[FFML] [Ranma][Revised] Hearts and Minds, Part 1 of 10

[Michael Clark]

Hello, Mr. Kleppe.  I've refrained from commenting on Hearts and Minds
to this point to keep from treading over settled issues from content I
had missed, so when you decided to repost from the beginning, I was
actually quite relieved and hopeful for the opportunity to go through
this story in a way that might be useful to you.

In my analysis below, I'll try to segregate my remarks into a few broad
categories.


(Plot and Structure)

We start with Ti Pi on the way back to the Amazon village.  She's
noticed another nearby village totally deserted, and this has made her
wary.  When she arrives in darkness, a man calls out to her and she is
captured, but just what the situation is remains a mystery.

> Tatewaki nodded. "I'll tell you what I know. Shan Pu will be here
> shortly and she can probably answer any questions that I cannot."

It surprises me Kuno is in a position to know about this before Ranma
does, but I trust that you have an explanation forthcoming.  This is
just one of those things that gets my attention--which is most
definitely good!  I see later on this is because Kuno has been with the
Amazons for some time, which makes a lot of sense.

> She was probably harder on Zhen than she should be, but she didn't
> want to do anything that might encourage him. He was exactly the type
> of man whom she disliked -- all muscle, and no brains. And ever since
> that night at the solstice celebration, he had seemed to think that
> she and he were someday going to be wife and husband. All because
> she'd lost her head and let him kiss her. She'd wanted to know what a
> boy's kiss felt like, and he'd seemed nice enough, but that didn't
> mean she was ready to commit the rest of her life to him.

It strikes me that in a female-dominated society, a girl like Ti Pi
might not have the prerogative to kiss a man without marrying him--you
know, if they attribute some value to a man's virginity for marriage or
anything like that.


Already in a few short scenes we've had mention of Elders and Councils
and such, giving concrete insight into the Amazons' political structure.
Again, I feel this heightens the sense of seriousness of the work.


Ranma and Kodachi have their fight, and there's a brief plot point over
whether Kodachi will accompany the party from Japan.  To tell the truth,
I find this point to be mere filler by comparison to other things that
are going on.  The earlier scenes serve to help establish who the
characters are now.  This voting process seems like a foregone
conclusion (if there's a question about her going, she's going).


We go back to China, where Ti Pi gives her report to the Amazon elders,
and we finally get some sense of the threat that the natives face.  A
Mongol warlord, whose motives are unclear but whose intentions are very
clear: surrender or be taken by force.  I understand the desire to
maintain some level of intrigue and secrecy, but at this point, I find
myself asking, "Why should I care what this Mongol wants?"


I had to go back and make sure which elder was which to understand what
Kui was contemplating and that she was, in fact, resolved to betray her
people's wishes.  It could be this is an unavoidable consequence of
having so many elders to keep track of.


We wrap up with a few concluding points: Mousse is in league with
Biaozi, the party is about to embark for China, and the Mongol's forces
have invaded the village.  Overall, I reiterate my previous criticism:
we know the Mongol wants *something*, but why?  Who knows.  To me, the
leading theory at this point is that Biaozi *is* the Mongol and wishes
retribution on the village, but that makes the rest of the Mongol's
efforts not really make sense yet.

You do a decent job of painting a picture of the Amazon village,
however.

Structurally, you use a healthy mix of long and short scenes.  I think
it took a little too long for Shampoo to arrive, but I see now that the
conflict with Kodachi was necessary to set up Akane's avenue for
character growth.  I liked that you set up Mikado's revenge with a short
little scene to get into his head, also.


(Characterization and Development)

> The sensible thing to do would be to turn around now and sneak away.
> Go back to Cunzhuang, or even all the way to Xining, and wait for
> help. If they had beaten all of sisters, how could she possibly win?
> And how would her walking into certain death help them?

Despite the mandates of law, Ti Pi judges for herself what might be the
most effective course for her to work in the best interests of her
people.  So very quickly, we know that she is not a blind slave to law
and directives.  She comes across as a rather intelligent, thoughtful
person.

> "*I* have heard a different rumor," Tatewaki said. "I have it on
> reliable sources that the pig-tailed girl is involved in a torrid,
> passionate love affair with Ten-- excuse me, with Saotome Akane."

I laughed when Ranma realized he was being played with.  Nicely done.
That the three of them can joke around like this tells me a lot has
changed, for all three of these characters (and likely the others).

> "Here, then." Ti Pi threw the bolo back toward Zhen, expertly bouncing
> it off his head.

So Ti Pi is a bit tsundere toward him.  This actually seems, to me, to
be all too familiar.


Elder Lan doesn't come off as a very well-defined character in her short
appearance in the third scene; perhaps more will come from her.


It could be I missed something, but all of a sudden, we warp back to
Japan, and Kodachi is being a little snide to people and, in Ranma's
words, picking fights.  They seemed to get along quite well by
comparison in the earlier scene.  I can't quite place any strong reason
for Kodachi to suddenly be antagonistic.

> "Uh huh!" Akane smiled proudly. "It's called the Moko Takabisha.
> Ranma taught it to me." True, it wasn't *much* of a ki blast when she
> did it; the amount of power she generated was far too small to be of
> any use in battle. But no matter how ridiculously small a thing it
> was, it was *hers.* It was a kind of magic, and she was the one who
> could make it happen.

Akane seems like Akane all right, but with the benefit of some good
experiences and interactions with Ranma to make her more into a secure
woman instead of the girl she was before.  Of course, this is just one
small part of that.

> It had been outrageous of Ranma to try to keep Kodachi from going to
> China. The team could've lost a good fighter -- possibly its strongest
> member -- all because she was better than he was. All because she had
> given him a well-deserved and long overdue kick in the ego.

It seems Kodachi is being treated as objectively better than Ranma based
on one short fight; knowing how much better Ranma used to be than her,
it makes me wonder if he's really gone through some decline of late for
Mousse to even think this way.

> Maybe Kodachi wasn't using a trick. Maybe she had spent the past seven
> years doing nothing but training. Ranma hadn't. Not with the intensity
> he had in high school, anyway. What if while he had been taking
> college courses and starting a family, she had been learning martial
> arts techniques from someone as good as Ke Lun?

So Ranma *has* dropped off; perhaps quite a bit.


Akane thinks about the life Kodachi must've had, potentially training
very hard to the exclusion of all else, and this leads to a mental
weighing of family and ordinary life vs. that drive to be better, to be
more powerful and skilled.  But this is only briefly touched upon, yet
it also seems to be telegraphed as part of Akane's arc in the future,
especially in light of her earlier mini-Moko-Takabisha.


Zhen Biaozi seems almost cartoonishly sinister (...how appropriate?),
and while I can see how you set it up so Mousse is predisposed to take
Biaozi's offer seriously (he did just pine over Shampoo), it would
strike me as off if he really went through with this offer.  Is Mousse
really so weak-willed?

Biaozi's approach lacks nuance, too, in my opinion.  There's nothing
less subtle than coming up to someone and saying, "Hi, hello, how are
you?  I'm one of your enemies, and I'm here to recruit you."  I can
hardly believe she's so direct.


Overall: I find the characterizations roughly faithful.  Akane in
particular has an obvious avenue for growth.  The rest of the characters
have changed in interesting ways, but I remain a bit bewildered at all
the new dynamics that are treated as basically fact.  Perhaps this is
what the Preludes are meant to address, and if so, I apologize.  Still,
the idea that the group is a *group* and not a vague collection of
people with dozens of competing motives caught me a little by surprise.

Ti Pi seems a bit like a Shampoo clone.  The Amazon elders lack some
definition, though the one who goes through with betraying the village
has a little more of a clear picture.  Actually, it seems like betraying
the village is the new hip and in thing to do, done altogether too
lightly.  But I know the story must move forward.


(Style and Command)

> Instinctively, she inched away from her position, off to the side of
> the road. A rocky spire stood nearby; she moved around, as noiselessly
> as she could manage, to crouch behind it. Footsteps approached. She
> had no idea who was there. It was probably just an Amazon -- but if it
> wasn't, being spotted could be fatal. For moments that seemed to
> stretch into hours, she waited, for something that would identify the
> unknown person.

This last comma after "she waited" seems a little unnatural to me?  I'm
trying to imagine a pause there and it doesn't feel right.


I find the first scene to be a good indication of the tenor of the
piece:  using non-punny names (as I've seen discussed earlier) gives an
air of seriousness.  I'm also impressed by your research into Chinese
geography (I nearly did a dance when I saw Xining mentioned).  So right
away my impression of the piece is that it will be rather serious in
nature.

The second scene (with Kuno and Kodachi meeting with Ranma) seems a bit
sudden.  I mean, there's not much necessary for us to know who Kuno and
Kodachi and Ranma are, so I don't think this is a big issue.

> "Hiya, Kuno." Ranma noticed Tatewaki's sister behind him. "Hey,
> Kodachi. Yeah, it's been, what, seven years? You guys are lookin'
> good." Tatewaki's hair was longer now and bound into a ponytail that
> draped over one shoulder.

You're not wasting any time letting us know when we are.  On the one
hand, I can appreciate how helpful that is.  On the other hand, Ranma's
reaction is really quite nonchalant--even friendly!--but I recognize
right away the main purpose of this line, and as such, I can't help but
wonder if it really is natural for him to mention the time span.
Perhaps it would be if he were initially incorrect, like he's trying to
remember and figure it out.

> "Yeah. Some of the stuff I've seen her and her teacher do...  Well,
> long story. I'll fill you in on what I understand. Not that that's
> much. " Ranma said. "You can tell us what this big threat against the
> Amazon village is, too." He remembered how Ke Lun, on her deathbed,
> had talked about some future great danger to the village; she'd gotten
> him to promise to help defend it. Obviously now was that time.

Do you feel like this might be better if we saw a little more of
Cologne's death and her making Ranma promise to defend the village?
Right now, this reads a little fast to me.

> "Elder, what is the situation? Do you believe that an attack is
> imminent?" It was a little presumptuous to be asking such information
> of the Chief Elder. But Ti Pi still thought of Lan as her teacher, the
> one who always encouraged her to question.

You do this quite a bit in this chapter--this construction of tacking on
narrative exposition to dialogue.  It strikes me as a little tell-y.  I
admit, I don't know when you wrote this.  It could be you don't do this
anymore, but I tend to favor keeping background exposition separate from
dialogue.  I'm not so dead-set against this method that I won't hold a
discussion on the issue, however.

> Ti Pi continued, her enthusiasm and curiosity undampened. "What of
> Shan Pu? You had sent her on another mission. Has she returned?"

Every time I see the word "undampened" I think of Star Trek intertial
dampeners, which insulate the Enterprise from sudden motions by making
it too...wet.

I kid.  But I do like to point out that "(un)damp(ed)" can be a drier
alternative to "(un)dampen(ed)".

> "Oooh!" Shiratori Azusa stepped forward excitedly. "That ribbon is so
> cute! Dominique! Dominique!"

Where did she come from all of a sudden?

> Tsubasa beamed an adoring smile at Kodachi. "If I get a vote, I say
> she should come."

