Chapter Six
A.N.: "bold text" denotes speaking Chinese.
Bayankala Mountain Region, China, several days later...
Once their business with Gen was done in Hong Kong, Chun Li and Ryu were on their way, heading into Western China.
Getting through the provinces was easy enough. Mainly because of Chun Li's connections with local Communist Party officials, several of which were also members of the Chinese Amazons. Which meant Ryu and Chun Li had no problems in making their way to the village of the Joketsuzoku.
The shortest way through, however, was through the cursed springs known as Jusenkyou. Ryu and Chun Li both knew this, and decided to head through the training grounds...as well as avoid being splashed.
Both were dressed for a long journey...well, at least Chun Li was, since she was clad in hiking clothes, hiking pack slung over her back, while Ryu went in his usual gi and headband. His duffel bag was slung over one shoulder, his clothes still inside, among other things. What surprised Chun Li was the fact that he was walking barefoot. In the back of her mind, both Ryu and Chun Li had the strange feeling that they were being followed.
"I still don't see how you can walk barefoot," Chun Li noted.
"Trade secret," Ryu replied. "It toughens the feet up. Makes them rough."
"Now you're showing off," Chun Li replied. "You didn't say that you spoke my language. And perfectly, I might add."
"I did," Ryu replied. "Shortly after our match. Remember?"
"Oh. You did."
They were halfway through when they ran into a short fat man wearing a Maoist uniform, complete with cap. "Welcome, honored sirs to Jusenkyou," he greeted. "I am the Jusenkyou Guide." He then turned to Ryu. "Wait...I remember you. You came by here several months earlier."
Ryu nodded. "I have. Right now, we are just passing through to the village of the Nyuchezu."
"What do you want with the Chinese Amazons?" the Guide asked. "Very bad for your companion should she loses to one of them. It can mean the Kiss of Death. You should do well to keep away from the Amazons, if you value your life."
"No need," Chun Li replied. "I am of the Nyuchezu. I am visiting my grandmother, who is one of the elders there. We are walking through Jusenkyou as a shortcut."
Ryu noticed something on the ground. "What's this?" he asked, crouching down and picking up an strange item. It was a slender container and a ladle.
The Guide recognized it immediately. "That, honored sir, is one of the relics of the Musk Dynasty – the Preservation Ladle."
Chun Li looked at the item. "So that's the Ladle."
Ryu nodded. "And it's filled with water."
The Guide nodded. "Yes, honored sir. The Musk have been here as of late. They must have forgotten the item when they returned to their home."
Chun Li carefully secured the open end of the container and placed it inside her backpack, along with the ladle. "We'll hand it over to my grandmother. Maybe she will know what to do with them."
"You know," the Guide said, "this area have been very busy as of late. You two are the second and third persons to come through here today."
"Glad to know that business is good for you," Ryu said. "Feel like taking a break?" he asked Chun Li.
"Just as long you don't make me train over those pools," Chun Li replied. "I don't want to explain to my grandmother why I got a Jusenkyou curse."
The Jusenkyou Guide, along with his daughter Plum, played hosts to Chun Li and her companion. Plum cooked, while the Guide entertained their two guests with stories about the cursed springs, while Ryu paid the favor by telling stories about hi s exploits to the Guide and his daughter once lunch was served.
After finishing their food, Ryu pulled out several yuan notes and handed them over to the Guide. Chun Li was outside, gathering her and Ryu's things.
That's when they heard something outside. Sounds of screaming and cursing.
Upon hearing the unmistakable sounds of a fight, Ryu and the two Chinese rushed outside. They found Chun Li, balancing on one of the bamboo poles, facing her attacker, who was also on a bamboo pole. Ryu recognized him immediately, since the blue-and-yellow matador pants, the blond hair and the coiling snake tattoo was a dead giveaway.
The Guide spoke first, in bad English. "Aiya! No fighting over spring! Very bad if you get cursed!"
Chun Li ignored him as she faced off against her opponent. "Should have known it was you that was following us, Vega. Still mad about what I did to your face?"
Beneath his mask, Vega grinned evilly. "Of course, my pretty. There is no way I would let you escape for what you did to my face." He brought up his left hand, which was, as always armed with his signature weapon: the three-pronged, razor-sharp claw.
