VICISSITUDE
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Chapter Eight
– Conversations & Cliffs –
"Ever Been Glomped By An Over Amorous Werecat?"
"I Highly Recommend It If You Can Survive It."
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-#-#-#-#- Nerima, Japan — Tendo-Dojo (Before Noon) -#-#-#-#-
Looking into the Tendo home one finds Genma Saotome, part-time panda, who so far was not having a pleasant day.
First he'd awoken with intent to once again show his son who was the student and who was the teacher only to find his honorless son had run off – evident by his missing pack.
Next, and even more distressing, breakfast hadn't been as delectable as normal. And to add to his misery, he'd been forced to forage for his own lunch when Kasumi announced she'd be going out and that he and her father would have to fend for themselves!
This led to a bout of crying and yelling by his overly emotional friend which in turn pushed him to take the course of action he was now taking, packing his backpack with the intent of leaving the comfort of the Tendo home to bring his son back… thereby avoiding facing his wife when she returned later today.
The fact he was in Soun's bedroom doing said packing might have been questioned by most, including his training partner, but this of little consequence to the glowering Anything Goes martial artist.
"This is all the boys' fault, if he were here to take the blame like he should be, I wouldn't have to go search for him." Genma rumbled out quietly while tossing a few pawnable knick-knacks into his pack.
He detested the idea of leaving the Tendo Home for he'd grown quite used to not having to do anything beyond seeing that Ranma didn't slack off on his training, playing Shogi, enjoying wonderfully cooked meals made by his wife or Kasumi, and occasionally going to work at Dr. Tofu's clinic.
Sighing Genma took a moment to calculate the value of the items he'd selected so far and immediately came up with needing more. Especially if he was going to not only buy back the useless scrolls of his wife's from the pawnshop but be able to live with at least some comfort while he, once he found his son, taught him what was on them.
"Why have the Kami cursed me with a useless son who runs away leaving me to suffer punishments that should be his for failing to do as his mother wished?" The bald man inquired of the heavens firm in his belief that his fellow student of the master would not begrudge him anything he might need in his efforts to bring the boy back to join the schools as he opened the closet and began to rifle through his friend's personal belongings.
"Stupid boy, if he'd wanted to avoid his mother's wrath for failing to meet her unreasonable demands he should've come to me, not run off! Now I have to leave the comfort of a good home to find him, teach him his mother's useless art, and then drag him back to face her wrath instead of me!"
His pack now full of enough 'gear' to keep him in comfort for a bit, Genma slipped back into the room he shared with remembering something he forgot to get.
Moving to one of the corners of the room, he knelt down to pry loose a board thereby revealing a hidden compartment which to his dismay containing nothing.
Bemoaning his sons dishonorable actions of taking what meager funds had been located within, Genma leaned closer to the floor so he could reach his arm well under the floorboards hoping his son hadn't been thorough. Soon he pulled out a small box containing what was to be Akane's wedding ring along with a small stack of yen he'd been hoarding for just such an emergency.
Holding the ring in the palm of his hand Genma considered it with a sigh. "Might as well pawn this it has the girls name on it. If I know Nodoka, the girl won't be his fiancée after today."
Tossing the ring box and the yen into his pocket Genma pulled out a small sealed letter and placed it on the floor in the center of the room than slipped out the window using the Goshin Dai Ryūsei Fu (1).
'I think first I will check a few places around Nerima to be sure he isn't hiding someplace close. A trip to the Neko Hanten and a few bowls of ramen might be in order. Maybe stop by the Ucchan for an Okonomiyaki or three. After that I think Uchei's Bar and Grill over on 5th would be a good place, the boy has to eat after all.'
The man – if the panda he'd turned into due to the still falling rain could be called that – was soon over the wall to the Tendo yard and on his way.
1) Self-Protection Great Shooting Star Cloth technique, allowing the practitioner to quickly disappear from view. A stealth/invisibility technique created by Genma and part of the Umi-senken. This technique is supposedly sealed by him but apparently not.
-#-#-#-#- Nerima, Japan — Tendo-Dojo (Before Noon) -#-#-#-#-
While Genma was beginning his quest to find foo… his missing son, Akane lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. Her mind was far from peaceful and though she was thankful her family had not insisted she go to school, she also felt slightly betrayed by them, or more specifically by Kasumi, as she'd only moments ago knocked on her door saying she was going out and that she'd have to fend for herself for lunch.
'What if I have wanted to talk to her?' Akane asked herself as she listened to her older sisters departing footsteps. 'She didn't even wait for me to answer.'
'Doesn't she care about how I might be feeling?' Akane rolled over on to her stomach with a sigh. 'Don't any of them care enough to even try to cheer me up?'
Closing her eyes Akane began to cry, her tears falling on to her pillow as she lay staring at nothing – her thoughts on the events of yesterday or rather on the central figure around which they involved. Sitting up, Akane sighed. "Baka… why didn't you come home."
She knew he hadn't returned for she'd peeked into his room around the time she normally went jogging.
Not seeing any sign of him in the room, but failing to notice anything missing, she fled quickly back to hers a she'd not wished to be caught checking up on her missing fiancé knowing if the fathers caught wind of her actions, they'd no doubt go on about how she cared for Ranma. This in turn would lead to them trying to hold a wedding immediately upon his return and even though she cared for him, maybe even loved him, she wasn't going to let anyone push her into marriage until she was good and ready.
Nor was she going to let it happen until Ranma asked her properly – something she was sure he'd do with the proper incentive. After all, he'd already declared his love for her. It was just the next logical step.
Finally, after a good hour of doing so, Akane came to the realization that just sitting there staring at the ceiling wasn't going to help her mood. So, slipping out of bed she grabbed her bathing accessories hoping a nice long soak would ease her worries.
As she went to open the door a smile crossed her lips as a secret hope Ranma would come home and walk in on her took root in her mind. Her slightly uplifted spirits were dashed the moment she opened the inner door to the furo and found herself facing a stark reminder of yesterday's events slapping her in the face in the form of the ruined bath.
"You're not even here and you're still causing me grief!" Akane growled aloud. "Damn you baka, if you'd just told them to get lost. If you'd just admitted you love me sooner none of this would be happening."
"If you had just learned to be nice to me and to not be such a pervert I wouldn't have been so mad at you and you wouldn't have gotten hurt yesterday because of me."
Akane stepped into the bathing room continuing to rant while she washed herself down despite not having hot water with which to finish her bath with.
"NO! It's your fault! Not mine! You shouldn't have been fighting Kuno in the first place!"
Her ire cooled briefly as she added "Or at least you should've taken the fight away from the school instead of wanting to show off in front of everyone like you always do. Baka.".
"But that doesn't explain Nabiki's sudden turn around." Akane voiced with a frown. "Not that I'd expect anything less from her, but why now? What is she up to and why would she need to take Ranma from me to do it?"
Eventually she finished her attempts to clean herself up and she returned to her room to quickly get dressed after which Akane flopped backwards across her bed letting out a loud exhale as she did so. "This will all work out. Ranma and I have been through rougher things."
"The baka will come home, we'll argue, I'll show him the error of his ways with a few good smacks upside the head, than everything will go back to normal."
Rolling over she frowned at the clock.
"Baka. Disappearing like this making everyone worry… all because he's become some sort of a half-man – half-cat thing. I bet all he has to do is add water and he'll go back to normal!"
Akane's glowering expression faded, replaced by a small smile and a gentle flushing of her cheeks due to her thoughts having gone down a rather ecchi path in which she imagined herself getting rather intimate with Ranma as he looked now.
Wanting more than just her memory of what Ranma looked like, and not having any of Nabiki's pictures, she quickly got up and locked her door before reaching under her bed to bring out a shoujo manga (1) she had hidden under her mattress. She quickly flipped to the pages where the heroine of the story was being rescued by cat-man.
