Wheel of Fate

AN: Done! Finally! I mucked around a lot with this one! It turned out completely different from what I had planned, but it is okay. The world of the story has been introduced fully and the plot is locked in place. Now all I need to do is to do the actual writing. If you happen to find anything that refers to Ranma being female please give me a holler. I wanted him to be a female for a gag but decided against it later on in the writing process.

On a sadder note, over here in Europe, the pandemic is in full swing. Please, everybody, take the warnings seriously. You have to understand! Even the professionals are forced to make guesses at this point. If possible stay at home. Wear those damn masks! It's shit, sure. But remember! Personal freedoms are worth squat if you are dead!

Suggested Music for reading: Maybe... maybe! "Tokihanate" from Houko Kuwashima and "Screaming Eagles" from Sabaton can be good for this one. At least Tokihanate has that right opening tension and Screaming Eagles throws in the right peak theme.

Disclaimer: I don't make any money out of writing this story. Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, not me.

Chapter 7: Peace / War

When morning came Ranma made his way down the stairs in a sour mood. His evening was great. A little pillow-chat with Akane and them falling asleep only separated by a few inches was a great experience. After all that his wakeup couldn't have been worse. It was horrid. One of his eyes was surrounded by a slight tint of blue, which was getting darker by the second. He would have happily settled for a less eventful morning. A less violent one to be precise. That black eye really stung. A true calling card of Akane's punch. A punch that was now further enhanced by his training...

The guilty party was right behind him sporting a sheepish face. "Sorry!" she repeated for at least the hundredth time. The boy stopped and turned around. He eyed her up and down for a few moments before continuing his way down the stairs without an answer. The Saotome-Surprise-Sunrise-Attack was something she got used to long ago. He had years to create an answer to it. Getting woken up by the Tendo-Surprise-Sunrise-Attack was new. He had yet to come up with something against that one.

"I really mean it Ranma!" pleaded the girl in the rear.

"It's all right!" came his tired response. He knew there was no way he would stay mad at the girl for long. He just needed a few minutes to cool down. If the frantic girl would only leave it at that and let him work it out of his system. He could get the process done so much faster.

"It's not all right!" she wailed to him. "I hit you! I should have waited for you to explain to… What am I saying? Explain? I was the one in the wrong place! In your sleeping bag! I don't even remember how I got there!" The girl was positively livid, there were literal waves of despair and panic rolling off of her.

"It was an accident don't sweat it!" he responded keeping it civil despite his annoyance. He cringed when the stair under his foot creaked in a loud annoying way. He wished the owner would fix that dammed thing. "We fell asleep holding hands! Remember?" he continued. "Maybe I pulled you down in my sleep! It's a possibility!" he added trying to ease the girl's and his own nerves.

Ranma's soothing didn't help much. If anything Akane became even more desperate. "Possibly! Could be! Maybe!" she called out. "It could have happened! But I shouldn't have overreacted this much! I mean... I threw that bucked at you, for heaven's sake!" she lamented. Her tone was slowly but surely taking on a desperate tint. Ranma forced back a sigh. He knew this will be a long one. She was taking it hard. Real hard!

There were some sounds of commotion coming from down under. He didn't pay much attention. It was probably made by some early morning barfight. The inkeep would probably put an end to it real fast. Policing the place was certainly not his job. The couple reached the bottom of the stairs. There they came to a sudden halt. The usual morning chatter of the inn was completely absent. The place was usually filled to the brim with travellers. Especially so because of the caravan in town. Not this time. The room was mostly deserted. There were barely any patrons down there. The air was was the unmistakable clang of a quick and decisive engagement. The sound of metal breaking and a loud thud of someone landing on the dirt. The noise lasted less than a second but the results were all too easy to spot. Ranma's answer to Akane's latest wail died a stillbirth. What he saw was not to his taste in the slightest.