And where did *he* come from? (At least he could've been hiding
somewhere, but...)

> Ranma bounded across the room to Shan Pu. Mu Si quietly slipped out of
> the room, deciding that it would be a good time to relieve himself. He
> remembered an old song he'd heard on the radio. *I don't want to spoil
> the party, so I'll go.* Ha.

I think you can cut out the second "room" to avoid a little repetition.

> She had tried. She really had. But they refused to listen. All they
> could do was blather on about Amazon law and tradition -- as if that
> meant anything in the current situation. None of them understood.  On
> the outside, they had weapons that could obliterate entire cities from
> thousands of kilometers away. Next to that, the swords and crossbows
> of the Amazons were as childs' toys. Even the much-vaunted Dragon's
> Heaven Blast would be useless -- if anyone left even knew how to use
> it.

Perhaps "children's"?  Also "ensure" rather than "insure"?  I don't
think Allstate or State Farm will be of much help here.


Overall: if I may politely say this, I think the style of writing shows
some age.  Most of the scene transitions are rather abrupt--not so much
to crash to story, but close.  Dialogue is short and easily exchanged,
and supporting details are tacked on in an on-demand fashion.  Since
this is probably systemic to the piece, it may be too much to ask to
even have you consider revising with these comments in mind, so...I will
try to keep these comments back in the future except for particularly
noticeable cases.

Still, with all that said, don't let me give the impression that I think
nothing of your writing.  Far from it.  Your narrative voice is firm and
well-grounded, and it helps carry the piece despite these issues I've
picked on.


(Misc)

> Ti Pi repeated the mantra to herself as she trudged forward along the
> dirt road. She didn't know whether anyone or anything would be
> listening, but it couldn't hurt. If nothing else, maybe it would help
> control her fear, though it wasn't doing that very well so far.

Am I missing an obvious pun over Ti Pi's name?  Or is it...oh, it's just
supposed to roll out of one's mind, isn't it.

> And now, as she marched through the endless darkness, she was afraid,
> not only for herself but for all of her people. She pictured her
> Amazon sisters being imprisoned and eventually sold into slavery. Or
> perhaps they would be simply slaughtered. That would have been the
> easiest way to deal with them. Obstacles are for killing.

What an echo that line is.

> Akane stared back at him in wide-eyed confusion. "Why on Earth would I
> hate you? Ryoga, it's not *your* fault that you're afraid of pigs!"

Just when I was going to complain about Ryoga's secret coming out too
quickly, you pull this off.  Well played, Mr. Kleppe.  Well played.

> "As you wish, Ranma-sama." Kodachi laughed as her ribbon twirled
> lazily.

You avoided "Ryoga-kun", using "Ryoga" instead, but here you use
"Ranma-sama"?

> She motioned with her head slightly. "I need use bathroom."

Sorry, Mousse, she's not jumping you today.

> Ukyo strolled into the train station. Her shoes padded noiselessly on
> the tile floor as she slipped around clusters of people.  A cacophony
> of conversations filled the air, along with the dull mechanical thumps
> of ticket-dispensing machines. She wondered when they'd switched away
> from human clerks.

Her shoes "padded"?  That's an unusual word for that.


(Theme)

I always try to comment a little bit in general about the theme of a
piece as I see it.  I know that in the first few chapters of a new piece
(new to me, at least) such matters might not have fully crystallized.  I
can see there are issues of growth and what people want out of life:
the dichotomy between Kodachi and Akane seems to speak to that.  There
also seems to be a lot of talk about responsibility vs.  betrayal--many
of the Amazons struggle with this very issue.

That's all I can see for now.


In closing, I do hope you will be open to further remarks on the earlier
chapters of Hearts and Minds.  It was quite a lot of fun to read some
good quality Ranma fanfiction again.

