Just an idea that struck me the other day. I'll probably be lucky if even
five people have seen the series.


Sacrifice for the Art
A Tsukikage Ran spamfic

Any and all C+C is appreciated. You can contact me at
sommer@3rdm.net

All of my fics are stored at the following:

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http://www.rakhal.com/florestica

And also Angcobra is now storing all of my fics, at
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Or R+C books at:
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Standard Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to any of the Tsukikage Ran
characters.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Tsukikage Ran, beautiful maiden, connoisseur of fine sake, aficionado of
elephants, and by chance, wandering samurai, sat back against a tree,
enjoying the shade provided by its leafy canopy. There wasn't a cloud in the
sky, and the temperature was a touch on the warm side. But between her
refuge and a light breeze, everything felt just right. That was to say, with
the jug of sake in her hand, it felt right. To prove it fact rather than
opinion, she took another sip. A sip in the sense she only gulped twice
before bringing the nearly empty jug down and wiping her sleeve across her
lips.

"Ahh! It does indeed feel just right. There's not a thing I would change.
Wouldn't you agree, Myao?"

Myao, far away from the tree and toiling under the bright sun, grunted
non-committally, then returned to her task at hand.

Ran shook her head at her friend's behavior. Myao, as much a country bumpkin
as the samurai had ever come across, was obsessed. It wasn't as though Myao
had never been obsessed before. Actually, she was quite obsessive. She
tended to latch onto things like her namesake martial arts school, digging
her claws into whatever caught her eye and maintaining her grip until
someone pried her off, or she came to understand the image she had built up
in her mind was not the same thing as the reality of the situation. From
joining cults to having her picture painted, Myao had a tenacious energy
that caused as many problems as it solved. Still, Ran couldn't envision her
constant companion behaving in any other way. Nor would she have wanted a
change in Myao's behavior, though she would never admit such to the girl. It
was more fun to complain about it. And it did tend to keep their lives
interesting.

But this time was different. Myao's obtuse, little mind had come up with
something that Ran did not approve of. Mostly because it seemed incredibly
stupid, even by Myao's standards. Ran had tried to talk the girl out of it,
but Myao was being extraordinarily stubborn this time. Still, perhaps one
more attempt would be called for.

"I still say this isn't a good idea."

Myao threw down the items she had been tying together. She stood up and
stomped toward Ran, irate frown on her features. Given the worn state of
Myao's clothing, dirt smudged on her hands and face, combined with the way
the martial artist's look of intensity, which was similar to a five year old
being told he couldn't have any candy, proved to be quite the comical sight.
It took everything Ran had not to laugh aloud.

Standing above the placid samurai, Myao leveled an accusatory finger at her.
"I have to do this. I'm tired of being relegated to the role of sidekick to
your heroism. I am Myao of the Neko Tekken, unconquerable avenger and
righter of wrongs. My martial arts are supposed to be supreme. I should be
able to dispatch any evildoer with a minimum of fuss, and do so with style
and grace as befitting a young woman of my beauty." Each statement was
punctuated by vigorous arm motions, almost as though she believed she was a
bird and could take off if she pumped her appendages fast enough.

"Your martial arts are impressive," Ran admitted. Although Myao tended to
look more like an excited little girl than a beautiful young woman when she
was beating the crap out of someone. Ran, on the other hand, was all
composure and elegance, like a gentle leaf blowing in the wind when she went
into battle.

"They are, aren't they?" Myao started to preen, then quickly returned to her
former angry state. "They might be good, but they're nothing compared to
your swordsmanship. Swordswomanship, whatever," Myao said, momentarily
flustered in confusion.

"You're being too harsh on yourself," Ran assured her. "Think about our last
fight with those opium dealers. You took out at least a dozen of them."

"I took out six," Myao corrected, her voice as flat as a sheet of paper. "Do
you know how many you beat?"

"I did't really keep count," Ran said.

"Fourteen," Myao said.

Ran's eyebrow raised slightly. "It was sixteen."

Myao shook her head. "No, I counted the bodies in the courtyard. There were
twenty."

"There were two hiding behind a paper wall that tried to ambush me while I
was fighting that pair of ronin in black. I deflected both of the ronins'
attacks, then slashed through the wall and got both of the ambushers with
one stroke. They fell backward into the inn, which is why you didn't seem
them when you took the headcount."

"You see?! That's exactly what I mean!" Myao shouted. "You simultaneously
fought two armed men, sensed two others trying to sneak up on you, and took
them out in the middle of an intense fight. I would have my hands full with
just the ronin."