Back in the World Warrior tournament, Chun Li had fought against Vega. The Spanish psychopath had delayed Chun Li long enough to allow Ryu a clear shot at Bison. Chun Li narrowly won in her match against the self-proclaimed 'Spanish Ninja,' but it was Vega who had taken the most damage, mainly to his face. Vega would swear revenge once the surgery was complete.
He had carved a path of destruction in China, killing several women. Then he came across an Amazon scouting party and injured several of them in the ensuing fight. Now he was on the run from a hunting party of enraged Joketsuzoku Amazons, but decided to take a detour when he saw Chun Li with Ryu.
"You're going to pay in blood and flesh for what you did to my face," Vega sneered. "And your Japanese friend will watch."
They both leapt into the air. Vega was in for a big surprise. In the months that Chun Li had stayed with Ryu, he had taught her basic and intermediate forms of aerial combat, of which Chun Li had incorporated into her fighting style. As Vega reached out to try and grab Chun Li for his Izuna Slam, he was surprised to be on the receiving end of a barrage of punches and kicks while still in midair, the last punting him downward, straight into a spring, where he landed with a loud SPLASH.
Chun Li landed on the bamboo stalk and hopped down to solid ground beside Ryu. He looked at her, catching the particulary evil look in her eyes.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Ryu asked.
Chun Li didn't say anything as she stared out into the pool in which she knocked Vega into. Sure enough, Vega reappeared, crawling to the pool's edge, coughing before getting into a standing position.
"You think that knocking me into a spring is going to stop me?" Vega sneered.
It was then Vega noticed something was wrong.
His center of balance was off. When he spoke, his voice had changed, sounding more feminine. When he looked down, instead of a flat muscular chest, he saw a pair of women's breasts, not to mention that he had developed feminine curves. The snake tattoo was still present.
The Guide 'tsk-tsk-ed.' "Too bad. You got knocked into Spring of Drowned Girl," he said. "Very tragic story of young girl who drowned in spring fifteen hundred year ago. Now when splashed with cold water, you take on form of a girl, while hot water changes you back."
Vega – or rather onna-Vega did the one thing she could do.
She screamed.
Before she could rush Chun Li, however, the Amazon scouting party – ten strong - that Vega had been dodging arrived in Jusenkyou. Vega saw them and deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, retreated.
"I'll be back, you bitch!" she screamed. "You're gonna pay for this!"
As Vega retreated, the Amazons approached the Guide, Ryu and Chun Li. Several of the female warriors looked at Ryu as he was a piece of meat, nodding in approval while a few licked their lips at the sight of such a strong male, while the others looked at Chun Li with nothing but contempt.
"Woman, is this your husband?" one of the Amazons, armed with a spear asked.
"No. He is my companion," Chun Li replied. "He is not my husband."
"Then let us fight," the spearwoman said, getting into a ready stance. "The winner will take the male. His blood and fighting power will be a fine addition to the tribe."
Chun Li smirked. "You think you can stop me with that stick?"
The Amazon charged, just as Ryu and the Guide got out of the way. To the Amazon's surprise, Chun Li yanked the spear out of the woman's hand and in one deft move, spun it around and held the business end at the Amazon's throat. Chun Li then snapped the spear in two over her knee.
"Be careful who you challenge next time," Chun Li warned. "You might not be so lucky."
The Amazon growled. "You will pay for this, outsider."
"Outsider?" Chun Li repeated. "My mother was La She, one of the greatest warriors and healers of the Nyuchezu. My grandmother is Elder Lo Shen. I am Chun Li Xiang, granddaughter to Lo Shen."
"You lie," the Amazon snarled. "You claim to be one of the Nyuchezu, but you are not."
"Is that so, Dow-el?" an elderly voice said from behind them.
Almost immediately, the scouting party parted as the elderly woman approached. One that both Ryu and Chun Li recognized immediately. She was in her sixties, with grey hair done in the infamous ox-horns. She wore blue Chinese-style robes. In her hand was a staff. Only she didn't use the staff for a brace. It was her signature weapon.
Dow-el turned around. "You know this woman, Elder?"
"I should," Lotion replied. "She is my granddaughter, and therefore a blood member of the tribe. She may be an outsider, but she knows our customs and laws. The male is her companion, and also under my protection."
In an instant, Dow-el turned back to Chun Li and bowed, realizing her mistake. "Honored sister. I apologize for my actions."
Lotion cleared her throat. "Dow-el, you are to continue pursuit of the Westerner."
"He won't be that hard to find," Ryu said. "Chun Li knocked him into the Spring of Drowned Girl."
