Chapter 8: Prelude to the Hunt

Soun, Nabiki, Kuno, Kodachi, Sasuke, Shampoo, Genma, Happosai, Ryoga, Ukyo, Mousse, Cologne, and Kasumi stood grouped together outside of the dojo, chatting amongst each other. The air was abuzz with excitement. A gathering of this size had not occurred at the Tendo Dojo since the failed wedding attempt six months prior. The summons had been Akane's doing and she'd personally called all of the gathered people here for a reason yet unknown.

Ranma stood a few paces in front of them with Akane at his side. Of all the people gathered only she was in the know.

"Ok, now that everyone is here I can tell ya' why I asked y'all here." Ranma looked out at his friends and family, smiling broadly.

"About time!" Happosai shouted.

"As you may or may not have known, my birthday is next Thursday. Now, I don't want a huge party, just a group outin' at the park. It's a chance to have some fun and maybe hold some sparring matches n' stuff. Sound cool?"

This went well over with everyone. The prospect of a party was exciting. As far as everyone knew they had never hung out on a friends (or rivals for that matter) on someone's birthday before. The change of pace was a welcomed one to all. The school's victory party of a few weeks ago had been fun but all of these gathered fighters with the exception of the Kuno siblings had one major thing in common that Ranma's party offered them: a chance to unwind, be themselves, and have fun away from the limelight and crowds.

"And I don't expect nothin' from any of you," he continued. "All I want is for each and everyone of you to be there with a smile and an expectancy to have a good time. Meet up in the park around three."

The group stayed together and talked a few more minutes before breaking up, each going their own way home. They had all agreed in hushed whispers to get him something special despite what he had said. Even Kuno and Mousse seemed overly happy, much to everyone's amazement. Mousse probably felt grateful to Ranma for "losing" their match, thereby handing the prospect of winning over Shampoo to him.

Ranma waved to his friends as they finally left. "They really are good friends… stupid jerks too, but friends all the same."

Akane nodded. "I feel that way about Shampoo. Ah, I'm so excited! This party is going to be a blast! We've never celebrated your birthday before, have we?"

Ranma scratched at his nose. "Well, up until now I'd just thought of it as another day. Mom used to give me presents when I was small, but it was so long ago I can hardly remember it. Then, when I was out on our long training trips Pop never got me anything. Just having enough to eat was all I could ask for. So, because of that, birthdays never meant much. But after Saffron and Taro I've kind of re-thought the idea. Might as well have fun while I'm young, ya' know?"

Akane smiled. "Makes sense to me."

"So whatcha' gonna get me?" He asked, grinning widely.

Akane playfully slugged him in the arm. "You've been a baaaaadddd boy, Ranma. I don't know if I should get you anything."

Giggling, she made sure no one was looking then planted a quick kiss on his lips before leaning to whisper into his ear, "There's one thing I'd really, really love to do for you."

She almost moaned his ear and pawed cutely at his chest.

Ranma's brain overloaded and steam could literally be seen rising from his hot red face. "Uh… yeah?"

"More than anything, I want to do one thing for you, something I know will please you to no end…"

Ranma felt like he was going to explode. "Oh? What's that?"

"More than anything I want to…" her breath felt hot against his ear, "cook you dinner."

"Oh hell yes… wait…" He wobbled backwards slightly, overwhelmed and stuttering. He couldn't make up his mind as to whether he wanted to be angry or horrified.

Akane watched him and laughed loudly. "You're such a dope! You fell for it!"

"No fair getting me all worked up like that!" He protested

Akane stuck out her tongue. "Get changed. Last one into the dojo for practice has to wash dishes tonight!" Smiling broadly, she took off for the house.

"Hey! No fair! You got a head start! Akane! Akaneeeee! Wait up, will ya?!"


From the other side of the concrete wall that hid him from view, Zero smiled broadly, slamming his hand into his palm hard enough to vibrate the concrete around him.

Finally!

When the day of the hunt finally arrived, he would take control of the situation with an iron grasp. For the first time since starting the dull assignment he felt excitement flare through his veins. He knew Wraith wanted these kids alive but he didn't say they couldn't be roughed up. It would make for good sport to see how these Japanese teen martial artists would fair against his unique brand of violence.

Casually, he walked off down the street, eager to report these findings to his temporary master. Wraith was patient, but Zero had no intention of testing his limits. Normally cool and calm, he broke into a dead run. There was no shame in it. Even the greatest of hunters had to run… from time to time.