Ran took another sip of the sake, finishing the jug. She stared at it
mournfully. "Well, it's not really fair to compare yourself to me. You're a
martial artist. I'm a samurai. It's like comparing radishes and mushrooms."

Myao shook her head. "The end results are what matters. You got fourteen. I
got six. You're better than me. I need to close the gap." She walked back
and restarted her tying efforts.

"But is this really the best way to go about it?" Ran continued. "Surely
there's some other way to improve yourself."

Myao shook her head furiously, again reminding Ran of a bratty child that
would hold her breath if she wasn't going to get her way. Even Myao's cheeks
were bulging. "There is no other way," she fumed

"But there are lots of things you could do," Ran insisted. "You could
practice driving nails into wood with your bare hands, or breaking rocks
with your forehead."

"I can already do those."

Actually, Myao ramming her head into rocks on a regular basis would go far
in explaining some of her behavior. "You should try something different,"
Ran said.

"Ha!" Myao held her hand up triumphantly. "I know why you're so intent on
stopping me. You're afraid I'll get better than you and you'll be reduced to
the role of my sidekick."

Ran's eyebrow twitched. "A pig would sooner learn to fly than that every
happening."

"I'm betting this technique can do it, so you'd better get ready to take
some pork on the fly. I'm so confident it'll work, I already copied it in my
journal with the other techniques of my school," Myao bragged, flashing a
thin book that had lain hidden in the folds of her outfit. "I came up with
this great idea shortly after I first entered the opium den."

Ran jerked her head slightly. "This wouldn't be after you inhaled from the
hookah, would it?"

"I didn't know what it was at the time!" Myao countered. "Anyway, it was
truly inspirational. It opened my mind to avenues I had never considered
before." Myao's face took on a far off look.

Ran nodded her head. Now it all made sense. This particularly horrible idea
was the result of a drug induced hallucination. Ran hadn't realized it,
since Myao frequently had bad ideas. The only thing that marked this as
different was that it was simply the worst.

The samurai rose to her feet and walked toward Myao. "I'm afraid I cannot
allow you to do this to yourself." She placed a hand on Myao's shoulder

Myao pulled a bottle out of a nearby bag and held it before her companion.
"I'll give you this sake."

Ran snatched it out of her hand, undid the stopper, and took a swig. She
nodded her head in approval. "You make a good argument. Who am I to stand in
the way of your attempt to improve yourself? After all, as you have reminded
me so many times, the path of a martial artist is fraught with peril."

"I thought you'd see things my way," Myao grinned. She seemed satisfied with
her efforts at tying, and threw the coils around her body.

Ran began to walk back to the shade of the tree.

Myao gave a laugh, one tinged with nervousness. "I have one more tiny favor
to ask you."

"I'll be ready to bail you out once... I mean if you get in trouble," Ran
assured her.

Myao laughed again, this time with three times the trepidation. "Actually,
I'd like you to do the opposite. This technique is going to be very...
dangerous to learn."

"Then don't do it."

"I must!" Myao insisted. "It will work. I know it. It's just I've never
undergone anything this rigorous before. I don't know as I'll be able to
maintain my resolve once I'm undergoing the training. That's why I'll need
you to ensure I complete it no matter what. No matter how much I beg, no
matter how much I plead, don't let me stop, even if you have to throw me
back in again and again."

Ran shook her head. "It's bad enough you want me to bear witness to the
sacrifice. I will not be the one to hand you the dagger as well."

Myao fished another bottle out of the bag.

Ran was at her side in an instant. "But a friend stays by a friend's side,
even through hard times." Ran took a swig from the new bottle, and gave an
appreciative cry of joy. "So, how will I know when you've mastered the
technique?"

Myao handed her the journal and opened it to the page with the technique.
"Read this, and you'll know when I've mastered what will become the ultimate
technique of the Neko Tekken."

Ran nodded her head. "Very well. Let it begin." And shoved Myao.

Myao's arms went flailing about as she tried to regain her balance, "Wait,
I'm not readAHHH!" she cried as she finally lost her balance and fell into
the pit she had dug earlier. Almost instantly Myao's screechy cries of
suffering came out of the pit. "Ow! Oh my god! It hurts! Ow! The pain! The
pain! Knock it off, you evil little creatures! Ow! Ahhhh! Ahhhh! I've had
enough! Pull me out, Ran! In the name of all that's holy PULL ME OUT!"

Ran ignored the cries, and shook her head sadly as she read the appellation
Myao had given to the technique. It was kind of pathetic, considering it was
so similar to the name of her style of martial arts already. Really,
couldn't she have come up with something more original than the 'Nekoken'?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

End notes:
Well, I think it's a distinct possibility. Don't you? ^_^


















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