Dow-el nodded and the scouting party departed from the springs, leaving Chun Li and Ryu alone with her grandmother.
In an instant, grandmother and granddaughter were locked in a tight embrace. Even for an old woman, Chun Li knew that her grandmother was strong.
"Welcome back, granddaughter," Lotion said. "Let me look at you." She pushed Chun Li back so she can take a look at her from head to toe. "My, you are a spitting image of your mother." She then noticed Ryu standing with the Guide. "You brought a guest."
Ryu stepped forward. Bowing in the traditional Japanese fashion, he said, "Elder Lo Shen. It's good to see you are well."
"As I should," Lotion replied, grinning. "there's life in these old bones still. I was surprised to find out in Chun's letter that you were coming with her."
"She invited me to come along," Ryu said. "So I agreed. How is Per-Fume?"
"She is well," Lotion replied. "She can't wait for you to arrive. Come. I will take you to the village."
Nerima Ward, Tokyo.
Akane was livid, and has been ever since returning home from the beach.
Following Ranma's Cat-Fu episode, Cologne had conceded and given Ranma the Phoenix Pill, unlocking the Cat's tongue pressure point and returning him to his male form.
As they boarded the train that would take them back to Nerima, they had ran into one of the tournament sponsors for the upcoming regional tournament that Kasumi was preparing to compete in. Even now, she could hear Ranma and Kasumi sparring in the dojo. It would have made her happy to know that Kasumi had defeated Ranma six falls out of ten, but she was instead repeating the events that had taken place back at the train station.
Flashback
The Tendou clan, along with Ranma, with his manhood restored and his father, still in panda form, stood on the train platform, waiting for the train that would take them back to Nerima.
At that moment, a man around Soun's age approached the group. "Excuse me?" he asked. "Are you Kasumi Tendou?"
Kasumi faced the man. "I am. Who are you?"
"Shinchi Kaneshiro," the man introduced himself. "I run the Kyokushin Karate School in Chiyoda. I'm also one of the sponsors of the Tokyo Regional tournament that is being held in two months. I've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Your former sensei spoke highly of you."
"Really? How is Yuki-sensei? I heard he retired."
"He is doing well. He lives in Akasaka now. He told me about your skills as both a martial artist and a kendoka, and that the tournament would not be complete if you weren't competing. So I pulled a couple of strings and got you the invitation."
"What about me?" Akane demanded. "I'm a martial artist too! Why didn't I get an invitation?"
"Your sister proved to be worthy of the invite," Kaneshiro replied. "You, on the other hand, are not. I was there that day when you fought that girl – whose sensei I know very well, I might add. A true martial artist must be in complete control of their emotions. You, young Tendou, are the exact opposite. You allow your emotions to control you, and you showed that you have no honor in claiming that the other girl cheated."
Normally, Soun would come to his youngest daughter's defense, but he knew that Kaneshiro was right. And even Nabiki showed him the video of the fight.
"But she did cheat!" Akane objected in her defense. "And where do you get off in telling me I have no honor?!"
Kaneshiro responded with another question. "And where did you get off by claiming to be a master of your father's school? If anything, Kasumi is the master, not you. Until you control your temper, then no one will take you seriously as a martial artist."
Kaneshiro departed without further incident, leaving a furious Akane behind.
End Flashback
Soun had reprimanded her earlier, concerning her previous claim of being a master of the Tendou School of Anything Goes, warning her that should she make a claim like that again, then the consequences will be severe.
Since then, she watched with a jealous eye as Kasumi and Ranma sparred in the dojo. To make things interesting, Kasumi had requested that since she would be competing in the womens' division, Ranma would spar with her in his cursed form. Ranma complied, and now she and Kasumi were sparring in the dojo. As always, Ranma was dressed in her Chinese shirt and pants, while Kasumi was dressed in a black karate gi, the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, with a pair of dark blue hakama split pants, her black belt wrapped around her waist, long hair tied into a single braid.
Aside from Akane, Nabiki and the two fathers watched as Kasumi placed Ranma on the defensive. As Genma found out (the hard way), Ranma discovered that Kasumi hits just as hard as Akane. The middle Tendou daughter was busy taking photos of the sparring session, making a mental thought to sell them later on.
As Ranma landed on her feet from a somersault, she was sent flying across the arena from a powerful kick to the back. She landed at the feet of Genma and Soun, rolled out of the attack and launched herself forward. Kasumi saw her coming and ducked underneath the jump kick.