-Michael Clark



On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 10:27 AM, Gary Kleppe <gary at garykleppe.org> wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
>                             HEARTS AND MINDS
>                                 PART ONE
>
>                        Ranma 1/2 manga fanfiction
>                              by Gary Kleppe
>
>         The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the creation of and rightful
> property of Rumiko Takahashi. They are used here without permission.
> This story may be freely redistributed, but it should not be altered
> substantially or used for profit in any way.
>
>         The HaM Preludes detail the changes in the characters over the
> seven years between the end of the manga and this story. They can be
> read on my website (www.garykleppe.org). I've added extra scenes with
> background information to this chapter so you should be able to jump in
> even if you haven't read the preludes. There's also a quick summary of
> the changes in each character in the end notes of this chapter.
>
>         As always, all comments or other feedback is welcomed. This will
> be the final revision of this chapter unless anyone convinces me to make
> further changes.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         *Please, goddesses. Let me get home safely; that's all I ask. I
> just want to be home.*
>
>         Ti Pi repeated the mantra to herself as she trudged forward
> along the dirt road. She didn't know whether anyone or anything would be
> listening, but it couldn't hurt. If nothing else, maybe it would help
> control her fear, though it wasn't doing that very well so far.
>
>         The last vestiges of evening sunlight were quickly dying. Soon
> only the pale glow of the full moon would remain, and the road would be
> blanketed in darkness. Home lay somewhere ahead, but how far? It was
> impossible to know what distance she'd already walked, and the blackness
> ahead seemed to stretch on forever.
>
>         She remembered how happy she'd been when the Chief Elder had
> assigned her this task. It had sounded so simple. *Visit one of their
> cities, and find out everything you can about them.* Telling Ti Pi to
> gather information was like telling fish to swim. What she hadn't
> counted on was how difficult the journey there and back again would be.
>
>         Her stomach rumbled, demanding to be fed. When she'd left
> Yinchuan, the food and water in her pack had seemed like a terrible
> burden. Now she wished she'd carried more. She needed food, and sleep.
> Her eyelids sagged, begging to be closed. It would be so easy to give
> in, to drift away like a log floating serenely down a stream....
>
>         Somewhere ahead, an animal howled. Ti Pi knew that rabid dogs
> hunted in this part of the country. With her Amazon strength and
> training, fighting the beasts off wouldn't be a problem -- if she heard
> them coming. As she continued to walk, she stretched her senses to the
> utmost, trying to take in everything she could. A cool breeze blew
> across her face. Insects chirped in an endless, monotonous rhythm. There
> was no sign of anything remotely human.
>
>         Earlier, Ti Pi had passed through a village called Yaocaicun.
> She'd been there before, and the place seemed to be just as she
> remembered it. Buildings of brick and wood lay strewn haphazardly about
> a gently rolling landscape. Lush gardens stood fenced off from the
> roads. Large signs stretched overhead, identifying various shops; most
> of them seemed to be selling herbal medicines.
>
>         There were no people.
>
>         Yaocaicun was normally a lively place. There should have been
> children running in the street, farmers gabbing noisily as they tended
> to the day's crop. But today, no one at all could be seen or heard.
>
>         Ti Pi spent over an hour searching through Yaocaicun, looking
> for any clue as to what had happened to the population. She found none.
> Had the General already sent his armies in this direction, and decided
> to wipe out this village simply because it had been in the way? Or had
> the people here simply fled? She didn't know.
>
>         And now, as she marched through the endless darkness, she was
> afraid, not only for herself but for all of her people. She pictured her
> Amazon sisters being imprisoned and eventually sold into slavery. Or
> perhaps they would be simply slaughtered. That would have been the
> easiest way to deal with them. Obstacles are for killing.
>
>         *Please, goddesses. Let me get home safely. And let home still
> be there when I arrive.*
>
>         She looked up at the sky. The moon gleamed brightly amidst the
> canopy of stars. The hills and craters seemed to form a face. It bore an
> enigmatic smirk  -- as if to say, *I know something that you don't.*
>
>         The road began to climb sharply. Ti Pi was sure she knew where
> she was -- a pass between the hills near the edge of the Amazon village.
> Home had to be near. She pushed herself forward on aching legs. Just a
> little further.
>
>         Abruptly, a light stabbed out of the darkness, shining in Ti
> Pi's eyes for just a moment before turning away. She looked toward the
> source, and could barely make out a figure.
>
>         Instinctively, she inched away from her position, off to the
> side of the road. A rocky spire stood nearby; she moved around, as
> noiselessly as she could manage, to crouch behind it. Footsteps
> approached. She had no idea who was there. It was probably just an
> Amazon -- but if it wasn't, being spotted could be fatal. For moments
> that seemed to stretch into hours, she waited, for something that would
> identify the unknown person.
>
>         A voice spoke. "Who's there? Show yourself!" The voice was male;
> that told Ti Pi all she needed to know.
>
>         The light panned along the road where she had been standing. Her
> mind raced as she considered her options. She remembered a hidden path
> leading to the village that she'd used many times when she had played
> out here as a child. She could picture in her mind exactly how it looked
> -- but would she be able to find it in the dark?
>
>         And what if she made it to the village, and found it overrun
> with soldiers? Amazon law would require her to attack. It wouldn't
> matter how many of them there were, or how certain her death would be;
> her duty to her sisters would be to kill as many enemies as she possibly
> could before they stopped her.
>
>         The sensible thing to do would be to turn around now and sneak
> away. Go back to Cunzhuang, or even all the way to Xining, and wait for
> help. If they had beaten all of sisters, how could she possibly win? And
> how would her walking into certain death help them?
>
>         Still, she had to know for certain what had happened. After all,
> how would she be able to ask for help if she didn't know what the
> situation was? Yes, she would go to the village. Once there, she'd
> decide what to do.
>
>         Waiting until the person with the light was as far away as he
> was likely to get, Ti Pi moved.
>
>         The narrow light beam turned towards her. "Stop!" the voice
> commanded. She broke into a full run, trying desperately to keep her
> balance on the uneven ground as she sped away.
>
>         Something whistled through the darkness, catching the lower part
> of Ti Pi's legs, wrapping itself around her ankles. Her body tumbled
> forward uncontrollably, coming to a stop as it skidded across the
> ground.
>
>         She twisted around to face her attacker. The light blared
> directly in her eyes as she turned her head. "Don't move!" The voice
> sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? The figure advanced. Ti
> Pi could make out the long, narrow shaft of some sort of weapon. He
> could shoot her, and there would be nothing she could do about it.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         "Greetings, Saotome Ranma." Kuno Tatewaki stepped into the house
> and offered a firm handshake. "Truly it has been a long time."
>
>         "Hiya, Kuno." Ranma noticed Tatewaki's sister behind him. "Hey,
> Kodachi. Yeah, it's been, what, seven years? You guys are lookin' good."
> Tatewaki's hair was longer now and bound into a ponytail that draped
> over one shoulder.
>
>         "Thank you, Ranma dear. You aren't so bad yourself." Kodachi
> smiled. "I hope these years of wedded bliss haven't caused your combat
> skills to atrophy."
>
>         "Nah, I get plenty of practice running the training hall." He
> led them toward the living room. "Make yourselves at home. Akane and
> Ryoga are in the kitchen, I think. He actually made it here on time. Mu
> Si is here too. We should have all the usual suspects, plus maybe a few
> others. Even Doc Tofu is coming with us tomorrow; he's been gone longer
> than you have. And Kasumi will be here a little later tonight. She's
> learned things in her studies that I think are gonna help us a lot."
>
>         "Studies?" Tatewaki said. "I hadn't heard."
>
>         "Yeah. Some of the stuff I've seen her and her teacher do...
> Well, long story. I'll fill you in on what I understand. Not that that's
> much. " Ranma said. "You can tell us what this big threat against the
> Amazon village is, too." He remembered how Ke Lun, on her deathbed, had
> talked about some future great danger to the village; she'd gotten him
> to promise to help defend it. Obviously now was that time.
>
>         Tatewaki nodded. "I'll tell you what I know. Shan Pu will be
> here shortly and she can probably answer any questions that I cannot."
>
>         "Oh, Ranma, isn't there one other person we ought to recruit?"
> Kodachi said. "The girl with the pigtail. I'm sure you know the one I
> mean. The one my dear brother was so sweet on back in the day."
>
>         "Er, I don't think she'll be traveling with us," Ranma said.
> Some things never changed. The Jusenkyo curses were evidently something
> that the Kunos would never, ever figure out, and there was no point in
> trying to explain it. "You might run into her over there."
>
>         "I heard a rumor," Kodachi said to her brother in a low voice,
> "that the pig-tailed girl and Ranma here are, shall we say, close. That
> whenever she's around, she shares his bed."
>
>         "Hey, it's not like you're thinking." Ranma shook his head.
> "She's more like a sister."
>
>         "*I* have heard a different rumor," Tatewaki said. "I have it on
> reliable sources that the pig-tailed girl is involved in a torrid,
> passionate love affair with Ten-- excuse me, with Saotome Akane."
>
>         "Are you--" Realization dawned. "Hey! You *know!* Both of you
> know!"
>
>         Tatewaki cracked a wry smile. "I've spent the last seven years
> among the Amazons. It's been educational in a variety of ways."
>
>         "Yes, I've had my own educational experiences during that time,"
> Kodachi said. "Perhaps I'll let you in on them, if I choose to."
>
>         Ranma laughed. "You guys really got me with that one. Well, like
> I said, make yourselves at home. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow
> we're on our way to a whole lot of trouble."
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         The figure moved even closer, and a face became visible. Ti Pi
> squinted, straining to see as the light burned her eyes. "Zhen? Zhen
> BEN? Is that you?"
>
>         "Ti Pi?"
>
>         "What are *you* doing here?" She pulled her legs toward her and
> sat up, relieved beyond words.
>
>         "I'm on guard duty!"
>
>         "The Elders put you as a sentry?" They had to be desperate to
> use a male for such an important job.
>
>         "They did indeed." Zhen lowered his weapon -- a staff, not the
> gun that Ti Pi had thought -- and stepped forward. "I don't know why the
> Elders have been increasing the guard, but whatever the threat, I'll
> defend our home with all of my strength."
>
>         Ti Pi quickly unwound the bolo from her legs. "I'm sure you
> will." Just as long as they didn't take advantage of his weak spot --
> the one above his neck.
>
>         "The Chief Elder has left instructions that you are to report to
> her immediately upon your return."
>
>         She sighed as she stood. "Very well. Is she in the Council Hall
> now?"
>
>         "No. In her home. She said you should wake her."
>
>         Ti Pi nodded and turned away. Then she stopped and held up the
> bolo with which Zhen had snared her. "Oh, is this your weapon?"
>
>         "Yes," Zhen answered, looking bewildered.
>
>         "Here, then." Ti Pi threw the bolo back toward Zhen, expertly
> bouncing it off his head.
>
>         "Ow!" Zhen rubbed the lump on his upper forehead. "What was that
> for?"
>
>         "Because you knocked me down!"
>
>         "But... but I didn't know...." Zhen's voice trailed off as Ti Pi
> wasted no time in walking toward the village.
>
>         She was probably harder on Zhen than she should be, but she
> didn't want to do anything that might encourage him. He was exactly the
> type of man whom she disliked -- all muscle, and no brains. And ever
> since that night at the solstice celebration, he had seemed to think
> that she and he were someday going to be wife and husband. All because
> she'd lost her head and let him kiss her. She'd wanted to know what a
> boy's kiss felt like, and he'd seemed nice enough, but that didn't mean
> she was ready to commit the rest of her life to him.
>
>         She forced her weary body forward, continuing on to Chief Elder
> Lan's residence. Ti Pi wanted to stop at her own home for a nap, maybe
> take a hot bath and exchange her dirty, smelly t-shirt and jeans for