The local Kuno imitator, Malowu, was on the ground, bleeding. The broken business end of a bronze sword was embedded in the far corner of the spacious room. It was still resonating from the force that had sent it there. Its broken and mangled hilt was on the ground next to the defeated man. He was moaning in obvious pain and trying to get to his feet.

The victor was a stranger with short, messy auburn hair and blue eyes. His choice of clothing, an assortment of fur and leather. A wast difference from the local grab. The most noticeable of his features was his confident to a degree even superior smirk. It was a smirk in many ways similar to Ranma's own, but at the same time, it was vastly different. Ranma's own had a hint of pride in it. A pride connected to his achievements as a martial artist. It was the smirk of a fighter with a strong moral code. The newcomer's expression was filled with arrogance and disdain for his opponent. It also carried a hint of malice.

"So much for the great defender of this town." remarked the man in an amused tone. The small group of people behind him, all dressed in a similar way, laughed at the remark. The message was more aimed at them than the Chinese present. It also had a tone of mockery to it.

The man turned to the innkeeper with a smile. "Food and drink!" he ordered. The staff complied without hesitation. The last thing they wanted was to risk the anger of these people. All they could hope for was to do as told and hope for everything to blow over. Doing anything else would have been nothing short of suicide.

Akane saw the injured man on the ground. He was in no shape to continue. He was lucky if he could make his way home without falling unconscious. Her compassionate instincts took over almost immediately. She rushed forward to the fallen swordsman to help him and tend to his wounds. She may have had a problem, several problems, with him, but she couldn't just stand by and do nothing. Helping the needy was part of her personal code, a part of her very being. The fact that a person such as Malowu could take it the wrong way or she could get into trouble never even occurred to her. Even if it had. She would simply not care about it. She was a martial artist. She could take it.

There was a deep, but not serious gash on Malowu's upper arm. It had to be dealt with immediately. By the looks of it, the wound was inflicted by his own weapon. Another testament of the unequal battle that just took place. The bleeding had to be stopped no matter what. After a quick search, she decided to sacrifice her handkerchief. The bloody rags that were the sleeves of the swordsman's clothes would have simply not made the cut. "You care after all An-cho!" he spoke with affection taking hold of her hand with his functioning one.

The leader of the leather-clad group smirked. His eye took on a dangerous glint. "I also want this man's head!" he called almost in a sneer. The remark was accompanied by another set of laughs from his comrades. Akane's blood ran cold. She stared at the leader of the strange group in disbelief. Why was he doing this? The short stubby man already had his victory. There was no point in killing anybody. She couldn't wrap her head around this turn of events. The whole concept of finishing off an opponent in such a manner was completely alien to her.

The inn's staff came to an abrupt halt. They knew that having to house a group of Weida-De was bad. But they never thought that it could be this bad. That the members of the dreaded tribe could be this unpredictable shocked even them. They feared what the next order might be. If these people went around making such demands in a way as if they were ordering a pint of some beverage... "You girl!" the leader called out addressing Akane. "You do it!" he barked. "Do it! Or I'll kill you myself!" The laughter of the man's crew increased. Akane could only stare in disbelief.

Ranma was regretting not putting more effort into mastering the local language more and more. He had no idea of what was said. What he did pick up was the change in the atmosphere around him. The way everyone froze with fear all over their faces. The obvious shock and disbelief in the air. Akane's horrid panicked face. The way everybody stared at the victor. He understood one thing. That guy, he was trouble. He posed a threat to Akane. There was not a single rule in his mind that had nothing standing above it. Anybody posing a threat to Akane was in for a beating. No exceptions!

He sprung into action stepping between the girl and the stranger. "Back off!" he growled at the man in Japanese putting on his most intimidating look. He wanted to make it clear without a doubt that Akane was off-limits no matter what. The message, while in the wrong coding, got across without a hitch. It's only result was more laughter.