A few chapters later, bored of reading, she began to feel restless, cooped up. Thinking bit of exercise would succeed where taking a bath had not Akane slipped on her jogging clothing and stealthily made her way out the door only to groan when she noticed the slow falling rain.
Steeling herself Akane decided she wouldn't let a little rain stop her for if the world wanted to try to test her resolve she would show it she was not to be daunted. Grabbing an umbrella from just inside the door Akane departed the Tendo home.
So intent on trying to enjoy her jog she failed to notice a diminutive ninja leap from a nearby roof heading in the direction of the Kuno mansion.
1) Shoujo (literally "girl") is manga aimed at young females up to the age 18. These series tend to focus on romance and relationships from a young female's point of view.
-#-#-#-#- Atlanta, Georgia (Nearing Midnight) -#-#-#-#-
The sun had long since fallen by the time they'd touched down in Atlanta.
After a quick unloading of the plane, mostly due to Britanny and Ranma assistance, they were able to leave the airport easily making to the gates of the Digger mansion before two in the morning thanks to Ace dropping them off on his way to Penny's Georgia Estate.
During the ride from the airport Britanny explained to Ranma how she and her sisters once lived in a more rural location after purchasing a section of land from the parents when their old home was destroyed a little over a year ago.
Now, walking up the long driveway to her home, Britanny watched Ranma gawk at her home with a combination of glee and nervousness.
"Soooooo… what do you think?"
"Wow… you live here?", Ranma asked a bit disbelievingly.
"Yup, me and my sisters!" Britanny replied. "The place is big enough we really don't get in each other's way like we did with our old house."
"Mom 'n dad live about a mile that way." Britanny pointed towards the back of the small two-story mansion ahead of them.
"There's a small forest between our place and theirs so you can't see it." She added casually while taking advantage of Ranma's distracted state to ogle his body again loving the way his muscles rippled as he walked. "Their place is bigger than ours."
'Bigger?' Ranma thought. 'They could fit twelve of the Tendo–Ke, yard and all, into just this house alone!'
"Why do you and your sisters need such a big place?"
"We like our space." Britanny answered with a shrug. "A good thing to, with all the nutty experiments my sisters do."
"Experiments?"
"Yeah. Gina is always testing out some gadget or other while Bri likes to see just how much damage her toys can do." She smiled down at him. "Of course those are usually the less dangerous ones. The rest they work on in their labs underneath the house."
'Labs… underneath the house. They have labs under their house?!' Ranma goggled, his mind showing him images of a huge cave like he'd seen that bat–man character operate out of in the movie Ukyo had dragged him to, or sterile corridors like the X–men movie he'd snuck into to see while we was still out training with his pops.
"Havin' so much space let's all of us feel like we've got our own place without being away from family I guess. Never really thought about it."
"Plus having such a large yard is awesome for when I jog in the morning. A cheetah needs her space to run free ya know?"
"Why not just run around the neighborhood?"
"Me and Bri used to 'til we started getting complaints about breaking the speed limits."
"Stupid speeding tickets." Britanny mumbled though Ranma's enhanced hearing easily picked it up.
"A good jog is a great way to start off the day, besides having a tuna 'n egg breakfast." Britanny practically drooled at the idea, more so upon realization she hadn't tasted any of the delectable meat of the gods in over three days – something she planned to correct as soon as possible.
"Maybe I'll join you tomorrow morning?" Ranma offered/questioned, half expecting her to turn him down as Akane had when he offered to join her several months back.
"Really?!" Ranma found his hands being held in her's as she stared at him cutely.
"Su…sure Cheetah… um that is if you'd want me to."
Britanny's firm nod and wide smile let him know she was greatly in favor of the idea.
Staring into each other's eyes neither one knew which one started to lean towards the other first, their bodies inching closer to each other as they slowly tilted their heads clearly intending to kiss each other only ot have their burgeoning moment of intimacy shattered by a dual growling sound – that of both their stomachs demanding food.
Separating from each other in embarrassment, Britanny pouting cutely in disappointment, they both looked away from each other and towards the house at the far end of the long driveway.
"Ok maybe the long walk was a bad idea… I'm starving." Britanny commented.
Ranma's response, besides a cocky smile, was to scoop the seven-foot werecheetah into his arms and dash towards the house.
He'd heard his master's call and it wouldn't be denied. It didn't hurt that he enjoyed the little squeal of surprise Britanny made when he took off.
-#-#-#-#- Nerima, Japan — Tendo Home (Afternoon) -#-#-#-#-
Kasumi's friendship with Konatsu was something the two had so far managed to keep secret from the typical Nerima crazies, Nabiki included. Not because they'd been trying to hide it, rather simply because neither of them were considered major players in events surrounding who Ranma would marry thus their more than casual acquaintance had gone without notice.
Today that worked for her as it allowed her to learn something that she suspected even her normally knowledgeable sister had yet to discover.
Now, strolling through the gate to her home, the eldest Tendo daughter reminisced over Konatsu's eagerness to share his encounter with not one, but two cat-people the prior evening. One of which, thanks to the pictures he'd given her, she was positive was Ranma.
By the end of their conversation, Kasumi was both elated to have found someone who'd seen Ranma and depressed that he'd apparently left on a flight to who-knows-where. In addition, she felt guilty over the fact she'd not been honest with her friend and told him of Ranma's new condition – which he was obviously unaware of. This guilt was compounded by the fact she'd extracted a promise from her friend to not share what he knew with anyone else.
She knew she'd have to release him from the promise eventually given how conflicted over the matter he'd be once he found out one of them was Ranma. Knowing him as she did she knew he'd feel obligated to inform Ukyo all he knew the moment the young chef started to talk about Ranma's new condition.
Knowing this, Kasumi wished to make use of what she knew before all of those who sought Ranma knew.
The question that now plagued her above all else was what did she want to do with it.
Entering the house Kasumi announced her return only to receive no reply, which she found slightly odd given at least her father should have responded.
Pushing that aside, she slipped off her shoes, placed them on the rack, then put on a pair of house slippers, her mind already working out the preparations she'd need for when Auntie returned today along with the blow up she had little doubt would occur once the woman found out about what had happened to her son.
Stopping in the kitchen to drop off the bags of groceries she'd picked up after leaving Konatsu, Kasumi moved into the family room looking for signs of life. After a moment of standing there looking at an empty room she was surprised to hear the sounds of someone working on the furo down the hall.
Making her way there she was pleased to find her father working on the furo – he was in fact half done.
"Father."
A smiling Soun gazed at over his shoulder, "Welcome home daughter."
"Why thank you father. I hope I haven't interrupted you."
"Not at all."
"Good." Kasumi peered a bit closer at his work. "Oh my! You've gotten quite a bit done."
Soun patted himself on the back, "Of course I have! Why just leave your father to this and he'll have the furo ready in time for our guests tonight!"
Kasumi clapped her hands together, a beaming smile on her face. "Oh that would be wonderful father. Is there anything I can do to help? Perhaps a drink of tea?"
Soun's eyes became misty as he nodded, "My daughter is so thoughtful! I would love a cup to tea."
She paused Half way through the outer bath when her father spoke. "Kasumi dear? Have you seen Genma?" Soun's voice echoed slightly as he had his head in the furo resulting in him missing his daughters frown.
"No I haven't, I've just returned home from shopping. Did he go out?"
"He must've. Probably out looking for his wayward son so we can join the schools. What a true friend he is!" Soun also missed Kasumi's very unlady like snort. "Why if I didn't need to do this I would be out there with him."
"I'm glad you aren't father, and I am sure Auntie will be pleased to be able to take a pleasant bath after her trip."