> Amazon clothes. At least drink a cup of tea. But when the Chief Elder of
> the Amazons said immediately, that was what was meant.
>
>         Like all of the buildings in the village except for the Council
> Hall, the house had no door. Once, Ti Pi would've called that a sign of
> strength; doors were an empty pretense, a bluff not needed by those who
> were truly secure. Now that didn't seem to ring true anymore.
>
>         She made her way through the darkened house to the bedroom. A
> loud snoring cut through the air, like a wounded animal's cry. Ti Pi
> quickly walked up and leaned over the source of the noise. "Elder Lan?"
>
>         Lan's eyes opened.
>
>         "Zhen Ben told me I was to wake you upon my arrival, Elder." If
> Zhen had gotten Lan's instructions wrong, Ti Pi was going to make him
> regret it.
>
>         "Yes." The old woman blinked her eyes several times as she sat
> up. "Good. You've completed your mission?"
>
>         Ti Pi nodded. "I'm prepared to give you my full report."
>
>         "Not yet. I need to summon the other Elders. You will meet me in
> the Council Hall in fifteen minutes to present your information to the
> full Council."
>
>         "Yes, Elder," Ti Pi replied formally, excitement washing away
> her exhaustion. She would finally get to see what went on in the
> Council. That was something she had always wanted. Given the
> circumstances, it was hardly something to cheer about, but it was still
> the realization of a lifelong ambition.
>
>         Lan swung her legs around to the floor and stood. "I am happy to
> see that you have returned safely."
>
>         "Elder, what is the situation? Do you believe that an attack is
> imminent?" It was a little presumptuous to be asking such information of
> the Chief Elder. But Ti Pi still thought of Lan as her teacher, the one
> who always encouraged her to question.
>
>         Lan looked back with great weariness in her eyes. "Such matters
> are the concern of the Council. In time, when you are older, they may be
> your responsibility, and you may end up wishing that they weren't."
>
>         Ti Pi continued, her enthusiasm and curiosity undampened. "What
> of Shan Pu? You had sent her on another mission. Has she returned?"
>
>         "No." Lan opened a closet door and took out a set of clothes.
> "Not yet. I hope she will be able to bring back some of her Japanese
> acquaintances to fight on our side."
>
>         Ti Pi felt a little taken aback by this. Did the Elder have more
> faith in these strangers than the village's own Amazon warriors? Still,
> there was no denying that they needed any help they could get.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Hibiki Ryoga stared at the face in front of him. Tiny brown eyes
> framed by dark leathery skin gazed back suspiciously. The upturned snout
> wriggled slightly as the animal snorted.
>
>         Though Ryoga presently looked nothing like the black piglet, it
> still felt as if he were looking into a mirror. It had taken Akari a lot
> of searching to find a miniature pig -- what she called a "pig-my" --
> that looked like Ryoga's cursed form. Even so, the new pig hadn't fooled
> Akane, but at least she'd accepted it as a replacement for her pet.
>
>         "Uh...." Ryoga smiled weakly. "Hi there, P-chan."
>
>         "Bu-kee!" Snorting irritatedly, the animal quickly backed away
> from Ryoga. With a speed that would've made most martial artists
> jealous, it jumped off the counter top, scampering across the kitchen
> floor and up into the arms of its owner.
>
>         "P-chan, you don't need to be afraid of Ryoga," Akane said in a
> firm but calm voice. "He's a friend." She smiled apologetically as she
> held her pet forward. "Now be nice!"
>
>         Ryoga walked over and reached forward hesitantly toward the
> animal, to scratch it under the chin the way Akane used to do to him.
>
>         The pig snorted angrily as its teeth chomped down sharply on
> Ryoga's finger. "Aaaaaa!"
>
>         Akane scowled down at the pig. "P-chan, that was mean! I'm
> sorry, Ryoga."
>
>         "Oh, uh, that's all right, Akane." Ryoga's finger throbbed with
> pain; he nursed it in his other hand, and the stinging lessened a bit.
> It was only fair, he supposed; payback for the times he'd bitten Ranma.
>
>         "Ryoga, would you mind if I asked you something?" Akane looked
> up, hesitantly. "It's a little personal, and I don't want to embarrass
> you...."
>
>         "Sure, go ahead!" What could be so bad?
>
>         "Well, it's just that... I think I've figured out your secret."
>
>         Ryoga laughed nervously. "My... secret?" Calm down, he told
> himself. If she had *really* figured out his secret, she'd be getting
> out a meat cleaver right now to prepare a little pork cutlet.
>
>         "Yeah." Her eyes grew distant, her face unreadable. "Actually, I
> started thinking about it a long time ago, but I just wasn't sure. Back
> when I had the old P-chan, I noticed that you and he were never
> together. In fact, any time he showed up, you kinda disappeared, almost
> like magic. Then Ranma used to talk about pigs to make fun of you... and
> when you and Akari met, she gave you a sweater with pigs on it, and it
> made you really upset."
>
>         Ryoga felt a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. He
> quickly wiped it off.
>
>         "So I started to think that maybe...." Her gaze dropped to the
> floor. "That you were... y'know, like Ranma... except that in your case,
> it's...." She pointed to the pig in her arms, thrusting it forward into
> Ryoga's face.
>
>         "Akane, I--" Ryoga quickly considered his options, and decided
> that pleading for his life would be appropriate. "I'm sorry! I meant to
> tell you!"
>
>         "What's there to be sorry about?" She smiled warmly at him. "I
> think it's great that you could overcome your problem."
>
>         "You're... you're not angry?!"
>
>         "Why should I be angry? You must really love Akari. Imagine
> someone with *your* condition marrying a pig farmer!"
>
>         "Yes... yes, I-- I do." Why wasn't she hitting him? It didn't
> make any sense. She didn't even look the slightest bit irked.
> "Akane...."
>
>         "I can't believe the way Ranma used to tease you about your
> problem. What a jerk! And he knows exactly what it's like, too!"
>
>         "Akane!" Ryoga fell to his knees. "Please don't hate me!"
>
>         Akane stared back at him in wide-eyed confusion. "Why on Earth
> would I hate you? Ryoga, it's not *your* fault that you're afraid of
> pigs!"
>
>         "Afraid of--"
>
>         "I'm sorry, Ryoga. I guess you're not completely over it, huh? I
> just kind of assumed you'd be cured after living with Akari. If it's any
> consolation, Ranma is still the same way about cats, too."
>
>         "Yes!" Ryoga laughed, almost maniacally. "Afraid of pigs! Not
> completely cured! But getting better! Hahaha!"
>
>         "That's all right." She patted him on the shoulder. "Would you
> like to go rest in the guest room?"
>
>         Ryoga shook his head. "Thanks, but I'll stay up and wait for
> Shan Pu with everybody else in the living room. Afraid. Pigs. Heh heh."
> He walked toward the doorway, keeping a wary eye on P-chan.
>
>         It was so absurd, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Though
> he no longer loved Akane, she was still a good friend. He didn't want
> her to hate him -- no matter how much he deserved it for what he had
> done. So he had to live with the constant fear that his *real* secret
> might someday be exposed to her by a random splash of water.
>
>         Kodachi's insane laugh reverberated through the house as Ryoga
> came into the living room. He silently slipped across the room, taking a
> seat on the floor next to the panda.
>
>         "Ran-chan, I feel bad about not going to China with y'all," Ukyo
> said. She sat with her head turned directly away from Kodachi, as if
> deliberately snubbing the gymnast. Next to her was Sanzenin Mikado,
> quietly nursing a bottle of sake.
>
>         "Hey, don't worry about it, Ucchan," Ranma said. "I think we all
> understand. You need ta stay here to run your restaurant."
>
>         "Yes, of course," Kodachi said with a patronizing smirk. "Don't
> worry. I'm sure someone else can cook for us during this trip."
>
>         For a moment, Ryoga thought about staying behind as well. He
> could probably come up with some reason why he was needed at home. He
> didn't really want to go on the trip -- not with Akane. How would he be
> able to avoid water for the whole time? One slip-up and she'd know the
> truth.
>
>         But Shan Pu was his friend. So were the others, and he couldn't
> just walk away when they needed help. He didn't blame Ukyo for doing
> what she had to, but his situation was different. Akari could handle the
> farm by herself. She'd done so for years before they'd been married.
>
>         Ranma put a friendly hand on the chef's shoulder. "Besides,
> Ucchan, Akane and me need you to help out here. Mom's gonna take
> responsibility for the house and the kids, but she and Mr. Tendo can't
> do everything. Around here, you never know when some nutcase will show
> up to cause trouble. If that happens while we're all gone, you'll have
> to handle it."
>
>         "Yes." Ukyo cast a glance back over her shoulder. "Nutcases *do*
> have a habit of showing up here."
>
>         "How very true." A bemused smirk played across Kodachi's lips.
> "By the way, dear, did I tell you that I tried some of the fare from
> your restaurant? Brother brought it home last night. It was a simply
> delightful confection. I understand you're worried about your restaurant
> going bankrupt. Don't be. If your current enterprise doesn't last, I'm
> certain you'll be able to obtain employment at Okonomiyaki World."
>
>         "Kodachi." Ranma stood, glaring at the gymnast. "Knock it off."
>
>         Kodachi looked back innocently. "Hmmm? Have I given offense? Oh
> dear, how discourteous of me."
>
>         "You've been tryin' to pick a fight all evening. Cut it out, or
> you'll get one. With me."
>
>         "Why, Ranma dear! Are you challenging me to a match?"
>
>         "That's not what I...."
>
>         "That's all right, Ranma. What with college, marriage, and
> child-raising, you haven't had any time to train, have you? I can
> understand perfectly if you're out of condition."
>
>         "I am NOT out of...." Ranma heaved an irritated sigh. "All
> right, you're on. Meet me in the dojo in ten minutes."
>
>         It was so easy to push Ranma's buttons, Ryoga thought. If it had
> been him... he had to admit it probably would've been just as easy.
>
>         "Very well. And the loser shall owe the winner a long,
> passionate kiss?" Kodachi laughed, grinning impishly. "No? Oh well.
> Can't blame me for trying!"
>
>         Unnoticed by most, Kasumi stepped out of the room.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>                 Heat a little oil in a frying pan on high. Add the food
>         and fry until brown. Add several spoonfuls of water and cook for
>         five minutes or until the water has boiled away.
>
>
>         Akane wondered when cooking had gotten so complicated. Humanity,
> presumably, had been doing it since the days when they had lived in
> caves. For modern people, capable of mastering differential geometry and
> quantum mechanics, a little thing like the proper preparation of food
> should be easy.
>
>         *Heat oil in pan.* Check. Of course, to check whether it was
> hot, she would need to touch it, and probably burn herself; so she'd
> just have to assume it was ready.
>
>         She picked up one of the dumplings from the counter top, and
> gently dropped it onto the frypan. It hissed and sizzled, like the
> desperate cry of one who was about to die. *Sorry, Mr. Dumpling! You're
> being tortured to death because a roomful of martial artists need a
> little midnight snack. Nothing personal!* She chuckled a bit as she
> dropped five more dumplings onto the pan, then winced. She had to be
> pretty tired to find that funny.
>
>         "Mmmm, smells delicious!"
>
>         She spun around, startled by the voice. "Oh. Kasumi!"
>
>         "Hi, Akane. What are you cooking?"
>
>         "Gyoza dumplings. I figured we could all use a little something
> to eat while we're waiting for Shan Pu. Wanna try some when they're
> ready?" Akane turned back to the stove. "Ack!" The first of her
> dumplings was turning black on the bottom. It was embarrassing to make
> such a mistake; she'd wanted to show Kasumi how much she had learned.
>
>         Kasumi took a spatula from the wall rack, handing it to her
> sister. "Oh, I've cooked these before. You need to keep moving them
> around on the pan so they don't burn."
>
>         "Right." The burnt dumpling was by now stuck to the pan; Akane
> pried it away with the spatula. Why did things have to go wrong every
> time she tried to cook? She was hopeless; that's all there was to it.
>
>         Reaching over Akane's arm, Kasumi took the burnt dumpling from
> the spatula. She sniffed at it, then bit into it and chewed. She smiled
> at Akane, giggling slightly.
>
>         "What's funny?" Akane didn't know whether or not to be angry.
> Kasumi wouldn't make fun of her, would she?
>
>         "Oh, Akane, I was just thinking about what your cooking used to
> be like. Remember? If you had tried this back when you were in high
> school, these gyoza would've been hard as rocks. Look how much better
> you've gotten!"
>
>         "You like it?"
>
>         "Oh, yes!" She took another bite. "It's just fine. The only