"Try me!" came a Chinese taunt. The challenge was clear as day. There were no more words spoken as both sides slipped into a combat stance. A peaceful resolution was out of the question. It was to be a fight. The innkeeper and his family couldn't take it anymore. They ran for it. They've seen what Ranma was capable of. They've seen what the stranger could do. It was an easy choice. Abandoning their livelihood or go down with the ship. The building, their possessions. Those they could rebuild. Sacrificing their lives for a lost cause was not worth dying for.

Akane remained where she was looking after the injured party on the floor. She was sure Ranma would be able to take care of that guy. He always did. With Malowu's bleeding wound under control, she started to check the man more thoroughly. A was swelling on the man's scalp. As far as she could deduct he probably had a nasty concussion to accompany his cut. Despite her opinion of her unwanted suitor she couldn't help but worry for him. Once more she glanced up at Ranma. The boy was now in a guarded stance. She gasped. It was not the usual loose, causal, stance he used most of the time. It was a different one. One which he used only on special occasions. The one which was reserved for more serious opponents.

She could almost smell it. The stench of violence lingering in the air. She was raking her mind for a way, any way to avoid the conflict, but there was none. None unless she was ready to kill the man, whose head was currently resting on her lap. She silently cursed at her well-meaning nature. If she didn't rush forward she and Ranma could have easily remained under the radar. Though she doubted that they could have done so for long. The way these strange people were acting. It absolutely screamed abuse. Abuse and oppression of the weak. A handful of snow had more of a chance of making it through hell than Ranma standing by and doing nothing. Maybe it was better this way.

The tension grew. One could almost cut it. Ranma and the fur-clad warrior were completely focused on each other. Their bodies coiled like rattlesnakes, ready to strike. The only thing missing was the signal for them to strike. The girl cradling the injured warrior wannabe's head remained silent. She didn't want to be that trigger. If anything she wanted to avoid the conflict. She could hear panicked voices from outside as the local people cleared the area. They were well aware how bad this can turn out. They didn't want to get caught in the fight. In a contrast, the strange warriors seemed to quiet down. They were all focused on the brewing conflict. They knew a serious opponent when they saw one. Unlike the buffoon with the sword, they considered Ranma to be one of those.

Minutes passed ever so slowly. Ranma and his opponent remained still waiting for the slightest mistake. The smallest lapse in attention to that could be exploited. There was none. They cycled through several stances. They were trying to gain the upper hand for the start of the fight. Neither could. A loud pop echoed across the room. It came from the direction of the fire-pit. Akane had to resist the urge to flinch. A second pop followed. This time she couldn't keep the grimace from her face. That second crackle was also the trigger that set both the martial artist and the warrior off.

They transformed from complete stillness to frantic action. Attacks and counterattacks were launched as they struggled for dominance. The sounds made by the battle were downright inhuman. Flesh hitting flesh sounded like wooden boards slamming against each other. After a brief skirmish, the sides jumped apart only to rush forward to engage with even more ferocity.

Akane gulped at the sight. She could only sit and stare as the battle unfolded in front of her. Despite all her growth during the previous months, the fight was something completely out of her league. She had to strain herself just to see what the two combatants were doing. Keeping up with therm was completely out of the question for her. It was a brawl she couldn't even dream of winning. It both saddened and encouraged her. For one she still had a lot to learn. There was a lot of training and hardship ahead of her before she could call herself Ranma's equal. But the sight also made her happy, it was a taste of what she could become, of what she can reach if she worked hard enough. It was a road on which she would walk down happily if the chance was presented to her.

The combatants exchanged a series of punches before switching to a series of grappling moves. The attacks and defensive measures cancelled each other out. Every action was met with an equal reaction in skill and force. They added more and more speed and power escalating the exchange even further.

Akane glanced at the other group not fully trusting them to keep their distance. They didn't move from the spot they occupied at the start of the conflict. They were all focused on the fight, watching and evaluating. Akane remained wary of them. She had been kidnapped more than enough times. She refused to let her guard down. So far the men and women supporting the fur-clad warrior seemed to keep their distance. It didn't mean much to her. She definitely didn't want to become a damsel in distress yet again.

