Subject: [FFML] [Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction][rewrite/reformat] "Learning Curve" part 9
From: "J. B-Wagner" <jbw@wpi.edu>
Date: 6/30/2003, 1:50 PM
To: ffml@anifics.com
Reply-to:
jbw@wpi.edu


Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi and its characters belong to
her, and her alone. I'm just kinda borrowing them. The story below is
for entertainment purposes only, and not to be used commercially.
...Obviously.


"Learning Curve"
        Part IX    (v1.3)

by:   J. Wagner




"I'll KILL him!" Ranma stormed into the Nekohanten.

Shampoo was the only one up, and she rubbed her eyes to get the sleep
out of them. "Kill who? Airen come see Shampoo? Shampoo very happy,
but is very early."

Ranma scowled. "Where's the old ghoul?"

"She in back." Shampoo motioned with her hand, and locked the front
door. They didn't open for two hours, and Shampoo couldn't be happier
for that fact. The late night fight she'd gotten involved in had been
tiring, and she'd had to drag Mousse back after Ranma finally knocked
him unconscious. Fortunately, he'd been in his duck form, and hadn't
been that hard to carry. He'd left miscellaneous weapons all over the
Tendo dojo and yard, too, but those were his responsibility to clean
up after. She'd only taken her home with her because Ukyou had asked,
right before she'd passed out on the roof. The two of them had come
out of the fight the worst, physically.

Shampoo still owed that annoying stick-boy for last night, too. After
Ranma-chan had been forced to turn her attentions to Happosai, and
Mousse, and Ukyou, she'd been left alone trying to fend off his
attacks. She had been weaponless, too, and no matter how often she
beat him into the ground he got back up a few seconds later. It was
almost like he had the endurance of the Bakusai Tenketsu training,
though, fortunately, not the resistance to damage. Still, he'd been
tenacious enough to be beyond annoying.

"Ugh." Shampoo suddenly remembered that she was scheduled to
participate in a Martial Arts Ping Pong Tournament later in the day.
Right now, she was seriously considering skipping it entirely. Ranma
was gone, already, and frankly, Shampoo was too tired to give a damn.
It was something to deal with later. Going upstairs to her room, she
tuned out, and went back to sleep. Downstairs, Ranma finally found the
object of his search. Cologne studied him carefully, totally alert
despite the time.

"Yes, boy?"

"I need trainin,' old ghoul." He paused. "And you're the best there is
around here."

"And why should I train you, hmm?" Cologne asked, frankly.

"You trained him to beat me."

"Only because it got me what I wanted. ...Or would have, anyway, had
you not run away."

"I didn't run away. It was the Saotome Secret Technique. It's based on
the concepts of 'motion,' 'contemplation,' and 'opposition.'"

"You ran away," Cologne said again, and he sighed in exasperation.

"Ok, I ran away! Happy now?"

"No."

Cologne clasped her hands together and considered things. Her training
of the lost boy had been twofold. Hibiki Ryouga was Ranma's
contemporary, and showed a similarly exceptional skill for martial
arts. Training him would both give her a connection to him that she
could use later, with him as an ally, and when Shampoo came along,
Cologne was quick to realize it could well bring those two together as
well. Optimally, such an association would make Ranma more jealous,
and allow the two to compete over her granddaughter instead of the
violent Tendo girl. Either of them would be fine, and Shampoo would
have the choice and the room to pick and choose at her leisure. It
would also force them to grow dependant on her to advance their skill
levels... once they began to grow familiar with the Amazon techniques,
it was only a matter of time before they would want to join the tribe
themselves, if only to keep close to the source of their martial arts
improvement, and a desire not to be left behind.

Ranma was easily the most naturally skilled young person, of either
gender, that Cologne had seen in decades. He was incredibly fast, and
his mind soaked up martial arts like a sponge. He was also greedy,
short sighted, and dim witted - much like his father. This was both a
good and bad thing. It was good, because he could be easily
manipulated, and it was bad, because it was annoying and constantly
grated on her nerves. Of course, when she heard from her great
granddaughter that Hibiki Ryouga had returned, or was trying to, it
made this meeting between them inevitable. Things were proceeding
slowly, but they were proceeding as she had anticipated.

"I will train you," she began. "And you... will date my great
granddaughter, steadily, for so long as you remain under my tutelage."