> change you might want to make is to add a few more spices to the filling
> inside."
>
>         "I'm so glad you like it!" For a moment, Akane beamed with pure
> joy. Then she turned back to the stove. The other dumplings had turned
> black on the bottom. "Aaaaaargh!"
>
>         "Oh my, I'm sorry." Kasumi lowered her head in embarrassment.
> "I've been distracting you."
>
>         Akane turned off the burner. "That's okay. I'll feed these to
> P-chan, or maybe Mr. Saotome." She pushed the pan onto the back burner,
> and leaned against the counter top. "So tell me what you've been doing
> the past few years! You must have learned some incredible things."
>
>         "Yes, I have." Kasumi's look suddenly became more distant, as if
> she were staring off at something. "I want to tell you everything,
> Akane. Someday when there's more time, all right?"
>
>         "Sure."
>
>         Kasumi's normal cheerful expression returned. "Anyway, I bet
> you've learned a lot yourself. You and Ranma are running the dojo now.
> Father must be so proud!"
>
>         "Yeah, Ranma's been training me." Akane hopped down and stepped
> over to the sink. "Let me show you something. It's a secret, so don't
> tell anyone."
>
>         Kasumi nodded, watching with wide-eyed fascination.
>
>         Akane twisted the faucet slightly, and a tiny stream of water
> trickled down. Her hands stretched forward, palms outward, facing the
> water.
>
>         She thought about the fights she'd won in the past few years,
> the battle techniques she'd learned. In her mind, she tapped into the
> small but growing confidence that she was feeling as a martial artist,
> and pushed the feeling forward, through her arms and out of her hands.
> It emerged as a tiny burst of air, rippling through the water with a
> barely-perceptible splash before dissipating.
>
>         "Akane!" Kasumi gaped with awe. "Was that a ki attack?"
>
>         "Uh huh!" Akane smiled proudly. "It's called the Moko Takabisha.
> Ranma taught it to me." True, it wasn't *much* of a ki blast when she
> did it; the amount of power she generated was far too small to be of any
> use in battle. But no matter how ridiculously small a thing it was, it
> was *hers.* It was a kind of magic, and she was the one who could make
> it happen.
>
>         "That's wonderful. I'm so proud of you!" Kasumi stepped forward,
> and the two sisters hugged each other.
>
>         Except for Ranma, Kasumi was probably the only person Akane
> would've trusted to see what she'd just seen. Most anyone else would've
> laughed at the world's smallest, most useless ki attack.
>
>         "Oh my! Akane, I almost forgot to tell you about Kodachi and
> Ranma!"
>
>         "Kodachi and--" Akane felt her temper rising instinctively. What
> had Ranma done now?
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Ranma and Kodachi took positions at opposite ends of the
> practice hall. The onlookers lined up against the walls.
>
>         "Ready?" Tendo Soun asked. He stood between the two combatants,
> with an arm raised high.
>
>         "Yeah, sure," Ranma said. "Let's get this over with quick."
>
>         "As you wish, Ranma-sama." Kodachi laughed as her ribbon twirled
> lazily.
>
>         "Oooh!" Shiratori Azusa stepped forward excitedly. "That ribbon
> is so cute! Dominique! Dominique!"
>
>         Mu Si stopped her with a hand on the shoulder, speaking in a
> gentle but firm voice. "Azusa, that ribbon is Kodachi's. You can't have
> it."
>
>         "Giving my ribbon a name as if it were... alive." Kodachi
> smirked. "How amusing. Let us get on with this, shall we?"
>
>         "Ready?" Soun repeated. Ranma and Kodachi nodded. Soun lowered
> his arm. "Then begin!"
>
>         Ranma waited casually, arms at his side. Though he generally
> didn't like fighting women, he was going to enjoy this. Kodachi had
> evidently learned a few new moves, and now thought she was hot stuff
> because she could beat her idiot brother. It was time for someone to
> take her down a peg, and he was just the guy to do it.
>
>         Kodachi stood her ground, tracing out complicated patterns in
> the air with her ribbon. "You know, Ranma-sama, this really isn't going
> to work unless one of us attacks the other," she said, her tone mocking.
>
>         "Good idea." Ranma beckoned her toward him with a finger. He
> wasn't going to play by her rules. "And stop calling me that."
>
>         "Very well, dearest." Gliding across the floor, Kodachi grinned
> gleefully as she thrust her ribbon forward. With a fraction of a second
> to spare, Ranma jumped upward. Moving faster than the eye could see, he
> landed behind her.
>
>         "Looks like you missed!" Ranma tapped Kodachi on the shoulder --
> or rather, tried to. For some reason, he couldn't lift his right arm. Or
> his left.
>
>         She casually swung around to face him. "Oh?"
>
>         Ranma looked down. Wrapped tightly around the entire lower half
> of his body, Kodachi's ribbon pinned his arms and legs. Except for his
> head, he looked like a mummy. He exerted all his strength, but the
> ribbon didn't budge at all. It was like pushing against solid steel; not
> even Ryoga had ever gripped him so tightly.
>
>         "Mmmmm. I win." Slipping an arm behind his back, she brought his
> face toward hers. The others in the room gaped with stunned surprise.
> "Now it's time for my reward, Ranma-sama."
>
>         *Oh shit.* Ranma desperately stretched his neck, trying to pull
> his head back. Kodachi's face inched in close to his, near enough that
> he could feel her hot breath. Her lips drew inexorably nearer with every
> second, a predator about to swoop in for the kill. *Oh shit, she's
> gonna....* He had to get away. He struggled frantically to escape, but
> with all of his strength, he could only manage to pull back a few
> inches.
>
>         The door flew open. Akane stormed into the dojo. "What's going
> on here?!" Her face twisted with rage as she saw Ranma.
>
>         "Akane, I--"
>
>         "What are you DOING?" she yelled furiously. Ranma couldn't tell
> whether the question was directed at him or at Kodachi.
>
>         "Hm? Just a little fun." Kodachi tugged on her ribbon, and it
> quickly unrolled, like the string of a yo-yo. Ranma watched the room
> spin rapidly around him, then felt the wind knocked out of him as his
> chest slammed into the ground.
>
>         "Ranma is MY husband! Do you understand that?"
>
>         "Of course I do." Kodachi remained completely blase despite the
> angry woman screaming into her face. "I meant nothing by my actions, my
> dear. You mustn't take things so seriously."
>
>         Ranma spoke before Akane had a chance to explode. "Kodachi." He
> rose to his feet, fighting the dizziness that made the room seem to
> spin. "You ain't comin' on the trip."
>
>         "Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
>
>         "Because I can't trust you, that's why. You think I'm gonna just
> forget all those times you drugged me?"
>
>         "That?" She chuckled. "Dear Ranma, we were different people back
> then. I had my... problems, but with the right help, I've worked them
> out."
>
>         "Ranma," Mu Si said, "what gives you the right to decide who
> comes on the trip and who doesn't?"
>
>         "Ke Lun put me in charge, that's what. She said so, right before
> she kick-- before she, um, passed away."
>
>         "Well, I say we should vote on it."
>
>         Tsubasa beamed an adoring smile at Kodachi. "If I get a vote, I
> say she should come."
>
>         "And I say she shouldn't." Akane folded her arms under her
> chest. "I think she's just shown very clearly how much we can trust
> her."
>
>         "I don't know about Kodachi, but I trust Akane's judgement,"
> Ryoga said. "I'll go along with her."
>
>         "I'm not going, so I suppose I don't get a vote," Ukyo said.
> "Same goes for the Golden Pair here."
>
>         "And I vote for her to go with us." Mu Si slipped his glasses on
> as everyone looked at him. "Sorry, Akane, but it's my homeland that's
> being threatened. If she's good enough to beat Ranma, then we need her
> kind of power on our side."
>
>         *Thanks for rubbing it in,* Ranma thought. *Jerk.*
>
>         "I have likewise come to think of the Amazon village as home,"
> Tatewaki said. "But I must nevertheless disagree. Though it pains me to
> say so, I feel my sister would do more harm than good to our efforts."
>
>         All eyes turned to Kasumi. "Me? Well, I think we should give
> Kodachi a chance. She said that she was only teasing you, Ranma. Why
> shouldn't we believe her?"
>
>         "Three and three." Ranma looked around the room. "Where the
> heck's Gosunkugi? I coulda sworn he was here a minute ago."
>
>         "It appears the deciding vote is yours, Ranma-sama," Kodachi
> said, still as unperturbed as ever. "Very well, if you wish me to stay
> in Nerima, I shall. Perhaps I'll even look in on your two lovely
> children from time to time."
>
>         Ranma felt his anger rise at the implication. There was nothing
> that pissed him off worse than people threatening his kids -- if that
> was what she meant. But if it was, how could he go to China and leave
> Kodachi here with them?
>
>         Mu Si had a point, too. If they didn't bring Kodachi along,
> would it screw their chances of winning the fight? Or of even coming out
> of it alive? On the other hand, Kuno could be right. Damn. Ranma didn't
> know what to do. And Ke Lun had called him a natural leader? What a
> joke.
>
>         His gaze scanned over Kodachi, searching for something, anything
> to tell him what her game was. True, she had beaten him this time. But
> did she get good through years of training and practice, the way he had?
> Not likely. She was using a gimmick. And gimmicks could be beaten, once
> you figured them out.
>
>         "All right, Kodachi. You win."
>
>         "Why, Ranma-sama!" She grinned, speaking in a voice that was all
> but musical. "So you trust me after all?"
>
>         "I ain't letting you come 'cause I trust you." He looked her in
> the eyes with as much force as he could manage. "I'm letting you come so
> I can keep an eye on you."
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         The Council Chamber was almost disappointing. Ti Pi had expected
> it to be full of arcane objects, or at least antiques; instead, a simple
> wooden table occupied most of the room, with wooden chairs all around
> it. Still, and despite her great tiredness, excitement bubbled within
> her. To gain entrance to the Council Chambers had always been her dream.
> It took all of her self-control to keep gazing at the Elders instead of
> taking in the room, memorizing every little detail of the place.
>
>         "The agent will now give her report."
>
>         "Yes, Elder." Ti Pi bristled inwardly a bit at being addressed
> in such an impersonal manner. As her teacher, Elder Lan had always been
> warm and friendly towards her. But such was the way of Elders. "Upon
> arrival, I managed to blend in with the locals with no difficulty.
> Simply listening to their conversations told me much of what I needed to
> know. The rest I learned once I had met up with a small resistance group
> working against the Mongol forces."
>
>         "I hope the group learned nothing of your origins," said Elder
> Bi, a short, somewhat heavy-set woman. Her face held an expression of
> vague disapproval, the only one she ever seemed to use. "Such groups are
> often infiltrated by their enemies, and if word got to the regime that
> an Amazon was working against them, it could provoke reprisals against
> us." She was actually Ti Pi's great aunt, something which the young
> Amazon was less than happy about. It seemed that every time Bi spoke to
> her, it was to criticize for something.
>
>         "I did not tell them that I was an Amazon, Elder. They were
> happy enough to have my help, and didn't ask many questions."
>
>         "I hardly think it matters, given the circumstances," Lan said,
> addressing Bi. "The message I received from the Mongol leader was quite
> clear. Our village would join his nation. He asked that we do so
> voluntarily, but there was little doubt that he was not offering us an
> option to refuse."
>
>         "How did the Mongols take Yinchuan?" Elder Kui asked Ti Pi. "Did
> you learn anything about that?" She was the village's foremost weapons
> expert; Ti Pi had studied under her some years ago.
>
>         "They showed up right after a bomb had exploded in one of the
> central temples. At first they claimed to be Chinese soldiers, sent from
> Beijing in order to protect against a 'terrorist conspiracy.' The
> bombing had frightened people enough that they welcomed them with open
> arms. Enough that they didn't object when all telephone and mail
> communication was shut down. Nor did they object when the soldiers began
> taking selected people into custody for 'questioning.'"
>
>         Ti Pi shuddered at the thought of an entire community subjugated
> so easily -- before they had even known that it was happening. At least
> the Amazons had had some sort of advance warning.
>
>         She drew a breath, then continued. "It wasn't until later that
> the local government announced the region's 'secession' from the PRC.
> 'It is the will of the people that cannot be denied,' they said. Not
> long after, they announced that they would be allying with the new
> Mongol nation. As for the people, while they had no great love for the
> PRC, they wanted to know who was now in charge and why they should trust
> them. They also knew that there would be reprisals from Beijing."
>
>         "And were there?" Lan asked.