Ukyo stood in combat position crying out as yellow energy flowing out from her body like waves in an ocean. Ryoga looked on intensely, watching her every move with keen eyes. Like a battery, her body filled with radiance and strength taken from both within and from without her own body. The resulting lights display was electrifying and spectacular to behold.

It hadn't taken long for Ryoga to discover Ukyo's uniquely inherent ability. From his previous experience, martial artists who had the ability to use ki attacks came in two forms: those who tapped into vast reserves of power from within themselves to make their attacks work, such as Herb or Kirin or those who took or manipulated energy from others like Ms. Hinako. Ranma was unique in that he could do both with the Hiryu Shoten Ha.

Having watched her over the course of the last few days, Ukyo had proven to be even more unique. She introduced a concept of ki harnessing that Ryoga had never heard of before. She did have her own supply of potent ki, and she could probably produce a fairly successful attack with that energy alone. But what the girl instinctively did instead was to use her own energy to draw in power from nature around them. First she absorbed, and then she acted as a conduit, unleashing the gathered ki with her own holding it intact.

The discovery of a third type of ki gathering had been nothing short of amazing to the Lost Boy.

Discharged bolds of power whispered away from her at great speeds, showing her novice skill at containing the power she summoned. That would surely change with time and further training. This was the most volatile part of her training, one where even a slight mistake or abuse of her skills could lead to a deadly backfire of energy. Ryoga trusted her but took a few cautious steps backwards, just in case.

Keep it steady. Let it trickle in. Not too fast.

Concentrating and hold fast to the energy inside took all of her power and willpower and, as Ryoga had told her, it was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

"Feel the energy coursing through your body? Ki needs time to concentrate itself into your body. After that, it's a simple manner of harnessing it to your hands to be used as a weapon. It's a privilege to be taught how to fight with ki so never misuse it. Tampering with ki is a risky business that puts the user at risk. If something ever feels like its going wrong, cut off your convection as quickly as possible."

Ukyo nodded, keeping her eyes shut to maintain her concentration. The sense was almost more then she could bear. She could feel it filling her mind and body, giving her a warm invincible feeling. With this strength, the power could be an invaluable tool, just as Ryoga said. She felt larger than the greatest mountains. She could smash cities into dust and raise lakes from desert. She felt utterly invincible and it was difficult to not get in over her head. Listening to Ryoga helped to anchor her in reality, resisting her inner mind's promising whispers.

"It takes a few days to get used to these new sensations," Ryoga went on. "This is the crucial part. This is what you've spent the last week learning to do. Think deeply on what you want your attack to look like. Focus the energy into a form in your mind. Nod your head when you're finished."

Ukyo body trembled as sweat soaking her clothes. She withdrew deep into herself, diving head first into the ocean of ki just as she had been taught, forming the energy as she desired in her hands. Once finished she nodded her head.

"Ok, good. Now using your mind, channel it to your hands and wait for it to collect there. When you feel it completely leave your body, release it. But aim high! We don't want to take out half the city in the name of training you."

Ukyo brought her shaking palms within three inches of each other and a large disk of green energy collected there. It grew to nearly two feet in width, as its power played across her arms. Strands of energy crackled in the air around her, and her arms vibrated, struggling to hold onto the power as it fought to release itself.

"Now!" Ryoga cried out, focusing his eyes upward.

With an uncharacteristic scream, Ukyo unleashed her energy. It was to say the least, breathtaking. Instead of a solid beam, a multitude of green bolts flew together like a school of tightly packed fish, weaving at first to the right and then at the last second skyward, narrowly missing the roof of the house next door. The attack fired up into the evening sky only to dissipate harmlessly into the stratosphere.

Ryoga danced in place with his hands raised high, giddy with excitement. "You did it!"

Bolds crisscrossed across her hands, leftovers from the discharged attack. Rigid and powerful, Ryoga realized Ukyo's attack somewhat resembled Kirin's famous technique. The attack lacked the strength to last very long, but its sheer size and power astounded him all the same. As the move sucked her own energy dry, she willed the open current of ki to stop and sank to her knees in complete exhaustion. Tired as she was, though, she couldn't help but put a small, proud smile on her face.

Ryoga picked her up in his arms and twirled her in the air. "That was great, Ukyo! I've never seen anything like that before! What are you going to call it?"

"Ballistic Lightning Flash." She said quietly, wanting nothing more than to curl up in her bed and sleep for the next three days.