"Right you are! Only proper for a host to provide the best for his guests!"
"I'll just go make you your tea now father after which I'll get started on dinner. If you need me for anything please let me know."
Soun only grunted in reply, his attention firmly upon fixing the furo.
Closing the kitchen door behind her Kasumi reached into her purse and pulled out a few pictures that Konatsu had given her during their meeting; three of Ranma and one of the Britanny.
She frowned as she eyed the image of Britanny's hybrid form, twinges of jealousy and worry settling over her heart – jealousy over Britanny's exotic beauty when compared to her plain appearance and worry over the possibility of yet another girl coming into Ranma's life. She feared the latter rather than the former for without any of the others around this new girl might capture his heart, something she was more and more considering seeking herself.
-#-#-#-#- Atlanta Georgia — Digger's Mansion (After Midnight) -#-#-#-#-
Arcadia, Elysium, Nirvana, Canaan, Utopia, Shangri-la, Zion; whatever you wished to call it – was what he saw before him inside the walk-in freeze in Britanny's kitchen.
The young martial arts prodigy scarcely believed his eyes – a room the size of two or three of the Tendo's kitchens being used as a freezer.
A freezer!
And it was full!
He'd seen such things being used in restaurants, fast food places, and even grocery stores – but to find one in a private home…
Such opulence was beyond Ranma's comprehension.
He'd nearly dropped to his knees to offer a prayer to the kami when Britanny informed him this little slice of heaven possessed a lower level wherein the less often used foodstuffs were stored.
He swore then and there if she told him that there was an upper level, or that their fridge was the same size, he'd find a way camp out in the kitchen for the entirety of his stay, if not longer.
So long as the food held out that is.
In the end, Britanny had to practically drag him out of the walk-in freezer.
Once she'd gotten him to sit down on a stool in a kitchen that would've had Kasumi weeping in joy, she returned to eh fridge where, after rummaging around for some additional foodstuffs, she headed back to the counter.
For his part, Ranma was practically mesmerized by the seven–foot tall feline female bumping the door shut with her rear. His blood pressure definitely shot up as she sashayed towards him arms laden with food, his previously wet mouth go dry and his heart start to pound for he'd never seen any woman look more beautiful than she did to him at moment.
Schooling his emotions he watched transfixed as Britanny worked at speeds rivaling his own when he first learned the Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken as she created several satisfyingly large piles of sandwiches which she placed between them.
Blinking his mind clear of the erotic dance of food preparation performed before him, Ranma smiled when Britanny motioned for him to dig in.
Needing no further prompting, he began wolfing down this gift from the kami like there was no tomorrow – or like he had to worry about losing his share to a greedy panda.
Britanny barely managed to eat half a tuna hoagie before gaping in mid bite amazed at the speed with which Ranma was devouring her lovingly prepared sandwiches of tuna.
She'd known he was fast with his hands but what she was seeing went waaaay beyond the speed she'd seen him use so far for if it hadn't of been for her werecheetah senses she wouldn't have seen him take the second sandwich, or the fifth, or the sixth.
'No wonder I didn't see him take my peanuts on the plane, I can barely follow his moves in hybrid form so there's no way I would have seen them in my human! Just how fast is he?' Britanny wondered while as she bore witness to her companions decimation of another of the twenty to thirty some–odd sandwiches she'd made for the two of them.
Ranma was on his tenth sandwich when she managed to stop gaping. "Um… Ranma… do you always eat so fast?"
Half a sandwich vanished between her question and his answer "Um… yes?"
Like that, the other half was gone.
"It's not like we're going to run out of food tonight, so how about you slow down a bit." Britanny jerked a thumb towards the walk–in freezer behind her. "We can always make more, or did you forget about all we have in there?"
"Ain't no way I'm ever gonna forget about that Cheetah!" Ranma exclaimed before sighing softly while eyeing the freezer lovingly.
Britanny shot a brief glare at the refrigerator thinking 'I can't believe I'm jealous of a damn appliance!' than said "Just do me a favor and eat a bit slower ok?"
"Besides, tuna should be savored, not devoured." She then took a slow loving bite of her hoagie and chewed it.
Ranma shrugged and followed her suggestion, a wide smile crossing his face as he chewed.
"See! Much better!" Britanny smiled brightly.
Ranma nodded emphatically, swallowed, then said "I'm just used to eatin' as quick as I can".
"Where tuna's concerned I can understand." Britanny responded. "Brianna and I used to argue over who got how much tuna, but then we came up with a rule that didn't work out so well, we call it the 'My Plate Rule'. If it's on my plate, its mine!"
"After several accidents where others plates went flying when Bri and I tried to out speed the other to get the tuna to our plates, of which I won most of the time, mom kinda put the kibosh on it."
"Now we make sure to split everything as evenly as we can beforehand. It's worked so far."
"Wish pops had a rule like that, not that he'd ever follow it." Ranma, who was eating slower but still faster than Britanny, responded. "If I tried to eat this slow around my old man he'd take everythin' on my plate 'n leave me with nothin' than harp on me for not being able to protect it."
"What do you mean Ranma?"
"It's kinda why I eat so fast. If I didn't I wouldn't get any 'cause pops'd steal it right off my plate 'n eat it."
"Your father stole your food?"
"Yup. He called it speed trainin'. I call it him wanting to fill his fat belly." Ranma finished the sandwich he had in his hand. "If I turned my back even for a second, or didn't defend my plate as hard as I could, I'd have end up with nothing to eat."
"You and your father… actually fought fought over food? Physically fought?"
"Over Food, bed rolls, the best sleepin' spots, tents, umbrellas, toilet paper, chopsticks, coal, bed warmers, chocolate, water, tennis rackets, medicine, fishin' rods, toothpicks, snowshoes, can-openers, socks, hot water..."
Ranma went on listing things for nearly two minutes before he stopped.
"Pops pretty much made everythin' into trainin', even sleepin'."
"Sleeping? That's ridiculous, sleeping can't be training. Can it?" 'He's gotta be kidding me. I mean seriously, fighting over snowshoes while running away from an avalanche? That's not only insane but asinine. What kinda idiot would call any of that training?'
"It can and it was. Pops'd attack me in my sleep. If I didn't protect myself, he'd leave me trussed up in a tree or go even harder on me durin' trainin' that day. Eventually I learned to defend myself while sleep'n."
"I still remember how pops 'n I fought for the only good branch on a tree in the middle of a large field in a forest around Kumano."
Ranma chuckled softly. "Too bad for him he lost that time 'cause he did pops didn't get much sleep with that bear chasin' him around all night. Man did he regret teachin' me to defend myself in my sleep that time."
'Ah the good old days, just a pack on my back and pops to pound on like a piñata.' Ranma thought wistfully recalling many of his adventures before Nerima... before Jusenkyo.
"I know a lot of what pops called 'training' is just plain nuts but I've had to put a lot of it to use. There was this Chardin guy, practiced speed eating as part of his families school, the La Belle France School of Martial arts. I couldn't figure out how the heck he was eating food so fast at first, heck I couldn't even see his mouth move. Then when I did, I wish I hadn't."
"Why?"
"Ever seen someone who could eat food from over three feet away… by shooting out his tongue?"
Britanny blinked owlishly.
She wanted to refute what he was saying or laugh at the joke he was playing on her by telling her such tall tales but something she saw in his eyes told her he wasn't making any of this up.
"Don't get me started on how the guy could stretch his mouth so wide he could fit a watermelon." Ranma added, quietly enjoying her facial reactions and how his story distracted her from the hoagies allowing him to down two more bringing the score to Britanny three - Ranma Twelve.
Happily finishing another one before his werecheetah hostess regained her wits, Ranma pushed himself away from the table unconsciously licking his lips clean of any crumbs.