>
>         "Not in that area. The new regime reportedly clashed with the
> PRC in the east. Amazingly, they held their ground. Meanwhile, they
> began a campaign to 'root out spies.' Citizens were told to report
> anyone who acted suspiciously -- defined as asking too many of the wrong
> questions. Naturally, this drove most of the opposition underground, and
> those who were openly uncooperative just disappeared."
>
>         "Do you have any information on where the new regime came from?"
> Kui asked. "Where they got their armies, and their hardware?"
>
>         "Their leader is usually referred to as the General. Reportedly,
> he came to power in Mongolia in a coup. Some call him Khaan. He's
> reputed to be a man of great personal power. Curiously, though, some
> people claim that they've seen the General and that he's actually a
> woman."
>
>         Lan's eyes narrowed at that last statement. For a moment, she
> seemed about to say something; when she didn't, Ti Pi continued,
> wondering what the Elder was keeping from her.
>
>         "From what I was told, many of the General's armies are
> mercenaries from other countries. Others were soldiers in the Chinese
> army until they defected for whatever reason. Still more were local
> people who joined up when the new regime took power in parts of China.
> As for where their weapons and other equipment comes from, I was unable
> to find out. Nor did I learn anything about any plans they have
> concerning our village. If they are planning any... expansions, the
> local opposition group is unaware of it."
>
>         "Perhaps they are not," Lan said. "But in case they are, we need
> to be prepared for the worst."
>
>         "The worst?" Kui leaned forward. "You have no idea. The Outside
> has weapons that could instantly reduce this entire village to rubble.
> How could we possibly defend against that?"
>
>         Ti Pi kept quiet, hoping the Elders would forget that she was
> there and carry on as usual. All her life she had watched the Elders go
> into the mysterious Council Chamber, and come out with the answer to
> whatever problem the village had been facing. Now that she was finally
> in the Council Chamber, she wanted to see exactly what they did.
>
>         "We can't," Lan answered. "But it seems unlikely that they would
> simply destroy us. If they attack us, it must be because they want
> something that we have."
>
>         "True enough. But what if they conclude that whatever it is they
> want is beyond their reach? Might they not then decide to wipe us out,
> as an object lesson to anyone else who might decide to resist them?"
>
>         Another Elder spoke up. "Can we be sure that they plan to attack
> us at all? Perhaps we are making some unfounded assumptions in this."
>
>         "Their communication to us left little doubt," Kui said. "The
> Amazons will become part of the new Mongol nation -- one way or another.
> I do not believe this General is the type of person who would bluff
> about a thing like that."
>
>         "What would you suggest we do?" Lan asked.
>
>         "I suggest that we accept their invitation. Join them
> voluntarily -- but on our own terms. By negotiating with them, we can
> retain some measure of control over our own village. If nothing else, at
> least it will keep our sisters alive."
>
>         "That is out of the question!" Bi spat. "Amazon law does not
> allow us to submit to outside control. Even if it is to the last woman,
> we must stand and fight! We MUST!"
>
>         "We submitted to the PRC for... how many years now?"
>
>         "We did not submit to the PRC," Bi retorted sharply. "We allowed
> them to claim official ownership of this region. On paper. It was always
> understood that we would retain our right of self-determination, and
> always Ke Lun stood ready to deal with any of their bureaucrats who
> would dare attempt to violate our rights."
>
>         Ti Pi felt herself cheering inside for her great aunt. That
> certainly didn't happen often. On the other hand, she could see Kui's
> point, and it scared her. She had pride in her people, but she didn't
> want to die for a point of principle.
>
>         "In this case, I must agree with Bi Dei," Lan said. "To
> surrender our freedom, our independence, is to accept defeat before we
> begin. As long as I am Chief Elder, I will not allow it." She turned
> toward Kui. "You, of course, may make your case to the sisterhood at
> large, and as is the custom, I shall step down if that is their wish.
> But I do not expect you to find much support for your position. Now, let
> us discuss *how* -- not *whether* -- we plan to fight back."
>
>         Kui lowered her head slightly, and an awkward silence fell over
> the room. One by one, each Elder's stare turned toward Ti Pi.
>
>         "Are there any further questions for the agent?" Bi asked. "If
> not, then perhaps she should be excused."
>
>         No one answered, so Ti Pi stood. "Thank you, Elders." She
> stepped to the exit, a little self-conscious because of all the eyes
> watching her. The cloud of exhaustion that hovered over her returned in
> full force. Sleep. Sleep was what she needed.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         "Oh, don't feel bad, Ranma-sama!" Kodachi said. "Everyone has to
> lose sometime!"
>
>         Ranma grumbled slightly as he walked past her to sit down next
> to Akane.
>
>         Mu Si put his hand to his chin, trying to look thoughtful, so no
> one would see the smile on his face. Though the two of them weren't
> vying for Shan Pu's affections any longer, he still didn't like Ranma's
> attitude. Ranma seemed to think that he had a right to have beautiful
> women at his beck and call -- even when he treated them like dirt. Women
> like Shan Pu and Kodachi deserved better than that. So did Akane -- but
> she, at least, didn't seem to put up with him making an ass of himself.
>
>         It had been outrageous of Ranma to try to keep Kodachi from
> going to China. The team could've lost a good fighter -- possibly its
> strongest member -- all because she was better than he was. All because
> she had given him a well-deserved and long overdue kick in the ego.
>
>         Mu Si turned around. Kuonji Ukyo, another of Ranma's would-be
> brides, was speaking with Azusa and her old skating partner, Sanzenin
> Mikado. The former held a small metal spatula. "Rhonda! Rhonda!"
>
>         "That belongs to Ukyo here, doesn't it?" Mu Si said. "Did you
> ask her if it was okay for you to take it?"
>
>         "That's all right, sugar." A smile lit up Ukyo's face, making
> her look twice as pretty as she had the moment before. "She can have
> that one. I've got a ton of those things."
>
>         Suddenly, Akane shouted, "Shan Pu! Look, everybody!  Shan Pu's
> here!" The others turned and shouted enthusiastic greetings.
>
>         Kuno Tatewaki moved over and bowed. "Fair Shan Pu, our fighting
> force is assembled in your hour of direst need."
>
>         Mu Si felt as if his dinner were about to come up. How phony
> could you get? And yet Shan Pu's eyes sparkled as she looked back at the
> kendoist. He was laying it on thick, and she was eating it up.
>
>         Tatewaki turned to face the others. "Warriors, for the young
> lady and her people, stand we united?" Arms rose in unison along with
> bokken, clubs, and spatula, as shouts of "Yes!" resounded through the
> house. Mu Si joined in, feeling some of the elation of the moment.
> Though Tatewaki was as much the arrogant blowhard as Ranma, it was still
> inspiring to know that a group like this one could put aside their
> differences to help people -- *his* people.
>
>         Ranma bounded across the room to Shan Pu. Mu Si quietly slipped
> out of the room, deciding that it would be a good time to relieve
> himself. He remembered an old song he'd heard on the radio. *I don't
> want to spoil the party, so I'll go.* Ha.
>
>         Boisterous shouts echoed from outside, muffled by the walls. The
> bathroom was quiet. *I could stay in here,* he thought as he quickly
> washed his hands and dried them with someone's towel. *I don't have to
> go out there at all.*
>
>         Mentally slapping himself for being so foolish, he opened the
> door and stepped out. Why should he have to avoid Shan Pu? The past was
> past, but they were both there for the same reason. Anyway, she probably
> wouldn't bother to talk to him.
>
>         "Hello, Mu Si."
>
>         He gaped, momentarily forgetting how to speak. Shan Pu stood
> just outside the lavatory. She wore an old style silk dress colored deep
> crimson; reflected light cascaded off it in an outline that highlighted
> her perfect figure.
>
>         "How are you?" she asked.
>
>         "I-- I'm fine." What should he have answered? *Fine, now that
> I've met someone else! Now that I don't have you kicking me out into the
> cold! Are you proud of that?* "Um, how about you?"
>
>         "Okay, except worry about what going to happen to sisters. Thank
> you for go back to help, Mu Si."
>
>         He flashed an embarrassed smile. "I, uh, well, it's my homeland,
> too. I mean, I grew up there."
>
>         "Er... Mu Si...." She stared up at him, with a wide-eyed,
> smiling expression that said she was waiting for him to do something.
>
>         "Um... yes?" He stared back into her eyes. What was she trying
> to say? *I stupid fool for rejecting you! When I go back China, I
> realize how crazy mad about you I really is! Oh, xiao Mu, make love to
> me now!*
>
>         She motioned with her head slightly. "I need use bathroom."
>
>         "Oh." He glanced back at the door. "Oh!" Abruptly, he stepped
> aside. Smiling politely at him, she walked past. He stole a glance at
> her before the door closed. Her dress, slit at the knees, stretched
> slightly as she walked, offering tantalizing glimpses of leg. Those
> legs... how many times had he imagined them entwined with his in a
> frenzy of love-making?
>
>         Mu Si drifted back into the living room. He'd thought that he
> was over her, he really had.  But at that moment, he knew that he would
> *never* truly be over Shan Pu.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Elder Kui stepped out of the Council Hall. It was pitch dark,
> save for a deathly pale glow cast by the moon.
>
>         She had tried. She really had. But they refused to listen. All
> they could do was blather on about Amazon law and tradition -- as if
> that meant anything in the current situation. None of them understood.
> On the outside, they had weapons that could obliterate entire cities
> from thousands of kilometers away. Next to that, the swords and
> crossbows of the Amazons were as childs' toys. Even the much-vaunted
> Dragon's Heaven Blast would be useless -- if anyone left even knew how
> to use it.
>
>         Arriving at her home, she went to the bedroom. She found the
> papers in the closet behind her clothes, where she had hidden them that
> morning. For several minutes, she stared at her handwriting on the
> pages, just wishing that there were another way. But there wasn't.
>
>         Rolling the papers together, she moved over to the wire cage
> that rested atop the bedroom table and opened the door. The small, white
> bird still sat inside, nibbling away at some seeds. The bird squawked
> slightly as she affixed the pages to it -- the pages that would insure
> that Kui Ziling's name would go down in Amazon history as the great
> betrayer.
>
>         But this way, at least, there would *be* an Amazon history.
>
>         She slid the bedroom window open. The bird flew into the air,
> and out of sight. The window slammed shut. Kui lay on the bed and tried
> to sleep.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         The gathering at the Tendo dojo kept going strong until three
> o'clock AM, at which time it died out quickly. The guests -- except for
> those who were staying the night -- left, agreeing that everyone would
> meet tomorrow, nine-thirty in the morning, at the train station. By the
> time Akane had shown Kasumi and Shan Pu to their respective guest rooms,
> and Ryoga to Hikaru's room (laying out a trail of towels so he would be
> able to find his way to and from the bathroom), and straightened up in
> the living room, it was already quarter to four.
>
>         In the bathroom, she quickly undressed, then slowly creeped open
> the bedroom door. Not turning on the light, she silently slipped onto
> the futon to lay next to Ranma. She wanted to wake him up and make love
> to him; it would be the last chance they'd have to be alone together for
> who knew how long. But it was better to let him sleep, while he could.
> In only a few hours, it would be seven-thirty, and they'd have to get up
> to pick up the kids at Mrs. Komori's place. No, better just to try to
> get as much sleep as she could manage.
>
>         "Akane?"
>
>         "Mmm?"
>
>         "Do you think the kids'll be all right with Mom?"
>
>         "I-- Sure I do, Ranma. Don't you?"
>
>         Dumb question. It was easy to forget that Nodoka was the same
> mother who had planned to make her son commit seppuku if he didn't
> measure up to her rather strange ideas about manliness.
>
>         She rested her head against his chest. "It'll be all right,
> Ranma. It was your father's fault for making that stupid pledge, and
> nothing like that would ever happen with Hikaru and Ririko. Besides,
> they've got Dad to help look after them, and Ukyo too."
>
>         "Akane, I like Ukyo, really I do. But sometimes it seems like
> she's a few cups of flour short of an okonomiyaki. Know what I mean?
> Just calling her 'cute' was enough to make her go from wanting to kick