A loud boom brought her attention back to the battle raging in the restaurant. Broken pieces of furniture were flying everywhere and bouncing off the walls. Ranma and his opponent just exchanged a huge cross counter punch. They both managed to dodge the mutual attacks. That could not be said about the tables behind each of them. Those were shattered. The air-pressure alone was enough to destroy them utterly. Another boom echoed across the room. More of the interior was lost to the fight. This time around the sound was accompanied by a strange noise. In a way, it was similar to a mouse eating its way across a wall. At first, she had trouble identifying the source. When she managed to do so her eyes widened. The wall behind each combatant marred by a series of ever-expanding cracks. The thing was slowly, but surely giving in to the forces released by the conflict. The consequence of those crumbling dawned in her. The inn. The one she was in... The building was not going to see the and of the day.

Guests still in there, most trapped on the upper level, all were gathering what they could and making their escape one way or another. They too saw the literal writing on the wall. Trying to wait for the battle to end was no longer an option. The building had become a death-trap. They did not intend to stay and become a victim.

A particularly loud pop echoed across the building. Something important within the structure gave way. The entire place started to shake and shiver. The fighters didn't care. They kept going. Defying all possibility they somehow managed step up their game even further. Akane's eyes could no longer keep up with them. The combatants were becoming more and more blurred to her. There were some movements that were too fast for even her to catch. The girl was also starting to think about running for it. Things were starting to get too hot for even her.

A startled sleepy-looking Ryoga appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He glanced at the fight then at Akane. "What's going on he?" yelled over the noise created by the battle.

Akane's gaze snapped over to him. "Get our bags and get to safety!" she yelled.

"But what about them?" asked Ryoga pointing at the fight.

"Go!" Akane yelled back loud as she could. The wall behind Ranma finally collapsed in a heap of smoke and noise. It was all too clear that it was time to vacate the place. She glanced at the injured Malowu. He was staring at the fight with his mouth hanging open. At least the idiot finally figured out what he was up against. Grudgingly she decided to get him out of the area. As much as she hated the obnoxious boy she couldn't leave him there to die. She knew he'll get the wrong idea, but it was a problem she'll have to deal with later on. The girl hauled the Chinese youth onto her shoulder and Ran for it. She glanced back at Ranma once more contemplating if she should warn him. She decided against it. Disturbing her boyfriend in such a situation could easily lead to disaster. It was not worth the risk of him getting injured. This was his fight. It was not her place to get involved. She was sure he could get out in time should the worst happen.

Another crack filled the air. It was almost like an explosion. Parts of the building were starting to cave in. The latest victim was one of the support beams keeping the place standing. It snapped like a twig under the pressure it was subjected to. The already structurally unsound place just received its death blow. The cracks in the walls were growing at an alarming rate. The air was filled with groans and pops as the entire structure was slowly but surely coming down.

Warrior and martial artist both kept at it. Ranma deflected a series of kicks that would have broken the arm of a lesser person. He retaliated by launching a series of punches into his opponent's gut. Most got through, but the target took a few steps back, easing the impacts, essentially negating the damage. The opening created by Ranma's attack was exploited ruthlessly. However, the punch meant for Ranma's jaw was avoided easily. It turned out to be only a feint for the soon incoming elbow. Ranma knew that particular sequence. He was ready with his own special brand of medicine. And so it went, on and on. It was like a high-speed chess-match with both sides trying to gain the upper hand, but never really managing to do so. They were so occupied they never even noticed that their battlefield was about to collapse right on top of them.

While the fight got worse every sane person was evacuating the place. Ryoga was the last one to leave. The window he used to launch himself to safety was already in the process of disintegrating when he did so. He barely managed to clear the place when the frame gave in and the entire thing started to fall apart. Cracks and popping sounds could be heard all over the small town as one of its most prominent fixtures became a thing of the past. The air was filled with dust and the screams of some of the more anxious locals. Outright panic was starting to spread among the people.