Stretching his arms upward his nose wrinkled at a sudden unpleasant order. Taking a deep sniff, he grimaced.
"So… um… is there someplace I can wash up? I kinda stink."
Britanny jerked back to reality she uttered "Wha?"
"I kinda need a bath…"
"A bath. Yeah. I. Right."
Getting up from the table, she gestured for him to follow her.
"This way Ranma."
"What about our mess?"
"I'll clean it up while you're taking a shower." She responded absently, her mind still switching gears from their conversation to this one. "'N while I'm at it I'll see if I can find you something… suitable to wear."
A slow devilish smile formed on her lips as she walked, checking off a mental list of some of the rather revealing clothing she could get him into. Or even better, out of.
"Shower? Is it ok if I take a bath?" Ranma asked. "I'd kinda like to soak a bit. Besides, who knows how long it'll take to clean all this fur."
"Sure, if you want, though it really doesn't take all that long to clean once you get used to it."
Britanny eyed him from head to toe as she teasingly said, "Of course I could always give you a hand… I am used to washing my own fur after all."
"N… no thanks Cheetah – I'm sure I'll manage just fine." Ranma replied nervously. "If you um… just show me the way and um… where the towels are and I'm sure I'll be fine."
'Damn… well maybe I can walk in on him when I bring him his clothes.' Britanny thought, lascivious grin spreading across her lips making Ranma rather nervous.
"Suuuuuuure… just follow me."
The devilish gleam he saw in her eyes did nothing to ease his apprehension, nor did the little sway in her hips as she sexily strutted out of the room.
-#-#-#-#- Nerima, Japan — Hikarigaoka Park (Late Afternoon) -#-#-#-#-
Akane's attempt to clear her mind through vigorous exercise proved to be a flop.
Not even jogging the circuit a second time, at a harsher pace, did a thing to improve her mood or pull her thoughts from a certain loud-mouthed jerk who'd come into her life upsetting everything.
It didn't help that it was raining.
Glowering as she neared the midpoint of her jog, a short distance into Hikarigaoka Park, a tingle down her spine was all the warning she received in order avoid three elegantly carved rose-shaped hairpins streaking towards her from the branches of a tree ahead.
Fortunately, it was enough.
Landing from her leap backwards Akane scanned the park for an indication of who was attacking her, her body lowered in a defensive position, umbrella held ready to deflect any further missiles,.
"I see you still possess a modicum of skill Akane Tendo. And as much as I would've preferred to be rid of you quickly, it would've been utterly tiresome had our encounter ended too swiftly." An unimpressed voice sounded from overhead.
Her eyes locking immediately upon the source of the taunt, a black leotard clad gymnast perched on a branch ahead, Akane hissed out a "Kodachi, I should've known." while tightening up her defensive stance.
"Ohhohohohohohoho!" Kodachi lowered her willowy form to the ground with the use of one of her ribbons. "Tis indeed I, Akane Tendo!"
With a small a flick of her wrist, the ribbon upon which she descended released the branch to flutter down gently around even as she gave out another peel of her trademark laugh.
"What do you want?" Akane snarled through clenched teeth.
"Why to liberate my beloved Ranma-sama of course." Kodachi answered as if talking to a child. "What other rationale could there be for one such as I seeking out a lowborn peasant such as yourself? To ask you to tea? Hardly. You aren't fit to even be a servant to the Kuno family let alone keep my love company."
"Like I'd want to be a servant to a nut-ball like you. Ranma isn't here so go make someone else's day miserable."
"Obviously my darling isn't here you churl." Kodachi responded snidely. "I am, in truth, aliviated by his absence, for it would pain me to be unable to allow him to lavish me with his love as I am here for you not a renewing of our affections."
"Me? What do you want me for?" An on guard Akane inquired.
"Why to express my gratefulness; in a proper fashion of course."
Akane voiced her confusion. "You're here to thank me?".
"Why yes."
"For what? And why did you attack me if you wanted to thank me?"
"Both of your questions have the same answer, why for having revealed unto me the wondrous beast that has lied hidden within my beloved of course!"
Akane's eyes widened slightly wondering how the crazy gymnast knew of Ranma's change only to narrow when she came to the obvious conclusion, Nabiki had once again sold Ranma out to the insane gymnast.
"Were it not for your actions, along with those of my dear misguided brother, it might never have come to pass that my Ranma-sama would allow his inner beast to shine forth!" Kodachi clasped her hands before her. "How I long to feel his mighty body pressed against mine so that we might share our passions!"
"I hate to break it to you Kodachi, but Ranma wants nothing to do with you. No one sane does."
Kodachi's eyes shimmered with anger then mirth. –Ohohohohohohohoh– "I see it is more than just my brother who is deluded."
"Hey! Don't you compare me to him, and I'm not the deluded one here, you are!"
"Tish-tosh" Kodachi responded, her left hand waving dismissively. "Have you forgotten how my Ranma-sama cast both you and that mediocre Chef aside only yesterday, spurning your pitiful attempts at affection after his glorious metamorphosis? Have you not heard the saying, 'Actions speak louder than words'?"
"He did not!" Akane denied, then with a haughty voice declared "In fact, he told me loved me so there!".
"Lies!" Kodachi verbally snapped in time with a quick cracking of her ribbon like a whip making Akane jump slightly.
"I am not lying! He did say it and nothing you can say will change the truth, so why don't you just run back to your mansion and never bother me or Ranma again because if you do I'll show you just why I'm the best female martial artist in Nerima!"
With a shout of "You dare to threaten me, Kodachi the Black Rose?!" the gymnast struck out quickly with her ribbon catching Akane on the arm leaving a long thing cut that was already turning red with blood. "You dare claim my Ranma-sama has love for anyone but me!? I will punish you for spread such lies!"
"Fine! You want a fight I'll give you one but don't say I didn't warn…." Akane never finished as her full attention was taking up by dodging Kodachi's onslaught of ribbon strikes.
Knowing she could never win against Kodachi without getting in close Akane moved to go into a small grove of trees to the side of the road intending to limit the aristocratic girls movements.
It was only by luck that she managed to avoid the small explosion of gas from the trap she'd set off.
Unfortunately her action of seeking to avoid the gas from the exploding trap was exactly what Kodachi expected for Akane found her feet yanked from under when her adversaries ribbon wrapped around her foot.
Reacting on instinct Akane rolled back towards the path avoiding Kodachi's follow up attack of three more dagger-like hairpins.
–Ohohohohohohohoh– "I see you've managed to overcome your lack of agility since we last fought, a shame you will no doubt tire before long. A common problem among those of lesser breeding, no stamina. Yet another reason why you are unworthy of my Ranma-darling."
Flipping herself to her feet Akane charged her foe with the intent of pummeling Kodachi into the ground only to miss when the gymnast vaulted upwards completing several somersaults before sticking the landing perfectly on a branch above where she spent only a moment before bounding to the ground to avoid falling with the tree Akane's strike uprooted.
"My dear Ranma was most accurate; you are indeed a brute, though I believe my darling chose other words to express his disdain for your brutishness." Kodachi taunted, tapping her chin, her ribbon dangling from the same hand. "Now what did he call you? Ah yes, an uncute gorilla."
Akane charged towards Kodachi, her hand held high intending to pound the gymnast into the ground only to miss when Kodachi completed a straddle jump over her.
"Is it any wonder why he turns away from such an uncultured plebian?" Kodachi clucked the top of her mouth with her tongue. "What my brother sees in you I shall never discern."
Infuriated Akane swung around and rushed forward, dodging to her left to avoid being caught by her opponents flashing ribbon. Once close enough, she threw a pair of punches that failed to find their mark when Kodachi lithely stepped around them then cart-wheeled away.