Ranma scratched his chin. "What's to keep you from dragging it out?
Slowing things down, so I'm forced to date Shampoo longer than I
should have to?"

"Why..." She smiled. "Nothing, of course."

Ranma's fists clenched. She had him backed into a corner, and they
both knew it. After a few seconds of silence, Ranma leaned over, and
looked her in the eyes. "Only if you make me good enough to win."

Cologne blinked, slowly. "I think I can manage that."

"I want your word."

"You have my solemn word, as a Joketsuzoku Elder."

"Good." Ranma stood back up. "Good."

"Indeed," Cologne whispered, softly. "Things could hardly be better."

***

"How did I get into this mess?" Ranma thought, and not for the first
time. He was, currently, trapped between the proverbial rock and a
hard place. Outside, a super strong Tendo Akane waited, less than
patiently, for gods knew what. She had been taking advantage of her
new strength not only to beat him down, of late, but also to avenge
her past losses to Shampoo by challenging her to a round of 'Martial
Arts Ping Pong.' It all sounded ridiculous, but then again, there were
rumors going around of a 'Martial Arts Tea Ceremony' dojo somewhere
nearby, so nothing really surprised him anymore.

Under the large iron bell that Shampoo was currently holding up over
her head, said girl was looking at him with a mixture of annoyance,
and something else, he wasn't sure what. If he had to wager a guess,
Ranma figured it was probably simple confusion. Somehow, she'd gotten
some of the Super Soba for herself, and the two women were about to
tear the town apart with their bare hands by batting multi-ton shrine
bells around. Needless to say, the whole situation was... what was
that American word: whacked? Ranma rubbed his temples in frustration,
and reached into his left pocket, taking out a tiny radish.

Luckily, there was a simple and easily acquired antidote to the Super
Soba. There were also side effects to said super-noodles, yes, that
he'd personally prefer neither girl had, but those concerns were
secondary. It was a matter of pride - and the hurt of said pride in
the face of being humiliated by Akane over the last day and a half. It
was time to put an end to it, so he could concentrate on more
important things, namely his training to beat the Lost Boy and regain
his rightful place as the strongest and greatest in Nerima. Akane
could grow whiskers until she tripped on them. His concern was to put
things back into their place, restore the proper status quo, and make
damn sure things stayed there.

"Shampoo!" Ranma smiled, brightly. "Open wide, please."

Shampoo walked over, batted her eyes, and opened her mouth.

"There's a good girl." Ranma popped the little radish into her mouth,
and instantly her arms gave out, and the bell fell down behind her,
trapping them under it.

"Now, for a certain kawaiikune tomboy..." Ranma went over to the edge
and dug his fingers just barely under the edge of the massive iron
bell. Slowly, he started to lift, before his arms fatigued and he fell
back, breathing heavily. He heard Shampoo come up from behind, and
felt her small, but still strong, hands on his shoulders.

"Now Airen and Shampoo all along in dark." She crawled up to him and
purred in his ear, "You kiss Shampoo?"

"Ahh..." Ranma looked from her, to where he knew Akane was standing,
on the other side of the iron. He spoke more loudly, "AH! Shampoo!
Don't touch me THERE!"

Instantly, he grabbed Shampoo's head, and ducked. Inches from where
their faces had both been, something hard and heavy cut through the
air ...and half the iron bell they were trapped under. Akane was livid
with rage, now, and trembling. "Rrraaannmmaa! What do you think you're
doing?"

 "Nothing!" He jumped up, casually, taking out another of the antidote
radishes. "Say 'aah.'"

"Aah." Akane opened her mouth, but clamped her jaws shut a heartbeat
before he could pop the little vegetable into her mouth. "What was
that?"

Ranma shrugged, as if it was nothing at all. "The antidote."

"Oh no you don't! You're just jealous because I'm stronger than you!"

That was true, but Ranma didn't say as much. "You'll be sorry if you
don't eat the antidote."

"Yeah, right!" Akane rolled her eyes. "I'm finally strong and you want
me to just give it up? Never! You'll have to defeat me in combat
first!"

Ranma's eyes narrowed, for only a millisecond. Akane was stronger than
him, true, but she was still far slower, clumsier, less experienced
and less resistant to damage than Ukyou, Shampoo, Mousse, or even
Kuno. She was also a girl, AND his fiancee. Had she been a boy, Ranma
would have already demonstrated that strength wasn't everything by
reducing him to little bits of idiot strewn around the district.
Saotome Ranma had very little patience for this sort of situation.
However, given who and what she was, a more ...shrewd method was
required to get the job done.