As the sparring session continued, Soun looked on with pride in his eldest daughter. Akane caught the look and grew even more jealous. When their mother had died, Soun had stopped training Akane, leaving Kasumi for the task. When Akane ignored Kasumi's warnings about her temper, Kasumi stopped training Akane, leaving the youngest of the Tendou girls to practice for herself.
The sparring match was now over, with Kasumi the victor, and Ranma on her back. Kasumi extended a hand, and Ranma accepted it, the strength showing itself again as Kasumi helped Ranma to her feet.
"Wow! You are good," Ranma admitted. "Looks like what Nabiki and your father said was true."
Soun nodded. "Kasumi makes me proud. Ranma, I want you to accompany Kasumi to the Tokyo Regional. Make sure my little girl is safe."
"Father, I am not a little girl," Kasumi objected mildly. "I'm almost twenty years old."
"So? To me, you will always be my little girl," Soun replied. Turning back to Ranma, Soun said, "Ranma, you will accompany Kasumi to the Tokyo Regional."
"I'm going too!" Akane said. Giving Ranma the evil eye, she added, "Just to make sure that Ranma doesn't do anything perverted."
Ranma ignored the the glare.
Kasumi looked down on her sister. "Ranma is not the only reason you want to go, Akane. Even a blind man can see your intentions. You are looking for a rematch against Kasugano. Given who her sensei and her martial arts discipline, she will be there. You can come along, but you will not compete. You will be in my corner for support as well."
When it looked like Akane was going to try and argue, Kasumi landed the nail in the coffin. "Akane, you know that I can just as easily ban you from using Anything Goes as can Father. As a master of the family style, I can do that. Don't make me exercise that option."
Akane paled. "You're bluffing."
"Am I, little sister?" Kasumi retorted in a fashion that would (and can) made Nabiki's businesslike demeanor look pale in comparison. "You can call my bluff if you like."
Ranma and Genma watched this scene unfold in front of them. Apparently, Kasumi Tendou may be the perfect hostess, but apparently, she was the one person that could keep Akane in line when Soun couldn't. Genma had already learned the hard way that Kasumi wasn't the woman to cross. In Genma's opinion, he would be better off facing Nodoka's wrath.
Akane then gave in. "Fine."
Joketsuzoku Amazon Village – China
Chun Li looked at the village through the bedroom window. 'This place...it hasn't changed not one bit.'
She had spent summers here with her mother. When her mother passed, Gen would escort her to the village of the Chinese Amazons.
The village surrounded the forest on one side, while on of the other side, stood the majestic Bayankala Mountains. It consisted of a collection of houses, big and small, with a large common area, which also served as its public square. At the farthest end of the village, stood the challenge log, suspended by two A-frame structures on either side. Men and women, mostly women, went about their business.
Ryu and Chun Li had settled into the guestroom inside Lotion's home. At the moment, said Ansatsuken warrior was in the bed, taking a nap, while Chun Li watched him, but only for a moment before looking out the window. It was late in the afternoon. Soon, it would be time for the village festival celebrating the new moon.
Chun Li decided to let her boyfriend sleep and exited the room. Upon entering the common area, she found her grandmother. It was as if Lotion was expecting Chun Li, since she had two teacups out, a kettle filled with tea seated on the table.
Lotion gestured to the empty chair. Chun Li sat down and poured both herself and her grandmother two cups of tea. Chun Li looked at the tea. "Formosa Oolong."
Lotion nodded. "It's one of my favorites. You decided to come by at the right time, granddaughter. Tomorrow is the Festival of the New Moon. I hope that you and your companion would stay long enough to attend."
"That was my intention, Grandmother," Chun Li replied. "Ryu and I planned on staying in the village for a couple of days. Then I will head back to Japan."
Lotion nodded. "So what Gen has told me is true. You are no longer an operative of the I.C.P.O. But why return to Japan?"
"I could return to Hong Kong, but that would be unfair to Ryu," Chun Li replied. "He has taken on a student in Ansatsuken. And right now, things are still too bad in Hong Kong. I don't think I can ever return back there. So I'll stay with him."
Lotion sipped at her tea. "Hmm...I also heard that prior to your stay in Japan, that you challenged Ryu to combat. Did you win?"
Chun Li shook her head. "No, Grandmother. I lost."
"You know the law as well as I do. So why haven't you given him the Kiss of Marriage?"