Taking stock of her opponent Akane noted that Kodachi now had two ribbons out, the second of which she could see glittered strangely as the leotard clad girl snapped it in her direction. A quick duck and sidestep and the lithe weapon shot past her to wrap around a statue lining the cobbled pathway she fought upon.
Thinking she might have the advantage, the Tendo heiress took a step forward only to stop upon seeing Kodachi's superior smirk. When her foe gave a casual tug upon the caught ribbon Akane took a chance to glance behind her in time to see the top part of the statue slide to the ground with a clank having been sliced cleanly in two.
Turning back, she was just in time to dart to the side thereby avoiding the same fate as the statue the ribbon had just sliced clean through.
"What the hell, are you trying to kill me Kodachi?!"
"Moi? Kill? Hardly, I merely seek to educate you in respect for your betters, and of course to prove once and for all Ranma-darling is mine." Kodachi brought her left hand up to her mouth to cover her slight smile in an almost demure manner. "If you happen receive injuries in the process… well… it's hardly my responsibility you chose to struggle now is it?"
"You're not my better, and Ranma is mine!" Akane growled. "And even if he wasn't, he'd be better off being dragged back to China by Shampoo than ending up with a nutcase like you!"
With a cry of "Peasant!" Kodachi renewed her attacks, forcing the bluenette to dodge or be sliced in twain.
For the next few minutes, the beset girl sought a way to get close to her attacker only to be forced back each time by the twin ribbons. Even throwing what objects she could find proved to be ineffective for everything was either caught and tossed back towards her, sliced into pieces too small to be used as weapons, or simply deflected away.
When she again attempted to take the fight into the park and away from open areas, Akane found the gas trap she'd triggered earlier on was not the only one when another nearly caught her in its paralyzing cloud.
–Ohohohohohohohoho– "I see you've discovered running away is impossible for I've had my servant place obstacles in your path to prevent you from receiving your due punishment for the crimes you've committed against myself and my Ranma-sama."
After her declaration, the questionably brilliant yet insane gymnast began pressing Akane with a furious onslaught of attacks leaving her worried as to how she would be able to overcome Kodachi seeing given her rivals prevention of her from getting close enough to put her considerable strength to use.
The few times she came close to getting past Kodachi's defenses her opponent would leap out of reach to strike from range.
Now she couldn't even risk trying to move into an enclosed area without risking becoming the victim of
She also knew, despite Kodachi's belief otherwise, she could normally wear the gymnast down, out last her, but she'd breathed in enough of the gasses released by the few paralytic mines she'd triggered that she could feel her reactions slowing down.
"Tell me, what do you think of my new ribbon hmmmmm?" Kodachi asked flicking the item in question out towards Akane.
Mistiming her dodge Akane felt a sudden stinging sensation on her cheek. Touching her face, she felt the slow start of blood trickling from the wound the strike had made.
"I had it specially constructed." The nimble gymnast flicked her ribbon at her rival, pride gleaming in her eyes even as annoyance showed on her face at Akane's evasion of the attack. "It's made from spider silk specially treated by moi."
*Vap* Akane rolled to the side, the stinging sensation on her left leg let her know she'd been hit yet again.
With that cut Akane knew she had to think of something. Maybe going back the way she came would be the best option; after all she'd made it to here so it must be clear of the mines and though it galled her to no end she had to run it was her only option. Akane swore she would learn to properly jump like the others could once she got out of this, even if she had to pound Ranma into the ground to make him do so.
"Is it not magnificent?" Kodachi continued to go on about her new toy. "You should be proud to be the first to experience its caress when it was truly meant for, the red-headed harlot that vexes me so."
Ducking under the next strike Akane turned on her heel to run and it appeared to be working until a cloud of gas suddenly sprung up from the ground ahead blowing directly into her face just as she was breathing in.
In seconds, she felt her muscles freeze up and saw the wet pavement coming at her as she fell.
Frozen, unable to move, Akane felt real fear as Kodachi's gloating laughter came closer.
-#-#-#-#- Atlanta, Georgia — Digger Mansion (Sometime After Two In The Morning) -#-#-#-#-
Despite his claim of having used western style bathrooms before, Britanny insisted she show him around the rather spacious bathing chamber giving him a few good pointers on how to get his fur clean.
The bathroom itself was impressive to Ranma, easily five times the size of the one in the Tendo home if not more.
Running the length of one wall was a marble top counter with two immense sinks while opposite it were two showers – one normal one steam. At the far end of the room on a small raised two step half-dais was a rather odd looking bathtub that looked like a cross between a giant animal egg and a futuristic sci-fi style escape pod whose sides slid shut to provide a cocoon-like enclosure preventing anyone else who might enter the bathroom from seeing within.
Britanny explained this was a combination shower and whirlpool-bath created by her sister, one that had more options on it than a new car. It even had its own sound system and mood lighting. This of course led to another attempt by his host to cajole him into letting her help him bathe. In the end, it had taken him a good twenty minutes to complete the tour after which another ten spent dodging Britanny's hands before he was able to get the overly affectionate girl from the room.
Finally, with the door closed behind him, a pouting Britanny on the other side, Ranma stood staring at the spacious bathroom trying to make up his mind which of the bathing choices he would take. The large futuristic combination tub and shower on the far side of the room, the 'Sonic Shower' Britanny had said was great for getting clean but always left her fur feeling brittle, or the simple shower that was anything but given it's scanners that set the water at the temperature the water should be for his current physical status.
"And all I wanted was a bath…"
Deciding to get things over with, Ranma couldn't help but pause while checking himself over in the wall-to-wall mirror dominating the far side of the room.
Posing a few times, Ranma took stock of his form noting how he appeared pretty much as he did before except for being covered in black and red fur, having pointed ears, being much taller, as well as being adequately filled out and proportioned.
Seeing himself like this he thought of how he'd of reacted to the sight of himself before all this happened. Of how he'd have run so fast it would've left a vacuum trail behind dragging anything loose into his slipstream. He honestly found it both welcoming and strange to have no desire to flinch at his obvious cat-like reflection.
He considered just how natural being in this form felt and shrugged, "Least if I end up stayin' a cat-man for the rest of my life, I'm a good lookin' one.".
"Well, time to find out if I still got my curse." Ranma uttered with a sigh crossing the distance to the egg-shaped tub while slipping out of his only piece of clothing.
Tentatively, as if the water he was about to release would curse him all over again, he pushed back the semi-opaque walls of the tub, turned the knob, snapping his arm back before the cold water could touch him.
Gazing at the falling water, Ranma sighed at his timidity, his father's voice ringing in his mind calling him a little girl for being afraid of a little cold water.
Firming his resolve to find out if he still possessed his Jusenkyo curse he thrust his arm into the cold water of the shower, his head turned to watch himself in the mirror along the opposite wall.
A huge smile began to form on his lips when the change didn't come.
He wiggled his fingers in the wonderful coolness of the shower's falling waters and was just about to begin dancing about the room when he saw the door to the bathroom open, Britanny strolling into the room with a pile of clothes in her arm.
"I brought you a change of clothes!" He heard her announce just as the pain set in and a blinding white light filled the room.
-#-#-#-#- Nerima, Japan — Hikarigaoka Park (Late Afternoon) -#-#-#-#-
"How woefully disheartening." Kodachi said yawning into the back of her, the heel of her right root grinding Akane's left hand into the dirt and grass she lay unmoving upon. "To think my brother calls you his 'Fiery Tigress."
"You are more like a lamb who has lain down for the slaughter." Kodachi sniffed disdainfully as she non-too gently flipped the paralyzed Akane on to her back with a kick. "You hardly even gave me a quarter of the fight you did the last time I consented to allow you to face me in fair and equitable combat."
