was being hit by a padded baseball bat.
        If this is how she 'holds back,' thought Amanda, I'd never want
to face her for real!
        "Okay, stop!" said Akane eventually, ending the match.  They
sat.  "You're pretty good.  Better than I expected."
        "You're better."
        "Not much.  Let's take a break and I'll tell you a bit about the
Anything Goes style."  They each got their water bottles and sat against
one of the walls.  "The Anything Goes style is more a philosophy and way
of thinking, rather than a set style of moves.  Sure, there are some
'special techniques' and all that, but for the most part, Anything Goes
is mostly an attitude."
        "What kind of attitude?"
        "Win at all costs.  Hence 'Anything Goes.'"
        "That doesn't sound like a very good philosophy."
        "Well, Happosai *was* the founder."
        "Hmmm.  So that's it?  Anything Goes is just an attitude?"
        "Mostly.  I've notice that people who practice the Anything Goes
style get to a certain ability level rarely found anywhere else."
        "What kind of 'level' are we talking about?"
        "Many practitioners get enhanced speed, endurance and strength."
        "How 'enhanced'?"
        "It depends.  Mr. Saotome's really fast, faster than I am, and
Ranma is just inhuman."
        "What, are we talking like stuff in The Matrix?"
        "Yeah, pretty much."
        Amanda stared at Akane for several moments, before he expression
changed into one heavy with scorn.  "Yeah, suuuure.  You just keep
thinking that."  Amanda got up and headed toward the door.  "Thanks, but
I don't think I'm interested."
        "Wait!" Akane protested.  "Let me at least show you!"
        Amanda thought about it for a moment then nodded.  "Okay, show
me."
        Going to one side of the room, Akane faced away from the closest
wall.  "I want you to do a backward summersault throw."
        "Okay."  Standing in front of Akane, Amanda grabbed her gi, and
fell backward.  Catching Akane's chest with her right foot, she launched
Akane over her, who landed about seven feet away on her back.  They got
to their feet.  "So, what was that suppose to prove?"
        "Wait, it's my turn now."  Akane duplicated the move.
        Amanda took the whole thing stoically, and readied herself to
land.  Only she kept going...and going...and going...suddenly Amanda
realized she was not going to stop before hitting the opposite wall of
the dojo.  "Oh shi-!"
        *CRASH*
        Amanda hit the wall with stunning force and fell to the mats.
Ow, ow, ow! thought Amanda, trying not to let the pain show.  She
quickly realized that it was futile.
        Akane came over to her.  "Well, what do you think of that?"
        "I'm having trouble thinking," replied Amanda through gritted
teeth.  "I think every muscle in my back seized up!"
        Alarmed, Akane tried to help Amanda to her feet, which just
resulted in Amanda crying out in pain.  Running to the door, Akane
yanked it open.  "Kasumi!  Call Dr. Tofu!""

        Amanda sighed in contentment.  She loved Dr. Tofu's massages.
She just wished they did not require her to experience large amounts of
pain first.
        "Take it easy for the next few days," said Tofu.  "Come back to
me on Friday and I'll do a follow up."
        "Okay," she replied sleepily.  Tofu left.  Boy, Akane sure has a
comfortable bed, she thought.
        "I'm sorry.  I guess I was trying to show off."
        "It's okay."
        "Were you impressed?"
        "Mmmm-hmmm."  Amanda forced herself awake.  "How'd you do that?"
        "I don't really know.  I've asked Ranma, but he just says it's
the training.  He's not really concerned about the 'why.'"
        "Could it be genetic?  Your Dad can do it; you can do it.  Both
Ranma and his Dad can do it."
        "I don't think so.  Happosai isn't part of either of our
families."
        "So anyone can learn?  Cool."  Amanda could feel herself getting
sleepy again.
        "So you're interested?"
        "You bet."
        "Great!  So, three practices a week, say on Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday after school.  I'll talk to Dad about the cost, and I'll try
to see if he can get Happosai and Ranma to leave us alone.  How does
that sound?"
        Amanda was fast asleep.

To Be Continued


Special thanks to Allen Younge for his C&C.  I hope I can return the favor one day.

Adam


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