The no holds barred combat came to an abrupt end when the building came crashing down on the head of the participants. The inhuman sounds of combat finally and mercifully ceased. Everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at the scene of complete destruction with mouths hanging wide open. Some of the more daring, or more foolish, edged closer to the rubble created by the destruction.

The devastation was absolute. All that was left of the once-proud inn was a pile of broken clay bricks that was mixed with broken timber. The remnants of its thatched roof had settled neatly on top of it all. There was smoke billowing forth from underneath. A clear sign that the flames of the fire-pit were still going strong. It was only a matter of time before they made their way through the refuse and turned the entire pile of rubble into one blazing inferno.

Akane stood still in shock. Ranma was under all of that. Her luggage, Malowu, was still perched on her shoulder. He started to slip. She didn't care. She did what was demanded by honour and her sense of compassion. Her duty was done The idiot was safe. Seconds later he landed on the dirt with a loud thud.

"An-cho!" he called out in protest. "This is no way to treat your future husband! Especially when he is injured!" Akane had to resist the urge to kick him in the ribs. It was not worth the hassle. All that really mattered to her was Ranma. He was under all that stuff and the flames were starting to spread. She rushed forward in desperation completely forgetting the Chinese youth on the ground.

Ryoga was not far behind. He dropped the bags right on top of the fallen swordsman as he rushed by. He might have had his misunderstandings with Ranma he was still the closet thing he had to a friend. The constant death threats and name-calling... Lately, it was more out of habit than real malice. Both Japanese descended on the pile of refuse and dug into it as if there was no tomorrow. Neither cared much about the chance of getting injured in some way. Ranma was in trouble. They had to help him! They had to get him out of there before the fire really started to spread.

In their haste, they never noticed that the rubble was not completely still. It was moving. The two buried underneath were not down. First the stranger then Ranma emerged. Both were covered with bruises and superficial cuts. Otherwise, they looked fine. It took Akane several seconds to notice them. She stopped her frantic search and stared at Ranma with relief running all over her. He was safe. It also occurred to her that the friends of the strange warrior seemed to be too calm. Now she understood why. They knew that their leader was strong enough to come out from such a situation uninjured.

Then the girl noticed something on the combatants. Ranma and the strange stubby man. They were grinning. Both. In a fight that could easily escalate into a matter of life and death. "You've got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed. "They are having fun!?"

Ryoga just stared at the scene with a blank, if a bit peeved expression. "I'll have to up my training regiment!" he concluded. As much as he hated to admit he would have been hard-pressed to keep up with this level of martial artistry for a longer period of time.

The strange guy chuckled. "Not bad, not bad at all!" he remarked running a hand through his hair trying to smooth it out. Not that it mattered in any form or shape. The top of his head was one tangled mess that made Ryoga's own look well kept and stylish. His voice was deep and commanding. However, it was also carrying a hint of respect. "It had been some time since someone actually managed to challenge me." he continued. "Your kind is rare enough even among us!"

Ranma stared for a few seconds before turning to Akane. "What he say?" he asked. Akane was having trouble returning to reality. She was still riding out the last vestiges of relief. She really thought Ranma was seriously hurt when the inn came crashing down on the top of his head. "Hey, Akane!" he called out again. "Tomboy, you in there?" Seconds later he cringed once more he was successful in sinking his foot into his rather large mouth. He was almost expecting a mallet to descend on top of him. To his relief, it never came.

"Sorry, I got a little held up!" Akane responded in a hurry. Any anger she felt at Ranma's remark was cancelled by her raging emotions.

"What did shorty say?" Ranma asked again.

The girl made a quick recount of the words she heard earlier on. Her memory still had enough stored to make some sense of it. "I think he complimented on your abilities," she answered finally managing to settle on the here and now.

Ranma smirked. "Please tell him; he's not too shabby either."