–Sigh–
"I do suppose I expected too much of you." Kodachi stated derisively. "I suppose I truly have only myself to blame for if I'd not conceived such a wonderfully effective way to eliminate my opponent's ability to remain mobile ours might have been a more entertaining altercation."
"Not that the end would've been any different." Kodachi said placing her right index finger on her chin while gazing down at Akane's prone form in contemplation.
Moving around so she was in Akane's line of vision, she daintily slid a single black rose with soft blue tips from behind her ear.
"Truly beautiful is it not?" Kodachi asked making sure the downed girls eyes had no choice but to see the flower. "Took me a nearly year to cross-pollinate."
"When properly prepared its natural paralytic properties are five times stronger than any of my previous successes giving it the ability to function on even the hardiest of individuals while still being gentle enough to work on a baby."
"Why I could take down an elephant with but a droplet of my creation let alone a gorilla such as yourself."
"At least I believe I could." Kodachi added while tucking the flower she'd held out back behind her ear. "If only the silly director of the Tokyo zoo would cease refusing me access to theirs I might give credence to my belief."
–Sigh–
"I suppose I will have to buy one and have it shipped so I might do so. The bother I must go to to further my hobbies."
Kodachi's eyes narrowed, her frown switched a very unfriendly smile.
"But enough of such things, all one of your limited intellect need know is it's effect provide me ample time to do what needs to be done, that is removing you as competition for my Ranma-sama."
Akane felt the sting of Kodachi's slap then her head being wrenched sideways as she was forced to stare into her enemy's eyes.
"Not that you ever were competition to begin with."
"Still, better to ensure my victory by fairly disposing of any possible entanglements that might hamper my beloveds' path to me."
"Cheater…" Akane barely growled out.
Kodachi's laughed lightly, almost carefree, and not so insanely. "Moi? Hardly. Has no one given you even the most simple of educations? Have they not taught you that all's fair in love and war?"
She slapped Akane hard across the cheek leaving a red mark behind.
"And this has been both from the start foolish girl!"
Standing to her feet, Kodachi twirled her ribbons about her shouting "A War Of Love!" to the sky.
"And love is a sport in which one always cheats. We use every advantage one can find, no matter how small or inconsequential, to snare the attention of the one we seek. And like war, our endeavors do not determine who is right, only who remains to claim the prize. Which is me."
"Ya think so?" An unfamiliar voice chimed unexpectedly.
Kodachi more than Akane was surprised when a large blur flew over the paralyzed girl, leg out stretched, to strike the unprepared gymnast in the stomach with a flying kick sending her crashing against the trunk of a nearby tree; the tremor of her impact causing many of its leaves to flutter away on the wind.
The younger Kuno sibling struggled to her feet – a hand clutched to her abdomen in pain – to face her new foe only to shake in fury at the discovery that the one who had struck her was a tall and rather overly endowed brunette in a French maid's uniform.
"Do you know whom you've dared to strike?"
"Nope. Can't say I care either. What I do care about is you kick'n someone while there down." Link replied while thinking 'Not that I'm above doin' it myself but not when the person is someone that might lead me to Ranma.'
"I'll have you know I'm…"
"A real bitch?" Link said finishing her statement for her.
"How dare you, a mere servant, use such words towards my personage!"
"Just call 'em like I see 'em. And if you've got some cockamamie idea about hurting his girl further, you'd better think again." Link then smirked adding "That is unless you want this servant to plant you on your ass again.".
"Wretched woman! The thrashing I shall bestow upon you for your impudence shall remain with you for the rest of your days!" Kodachi cried out flicking her ribbon forward seeking to remove the foreign domestic servant from her path.
Unfortunately, for the aristocratic gymnast, things failed to work out as she'd wished for Link captured the ribbon in a gloved hand and pulled hard on it making her stumble forward.
"Not too graceful either."
"You you! I'll kill you!" Kodachi screamed charging towards Link, hands held out like claws, in an uncharacteristically aggressive fashion.
Link simply used the momentum of Kodachi's mindless rush to flip her end over end in an easy Judo toss planting Kodachi face first into sidewalk beside Akane. "You remind me of this bully I still have to deal with, work with in fact."
The busty brunette planted one foot in the middle of Kodachi's back preventing her from getting up, the other she stomped on her hand making her scream and let go of the ribbon she'd been holding.
"She think she's all that but in the end she's not. In fact, she's a downright self-centered egotistical bitch." Link gave Kodachi's rear a swift kick. "Just like you."
Before Kodachi could flip to her feet and spin to face her foe she found herself again introduced to the earth when Link slammed a foot into her shapely posterior even as she used her other to stop down on her hand forcing her to let go of one of her ribbons which was then quickly kicked away.
"That hurt you know!" Kodachi cried trying to roll out from under Links feet only to get slammed back into the earth when Link kicked her again.
"Oh come on, with that much padding back here that couldn't have hurt." The longhaired brown-haired woman snidely remarked tapping her low-heel shoe against Kodachi's left butt cheek. "Definitely stand to lose a few pounds that's for sure. Or at least tone it up, the thing jiggles like jello."
Unable to form rational words due to her outrage at such treatment, Kodachi managed only incoherent stutters.
"I was told to be careful of tough fighters when I decided to visit Nerima. I'm thinking they didn't mean a prissy little snob like you 'cause if you're the best this place has to offer, I should just go home before I waste any more of my time."
Stepping away from Kodachi, and allowing her to get up, Link dismissively turned her back on the girl. "Still, I don't mind taking the time to knock some aristocratic wannabe off her pedestal."
Leaping to her feet Kodachi snarled viciously even as she snapped her remaining ribbon towards her opponent only to have this one yanked out of her hand after Link caught it like the last one.
"Seriously? Again with the ribbon? You've gotta have more moves than flicking this thing at me. Or is boring me to death your new angle?"
Anger yet again clouding her thoughts Kodachi dashed forward trying to strike Link with hand and foot only to be thrown backwards by two counter punches, one to her stomach and the other to her shoulder.
"You seriously suck at hand-to-hand." Link taunted, stepping over to land an open fist strike firmly between Kodachi's breasts throwing her back several feet where the girl half-fell over, only her arms holding her up from fully being laid out on the ground. "Maybe you should stick to using things like that ribbon."
–Ohohohohohoho– Kodachi laughed as she gingerly stood back up. "You are quite correct. I've let myself turn into a lowly brawler due to my temper, thank you for reminding me I'm a lady."
"And as a lady…" Kodachi reached behind her to produce a bouquet of black roses from seemingly nowhere. "Allow me to give you these."
"What is with that creepy laugh? And offering your opponent flowers, in the middle of a fight? Seriously sister, you've got issues."
"Issues? Perhaps. However, were I you, I'd concern myself more with how your uniform falls far from what is acceptable of a maid into the realm of a hentai's dream. I shudder to think of what my brother might do were he to see such a brazen trollop cavort about in such a thing."
"Oh please. You wish you had a body like mine." Link then posed with one leg slightly bent the foot arched off the ground, chest thrust out, hands holding up her hair. "Besides, you're one to talk, walkin' around the park a black leotard so tight it don't take much to see… well.. anything and everything you've got to offer."
Kodachi looked down at herself, than back up, confusion showing on her face. "There is nothing wrong with this outfit, it is after all the proper attire of I, the Black Rose, captain of the gymnastics team of the St. Hebereke School for Girls!"
"But enough idle chatter." The black-haired gymnast declared switching to a cheery tone complete with a fake smile. "Before we continue our little squabble to its inevitable conclusion…"
Link said "Yeah, me kickin' your ass." talking over Kodachi.
"…please this as begrudging token of my 'respect' for your skills."