"Then I challenge you to a game of Martial Arts Ping Pong!"

"I accept!" Akane turned, and jumped off the roof, heading towards the
ring a couple hundred feet away. Ranma was about to follow her, when,
by chance, something unusual caught his eye. There was a bowl just
sitting there, on the far side of the roof. Walking over to it, he was
joined by Shampoo. She picked it up, looked inside, and shook her
head.

"Super Soba all gone. Stupid Happosai! Shampoo going make him make
more!" Shampoo threw aside the bowl, and jumped off in some general
direction, presumably to look for the ancient pervert. Ranma looked
down at the bowl. It wasn't one of theirs, which meant Happosai
probably stole it.

"No surprise there." Ranma looked more closely, and saw that there was
still a fair amount of crust in a ring along the sides of the bowl,
and on the bottom. Neurons traded electrons a couple thousand million
times, and an idea slowly but surely began to form. Jumping down, he
ducked into a store, and in a few minutes, came out with a small
plastic vial full of brownish looking water. It didn't look pleasant,
but Ranma was sure that, if drunk, it would achieve something similar,
though watered down, to eating the magical Soba. And even if it only
provided a fraction of the strength that Shampoo and Akane got, it
would go a good way towards evening the gap between Ryouga and himself
in the raw muscle department.

Then again, in a rare moment of moral indecision, Ranma realized that
taking the drink to get stronger would be undermining everything he'd
worked for, and believed in. Strength didn't come from potions, or
magic, or anything like that... it came from hard work and training.
He knew that. Ryouga knew that. Or did he? Ryouga had been willing to
accept 'steroids' from Nabiki, back when they'd had their first Nerima
Duel. Maybe he'd done something similar while he was away, in which
case, Ranma taking the distilled Essence of Super Soba would only be
fair. He'd only be catching up. Then again, even if Ryouga had done
that, and he really doubted that the lost boy would, would that make
it any more right to take it himself and sink to that level.

Was he that desperate?

Ryouga was already nearly impossible to put down without hitting him
hundreds of times in the same spot, and even then, recently, that
tactic had fallen short of the lost boy's newer levels of damage
resistance. What if, in not taking a sip from this bit of liquid, he
lost the match? He'd be humbled, in an official, public duel, in front
of everyone, all because he chosen the morally acceptable route
instead of the alternative. Ranma pondered this. His father had been
adamant in saying that the point of fighting is to win.

'Any Victory is better than Any Defeat.'

Any Victory.

No matter the cost.

Ranma swirled the liquid around in the vial.

No matter the cost.

All he'd have to do is pop the cork and drink it.

No matter the cost.

There was always the antidote, anyway, if he changed his mind. Right?
And he could shave every day or so; that way no one would be the
wiser, if it even had that effect on men.

No matter the cost.

It might not even do anything... much.

No matter the cost.

    "Ranma!" Akane loudly interrupted his thoughts. "Are you coming or
not?!"

    "Uh... yeah." Ranma quickly put the vial into a hidden pocket, and
went to get some cold water and a change of clothes.

***

    Ryouga's laughter was a deep bass rumble that chilled the flesh
down to the bone. His eyes flashed, and for a moment, disappeared into
an abyss of white, like an alien sea. His hand moved, almost lazily,
to the side, and destruction followed in its wake, tearing the ground
at Ranma's feet into shreds of grass and earth. Ranma felt himself
involuntarily step back, wavering, fighting his urge to run. Ryouga
just seemed amused.

    "Go ahead and run, Saotome," he spoke, his tone promising only
death.

    Ranma could feel his body shaking.

    "Run, Ranma. Run away!" His mouth moved into a bemused smirk.
"I'll catch you eventually anyway."

    He took a step forward, and the ground trembled to the heat of
Ranma's heart.

    "I always do." Another step, the soft earth splintering at his
passing. "I always will."

    "Stay back!" Ranma got back into a fighting stance. His muscles
burnt from exhaustion, and his lower back threatened to give out
completely.