"Because I want him to love me just for me, not for honor or because of the laws. I want him as much as he wants me."
Lotion humped. "I sense your mother's defiance in you. That is something you can do without." Lotion paused for a moment. "You know I would never hold you to the laws, right? I almost lost my daughter to them when Dourai was courting her."
Chun Li knew this all too well. Her father had met her mother in Shanghai, where she was attending university on a medical scholarship. Lotion was against her mother dating her father. Fortunately, she relented when Lace gave birth to a daughter.
Chun Li then remembered something. Excusing herself for a moment, she returned moments later with the Preservation Ladle.
Lotion recognized the relic immediately. "The Chisuton – the Ladle of Preservation. How did you get this?"
"Ryu and I found it at Jusenkyou. I thought the Musk were long gone."
Lotion shook her head. "Far from it. They are still here, as well as the people of the Ho'ou. Speaking of the Musk, how did Ryu take it when you told him about our ancestry?"
"He didn't faint, at least," Chun Li replied. "He figured it out on his own." Chun Li then explained to her grandmother about the incident with the Youma and the Shibito, not to mention Ryu using the Breaking Point.
Lotion chuckled. "Smart man, your companion is. You know, if I was your age again, I would fight you for him. But I can see that he has eyes for you, Li."
Chun Li smiled as she continued to chat with her grandmother.
Nerima Ward.
Akane looked over the invitation and grinned. Now Kasumi couldn't stop her from competing in the Tokyo Regional. Although she was competing in the junior division, she knew that Sakura would also be fighting in the same division, while Kasumi fought in the womens' division.
Donning her yellow gi, she went down to the dojo and begin to practice.
When Kasumi found out that Akane had received an invite to the tournament, she frowned. Suspecting that Nodoka possibly had a hand in this, she pulled out the card and making sure that no one was listening in, dialed the number. Seconds later, someone picked up on the end.
"Moshi-moshi, Komiya Imports."
"Can I speak to President Tosa?" Kasumi asked.
"Speaking. This is a surprise, Kasumi," Nodoka said on the other end. "I wasn't expecting you to call."
"Akane has received an invite to the regional tournament," Kasumi said. "Did you have anything to do with this?"
"Not this time around," Nodoka replied. "The person responsible for the invite is someone who knows both your sister and my son very well. Tatewaki Kunou. He is also competing in the tournament in the juniors' kendo division."
Kasumi knew well about Kunou's obsession with both Akane and Ranma's cursed side. Kunou was also responsible for sending half of the male students at Fuurinkan after Akane prior to Ranma's arrival with his claim that if anyone defeated Akane in combat, then she would date the winner.
"Auntie, this is getting out of hand," Kasumi said. "Akane is going to go after that girl who defeated her."
"I know. But there are over thirty martial teenage artists who are better than your sister," Nodoka pointed out. "Akane has her work cut out for her."
"But she still thinks that she could be the best without me or Father trying to teach her," Kasumi pointed out. "I was hoping that what had happened between her and the Kasugano girl would knock some sense into her. Instead, it only made her even angrier."
Nodoka was silent for a moment. "Unless...this tournament can be a blessing in disguise."
"How so?"
"If Akane could defeat some of the low-level fighters, then work her way through the ranks, she will sure enough meet someone who is more skilled than her," Nodoka explained. "Only then will she realize that she is not the best."
"Hmm...I never saw it that way, Auntie," Kasumi said. She then heard the shoji door open and close, which was followed by Nabiki's voice. "Nabiki's home, Auntie. I got to go."
"We'll talk later," Nodoka said before hanging up.
Kasumi hung up the phone just as a grinning Nabiki entered the kitchen, looking for a snack. In the past couple of weeks since Nodoka revealed what she knew about the Tendou family's finances, Kasumi's attitude cooled considerably towards her middle sister. Nabiki only wrote it off as Kasumi disagreeing on how she would manipulate and blackmail Ranma, telling her elder sister that the money was going towards the family. Kasumi knew better, and she fought the urge not to deck Nabiki for her lies. The next time she called Nodoka, she would ask which accounts Nabiki hid the money in.
Nabiki considered using her betting pools in the Tokyo Regionals, but quickly decided against it. She knew that the Yakuza would be watching out for fresh recruits and should word come out that she was organizing betting pools, then they would be at her doorstep, demanding a slice of the action, and more than likely, putting her family at risk.
Kasumi went on to prepare dinner.