Akane didn't argue. She knew that the conflict had to be resolved. Peacefully if possible. The livelihood of one family had already been destroyed. If things started up once again it could easily mean the destruction of the entire town. She had seen enough of what her boyfriend and the stranger could achieve in under five minutes. The mere thought of what they could do if they went for it again had her nervous.

"You be good too!" she translated.

The second combatant looked at her then at Ranma then his eyes moved to Malowu who was still groaning on the ground. The bags Ryoga had left behind were still in the same place. On top of the clown. Ryoga's idea had worked. The swordsman didn't move and didn't but in on their business.

The warrior's eyes returned to Akane. "I take it you guys are not from around here?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"And you are not that moron's woman?" he asked pointing at Malowu.

"Heaven, no!" Akane responded appalled at the mere thought. "I be have standards! Me man be idiot, but not that idiot!" she chirped in Chinese. The warrior facing her chuckled at the remark. Ryoga snickered before bursting out in complete laugher.

"What she say?" asked Ranma. Nobody answered. The pig boy laughed harder. "Seriously! What she say!" asked Ranma again. His voice was starting to get demanding if a bit desperate.

The warrior turned to Ranma. "Translate woman!" he called to Akane. "I don't know who you are stranger…" he spoke. "…but I commend on your skills. It's been some time since someone actually challenged me..."

Akane conveyed the words. She was hopeful. The fight had died down and they were talking. Maybe they could find a way to talk this one out. The man only waited a few seconds before he went on.

"My name is Xi-no-mo. I'm a captain of the Weida-De tribe and I'd like to make an offer," he informed. Akane felt relieved. Things might turn out for the better.

While the man went on Akane glanced at the faces of the townspeople around her. Ever so slowly and hesitantly they were emerging from their hiding places. The destruction of the inn was final. The flames were starting to break loose. The roof was already burning merrily. It was not a roaring fire yet, but it was only a matter of time before it became that. Some men were running to get any and every bucket they could get their hands on to contain the looming disaster.

The girl saw the faces of some of the women. The same faces that had been so friendly the day before were now downright, panicked fearful. She was saddened by the sight. At the implication of those looks. The message behind them. Nothing will be the same as before anymore. This town. The one that had become almost like a home to her. The people in it. The community that treated her and her two companions as if they were long lost cousins. All of the hard work and time the three of them had invested to fit in, all of their efforts were for nought. Even if they were allowed to stay. It just would not be the same.

Once more she relayed the man's words as best she could. The girl was happy when she saw Ranma loosen his stance. "Cinamon, eh?" he asked. "You're not too shabby either! The name's Ranma Saotome! So tribe-man? What is this offer?"

Akane smiled. Ranma was confident as ever. She did her best to push the message across. She didn't know why the two men made her the official channel. Ryoga was better at this stuff. She guessed it had something to do with male ego. Probably. Certainly. Definitely!

"The offer is simple!" Cinamon began. "A place among us warriors! The Weida-De! For you and your woman!"

The warrior smirked. As far as he was concerned there was no doubt about the answer. There were very few people who ever refused this offer. Especially those who were well versed in the art of combat. For them, such an invitation pretty much meant a life of luxury. The only thing they had to focus on was improving their skills. For one who lived for nothing but the glory of battle already, this was pretty much an invitation to paradise.

Akane glanced around. Many people were now openly staring at her. They were listening in on the conversation. Their faces were horrid and hopeful at the same time. She had a very good idea why. Her lips started to move. To pass on the message to her boyfriend who suddenly found himself in a situation to decide what will happen next. The course of their coming weeks if not years.

She had to admit that becoming part of a more powerful group could have its perks. A stable source of food and clothing among others would be a most welcome change. She did not want to return to the desperation of the first few weeks. Eating nothing but berries and the roots they could find. Having nothing but a dammed bathing robe to wear. Sleeping on the cold hard ground with nothing but grass for a pillow. Accepting the invitation would have certainly better than repeating that experience.

However, she had heard the rumours. People tended to talk. There were stories, many in fact. The Weida-De were everything but a nice bunch. The words: exploiting, bloodthirsty, relentless, and unforgiving came to her mind whenever she thought of that particular tribe.