Ryoga noticed this as well. "That's a good name! Here's a tip for next time: hold back a little bit of power and you won't feel as tired. Remember when I fought that monkey man on Toma's island? Never make the mistake I did and release all your energy at once. This feeling of drowsiness will pass in a few minutes. Just let your energy reserves restore themselves and you'll feel much better."

He smiled from ear to ear. Her completion of the ki attack not only proved he was a decent teacher, but that her fighting potential was far higher than anyone would have previously realized. He gently set her back on her feet and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a large smile.

"I want you to know how proud of you I am."

"Thanks, hon. I couldn't have done it without you." She gave him as large a smile as she could muster.

Behind them someone clapped loudly, desiring to be seen. Ryoga spun around in surprise, staring upwards, above the line of the yard wall. Standing not ten feet away on top of the wall, Michael Creed kept clapping with a cheerful smile on his face.

The smile tightened the O shaped scar on his cheek. "Impressive!"

Ryoga gave Ukyo a reaffirming smile Ukyo down then walked over to the wall. "Oh, Michael, it's you." He nodded to the sky. "Did you see that?"

Zero jumped down and shook Ryoga's hand warmly. "I sure did! Hell of a sight kid! Hell of a sight! You trained your girlfriend with near perfection. I'm impressed!" He smiled over at Ukyo who offered a small, hesitant smiled in return to the boisterous foreigner that had just happened to be watching them from the edge of her yard.

Ryoga put one hand behind his head, gushing at the praise being thrown his way. His trusting nature got the better of him again and he didn't even think to ask why the man had been snooping around at seven in the morning. "Well, she's been practicing a lot…"

He didn't really know what to say. The shock of Ukyo's fantastic attack was still etched in his mind. He briefly wondered how it would stand against the likes of Ranma's Moko Takabisha or his second stage Shishi Hoko Dan.

"Your one lucky man to have a girl like that. Missy, if he ever harms one hair on your pretty head you come get me and I'll teach him a lesson." He laughed good-naturedly then, whistling softly, turned around and hopped back onto the main street. The whistled tune picked up in tempo as he walked off down the road at a leisurely pace.

"You know that guy?" Ukyo asked. She rubbed at her arms and the goose bumps looking at him had produced.

"Yeah. He came to the restaurant a few days ago. He's an American martial artist here on vacation. I guess he's just taking in the sights."

"I don't know...," Ukyo said, frowning slightly. "I don't mean to judge a book by its cover but something about him just doesn't seem right. He sure the heck isn't like any tourist I've ever seen before. I just have a bad feeling about him. His whole personality seems…" she searched for the right word, "forced.

"Forced?" Ryoga leveled one eyebrow.

"I know it sounds crazy!" Ukyo gestured. "And I'm sure he was a fine character when he was at the restaurant. Speaking of, did he ask a lot of questions?"

"A few," Ryoga replied. "Most foreigners out sightseeing around Tokyo tend to do that. Why?"

"Well, Ranma did say he thought someone of non-Japanese descent was watching him.

Look, all I'm saying is that 'muscles' gives me a bad vibe. It's like he's not really the man he'd like us to believe he is." She rubbed away the goose bumps on her arms, fighting the urge to shiver.

Ryoga put his hand on her back and led her back into the house. "Ukyo, your still worn out from your training is all. I'm sure he's perfectly harmless. If he'd wanted to attack us he's had plenty of chances lately."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," She smiled warmly at him, dismissing her fears as nervous exhaustion. Ryoga knew the man far better than she did. Her father would have scolded her for being so judgemental, as he had when she had first met Ranma and made some unfair comments.

"I'm sure he's harmless." Sighing contently, she nuzzled against Ryoga shoulders and allowed him to carry her into the house again.


"Thursday?"

"Yeah, I heard it myself. They are all going to throw a party for Saotome in the park." Zero looked up from his bowed position in front of his master.

"How very touching. Our invitation must have gotten lost in the mail."

"We'll have to crash the party then." Both men laughed unpleasantly.

"Things are going perfectly! I couldn't have planned it any better if I had tried. We'll have to make sure this is a birthday he will never forget."

Z ero nodded, shifting with impatience. The waiting was almost more than he could bear. While his physical form showed his Native American heritage proudly, his personality showed none of the people's better traits. He was a bully, a person who lived only for himself and at the expense of others. To be held back from striking and asserting his dominance was like not being able to breathe. He absentmindedly patted the tomahawk attached to his side.

"Patience, my friend. We will pay a visit to Ranma around four on Thursday. Do not hesitate to attack then. The quicker we catch them off guard the better."

"Yes sir." Zero bowed then walked away, adrenaline surging through his veins.