> my butt to wanting me to marry her."
>
>         "Look... I worry about it too. But sometimes you just have to
> trust people. I'm not staying behind to watch the kids, if that's what
> you're getting at. That's out of the question. I may not be the greatest
> martial artist in the world, but I'm part of the team."
>
>         "I wasn't gonna say that you should stay home." Ranma sounded
> slightly peeved. But what else could they do? He had to know that it was
> impossible for them to take the kids along on the trip. So....
>
>         "Ranma...." Akane moved a little closer to Ranma, searching for
> the right way to say what she wanted to say. "When Kodachi had you tied
> up, was it... bad for you?"
>
>         "No way! I'll beat that chick. Just you watch! I just gotta
> figure out a way to beat whatever trick she's using."
>
>         "Right, whatever," Akane grumbled, rolling over to lie flat on
> her back. Why did he have to act like such a jerk? She was trying to
> help him, and all he could do is this stupid macho posturing. And what
> *would* happen to the kids while she and he were in China? Now he had
> her worrying.
>
>         "I can't believe Mu Si bought into her 'I'm a changed person'
> crap. I ain't fooled."
>
>         "Couldn't she be telling the truth? We don't know what she was
> doing all those years. Maybe she went through psychotherapy."
>
>         "Akane, some people in this world act crazy because they can't
> help it. Other people act crazy because they don't give a damn, and they
> can get away with it. Which one do you think Kodachi is?"
>
>         "I-- I don't know." She wanted to believe that Kodachi was
> telling the truth. Maybe it was because the thought of crazy old Kodachi
> becoming more powerful than Ranma was so frightening. "I think we should
> get some sleep now, OK? We have to get up early tomorrow."
>
>         Maybe Kodachi wasn't using a trick. Maybe she had spent the past
> seven years doing nothing but training. Ranma hadn't. Not with the
> intensity he had in high school, anyway. What if while he had been
> taking college courses and starting a family, she had been learning
> martial arts techniques from someone as good as Ke Lun?
>
>         Was that what it took to be the best? Total dedication to the
> art, with no hobbies or children or any other of those little things
> that got in the way of training? It was a depressing thought -- because
> it had the ring of truth. Would Ranma want that kind of life? Maybe.
> Maybe not, but he might accept it if there were no other way to be
> number one. And what would happen when he grew old? Would he become like
> Happosai, doing so many terrible things just to get a little attention?
>
>         Akane didn't want that kind of life. Maybe she was lazy and
> undedicated, but she liked having the pleasures that a family could
> bring. She liked spending time with friends. Without those kinds of
> joys, life would be pretty pointless, art or no art. If that meant she
> couldn't be the world's champion fighter, then so be it.
>
>         On the other hand, total dedication and sacrifice for the sake
> of the art didn't sound much like Kodachi, either. Okay, so if she was
> using a trick, what was it? It couldn't just be a matter of strength.
> The way she had held her ribbon, it shouldn't have been able to
> immobilize Ranma no matter how powerful a grip she had.
>
>         "Maybe her ribbon had a contact poison on it?" Akane said out
> loud. "Some drug that takes away your muscle power."
>
>         "That could be. I never thought'a that." Ranma paused
> thoughtfully. "Then again, it didn't feel like a drug, and I don't think
> one woulda wore off that quick. I think she was using ki power. Y'know,
> focusing her own energy through the ribbon to make it grip harder."
>
>         A ki power. Kodachi had been training in serious martial arts
> for how long? The last few years? And she already had an attack that
> could make Ranma helpless. Akane had been training in Anything Goes
> since she was a child, and she could barely generate enough ki to make a
> tiny ripple in the kitchen faucet water.
>
>         She pushed her head into the pillow, hoping that sleep would
> take her, knowing that it would be a very long time before she would be
> able to make her own magic come.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Morning.
>
>         Sanzenin Mikado strolled steadily down the sidewalk. His head
> felt a little fuzzy -- the unmistakable sign that he'd had too much sake
> the previous evening -- but the feeling was not severe enough to be
> uncomfortable.
>
>         He'd allowed himself to be distracted the night before. The fine
> drink, everything else going on made him neglect the reason he had come.
> That wouldn't happen today. This was his last chance to obtain his just
> revenge against Kuonji Ukyo before her friends left for China.
>
>         Though Mikado didn't consider himself a vengeful person, there
> were certain things that he just couldn't allow to go unpunished.
> Maliciously damaging a skating rink was one. The other was what Kuonji
> had done to him. Though it had happened more than six years ago, the
> memory still burned in his mind as if it had been just yesterday.
>
>         Some might have called him hypocritical. A man who had kissed
> thousands of women objecting to the kiss of just one? But of all the
> recipients of Mikado's touch, not one had there been for whom he had not
> felt a genuine affection. The Kuonji woman, on the other hand, obviously
> cared *nothing* for him. Otherwise why would she have refused *his* kiss
> for so long? No, she had merely used him as a tool to impress her
> friends, to save face.
>
>         It was a far worse offense than doing harm to an ice rink.
> Mikado's lifelong mission was to find that one woman who he knew existed
> somewhere, whose kiss would give him that instant of magical ecstasy.
> Kuonji had cheapened that sacred quest by using Mikado for her own
> selfish purposes.
>
>         Now, finally, with enough of her friends present, he could carry
> out his revenge. And he would make sure that the punishment would fit
> the crime.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Mu Si stepped out of the back door to the skating rink. He hoped
> Azusa would be all right while he was gone. Her father was still in
> prison for tax evasion and other financial improprieties that Mu Si knew
> little about. Fortunately, Mikado, her old skating partner, had promised
> to keep an eye on her. Though she was much better now about not taking
> things without permission, there was still no telling what trouble she
> might get into on her own.
>
>         The bike rack stood at the side of the building. Mu Si crossed
> to the far side, where he had left his bicycle locked up. That
> particular space was empty. He slipped his glasses into place, and
> scanned anxiously up and down all the racks. His wasn't there.
>
>         "Damn it!" How could this happen to him? Here he was, ready to
> defend his village from well-armed killers, and now he'd been stymied by
> a simple thief? He should have gotten a heavy key lock instead of the
> combination one he used. But he had tried that before, and found that it
> took forever to pull the correct key from his robes.
>
>         Water. He would have to splash himself so that he could fly to
> the train station. There was no other way to get there on time.
>
>         "This is unsuitable for a man of your stature, you know."
>
>         The voice spoke in Chinese. Mu Si jerked around, startled.
> "Who-- who are you?" In the shadow of the building, a woman sat atop his
> bicycle. She wore a black sweater that matched perfectly the color of
> her long hair. A scarf was wrapped around her head, and dark sunglasses
> covered her eyes, making her face unrecognizable.
>
>         "A man like you ought to command armies. You ought to be
> chauffeured, not reduced to riding around on a second-hand bicycle."
>
>         Mu Si sighed. The woman was obviously insane. "Excuse me, ma'am,
> but that appears to be *my* bicycle that you're sitting on. I need you
> to move, please. I have a plane to catch."
>
>         "Yes, I know. You're going to try to defend the Amazon village.
> Such a noble quest. Pity it's doomed to failure."
>
>         How did she know that? Obviously, this woman was more than she
> had seemed.
>
>         "I'm an Amazon myself," she said, as if in answer to his
> unspoken query. "Or was. I left after I was denied membership on the
> Council of Elders. Your Chief Elder will remember me. Ask her about Zhen
> Biaozi."
>
>         "Of course you were turned down. You're too young!" While Mu Si
> couldn't see her eyes, the skin around her hands and mouth had no
> wrinkles at all. Her body was well-proportioned -- busty and muscular.
> Healthy black hair peeked out from under her scarf. Unless it was an
> incredibly good disguise, there was no way she was an Elder. "Look, I'm
> trying to be reasonable here. But if you don't move, I'll... I'll have
> to move you." He tensed, preparing for battle. He didn't like fighting
> women, but this one was probably going to force the issue.
>
>         "Oh, go for your hidden weapons if you wish to embarrass
> yourself," she said confidently.
>
>         "My weapons? How did you know about--"
>
>         "I know all about you, Mu Si. I know about your techniques, and
> exactly what they and you are capable of. I wouldn't be facing you like
> this if I weren't able to counter anything you might try against me."
>
>         "We don't have to fight. Just give me back my bicycle and I'll
> be going." She was probably bluffing, but there was no point in putting
> her to the test if he didn't have to.
>
>         Resting her elbows on the handlebars, she stared up at him
> expectantly. He considered for a moment, and then reached down with both
> hands, preparing to grip one of the tires in each.
>
>         Zhen Biaozi casually reached over with a finger, and, with
> lightning speed, poked Mu Si in the chest. Abruptly, his arms and legs
> went limp. He could feel nothing below his neck. His body refused to
> leave its hunched position, making him feel like a side of beef in a
> meat locker.
>
>         "A very elementary pressure point technique. Oh dear, it seems
> as though you'll be missing your plane!"
>
>         Mu Si twisted his neck up, and managed to look the woman in the
> eyes.
>
>         "Perhaps you might take a lesson from this," she said. "I don't
> tolerate any nonsense. If you try to get clever with me, you will
> suffer. On the other hand, if you are properly... cooperative... you
> will be rewarded." Her finger jabbed at Mu Si, who toppled over from the
> force of the strike, landing face-up on the sidewalk.
>
>         Mu Si tried to move and found himself back to normal. He
> staggered cautiously off the ground and stood.
>
>         "Now then. The trip you and your friends are about to undertake
> is a wasted effort." She hopped off the bicycle seat onto the ground,
> holding the frame with one hand. "The Amazon village will fall. Nothing
> your tiny band of would-be heroes can do will change that. The days of
> the Council of Elders are numbered."
>
>         "Oh? We'll see about that."
>
>         She continued, as if he hadn't spoken. "Yes, your group will
> fail. But you need not. I'm offering you a chance to join the winning
> side."
>
>         "You want me to betray my people?" He smiled. "I guess you don't
> know me all that well after all."
>
>         "Such a noble, loyal warrior." She laughed. "Tell me, Mu Si,
> what have your people ever done for you?"
>
>         "Huh?"
>
>         "Since your birth, the Amazons have treated you as second-class
> simply because of your gender. Despite your mastery of techniques that
> very few have ever been able to learn, you are still afforded very
> little respect. You have been continually denied the one thing which you
> want most. You deserve better."
>
>         *Yeah, right,* Mu Si thought. *And I'm going to get it from
> you?* Not likely. She was going to take advantage of him for as long as
> he was useful, and then discard him. Though he was far from an expert on
> human nature, some things were just too obvious.
>
>         "I can give you Shan Pu."
>
>         "Wh-- what?"
>
>         She inched her face closer; his own visage, close up, gazed back
> at him from the lenses of her sunglasses. "I can see that you still want
> her. Deep inside, you still yearn to hold her, be with her, make love to
> her. I can make it happen. Serve me, and she is yours."
>
>         It was an obvious lie. Why couldn't he make himself not believe
> it? And even if it were true, it was wrong. But the image of her, of him
> and her together, danced around his mind, refusing to leave his
> consciousness. Shan Pu was all he ever wanted, and he would do anything
> to get her. How many times had he told himself that?
>
>         Zhen Biaozi rolled the bicycle forward, passing it to Mu Si.
> "Your answer?"
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Ukyo strolled into the train station. Her shoes padded
> noiselessly on the tile floor as she slipped around clusters of people.
> A cacophony of conversations filled the air, along with the dull
> mechanical thumps of ticket-dispensing machines. She wondered when
> they'd switched away from human clerks.
>
>         She stole a quick glance at the clock on the wall as she passed;
> it was nine twenty-three. She could see Ranma and the others off, then
> be back at her restaurant by ten to set up for the lunch customers.