    Ryouga just laughed. It was a cold, heartless laughter that only
hinted at an insanity grounded in the deepest of hatred. He kept
approaching; his footsteps now more like thunderclaps, growing
steadily louder and louder. After one or two, they became deafening...
almost drowning out thought itself. Ranma concentrated, and looked for
a weakness, but there was none. It seemed the whole planet was
trembling now, beneath his feet, as if on the verge of falling apart
at the seams. Ryouga was massive, too, and as he shook his head back
and forth, lazily, dark shapes fell to the ground, slowly coalescing
into creatures with legs and claws and fangs.

"You're a coward, boy!" His voice seemed to merge with Genma's.
"Everyone knows it, except you."

"N... no!" Ranma looked at his hands - they looked so small, now. Then
he realized he was too small, like a boy, and there were sausages and
fish cakes and sardines strung and tied around his arms and legs. The
terror rose, like bile, and Ranma had to remember to breathe. Only
when the sounds started, that horrible hungry mewing, and the barely
audible scraping of claws, did Ranma see them, around Ryouga's feet,
crawling towards him, eyes glowing like tiny demons.

Kill them.

There was a wave, a great tidal wave that blocked out the sky and the
cats were everywhere - fur and claws and teeth and blood and pain. And
the only other sound, the only sound that kept him anything near sane,
was the laughter. It was Ryouga's laughter, as mirthless and cold as
Lake Baikal, and coming from every direction. Moments of madness came
and passed, like rapid fire switches, and Ranma saw himself tearing at
the little demons, ripping them in half, and screaming: screaming
until his lungs hurt and his mouth was dry as the desert and it seemed
like he'd never taste air again.

And then, when there was only a sea of blood and ragged fur decorating
the world, from horizon to horizon, he stood at the laughing demon,
and source of his horror. A voice, kind and gentle, maybe his
mother's, told him, 'Kill this thing. Kill him and be a Man.'

So Ranma attacked.

Ryouga still laughed, even as the claws of the Neko-ken cut into his
body, carving his skin and shredding it into the winds. He laughed,
even as Ranma tore out his eyes. He laughed, and with a single motion
too swift to be believed, except for the cyclone of pain it left in
its wake, Ryouga smashed him to the ground. And there were suddenly
eyes everywhere, and voices, talking and laughing. A heavy boot, like
a mountain range squeezed into a footprint, crushed his back, and
Ranma couldn't feel his legs.

"I'm only playing with you. You're a little toy to me!" Ryouga's voice
returned, and Ranma twisted just enough to see the dark flames of Ki
around his nemesis seep into his wounds, sealing them up in seconds.
The laughter returned, and reverberated, and was joined by so many
others it was impossible to distinguish. It was as if every voice, and
every eye, was on him, and reveling in his humiliation.

"Go home to your mommy, boy!" Genma-Ryouga spoke, and the others were
silent, if only for a moment. "Though I doubt she'll stomach a
weakling like you in Her House."

"I'm... I'm not weak," Ranma spat, in defiance, and the boot rose,
only to come down just below his shoulder blades, crushing his spine
into a broken mess, and paralyzing him for life.

"No. I suppose not. You're pathetic."

"No." The tears came, and his lips stopped working properly,
preferring to make gurgling noises. No. No. NO. NO! NO!!!

"NO!" Ranma bolted upright, drenched in sweat. He looked around in the
dark; his eyes only slightly adjusted to the darkness, and saw only
his room. To his right, Genma lay, for once in his human form,
peacefully sleeping, again, for once. Normally, his old man, now often
a Panda, snored like he had a community of gnomes living in his nose
who only mined at night. Ranma looked at his hands, and saw that his
own nails scraped the insides of his palms, probably while he was
sleeping. Slowly composing himself, Ranma got up, and went to the
bathroom.

The cold water that ran over his hands almost made Ranma flinch, but
he held them under the stream of ice-cold tap water. Looking at
himself in the mirror, he noted the circles around his eyes, and
cursed under his breath. He hadn't been sleeping that much to begin
with, in an effort to improve his endurance, and when he did, the
nightmares came full force. Tonights had just been the worst, yet. The
ones before were generally subtler.

"Bwee."

"Nani?" Ranma looked down, under the sink, and saw something small and
black. Kneeling, he saw the black piglet, and narrowed his eyes. It
was minus the bandanna, but it looked identical to Ryouga's cursed
form. A moment of annoyance, and even anger, came and went, when he
looked into the creature's eyes. It wasn't Ryouga. It wasn't even
human. It was just some poor animal. Mousse or Ukyou had probably used
it as a lure, and then been unable to find it after the fight last
night. He held out his hand, and the piglet tensed to run.