Seeing Kodachi toss the bouquet to Link, Akane, still paralyzed by the gas, released a small squeak, providing Link with enough of a warning to not catch the toxic flower arrangement as she'd originally intended. When it hit the ground both she and Kodachi stared at it in confusion, one wondering why she'd bothered to dodge it and the other because the bouquet failed to release its expected payload of gas.
Seeing as her attempt to level the playing field in her favor via the bouquet, Kodachi back-flipped to a tree just off the path, retrieved a razor-hoop, and launched it towards her foe.
To her annoyance Link simply side-stepped it.
Not one to let an opponent rest, the younger Kuno simultaneously withdrew and threw three more razor-hoops with her left hand while pulling free the knotted silk cord holding her hair, a cord which turned out to be yet another of her gymnastic ribbons.
With a deft flick, she wrapped one end around the dodging brunette's ankle and yanked backwards pulling her feet from under her sending the taller girl toppling backwards, falling towards the bouquet on the ground.
"Though it pains me I must admit to feeling a bit of impressed with your skills despite your low breeding you've managed to provide me with more of a challenge than I would've expected from a mere menial." Kodachi said releasing her hold on Link's ankle as the leggy woman twisted in time to avoid landing on the flowers, instantly rolling to her feet in a ready stance. "Not too much of course, as your success so far is no doubt in part because I allowed my temper to cloud my brilliance."
"Allow me to introduce myself, though you do not deserve it. I am Kodachi 'the Black Rose' Kuno! Captain of St. Hebereke Rhythmic Gymnastics Team." She stepped forward as it offer her hand in a western style greeting only to pivot left sweeping out her legs catching Link in a double kick to her legs and one to her stomach sending the taller girl to the ground. "Perhaps you might give me your name since I have already graced you with mine?"
"Name's Link." The brunette responded rolling to her feet to dash back towards the now dodging gymnast as she threw punch and kick in quick succession.
"A pleasure Link-san." Kodachi calmly stated between leaps away from Link, her ribbon flitting out to find more holes in the taller girls defense. "Perhaps you could tell me what service hires out such skilled help as yourself?"
"I applied to a help wanted add, sorry."
"Ah, not even a properly trained servant. Your disrespect makes more sense now."
Coming to her feet from a back-flip which she used to pick up a second ribbon Kodachi leapt backwards away from Link, both of her ribbons snapping through the air, one of which succeeded in cutting a thin line in the lacing of the brunette's thigh stockings.
"These were brand new!" Link shouted leaping forward catching Kodachi with a glancing blow to her hip sending her briefly off balance, but not long enough for the brunette to get in a real hit.
–Ohohohohohoho– "I'm sure you can easily replace such fetish clothing… might I suggest the back alleys in Kabukichō?"
"Kabukichō?"
Rolling her eyes at Links lack of knowledge or what any tourist should know Kodachi twirled her ribbon filling the air with thousands of black flower petals meant to obscure her opponent's vision.
Arms in front of her face, hair whipping around her Link was doing her best to remain standing upright against the impressive force of the wind as Kodachi used an attack based upon her brothers air-pressure strikes only less direct and more meant to keep an opponent at bay through force of wind. It was only by blink luck Link managed to spot the two dozen or so small sand filled juggling practice bags come towards her. Figuring they would inflict little in the way of damage, she took the first two on her arms only to realize her mistake when they just having been hit by those two numbed her arm from the force of their impacts after which she managed to avoid the rest despite the slowing winds.
"So you do have more tricks than just snapping at me with that ribbon." Link hissed painfully as a third bag found its mark.
Kodachi chortled as she let up on her wind technique, snapping it towards a still recovering Link cutting the white flesh across the exposed portion of her left thigh. "I think I shall enjoy playing with you a bit before I send you crawling back to your master."
Narrowing her eyes Link did her best to slip around the next few ribbon attacks, of which only two managed to land but just like she had done with Akane, Kodachi kept her distance.
Dodging around a ribbon strike Link noticed how it had gone well past her. Thinking this to be a mistake and knowing it would make the ribbons return a second or so longer to pull it back Link dashed forward looking to take Kodachi down with a series of quick blows.
The sudden introduction of a very heavy branch to the back of her head via Kodachi's returning ribbon proved sufficient enough of a distraction to allow said female to easily dance out of the way of her strikes.
Twirling her twin ribbons around her body Kodachi laughed haughtily as Link rubbed the back of her head.
"Oh, so you like to play dirty do you?" Link dodging another ribbon strike.
"Dirty? Oh contraire! I fight in all fairness. It is you who knows nothing of fighting far for is it not you who dared to strike at me interrupting my battle with yon Akane Tendo." Kodachi responded. "Besides, one need not play 'fair' when dealing with a servant."
Leaning back on one leg, Kodachi cart-wheeled backwards easily avoiding Link's attempt to get close. Combining defense with offense she forced Link to slow her advance with a combination of ribbon strikes and tossed clubs.
"You know, you're beginning to annoy me little girl." Link said rubbing her cheek where she still felt the sting of a successful ribbon strike.
'Ok, this girl is faster than you.' Link thought even as she continued to try to get close to her opponent. 'The question is, what to do about it… chasing after her is clearly a bust and as long as she's got the range on me this fight is hers.'
'Damn it! If I could just get in close this'd be over.' Link dodged around the many objects a laughing Kodachi hurled at her using her ribbon. 'And her laughter is really starting to get to me. I thought only cartoon villains laughed like that!'
"As if one such as I should care how a lowly servile feels." came Kodachi's response to Links comment, "Now if you would be so kind as to stand still and accept your proper chastisement for your misdeeds I can get back to what I was doing."
Narrowly escaping another razor-hoop Link started to figure out her options. 'Ok, you only got involved in this because you needed a way to get closer to that Akane girl so you can dig up some dirt on Ranma, that and the way this chick treated her is way too close to how Zelda treated us in high school. I guess my only option is to try to get her and me out of here… hey wait a minute.' Link smiled devilishly as an idea came to her.
Making her move, Link feigned a fast dash towards the downed girl saying "Nah, I think I'll just take my friend here and get going.".
"I think not!" Kodachi cried out, snapping her ribbons towards Akane seeking to grab her before Link could.
When the busty brunette reversed her direction, putting on a sudden extra burst of speed, the self proclaimed black rose reacted too slowly to prevent Link from getting inside her defenses where the genetically enhanced woman delivered several power jabs, all directed towards Kodachi's already pained abdomen.
Wincing in agony, the young Kuno practically collapsed against her foe, her arms falling across Link's shoulders in what some might confuse with a lover's embrace had they just wandered onto the scene.
"I like that you play dirty," A groaning Kodachi heard the woman whisper into her ear. "…because I do too."
The crackling electrical noise created by the shock-stick now pressed against raven-haired girls abdomen could hardly be heard over her scream of agony.
"Heh, have to love those things." Akane heard her savior comment as she stepped away from the now unconscious Kodachi, the teens still smoking form collapsing to the ground at Links feet. "I got a feeling you're not used to people playing at your level, dirty. But it's like you said, it only matter's who remains standing."
Akane managed to move her pinky a tiny bit by the time the woman moved to her side and helped her sit up. "Heya there, names Link, and it looks like you could use a hand."
1) Shock-Stick – A variation on a stun gun or taser in the form of a small hand-held baton. Typical models only have one use but can be recharged – Link's version can be used several times before running out of juice.
-#-#-#-#- Nerima, Japan — Tendo Home (Late Afternoon – Before School Ends) -#-#-#-#-
Kasumi's nervousness was obvious if only in the way her hand trembled ever so slightly while placing the handset for the phone back upon its cradle. It showed not at all as she turned gracefully to make her way sedately down the hall, past the room where her father sat none-too-quietly lamenting his absent shogi partner. It showed again in a shaking of her arms once she was beyond the sight of anyone else who might be in the house within what she considered her private domain within the Tendo home, the kitchen.