> Someday, she was going to get on one of these trains and go; ride to
> somewhere, anywhere, just because she could. But for now, she had to go
> back to the same place that she saw every day, look at the same four
> walls and make the same food, because it was the only way to keep
> Ucchan's Okonomiyaki out of bankruptcy.
>
>         Ukyo wasn't quite sure why she had come. Maybe after spending so
> many years alone, she needed to know that there were people in the world
> who thought of her as more than just someone to buy food from, to be
> connected to someone else in a way that was more than just restaurateur
> to customer. Or maybe she was just tired of bridges burning behind her.
>
>         Following the signs to the airport train's boarding area, she
> turned a corner and spotted the familiar bright red of Ranma's shirt.
> Just about everyone from last night was there, sitting on long, narrow
> benches of unfinished wood.
>
>         Ranma waved. "Hey, Ucchan!"
>
>         "Hi!" Ukyo smiled cheerfully as she seated herself at the edge
> of the bench. "Just stopped by to see y'all off. Everybody here?"
>
>         "Everybody except Dr. Tofu and Mu Si." Akane glanced down at her
> watch. "They'd better hurry." She wore a faded pair of jeans and a red
> Ikasama University T-shirt. The smile she gave Ukyo was cautious, but
> not hostile. "Oh, and in case you're looking for Mikado, he just went to
> the bathroom. He said he'd be right back."
>
>         "Oh. Thanks." Everybody seemed to think that Ukyo and Mikado
> were an item, ever since the time she had told Nabiki that they were
> dating. She wished everybody would just forget the whole thing. Maybe
> changing the subject would help. "So, listen... y'all take care on this
> trip, okay? I want everybody back here for the big welcome home party
> that I'm gonna throw."
>
>         "Hey, no problem, Ucchan. Just make sure you got plenty of food
> for the bottomless panda over there." Ranma's expression was nothing but
> friendly towards Ukyo. It was ridiculous to think that he would hold a
> grudge against anyone. The day he'd do that, pigs would fly.
>
>         "I've never been on a plane before," Ryoga said. "I hope nothing
> goes wrong."
>
>          Ranma smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, man.
> Statistically speaking, air travel is safer than land vehicles."
>
>         "Really?" Ukyo was surprised that Ranma was so well-read on the
> subject.
>
>         "Yeah," Ranma said. "At least, that's what Akane said
> yesterday."
>
>         "Such confidence, boy." Genma chuckled. "I'll be sure to have
> enough airsick bags on hand for both of you."
>
>         "Goodness! You're coming on the trip with us, Mr. Saotome?"
>
>         "That's right, Kasumi." Genma beamed a self-satisfied smile. "I
> figure you young folks can benefit by having someone along who's wiser
> and more experienced."
>
>          "Good idea, Pop." Ranma punched him lightly in the shoulder.
> "Do you know anyone like that?"
>
>         Genma gave a look of mild disapproval. "Humor isn't your strong
> point, boy."
>
>         Ranma seemed about to reply; then he looked past Genma, and
> waved. "Hey, Dr. Tofu's here! Over here, Doc!"
>
>         "Hello, Ranma!" Tofu walked up to the others. His face looked a
> little worn, but still had the same genial smile that it had so many
> years ago. "Mr. Saotome. Akane. Mr. Tendo. Ka--" He froze in place,
> shaking slightly as a haze covered his glasses. "Ka-- Ka-- Ka--"
>
>         "Oh dear. I'd better reduce my aura!" Kasumi closed her eyes and
> bowed her head for a moment, then looked up again.
>
>         "Ka-- Kasumi." Tofu's glasses quickly cleared. He reached over
> to shake Kasumi's hand. "Nice to see all of you again."
>
>         "Um...." Ukyo tried to think of something to say. "Oh my."
>
>         A pair of young children, one boy and one girl, scampered over
> to Ranma. "Hey, Dad!" the boy said, flashing a cheeky grin. "Where's the
> video game room?"
>
>         "There isn't one, li'l buddy."
>
>         "But when we were at home, you said you were taking coins so you
> could play Killer Kombat!"
>
>         "At the airport, kiddo. Not here." Ranma looked up. "Say hi to
> Ukyo. She's an old friend of your mom and me."
>
>         "Hi!" The boy smiled impishly and winked, as if Ukyo were his
> co-conspirator in some secret scheme. Then he turned back to his father.
> "Can we go to the airport?"
>
>         "Nope. You've gotta go home with Grandma Saotome and Grandpa
> Tendo."
>
>         Akane looked the boy in the face. "Hikaru, you need to be good
> when we're gone, and do what your grandpa and grandma tells you. Daddy
> and I will be back as soon as we can. Okay?"
>
>         "Sure! I'm always good!" From his parents' expressions, they
> obviously knew better.
>
>         The little girl came running over to Akane. "Mommy, I want a
> chocolate bar!"
>
>         "Not now, honey," Akane said. "When you get home, maybe Grandma
> will give you some candy. All right?"
>
>         "But I want a chocolate bar!" Her bottom lip curled into a pout.
> She looked so adorable, Ukyo could barely resist the urge to hug her.
>
>         "No, honey." Akane patted the girl's hand, smiling
> apologetically at Nodoka. "I hope they won't be too much trouble."
>
>         "Oh, not at all. They're such wonderful children. I'm honored to
> look after them for you."
>
>         The two children began to run around the bench, giggling
> uncontrollably. Ukyo watched with fascination. So much energy, so
> much... life. Wonderful was exactly what they were. And suddenly, a
> terrible sadness engulfed her, like a wave rolling over a swimmer and
> drowning her. Akane had Ranma. Akane had the children. Ukyo had...
> nothing.
>
>         "Hi, everybody." Mu Si waved. "Sorry I'm so late." He huffed and
> wheezed as he forced his words out, like a man who'd just run a
> marathon. Ukyo pushed the thoughts she'd just had out of her mind. What
> was feeling sorry for herself going to gain her?
>
>         "We were about to leave without you, man," Ranma said. "The
> airport train's gonna be here any minute. And where's your luggage?"
>
>         "Luggage?" Mu Si looked perplexed for a short moment, then
> shrugged as he turned to Mr. Tendo. "Sir, may I ask a favor of you? My
> bike is locked up outside. Would you mind taking it to your home and
> watching it while we're gone?"
>
>         Mr. Tendo nodded. "Certainly, son. Best not to take chances with
> bicycle thieves."
>
>         "My thoughts exactly." He pulled out a tiny note pad and
> scribbled on it, then tore off the page and handed it to Mr. Tendo.
> "Here's the combination for the lock."
>
>         "Excuse me, everyone."
>
>         The sudden interruption startled Ukyo. She turned to see Mikado
> standing directly behind her. All conversation stopped, and all heads
> looked up at him.
>
>         "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to wish all of you good
> luck and a safe trip. Also, while you're still here, Ukyo and I have an
> announcement that we'd like to make."
>
>         "We do?" Ukyo eyed Mikado suspiciously. "All right. For those
> who don't know, Mikado and I have been... dating."
>
>         Mikado flashed a smile that was as phony as a three-yen piece.
> "Don't be shy, my dear."
>
>         "Huh?" What was her 'boyfriend' trying to pull here?
>
>         "After all, your friends are going to have to learn of our
> engagement sometime."
>
>         "Our-- ?!?"
>
>         Congratulatory shouts and cheers filled the air. And Ukyo felt
> Mikado's lips on hers.
>
>                                  ______
>
>
>         Ti Pi rose, stretching her arms behind her as she yawned. After
> a night's sleep, she felt clear and focused. Whatever the day might
> bring, she would be ready for it.
>
>         She quickly slipped into her favorite battle garb, a simple silk
> shirt and loose-fitting pants. Wearing her old familiar clothes made her
> feel like herself again. On the dresser, her dagger lay in its leather
> scabbard; she strapped it to her calf and pulled her pants leg over it.
> No telling when it might come in useful.
>
>         She checked the time; it was six-twenty. Because she had just
> returned from her mission, the Chief Elder had given her an extra hour
> this morning before she needed to be on guard duty. That left her forty
> minutes, to do what? Maybe take a short walk in the countryside. Maybe
> just relax and have some tea.
>
>         A whistling sound attracted Ti Pi's attention. She looked out
> the window, but saw nothing but the trees, their leaves shaking in the
> wind. The shrill noise grew louder. She poked her head out the window,
> trying to see what in the world it could be.
>
>         A deafening roar struck, like thunder but a hundred times
> louder. The building shook violently; the windowpane shattered into
> fragments. Ti Pi screamed, as an invisible hand tossed her helplessly
> across the room, a leaf in a storm. She crashed against the far wall,
> head first.
>
>         She staggered to her feet. For a moment the world seemed as if
> it would fade, as a black haze clawed at her consciousness. More of the
> same sounds erupted, these somewhat muffled by distance. The house shook
> again. Bits of wood and plaster fell from the ceiling. A few drops of
> blood trickled down from her head. She had to get to safety, but where
> was safe? And how could you fight an enemy who could strike at you
> without being seen, without even being near?
>
>         Outside. She had to get outside. That way she at least had a
> fighting chance of finding the attackers, or getting away. She ran
> through the house, and dove desperately through the door just as another
> blast exploded. Thrown off her feet, she felt the darkness threatening
> to engulf her, and she could hear screams from all around, and she
> grasped for something, anything, either inside or outside of herself, to
> hang onto. And she prayed for the goddesses to help her, to take her
> away, just make it stop, make it stop.
>
>         And as she looked up, she saw men dressed all in black, with
> face masks that looked like the snouts of pigs. Hundreds, thousands of
> them, swarming through the village like insects. And she could do
> nothing to resist as they dragged her across the ground. And the world
> faded, and the blackness swallowed everything.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> AUTHOR'S SPAM:
>
> Thanks once again to the esteemed HaM pre-reader team, Matt Posner,
> Keener Barnes, Yoiko, Lara Bartram, Ed Becerra, Krista Perry, and
> equally esteemed guest pre-reader for this chapter Thomas Schmidt.
> Thanks also to everyone who sent comments when this first appeared on
> the FFML and my webpage.
>
> The story of Shan Pu's mother is told in the side story _A Different
> Faith_ which interested persons can find on www.garykleppe.org. Some
> plot elements introduced in that story will be very important later on
> in this series.
>
> A few words of warning for those who haven't read this before and are
> contemplating reading on to part 2 and beyond: As you've almost surely
> guessed, this is not a happy-happy-joy-joyfic. While I wouldn't call it
> dark in an overall sense, it does have some pretty dark corners. At
> least one of the series regulars won't survive to the ending.
>
> Also, though this story draws on some real world elements, it also uses
> Shinto sorcery, ki blasts, and curses -- and that's just for starters.
> This is not a "realistic" story by any means; if I wanted to write one
> of those, I probably wouldn't be using these characters.
>
> If you're okay with the above, I hope you'll stick around, and I hope
> I'll hear from you.
>
>
>
> SUMMARY OF CHARACTER CHANGES IN THE PRELUDES:
>
> Kuno Tatewaki: Went to China and ended up training under Elder Lan of
> the Amazons; has lived in their village since. He is romantically
> interested in Shan Pu but while she likes him she hasn't so far been
> willing to commit to a future with him.
>
> Kuonji Ukyo: Has been running her shop despite difficult economic times.
> Turned down a lucrative offer in order to retain creative control over
> her product. Rebuffed advances from Sanzenin Mikado, but then kissed him
> in order to save face in front of a visiting Nabiki.
>
> Kuno Kodachi: Had to leave Nerima due to a losing bet against Akane. Is
> now much more powerful in combat through means which have yet to be
> revealed.
>
> Hibiki Ryoga: Now married to Akari, who got priestess Kaede to enchant
> his bandanna with a piece of Akari's soul so that Ryoga can use it to
> know which direction is toward her.
>
> Saotome (Tendo) Akane: Married to and went to university with Ranma.
> They have two children, Hikaru and Ririko.
>
> Shan Pu: Returned to the Amazon village after Ranma married Akane and Ke
> Lun passed away, the latter loss with which she has yet to completely
> come to terms.
>
> Mu Si: Thrown out by Shan Pu, then met up with Shiratori Azusa, to whom
> he became something of a surrogate father with her real one in jail for
> tax evasion.
>
> Gosunkugi Hikaru: Taught by Happosai how to mask his presence and how to
> create Happodaikarin bombs. Tried to prove to Akane that Ranma was
> cheating on her, but ended up inadvertently proving him innocent
> instead.
>
> Tendo Kasumi: Studied spirit lore under priestess Kaede, with guidance
> from the spirit of her departed mother.
>
> Tendo Nabiki: Became a vice-president of UCF, a large corporation in the
> USA.
>
> Saotome Ranma: Forced by the ghost of Feng Lili, the girl who died at
> Jusenkyo, to bear her child, Ririko.
>
>
>
>
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