"Come on." Ranma showed it his open palm, and the piglet sniffed it
quickly, and relaxed a bit. Ranma sighed, and picked the little pig up
- it obviously seemed relieved and relaxed instantly into his arm,
which was amazing in and of itself, because animals of all types
generally didn't like him that much. Looking at it, Ranma scratched
behind the piglet's left ear. "Maybe I should give you to Akane. What
do you think of that, hmm?"

"Qee!" It looked up at him, and blinked.

Ranma considered what he had just said. The pig seemed nice enough,
and it was, after all, just an animal. It might even make up for how
he'd treated her earlier, when after curing her of the Super Soba, he
beat her a dozen times or so in arm wrestling, just to make sure that
he was back to form, and in their normal roles. At the time, it had
just been natural... a way to take out the stress of before, but in
retrospect, she hadn't been very friendly (not that she usually was
anyway) the rest of the day. And, of course, Nabiki and Kasumi hadn't
been too approving of his behavior, either. Luckily, Soun just seemed
happy his daughter wouldn't be competing with him in the facial hair
department.

Before Ranma really knew what he was doing, he had already tapped
lightly on Akane's door. When he realized it, really realized where he
was and what he was doing, he almost left. Maybe Akane would have just
thought she imagined it? Too late for him to make a run for it the
door cracked open and a pair of blue-black eyes caught his in the
darkness.

"Ranma?" The eyes blinked, sleepily. She obviously wasn't very alert
or awake. Then again, who would be this early in the morning?

"Um..." He looked away from her eyes, and held out the piglet. "Here."

She blinked again, the sleep quickly leaving her features, though they
were still largely obscured by darkness. "Is... P-chan? Is that...?"

    "It ain't Ryouga. That idiot Mousse tried to trick me by usin'
him. He was wandering around. And I kind of thought you might, um...
want a pet or something." Ranma realized he was babbling, so he just
held out his hands a little further.

    The pig looked up at Akane. Slowly, she reached out and took him
into her arms, while stepping more into the light from the hallway.
The animal seemed to settle into her comfortably. Ranma figured his
former owner, before either Mousse or Ukyou picked him up, had
probably held him like that. Akane smiled, warmly, first to the pig,
and then to him.

    "Thanks. Ranma," she began, and blushed a bit, though it was
nearly impossible to see.

    Ranma saw.

    "No problem." He suddenly felt uncomfortable and self-conscious.
"Sorry about waking you up... but, you know, I'm no good with animals,
and..."

    "I understand," she cut him off. They stood in silence for what
seemed like hours, before Akane licked her dry lips, and rubbed one of
her eyes. "I'll see you in the morning, Ranma."

    "Y... Yeah."

    "G'night." She closed the door, and Ranma was alone in the hallway
- only himself, and his thoughts.

    "G'night. ...Akane," he said to no one save himself. "You
looked... nice..."

***

I told him to get lost.

Well, to be more exact, I made him get lost. It seemed like a good
idea at the time. The bastard had it coming, really, after that stunt
he pulled for New Year's. I couldn't let it go unanswered, so I lured
him out of his house, pissed him off, and ran like hell. He was
actually catching up on me, even though I had a good head start on
him, when I ducked into a shopping center. Next thing I know, he's
gone.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Get the directionally
challenged idiot lost for a few weeks and make sure the duel didn't
take place before my training with Cologne was finished, or near-
finished. I didn't expect anything more would come from it - then,
when Nabiki heard about it, she slapped me. I honestly couldn't
believe it. True, it wasn't like Kasumi did it, but Nabiki... who
expected it from her? The stupid pig-boy must've grown on her or
something. I actually thought she'd be happy, because it'd force me to
keep paying her according to our 'deal' from before.

Even Akane didn't understand! Damn that kawaiikune tomboy! I swear,
every time I think she starts to understand how I feel, or who and
what I am, she proves me wrong! Its not like I'm going out with
Shampoo because I want to. It's a means to an end, and a way to pacify
the old ghoul so I can keep training. Hell, I even tried explaining
it, but she refused to listen. This whole fiancee thing is the
stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

Baka!