Cinamon went into a long tirade about the benefits of joining his people. About all the techniques that one could learn. About the power that one could gain in the warrior tribe. The girl acting as his mouthpiece wasn't really swayed. But she had to agree that joining up could have its advantages. Maybe, just maybe, there was some super-powerful wizard somewhere in the tribe that could help the three of them out. The chance of that ever happening was surely higher than believing some rumours about some far away mage that couldn't break out of custody on his own. A wizard who may or may not exist.

"What do you guys say?" asked Ranma turning to Akane and Ryoga. "I'm all for learning a few new styles, but something tells me spice guy isn't telling us the whole deal."

Akane nodded in full agreement with Ranma's assessment. Ryoga was left in deep thought. All three of them became silent. After a minute Akane turned to the warrior.

"What be the bad side!" she asked.

"You'll have to kneel for the two grand-masters of the tribe." was the answer she received. It was an answer that caught her attention. Ryoga went green and shook his head. Ranma only had to glance at her to make her spill the information.

"Kneeling for some ancient fart?" Ranma asked her. "Even the thought makes my leg feel stiff!"

"Two!" Ryoga corrected.

"I'd rather go on a date with Kuno!" remarked the girl.

"Same here!" remarked the Saotome heir. He remembered those nightmares well.

"So our answer is?" asked Akane.

Ranma looked at her with a hint of mirth. "Isn't it obvious Ka-chan? I'd rather sniff the backside of my father for a week!"

Akane smirked.

"Tell him! Everything!" Ranma instructed.

The girl's smirk intensified. She started to speak. She told the warrior everything. Including all the remarks they made. She knew it will be a fight. But in essence, sacrificing their freedom for some minor convenience? No! The Weida-De leader stared at her with his mouth hanging more and more open. As far as he knew this was a first. Refusing such an offer. It was madness! Akane pushed on without mercy. She also knew that the result of this will be probably bad. Even as she spoke she glanced over to the group behind the man. She did her best to assess their abilities.

"So, not! We be not join your pack of bullies!" Akane finished feeling satisfied. She knew it'll be ugly. She didn't care. Someone had to stand up to bullies! If nobody else had the gut they would do it.

The townspeople couldn't believe their ears. The small group of strangers who had spent the last few months among them, the people who always helped out with their inhuman abilities didn't join up with the tribe as they had feared. It was quite the opposite. Akane's little speech was like a slap to the face. The words she used. "Thieves! Tyrants! Murderers!" The shocked expression on the faces the tribers. It was so delicious to them.

Cinnamon slowly but surely broke the spell of confusion that had been cast on him. He couldn't believe it. His generous offer was refused. And so thoroughly to boot. Insanity or overconfidence? He didn't know which one of the two it was. He had seen the power of the tribe's grand-masters. He knew he was strong. But compared to those two he was like an insignificant insect. Those three had just signed their own death warrants. He heard his people behind him prepare to continue the fight. To escalate things. He also knew that the three of soon to be dead strangers would not use full force with so many weaklings around them. That raven-haired man. The one he fought. His power. He wanted to experience it all. To fight him again. To test himself against that power. To defeat him when he was not holding back. He had an idea how to achieve that.

"So you refuse to join?" he asked slowly calmly. He didn't wait for the answer he knew what it will be. "Then you die!" he declared. He smirked when the girl took a step back. He held up a hand to stop his people who were already in the process of circling their prey. "Get out of here while you can! We give you half a day lead. Enjoy the time you have left! Soon you'll be nothing but a memory. A cautionary tale to other people!"

He heard his people protesting. He didn't care. He wanted to fight that man again! And break him!

Akane glanced to her companions. She knew what the boss was capable of. The others were a complete mystery. Sixteen other warriors to fight. And that powerhouse to make things nice and unequal.

"We run?" Ranma asked.

"We run!" she responded.