Several minutes passed before the nervousness she felt due to the deception she'd impulsively decided to perpetrate against her family left her. An impulse given birth in how her youngest sister had loudly claimed to her new Amazonian friend, in size but not tribe, about how Ranma was unfaithful, arrogant, and perverted. How it would serve him right if he were to be cursed to have to deal with someone like him.
Though Akane meant that her fiancé should have to put up with someone who'd cheat on him, Kasumi instead flashed upon the thought of him finding someone like he was now… someone who shared his new feline nature… someone exactly like the girl in the picture Konatsu had given her. The one who'd dragged him away from his home and on to a plane going to who knew where.
It was this thought that lead Kasumi to commit her act of deception, to place a call to an old friend, one Emiko Konabouki, from whom she called in a long since owed favor.
A friend she hadn't talked with since the Saotome's arrival due to never having the time to do so due to the constant madness surrounding their stay, as well as the fact Emiko's job as a flight attendant for Japanese Airlines making it so Kasumi rarely had any idea when her friend would be in town.
Recently though, Kasumi had heard a rumor that Emiko'd been seen in town more frequently, stopping by to visit her father – a kind elderly gentleman who ran one of the fish shops in the market.
When Emiko answered her call, she sounded so pleased to hear from her that the eldest Tendo almost lost her nerve. However, after listening to several minutes of her friend talking about the places she'd seen during her many flights the keeper of the Tendo home and hearth regained her nerves. Thus, after they'd talked for a good fifteen minutes, during which she discovered her friend now worked out of the Tokyo Airport as a ticket agent, Kasumi nervously whispered her request for information on a specific flight out of Tokyo Airport to her friend.
At first Emiko was reluctant to use her position to do such a thing, but after hearing Kasumi wanted the information so she could rescue a boy who'd been taken away to placed unknown and that said boy was technically engaged to Kasumi by a pact between families, her attitude changed.
The reason for this was that Emiko, ever the closet romantic, was reminded of her fantasies of some handsome prince would coming sweep her off her feet or save her. Sure, this would be the reverse, but to have someone like Kasumi wanting to go after him, Emiko just knew that Ranma had to be something special and thus she was soon eagerly agreeing to help her long time friend in finding her one true love – despite Kasumi's frequent stammers of denial that they had such a relationship.
After giving her friend the flight number from one of the pictures Konatsu had given her, she thanked her friend profusely before they hung up, each promising to get together at some point in the future. This of course brought us to the now, Kasumi resting against the door to the kitchen trying to convince herself she'd only done what she'd done in order to present the information her friend might dig up to auntie at an opportune moment.
Truthfully, and a deep part of her knew it, she'd done it for entirely selfish reasons. Both so she could set at ease a woman she'd come to see as her surrogate mother and because of the thoughts of romance that Emiko had filled her head with left her imaging she and Ranma might actually be able to share a relationship that went beyond that of mere friends.
These thoughts were fueled further by feelings Kasumi began having months ago. Feelings that had been slowly growing since she'd begun taking a greater interest in Ranma's scholastic and emotional growth. The numerous conversations they'd have, both scholastically related and just sharing their days events, left her occasionally envisioning the two of them as a happily married couple enjoying a pleasant talk conversation before settling in for the night.
She'd also, over the months, imagined Ranma coming to her rescue from countless princes or unknown villains who'd use her to try to defeat him only to end up losing when he faced them down in her name. She'd of course ignored these as idle fantasies, a wish for a more exciting life. But the more she talked with the maturing boy, the more she felt a closeness to him. One she'd never shared with any male in her life and as his manners improved so too did the way Ranma treated her; always showing the deepest of respect and consideration for her.
When he began featuring in her nighttime dreams Kasumi knew she'd at least developed a crush for the younger man. One she'd never act on out of loyalty to her youngest sister who obviously cared for the maturing boy, no matter how much she, Akane, denied them.
Standing there, back against the door, she recalled how she'd done little things to appease her desires such as pretending his helping her during their trips to the market together were dates, or envisioning him defending her rather than her sister the many times he was forced to fight one of his random challengers. She even imaged a few times what it might be like to be the one to join him on one of his adventures – or maybe even be the one to save him for a change. Now, unlooked for, an opportunity to do just that had practically been hand delivered to her by fate.
129
Staring at the kitchen before her, her world, her realm, Kasumi wondered if she could actually do it.
Could she go off in search of Ranma when all she'd have was a destination and a name belonging to the pilot?
Could she drop everything to go on an adventure leading her to who knows where?
Or would she stay here, give the information to her family or Ranma's and miss out on what could be her final chance to break away from the only world she'd known since her mother passed away.
Closing her eyes tightly Kasumi brought her previously unsteady hands to her chest, listening to the chaotic harmony of the wind chimes her mother had given her when she was young.
Within their gentle chiming she heard the words her mother would say to her when she would try to rush into things when she was but a child.
"One step at a time my Little Mist."
And though her mother had been talking about the steps to proper cooking, Kasumi now placed them in another area of her life.
Slowly opening her eyes, a faraway look in them, she whispered to no one "Yes mother, I will.".
Thus, with a gentle smile upon her lips, Kasumi accepted the fact that her life, for good or ill, was about to change and Ranma was the key to that change.
The sound of the front doors opening, Nabiki's voice calling out her greetings to the house, stirred Kasumi into action; without hesitancy moving to continue preparations for the evening's meal.
More so than before Kasumi felt the need for everything to be perfect for when Auntie arrived.
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Additional Thanks
(In alphabetical order)
3 Headed Demon Dog — For pointing out a few canon issues I made in the story. While I may not always follow canon, it's still nice to know that some of it does.
Borgrabbit — For being a beta-reader for this story and for all the helpful suggestions.
Genhoss — For giving me a lot of advice.
And finally, thanks to all those who posted a review for this story.
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Chapter Notes &Author Comments
The Diggers Home: In the traditional story, the Digger sisters actually live in a small suburb area, with neighbor's homes being pretty close to theirs. (In one scene, Britanny caught Lydia peeking over a fence into their backyard where Stripe was cooking at the grill.) The way I am making it out is that after Peachbody destroyed their initial place of residence they moved their home a bit further away from the neighbors, on to the property owned by their parents. Their nearest neighbor is at least two to three football field lengths away from the house proper. (About 900–1200 feet, assuming regulation sized field of 420 feet.) With their parents home being further than this.
The lawn contains many trees, bushes, and conveniently placed boulders – it even has a small forested area on each property. The entire property is surrounded by a wall of stone with a small amount of metal fencing on the top. The stone part of the wall is about eight feet in height with the fencing bring it to nine in total. This runs the perimeter of both the sisters and the parent's property with an additional wall separating the girl's yard from that of their parents – this one only being seven feet in height with the metal part bringing it to eight.
Further description of the home will be given as the story goes on, though I might even draw up an image if inspiration strikes me.
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Story Pace
Many people have commented on the pace at which this story is moving – and while I appreciate your opinions and reviews, I must stay true to my vision and write things as my muse demands. I hope this does not turn you away from continued reading and enjoyment.
I am very much aware that barely a day has passed since the story started despite the story being several chapters in but there is just so much I want to fit into the start of the story and I don't wish to rush past anything only to have to do massive flashbacks later. Once I have everything in place the story will pick up pace and time will flow more quickly.
I also ask you to keep in mind this is my first serious attempt at writing a story.
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- Revised April 11th, 2011 -
- Revised August 16th, 2012 - (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A GOOD FRIEND!)