That baka! I can't believe he'd go steady with Shampoo, just to train
with her great grandmother! How could he just turn his back on me...
my school like that? He sleeps under our roof, eats our food, barely
even goes to school anymore, and acts like he'd king of the place.
Every day, he comes back tired and beaten, barely says a word to
anyone, eats something, and goes to sleep. He barely even looks at me
anymore!

It's not like I like him or anything.

No. I never liked him. But he was nice to have around, once in a blue
moon, and sometimes he was handy for beating up Kuno or whatever. I
never liked him, understand, but he was fun to be around sometimes. I
miss him in school. The Principal's back from Hawaii, and I don't want
to think what it'd be like if not for Ukyou and even Kuno. They're
basically the only two people who can keep him in check, seeing as how
often Ranma skips school or simply sleeps through the classes.
Sometimes Mousse stops by, too, usually on his way to delivering
something or whatever, and helps. He and Ukyou seem to get along well,
and its always fun to see them double team the Principal whenever he
tries anything outrageous.

I don't know how many of that jackass' barber tools I've taken away
from him. It's just our dumb luck that the idiot is a Kuno, and as
rich as Siberia is wide, so he seems to have an unlimited supply of
them. Beating the moron up is good therapy, especially since his own
family seems to hate him as much as anyone, and everyone, else. Mousse
and I have been plotting to get revenge on Saotome again, and we've
been training hard to get better, but I've seen, and gotten involved
in, some of Cologne's training.

Every day, Ranma gets just that much better than me.

Faster. Stronger. More skilled. At this rate, it's going to be
impossible to get my revenge. He may have beaten me half to death the
last time we fought, if not for ...Damn him. It doesn't matter. I can
see Ryouga now. He's been lost for almost a month, but I see him. I
suppose Nabiki'll be happy, though the thought isn't a pleasant one.
As I bump into him, I'm tempted to question him about it, but a hard
look in his eyes is all the discouragement I need. He's here for
business.

Things have gotten complicated.

I've lost control of the situation, and even myself. I need someone to
talk to, and settle for Kasumi, but she doesn't really follow what I'm
hesitant to outright say, to her, or to anyone. I still can't believe
Ranma goaded him into getting lost! I can't believe I didn't see it
coming! I can't believe Ryouga would fall for such an obvious trick! I
can't believe I was actually starting to like that idiot!

How am I supposed to know what's going on, now?

How am I supposed to be in control?

I can't even control myself, anymore. After I found out, when I ran
into that damn brother-in-law of mine, it was like I wasn't even
there. It was like another Tendo Nabiki had taken over. I hit him, and
hurt my hand for my trouble. There was only one way to hurt him - I
scheduled the match for as soon as Ryouga shows up. He bitched about
it, of course, so I told him to tell someone who cared. Look at me.
I'm getting emotional over some guy. It's worse than that crush I had
on Kuno-chan freshman year!

I must have a weakness for morons.

Our whole family probably has the same problem. It's genetic.

The days fly by, but nothing memorable happens. Nothing that makes me
care about what goes on around me. Old Principal Kuno is back, but
Ukyou and Kuno and Mousse usually take care of him, and he generally
leaves the upperclassmen alone, anyway. I've hyped up the match, sent
our fliers, and gotten the preliminary reports on who would be betting
on whom. It's going to be in the soccer field, where they had their
first fight, and the bets were slightly in favor of Ranma. I spread
some information about his training with Cologne, and put rumors into
circulation where they need to be. The vote swings more in Ranma's
favor. I get some control back, but it isn't enough.

Damn it.

Where is he?

I'm not blind. Not really. I've watched Saotome and Shampoo closely
the last few weeks. They go out every Saturday and Tuesday, sometimes
to see a movie, sometimes they just walk. It doesn't matter. I'm not
blind. I can see that there's nothing between them - no spark, no
love, no hope if not for that thrice damned Amazon Law. I attacked him
the first few times, without even thinking. All it took was seeing
Shampoo hold him closely, and look at him like I've always dreamt of
her looking at me, and what little control I had over myself crashed
to pieces at my feet.

He beat me effortlessly.

I've been training - some of the hardest, more intense training of my
life, with Ukyou, and he's still just that much better than me. I
cursed him, at first. Then it became obvious that Shampoo was wasting
her time... Ranma didn't respond to her, and the distinct hurry behind
his movements and words belied his intentions. He wanted each
experience over with as quickly as possible so he could get back to
more important things.

Cologne had really screwed the pooch this time.

Instead of him growing closer to Shampoo, he was starting to see her
as more of an obstacle between him and his training than anything.
And, just like that, the anger began to dissipate. I watched them,
from afar, and saw how Shampoo gradually began to give up. They walked
in silence more often than not, but it was a nervous silence, an
unfamiliar silence: the silence that exists between strangers, because
that's what they were, and always would be. My heart had soared at the
thought, and the prospect, of Shampoo being mine. Then, as always,
everything had come crashing down.

Stupid Mousse!

He doesn't think, that one. I don't need my failings pointed out, not
by anyone, and especially not by him! And especially not now! Does he
think I don't know that Ranma doesn't care about me? Does he think I
like trying to seduce him, this foolish foreigner male, when it should
be the other way around? I am Joketsuzoku, and I am proud! I don't
need Ranma, and I certainly don't need Mu Tzu.

Good riddance to him.

Good riddance to both of them.

I see Ukyou, and wave. She's nice enough, though she seems to be
spending more time with Mousse than with me. She waves back, and I see
just whom she's with. A smile comes unbidden, and I quickly finish
sweeping the front of the store. They don't wait, but it's all right.
I know where she's taking him. Mousse comes first, then my great
grandmother, and we head for Furinkan High. This charade between Ranma
and myself has gone on long enough - it ends here and now.

I walk past the gate, and into the school grounds.

There are students everywhere. I see Kuno, watching things closely,
next to Nabiki, in the section of students containing the juniors and
seniors. My eyes meet hers, and a strange feeling washes over me. She
looks almost happy, and yet, somehow disappointed. I know why. She
doesn't want this. She doesn't want the fight to come, and the cycle
to continue.

She understands.

She understands me.

She just doesn't like that things have to be the way they are. She
thinks that I want to lose, that deep down, I want to lose. That I
subconsciously don't think I'm worthy of winning, or of wielding the
power that I do. I denied it at first, but over the last month, I've
realized she's at least half right. The cycle continues, feeding on
itself, because I don't know any other way. I beat Ranma - he must
beat me. He beats me, and I must train and wander, until I can defeat
him. I have nothing else.

I had nothing else.

It is only half of the truth. I do what I do, because it must be done.
Histories are written about the soldiers who won their battles; but
songs are sung about the soldiers who fell in battle struggling for a
greater cause. What inspires us is the unfinished work, the dream of
picking up the fallen standard and taking it ten more feet up the
hill, knowing that even if you fall, the next man in line will take it
another ten feet, until finally the hill is taken. My greater cause,
my triumph and my failing, is to fight. And what is a fight, without
an enemy? What is life, without a goal?

Emptiness.

I look away from her, and to the rest of the crowd. I see Nabiki's
hirelings moving around, collecting bets, talking, and doing their
business. They remind me of vultures, but even vultures are a
necessary part of the world. I see Akane. She looks sad. At what, I do
not know, and cannot guess. Ukyou steps up to me, as I step onto the
soccer field. Her hands touch my shoulders, and I let her slip the
backpack off me.

"Good luck, sugar," I hear her, and then she's gone, disappeared into
the crowd. The wind starts to pick up, and I see Mousse, Shampoo, and
Cologne on the school wall. Shampoo is sitting on the edge, watching
intently. Mousse has his arms crossed, his long hair swaying in the
wind, and a gleam in his thick lenses. Cologne seems only mildly
interested, but I can see the very slight tension in her posture.

It's cloudy, but rain shouldn't be a major factor.

Ranma steps forward, his stride purposeful and slow. I measure his
movements. I know who he's been training with, and how long. With
practiced ease, I draw my umbrella, and plant it into the ground. My
senses are now a razor's edge, and as I stretch out my muscles, I see
Ranma do the same. The barest hint of his Ki reaches me, and I am
surprised.

He is cold.

But there is a power behind the cold, like the chill wind from the
north. The crowd grows silent, as Ranma closes his eyes, takes a
stance, and opens them. I do the same, and feel the power burn for
release. The crowd backs away, almost as one. My hands are fists, now.

It Begins.

And it Ends.

Now.












Author's Notes

Not much to say, really. Things have been moving towards this for some
time. Neither of them could stop this even if they wanted to.
"Fight!!"







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